Primary Teaching Amidst Paddy Fields!

  India

Kalimpong

Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks

Description: The JN Memorial Public English School is, in spite of its name, a small private school in a village (a 'busti' in Nepali) with wonderful views over the paddy fields. The village has little more than a shop selling vegetables and tobacco, but Kalimpong is just 5 kilometres away. To get there entails a 20 minute walk to the road and then five minutes in a jeep.

The school has about 50 pupils and four teachers, one of whom is a part-timer. There are four classrooms shared by six classes. The classrooms are partitioned, but there is plenty of noise! The pupils are eager, friendly, polite and extremely good-natured. Classes are small, and the standard of English is excellent.

You are likely to be accommodated in the principal English teacher's home, which is a large, comfortable brick and wood house, with a separate room for the volunteer. Meals (vegetarian) are provided in the kitchen, and there is a clean squat toilet outside.

This assignment is suited to self-reliant volunteers who relish the idea of being the only westerner in the community. The home-stay family are easy-going, friendly, perhaps to the point of being over-protective. But when you need space for relaxation, you will be given it. In all, this is a wonderful assignment for the right person.

Highlights: Being based in a small rural school gives you the chance to experience life as it is lived in a poor, but affectionate, community.

Qualifications: If you have no experience of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), you will need to take a short course in TEFL (an intensive weekend course would be the minimum requirement). A love of children and an ability to communicate skills and knowledge to them is essential. Our volunteers must also be mature, patient, tolerant and diplomatic.

Minimum Education: Diploma/Certification

Cost in US$: From approx. USD 550 for two months

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: The qualities you will need to benefit from the experience and to make a useful contribution to your school are: resilience and adaptability, an open mind and an interest in other cultures, good mental and physical health, and tact and diplomacy. Because these opportunities are best suited to mature people, our volunteers are likely to be (but not exclusively) from one of the following categories: working people taking a career break, retired people who are not yet ready to put their feet up, and graduates wanting to have an adventure before starting their careers.

Age Range: 19+

This Program is open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to India Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Himalayan Education Lifeline Programme's Mission Statement: The Himalayan Education Lifeline Programme (HELP) is a charity registered by the Charity Commission of England and Wales. The aim of HELP is to enhance the lives of poor Himalayan communities by supporting selected educational and training projects. HELP realizes its aims by enabling responsible and committed people from the developed world to: - sponsor young people with the potential to benefit from a school or college education, but without the means to do so. - make a donation to provide grants to individual students, and also to schools and health clinics that lack the means to acquire the materials or premises required to provide a satisfactory service to their communities. - undertake short-term assignments as volunteers in support of educational and training projects

Year Founded: 2002