Here is our Official Peace Corps Job Description ---
Primary Literacy Advisers work under the support of the Ministry of Education and under the supervision of the assigned school principal or his/her designee. This assignment focuses on teaching English literacy to elementary school age children who speak Patois (Jamaica’s oral language). Primary Literacy Advisers use creative, student-centered strategies to ignite a love of reading, writing and English comprehension to develop a strong foundation for each child’s future academic achievement. This type of literacy instruction is different than either teaching a child in the US literacy or teaching English as a second language. Patois is an oral language and therefore many students are not familiar with the concept of reading and writing (as opposed to English speaking children or children learning a second language).
Volunteers work closely with project partners to provide instruction and motivation to students with a special focus on those who are performing below grade level. Volunteers work Monday through Friday with students outside of their regular classrooms, conducting individual lessons and small pull out groups.
Volunteers provide additional training to teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders on classroom management skills, lesson preparation, lesson delivery, and assessment. Volunteers will also assist parents and community members to collaborate with schools in support of their children’s learning. Volunteers help provide opportunities for community members to participate in continued learning, community building and developing healthy life skills.
Required Skills
Competitive candidates will meet or exceed the following criteria:
• BA/BS in Education with concentration in English, TEFL or a foreign language; or
• BA/BS in any discipline with state certification in any discipline (English, TEFL, foreign language, art, or social science); or
• BA/BS in English, TEFL or Linguistics; or
• BA/BS in any discipline with English, foreign language, or literacy tutoring experience with primary school, middle or high school students, or adults.
Desired Skills
Competitive applicants will have:
• Solid experience in youth development or early childhood development. This includes elementary education/literacy, life skills education, parent education/support, social work, library studies and/or creative arts.
• Teaching/tutoring/classroom management experience focused on reading/writing.
• Experience working with students, teaching a second language, or ESL tutoring.
Important skills for all Volunteers include:
• Public speaking and presentation skills
• Strong interpersonal skills, being a team player
• High level of self-initiative and self-direction, independent
• Patience, an open mind, and a willingness to try new things
• Motivation/commitment/enthusiasm for project
• Ability to cope with success and failure, determination
Required Language Skills
There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position. Please take a moment to explore the Language Comments section below to find out more on how local language(s) will be utilized during service.
Additional Language Information
English is the official language in Jamaica. Jamaican Patois, which is similar to English, is the unofficial language used predominately in rural areas. Pre-Service Training will prepare all Trainees to understand Patois as it is necessary that Volunteers understand and speak key phrases in order to integrate into their community.
Living Conditions
All Volunteers live with host families for the duration of their service. The majority of site assignments are in rural areas. The standard of living varies widely within rural and even deep rural communities. The most common living situations are a room in a home with a Jamaican family with access to a shared bathroom and kitchen. Cellular phone coverage is usually available in rural communities, but there may not be internet access. Your host family during pre-service training and at your assigned community will assist you with orientation in your community, Jamaican home life, and cross-cultural adjustment.
Most Volunteers have indoor plumbing with either running water or catchment rainwater. However, the water is usually not heated, so be prepared for cold showers. Laundry is often washed by hand in a sink or a washtub or even in a river. Electricity exists island wide, except in very remote areas. The majority of Volunteers have access to a refrigerator or other small electrical appliances, and a few Volunteers even have amenities such as a television. Due to scarcity and high prices, conservation of electricity and water is critical while living with Jamaican host families.
Anti-homosexuality sentiments are prevalent in Jamaica and have led to violence, including fatal physical assaults. All Volunteers in Jamaica are encouraged to exercise caution and discretion in the expression of any opinions or behaviors which oppose these sentiments. This discretion may necessitate non-disclosure of sexual orientation and/or gender identity in most settings, as disclosure could lead to significant safety risks. Peace Corps staff in-country will provide Volunteers with training and guidance in this area in order to maintain volunteer safety.
Irene and I travelled 6 hours from our home in rural St.
James Parish all the way to Kingston. With our colleagues we met at the Peace
Corps offices, and then went to the Embassy. There we boarded special buses to
travel, escorted by police, to the Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston where we went through a couple of levels of
security and then waited in a meeting room watched over by Secret Service until
the President travelled from the airport to our meeting.
