Teaching on the Caribbean Coast - Costa Rica

Product Details

Escuela Complementaria is a spacious school in the laid-back southern Caribbean coastal town of Cahuita. There are approximately 70 children aged from three to 16 years old. The community lead traditional lives depending upon fishing and farming. A volunteer is needed to assist the main English teacher. During the placement, volunteers would also be needed at a second school, where there is currently no English teacher. This would be a great opportunity to put on activities and develop a basic English language programme for pupils to follow.

Responsibilities and activities

You would help to plan and conduct lessons and activities with the English teacher. The school has a supportive director but he only speaks Spanish, so although a high level of Spanish is not needed on this project, it would be good to get to grips with the basics before arrival. Volunteers are mainly needed to teach English, but it would be hoped that this could be done imaginatively perhaps using drama, art and crafts.

Working in the afternoons at the state school would require an ambitious and motivated individual to become the English teacher, as to date there hasn't been a volunteer based there. Most of the children in the community, including the children of the host family, attend the state school, so volunteers would be welcomed and supported in the role as English teacher.

Accommodation, food, language and time off

Accommodation is with a family stay. There is room for two volunteers, sharing the facilities with the rest of the household. The family are very supportive and have enjoyed having volunteers for the last 15 years. There would be another Outreach International volunteer sharing who would be placed at the medical clinic in Cahuita, but there is the opportunity to socialise with the local Costa Ricans and expatriate community.

Although all meals are prepared for volunteers, there are restaurants and cafes, as well as shops to buy provisions and toiletries. Working hours are normally 8am until 1pm, with the expectation that afternoons could be spent at the local state school teaching English. Weekends are free for travelling and exploring by bus. The lively town of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is just 20 minutes away with many shops, bars, restaurants and even surfing lessons a great place to spend a weekend away. Outreach International provide all volunteers with a Latin American Spanish CD course prior to departure and volunteers also receive a one-week intensive Spanish course in the country.