Clearview Elementary has once again welcomed seven new Amity Interns into their family. This is the eighth year the school has participated in the program, which brings native speakers from foreign countries into the classrooms for students to experience different cultures first hand. 

 

The Amity Interns will spend the school year working with students learning Spanish. Similar to student teachers, the interns assist and learn how to become teachers themselves.

 

This year’s interns are Angélica Jiménez, Ruth Diaz and Yordy Camacho from Columbia, Maria Gamero from El Salvador, and Cristina Toledano, Anna Molins and Luis Ángel Garcia from Spain. 

 

Along with learning about the American education system and experiencing another culture, each of the interns has goals they hope to accomplish during their time at Clearview.

 

“I think I have a lot of opportunity here to develop my creativity and to learn how different teaching methods benefit the children,” said Jiménez.

 

Diaz’s dream was to come to the United States ever since she was a young girl. When she was 16 she decided to study foreign languages, which ultimately led her to the amity program. 

 

“I want to practice my teaching skills and apply everything I’ve learned in university,” she said. “I also want to share my culture and what Columbia has to offer, it’s a beautiful country. When we are teaching we are learning from our students, and coming here has a big value for me as a human and a professional.”

 

“I consider this a good opportunity to education the kids about my culture and to learn from them,” said Camacho. “I would like to show students the other side of my country, the good we have there.”

 

It was also Toledano’s dream to come to the United States ever since she was young, and she hopes to share everything she learns here with the children back in her country. 

 

“This is an opportunity to grow as a person and professional,” she said. “I want to share my culture and learn about the students’ culture. I want to continue to practice my skills in teaching and improve my English.”

 

“I was always thinking once my degree was done I would like to take one year abroad,” said Molins. “When I found this program, I felt I could improve my English and teaching skills. I also want to be more confident with myself with teaching and get a lot of ideas. They use a lot of creativity here.”

 

Garcia said he wants to learn about the customs of the U.S. and his host family, along with learning about the methodology the teachers at Clearview use.

 

Like any new experience, the Amity Interns have discovered things they hadn’t expected.

 

“The people are really, really nice, more than I thought,” said Jiménez. “The food is not like the food I ate before; it’s been a surprise experiencing what you eat here.”

 

“In general, the education system is very different than Columbia’s system,” said Diaz. “Here there are things I really like. People are very kind and like body contact, which we’re not used to in my country.”

 

“The teachers here are very committed to the school and the kids,” said Gamero. “Family is very respectful of each other and people are sociable with their neighbors, which is not so in my country.”

 

Camacho was surprised kids and adults both like to read for pleasure, which isn’t common in his country, and wasn’t expecting all the different techniques teachers use for classroom management. He said people here are very nice and are easier to interpret because of their body language.

 

“I always say I can’t believe I am living the real culture of America,” said Toledano. “I saw it in movies and now it’s real. The teachers give more importance to good habits, like drinking water. In Spain, we don’t drink a lot of water.”

 

Molins and Garcia both said the schedule has been a change, as everything here starts earlier.

 

“In Spain school finishes at five and we have dinner at nine,” said Molins. “I was surprised every day in the morning the students say the Pledge of Allegiance and that everywhere you see the American flag.”

 

The Amity Intern program isn’t district funded; instead relying solely on fundraisers and donations. They are always looking for host families. To learn more, visit www.amity.org.