Experience Puerto Rico! A chance to complete part of your student teaching in San Juan, Puerto Rico Meredith Marsh and Nicole Ludecker

Bienvenidos a Rio Piedras You will complete this part of your student teaching at the University of Puerto Rico on the Rio Piedras Campus. Rio Piedras is located outside Old San Juan, about 20 minutes by car and about 40 minutes by bus. UPR is the oldest is the oldest and most well known campus on the island. Pictured, the bell tower, the symbol of the campus. It was constructed in 1937.

Dorm Life This semester we lived in Plaza Universitaria, Edificio #1. The building is brand new with a 24 hour security guard, air-conditioned rooms and Internet. We had a “double” room, which included a shared bathroom and kitchenette but we each had our own private bedrooms. There is one kitchen on each floor if you choose to cook meals, however you will need to buy/ bring pots and pans. There are also laundry facilities on the first floor of every building which you can use for $1.00 each.

Dorm Life To the left, a picture of Plaza Universitaria. Below right, a picture of one of the bedrooms. Below left, the kitchenette complete with a microwave, mini fridge and plenty of cabinet space.

Transportation Public transportation is the most recommended manner of travel. It is cheap (about $.75 a ride) and very accessible from the campus. Cabs can be expensive, about $20 one way to Old San Juan. Buses run anywhere from every 20 to 60 minutes. However, these schedules are not always followed. Be prepared to wait for a bus! Make sure to get a map from the Tourism Company in Old San Juan to get acquainted with the routes. Here are some helpful sites about the bus routes: – –

Schools Student teachers are placed either in the Escuela Elemental (the elementary school) or the Escuela Maternal (the preschool). Both schools are located on the UPR campus and are about an 8 minute walk from the dorms. The schools are “lab schools” which means they are private and used by the University for student teaching placement.

Escuela Elemental Escuela Elemental is a K-6 school, with about 28 children per grade. Classes are taught in Spanish but all children receive English instruction everyday. Children wear uniforms based upon what grade they are in.

Escuela Elemental At this school you will most likely work with Teresita, the ESL teacher. We taught English to the kindergarten, 1 st and 6 th grades this semester. In the classroom we worked on important vocabulary, such as colors or numbers, with the younger grades and on grammar concepts, such as verb tenses, in the upper grades.

Escuela Maternal There are three different classrooms located inside of this school: Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool. You will do your student teaching in the preschool room. There are two sections for the preschool: 8-11 am, and 1-4 pm.

Escuela Maternal In the AM group, the children are 2 ½ -3 ½ years old. In the PM group, the children are 3 ½ - 4 ½ years old. They have about an hour for circle time/directed conversation, an hour for free play/centers, 30 minutes for lunch/rest, and 30 minutes for outdoor play. All of the students speak Spanish, but you will find other ways to communicate with the children if you don’t speak the language.

Things to Do In San Juan, it’s beach weather all year round! There are many beaches very close by and accessible by bus such as Isla Verde or Ocean Park. The water is warm, the sand is white and there are always activities happening in the area. Take a snorkeling catamaran to Culebra or Vieques to really get a taste of the majesty of Puerto Rico. Left to right, Culebra, Piñones and Isla Verde.

Things to Do A trip to the Old San Juan district is a must! Founded in 1521 by the Spanish conquistadors, the city has played a pivotal role in history. The city still remains “walled” with fortress walls built by the Spanish in the 16 th century. Visit El Morro or San Cristobal to see these impressive fortresses. Old San Juan also has great jewelry and souvenir shopping. There are world class restaurants to choose from as well as authentic Puerto Rican vendors on every corner. Left to right, on the fortress walls, El Morro and the colorful buildings that are characteristic of the city.

Experience Puerto Rico Traditional Puerto Rican cuisine is typically defined by rice and beans, meat dishes, fried delicacies, platains and fresh fruit. Make sure to stop by a local kiosko (kiosk) to order an alcupurria, a fried treat stuffed with different meats or seafood, or a bacalaito, a codfish fritter. El Yunque rainforest is a popular site for hiking and enjoying everything Mother Nature has to offer. With dozens of trails to choose from and beautiful waterfalls and wildlife to see, it makes for an enjoyable afternoon.

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