TEACH SCHOOL CHILDREN IN BUENOS AIRES

WORK CONTENT AND DESCRIPTION

You'll work in one of our Catholic schools in the stunning city of Buenos Aires. These schools are middle class and although English is taught as a main subject, the exposure to English spoken by a native speaker is immeasurable. The children are a joy to teach and very enthusiastic at being taught by volunteers and you can bring some fun and innovative ideas into the classroom.

You are able to teach all ages, from kindergarten through to the age of 16. The schools are large and hold between 600 and 1,800 students. The average class size for the Kindergarten students is around 15-20 with 28-34 in the higher classes. You'll assist a teacher and they will also help with your lesson plans.

You'll normally teach 4 days a week from approximately 10.00 am - 4.00 pm for around 3-4 classes per day. If you would like to teach more classes, this can be arranged.

Full time Drama can also be arranged (if you have some experience) and, depending on the length of your stay you may be able to put on a play orshow. You can also combine coaching sports with your teaching English placement. Sports that are available are, football, handball and badminton.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS:
The project is subject to school holidays and teaching during this time is not available. Please see school holidays below:

• Winter Holidays: 20/07/15 – 31/07/15
• Summer Holiday: 23/12/15 – 28/02/16

Extract from a Report sent in by one of our schools:

Jane has taught secondary school students from 1st Year to 3rd Year, for a period of two weeks on Mondays and Wednesdays from 14.00 to 16.00hs. She could easily adapt to the different levels. The home teachers gave her the lesson plans before every class, so she always knew exactly what to do and what to expect from the students.

It was really wonderful to have Jane around for she is such a nice girl, very respectful and highly responsible with the school work that was assigned to her. All the students enjoyed her classes very much and we all hope she enjoyed them that much too. School Principal

HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION

You'll live a hostel situated in a beautifully renovated historic building in Downtown Buenos Aires, very conveniently located for exploring the city, with an endless supply of cafes, restaurants and shops nearby. It has a socialble atmosphere and you'll be made to feel welcome with a real chance to immerse yourself in Argentine culture.

You'll share a dorm room and have access to kitchen facilities. The hostel has a common area where you can relax and watch TV or DVD’s and there is also a piano and a ping pong table! It also has Wi-Fi and a couple of computers and a small roof terrace with chairs to enjoy the sunshine.

FOOD:

You’ll be given an allowance for your meals (breakfast and dinner, lunch is excluded for projects in Buenos Aires). This arrangement is to give you the flexibility to sample the great Argentinean food. Right on the door step of the hostel there are many cafes and restaurants with great priced menus just waiting for you….the choice is yours!

HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATION:

If you would prefer a more cultural experience, we can arrange for you to stay with a local Argentinean family. Host family accommodation gives you the opportunity to become more integrated in the local community and is ideal if you want to practice your Spanish (Basic/intermediate Spanish is required to stay with a Host Family). You'll have a comfortable private room and use of the kitchen. Breakfast and dinner is provided every day and you will usually share a typical Argentinean meal with your family.

Facilities in host families do vary, but you can express your preferences regarding the type of family that you stay with (for example, a family with or without children, pets, etc). If you stay in a host family you will be given contact details of other volunteers living in Buenos Aires so that you won't miss out on any socialising!

If you choose the host family option, there is an additional supplement.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Got any questions? Please email us: info@travellersworldwide.com

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR PLACEMENT?

Once you have applied for a placement, we'll contact you and send you our Welcome Pack. You'll also receive Log-on details and password for our Volunteer Extranet where you'll have access to all the documentation and information which we've put together to facilitate preparations for your adventure! Your Project Co-ordinator for your country will liaise with you throughout the arrangements process, as well as while you're on your placement and on your return home.

The documents you'll have access to also include a Country Factfile, Safety Guide and any manuals that may assist you on your particular programme (e.g. Teaching Guide, Sports Manuals, Enrichment Suggestions for Animal Care, etc.). We do all we can to make your stay one that you'll never forget. This is a truly awesome, elegant and beautiful country.

As with all our destinations, the culture and heritage is different to what you're used to ... which, although one of the most exciting aspects of travelling, should be borne in mind. Self-reliance and independence are highly appreciated in all our destinations and will help you to make the most of this wonderful opportunity!

VOLUNTEERING WITH CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS
As well as protecting all our volunteers, Travellers Worldwide is committed to all our projects and dedicated to practices which protect children and vulnerable adults from harm. Read Travellers' Child Care and Vulnerable Adults Policy.

TRAVELLERS' SUPPORT AND BACKUP: Read about the excellent Support & Backup we provide before you leave and during your programme.

OPTIONAL ADD-ON ACTIVITIES:

Make the most of your time there! To help you do that, we've put together some exciting activities, courses and tours that you can add to your itinerary. These are designed to let you learn, expand your personal and professional development ... and add to your fun and enjoyment!

Very popular choices are Spanish Courses and Dance Courses.

LOCATION | SIGHTSEEING:

The romance of Argentina takes one's breath away. From the northern deserts to the southern Andean Cordillera, from Iguazú Falls to the magnificent desolation of Patagonia, Argentina's geography is varied and stunning. Argentina is geared up to thrill - from nights tango-ing in the chic quarter of Buenos Aires to gaucho riding in the grasslands of the Pampas.

Cosmopolitan Buenos Aires:
Buenos Aires is one of the most exciting cities in Latin America. Tango was born here, restaurants serve all manner of world cuisines, bars play the latest music, cafés spill on to the streets and nightclubs allow dancing throughout the night. This fabulous city is renowned for its sophistication and has a surprisingly European feel about it. BA is reminiscent of Paris and its tree-lined avenues and frequent plazas have a beguiling, faded elegance.

Downtown, the Plaza de Mayo is the traditional focus of activity. Nearby Avenida 9 de Julio is popularly known as the world's widest thoroughfare and, with its nine lanes of traffic, is truly a pedestrian's nightmare! Avenida Santa Fe is the most fashionable shopping area.

TRAVEL:

Read about Travel arrangements and what happens when you arrive in your new country.

AMELIA GOLDSMITH
American
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

The best thing about my placement has been helping others learn English.
Although my Spanish wasn't very strong at the beginning of my trip, I've learned a lot and have been able to use these skills in order to be a more effective teacher.
I really like the kids that I have been teaching and it's really rewarding for them to see their English improve.
I would recommend this placement to others. It's has been a wonderful opportunity. Learning about the Argentinean culture and having the chance to advance in a foreign language has been an amazing experience that anyone would enjoy.

MELISSA WHITING
Australian
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

I had for a long time wanted to visit Argentina. Having worked as a lawyer for the past 13 years, I'm considering a career change or career break to teaching in the mid-term future.
I applied to Travellers Worldwide to teach English in Argentina with the dual purpose of dipping my toe in and get a ‘taste’ of teaching and experiencing some of Argentina. I could only commit to a short two week period because of annual leave restraints. The staff at Travellers and at the local school in Buenos Aires were very flexible and helpful in accommodating me in this regard.
Everything about my placement was excellent. Melina, the in country manager, was friendly and incredibly helpful, the only down side of which was that there was just too much delicious food. It was a consistent theme across my two week 'working holiday': too much delicious food and delightful, friendly people.
At the school, which comprised a primary and secondary campus, my role was principally in teaching (leading the class) in conversational English. All the regular English teachers prepared lesson plans for me before each class that covered vocabulary, grammar objectives for the class, as well as suggested activities and reading from course books. In most classes, we didn't get to the lesson plans as the students were so interested in simply engaging in conversational practice by asking me about my life, where I live, family, hobbies, what I thought of Argentina etc.
Overall, the experience really was delightful and very fulfilling. The students and teachers were enthusiastic, welcoming and kind. In effect, that meant I felt like a 'movie star' with all the excitement and enthusiasm of a first lesson but no follow up routine which I imagine would be a more realistic experience of the day to day challenges for regular teachers.

RONAN COLLINS
Irish
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires
Spanish Course

I'm getting on great here in Buenos Aires. I have been here 3 weeks now and I don't think I want to leave! The people from B.A. are really friendly and the people staying and working in the hostel are really great too.
I am enjoying my teaching placements and my Spanish lessons a lot. I am leaving the hostel this weekend to move in with a family for a month, the reason being to improve my Spanish. I nearly wasn't going to do it because I am having such a good time in the hostel, but its hard to improve your Spanish because everyone speaks English here. It will be fine because the house I'm moving into is not far from the hostel so I can call round there whenever I want.
I would recommend to anyone who wants to have a really good time and learn a lot of Spanish to stay in the hostel for the first month and a home stay for the second because you can then still meet up with people from the hostel in the second month.
Argentina is a brilliant place to go!

LISA LAIDLER
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

My experience in Buenos Aires was thoroughly enjoyable and I loved every minute of it. I would love to go back! I have learnt how to live by myself on the other side of the world, in an unfamiliar place and language! I have also developed skills to interact and socialize with a wide variety of people, from children, to teenagers and adults.
I especially enjoyed teaching in the schools as the kids and teachers were great! They were very friendly and welcoming. I received welcome and leaving cards, and presents, which was extremely sweet and touching. The schools made the most of having a native English person there, so I always felt that they appreciated my being there and that they also gained from the experience.
Would you recommend this placement to anyone else? I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone, as I had a fantastic time, and I’m sure the experience would be just as worthwhile for someone else.
What type of person do you think this placement would suit? This placement would suit anyone who is enthusiastic and motivated to do volunteer work in a foreign country. They should have the confidence to be able to integrate into a different culture, and interact with a wide variety of people from different backgrounds, and of different ages. The person should be adaptable and committed to their project.

MARK SIMS
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

I had no problems making it to the hostel and I was welcomed by Adriana and then Gary. I'm really enjoying myself so far (and I'm sure I'll continue to do so). Lack of a good night's sleep has been the only problem as the nightlife is pretty late here, and I often have early starts in the morning. The hostel is great. I get on well with the other Travellers people, and the staff who run the hostel are so friendly and helpful. I've been out most nights since I've been here, with Travellers people and some Argentineans we have met.
I'm teaching at 2 schools as an assistant in English lessons for 9-11 yr olds. The kids are really sweet, and the teachers very welcoming. I'm also doing a couple of one-on-one sessions - one at a boy's home, the other at a hospital. The boy's home is quite disorganised (as you'd expect) and I just teach whoever turns up. They normally know virtually no English but my basic Spanish is enough to get us through the lessons without any problems. It would be better to be able to see the same boy(s) regularly but the realities of a boy's home make that very unlikely. At the hospital I'm teaching a 50-yr-old doctor, who speaks very good although not totally natural English.
I feel I am gaining an insight into Buenos Aires life by experiencing life inside some BA schools, and meeting many local Argentineans. I feel that I wouldn't get this opportunity if I was here purely as a tourist.
I have enjoyed working with the kids (9-10 year olds) and being able to help them with their studies. They are generally enthusiastic and keen to chat to me about life in England. So overall it's been really good.

GEMMA WITTS
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

I cannot single out one story that made this experience fantastic, because all of them, the good ones and the bad ones, all contributed to making this the most incredible 3 months of my life. I think the best thing about this programme was that I got to know Buenos Aires and Argentina in a way that not tourist or traveller ever would. I met and befriended local people, learned about their lives and the struggles that they had. I went to places that no tourist or traveller would ever visit, and met real people. Not just waiters in restaurants and tour guides!!
...There were good days and bad days, but all of them made this a very real experience, and created memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life! I am so glad that I made that phone call and came down to Worthing to Travellers offices' that day!! Melina [Travellers Team] was a fantastic support in Buenos Aires, and went far above and beyond her responsibilities in helping me to settle in and feel at home there. She was incredibly friendly, and always there if I needed her. She showed me a lot of the City, and told me about some incredible activities outside of the volunteer programmes which really helped me to get to know Buenos Aires, and feel a part of the city. I can not praise her highly enough!!
Travellers Worldwide are lucky to have her in BA!!

AMANDA RUSSELL
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires
Spanish Course

I have really enjoyed working in a combination of homes and schools as it allows me to adapt myself according to the pupils. At first one of the homes was a struggle due to my lack of Spanish and the girls' lack of English. However, the lessons have got better and have even helped improve my Spanish.
I think that working in a school as apposed to all homes is a good idea for those with a limited amount of Spanish as I feel that it is at my school placement that the children benefit from me most. However, I like the fact that I am still able to teach in both a school and home environment.
Would you recommend this placement to anyone else? Yes, I would highly recommend this placement to others as I have thoroughly enjoyed my placements and also feel I have learnt a lot from my Spanish lessons. The hostel is really nice with a friendly environment.
What type of person do you think this placement would suit? I think it would suit a variety of people, but generally someone who is able to communicate in ways that may not always be verbal in order to attempt to start teaching pupils with little or no English.

SIMON HILTON
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

I am absolutely loving it here, and the teaching. Although I haven't started all of the homes yet, I am having so much fun. The children are so cute and eager to learn. I have been to 'Los Peldaños' where the children are very, very friendly and fun to be with. 'Los Querubines' is a lot of fun, the children are extremely cute and fun, although it is a little tiring because the children need so much love (though I am happy doing it). However, I find it very sad to know that two of them have HIV and their life is going to be cut short.
Yesterday I had my first class with the 'Hillel Youth Centre' - they are all older than me! I was the youngest one there and I was their teacher. Mid-way through they asked me how old I was. When I replied 18, they couldn't believe it. But it is a really nice place and the people there are also great, very eager to learn and they respect what I am doing.
The city is amazing and its soooo cheap. Thanks Travellers for organising this trip for me, I am loving it!

DEVERAUX HOWELL
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

I usually don't have to wake up until 9am or so, because my work day starts pretty late in Buenos Aires. After I've eaten breakfast in the kitchen of my host family, I get ready to go to work. Depending on the day, I have one or two places to go teach. Twice a week, I work as a teacher assistant in a school, helping first, third, fourth, and sixth graders with their English workbook pages and pronunciations of words as they read aloud. All of my pupils at the school are so cute, and it's actually really improving my Spanish to sit in the classes and listen to the teachers talk with their students.
Two different days of the week, I work at a hostel in the area, sitting down for hour-long English lessons with the cooking and cleaning staff of the hostel to help them improve their English conversational skills. My students at the hostel are anywhere from 29 years old to nearly 60, and I love sitting with them and reviewing vocabulary or translating sentences from Spanish into English. They're very enthusiastic about learning the language, and they always ask me for homework.
Finally, I work twice a week with another girl, teaching a class each to fourth-seventh grade girls at a boarding school. Their English is very poor, so my fellow "teacher" and I must give the girls instructions in both English and Spanish. So far, we've taught lessons on parts of the body and the alphabet, and come up with games and activities to help review each. It's been a really neat experience, getting to be an actual teacher. I'm really getting a lot out of each and every single one of my teaching jobs.
After I've finished my job(s) for the day, I take the bus home or meet some of the other Travellers volunteers. We eat lunch together, if I haven't already eaten at school, go shopping, or go to a cafe for an afternoon coffee. In Buenos Aires, dinnertime doesn't come until quite late--usually not until 9:30 or 10 at night! This means that there's plenty of time for exploring the city before it's time to be home for dinner. For dinner, I usually eat at home, because my host mom is a great cook. She's cooked all of the traditional Argentine dishes for me to try, and I love them all [: During dinner, my host mother and brother and I always have conversations about anything from politics to space travel to animals (my host brother is absolutely obsessed with dogs).
Sometimes, after dinner, the other volunteers and I go out for ice cream or shopping. Almost everything is open really late at night, so there's very rarely a problem with finding something to do. The city of Buenos Aires doesn't really sleep --there are clubs and bars open from 2 am until 8 or 9 in the morning!
Though I do have three different jobs, there is always time for experiencing the city of Buenos Aires. During the weekends, I get together with other Travellers volunteers, and we go exploring. So far, we've gone to Tigre, a beautiful riverside area just outside the city, San Telmo Market, and Recoleta Cemetery. We even had the opportunity to go see the Argentina vs. Brazil futbol match, which was a huge deal. I am loving it here in Buenos Aires. The people are so friendly and helpful, always willing to try out their English when they realize that I'm struggling to understand them.
The parts of the city where I live and work seem safe, and I have no problem just walking around and exploring alone. There are so many delicious dishes to try and cool markets to go to. I feel like I would never run out of things to do if I lived here. I hope to one day return to the city to visit my students, my host family, and all of the sights that I haven't yet gotten the chance to see!

HARIS PAPANIKIOLAOU
Danish
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires
Spanish Course

I feel that teaching English in a foreign country, without ever having taught before, was a challenge and a great experience. I especially enjoyed teaching in the orphanages. I feel that the teaching was a great opportunity to learn how to make myself heard and respected among groups of children who were often very energetic and difficult to control. It taught me patience.
I think a person doing this placement would have to be quite mature and disciplined. You also need to have patience as some of the children can be a bit difficult.
On a typical day, I would get up at around 8 a.m, have a shower and have breakfast. Then at around 8:30 I would leave the hostel to get the underground (Subte) to Buenos Aires University where my Spanish lessons would last from 9:00 - 12:00 a.m. After that I would go back to the hostel, have lunch with some of the other teachers and then at around 2:00 p.m. I would get a bus to my teaching placement which usually lasted for two hours.
The best thing about the placement was teaching in the orphanage. I felt that although the children were difficult to control I made a difference and that was rewarding. In terms of the experience I had I would definitely recommend Travellers to someone else.

SARAH GRAY
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires
Spanish Course

I have gained experience in teaching people of all ages and levels. I have met loads of new people and experienced speaking Castellano of Argentina, which is quite different to the Spanish I have previously learnt. I’ve experienced a completely different lifestyle and have adapted to it.
The best thing about this placement is that everything is so flexible and Melina and Adriana provide a lot of support. I would definitely recommend this placement to others, and think it would suit someone motivated, sociable and adaptable.
Can you describe a typical day? Get up for Spanish lesson at 9 o’clock after having breakfast. Two hours of lesson then have lunch about 1 o’clock. Spend the afternoon shopping or touring the city. Teaching placement in the afternoon or early evening, usually about 2 hours. Then have an evening meal at about 10 o’clock, sometimes in a restaurant. In the evening go to a club (not every night though!).

OLIVIA TAYLOR
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

I love it in Buenos Aires, it’s a very big city and I’m looking forward to visiting all the districts. It’s also a lot more cosmopolitan than I imagined and the area where the hostel is brilliant, especially for young people as there are loads of places top go day and night!
I am teaching at the girls home twice a week where I work mainly with a young girl who is really bright but it takes a lot to keep her interested! I try and make the learning as fun as I can and we usually play a few games as well. It’s amazing that we communicate so well as my Spanish is virtually non existent!
The other children's home is also really great but that’s more playing than teaching and the girls there are so cute, especially the younger ones! It’s very exhausting physically and emotionally but so much fun at the same time.
I’m also at the ‘LPP’ which is a university faculty of politics, where I teach mainly conversational English. It was daunting teaching people older than me at first but they are so friendly we ended up having loads of jokes!
Last weekend when I got here I spent some of the weekend sunbathing in the parks in Palermo which are beautiful, and I have been on a river trip in Tigre and to La Boca. The hostel is also great, there are new people here every day which is always interesting. Thank you for helping me organise the trip.

ALEX GEORGE
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires
Spanish Course

My time in Argentina was fantastic. The 3 months were a great opportunity to learn and assimilate South American Latino culture. My Spanish really improved during my stay. Andrea (my private Spanish tutor) is excellent; one can choose what topics they want covered. I asked to learn all aspects of grammar, and then tried putting it into practice around Buenos Aires and other parts of the country.
My teaching programme was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and a chance to integrate into Argentine working life. Gabriela, the main teacher, was really nice to me and she, and the rest of the teachers, made me feel welcome in the staff room. That was a good opportunity to practice my Spanish!
I taught most classes from 13 to 17 year olds. Their level of English is reasonably good; I taught them various topics including British politics, slang, sport and music. Gabi and the other teachers also wanted me to teach them a more 'Anglicised' English accent, as opposed to the American dialects they are used to.
I grew quite fond of the kids and when I left, they gave me large cards with written messages. That was so sweet!
I had a week and a half to travel before I left Argentina. I went to Mendoza at that time, saw the Andes range, went wine tasting, trekking and rafting. After I finished teaching, I travelled around Patagonia (Ushuaia, Calafate and Bariloche). The scenery was stunning, and I enjoyed wildlife watching and doing things like minitrekking on glaciars. That provided a nice contrast to the subtropical Iguaçu Falls I saw on an earlier trip in February.
Thanks a lot for your help in facilitating my placement.

LUCY ARMSTRONG
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

I am having a excellent time here. All the other Travellers are very nice and we all get on well.
The teaching is very good, Los Querubines especially. Simon and I love the children but we find it very hard work as they need constant attention. HA Home is very rewarding. The children are always very happy to see me and most of them are very eager to learn English.
We are making the most of the excellent restaurants and the spectacular night life. Melina and Adriana are always very helpful and give us good advice about where to eat and go out. Well I think I should go for a siesta now. I will keep you posted on my progress.

KATE STOKOE
British
Teaching Disadvantaged Children in Buenos Aires

I am having a fantastic time. My teaching timetable is very relaxed at the moment because the school at which I was due to teach had exams and holidays approaching. I have therefore had a little more time to see the sights. I will acquire an additional 9 hours of teaching in 2 weeks time.
Already I have been to Uruguay. This weekend I am going to stay at an Estancia/ranch estate outside the city...can't wait. Last night we had the Travellers dinner. Thank you. It was lovely.
Team activities are certainly a must…. I think that this is a fantastic placement. The hostel provides a great living environment. I am glad to be sharing with other volunteers.