Schools

From my limited exposure to schools in Ecuador, I am left with the impression that the education system functions at a low level. The teachers I have worked with so far seem to be lacking some skills necessary to provide an effective learning environment. The speaking and writing skills that take place in the English language class have consisted of a lot of copying off the board and repeating sentences with no real comprehension. The teachers use a program that includes student workbooks and a teachers` manual. It seems the goal of the teacher is to have the student complete the workbook. Comprehension does not seem to be a priority. The teachers have no control of the classroom. The children talk, play, fight, etc. while the teacher talks over them. I may be showing may age when I reflect on what the classroom setting was like when I was a young student, but I remember a day when the teacher had control of the classroom and children were quiet. I have talked about this with other volunteers who help teach in other classrooms and they share the same experience. I have tried to express to the teachers that it is important that the children understand the material. Often they just assumed the students did.
I am not sure what type of training is required to become a teacher, if any. The teacher I worked with in Quito had studied engineering and couldn`t find a job in his field so he took a teaching job. The English language teacher I work with in Bellevista doesn`t really know very much English other than the words printed in the workbook.
I know I can`t make big changes in the short time I am here, but I hope I have helped in small ways via example and suggestions made.