Professor Roddy has been an English teacher at the mission school for 8 years. Historically, he taught in upper primary school (grades 4-7), but this year he accepted the challenge of bringing English to our littlest learners. He is leading our English program for kindergarten, first and second grades and is doing an exceptional job at it. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Roddy to ask him about his teaching experience and why he thinks the English language is so important to his students. Here is what he shared:
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- Roddy leads his students in a song identifying the letters.
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- Roddy helping Mia on one of her assignments. This is the first year Roddy is teaching such young learners.
Q: Why did you want to be a teacher?
A: My mom was a preschool teacher and when I was in highschool I liked to help her plan activities for her job. I had a lot of respect for my own teachers, and I was drawn to the idea of sharing knowledge with others. But more than anything, I liked the idea of sharing my life and being a part of my students lives in a positive and impactful way.
Q: How did you learn English?
A: I started learning English by listening to music. I started by writing down words that I understood and translating the parts that I didn’t. Then in high school, I had a professor that was really great, and I thought it was so amazing that he could speak English. But it was really hard for me! I didn’t really learn English in primary or secondary school, so by the time I began university I was pretty behind. That’s why I think it is so great to start teaching English young. Hopefully it will be much easier for my students in the future!
Q: What do you like best about teaching English?
A: More than anything, I love how interested students are in learning English. They tell me how exciting it is to think about how they will be able to communicate with people all over the world when they learn English. And more than anything, here in Ecuador and especially where we live, it is a very touristy place, so there are many opportunities to practice English.
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- Roddy uses ‘Green Man’, a puppet that accompanies that 1st grade English curriculum, to engage his students.
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- Roddy shares that involving movement and motion in his classroom is especially helpful for engaging students that are not interested or are having a hard time with English.
Q: Do you think it is important that students learn English? If so, why?
A: Speaking English will open so many doors for graduates. Not just in tourism, but in any time of job that they want in the future. It’s so important – it’s our objective – that students leave this school being able to speak English. And I think by starting when they are so young, we have a much better chance of the students learning more rapidly, and having a strong foundation of the language.
Q: What are some of the challenges of teaching?
A: With the littlest students, it can be hard when class sizes are big, and there are students that have learning disabilities. I’m always looking for different and appropriate ways for the various students to learn a second language. But the hardest part of teaching is when a classroom is too small and the students are squished together. We have so many activities that require movement, standing up, dancing, to help learn English, and it’s really hard to do these activities when the classroom is too small.
Q: Have you noticed any changes since we began the English program at the mission school?
A: Yes! When I first started teaching here 8 years ago, most of the students didn’t really care about learning English. I think there wasn’t a great structure for actually learning the language and students felt like it was just a requirement they had to fulfill. Since we started the project a few years ago, students are much more motivated! They want to progress to higher levels of English, they benefit from the English curriculum platforms that allow the students to access so many types of resources at home, and they actually feel like there is a chance they will be able to speak English if they work hard in our classes. In particular, I think the projectors and the technology support help so much for visual learning. The tables that replaced desks help with group work and actual conversation practice. And of course, we (the teachers) feel so supported to have the training and support from Vicky (our English teacher trainer). It is really encouraging what we are doing with the English project!
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- Roddy with some of his former students during a school wide English event. The students miss Roddy now that he is teaching the youngest learners.
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- Roddy (center), with the rest of the Mission School English department, attending a continuing education workshop in Guayaquil.
In reflecting on Professor Roddy’s inspiring journey and insights into our English program, it’s important to highlight that his dedication and the progress of our students are made possible by the generosity of you – our donors. Your support enables us to provide essential resources, innovative technology, and ongoing training that enrich the learning experience for every student. We are immensely grateful to your commitment to empowering young learners with the invaluable skill of English proficiency. Together, we are building a brighter future for our students, equipping them to thrive in a globalized world. Thank you for making this transformative educational journey possible.
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