The ETA role is normally centered around high school students, but sometimes ETAs find themselves engaging in meaningful interactions with the older and younger people in their areas. This month, ETA Sophia Lockwood was able to hold her first Community Engagement Project (CEP) which is a children’s club. The purpose of Sophia’s club is to sprinkle a little English understanding to the elementary-aged students in the area. Sophia has found that English is not a necessity for survival in her area. Most people are able to get around in their day-to-day lives without knowing a lot of English. She has also discovered that many people, including the children in her club, really want to improve their English but are unsure of the steps. Sophia’s answer to this? Always stay relative.

In her first children’s club, she taught the students the English version of “Heads, Knees, and Toes,” which was followed by decorating faces. As the weeks go along, Sophia hopes to add more material that the students enjoy and can use in their everyday life.

Sophia Lockwood is currently teaching at MAN 2 Klaten, Central Java.