School is out! School is out! SCHOOL IS OUT!

Okay, yes, I am excited to have a break, but the end of a year is always bittersweet. I’m happy to be done with the school year and excited to be returning to the states after a whirlwind of experiences here in Guatemala. I’m also sad to be leaving the students and colleagues who have shaped me spiritually and professionally. Above all I am proud; proud of what the students of Colegio Bilingue Esperanza accomplished this year and proud of the units I was able to implement this year, such as basic music theory, rhythm, recorders, composers, olympics, dance and animation! It’s going to be difficult leaving this unique community, but I am anxious and excited to see what is in store for me in the coming months.

To finish the year, we sang! Considering that English is their second (and for some third) language, it was not an easy feat. I placed the grades into groups, each of which learned a different song. The 5th and 6th graders tackled a mash up of Sara Bareilles’ “Brave” and Katy Perry’s “Roar.” The 3rd and 4th graders sang “You’ll Be In My Heart” from Tarzan, complete with hand signs. Finally, the 1st and 2nd graders enthusiastically sang “I Won’t Grow Up” from the musical Peter Pan. If you wish to see their performances, the videos are below. Enjoy!
1st and 2nd Grade- “I Won’t Grow Up”
3rd and 4th Grade- “You’ll be in my Heart”
5th and 6th Grade- “Brave/Roar”