Quote : ” Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. “

– William Butler Yeats

Activities :

Today was a day full of fun activities and inspiring discussions. We started this great day with a delicious breakfast of cereal, fruits, and sandwiches.  Then, we learned a little bit about the education system in the DR and tried to compare education facts between the US and the DR. Many of us were surprised by the similarities between the two countries, and it gave us all a new perspective from which to view the importance of education. Our field trip for the day was an excursion to the school that we will soon be teaching in, Colegio Lucille Prep. Here, we had a wonderful time interacting and playing with the preschool children who reminded us of what it was like to be a child. We played games (Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes), sang songs like Old McDonald, and had a great time just talking and drawing pictures together.

After satisfying our tired and empty stomachs with some delightful traditional food for lunch, we headed to the bank for our first money exchange. Although we cannot use the money just yet, we were all happy to see the new currency and excited to go out and use it. Later in the afternoon, our hotel manager, Angela Zabala, was gracious enough to give us all a speech about the education in the DR, having been in the field for 19 years! We were able to gain more insight into the details of the education system in this country and how it may or may not differ from the US. We were given the chance to ask questions, and were able to learn new and amazing things about this country’s education. This session gave us all a new appreciation for what we have back home, and how lucky we are to be able to have them. For example, did you know public school students only have 4 hours of school everyday? I certainly didn’t! Even then, these students are not guaranteed school everyday, as the government does not have the money to do so. This kind of information just made our education all the more valuable and cherished, as we began to realize that we are extremely fortunate to have our type of education.

Our last education related activity for the day was preparing for our English classes that we are going to teach in a few days. Breaking into groups, we were given the task of preparing a lesson plan and planning activities for our time there. This experience not only gave us a chance to see what the life of a high school teacher is like, but also gave us the opportunity to be creative and take responsibility for another’s education.

My answer to QOD:

 After my experiences and observations today, I realized that although there are many differences between the education systems of the US and the DR, there are similarities that prevail as well. As children, we are always curious to learn more and seek knowledge, and that quality is one that is shared worldwide, no matter the country. As leader of the day, I was excited for these new experiences and was amazed at all the new things we learned. I think I can speak for all of us here when I say that this was a day that is going to stay with us for a long time.

Our first day of school in the DR! A day of learning, fun and new friends!

Learning many lessons of spanish songs!

Traditional Dominican lunch.

 

GG Executive Director Eliza and our GG Leaders Victoria and Max!

Our educational speaker, Angela sharing the education system of the country.