Bakuva

Activity Description:

Bakuva is an organization where kids with different problems because of their situation life the economic, familiar or social exclusion go to. It is runned by volunteers who go and play with the kids, teach them, and take care of them. Being there makes the kids happy, just by being there they feel good which makes me feel good. I want to help these kids have a good time and with anything they need, to help them, to make a postive impact. Therefore, I will be volunteering every Friday about 3 hours giving English lessons to a group of kids and I will stay afterwards to help in whatever is needed.

Length of the Activity:

All school year 2015-2016

Personal Goals:

By attending this organization I hope to beuseful in society and help these kids not only with their English, bt I want them to be happy and feel comfortable. I want to gain their trust and make them know that I do care about them. When they progress in English and when I see that they some to me for help I will have achieved my goal.

Learning Outcomes:

Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth. - Increase my communication skills and trust in myself that I can help people.
Undertaken new challenges - I have never gone to a volunteering organization that works with children and have never taught English so this will be a new experience for me.
Worked collaboratively with others - I will work collaboratively with the other volunteers that attend Bakuva.
Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities - I will try to attend every Friday, no matter the circumstance.
Engaged with issues of global importance - Trying to help children at risk of social exclusion.
Developed new skills - Communication skills and teaching.

Proposal

Reflections:

September

I started this month going to Bakuva every friday and my first impression was really good. I don't understand the people that hate going to Bakuva and feel they are wasting their time!! I love helping these kids out. The first class I was a bit scared because I had been told that the children were very mean, but when I got there I encountered the opposite. They were just plain children, like were when we were younger. They just wanted to finish their work early and go to play. This is how the teacher worked: the teacher, Angela, and us sat at a table with the kids (7). Each kid had a package with questions and Angela said which page they had to do and we helped the children with their doubts. Many times Angela had to get mad at the kids because they didn't want to work, but in the end we finished the work and when the class ended they went to play. After the class Miren and I usually stayed to help Angela with the snack or to play cards with the girls.

October

This month was very similar to the last one. This month we started going a bit earlier to Bakuva to be 5 minutes before the class starts. We have to run to get in time because the class starts at 17:00 but I have to go home by car and then take the bus to Bilbao. With a bit of effort though, we make it on time every Friday. There is a girl named Nuria, who I am very impressed by her English. She is the first one to finish the worksheet and if none of the children finish before the class ends, while the others go running to play she stays behind to finish the work. She told me that she wanted to learn English to visit her aun in Florida when she turned 18 (she is currently 11). It really made me reflect on my goals in life. She was already working to achieve her goal, and I should be doing the same way as her.

November

This month some boys and Miren and I are going together every Friday. Therefore, we are dividing ourselves into groups: one groups stays in the English class and one group goes next door to school based-support. The first day of the month I went next door but ended up also helping the kids with English homework. I helped a girl who I already knew from one of the days I wento to Bakuva last year (11th grade) who is also called Sarah. So I remembered her name and she remembered my name.

December

This month I could not go much as Christmas started and Bakuva closed. However, when I went they were decorating Bakuva with Christmas decorations. Some of the kids were really excited and kept talking about what they asked to the "Olentxero" which is like Santa Claus, but he comes from the Basque Country, so it is only celebrated here. Angela no longer sat at the table with us to teach the kids. She left the class to us. Our goal was to finish the package, so each class we did one or two pages, depending on the level of difficulty. I can see how my teaching skills are increasing and how the children are enjoying more the classes. I am going to miss coming to Bakuva during the winter break.

January

I absolutely love coming to Bakuva. And I miss the children when I don't come as much as they miss me. This month I couldn't come one day because I went skiing and went I came back next Friday they asked me with a sad look where had I been. I really feel I am helping them to learn English. I always give my best and whenever we start a worksheet and their vocabulary on that topic is weak I go over the vocabulary with them so they learn it before completing the worksheet without knowing. One day, we were doing a worksheet about colours and transport and it was clear they didn't know much vocabulary about this, so Miren and I organized a game. We separated the group into two, and made a competition where we wrote the transports and colors in the board and each group had to give a try at translating it to Spanish. The group that had the most correct answers won. This game really encouraged the children, and when we did the worksheet it was much easier. I feel the group is awesome and we really collaborate between one another.

February

This month was very much like the past. The children are doing great. There is one girl Nora, who at first sight is all the time playing around but when you get to know her you can see that she really does want to learn. She always come to me for help because she wants to complete her worksheet. I am very proud of her, the rest of the boys and girls, and the teachers (us). Coming to Bakuva is something I enjoy very much. These kids have problems because of their situation in their daily lives and come to Bakuva, where it is safe for them. I notive that my presence there makes the kids happy, and it makes me happy. Being there helps children learn English and feel good. So, I try to go everyday I can, no matter what I have, to help this kids and make them happy. I think many will agree, that we make a difference, and little by little we can help and make the world a better place.

March

This month it was very clear easter break was arriving. The kids were even more hyperactive than what they normally are! They didn't want to work because they were very tired. So, the last class we tried making games to cheer them up. We played the game "STOP" where we tell them a letter and they have to come up with a name, an object, a food, an animal and a color. They really enjoyed the game, but after a while it got boring and they lost interest again. It is very hard to keep this children entertained especially as it is in a language they don't master. I feel like they really appreciate our effort. Finally I decided to make them a wordcross puzzle of transportation, which is what we have been learning this month, and they did it actually quite fast, so I felt really happy. Then we played the game "El Lince" until the class ended, where we told them the name of an object in english and they had to find it in the board.

I don't know if I will be able to go next month because exams are approaching and I really need to study and it takes me about an hour to go to Bakuva and an hour to return. I will still try to go because I really enjoy going. I will definitely go with Miren after we finish exams to Bakuva, because I said, it is an activity that I really enjoy and one in which I feel very useful. I really enjoy being with this kids, and trying to help them, as they don't have any resources.

Final Reflection

I am not sure if I will still go before May, but I will close the activity just in case, even if I still go. Going to Bakuva has been an amazing experience, since the first day I went last year up until now. I am really glad I finally decided to go because I have discovered an activity I want to keep doing even after school finishes, and I will try to search something similar when I go to university. Most people asked me why do I go on Fridays, 'doesn't it take you away the whole Friday afternoon?' and yes it does, but it is an activity that I love doing. It is Miren's and my plan for every Friday afternoon. Looking back at my goals I can safely say I have achieved them. I said my goal was to really feel useful and help them improve their English, and they have improved their english, and they have developed a trust in me that they know they can come to me for any help, not just in English. I have increased my self esteem and communication skills and I have worked collaboratively with the rest of my classmates with whom I went to Bakuva, with the kids, and with the teacher of the association Angela. I really showed perseverance and commitment as I have attended every Friday, except two days when I wasn't in Bilbao. In sum, I close the activity feeling very satisfied with myself.