Today was the first official day of our EGL VA adventure! We had been learning about our assignments for a few days prior, but I was still both nervous and excited to meet the class. I was unsure about my English teaching skills, but I was determined to make an impact and I hoped to truly help the students.
I was placed in The Ahil Slaoul Association / Rihab in Sale, which is the neighboring city to Rabat. It is a lower income area where families typically do not have the funds to pay for a summer education, so the association offers free classes to children of all ages in a variety of different languages. I was partnered with two other EGLs to teach English to students from 6 to 16 years old, but their proficiency varied greatly so we divided the class into two groups. I chose to lead the younger students from 6 to 10 years old who know very little English. I had limited childcare experience (beyond my high-school babysitting days), no teaching background, and zero French or Arabic knowledge. I was not only going to be teaching the students English, but they would be teaching me an immense amount as well.
I started off the class with simple ABC’s and 123’s, which they seemed to enjoy and also learn quickly. The students were making progress and were both excited and eager to learn. It was only the first day of class, but I think I was able to make a small dent in their English. I saw their pronunciation improve, but also their confidence in speaking grow throughout the class. It was the first time I had ever been responsible for teaching a group of children, and seeing their continuous improvement and getting numerous hugs after class was an absolutely wonderful experience.
-Allison Ward
EGL Family Abroad 