What Teachers Say About VIF

Sindy Madrid
(Chile)

"When I was looking for activities that really energize my students, I looked around and saw the activities other teachers were using and modified them to meet the needs of my class. I will definitely go back to Chile a better teacher. I have all these new methodologies I've learned from other teachers and activities I know will work well with Chilean students."

Sindy taught middle-school Spanish in rural South Carolina from 1999-2001.

For me, it was a big challenge and change to move to South Carolina. I went from living in a city of 5 million to a town of 500! I was used to a fast-pace of life. Here it is quiet. Everyone is friendly and everyone knows each other - that makes me happy. People really like to talk to you and listen to you, even if they are in a hurry. It is also very safe. I live in the woods surrounded by trees, in nature, with no one around. When I talk to my friends from home I say it is like I am on vacation, away from the world... but I still have to work!

Before applying to VIF, I thought I might be too young (I'm 25). I look very young as well and I was worried that people at school might not listen to me. But, here I've found out that it is not your age that matters. If you want something, you work for it. You need to make yourself heard. Another fear I had was whether I was prepared enough to come to a totally different situation, but I've always found people here eager to help me.

In Chile, my college major was computer assisted language learning. When I came to the U.S., I took a technology course offered by my school district. The course was "Advanced HTML for Educators" and my course project was to develop a website for middle school Spanish. I talked to the district Foreign Language Coordinator and got some ideas together. I just saw what we needed, came up with the website structure, and used the tools I learned in the course to develop the site.

The website is used by all middle school Spanish teachers and students in the district. Students can review vocabulary and do activities that reinforce what happens in the classroom. Instead of drilling vocabulary in class, the students can interact with the computer and the computer never gets tired! It is also a place where teachers can share their ideas and search the database for activities other teachers have submitted.

I am at school around 7:30 each morning. Homeroom starts at 7:45 a.m. and lasts for 15 minutes. Then I have a second period class, which is 45 minutes long. I have planning period from 9-9:45 a.m., two more classes of 45 minutes, then lunch for 30 minutes. After lunch a have another class, another planning period and one final class. Teachers stay at school until 3:30 p.m. Then I come home, have dinner, clean, and do things around the house that I didn't have time for in the morning. When I go back to Chile I plan to study computer engineering, so every night I study 1-2 hours to prepare.

Where I come from in Chile, teachers don't have a classroom. Instead we go from class to class. Here I have my own classroom and the other teachers at my school helped me learn how to organize my room and put in place all the classroom rules and procedures that would be useful. When I was looking for activities that really energize my students, I looked around and saw the activities other teachers were using and modified them to meet the needs of my class. I will definitely go back to Chile a better teacher. I have all these new methodologies I've learned from other teachers and activities I know will work well with Chilean students.

On weekends, I get together with other VIF teachers. It is a very nice group here in the Myrtle Beach area. We go dancing and have parties. In the summer, we go to the beach, the national park, and have barbeques. We are always in touch.

Most of us have an image of the U.S. as the perfect place to live and work, but sometimes things don't work here just like in my country - things may get lost in the mail and the electricity bill can be wrong. I've learned that there is no perfect system. Every country has its problems and you need to be prepared to solve them.

Being a VIF teacher is a great opportunity to live on your own in a different country, to learn how to solve all your problems in a different way. It has also been an opportunity for me to meet with other ethnic groups. I've grown as a person. When I feel lonely, I tell myself that this is a lifetime opportunity I need to take advantage of. I think of the next day, of my students, and why I'm here - that cheers me up.

I've received congratulations from the district for the website and the sixth grade curriculum I am working on. The Foreign Language Coordinator says they are very happy I am here. I'm happy too.