English For All - Gratuitous English in the NGO

A MESSAGE FROM US:

And what does it mean to be a Volunteacher? It means being kind, having a loving heart and fond feelings towards fellow human beings as only LOVE can make a person share and give away his knowledge. It means being responsible for the socioeconomic situation that surrounds us and not only lay the blame on the government and its bodies for the exclusion of most of the Brazilian citizens. It means being sensitive and compassionate.

And is it easy? NO. It means responsibility, commitment and lots of will power. There are days when we really just want to receive more than to donate. There are days when we feel pressed by the daily rush and commitments. Our interests do prevail!

But it is IMMENSELY rewarding for who does not like to love and be loved? Who does not like to feel that one is truly helpful in fostering a person into being a more wholly and dignified citizen? Who does not like to feel that one can make a difference?.

Be a Volunteacher; become a Volunteacher! There are hundreds of adolescents to whom you can make a difference! If you believe it, it must be true!

A warm embrace to all,
Teli Penteado Cardoso
Director President

THE CURRENT SITUATION

We have started the 1semester of 2010 teaching English to roughly 860 students located in 16 partner NGOs counting on the work of 47 Volunteachers and 2 Modern Languages interns. To all ... a wonderful semester!

PRE-SERVICE TRAINING

To restate the expectations of our new Volunteachers towards the targeted audience, we will hold the Pre-service Training in MAY and right after the expectant volunteacher will have to observe 2 to 3 classes before the beginning of his/her work in August of 2010.

IN SERVICE TRAINING WORKSHOPS

Continuing Education – we will offer 3 workshops throughout this semester to foster opportunities of exchange among teachers and our Volunteachers. There will be more resources, ideas and news to volunteachers and their classes. The Workshop Leaders are also volunteers who donate their contribution: to all of them THANK YOU!

THE GUARDIAN ANGELS

The Facilitator volunteers now total 5! These ‘angels’ weave connections among EFALL, partner NGOs and Volunteachers. To them we say THANKS and WELCOME!

THE CORPORATE VOLUNTEER

Following on the program of Corporate Volunteers, we have bonded, to our great joy, with PROMON Engineering. We will have, in this semester, 10 Volunteachers, employees of said company, ministering English classes in the program ‘Menor Aprendiz’ that takes place in the offices of PROMON and also in the CCA Santa Teresa, a NGO located in Vila Olímpia, a neighborhood in São Paulo. These Volunteachers’ enthusiasm does not cease to amaze us and their students who come more motivated to learn. Below you can find some thoughts from teachers and students which illustrate this sharing moment:

Students:
“I think this initiative is very important and I could notice lots of Love and dedication from the organizers because it is a volunteer work. The people who take part in this volunteer work are amazing, caring and like to teach; I feel that they do it out of Love. I myself love to come to classes because English has always been very difficult for me, but with these Teachers, I’m learning in a much simpler way. I’m more interested in learning, I do research, listen to songs ad watch movies in English to aid my learning and I have started doing it all due to the dedication and the didactics of Anne and Fábio. I can only thank the organizers for this honorable initiative as I’m certain that I will have more opportunities due to this.’ (Bárbara Castro – student at CCA Projeto Jovem Aprendiz PROMON)

Teachers:
‘The work has been wonderful! ‘My days begin with more disposition, love and stamina! I guess that being a volunteer is exchanging; it is teaching and learning. We donate some of our time and knowledge and get smiles and affection!! They learn a new language and we learn how to be citizens! Today I got a hug at the end of a class! I have no words to say how good it is to be a volunteer…you just have to become one to get it!’
(Barbara Seixas / Volunteacher –Processes Engineering - PROMON)

‘Our first class was just awesome! We were anxious about the outcome when those curious little eyes come peering at everything around them – they were at PROMON full of curiosity and expectations! The class was super fun, it went by so quickly and the same wish lingered, both on teachers and students: this class should happen everyday! This first day of class gave us all the enthusiasm and energy to long for a great semester of volunteer work helping students learn English and develop themselves.
(Luiza Moraes / Volunteacher – Proposals - PROMON)

“The classes are really cool. The students are motivated as the dynamics steer away from the standard learning model what stimulated them further. English opens up a new world to them and this brings on many questions and curiosity. But what makes it really worth it is the mutual learning: as they learn English, we learn citizenship.’
(Márcio Fleury Ribeiro / Volunteacher – Offer, Collaboration and Imaging - PROMON)

MODERN LANGUAGES INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

There are 3 organizations involved in this Project: PEARSON FOUNDATION - donating financial resources; Unibero, PUC-SP and Mackenzie – donating human resources (interns); EFALL – donating material and administrative resources.