University of Puerto Rico at Humacao English Department Practice Teaching Elementary Level
Special Project: English Corner Luis Muñoz Marín Elementary School Ceiba, PR Cooperating Teacher: Mr. Luis Rivera
Celeste C. Santiago Ruiz 1st Grade Practice Supervisor: Dr. Nilsa Lugo
Title The title for my project is “English Corner”. This identifies that for my special project I decided to adopt the English Corner inside the library. This English Corner was designed by the last Practice Student from the Interamericana University in Fajardo.
Purpose When I first arrived to the school, I knew that I wanted my Special Project to be directed in terms of reading. When I asked Mr. Rivera if the school had an English Corner in the library, his response was yes. He explained that the English Corner was created by the last practice student and her was plan to have an area designated for English in the library, but also her plan was that the students from sixth grade each year would read to the youngest students. For me this plan backfired since all the students from sixth grade graduated and the books in the area were more for a classroom, than to have a reading time. I first noticed that the students don’t have a need to read, and this can be damaging in the future. Also, the library doesn’t have books that can inspire the want to read to the students. Most of the books are textbooks or history books in English, but just a few story books that are centered for a kindergarten than a fourth grade. These students need books that can inspire imagination and expand their vocabulary in English. My purpose with this new English Corner is to encourage the students to read and expand their knowledge. When they visit this new area, the students will find books from short stories, to adventure novels, fantasies, and an area for text books for each grade. The area of text books is for the students, but also for the teachers. In this area, all of the English Teachers can bring their students and give their classes. The librarian can create a story time for the younger students.
This new English Corner can create new ideas for the school; they just have to expand their imagination. I want to expand minds, and create a new generation of young readers.
Justification This project is a great addition to the school, but most important to their library. This new collection of books will help the school promote better their library and create a stand that the students should visit the library more often. They have to state that the library is to read or study, not for the air condition. Like I explained before, students need to create that mental idea that they need to read more and expand their knowledge and imagination. With this area, they can experience something that they may have not experienced neither in a classroom or at home. Also, this can benefit the teachers in the aspects of expanding their learning outside the classroom. By creating an English Corner, students can practice reading and speaking the English language, and I know by first hand that some students need the practice. Also, I am creating a system with the librarian so that the students can take books to their houses. This will create the habit of reading something apart from their school work. This can also help them practice English in the comfort of their own rooms. We have to keep in mind that a library is going to be part of the school forever, and kids enjoy books even if they don’t understand what is in them. I want to expand that collection of books that is part of that school. I want for students to use their imaginations, and they can imagine that they are riding dragons, or visiting foreign places. With this area they have the power of whatever they want to read. This can impact the student’s minds and help them in their education and their futures. I am helping to expand minds and expand that language barrier. This English Corner is here to impact the students and is part of the school, and future students that arrive each semester.
Permanence For its beginning I will donate the majority of the materials, books, and decorations this corner will have. The only thing I have asked for the school is to give me leverage to do whatever I want with the area. I will work a plan with the librarian, by creating a system that will catalogue the books by author and theme. Each book will have a special mark that specifies that the book was donated and is now part of the school. This new area will be feature permanently in the library, since there are no more areas for English books. Also, the librarian will make sure that everything goes according to plan with the English Corner. She has assured me that everything will go smoothly from here to the future. Each year, I will try to keep my donations alive even if I’m in the United States, and this will be with the help of the Santiago Torres Vidal Foundation. I will get to integrate the other English teachers to use the area as often as possible, and to not let it go to waste. This area is meant to keep knowledge alive, and teachers should also encourage their students to visit it more regularly. This is one of the aspects I want to always remind when I get to promote the English Corner. Also, this area will benefit the English teachers to have a new area to celebrate English week, and they can create activities for the students such as, Dr. Seuss birthday, or story time each month. There so many possibilities with this area, that it would be a sin not to use it. Like I explained before, this area is here to expand each students mind, and also is here to stay. I have been blessed that the school has been very forward with my idea and have offered me help in any way I need. This shows me that the school really needs something like this and that they are going to take care of it for years and years.
Action Plan
Since the summer I have been working on finding books I can donate for the English Corner. I have created an alliance with the Santiago Torres Vidal Foundation, The Salvation Army, and The Fort Buchanan Library. In the aspects of the foundation, this nonprofit foundation that works with today’s youth. Since the beginning they liked my idea, and have been donating books and other materials that can help me with the creation of the new English Corner. The Salvation Army has always been a go to place when I want to find cheap but in good condition books. I convinced them to sell me some books for as low as .50 cents to .75 cents. Those books are much newer and are targeted to the much older students. The Fort Buchanan has been my biggest donator, since each week they take out books from their shelves and give them to anyone that wants books. This has become my weekly trip and also for my family. In the aspects of budget, until now all of the books, except for the Salvation Army ones have been free. In the area of decorations, my family has been helping me obtaining materials. The school donated text books that they were going to throw away, and also two new book shelves’ that I’m going to restore. I plan to open the English Corner by the last week of October to the first week of November. There will be an opening were the school will be invited and for morning periods there will be a story time to introduce to the students what books they will find in the area. I want to create a new experience for the school.
Action Plan Table Date
What to do
Comments
July 31, 2014
Visit to the Salvation Army
Found great short stories for the area.
August 18, 2014
First day of practice, visit the library.
Visited the library for the first time and pitched my idea to the librarian. She explained what the English Corner had and gave me the go for the special project.
August 26, 2014
Visit to Fort Buchanan
My parents explained what the library had to offer. First books donated.
August 29, 2014
Visit to Fort Buchanan
September 6, 2014
Visit to the Salvation Army
September 8, 2014
Picked the theme for the English Corner
The theme for the area will be Dr. Seuss.
September 9, 2014
School Book Donation
The school opened an old classroom and inside the classroom was boxes filled with English textbooks and stories. Also, found two bookshelves that I’m going to fix for the area. The principal gave me permission to
pick anything I wanted. September 13, 2014
Visit to Fort Buchanan
September 23, 2014
Deadline for the first phase of the Special Project.
September 25, 2014
Beginning of the classification of the books
October 4, 2014
Start buying material for decorations.
October 6, 2014
Meeting with the librarian
The librarian was curious because my family has been going each week to pick books for the special project, my father explained the project and the librarian informed my father that they will remove all books directed to children and will save them for the me. Each week they will donate books for the area.
I will start creating a list of all the books I have until now, and start to create a system of classification for the librarian.
I need to meet with the librarian to create a work schedule that I can use to work with
the English Corner. After October 7, 2014, I will know the date of the opening of the English Corner, and plan the activity for the school and my practice partners and director.
Results
I had the opportunity to present on my estimated date Friday, October 31, 2014. That week was the true testament of hardship. Trying to make everything in order was a challenge, but at the end I came out victorious. With the help of my family, and a few faculty members I created a new area where students can come and enjoy themselves. Although I was the one that created the idea for the English corner, the work in teamwork helped me see the reality. Hard work and dedication can take you far, and in this case I couldn’t agree more.
Reactions At first when I pitched the idea of a new and improved English Corner, and the idea of donating books for the area had people think twice. I was determined even before
practice started to leave my legacy in the school, and I knew I could do it. Since the first day I started creating a plan, so that everything would go smoothly. Since summer I started looking for books in different places, only to have different variety. But nothing prepared me to see the final product and the reactions it was going to bring. The moment my practice supervisor saw the area, here first words were impregnated in my brain. To see the faces of my students, their joy and excitement could never prepare me for that day. All I wanted to be cry, because I created something great. I was going to leave my print on the school. This project reflects how I am as a person. I am a book freak that wants our kids to have an impact in literature. I wanted to make my students see that books are fun and interactive. That was my main purpose and now my wish was granted.
Recommendations My recommendations for future practice students, is to never give up on your ideas. Of course throughout the road, you will find many obstacles, but those obstacles are lessons that you have to pursue. There were time when I thought that I wouldn’t occur, but I then realized that I had made a commitment to my students and to myself. You always have to remember, that the most important thing is that you leave that print in the community, on school and on your students. Those are the things what help being reminded off.