Education Volunteer Programs in Panama

We are excited that you’ve decided to volunteer with us in Panama and want to make sure you are prepared for the ultimate experience and setting expectations. As a non-profit organization that is committed to empowering the indigenous communities of Bocas del Toro, our primary responsibility is to providing educational programs and services to the Ngobe people we serve. As a volunteer for Give & Surf, you will have the chance to teach, lead activities, and build relationships with the locals. On our free afternoons, we are happy to help arrange excursions and activities for you so that you can enjoy everything that Bocas has to offer, including surfing, hiking, snorkeling, biking, beach trips, and more!

Volunteers will have the opportunity to work with the following education programs:

PRESCHOOL/ KINDERGARTEN:

Panama does not provide public preschool education in many remote areas of the country in spite of a universal acceptance that early childhood education is a critical component to a child’s development. For this reason we chose to open our doors to the preschool aged children of Bahia Honda and Bahia Roja. This was accomplished in collaboration with our partners and friends from La Loma Jungle Lodge. We are incredibly proud and excited to provide both communities daily preschool. In September of 2013 we adopted a Montessori curriculum focused on empowering our students to be independent through interacting with their environments and stimulating their senses. Our days consist of implementing this curriculum, reading, arts and crafts, trips to the playground, and special field trips. This is an amazing opportunity to provide the first generation of future all-stars an awesome and enriching experience. It is also great to practice and learn Spanish as they are very forgiving individuals with huge hearts and smiles.

You can expect to volunteer with our preschool five days a week as well as with the elementary school right next door. We will need a lot of help with classroom setup, curriculum development, and teaching.

AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM:

课外项目的重点是提供elementary aged children with an enriching and engaging environment to participate in new activities, learn English, further develop their understanding of the world, and have fun. This program was initiated as a supplement to the public education provided. We also give the children the chance to go on field trips outside the local community. Through our program we hope to provide the educational support needed to reverse the unfortunate trends seen in public education around the archipelago. Come have a blast enjoying lessons, sports, music, movies, games, and more with our students and other volunteers.

SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM

Much like the after-school program, our aim is to provide education and new experiences to the children of Bahia Honda during their summer break between December and late February. During this time we develop a schedule (found below) focused on different themes that combine the environment, experiential learning, and self-expression. The schedule combines multiple 2-5 week courses with one centralized theme. The lesson plans developed during this program are intended to be engaging and cultivate the students’ creativity. We invite all volunteers to share and incorporate their personal interests and experiences into this program.

ADULT ESL PROGRAM

Two days a week we work with 10-15 dedicated adults in the Bahia Honda and Bahia Roja communities. Learning English is tremendously important for the adults to build confidence and have employment opportunities in the tourist rich area of Bocas del Toro. We work with students on varying levels of English and aim to engage our students through active learning.

GENERAL TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES

Assist teacher with preparing the classroom/activities for the day
Cleaning and organizing the classroom after all classes
Help take children to the bathroom
Wash hands of children after bathroom
Prepare snacks or help with making food
Organizing the library and card catalog
Preparing lesson plans for after-school program
PRESCHOOL/ KINDERGARTEN TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES