I'm here to serve you an overdue advice column about the daily life of a Fulbright ETA. I've hesitated to write this one because one thing that becomes clear shortly after starting your grant is that every Fulbright teaching placement is vastly different. However, with just one month left of my grant, I want to give you a less theatrical and more practical picture of the day-to-day while I can still use the present tense to do it.
New finalists and prospective applicants often ask me questions like:
"Do you teach an entire class period by yourself or just assist the main teacher?" "How many hours a week do you teach?" and "how much lesson planning do you do each week?" "How many students do you have?" "How much free time do you have?" "How much do you get to travel?" "What's it like making friends in your host city?"
These are all great questions. They were mine, just a year ago. However, I can tell you that some of us are teaching our 16 "official" hours by assisting our main teachers with lesson materials they provide (no planning expected from us), and some of us are doing that plus some 2-12 hours of preparing presentations, interactive games or worksheets, dreaming up crafts, and running out to buy materials either after school or on our free Fridays or Mondays. Some of us at the heavy planning end of the spectrum will tell you this is simply what has been done by past teaching assistants and is now expected. Some will admit to poor time management skills, and still others will tell you they simply love creating (you know the old adage: what's play for you but work for everyone else?). My personal experience has placed me somewhere in the middle. I think it has influenced my answers to the rest of those questions, which I will try to answer in succession--simply as a point of reference. Then, I'll walk you through how I run a standard Monday!
"Do you teach an entire class period by yourself or just assist the main teacher?"
In my case, I have been given virtually full responsibility over entire hour-long class sessions (with support when needed from my lead teachers) since my first introductory presentations in mid-September. I communicate and collaborate closely with the teachers, always working to prepare activities based on their objectives for that week (speaking? writing? listening? reading? spelling? a station for each? have we prioritized one or two of these skills for a while and need to focus on the others?) and asking for feedback during/after the live lessons, but I am generally given full freedom to create presentations and produce worksheets, station rotations, creative writing workshops, crafts, or anything else I can dream up based on where we "are" in each class's English curriculum. I've been surprised (and honored) at the near-immediate and very significant level of trust placed in me, but very grateful. It's been a phenomenal chance to be, at times, wildly creative, and experiment with how the students respond to different instructional methods.
My schedule includes a "switch class" day each week where I rotate between different sections of two grades. During these sessions, I assist with existing English work or lead a story or game time. This gives me a break from being "up on stage" and allows me to spend time with students individually to improve their reading and pronunciation skills. It's a great opportunity to understand their unique learning needs and personalities. And let me tell you, teaching second graders can be incredibly entertaining. Have you ever been asked if you have any clones or whether you want a cyborg dog in the middle of teaching a lesson about renewable energy sources? No? You've never been stopped in your tracks to receive a group hug so strong it knocks you off your feet and into the cubbies behind you? It's pure joy.
After busy themed or holiday weeks, my responsibilities often shift to assisting with the instruction of existing materials or bringing shorter, super-dynamic activities instead of planning full lessons. My teachers and I communicate regularly, so I know what "type" of material to expect and prepare. Each day is a little different, which keeps me on my feet, keeps this work exciting, and has challenged me to be adaptable and scrappily creative on the spot!
"How many hours a week do you teach?"
Fulbright English Teaching Assistants in Spain teach 16 hours a week and have two additional hours dedicated to lesson planning. With the right effort and time management skills, it's possible to complete all of your planning for the following week during these two hours. But your school's expectations, the level of detail and effort you want to put into your lessons, and your time management skills all play a role. Ultimately, for ten fingers worth of reasons, what your Fulbright teaching and planning experience looks like is up to you.
My teaching schedule includes 14 classroom hours, with two of those as "switch" classes. The final two hours are for recess duty, which I spend refueling with a snack while chatting and playing with the students in English. I spend two of my four recess duty days holding "Reading Recreo," an English reading lab I'll explain in another post. I have my two formal planning hours on Thursdays back to back in between my "switch" classes.
This schedule works well for me, but other grantees have more consistent or ever-changing schedules. Sometimes things happen that can alter the class lineup, such as teachers getting sick or last-minute field trips, but there are always options. In a primary school, things move quickly, but it's all part of the fun!
"How much lesson planning do you do each week?"
Tough question, because it's changed quite a bit throughout the year. In the first month or two, I was really focused on impressing my new students, getting them pumped up for the upcoming year, getting a feel for what types of lessons & techniques they responded to best, and, well, figuring out how to be an elementary school English teacher for the very first time. Since I was also planning full-length lessons for each class at this point and traveling many weekends, time management was tricky. I would estimate that I spent about five to eight hours beyond the formal planning time on lessons. Keep in mind that this was often split between Monday-Sunday, and that I did this completely out of my own ambition. In reality, 2-3 hours a week would've been sufficient.
However, once I got a handle on my own workflow and the expectations and preferences of my teachers and students (probably around the middle of the first semester?), I was able to reduce my workload quite a bit. Creating PowerPoints and puzzling together workshop materials in Canva became second nature, and I learned which days I was most focused around activities in town and other living-abroad-type adventures (see: this blog). By the second semester and beyond, my teachers and I have sometimes raced to finish English units together, and there have been more frequent "special weeks" to contend with. But with increased efficiency and greater familiarity with my students, I'd estimate that my norm is now about 5 hours total per week of lesson planning and coordination, max. Some weeks more, some weeks much less.
It's worth noting that I'm teaching exclusively 1st-4th grade students, which heavily influences the content of my lessons. If you're placed in infantil (pre-school), ESO (middle school and junior high), bachillerato (high school), or FP (professional formation), your specific duties will likely be different. (If you're a new ETA, I recommend reaching out to past grantees and auxiliars at your school for examples of lessons).
"How many students do you have?"
In my school, each grade is divided into three sections (A, B, C), so I have a total of 12 sections of students from 1st to 4th grade. Each section has between 21-27 students, so I estimate that I have around 300 students in total. Additionally, there are 10-15 5th and 6th grade students who regularly come to Reading Recreo. Coming from a small school myself, this is a lot for me! As with everything else, this number could vary depending on your placement in a big city versus a small village and the size of your school.
"How much free time do you have?"
It ultimately depends on your efficiency and time management, as well as how involved you choose to be in your host community. Do I sound more like a Fulbright advisor or a college admissions advisor here?
You tell me.
What I really mean is this: you have a part-time schedule that mimics an undergraduate course schedule at times. Therefore, you have the opportunity to choose how to spend your free time. Pursue the hobbies and passions you neglected during college or the ones you've always wanted to try. Join a running club, sign up for a cooking class, take those language classes, schedule "intercambio" hours with local acquaintances, or even teach some private English tutoring classes in the afternoons, as they are in extremely high demand. Write. Get really into knitting. Check off every single hike within three kilometers of your city center. Visit niche museums. Catch up with friends and your younger cousins. Sit in on research seminars at the local university, start a blog, or learn how to mop properly. Take a nap?
"How much do you get to travel?"
Ah, young Padawan, the question of travel is not a trivial one. The Force is strong with you, and it will guide you to the right path of these two: You can travel as much as you want, or as little as you want. The question is really: How much should you travel? If you are a Jedi with a strong and restless sense of adventure, you could travel every single weekend. But beware, the dark side of this path is that it may quickly exhaust your funds and also your spirit, leaving you less time and energy to focus on your mission. On the other hand, you could take a more measured approach and plan for one or two longer trips throughout the year, staying close to home in between. This would allow you to balance that craving for exploration with your true responsibilities as an ETA. You could go in spurts.
In the end, this decision will depend on your priorities. If you decide to travel, I recommend staying close to your host community as much as possible, like a Jedi who always returns to their home planet. This will allow you to deepen your understanding of the local culture and build stronger relationships with the community. But don't be afraid to gear up to say "yes" to some unexpected weekend adventures, for a Jedi always embraces the unknown. May the Force be with you.
(That's the end of my Star Wars references; thank you for reading.)
"What's it like making friends in your host city?"
Wait...wait for it...
This relies on how much effort you put in to making friends in your host city. And also on what you mean by "in your host city."
So, it is true, moving to a new country is incredibly intimidating, but being part of Fulbright means you'll have the benefit of having a built-in community with your cohort. These can be your key group of friends to make weekend plans with, especially in a region like La Rioja, where all but two lived here in the bustling walkable metropolis of Logroño.
That being said, the depth of your friendships is really up to you. Depending on the culture of hospitality and of peer-age people in your community, making friends will be a breeze...or it could be ultra tricky. I had good luck joining a Facebook Group for local language assistants and a WhatsApp Group for intercambio events early in the year. But there's no way to predict who you'll meet & who will end up becoming like family to you!
As for making deeper connections, I think it really comes down to how you spend your free time. Whether you join a club, a team, or a class, or even volunteer for school holiday celebrations or attend social events with faculty, the more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to form those meaningful friendships. However, an observation: here in Spain, people tend to have large, tight-knit friend groups formed during childhood that only get stronger over time. They've grown up together and move together like a flock. Sometimes they even go out on the town in coordinated outfits. Breaking into those groups can be difficult, but not impossible! (And if any of my Spanish readers want to explain the concept of "cuadrilla" in the comments, that would be much appreciated!)
No matter what, though, it takes time. Thankfully you are here for quite a bit of it.
"Can you describe a day in your life?"
Absolutely. I'll give you a rundown that even my 3rd-grade students could follow. I think I have paragraphed and adjectived enough, so here's a simple list of my typical Monday routine:
7:15 Wake up, put on the coffee, shower, eat breakfast and drink coffee while getting ready, review lesson notes for 2-5 minutes
8:15-8:30 Leave apartment and walk to school (I leave at the early end if I need to print papers for class)
8:30-9:45 Arrive at school to print if needed. On Mondays, I have a coffee chat conversation hour with one of my co-teachers at a nearby bar (normally, I'd head to my first class at 8:45 for morning prayer)
9:45-10:45 Teach Class 1 - 3rd grade
10:45-11:45 Teach Class 2 - 3rd grade
11:45-12:15 Head down to the library for Reading Recreo (T/Th this would be recess time)
12:15-13:15 Teach Class 3 - 3rd grade
13:15-14:00/15 Teach Class 4 - 4th grade
14:15-14:30 Walk home, usually call my mother
14:30-16:20 Long lunch break (*short by Spain's standards), work on projects, or read
16:40-17:40 Hold conversation class #2 at the park! (Board game, book, and a lemonade. Score.)
18:00-19:00 Hold private class #1, 30 minutes each with two sisters
19:20-20:00 Obtain the groceries at my favorite supermarket (heart eyes)
20:15-21:30 Chat with my roommates, cook dinner, eat leftovers cooked over the weekend, finish lesson for Tuesday if needed, and relax
21:30-22:00 Workout (maybe)
22:00-23:00 This time is a mystery to me???? Just kidding. I usually spend it pursuing hobbies or working on projects or just relaxing.
23:15 Attempt to be asleep (but midnight is the true goal)
tl;dr:
I hope this post on my experience in La Rioja has given you insight into what life can be like as a Fulbright ETA. In sum, you have the freedom to make the most out of your experience, so don't be afraid to try new things and explore.
Your days as an ETA, like mine, will never be dull. My best piece of advice is to use your time wisely and prioritize the things that bring you joy and fulfillment. Remember, this is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture and grow both personally and professionally. Don't forget to slow down sometimes to check in with yourself, those priorities, and ground yourself so you don't take for granted how wild of a year you are having. Reflect frequently and intentionally in the way you like best. Enjoy the journey and make the most out of your time with Fulbright, because though the days can be long, the weeks and months fly. Suddenly you may find yourself sitting criss cross applesauce in the plaza of a gothic cathedral enjoying your weekly ice cream cone and waving at the flocks of pilgrims stopping on the Camino. You may halt for a moment and let it melt and drip when you realize you have one month left of this, yet you still have barely grasped that it exists.
With love,
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