Teach In Poor Rural School in Costa Rica

Project at A Glance Location: Atenas, San Jose Start Point: San Jose End Point: San Jose Duration: 2-12 weeks Hours: 20-30 per week Food: Provided by host family  Room: Homestay family Date: First and Third Monday of each month.

Project Summary

Rural children are falling behind their wealthier urban counterparts as rural schools continue to be underfunded. They are in bad physical shape and space is limited. There aren't enough teachers in general and qualified teachers are even scarcer. As a result, the gap between rural and urban students is massive and growing. In these underfunded rural schools, English, Art and Physical Education are required subjects, but not available due to lack of funds and teachers. In some schools, these courses are taught but at a very low skill level as the teachers are not qualified to teach these courses.

The gap grows immensely as students move to high school where they are expected to already know these subjects. As a result, the dropout rate is very high and very few rural students graduate. Come to Costa Rica and volunteer to each Art, Physical Education and English in neighborhood kindergartens, elementary schools or high schools. These children need you.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

Beginner to intermediate knowledge of Spanish is preferred (but not mandatory). . If you cannot speak Spanish, we suggest you enroll in our Spanish language course to make your stay more rewarding – both for you and for the children you are helping. There are no specific qualifications needed to join IFRE's volunteer teaching projects in Costa Rica. Dress code is required in the schools (no shorts or sleeveless shirts) and volunteers must be physically presentable (no excessive tattoos or piercings). Volunteers are expected to be reliable, flexible and patient and strive to be good role models for the children.

Volunteer Responsibilities

As a volunteer in the underfunded rural school projects, you will assist with classes at a kindergarten, elementary or high school level. Options to teach English, French, Art, Math, Physical Education or other areas of interest can be pursued if the volunteer has training or experience in the subject matter

Room/Food/Supervision

In Costa Arica, all volunteers stay with well-screened host families. Our host families are socially respected and are well versed in the art of hosting international volunteers. Host families offer a safe home, private rooms (occasionally rooms will be shared with other same-gender volunteers) and shared bathroom facilities with running hot water and a “western” style toilet. Volunteers have the ability to do laundry at the house or the host family may offer to do it for you for a nominal extra fee. You receive three prepared meals per day. If you will be out of the house during lunch hour, you can request a lunch "to go" that you can take with you or eat out on your own. Host families provide typical meals that are traditional to Costa Rica.

Throughout the volunteer project, our local staff stays in contact with volunteers either with face-to-face visits or via email/telephone. With longer placements, we visit our volunteers every two weeks (when possible) and volunteers are always welcome at the local office. If project placement is local, we request that volunteers stop by the office once a week to keep us posted on how they are doing with their home stay and project. If project placement is very far, then our local staff members maintain communication by either email and/or phone.