WorldTeach - Volunteer Teaching in Costa Rica - Past Programs

Name: WorldTeach - Volunteer Teaching in Costa Rica - Past Programs
Brand: WorldTeach
SKU: 29189
Rating: 4.82 (39 reviews)

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Location

Costa Rica

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Program Details

Teaching Practicum

Job Placement

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Starting Price

3000

Last Updated: Sep 20, 2017

Last Reviewed: Jun 14, 2018

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About Program

WorldTeach's volunteer program in Costa Rica, established in 1989, is their oldest continuously running program. Volunteers work with WorldTeach and the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) to provide Costa Rican students the opportunity to learn English. Volunteers teach in rural elementary schools as well as in the only two public bilingual elementary schools in the country. In rural areas, the students wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to learn English in school even though it is an official school subject. At the bilingual elementary schools, volunteers make an impact by working with local English teachers to provide integrated instruction to students who live in areas economically fueled by tourism, and thus where there is a high demand for English language skills. Volunteers have the option of serving for an entire academic year or for a summer.

Yearlong program: January through mid-December
Summer program: late May / early June through mid-August

This program is no longer offered. View more programs from WorldTeach.

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4.82 Rating

based on 39 reviews

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Rating Spread Teach TEFL

5 rating 87.18%
4 rating 7.69%
3 rating 5.13%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Benefits 4.95
Support 4.95
Fun 4.8
Facilities 4.85
Safety 4.9

Instruction 4.65
Support 4.65
Value 4.75
Academic Rigor 4
Job Assistance 3.75

Showing 9 - 16 of 39 reviews

Looking back I don't think I knew just how important this summer would be to my personal and professional development. My summer with WorldTeach in Costa Rica was certainly a life-changing experience and placed me on the path I'm on today in international education. I was welcomed into my community with open arms by both my family and my school, and I got to experience a totally different way of life in a rural setting. All of the challenges (being thrown into a foreign language, adjusting to the isolation of a mountainous Costa Rica town, terrifying bugs big and small, first-time teaching, and so on) were very important to my development as I thought about how I wanted to live my life and what field I wanted to get into.

I thought about my family, my students, my town, and the experience for years and years after and longed to do it again - so I moved to South America to teach for two and a half years! I don't think I ever would have had the courage and ganas to do that without that first experience with WorldTeach. WT really expanded my world - not only internationally but also domestically, as I have connected with local immigrant communities in the States through ESL too. It was the perfect program for that time in my life, and an incredibly positive experience, with tons of support and cultural sensitivity. Not only that, when you're teaching you're making a direct impact on the community and you have a structured role, which is something that I really appreciated for the direction that it provided. WT is amazing!

What would you improve about this program?

At the time I think in-country support when you're at your placement could have been improved (for example, while I liked and respected my Field Director I didn't feel particularly close to her), however, that was back in 2008 and things have come a long way since then. Of course it always depends on how you jibe with the FD too.

It isn't everyday that you wake up and find a new farm animal outside your window. Sometimes it was a horse, most often a cow, and on the rare occasion we watched my host abuela's goat and got to wake up to that lovely white, hairy face in the mornings. The best (or maybe worst) part of watching that goat was getting to try fresh goat milk for the first time - and I mean fresh! I milked it straight from the utter into and coffee mug, something that's not totally abnormal in Costa Rica. The experience I got living in Costa Rica for a year with a great family (wonderfully pre-approved by WorldTeach) is one of the best, and definitely something I would never change. WorldTeach offers great support to you while you're in country, so your focus gets to be on your service teaching and being with your family and community learning about the amazing culture. A must do if you have means and time to participate in a WorldTeach program!

What would you improve about this program?

I would prefer more information sooner prior to the trip, but I also understand that information is highly dependent on how the country operates. I remember feeling like we were getting some information a little late right before our departure, but came to learn after living in Costa Rica that that is really just the nature of how the country operate's - very slow (in comparison to US norms)!

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WorldTeach Costa Rica was an amazing and enlightening experience, from the orientation to the ongoing in-country support the program was very organized and created a really great program. The people of Costa Rica are wonderful, the geography is naturally spectacular, rich in culture and experiences for everyone. I would highly recommend this program for anyone!

What would you improve about this program?

I would have loved a little more guidance on curriculum and teaching methods/structure for planning out the year of teaching.

Volunteering with WorldTeach was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only did I have a fantastic, life changing experience, but this program also set me in the direction of my career path. Through WorldTeach I was able to have an incredible volunteer experience, learn a new language and culture, travel, and work on my teaching skills.
While I was away in Costa Rica I completed a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) program. When I returned to the US I got a job as an ESL teacher in a charter school and I have been teaching ever since. I now have an English teaching certification as well as an ESL teaching certification and I am a few months away from receiving my Masters in Multicultural Education. I never would have realized my teaching dreams if it hadn't been for my experiences teaching with WorldTeach.
As much as I loved my program, it is hard for me to reflect back on that year. I miss my town and the people who live there so much. If I could go back in time I wouldn't do anything different except for appreciate the time more! Volunteering and teaching are things I am so passionate about and WorldTeach made my experience so simply and so meaningful.

in country support is fantastic throughout the year, building on the solid support of the first month in country with other volunteers doing basic language and teaching classes.

I had a lot of success because I knew my parameters for the kind of teaching and living experience I wanted. this made the adjustment periods short.

host family is important for feeling connected to the community and reducing the isolation of cultural adaptation. Though World Teach does a great job vetting families, there are inevitably mismatches that can create challenges. this is true also of school populations, support of directors,etc. I think all this goes to thinking about and feeling out what other strengths and outlets you can rely on in yourself and your surroundings (e.g. writing and reading, surfing, hiking) to absorb tough moments

What would you improve about this program?

developing more continuity year to year with the individual programs and teaching materials. This is a high bar I think and doesn't necessarily affect the experience of the volunteer because part of the journey is really developing teaching material on one's own and getting into a rhythm with individual styles and approaches.

My placement was excellent, a rural community with a very welcoming family where I could see the impact of my teaching and presence. I felt connected to other teachers during training, even on a shorter summer program.

This program and experience was a "10". The program was run very professional, Cara Abel and Paul George ran a perfect program from my viewpoint.

The program itself had a lot of challenges and rewards. Challenges included: heat and humidity, myself not understanding what was going on in certain circumstances, and initially, bug bites.

The rewards far surpassed the challenges. These included seeing a new country and its people, making friends and relationships (I mailed a package of supplies, cards and pictures to a subsequent volunteer), and learning more about myself.

I could what formally could have been called hardships, are "nothing". The simple food I ate was excellent; I lost over 10 lbs of fat and felt great. The roosters crowing at 3 or 4 am did not detract from my energy. Any loss of sleep was not noticed nor considered an irritant; it was amazing! Cold showers in a hot climate aren't that bad.

The people you meet are wonderful. They will teach you as much as you teach them. You will be introduced to new animals, you will see how people make a living in a different country. On some weekends you can go into town and explore.

Bottom line: you will most likely be challenged (but not too much, just go with the flow), you will bring back memories and have learned so much you most likely will consider it an adventure of a lifetime.

What would you improve about this program?

I'm not sure; Our staff was excellent. Perhaps equip teachers with (simple) laptops and a projector with some canned lessons to build off of? The challenges I had probably had no solution or is there a way to spare the person bug bites?

Completing the summer teaching program through WorldTeach was one of the best decisions I have made. All of the processes were easily understood and the field support was great. Especially in my case, I arrived earlier than the group and left two days after. My field directors were very helpful in getting me where I needed to be and then making sure I was integrated into the group once everyone else arrived.
Once on our own, our Field Directors (even some year long volunteers) provided us with insight on places to visit and stay making our vacations safe and fun.
I was fortunate and had an amazing bond with my family in Changuena. The volunteers in my area were actually the closest, yet I had such a great time with my family that I didn't rely on visits from the other vols as much as I thought I would. My town was so welcoming, I never felt unsafe, and my school was wonderful. I had a very easy going Director and made relationship with our Kinder teacher outside of school. She invited us (me and the other close vols) to her home and we all went on a trip to the hot springs.

All in all, my experience with WT was great. I felt supported, heard, and made lasting relationships with the volunteers and locals alike.

What would you improve about this program?

The only issue I had was the clarity of the Quince Dias project. I think I would have benefited if the expectations were more clear.

Questions & Answers

How do you apply?

Hi Candace, You can start applying here--- http://www.worldteach.org/site/c.buLRIbNOIbJ2G/b.6150583/k.1365/Apply_to_WorldTeach_Volunteer_Programs.htm

By Mallory Meiser on November 6, 2015

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I want to preface this by saying that I was never the best student. In high school, many of my friends and I could easily do well in classes simply by attending, paying attention, and doing well on the tests. I never truly developed study skills, time management skills, or even great reading/writing processes because I could, fairly easily, bang out my assignments and get good grades.

When I got to college (UMass Amherst), it was a slap in the face—not to mention a “party” school. After a disappointing first semester, I spent the rest of my time working to better my academic self. By senior year, I was taking Honors classes, intensive language training, and working in my university’s Writing Center as I pursued my degree in English.

All of this was great, and I knew I wanted to pursue grad school, but I also felt that the past 4 years had been so selfish: it was all about me; it was all about finding the work-social balance for myself. How could I use these skills to give back (before becoming even more self-absorbed in grad school)?

I was developing teaching skills through tutoring and knew that was a path I’d like to take. I had a decent base of Spanish language training, so it made sense to look for a volunteer opportunity that could mesh these 2 interests. I started by googling opportunities to teach abroad and came across World Teach, which didn’t have the 2-year commitment of the Peace Corps and had other attractive qualities like in-country training and support. I read everything on their website and considered the program cost (I believe it was around $4900 at the time), and I put together my materials to apply.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

World Teach started assisting me before I was even accepted! Part of the application process included an interview with a former WT volunteer, and the time spent in her home talking about the joys and challenges of teaching abroad really helped with my mindset and expectations! Also, before leaving, all of the volunteers in my cohort were in touch via email. I made 2 friends before even leaving – one ended up with the same teaching assignment as me, and the other was “my person” and still a friend to this day!

WT assisted with everything – from visas, setting up bank accounts, and placing us with host families. They provided a month-long training session that had time for language, culture, and teaching. They also provided in-country support (field directors), so if there were ever any issues, you had a direct contact that could physically be there within a day.

The only things I really organized on my own were the major flights – the first to Miami where I met up with the group, and we all flew to CR together; the flight home was at our own discretion as well as the transportation for in-service meetings (a cheap bus ticket).

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

One piece of advice I’d give someone going on this program would be to pay attention to the training material on culture shock/the culture curve. Each person is going to have their moments of “this is wonderful, how could I ever leave?!” and “this sucks, why did I sign up for this?” Understanding how this works and what you need to take care of yourself when the inevitable low moments rise is a great learning experience, and knowing that it will all eventually even out is a great comfort!

In my placement, I saw poverty and racism and the issues tourism can bring when your culture has certain values. I also experienced crime in a way I’d been much sheltered from before. It’s not all sunshine and roses, even though that’s all you’ll see at first. Any company is going to highlight the good things, which does and should outweigh the bad, but just be prepared for the challenges.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

On an average day, my work schedule would be to eat breakfast with my host family, teach in the morning, go home to eat lunch, and sometimes teach in the afternoon. There was A LOT of downtime! This was filled mostly with going to the beach every day. Eventually we made friends who we’d meet up with.

There was also a Spanish-language school nearby, so I exchanged English lessons with the teachers for Spanish lessons, which helped with things like proper grammar that can be hard to pick up when speaking. I spent a lot of time playing with a first-grader (my host sister) and was lucky to live in a town with options for nightlife and such. I read and journaled for “me time” and traveled a bit around the country. The nice thing about my placement was that it is a vacation spot, so there were always opportunities for visitors!

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I had never lived farther than an hour from home. While I had traveled, I’d never been immersed somewhere like this before, and, in 2008, things like WiFi and smartphones simply weren’t prevalent in CR. My biggest fear was that I’d be missing and missing out on so much at home – family, friends, and a year’s worth of happenings.

At 22, I can see how those fears could be present, but when I got home... things were pretty much the same! It’s a whole year, but it’s also just a year. This program worked especially well because you left after New Year’s and came home before Christmas, so there was plenty of time pre/post to catch up. The older you get, the more you realize how fast a year goes by!

How does a long-term traveling abroad experience impact your life/career today?

Like myself, the majority of the volunteers from my cohort do not have careers in elementary education, nor did they come in with intentions to have this type of career even though that was the teaching assignment for this program. I felt that I wanted to pursue a PhD and didn’t really see how this experience would be applicable, but it didn’t really matter for reasons I’ve already stated.

The skills you learn from living (and teaching) abroad are applicable to so many career paths. And if you can’t see/don’t care about the connections to your work, I genuinely believe these types of experiences will make you a better person!

My experience abroad not only gave me something to write about in my grad school applications, but it gave me diverse ways of looking at the world. It gave me inspiration for working with multilingual students and students who are feeling their own culture shock at the university.

The hard work of being an “immigrant” to a new country, having to learn the language, learning how to manage a classroom and work with people from different cultural backgrounds all impact the professor I am today even though I don’t specifically/explicitly teach or research things related to my year abroad.

Moreover, the relationships you build – whether with your family, community members, or fellow volunteers – will forever impact you. I’ve only been back to CR once, and my familia tica visited the U.S. once, but I know I have a “home” there, and I can’t wait to go back. My Spanish skills are now rusty at best, but sign me up for some rice and beans, salsa dancing, and pura vida :)

Casie Czapski

2011 Alum

Morgan Patkos

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Flynn Doran

Program

WorldTeach - Volunteer Teaching in Costa Rica - Past Programs

Flynn Doran was a Spanish and History major at Carthage College where she graduated in May 2009. Traveling has always been a strong force in Flynn’s life and she spent a year abroad in Cadiz, Spain while in college. After college, it was inevitable that she would go abroad again and therefore became a WorldTeach Costa Rica volunteer in 2010. She moved to Chicago after leaving Costa Rica and began a Master’s program in Cultural and Educational Policies Studies at Loyola University Chicago and in the final stages of its completion. She began working as the WorldTeach Costa Rica Field Director in August 2012 and is enjoying La Pura Vida more than ever.

Teach English in Costa Rica with WorldTeach

What makes teaching in Costa Rica with WorldTeach so special and unique?

Flynn: Teaching in Costa Rica is special in many ways. One thing that is special is our type of placements. Volunteers are placed in rural communities and rural Costa Rica is like no other place in the world. There is a strong culture of farming, family, drinking coffee, and spending time with other community members. This makes the teaching experience fun and always interesting. Another way that teaching with the WorldTeach program is unique is the curriculum that volunteers use in the classroom. The Ministry of Public Education has an English Curriculum, which our volunteers follow. However, there is a certain level of autonomy in terms of the classrooms and teaching methodology. This provides teachers a good structure but also allows them freedom to explore different topics and techniques in the classroom. What also makes teaching in Costa Rica special are the students. They are so eager to learn and are very loving. This is not to say that there aren’t behavioral problems, however, the students genuinely appreciate English class and their teachers.

Did you teach abroad? If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Flynn: I volunteered with the WorldTeach Costa Rica program before coming back on as the Field Director. I was inspired to go teach abroad first and foremost to provide English education in an unreached area. The notion of being able to provide an entire community with exposure to English was very exciting. Besides being able to provide this knowledge to my students and community, I was also inspired to go for the experience. I did not have a background in education, but had always been interested in education and wanted to give teaching a try. A third inspiration was the cultural exchange. Since it is an abroad experience, that aspect of cultural exchange was exhilarating for me.

What should teachers know about the classroom and workplace culture in Costa Rica?

Flynn: The workplace culture in rural Costa Rica is very relaxed. The school staff is generally very close and views each other as friends. Depending on the school size and amount of staff, there are a lot of staff interactions. There is a lot of joking and chitchatting that goes on, which keeps the environment fun and light-hearted.

The classroom culture is taken seriously but relaxed. Students are expected to behave in class. However, rules are not always well laid out and followed through so students can, at times, get pretty rowdy. But, in the end, the students are sweet, welcoming, and excited to have someone from a different culture come and teach them so they are very receptive. The classes given by WorldTeach volunteers are generally more interactive than other classes so students often times prefer English class.

What can you tell us about the current state of education in Costa Rica? How do you see this changing in the next 10 years?

Flynn: Education has always played a huge role in Costa Rica. The first president of Costa Rica was an educator and felt that a solid, compulsory public education was key to democracy. The government has always made education a priority, however, as with any education system, there are still areas for improvement. In Costa Rica, the focus has been on improving retention rates, decreasing dropout rates, and increasing attendance levels.

Another focus for the Costa Rican education system is English education. English has been a core class in elementary classrooms since 1997 and English language instruction in schools is helping the Costa Rican government achieve its goal of having a bilingual populace by 2017. Also, since tourism is the biggest industry in Costa Rica the knowledge of English is necessary for employment and well-being. WorldTeach volunteers help immensely in obtaining this goal since we teach under-served students in schools where there are no local English teachers and thus exposure to English would not occur without our presence.

What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering teaching abroad in Costa Rica?

Flynn: Be open, patient, reflective, and understanding. With these qualities and a good sense of humor, you can handle anything that comes your way while living “la pura vida”.

Location

Location:

Costa Rica

Currency:

Costa Rican Colón

Weather:

Jan-Mar

83 F / 67 F

Apr-Jun

85 F / 69 F

Jul-Sep

85 F / 69 F

Oct-Dec

83 F / 67 F

Airports:

Juan Santamaría International Airport

( SJO )

Limón International Airport

( LIO )

Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport

( LIR )

A pioneer of ecotourism, Costa Rica draws many tourists to its extensive series of national parks and other protected areas. Costa Rica began reversing deforestation in the 1990s, and they are moving towards using only renewable energy. Head to the cloud forest, relax on the beautiful beaches, or visit a coffee farm.

About WorldTeach

Thank you for your interest in our organization. Recognizing that the world of global volunteerism has shifted considerably, our Board of Directors has decided to take a pause in order to think strategically about the future of the organization and to re-calibrate as necessary and feasible. WorldTeach was founded in 1986 by a group of Harvard...

Program Details

Pricing

Alumni Interviews

Kristi Girdharry

Why did you choose this program?

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

How does a long-term traveling abroad experience impact your life/career today?

Staff Interviews

Flynn Doran

What makes teaching in Costa Rica with WorldTeach so special and unique?

Did you teach abroad? If so, where and what inspired you to go?

What should teachers know about the classroom and workplace culture in Costa Rica?

What can you tell us about the current state of education in Costa Rica? How do you see this changing in the next 10 years?

What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering teaching abroad in Costa Rica?