Minnesota State University, Mankato comes to Costa Rica!

I journeyed to Costa Rica with Karl Matz (professor at Minnesota State Mankato) to visit our three teacher candidates who are about to graduate with degrees in elementary education (Alyssa and Emilee) and Special Education (Cynthia). They are capping of their full-time student teaching experience with 6 weeks teaching in Costa Rica. Actually, they spent two weeks in Spanish classes (at their level) and conducting service learning at a childcare center and in a public school in Manuel Antonio, a town on the beach.

I'm catching up on all the daily blogging I thought I would do, so after this, I hope to be able to post more each day!!! Only 1/2 way through the journey.

Phase1 of our journey: San Pedro

We spent Monday night to Thursday morning in San Pedro, a suburb of the capital San Jose. Here we connected with staff at COSI-Maximo Nivel, the wonderful language school who is our partner for this project.

The entry to COSI-Maximo Nivel where our students took Spanish classes and did service learning. They are coordinating the experience and doing a great job. Alyssa and Emilee even have an advisor who is from Minnesota...thanks, Paula!

Of course, aqua en Costa Rica, in the lobby there is always free coffee for students!

We visited Emilee and Cynthia in their school home here, Marian Baker School, a wonderful English-speaking private school that is very student-centered.

Emilee in 1st grade at Marian Baker School - San Jose

Cynthia at Marian Baker School - San Jose

What did we learn? Our students are very well prepared for this experience. They were complimented by their mentor teachers and by the principal, who made sure we knew they work with many universities and Emilee and Cynthia are some of the best they have worked with!

A student-centered enviroment with many resources can do a lot for students. Marian Baker School has small class sizes and well-trained staff who are committed to helping their students reach excellent. Cynthia's group of kindergartners were even working on knowing Habits of Mind.

AND, Karl and I still like teaching! Emilee let us each take a station in her 1st grade classroom....we loved it!!

ACCOMMODATIONS

We lived with a host family, like our students do so they can improve their Spanish and experience life in Costa Rica while they are here.  Thank you to Senora Aracely Acosta, who was a great host for our time in San Jose. We ate meals with her and had fun learning about her family.

Phase 2: Manuel Antonio/Quepos...to the Coast!

We took the bus from San Jose to Quepos/Manuel Antonio to the south. The two towns are very close together...Manuel Antonio is more of a touristy/beach town and Quepos is where most of the families in the area live.  COSI has a school here, so we were greeted by Kim and Karin!

We visited Alyssa in her Colegio de Manuel Antonio. She is teaching kindergarten and English classes and has been our tour guide here! Here you see me, Susana (English teacher), Alyssa, and Dr. Matz in the English classroom.

My family and I had just visited the Minnesota Zoo and were amazed to see a sloth up close. Little did I know, I would encounter this guy on the way to lunch one day. He was just hanging out in the tree, back against a branch, claws casually wrapped around the tree.  There were several of us down below taking pictures and he couldn't have cared less!

Alyssa al Colegio Publico de Manuel Antonio. Juan is the principal. This school is a pilot site for the Costa Rica Ministry of Education as a bilingual public school.

On Monday we get to see Alyssa work with her students...and maybe do a little teaching ourselves!