26 El pati Hi there! My name is Guim, I am 20 years old and I am the English instructor during your kid’s free time. I was born in Barcelona and since I was a kid I have been living in Sant Cugat. Now, I’m studying Environmental Science at Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona. A few years ago I was running and having fun at the same playground as your children, Pins del Vallès was my school as well. I have some hobbies in my life. I play Field Hockey at Junior FC and I have been coaching kids since I was 15. I love travel and if you want to do it you need some language experience. Therefore I decided to go abroad for six months last year in England. It has, for sure, been the best decision in my life. The experience was amazing and if you as parents, have any chance to take your kids abroad, do it, because being able to speak a different language fluently, is one of the most important skills in both day to day life and the working world. After my experience in England, playing Field Hockey in the men’s Premier Division and living with an English family, I decided to further my knowledge of my other passion, working with kids. I did the instructor leisure course (Curs de Monitor de Lleure Infantil i Juvenil) in Barcelona. Now, I’m working in a “Esplai” called “Sarau” in Sant Cugat. This year, working at Pins del Vallès, I could practise everything that I have learnt during the course and give them the best that I can. It’s difficult to try to speak in English with the kids when they are enjoying their free time, but I try to play with them. I use some resources to do it, like balls, ropes, some Catalan games adapted to English (There is a type of “Pica paret” called “Mr Wolf”, they love it) or I play with them, speaking in English. I try to teach some useful phrases at the school for the little ones like where is the library or talk to them about hobbies, or their favourite food, their weekend, their holidays… But it’s quite difficult because they are always running around and having fun. Then, my routine with years 3 to 6 is different, I can have more conversations with them about specific things and if we are talking in English, most of the time, they answer me in English as well, and they have to take advantage of it. Finally, I’m very happy doing my job here at my childhood school. The kids are very nice and they always ask me to play games with them. I hope they keep trying to talk in English to me because it’s a good opportunity to practise and we keep having fun together.
El Pinyo Num61
To see the actual publication please follow the link above