My First CASP

    Last night, Jones and I began to teach our first complete Curso de Auto-Suficiência Profissional (Career Workshop in Portuguese). We have taught parts of the Career Workshop in English, and Jones taught a part of it in Portuguese, but this will be our first group all on our own.

    I was very nervous and unsure of whether I was prepared. Jones and I said a prayer together before beginning the course and that helped me feel better, and it actually went really well.

    Jones began with an introduction to the course, and I then guided them through the first two activities, which are the Coat of Arms and Skills List. (These are my two favorite parts of the workshop so far.) Jones then took over to finish up the first section. Unfortunately, we were already running out of time. Because of the work schedules here we didn't start until 7 p.m. We have to finish by 9:30 p.m. so that everyone can catch the bus and because it can be dangerous to walk through the city in the late evening.

    What I learned from teaching this first class is that the time goes by way too fast! We had thirteen students and we really try to help all of them finish each part of the activities, but there is always someone who lags behind. We also forgot to do some of the most important things in the beginning, such as establishing the rules of the course and explaining the Cycle of Self-Reliance. We learn as we go!