English and PE Teaching Assistant

The project

Whether you are a teacher, or just enjoy working with children, you should consider including this project in your adventure plans.

Our teaching placements are designed to give people who are interested in pursuing a career in a specific field their first taste of what it might be like. We also want them to provide professionals who’ve already chosen their career path a unique experience that will help them to develop new skills, and present new opportunities.

You don’t need to have any previous teaching experience to get involved with this project.

There is a required introductory week for this placement.

Introductory week

As part of this placement, you will need to attend our Introduction week. During this week, you will learn about Nepalese culture through a series of introductory culture classes which are designed to help you develop your Nepalese language skills and deepen your understanding of the Nepalese way of life complete with details on rituals and customs. You will learn about Nepal's history and the religious influences which have shaped it. Moreover, we will pay a visit the local shops and markets that will get you learning as you go with the local culture and how to become a part of it. As part of your city tour and orientation, you will also visit some amazing sites such as the temple of Boudhanath: one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Kathmandu whose ancient spherical stupa dominates the skyline and is one of the largest in the world.

Our transfer coordinator will meet you at the meeting point in the airport upon your arrival and arrange your transfer to the center on Sunday.

Monday

Puja to the gods & goddess and name-giving ceremony
Go over the week’s schedule and handling of documents
Introduction game to get to know fellow participants
Cultural seminar on social behavioral norms, dos & don’ts in Nepalese culture. Intercultural eating and drinking habits, bathing and clothings customs in Nepalese culture.
A little assignment for you to explore your neighbourhood and find local civic places such as banks (ATM), temples, schools, restaurants etc.

Tuesday

A social interactive session to know each other and an opportunity to bring out concerns about your health etc so that we will be aware.
Nepali language training
Shopping to the local market
Orientation tour of the city of Nepal with an interesting game called “Scavenger Hunt”, we will tell you more about this when you are here

Wednesday

A talk on schooling and education system in Nepal and placement sites
A cultural as well as historical orientation tour to the famous Boudhanath temple
Nepali cooking session

Thursday

Yoga and meditation
A Buddhist religious tour
A local tour to the Hindu Temple

Friday

It’s all about hiking today! We will go on a nature trail into the mountains to get a view of Kathmandu valley.
Feedback sharing (evaluation)

On the following Monday you will begin your placement.

Throughout this project, you’ll be working with students at various schools; teaching English, or coaching them in Physical Education classes. You’ll be asked to help teach the children good social and moral skills, but there’ll also be opportunities to enjoy lighter, less serious classes on singing and dancing.

Schools accept a non-formal approach to teaching; you won’t have to conform to the local teaching methods or style, and everyone will be free to bring their own ideas into class. It is important to understand that the methods of teaching are less important to us than your attitude towards the students.

The aims of this project are to help local students improve their English skills; but also to present you with the opportunity to experience a different system of education, and build partnerships with other schools, and teachers around the world.

Some of our placements are only looking for unpaid volunteers, but the experiences that they offer are unique and invaluable to your career progression. New projects are cropping up all the time, so bookmark us to keep track of our future initiatives.

Schedule

You’ll be expected to teach each day during the week. Your timetable will be flexible, and will include plenty of time for you to plan, and prepare lessons; reflect, and evaluate your work so far; and compare your experiences with other members of staff.

Bringing gifts to share with students, and staff members is often a great way to break the ice on your first day. In our experience, students are less interested in toys, but pictures of your family, home, or pet are always well received.