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English Co-Teacher and Life Skills Facilitator

Peace
Corps

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COUNTRY
Panama
REGION
Central America and Mexico
SECTOR
Education
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
Spanish

ACCEPTS COUPLES
Yes
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
22

APPLY BY
July 1, 2017
KNOW BY
Sept. 1, 2017
DEPART BY
Feb. 19, 2018

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Project Description
Volunteers will work in public elementary and secondary schools with Panamanian English
teachers to develop their English language skills and teaching methodologies through co-
planning and co-teaching, observation and feedback, materials development, and teacher
trainings. Volunteers will prepare students and community members with better
communication skills and offer extra-curricular activities to learn and practice English through
camps, clubs, or community English classes. In addition, Volunteers also work at the
community level to teach leadership and life skills for youth and community members.
Volunteers will spend 2/3 of their time on school-based activities and 1/3 of their time on
community-based activities focused on developing critical leadership and life skills. Sites will
be primarily in semi-urban areas, although there are some rural and indigenous settings.
Volunteers will be seen as a role model to youth and teachers.

Required Skills
Competitive candidates will have a strong desire to teach English, and one or more of the
following criteria:
BA/BS in any discipline with 3 months, 10 hours/month, or 30 hours of TESOL/TEFL tutoring
experience with primary school, middle or high school students, or adults; or
BA/BS in English, TEFL or Linguistics; or
BA/BS in Secondary Education with concentration in English, TEFL or a foreign language; or
BA/BS in any discipline with state teaching certification at the secondary level in any
discipline (English, TEFL, Foreign Language, Art, or Social Science)
Desired Skills
Competitive candidates will demonstrate the following skills:
Strong commitment to co-teach in formal classroom settings and respect of the education
system rules and protocols
Desire to collaborate with local teachers
Professionalism and respect for diversity
Experience working with youth in non-formal educational settings (camps, clubs, extra-
curricular activities)
Conversational Spanish Language Skills
Willingness to facilitate cultural integration
Public speaking and presentation skills
Strong interpersonal skills
Willingness to live in urban, semi- urban, rural or indigenous area
Leadership skills
High level of self-initiative and self-direction, mixed with a good sense of humor

Required Language Skills

Candidates must meet one or more of the language requirements below in order to be
considered for this position.

A. Completed 4 years of high school Spanish coursework within the past 8 years
B. Completed minimum 2 semesters of Spanish collegelevel coursework within the past 6
years
C. Native/fluent speaker of Spanish

Candidates who do not meet the language proficiency levels above can take the language
placement exams to demonstrate their level of proficiency. Competitive applicants typically
attain a score of 50 on the Spanish College Level Examination Program CLEP exam or a score
of NoviceHigh on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL OPI).

Additional Language Information

Volunteers need to demonstrate an intermediate level of oral and written proficiency in

Spanish for site placement by the end of Pre-Service Training.

Living Conditions

TELLS Volunteers are placed in urban, semi-urban, and rural Latin sites. A limited number of
Volunteers (1-4) may be placed in indigenous sites. The majority of TELLS sites will be in
Spanish-speaking communities and Volunteers typically live in a common Panamanian-style
homes made of simple concrete block and cement floors or in an adobe structure with mud
floors. Most Spanish-speaking sites for TELLS volunteers have regular to semi-regular
electricity, cell phone signal, and potable water.

Peace Corps/Panama examines each site before selection to ensure that basic health and
safety criteria are met. Volunteers will be required to live with a host-family during their first
three months of service in site. After these three months, they may opt to live on their own in
pre-approved local housing that meets Peace Corps/Panamas housing criteria.

Food and Diet:

The Panamanian diet varies according to the region and the ethnic makeup of the population.
Most often the diet consists of rice, beans, bananas or plantains, yuca (cassava), and corn.
Rice and beans (kidney beans, lentils, black-eyed peas) is the staple dish. Corn is served in
many guises but is usually ground, boiled, or fried. Sancocho is a traditional dish (somewhere
between a soup and a stew) prepared with a variety of vegetables and chicken. Most rural
areas have an array of fruits available, including mangoes, papayas, pineapples, avocados,
oranges, and guanabanas (soursops). The availability of garden vegetables, such as tomatoes,
sweet peppers, and cucumbers, varies according to the region and the season. The most
common meats are chicken and beef, which are often deep-fried or stewed. Fish is available
sporadically in coastal regions and riverside communities. Larger towns and cities have at least
one restaurant that will be familiar, such as McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway, or Dairy
Queen.

Some Volunteers are vegetarians, but few Panamanians follow these diets. Many volunteers
start a garden in their community, and sometimes buy food in Panama City or a provincial
capital. Most have supermarkets where you can buy a wide variety of foods and imported
goods.

Computer, Internet, and Email Access:

Internet access in Panama is spreading. All provincial capitals and other large towns have
internet cafes. Connection speeds tend to be slow, but the service is reasonably priced and
otherwise reliable. Internet access for Volunteers is available at the Peace Corps/Panama
office. Almost all volunteers have a computer or tablet. Should you choose to bring
electronics, it is your responsibility to maintain and insure it.
 Some communities will not have electricity but solar panels can be purchased in Panama or a
community member or the local store may offer charging at a price.

Learn more about the Volunteer experience inPanama: Get detailed information on culture,
communications, housing, and safety including crime statistics [PDF] in order to make a
well-informed decision about serving.

Medical Considerations in Panama

Panama may not be able to support Volunteers with the following medical conditions: none
identified

The following medication(s) are not permitted for legal or cultural reasons: none identified.

Volunteers who should avoid the following food(s) may not be able to serve:

After arrival in Panama, Peace Corps provides and applicants are required to have an annual
flu shot, to take daily or weekly medication to prevent malaria, and to receive mandatory
immunizations.

Before you apply, please also review Important Medical Information for Applicants (PDF) to
learn about other health conditions typically not supported in Peace Corps service.

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