Escola Santa Teresa de Jesús, in Vilanova, has been in the Programa Auxiliars de Conversa since the beginning. They have hosted Conversation Assistants for five years now! This year, they are hosting Adam, who comes from Ireland.

Both Adam and her tutor have written to us to tell us what their experience with the program is like so far. Thank you, Adam and Roser!

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Per cinquè any consecutiu, ha estat un plaer acollir un auxiliar de conversa a la nostra escola. Enguany tenim la sort de comptar amb l’Adam, que des del principi s’ha adaptat molt ràpid a la dinàmica de l’escola i s’ha integrat a la comunitat educativa com un més.

A més a més, ens ha acostat a la cultura irlandesa i ens ha fet partícips de les seves costums i tradicions, creant materials de presentació enfocats als alumnes.

Comparteix temps i espai tant amb alumnes de primària, secundària com de cicles formatius. És una persona polivalent, creativa i de fàcil adaptació.

Una de les activitats que destacaria és la realitzada amb els alumnes de 1er d’ESO. A classe estàvem treballant la interrogació, així que els alumnes es van posar a la pell d’un periodista i van preparar una entrevista per al nostre auxiliar, l’Adam. Molt amablement ell va contestar a totes dels preguntes dels 5 grups, que van enregistrar amb els seus mòbils per posteriorment transcriure’n el contingut. Als alumnes els va agradar molt aquesta activitat, ja que van poder palpar la utilitat real d’un contingut treballat a classe.

L’Adam també participa en activitats més lúdiques de l’escola, com el Carnaval, que ara estem preparant intensament, i altres sortides i excursions.

Estem molt contents de l’experiència viscuda fins ara, i continuem treballant amb il·lusió per tirar endavant aquest projecte comú.

I have only just finished moving house for the second half of my stay here in Vilanova i la Geltru, and I can’t believe how fast the first part has finished. Time really does fly when you’re having fun! I am working in a lovely school that is quite literally dead in the centre of the town (And the town is quite big!). Every week I have the opportunity to teach groups from First Primaria (6 Years old) right through to commerce and Administration students in cicles formatius preparing to enter the workforce. It’s certainly an eye-opener.

 There are too many good things about Escola-Col.legi Santa Teresa to recount in a blog piece, but some of the highlights include the enduring popularity which many students afford to me as a Language Assistant, the ever-welcoming attitude of the teaching and administrative staff, as well as the occasional excursions we make to Places like Montserrat and the Nou Camp. On the latter of the three, the best of these has been the opportunity to work with a group of Sixth Primary students that represented the School on the Catalan TV English-Language game show “Fish & Chips”. It was a really great responsibility to be given. Of course we work on lots of other innovative English ideas with classes as well, such as collaborative writing with other Schools, and cultural presentations.

 Other teachers treat me as an equal, and I’ve been able to participate in lots of really fun things, such as “Teachers Day”, the annual Christmas teachers dinner and a teachers night at the restaurant for the School Founder’s Saint’s Day. When I’m not helping students with their English, my colleagues are more than happy to help me with my Catalan. The same can be said for my host families, the last of whom also gave me an amazing introduction to their town. I now wave to people on the street like one of the locals!

 Vilanova, like many towns in Catalonia, is opportunely placed for travelling to Spain for weekends, and I’ve already been to Madrid twice! People in the School community are never shy to share their tips for travel in and beyond the region! In an all-round manner, whether in Teaching, Language, Culture or travel, the programme has been a fantastic experience to date.