So You Think You Want to Student Teach in Rio de Janeiro?

7/30/2019 So You Think You Want to Student Teach in Rio de Janeiro?

1/14

So You Think You Want to

Student Teach in Rio de Janeiro?

By Kelly Schreiber, Spring 2013


2/14

TOP 10 REASONS TO GO FOR IT

You Wont Regret It!


3/14

10. Rios weather is much better than Chicagos,especially during the winter!

9. There are so many cool things to see here,including adorable little monkeys all over the city.

8. The food is amazing!

7. Portuguese is a beautiful language.

6. Brazilians are incredibly welcoming.


4/14

5. Its very affordable compared to other studyabroad programs!

4. It will challenge you to expand your worldviewand your teaching.

3. Youll learn so much about Brazilian culture.

2. Youll learn so much about yourself, as aneducator and as a person.

1. Its an absolutely amazing, once in a lifetimeexperience!


5/14

BUT WHAT ABOUT?

Frequently Asked Questions


6/14

What is Brazilian culture like?

Like any culture, uniquely amazing andbeautiful! Brazilians speak Portuguese, arewarm and welcoming people, and are

passionate about futebol (soccer).

Brazil is about the size of the USA, so each

region has its own culture as well. Cariocas(people from Rio) are known for being easy-going and fun-loving.


7/14

I dont speak any other languages.

Will that be a problem?

At school, no. The point of the school having you there isso that the students can learn from native Englishspeakers. Students begin learning English early on, andthe majority of the staff speaks English as well.

In the community, yes. Expect to need to know basicPortuguese to do almost anything. If youve studied anySpanish, that will make picking up Portuguese a little biteasier, although the languages are more different thanyou would think by just looking at them. The sooner youstart working on your Portuguese, the more confidentyoull feel out and about the city.


8/14

Whats the city like? Is it safe?

The school is in the Botofogo neighborhood, just south of Centro(downtown) and just north of the famous Copacabana and Ipanemabeaches. Botofogo is a quieter, more residential part of the city.

The city itself is huge, and divided into three zones, described by their

relationship to downtown. Youll spend most of your time in Zona Sul(South Zone), where the school, the beaches, and plenty of otherinteresting attractions are. There are so many awesome places toexploreyou definitely wont get bored!

Like any city, there are places that arent safe. The neighborhood thatthe school is in is great, as are most of the other neighborhoods thatyoull be interested in. Stay away from favelas (hillside slums) ingeneral, and any other places that the school tells you are unsafe. Stayaware, be smart, and trust your instincts.


9/14

What is the school like?

Our Lady of Mercy is a small, close-knit school that balancesan American curriculum, a Brazilian curriculum, and a religiouscurriculum. The school offers 2-year-old preschool throughhigh school. The majority of the student body is Brazilian, buta good number of students are from other countries as well.

There are two classes per grade, each with about 20 students.

The school offers great ESL and PSL (Portuguese as a SecondLanguage) programs, although IEPs and Special Education aresignificantly more informal than we expect in the States. Likeall schools in the States, OLM has just transitioned to usingthe Common Core State Standards.


10/14

What is the staff like?

The staff is a mix of Brazilian and American teachers.They are used to having student teachers and are verywelcoming, interested, and accommodating.

The school is organized in four departmentsPreschool(2-year-old preschool through senior kindergarten),Elementary (1st through 5th grades), Middle School (6ththrough 8th grades), and High School (9th through 12th

grades)each of which has its own supervisor. In Middleand High, departments are also organized by subjectarea.


11/14

What do I do while Im not teaching?

What are you interested in?

Soak up some sun at any of the beaches, explore themuseums, learn to samba, try your hand at making some

Brazilian cuisine (or just enjoy eating it!), hike in TijucaNational Forest, try as many flavors of fresh juice as you canfind, look for opportunities to practice your Portuguese, seethe Carnival parade, shop for souvenirs, check out the nightlife and sip a caipirinha, or visit the iconic Christ the Redeemerand Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Theres plenty to do in and around Rio, and the OLM staff ismore than willing to show you around or invite you along!


12/14

What if I get homesick?

Chances are, itll probably happen at one point

or another. Student teaching is challenging, and

doing it in an unfamiliar culture is scary

sometimes. The good news is, technology

makes it easy to stay in touch with family and

friends back home. Everyone at the school is

fantastic too; theyll help you through. Plus, itshard to be sad for long in this gorgeous city!


13/14

OK, IM GOING TO GO FOR IT!

A Bit of Advice for a Successful Experience


14/14

What else do I need to know?

Do your research. Simple Google searches aboutBrazil, living in Rio, etc. can teach you a lot, andyoull be a lot less lost when you get here.

Be open to the experience and make the most of it.Try as many things as possible. Seriously, evenfoods you know that you dont like at home have a

knack for tasting better here. And, go outside yourcomfort zone. Thats where the most growth willhappen.

Boa sorte! (Good luck!)

Documents

So You Think You Want to Student Teach in Rio de Janeiro?