Schools

Another Year, Another Teaching Exchange Program in Ipala

Riverdale Park's mayor and council recognized teachers who participated in a teaching exchange program over the summer.

Four teachers spent two weeks in Ipala, Guatemala this summer as a part of the teacher exchange program with Riverdale Park's sister city.

The program, which is in its fourth year since Riverdale Park created the relationship with the city of Ipala in 2008, allows for U.S. teachers to see how children in Ipala learn and allows them the opportunity to teach as well.

Amy Joust, a teacher with Baltimore City schools, said she taught at a public middle school following the teacher's lesson plans.

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"It was interesting to see how different schools there are from American Schools," Joust said. "And how we expect the (immigrant) students to be prepared for school here might be different than what they are used to."

"There is such a wonderful sense of community," Joust added.

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Christine MacDonald, another Baltimore City school teacher, taught in an elementary school teaching students from kindergarten up to 5th grade. MacDonald said she taught from books she brought with her and with songs and students also learned crafts.

"I would say that they have it tough - their schools are quite bare bones," she said. "But dynamic teachers make the biggest difference in those environments."

The dynamic teacher MacDonald was speaking of is Marcos Romero, who came last year when teachers from Ipala came to Riverdale Park for a visit.

Pamela Aguiniga, an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher at Beltsville Academy, who coordinates the trips couldn't actually go this year as her son, who is in the U.S. National Guard, was being deployed, and she wanted to spend time with him before he left.

Aguiniga had led the effort in 2010 and had taught for two years prior in Ipala.

This year, she said, the Ipalan teachers could not get Visas to visit.

Riverdale Park Mayor Vernon Archer who also went on the trip recognized the teachers with plaques at


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