Over this winter break, Stepping Stones received a special request from a community center partner in Pudong to teach 6th-9th graders at a two week winter camp. Four Stepping Stones interns, Meredith, Wan-yin, Yasmin and Valeria, were up for the task armed with lesson plans and determined to contribute as much as possible to their students’ English acquisition during the limited time that they had with them.
On the first day of teaching, they were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a group of enthusiastic students whose English level exceeded their expectations. Having to quickly adjust their lesson plans to meet the students’ more advanced level, the Stepping Stones interns rose to the challenge and managed to complete all the planned assignments. By the third class, the migrant students even wrote their first English poems! Through these poems the students had a chance to reflect on their fears, hopes and aspirations for the future. At the end of the camp, each student proudly presented their poem to the rest of the class.
Although the four interns were only able to spend a short amount of time with their students, it was wonderful for them to witness the progress the students made and how they incorporated the newly learned vocabulary into their English language use. Here is what Valeria had to say after the camp was over:
While teaching, I initially felt nervous about whether I would be able to connect with the students. I wanted to ensure that my lessons were fun and interactive, but also challenging. However, as soon as I walked into the classroom I was greeted by a group of children who were excited to learn, which in turn made me feel excited to teach them everything I could.
If you want to have an unforgettable teaching experience like this and support Stepping Stones’ cause, register online to volunteer or contact coordinator@steppingstoneschina.net for more information!
