Last week, I talked and wrote about champions of kids. Today, during Teacher Appreciation Week, here’s a little more information about one of the stories I mentioned: the teachers in Batán de Limón, on Costa Rica’s Caribbean slope, who have turned to radio in hopes of reaching all their students, no matter what their connectivity at home.
Here’s what the Ministry of Public Education shared using #vocaciondocente, the hashtag that will lead you to all kinds of inspiring teacher stories:
Music teachers at the Vocational High School in Batán, Limón, created an internet radio station to communicate with their students… it became the ideal tool to educate kids at a distance in the Caribbean region.
“Radio Batalents” is the name of the station, led by teacher Bladimir Alvarado Álvarez with the support of Zuricka Gómez Obando and Álvaro Herrera Vázquez. The station brodcasts classes with shows like “Let’s talk about music,” which uses lectures, examples, concepts and activities to address the curricular demands of every year of high school.
The station also offers community news, greetings that students send to the station, and classes with teachers of other subjects, as well as a blog.
You can read more about Radio Batalents here, or give it a listen here. Thank you to Bladimir, Zuricka, Alvaro, and all the teachers who are showing not only dedication to their students, but also amazing creativity as they seek to reach the kids without internet at home, or who are facing other challenges in conecting to teachers.
Remember, search #vocaciondocente on Facebook anytime you need a lift. Join me tomorrow at 8 am CR/10 am ET to talk for a few minutes about shopping local.
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all!
I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! If you want to learn more about how to support Costa Rica during the crisis, visit my COVID-19 section, updated regularly – or for ways to enjoy Costa Rica from afar, visit Virtual Costa Rica.
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