Only 360€ per week!
Teaching Assistant
Nakuru - Kenya
Assist local teachers by sharing your knowledge of English and more with students in rural Kenya. Get to know them and broaden your horizons together!
Students and teachers would greatly appreciate your input and assistance, as an enhancement to their already robust curriculum. As you learn from being immersed into the school, community, and culture, those same students, who might not otherwise be exposed to a more global experience, join with you in this opportunity for mutual learning.
Program
Living
Kenya
Program Description
Local children in Kenya, especially those in rural areas, rarely have the chance to meet and interact with foreigners. Most do not even get the chance to practice English outside of the school setting, despite the language being one of the official languages of Kenya. Even interacting and speaking the language properly with them may benefit their learning and increase their confidence with the language.
You will be placed in a local school in the community. Your specific placement will depend upon the community needs, availability at that time, and whenever possible, your preferences.
Keep in mind that you may be put in charge of portions of the lesson planning for the class where you will assist the teacher. This may be done in an informal way which may also allow you the freedom to get creative! The favourite activities amongst the youngest students include sports, games, gardening, and singing.
The aim is to assist local students and staff with English and other subjects through tasks that allow practice and creativity. You are welcome to provide new ideas that promote an exchange of cultures and conversations between you, fellow participants, staff and students. If you have items or photos from home that you can help you to share unique facts or traditions, that could be a great lesson to offer.
Please note that during long holiday periods when schools are on break, a “ day-camp” style English and Sports program may be put in place for local children and it will be run by participants with the help of our coordinators.
Aims & Objectives
- Improve the village children’s English and widen their cultural interactions
- Gain invaluable, practical experience in teaching
- Assist the local staff by providing an extra hand
Schedule
Monday to Friday
You will spend 4-6 hours assisting school staff with lessons and activities. Once back at the accommodation, you will have time to prepare your lessons for the next day. The day could look like:
- Breakfast
- Assist at local school
- Lunch
- Assist at local school
- Preparing lesson plan
- Dinner
Note: This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
Participant Criteria & Requirements
Standard Requirements
Minimum age: –
Maximum age: –
Minimum English level: Intermediate
CRB required: On Signup
Passport copy required: No
Resume copy required: No
Required qualification: None
Additional Requirements
There are no further requirements.
Additional Equipment
- Teaching materials such as:
- Games, books, color pencils, chalk, rulers, etc
- Pictures from your country, family and friends
- Other small cultural objects from your country of origin
- Modest or business casual attire is required while on the school grounds and when interacting in the village. It must be totally covering the knees and shoulders, (nothing revealing, tight fitting, sheer, low cut, or with any offensive/inappropriate displayed on it).
Location
Nakuru town located in west-central Kenya lies on the north shore of Lake Nakuru and is home to approximately 500,000 inhabitants making it one of the largest urban centers in Kenya. Once a center for European activity, this region is now associated with a flourishing manufacturing industry, busy commercial shopping centers and important agricultural initiatives.
About the Accommodation
You will be accommodated in our center. All participants are expected to be environmentally aware and use all resources with restraint, especially electricity. Sometimes there are power cuts during the day, but do not panic. This is life in the village. There is an available water supply. You will have all of the necessities while here.
You will have meals provided and rooms cleaned on the weekends, but you will also be expected to clean up after yourself and play your part in keeping the accommodation neat and organized. The location is very close to the green steds international school and is a few minutes walk to the Lake Nakuru National park Southern gate. It is around 15KM from Nakuru town.
Food Arrangements
Food served will mainly be Kenyan food, which consists of vegetables, potato, eggs, bread, pancakes (commonly known as “chapati”) and fruits such as oranges, bananas and avocados.
Facilities
There are available supermarkets about 5km away,there are shops within walking distance, and ATMs are available in Nakuru town. We have local markets for fruits and fish in the free area. Here, we use public means of transport.
Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.
Sights & Surroundings
There are many places for you to visit during your free time. For example, you can visit the Thompson Falls in Nyahururu, go hiking in Hyrax hills, go hiking at Menengai crater, go and see the Equator at Gwakung'u ,visit Lake Nakuru National Park and Lake Naivasha.
Transportation
From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations.
Quick Facts
Name: Republic of Kenya
Population: 45 million
Capital: Nairobi
Language: English, Swahili
Currency: Kenyan Shilling (KES)
Time zone: UTC +3
Country Information
The first thing that might pop to mind when thinking of Kenya are lions, zebras and leopards. However, this vast country has much more to offer. With 40 national parks and reserves scattered around the country, Kenya features almost every landscape and activity that you can imagine and it will suit any type of traveller’s palette.
Undeniably, safaris are the core of tourism in Kenya, but you might also venture in deeper and discover the Maasai, a semi-nomadic tribe known for its color-filled adornments. Nairobi is another destination to explore, with its bustling nightlife and unique vibes. For those who love nature, a visit to the Great Rift Valley is a must. And for those who enjoy chilling at the beach, Kenya’s coastal area covers almost 80,000 square kilometers and remains sun-filled during most of the year!
Climate
Kenya is a big country and its climate varies from tropical along its coast to arid in the north and quite temperate inland. Kenya receives a large amount of sunshine year-round but generally, the hottest period is considered take place in February and March while the coldest one between July and mid August. The “long rains” season happens between March and June, while the “short rain” season is between October and December.
Culture
Over the course of history, Kenya has been the hub of migration and henceforth, the country has become one of the most diverse culture and language-wise.
The country has over forty different ethnic groups, including Luo, Kamba, Maasai and more. Each speaks a variety of mother tongues, although Swahili remains the most widely spoken language. Moreover, European, Arab, Indian and Pakistani groups who came to the country in the 19th century can be added to the mix of diversity.
Even though religions such as Christianity and Islam are widely spread, many still believe in the ancestor world, where the dead have an impact on the lives of the living.
Today, Kenya’s culture, including forms of dress, music and food sees its strong influences from other parts of Africa, India, Europe and the United States. However, in certain parts of the country, many communities retain their traditional lifestyle and culture and people still wear clothes, skins, jewelry as they did centuries ago. Many remote tribes remain absolutely isolated and indigenous as
Gastronomy
Traditional Kenyan food are known for consisting corn, potatoes and beans. A staple dish is Ugali, a porridge made out of maize. Another typical delicacy is irio, a blend of corn, beans, potatoes and beans dipped into meat or vegetable stews.
Transportation
Plane
Kenya Airways offers daily flights between Mombasa, Malindi, Lamu, Kisumu and Nairobi. Likewise, another popular choice is Air Kenya, which flies regularly between Nairobi, Mombasa, Malindi, Lamu, Amboseli, Maasai Mara, Meru, Nanyuki and Samburu.
Bus
Kenya has a large bus network between many destinations, but be advised that roads are bumpy. For safety reasons, we highly advise to use long distance buses only during daytime.
Minivan
Minivans, known as “matatus” in Kenya are another way to get around for short and medium distance travels. Taking a matatu is a must to experience the real Kenya as they are often decorated in colorful and fascinating colours. You can hail a matatu on the side of the road and in this day and age, the network is easier to figure out than ever as routes and schedules are provided on Google Maps.
Train
The train in Kenya is often dubbed the “Lunatic Express”. It travels between Nairobi and Mombasa three times a week. It is undeniably a great experience to travel by train but if time is an issue, we advise you to go for another method of transportation as the train has a bad reputation for being extremely slow and often delayed.
