TEFL Sta. Cruz

Updated on: 4/Jun/09

VOLUNTEER PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

TEFL SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (GALAPAGOS) ECUADOR

BRIEF PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This program focuses on teaching English to the kids of a local school in Sta.Cruz Island in the mornings while having the opportunity to get to know the area and its tourist spots during the afternoon. Volunteers will work closely with an Ecuadorian English teacher and children from ages 4-12 years old. The need of knowing English in the Islands is extremely important due to the high level of tourists that it receives daily, and the importance that this language has worldwide. Volunteers will play a key role in improving the lives of these children. The school that participants will be working in is in a need of having volunteers who will not only teach the children but also will help the teachers increase their English skills as well as adults from the area who are interested in the language. Volunteers can work with kids in the mornings and as an option they can provide English classes to adults and teachers in the afternoons. Participants must arrive to Quito on Monday, a transfer in service will be waiting for you at the airport to drive you the hostel reserved by Lead Adventures. On Tuesday volunteers will be met by Lead Staff at the hostel and taken to their office. At the office the volunteer will receive a comprehensive orientation about Ecuador and the project itself. On Wednesday morning the participant will travel to the Galapagos to the Baltra Airport. On arrival to Baltra airport, the airline will transport all passengers to the Ithabaca Canal. The passengers will cross the canal (5 minutes) and arrive to the north tip of Sta. Cruz Island. In Sta. Cruz participants will take a taxi or bus and get to the town of Puerto Ayora to the Hostel reserved by Lead Adventures. All these instructions will be given to you in detail during your orientation. Volunteers will have the afternoon free to explore Puerto Ayora. On Thursday volunteers will start their first day at the school! *Volunteers can work at the TEFL program in Isabella and Sta. Cruz to experience both islands!

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS For an extra charge and in your free time explore the different activities that the islands have to offer: * Island Hop! Start at Espanola Island and enjoy natural wonder after natural wonder, from the immense blowhole, to the thousands of nesting blue-footed boobies, to the world's largest waved albatross colony. Continue to Floreana Island and see flamingos! Enjoy Black Tortuga Bay on Sta. Cruz and witness a mangrove maze chock full of sharks, rays and sea turtles. * If you are a diving fan, The Galapagos is a unique, world-class diving location. This underwater world is still private, pristine, and relatively unexplored. It is not the coral reefs that are the main attraction, but rather the unique mixture of marine animals and their fearlessness of intruders into their watery world. You will be diving next to sea turtles, manta rays, penguins, sea lions, dolphins, and numerous species of shark, including hammerheads and whale sharks. There are also hundreds of species of tropical reef fish, many of which are particular to this fantastic underwater sanctuary. * Visit the Charles Darwin Foundation in Sta. Cruz. This is an international non-profit research organization dedicated to providing scientific research, technical assistance and information to ensure conservation success in Galapagos.

A DAY AT THE PROGRAM *This program offers an option with meals and another one with no meals. This itinerary shows a day at the program with the meals included option.

HOURS ACTIVITIES 6:45AM-7:00AM Breakfast at the hostel 7:10AM-1: 00PM Work at the school 1:15PM-2: 30PM Lunch at a local restaurant

2:30PM-on Free time to enjoy Sta. Cruz Island 6:30PM-7: 30PM Dinner at the hostel

7:30PM- on Enjoy Sta. Cruz nightlife *This is just an exemplary daily itinerary. All activities scheduled above are subject to change.

PROGRAM FOCUS LOCATION (Province and Town) Animal Rescue Center ______________ ______________ Social ______________ ______________ Adventure ______________ ______________ Environmental ______________ ______________ Construction/Building ______________ ______________ Education English Teaching Galapagos, Sta. Cruz Sports ______________ ______________

PROJECT/ORGANIZATION/INSTITUTION DESCRIPTION Organization Public School Location of the Organization Sta. Cruz Island, Puerto Ayora Non-profit/private/public organization Public Number of employees 8-10

1. Describe the population/community that the institution provides its services to. In case of rescue centers or environmental organization include the type of animals and environment it works with.

The school works with and average of 60-80 students, boys and girls. They are kids that live in the area. Most of them come from a mestizo and Indian native background. The ages of the student population varies from 6 to 12 years old. Each classroom has approximately 20 students. 2. Services that the organization/institution provides (description). The school focuses on elementary education from 1st to 6th grade. The schools teach English as the second language.

VOLUNTEER INFORMATION 3. How many volunteers can the Project employ monthly? The schools can work with 3-4 volunteers at the same time. 4. Has the organization received volunteers in the past? Yes. 5. If it has received volunteers in the past, please write since what month and year: The school has worked with volunteers since January of 2008. 6. Are there any special features to which the volunteers have to pay attention to when

working at this project? (Religion, illnesses, extra-vaccination, etc) No, there are no special features to which volunteers have to pay attention.

7. Are there any requirements to attend this program? Volunteers must have a great interest in working with children and in the education field. Volunteers must have a mid level knowledge of Spanish in order to communicate better with the children and the school staff. 8. The project receives volunteers all year round? No. 9. Please specify holidays or other dates when the project closes and can not receive

volunteers: The school year goes from first days April to the end of December. Summer months January, February and March are not available for teaching. The school also closes for National Holidays. Please check with a Lead Representative for national holidays. 10. Is there a minimum amount of weeks volunteers can work at the project? Two-weeks minimum. 11. Is there a maximum amount of weeks volunteers can work at the project? No.

12. Please give detailed description of tasks and duties of the volunteer: The volunteer will be working directly with the English teacher in the different grades, assisting her with various activities. The use of different teaching techniques is encouraged to help the students gain knowledge of the English language and foreign cultures. The volunteer’s main responsibility will be to aid the teacher and work with the children in improving the children’s writing and verbal English skills; it could be optional to offer English classes at night for the adults of the area. The volunteer will coordinate activities, lesson plans and create a learning environment where English language immersion takes place. The volunteer must have a mid level knowledge of Spanish. 13. Indicate the times and days the volunteer will be working in the week: Volunteers will be working from Monday through Friday. From 7:10am to 1pm. Weekends are free for the participant to explore the islands.

LOCATION OF THE PROJECT 14. Please indicate the closest city or town to the project. The school is located in Sta. Cruz Island in Puerto Ayora. This is on the southeastern part of the island. 15. Indicate what types of transportation there is form the center if this city to the project, its

costs and approximately the time that will take: *Most volunteers walk from the hostel to the school. The walk takes approximately 20 minutes. We recommend renting a bike during your stay in Sta. Cruz (especially for longer stays), it will facilitate transportation. Taxis are also available for $1. 16. Describe the surroundings of the project (country side, urban, town) The project is located in Sta. Cruz Island in Puerto Ayora, this is an urban area.

ACCOMODATIONS AND MEALS 17. Type of Accommodation? In Sta. Cruz participants will stay at a hostel. The accommodation included in the program shared in double and triple rooms. Single rooms are available if requested for an extra charge. 18. Are meals included? The program includes two meals (breakfast and dinner) from Monday to Friday.

WHAT IS INCLUDED? Transfer in on arrival on international flight to Quito Airport to hostel in Quito Monday and Tuesday shared accommodation in Quito Flight from Quito to Sta. Cruz (if purchased through Lead Adventures for extra charge) Comprehensive Orientation in Quito at Lead Adventures Office Shared volunteer accommodation in Santa Cruz Food - two meals (breakfast and dinner) a day for the duration of program in Sta. Cruz (Monday to Friday) 2 weeks of traveler’s insurance (for direct bookings with Lead Adventures-not through agencies)

24-hour emergency contact number

WHAT IS NOT NCLUDED? International flights Transfers from hostel in Quito to airport for the Galapagos flight Lunch in Sta. Cruz from Monday to Friday and meals during Saturday, Sunday or Holidays Return transfers from the Islands back to the hostel in Quito Personal travel insurance for the duration of your placement (for volunteers who registered for this program through an agency) Personal travel insurance for volunteers who register directly with Lead Adventures after the second week Airfare, or taxes, and National Parks entrance fee ($110) to enter the Galapagos All items of a personal nature Soft drinks, beer, wine, spirits Tours to other protected islands Any activities beyond your planned itinerary

EXTRA SERVICES TO ENSURE YOUR TRAVELING WILL BE EASIER Lead Adventures provides to our participants all the following extra services for an extra cost to ensure you they travel in an easier and faster way to their destination: • Transfer from hostel in Quito to airport for the Galapagos flight • Meet and Greet Hostel Reception at the airport in Sta. Cruz (this includes tourists stops to

the Ranchos Primisias where volunteers will have their first experience with the tortoises. Volunteers will also get to go to Los Gemelos, a pair of craters approximately 30 meters deep.)

• Single room accommodation in Sta. Cruz • Extra nights in Sta. Cruz hostel • Transfer from hostel in Quito to airport for international departure • Traveler’s insurance for those registering directly with Lead Adventures for extra weeks not

covered by the program • For those participants who will be in Quito prior to their program in Galapagos, they have

the option to travel to Galapagos earlier than Wednesday for an extra cost

PICTURES OF THE PROJECT