Project "Be the change"

Week 6

For this Saturday, July 25, we prepared a different topic for the advice, it was about Etiquette.

We arrived the Cooperativa at 10 o´´clock, a little bit late because the street where is the Cooperativa was closed because of Guayaquil´s Foundation parade.

In the Cooperativa, there were 7 socias waiting for our training and also was a 16 year-old guy, that was a nephew of one of the socias. It was great to see more socias and also other people (socias´s relatives) involved in our trainings and social service.

For this advice, related to Etiquette, we taught the socias the correct ways to introduce others and themselves, the priorities at the moment of introduce two people according to the sex, age and social or profesional status. A lso we taught them the presentation formulas and the attitude that they must have when they are presented. Finally, we finished our Etiquette advice, teaching them the correct sitting posture.

To create a more significant learning, we made some activities with the participants where they had to apply and practice the rules of Etiquette we taught them . Also we gave the some material (copies) of our training.

At the end of our training, the socias were very happy because they asked us a training related to Etiquette since we started to give advices in the Cooperativa. They told us the importance of the Etiquette for them because they said that when they have meetings in the Cooperativa or in other places, most of the times they don´t know what to do or how to behave in this type of situations.

For me, the most important part of this training was when the socias told us that they were grateful with us because of what we have done and taught them.

Project "Be the change"

Week 5

On this Saturday, we had some surprises...there were more socias waiting for our English training, also one of them came with her very cute 4 years-old son, who called Aron.

For this training we decided to teach other phrases related to introductions as: I am...., Nice to meet you.., Nice to meet you to, What is your name..?, etc. ; for teaching this, we showed them, how to write this new phrases, their spanish translation and the pronunciation. Also we make some exercises, where the socias had to make a dialogue with us, using the new phrases and the others that they learned in the other English training. At the beginning they had some difficulties, but then they did it very well !! They loved so much this activity because, when we finished, the socias started to practice some phrases between them.

In my reflection about my social service in the Cooperativa Detodas is that the English trainings, included this one, are an excellent example of service, just for one big reason: When I teach English to the socias, I don't feel superior because I know more than them; when I teach them, I try to make them feel comfortable and I like to promote as my friends, a sense of equality between the socias and us. Our form of leadership is based on the one that is oriented to inspire and assist others. For me this service also is an example of mutualism, because I can help and develop myself by helping others, the socias.

Project "Be the change"

Week 4

On this week, there were the same socias but one of them came with their niece, so we had more participants for our training.

For this week, we planned to teach other topic related to introductions, but we reconsidered to teach a new topic because some socias didn't remember what we had teached them in our last training: Greetings and Introductions.

So this training was a review for the socias in order to enhance their knowledge and clarify certain doubts about our last training.

At the end of this training, I felt very proud for the results, because I noticed that the socias were more confident when they spoke in English ,and now they can greet and introduce themselves, in English, without any problem !!! This, of course, is loftiness for me, because now I know that I can make an important change and contribution in the learning experiences of the socias.

Project "Be the change"

Week 3

On this week, Saturday morning, we arrived at 9 o'clock to the Cooperativa. For my surprise, there where just 4 socias waiting for our english training, I felt a little bit disappointed and sad because there wasn't the same number of socias that came to our firt training. However, we started our training.

For our firt english capacitation, we started with "Presentations" as a topic. We used a book that is from the educational program: "Aprendamos" given by the Municipality of Guayaquil. Our objective in this training was to teach the socias how to salute and introduce themselves in English. I have to emphasize that they didn't know anything about english so, at the first part of the training, was complicated for them, specially the pronunciation. But then, we do some activities that make them practice and encourage what they have learned like a little play in which each socia had to introduced herself. I have to say that I was very proud of them because they do it very well.

For teach the socias the new vocabulary they learned, we write on the board the word in english, the translation in spanish and also the pronunciation. At the end of this training, the socias were very happy because of what they have learned on their first english training. I was happy too and also my friends because we notice that the socias really learned the topic. This was a new but incredible experience as an english teacher !!

Finally I have to say that this training is related to the learning cycle that we learned in our Society and the role of the individual class, because first, we have to study the socias's situation and their needs in order to decide what topic was the best for the first english trainig. Then, we consult each other about the topic in order to plan the activities for the training. Finally, we act, giving the english training to the socias. Also, this training is an example of difussing knowledge because we have a good level of english knowledge and we wanted to share it with the socias.

Reflection about Cognitive Surplus

My personal reflection about this video is that humans were created for be active, that`s why we are the only species capable of thinking and making decisions,this is what we make us be different from others creatures. Unfortunately, some things like lazyness make us be pasive and just consumers in our free time, this means huge losses not only of time, but also represents losses of our potentialities and qualities and the opportunities to improve our lifes and our world. Using our free time to make productive things that impels us to create knowledge and ideas and share those things with others, we are contribuing not only for our own development, but also for society development.

I have to say that this video make me reflect and analyze about my activities and how I spend my free time. Sincerely and unfortunately, I used to be a primarily consumer, most of the times when I was free I spent my time watching tv or sleeping. Now I am trying to be a producer instead of consumer in my free time, by doing productive activities like: reading books, playing my cello, etc. Also, I am more conscious about what I am doing in my social action in the Cooperativa Detodas, I feel good thinking about that on my free time that I have on Saturdays I spend training the socias and of course, contribuing with my society.