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Name: Michelle Lamadrid Benavides
Class Year: 2024
Major: Neuroscience
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona

Internship Organization: IES Santiago - Jardin Infantil Senderito Montessori
Job Title: Summer Intern - English Teacher Assistant
Location: Santiago, Chile

What's happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing! This summer, I am interning at IES Abroad in Santiago, Chile. My internship involves working with children at a Jardin Infantil and closely following the Montessori method, which is an educational approach that emphasizes independent learning and hands-on activities for each child’s individual needs. I specifically work closely with children ranging from three to six years old. I provide one-on-one interactions and as well as support for a child with Down syndrome. As an English teacher assistant, I dedicate one hour to teaching English and have other responsibilities that include working with the children and creating weekly lesson plans for different subjects. Additionally, I assist them with their daily routine activities, such as practicing life skills, helping them identify and manage their emotions effectively, and as well as resolving conflicts that may occur.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because I have recently been questioning whether I want to continue pursuing nursing or switch to education. I have a passion for teaching Spanish speakers English, whether they are children or adults. However, I wasn’t sure if teaching was just a hobby or a potential career path for me. I wanted to gain more exposure, and IES abroad in Chile provided me with that perfect opportunity. I was eager to teach in a more professional setting rather than relying on online formats, which is what I am accustomed to. IES abroad offered me the chance to explore one of my passions in the most ideal way possible. They were extremely supportive and flexible, allowing me the freedom to develop and execute my own lesson plans according to my vision. For example, teaching in front of ten children and creating my own lesson plans was a completely new task for me. Despite facing challenges during the initial days, I embraced it as an opportunity for growth and learning.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship?

The greatest challenge I encountered during my internship at the Jardin was adjusting to a new country, particularly within my work. In previous experience, I had been accustomed to teachers providing materials and guidance for lesson plans. However, in this internship, I have complete control over my lesson planning. Additionally, having children of different age groups in the same room felt somewhat challenging, as their learning paces varied, making it difficult to find the right balance. While this freedom was empowering, I also had concerns about whether my lesson plans would effectively engage the children. It took several attempts to find the most effective approach, but slowly I am overcoming this obstacle. Language was another factor that presented a challenge. I am a native Spanish speaker, but Chilean Spanish is slightly different from Mexican Spanish. As a result, I familiarized myself with and learned some Chilean words from the children just like they learned English from me.

What is most rewarding about your internship?

One of the most rewarding things from my internship was being able to witness the children’s captivating learning abilities and their ever-curious minds on a daily basis. Over the course of eight weeks, I have seen them make significant progress. One particular moment that stands out to me is when the children enthusiastically sang “The Wheels on the Bus” in English even if some words were just mumbles. Singing time is always my favorite. Witnessing their progress, no matter how small, gave me motivation and further strengthened my dedication to teaching them. It was rewarding to go to the Jardin and see them achieve new milestones, improve their skills with the materials, and display an eagerness to learn more English, even if it meant repeatedly getting asked, “what is this called in English?”

Visit the Summer Internship Stories page to read more about student internship experiences.

Neuroscience