Teaching in Schools in Nepal often lack appropriate funding and resources to adequately teach children. As English is an international language, it is becoming more and more of the required skill for job placement, educational advancement, and future success. Many classes are delivered in English by Nepali teachers, who frequently have only a basic knowledge of English themselves. Therefore, there is limited opportunity for Nepali students to expand their knowledge and use of the English language without direct contact with a teacher fluent in English. In teaching in schools program, volunteers participate in teaching activities in Nepali schools by delivering conversational English and reading classes to Nepali children. To teach English at a Nepali school you don’t need to have formal teaching qualifications. You will need a good command of written and spoken English, plenty of enthusiasm, creativity and a lot of patience.
The first few days of volunteering are spent observing the Nepali teachers or other overseas volunteer teachers’ classes. After observing a few classes, volunteers will start supporting the local teachers and take part in some classes. Later, when the volunteers feel comfortable, they can start teaching classes of their own.
Volunteers, who are professional certified teachers or have previous teaching experience and TEFL certification, may train the local teacher as most of the Nepali teachers lack training and experience.
Children are approximately between five and 16 years of age and volunteers will teach three to four hours per day. Schools are open six days a week, Saturday being the day off. Class sizes range from ten to fifty students. Schools in Nepal often lack appropriate funding and resources to adequately teach the children. Many classes are delivered in English by Nepali teachers, who have only a basic teaching skill.
As a volunteer, you may:
- Teach English, mathematics, environmental science, pure science, international history, computer science.
- Get involved in organizing activities which encourage the personal development of the students, using their initiative to learn life skills.
- Assist local teachers.
- Form student groups, which allow further educational experiences for the children, with a particular focus on capacity-building. These groups are also useful for disseminating information on children’s rights, sanitation and hygiene, and adolescent health issues through various informal activities such as debates, quiz contests, art competitions, folk song competitions, street dramas, one-act plays, etc.
- Focus a great deal of their time teaching groups before and after school.
- Teach or train the students with art, music, sports, P.E. and other vocational subjects.
- Run remedial classes for weaker students.
Once you arrive we organize an introduction for you. We deem this to be highly valuable and it’s a program valued by many volunteers in the past. By means of an introduction, you can acclimatize and prepare for your volunteering. You can begin at your project rested and prepared. In this way, you can be really effective.
Arriving to work in a foreign country can be a nerve-wracking experience, this is why at VSN we provide a friendly and in-depth welcome. The in-depth welcome encompasses basic language training, cultural training, and sightseeing through Kathmandu and surrounding. This is what you can expect from the moment when you touch down at Tribhuvan Intl. Airport. The program may vary depending on your time of arrival. We will manage to include all the below-mentioned activities in your introduction program.
After a leisurely start and breakfast, so you can recover properly from your journey, you will start your Nepali language course at the VSN office. After meeting the entire VSN team you will have 2 lessons from around 10.30 to 12.45 with our highly experienced language teachers. This will also give you a chance to meet any other volunteers joining at the same time. In the afternoon, one of our staff will take you around the local area of Pepsi-Cola where the office and home-stays are for the induction period. Later that afternoon, you will be driven round being shown where all relevant amenities are: the nearest bank, shopping center, internet café, food shops, post office. You will also be shown the local buses that can take you to Kathmandu or to Bhaktapur and also where you can catch a taxi. You will also be told where to keep your valuables and general information about life in Nepal. At the end of the afternoon, you will be driven with our guide to see some of Kathmandu’s famous UNESCO world heritage sites. One of our guides has over 15 years of experience taking foreigners round the ancient city and can answer any questions you have on ancient and contemporary Nepal. During your introduction, you can visit the famous Buddhist Boudanath and Swayambhunath stupas as well as the Hindu temple complex of Pashupatinath. The Durbar squares on Patan and Kathmandu are also essential visits. If you have other sites you are particularly interested in then this may be integrated as well.
In the morning we will continue the Nepali language training. Be aware we are aiming for a basic understanding. For example to say ‘yes and no’ and to introduce yourself. We do not expect you to speak the language fluently after the training. After the lesson, you are driven round some of VSN’s projects in the Kathmandu Valley. This may include the new CBIA school, our women center, our orphanage, or a visit to the village of Sunakoti where you will see new toilets, drinking water systems, and environmental projects that have all been recently implemented by volunteers and fundraising efforts. In the afternoon, you can do more sightseeing with our guide in Kathmandu, or if you desire to take some time for yourself that’s even so possible. This afternoon, it’s also a good opportunity to stock up with anything you may have forgotten before heading up to a rural placement. The tourist hub of Thamel will be able to furnish you with anything from Marmite to an extra pair of Merino socks.The Teaching volunteering Placement is available at the following beautiful places:
Kathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of Asia, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the Hindus and Buddhists. The cities of Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Chobhar are located in this valley, and each displays excellent examples of Newar art and architecture. The valley is the cultural and political hub of Nepal, but this melting pot of traditions and different Nepali >>>>
Hilly Region- Dhulikhel and Banepa
Dhulikhel is situated at an altitude of 5,500 ft above sea level, 30 km east of Kathmandu on the Kodari Highway and is a 90 minute drive from Kathmandu. It is a typical Newari town surrounded by nearby Tamang villages, and is set on a hill top, enveloped in copper soiled terraces with magnificent views of the central Himalayan peaks. Dhulikhel is well known for its beautiful sunrise and >>>>.
Pokhara valley is located at the very center of Nepal and is dominated by the peaks of the Annapurna mountain range. The town of Pokhara (913 meters), is only fifty kilometers from Annapurna 1 (8,091 meters), and the sharp decline of six thousand meters within the short distance of only twenty-nine kilometers gives the region. It is famous for the peaceful Phewa Lake and the magnificent >>>>
Himalayan Region:(Mt. Everest)
Salleri and Garma, Solukhumbu
Salleri is a small Himalayan town that serves as the headquarters of Solukhumbu District. It is everything you would imagine from the Everest mountain region: beautiful landscape; hillsides dotted with villages, a lively weekend bazaar, a Tibetan refugee camp, and many spectacular Buddhist monasteries. Recently road has been connected with Salleri and regular jeep service operates from Kathmandu. The duration of Jeep drive is about 10 hours.>>>>
Sitting at just over 5000 feet, Okhaldunga is an ideal destination for immersion in a genuine Nepali village. The magic of this town is conveyed in both its hospitality and natural beauty. Although a narrow dirt road now connects this district to the rest of Nepal, the hilly terrain makes travel to Okhaldhunga difficult at best, and at times quite treacherous. For most, a two day walk from the town of Katari continues to be the best and safest way to reach Okhaldhunga >>>>.
While you volunteer with Volunteer Society Nepal you will be staying with a Nepali host family. Be part of a Nepali family. Eat together with the family. Play with the children. Experience the rich Nepali culture firsthand. Many volunteers tell us this unique insight into the culture of Nepal is a key part of why they come back again and again.
All our host families have conducted training regarding hosting volunteers adequately. They know how to ensure hygiene and provide security. They will treat you as a member of the family. To secure the knowledge of the western culture and desires we train our host families yearly.
Although we do not experience it frequently and it can be considered very rare, it could be possible you are not satisfied with your host family. In that case, it’s possible to switch the host family. We want to guarantee your happiness and secure the positive experience of Nepal. Hence, we remain contact if everything runs properly at your host family during your stay.
When you arrive on placement you will be introduced to your host family by the VSN representative and given a full tour of the premises. Many of our host families have children and it seems many of our volunteers enjoy helping them with their English, learning to cook Nepali food, and mixing in with their life. The other way around, we experience volunteers learn a lot from the hosts and children regarding life in Nepal.
At the host families, you will stay with or without fellow volunteers. You can clarify your preference and we will take that into account while arranging your host family. It is always possible to stay as a couple or group of friends in one host family. You should consider the host family as your temporary family in Nepal. As they will treat and value you as a family member. They can even so help you regarding how to discover the neighborhood, advice on travels, and offer you warmth in times of homesickness.
You should not expect luxury on your stay in Nepal. Nepal is a developing country and may well be different from what you are used to at home. However, you will have your own room unless requested otherwise, and the rooms are always clean and comfortable. The quality of the toilet and washing facilities vary significantly between placements. If you are based in Kathmandu you may find you have a hot shower and a Western-style toilet in your homestay. However, if you are in a rural placement then it is more likely that you will have a traditional squat toilet and a cold shower. If you feel like having a hot shower and flushing toilet is a priority then make this clear when you are applying and we will see if it is possible to find you one of our better-equipped host families.
On placement, you will usually eat with the family and share the same food as them. At least two meals a day are provided for you while volunteering. The usual meal times are between 9 and 10 AM and 6 and 8 PM. You will usually be served the national staple of Dal Bhat Tarkari which is a tasty and filling plate of rice, vegetable curry, lentils, and pickles. It may occasionally have meat such as chicken or mutton in it, although if you are vegetarian this can easily be explained. This may be supplemented occasionally by noodles, eggs and other snacks dependent on your host family and placement.what’s included
- 24 hour airport pick up & drop off
- accommodation
- meals (breakfast & dinner)
- email and telephone support
- volunteer handbook
- 24 hour emergency support
- 100% placement reservation
- dedicated vsn project & travel mentor
- regular program inspection
- staff salaries
- office rent & office supplies
- free internet service at office
- government taxes & membership fees
- women’s development program
- scholarships for low income students
- supporting orphanages
what’s not included
- flights to Kathmandu
- visa cost
- travel & health insurance
- domestic flight costs
- transportation costs for the volunteers who want to work outside the Kathmandu valley
- sundries such as personal items, extra beverages and entertainment
- personal travel & sightseeing
- transportation service during weekends travel