domingo, 6 de septiembre de 2020

My experience at IES Punta del Verde, by Lindsay Sturnick


 Situated in the heart of Betis nation, IES Punta del Verde will fill your heart in so many ways. When I was first assigned to this high school I was excited, grateful, anxious, nervous, and ready for this new chapter in my life. From the very moment I accepted my position as the new language assistant the bilingual group had made me feel welcomed. I was added to their bilingual team WhatsApp group and was always informed of activities or updates. Everything was very organized, I knew who I could contact if I had any issues, and this really made my transition a lot easier. 

You won’t find a more motivated, ambitious, creative, or fun group of professors who genuinely love their jobs than at IES Punta del Verde. You may notice that Pilar is always working on a new project to give the students incredible opportunities with the Erasmus program (you may even start to wonder if and when she sleeps!). You’ll see Macarena and Manolo creating exciting lessons for Chemistry and Biology that incorporate fun dice games or role playing. Olmo might use his great video skills and love for physical education to encourage the students to dance and make a video to raise awareness for global warming, which with the help and energy and animation of Nuria will be a great success. And, without a doubt you will learn A LOT about Spanish history while you work with Alejandro. While I’ve only mentioned a few of the members of the bilingual team, attending class with any one of the professors will always be sure to be fun and exciting! 

During my two years assisting at Punta del Verde I learned a lot about what it takes to be a great teacher, how to motivate kids and create an atmosphere of inclusivity, and I learned a lot about Spain and its rich culture. I will always remember this experience and will look back fondly on the wonderful teachers and students of this high school in Heliópolis, where the sun really does seem to shine a little bit brighter.