Country info and advice - Puerto Rico
The following comments are from teachers who have taught, or are currently teaching, in Puerto Rico. If you are a teacher and have some advice to share, please add it here.
Teaching English in Puerto
Rico has been a nice experience, but frustrating too. As a K-3 English teacher
the public schools in Puerto Rico visualize you as a teacher that's going to
give a 50 minute break to the home room teacher. They don't provide you with a
classroom. You have to go classroom to classroom with all the materials you are
going to use. You rarely have a wall in the classroom to hang up visual material
(like alphabets, days of the week posters, etc.) I think that a K-3 English
teacher should have a room where students can have full access to the English
language.
I've worked in Puerto Rico for
23 years and it's wonderful, but they don't pay much. New teachers start at
about 1,500 a month.
I've been a teacher for 15
years in the Tri-State area of New York and in a lot of cases I never had a
classroom or any place to hang material as visual aids. I don't think Puerto
Rico's school system is to blame for lack of space. I think you will find that
in any school system with any size population and underfunding teachers are
dealing with the same problem. Don't blame the country, region or area for not
having a classroom.
Hi. I have been teaching
English at university level here on the west side of the island for three
semesters now. I was surprised on arrival about how little most students knew
and spoke English. I was told they had some ten years or so in the school
system. Puerto Ricans have such an advantage if they saw the worth in knowing
two languages. Not saying they don't because due to the financial situation here
they learn all too late in life they should have paid more attention to what
their English teachers taught them. I honestly love teaching here. I do wish
they would strike English from the school system all together. They could then
set up more private bilingual schools for those that really want to learn the
language. English is a foreign language here not a second language. If it did
stay in the public schools, they could teach it like the Continentals teach
Spanish, French, and German. Either way, Puerto Rico is wonderful and I give a
lot of respect to all those that teach especially English down on the island. If
you want to know more about the island teaching, look for Down on the Island
by Jim Cooper. It has a wonderful insight to what it is all about here.
This is in response to
Lignelli's post... please do not be surprised about the fact of how little most
students in Puerto Rico know and speak English. In Puerto Rico we speak Spanish
24/7. Kids take English as another subject required to obtain the High School
diploma. We are required to take English from K-12, and then around 6 more
college credits for a BA. Kids are also required to take mathematics from K-12,
and then at least a few more courses while attending college. Not everyone is
good at languages as not everyone is good in math. Indeed, Puerto Ricans have an
advantage of knowing two languages. It is nothing to do with their financial
situation, but preferences. Some people enjoy learning English but some do not.
Some English teachers care, some do not. Some enjoy learning but others do not.
Some can afford private schools, some can not. It is up to us teachers to
install that urge of learning into our students so the new generations to come
will be more capable of facing the business world out there by knowing two
languages at least. Teachers can make a big difference in this world!
I have lived in Puerto Rico
for almost 4 years and have had direct experience with students in both public
and private schools along with teachers due to my job. To respond to Nancy and
Lignelli, I must say a few things. Puerto Rico is a US Commonwealth, so English
is NOT a foreign language, it is a second language. And while teachers in all
areas of the world deserve respect for what they do, most here on the island
need to step up what they do. The students are not learning things here. I deal
with them everyday. They are way behind. I realize that teachers don't make much
money here, but nor do they anywhere else. Being a teacher is not just a wayside
job. It's something you have to want to devote your time to. I really wish that
Puerto Rico took more interest in their students. And students took more
interest in their studies. But most of all I wish parents in Puerto Rico would
stop doing their kids homework and let their kids learn for themselves.
Puerto Rico needs alternative
schools that are not effected by politics and their decisions. Teachers there
are undervalued by its politics. Students are often left with days of no school.
Many days are wasted.
Students in Puerto Rico are
undereducated. Too much teaching time is wasted. Too many holidays, bad weather
and teacher attendance effect the amount of time a student is taught. Puerto
Rico needs to step up to provide its students a quality education. Puerto Rico
needs schools that are not effected by its politics. No decisions are made and
nothing gets done. I worked in Puerto Rico's public schools over 30 years ago.
My salary was 800.00 a month. Today, it is 1,500.00 a month. The cost of living
is high and very little has been done to improve teacher's salaries. Government
officials and other wealthy people send their children to private schools. The
rest of the population is left with a public school that is not catching up with
the new demands of higher learning. Puerto Rico needs alternative schools. When
alternative schools are offered or in the plans, I am willing to relocate and
teach there again. I want to come back home.
I agree with Gladys. I feel
frustrated too. But, I do everything I can to feel better.
I agree with what has been
said about teachers stepping up to the plate. Teaching is not just a "job" it is
a calling, a craft, a desire to equip children for life. But in all fairness,
the political powers that be, do not rank education as their first priority.
Shameful. Every one of them had to go through elementary school. If your making
big bucks..thank a teacher. I don't know what is going to happpen, but I do know
this, education is fundamental to a pseudo comfortable life. Come on people in
power, start giving credit where credit is due. And teachers, love it or leave
it. You do more harm than good.
It's true we (teachers) need
to up our game and work hard on the many challenges we face here on the island.
I have taught English here for 3 years or so now and I can say that if you
aren't forcing them and not making them feel like you are a super power (IE US),
then the students relax and take it all in. I read above that someone said it is
an ESL environment. No way. EFL all the way. There may be some students that are
ESL, but the majority of them are back in Spanish as soon as they leave the
classroom (or during for that matter). I don't agree with this statement though,
"Not everyone is good at languages as not everyone is good in math." Everyone
can be good at math and languages. We all have the capacity to learn languages
(more than one). It is up to the student whether they truly absorb and care to
absorb the language. Teaching is not easy but that's why we signed up for it.
The pay is not great either. But really if we wanted to get paid, we all would
be doctors then wouldn't we?????
I agree that students are
below learning levels and that English is taught as a first language not a
second language. There is a lack of interest shown by parents and
government. Many parents care for the benefits (food stamps) they acquire by
having the student in school and not what they learn. The government also gets
it's benefits by having students fail (federal help). I've been a teacher for 28
years and it's sad to say that as years go by teaching is becoming a real
challenge. ESL should be taught as ESL oral communication in elementary levels
so that students can acquire vocabulary. Reading skills in middle school and so
forth. English should be used fully in classrooms. I've seen English teachers
teaching in spanish. I teach 11 th graders and believe me students lack
vocabulary. They don't even know the alphabet in English. I love to teach and
inspite of the fact that it's very frustrating, I try the best I can to motivate
them.
I love Puerto Rico and some
may say that it's the teachers fault and that they dont take advantage of the
language, it might be true and it might not. In the US we give the students the
same opportunity to learn a new language like spanish, german and french. But
since there are requirements to finish high school some do their best because
they really want to learn some dont care as long as they are passing. And it's
sad because after teaching them a second language and showing them the
advantages, they still don't care. Some students know what they are going to be
doing in 2-5 years, some just say college is not for them and would rather work
in Burger King. What kind of future is that for our kids??? It's not the
teachers' fault! Kids nowadays want the easy way out.
I have lived in Puerto Rico
for 21 years; I have taught English for eight of those years. Currently, I am
the editor for two institutions of higher learning and give a graduate-level
English-composition course at one of them.
I agree with the majority of the comments found here. What concerns me, however,
is that, validity apart, these writings are full of errors - most of which are
basic enough to make me question the abilities of the writers to teach the
language in which they are writing. Ranging from misspellings to grammatical
errors, incorrect uses of punctuation to vocabulary mistakes, the problems in
the notes above go far toward explaining why our children are not learning
English properly: it is not being taught to them properly.
To teach a subject, you must know it; you must live it. If you do not embrace
it, revel in its every nuance, you are wasting your and everyone else's time.
Thus, I have spent nearly half a century learning, absorbing, deconstructing
this language (with much yet to learn) and am confident that my use of it
exceeds the average individual's. I have worked hard to be the best.
Teaching is not confined to four walls. It doesn't start and stop at the sound
of a bell. A teacher teaches. Always. If you write a note to a student informing
him/her that spotty attendance is "effecting" his/her grade, you have just
taught that student something that is incorrect. Like it or not. The mistakes
that you have made in your comments here will serve as false lessons to the
person who has come here to learn. This is unforgivable. If you are looking at
this forum as a place where you can "relax" and "let down your hair", think
again: You are not engaged in a private telephone conversation. The writing here
is intended to be read and therefore must be of the highest quality. Before I
post this note, I will have gone over it a dozen or more times; I will have sent
it to a trusted colleague, asking for his input. Does the drinker of knowledge
who comes to this fountain deserve any less?
You, the one sitting complacent, bathed in the glow of your screen, before you
curse my infuriating insistence that it don't count if it ain't correct, please
understand that I am aware of the complexity of the situation: money is in short
supply, respect for teachers is at an all-time low, students are less interested
than ever in learning. I understand as well the unfortunate reality that
teachers are as human as anyone else and as prone to mistakes. My admittedly
black-and-white take on this issue presents only observations; for answers you
will need to turn to a different kind of expert. My arrogance extends only so
far. I am not qualified to offer any solutions that don't include the word
"should"; and I'm sorry to say that this word is too tentative to be of use.
The point of this diatribe is that before you bemoan the terrible state of
things, analyze your contribution to it. Wake up and smell the chalk dust. It
infuriates me that ... well, in fact, the whole untenable situation infuriates
me! More than once in the past 12 years, my children have come home with English
assignments that are incorrect: either the supposed answer or the writing in the
assignment itself, sometimes both. Lest you think I view myself as blameless, be
assured that my passivity in response to these events makes me as guilty as any:
instead of marching down to the school and clamoring for action, I have stayed
at home and counseled my children to listen to me rather than to the teacher.
How does that help?
It is broken, the system. Beyond repair? Perhaps. But if you, the teacher, are
not versed enough in the language you purport to teach to write one error-free
paragraph, then I guarantee that any solution that might be forthcoming won't be
spilling from your pen.
Who is to blame?
Unfortunately, it is everyone's fault. I grew up in Puerto Rico, and I was born
in the USA. My parents NEVER helped me on my assignments, homework, or projects,
yet I was top of the class because of my efforts and willingness to learn. Out
of my two other sibling, I was the only one who graduated from high school and
completed a bachelor's degree at a University. I can only remember very few
teachers from my childhood, and I studied for most of my life in Puerto Rico but
completed 12th grade in the United States. I cared very much for my teachers in
the island, but only recall mistreatment and even discrimination from the
teachers in USA.
In short, I believe if someone wants to learn, there are no obstacles to stop
him/her from doing so. A teacher can be great, but if a pupil has no interest,
there is nothing the teacher or the parent of that individual can do. The system
can be awful, parents might be irresponsible, teachers can be cruel, but if the
will and eagerness to learn is greater, no one can change that. So, why is it
everyone's fault? Because some teachers get tired of teaching and/or giving
their best because they are underpaid ( unless they are not in it for the
money), parents are too involved in their jobs and work hard to make money and
survive ( and many times forget about their children's education and quality
time), and many students have no respect towards their teachers ( since the
system prohibits an adult from "hitting" or reprehending a child, because is
considered abuse), so most students do as they please because the only
consequence for their actions is a suspension from school ( and staying at home
is better than waking in the morning to go to class). Where are the
repercussions for the actions such as fighting in schools, or using fowl
language, etc? Why is everyone blaming the teachers, when the system is
responsible for many of the things going wrong in schools? How is everyone so
calm when the most important jobs in our communities are becoming scarce and the
people who studied for years are suddenly facing unemployment or getting
underpaid or forced to become individualized ( doctors) because hospitals are
now crowded and everyone has free healthcare, and no one pays? Teacher and
doctors, ladies and gentlemen, are necessary in our lives. Teacher's are still
necessary, even when some students don't care about their education, there will
always be a few that will take advantage, and doctor's are important because we
face illness everyday of our life's.
So back to education, it is every single one of us as individual who need to
make decisions of either wanting to learn, become educated and live a better
life, or give up on school, be comfortable with a mediocre lifestyle, and hope
to win the lottery or marry a wealthy man or woman.
It is not just in Puerto Rico, the United States is awful on education, and many
schools are closing down because they don't meet the requirements by the state,
students are under achievers, and the violence in the schools here increases day
by day. English might be the first language, but with the new generation of
people, using abbreviations and slang, the proper English is becoming almost
obsolete. The African-American community started the slang, which is now mimic
by the Native American, white, Latino, and even Asian community. So, where is
the teacher in the USA to correct them? How come no one speaks about such issue?
The topic is too long to be discussed in a blog, but rest assure, the USA is
also responsible for the lack of proper English, and since the system protects
the rebel youngsters, there is absolutely nothing we can do as civilians or
citizens.
I teach English as a second
language in a public school on the Island. It's satisfying at times, and
frustrating at times. I believe my students can learn much more, so I work hard
looking for alternatives to motivate them and prepare them well. Some students
are very willing to work, others not. On the other hand, more parents should get
involved in their student's education. Too many of my student's parents never
check notebooks, leave their kids at home for any reason, and do not show up for
meetings. I wish more parents and teachers were willing to work together to help
our students not only recognize the importance of learning but to give their all
for the benefit of the students and the future of our people. And yes, the
system has much to blame, but I can't and will not wait for the system to work.
I must add, there are many brilliant men and women who studied in our public
schools, have graduated from our Universities, and have very well paid jobs.
Some live here and others have moved to the US, which means that even though, we
have done well we must do better.
The problem in Puero Rico is
that English is imposed on our students. We must understand that the approach
taken to teaching English to our students is not correct. English as a Second
Language is an approach that needs to be studied hand in hand with the language
of English in the environment. In Puerto Rico we do not use English on a daily
basis and therefore we do not have the exposure needed for ESL to work. Another
problem is that the text books used are not inviting and interesting enough to
motivate students to learn the language. Teachers have a more difficult time
with our students because we need to create new strategies and look for
different methods so the little these students learn can be useful and helpful
in their daily life... We should not treat it as ESL BUT AS EFL.
I have commented above a few
times now over a span of a few years. I have been in the university sector for
the last three years. There are a few things about teaching the lower levels of
English that I have learned over the years. Before that though, PR is both ESL
and EFL. There are enough oppurtunities to provide an ESL environment, but it
does take some work. English to many is fear. Fear of sounding or looking one
way or the other. Anxiety destroys learning. They honestly think they can't do
it. If you provide an atmosphere of fun or even seriousness, they get it. Not
every student is a student. I believe that everyone can learn a language. It
takes something and whatever that something is will be the driving force for
them to learn. Teachers have to realize it. Frustration is part of the game.
Accept the successes with the failures and learn from them. English can't be
forced. Once the gov't and society decides that langauges (all of them) are
important, more students will understand they need to learn English. Showing
them the need and teaching them the significance are two different things.
I have been teaching in the
same private bilingual school for eleven years. The salary is not enough for me
to live off of if it were not for my husbands. Many teachers choose the
profession because of the schedule (the soooo many days off). I chose this
profession because I truly love the satisfaction of teaching my students. I work
hard and find different teaching alternatives to ensure students LEARN the
skills they need to continue on to the next grade. The factors that result in
our students not learning include: Mediocre teachers who think giving work is
more work for them, parents who say their jobs are more important than studying
with their children, teachers who are hired to teach in English, but teach in
Spanish, students who don't understand the importance of school because their
parents don't instill the importance of learning in them. These are struggles I
am faced with when teaching and every year the next group I receive are more and
more behind in the skills they need to begin the fifth grade. I always find
myself stressed trying to catch them up, therefore having to work harder and
harder. I believe good teachers should be compensated for their hard work with a
better salary, but find co-workers who work less than me receiving raises.
Frustrating? Frankly I wonder if the love for my job is enough to continue my
profession in Puerto Rico. Maybe someone can advise me or maybe us good teachers
can make a support group.
In response to Sara. English
is not a de facto second language in Puerto Rico. There are very few niches or
contexts where the language is spoken and most of the ones that exists are not
accessible to the vast majority in the island which is one of the criteria used
to classify English from the world english framework approach within an existing
socio-cultural context. In other words, it is more a foreign language.
Furthermore, English is deeply associated to notions of American colonialism and
acculturation which can also get in the way of motivating Puerto Ricans students
to learn the language, and as you may already know motivation plays a huge part
in acquiring in any given language, along with exposure and opportunities to
practice. Again, the lack of contextualized uses of English also contributes to
the lack of those other elements of language acquisition (exposure and practice)
This is why English is not widely attained by Puerto Ricans.
The situation of English education in the island is far more complicated than
asking teachers to step up. There are also other aspects to consider at a macro
level such as language policies and education curriculum.. Even though English
might be approached as a second language in the island (which is only on theory
and not in practice) the curriculum used to teach English as well as the
materials are addressed to teaching native speakers of English. The curriculum
used in Puerto Rico's education system is channeled through the U.S. system.
What we get is a watered down translated version. In other words, the decisions
that are made in education in U.S. does affect the education in Puerto Rico. If
you take a closer look at the No Child Left behind act, it limits the spaces
where English can be taught under an ESL approach and the implementation of many
bilingual or dual programs. There is a specific clause in that act that allows
Puerto Rican education in the island to use the native language of the
population as means of instruction. Which means that there are no specific
instructions as to how to teach English in the island for that particular
context.
Trust me, I speak from experience. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and did
my school, colege and graduate studies in the island. I have degrees in English
linguistics, English Education, and I'm currently doing Doctoral work in
culture, language and literacy which basically means that I've done my research.
Hope this helps clarify a few things for most.
It is a bit frightening to see
the numerous grammatical mistakes made by people writing on this page who claim
to be bi- lingual and actually teach English in bi- lingual schools! The overall
discussion seems to agree that the problem is the SYSTEM. Here in Puerto Rico
the PRESS and the Political Parties tell the Puerto Rican people almost daily
that " if they speak English, they will be LESS Puerto Rican.." Naturally, the
ones with money send their kids to mainland schools where they must speak
English! Of course this attitude is tantamount to LINGUISTIC and ECONOMIC
SLAVERY since if they do not speak English in the world economic market, they
will be working in a fast food joint for minimum wage for the rest of their
lives!!! By the time I get them when they are middle or senior managers in some
US company, they are having trouble competing with their US based co-workers.
I was born and raised in New
York City and spoke Spanish before I spoke English. My father was from the
island and didn't want English spoken in the home. As an adult I went to live in
Puerto Rico and the way I was able to earn my living was teaching English and
Spanish, only I was an Instructor for one of the Language Schools. That meant
that I was not licensed as a teacher but learned a method and taught
conversational English and Spanish. It was very rewarding emotionally to see the
students eyes light up when they "got it". I found them to be enthusiastic and
interested, eager to learn. I would like to think that it was because I made it
interesting and thought provoking. I taught everyone from the children (starting
at age 5) to adults learning English for business. I also taught mainland
Americans Spanish, they were there on job assignments and tutors (like myself)
were hired to teach them. One of the things that I found interesting was that
there was embarrassment and teasing from others toward the university students
but the little ones soaked it up like a sponge. All it all it didn't pay much
but doing the hokey pokey with the little ones to teach them the parts of the
body in English was one of my favorite lessons. I feel fortunate to have been
able to go to the land where my Mami and Papi came from and make myself useful.
It is not true that English is
taught "as a first language not a second language" as Marlyn stated.
Unfortunately, children are not exposed to the target language and are taught
English in a grammatical level. In order for anyone to learn a language one must
be engaged in activities that foster communication skills. The key is to speak
the language not just learn by filling out blanks.
Being an English teacher in
the Puerto Rico Public Sysytem is not an easy task. Teachers begin at about
$1,500 a month and are expose to many differences and inconveniences in the
classroom and schools of the island. I've been a teacher for nine years and
every year student's disposition is less. A large percentage of parent's don't
support students at home and it has become a very big challenge for teachers in
the classrooms. Too many demandingd from the department of Education and no
increases in the income, more responsibilities and too much work that we
teachers then have to bring home daily in orden to be up to date with our
responsibility as educators...love my job but it is not as when i started
teaching nine years ago.
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