Traveling abroad to teach English is an amazing opportunity, but imagine having to do it during a pandemic. Although it is still an amazing opportunity, it can be difficult while dealing with an epidemic. Working at an elementary school, I have to be more cautious as children do not understand the severity of the situation. Once, I called on a student to answer a question and he was shy, or embarrassed, but he ended up putting his mask over his eyes/ half his face. Definitely not sanitary. In Spain, the children remain in the same classroom and the teacher switch classrooms depending on what subject they are teaching. Therefore, I am switching between three or four classes a day and interacting with over one hundred children. It is essential to take precautions. Also, as an English teacher, it is difficult to help teach them how to pronounce some of the key words because of the mask I am wearing. A crucial part of learning a language is being able to read lips. That is one thing that the COVID-19 epidemic has altered in ways of teaching.
In addition, during recess the students are not allowed to play with a ball because the school wants to limit objects that touch multiple surfaces and people. The issue with that though is that instead, children are using an orange they picked from a tree to play soccer. It is so adorable to watch, but also depressing. Sometimes, I feel like they should just give them a ball. It is so fun to watch them play because it is like watching a free soccer match. One of the kids threw in a new orange when the other one splattered and circled his arms like a referee to indicate that he is rotating the ball. It was the cutest thing ever.
Before students are allowed outside for recess, they are now required to eat their meals in the classroom so that the teachers can keep on eye on them. It is so sad because they have to eat in silence. Since their masks are not on, they are not allowed to turn around and must sit facing forward while eating. It definitely changes the whole school dynamic. Also, recess times are now split up even more to accommodate less students at once, so some students do not get to have recess with their friends of a different grade.
In addition, creating games for students to play is much more difficult. We cannot use any supplies because students cannot touch things after each other. Therefore, most of the games have to be oral which limits my ability to create entertaining and interactive games. With all this, I am still enjoying my time here in Sevilla. I love my school, students, and coworkers. Everyone is so kind and always ask me "estas contenta." I am sure they understand how big of a leap it is to move across the world, away from family, in a country that speaks a different language and during a global pandemic.