Our First Day at the Altagracia School Goes Wonderfully

 After weeks and months of planning, we finally started our Core work at the Centro Educativo Altagracia. We were so anxious to get started that for the first time in Rita's memory we arrived early, before almost all of the students (we have been famous for late arrivals). We had time to gather with the teachers for an opening moment of reflection with them, and then move into our home base at the school, a small room used by teachers for planning and projects.  The students began trickling in and then flowed fully.  Enrollment this year is at an all-time high of 495. We walked out to the large courtyard/playground and sat in the row of chairs that gave us a view of the students, lined up by class, and the flagpole that was the setting for the opening ceremonies.  The students impressively sang the DR national anthem, and then surprised us by singing the "Star Spangled Banner" in tune and with flawless English.  Several students performed a skit honoring one of the DR founding heroes, and then two students read welcoming speeches in English, and did very well.  Then another student group sang another welcoming song in English.  The newcomers to our group were impressed by how many of the Altagracia students spoke and sang so well in English.  For the six of us (three students and three leaders) it was not just impressive, it was moving.  The culture of this school has changed remarkably. Many of the students are comfortable speaking English, and want to learn more.  Some of the sixth graders, who have been receiving instruction and support from DR Projects and also the dedicated English teachers for three years, were remarkable. The fourth graders, who have just started this year, and have been eagerly awaiting their turn, were dialed in and proficient. As the students filed out to go to their classrooms, we formed two lines, one on each side of the courtyard, and gave the students fist bumps, high fives and handshakes on the way to class.

We dove right into teaching, and by the end of the day had instructed classes from all three grades. For the most part, we would teach outside on the gravel playground, breaking into small groups for instruction,  Using white boards and flash cards, and occasionally skits and games, we learned their names, went over vocabulary, and drilled them on pronunciation and using words in sentences. Our students were magnificent.  They were confident and energetic, and did a great job engaging and inspiring the Altagracia students.  Midway through the morning, the students had a half-hour recess, and we had a chance to engage with them in a non-classroom setting.  The play areas were a whirlwind of activity and excitement.  We jumped into the fray, receiving lots of hugs, and flowers that the students had picked from shrubs in the courtyard. We played all sorts of games with them, learning handshakes, and engaging in. my favorite, thumb-wrestling, a nice way to engage one-on-one.  Even in this context, I was impressed, as a third grader clearly counted to ten in English to start the game.  Not surprisingly, this child won his bout with me. Some of our students engaged in a surprisingly competitive game of halfcourt basketball.  We all found our own ways to engage with the Altagracia students, who were eager to interact and speak English informally.

After recess, we taught one more class and then returned to the hotel for lunch.  We turned around and got back to school for a planning session with Maribel, the English teacher, and then did our best teaching of the day with a fifth-grade class. All too soon, it was the end of the school day.  We said goodbye, with all concerns eager to pick it up in the morning. We stopped briefly at the hotel to drop off our backpacks, and then bussed downtown to get some helado at our favorite ice cream store. We walked back to the hotel, taking the long way so that Rita could show us the site of the tiny home with a thatched roof where she had spent three of her teenaged years.  Cotui has grown quite a bit since then, when she washed her clothing in a nearby river.  After supper, we did some planning for the next day.  It was a long, hot, full day. We're hoping for more of the same tomorrow.