Bridge IDELT Rio - I'd say Go For It! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I knew coming into the course that the Bridge IDELT was going to be intensive, but experiencing it helped me understand exactly what amount of work and preparation is involved in becoming a good and effective teacher. I had a very positive experience with the course and at first wasn’t thrilled about the class being so small with only one other student in there. This was an anomaly as there are usually 4-5 students in a typical IDELT program in Rio. With such a small class, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because we as students were able to teach and observe many more classes than we would have if the class had 4 or more students. In taking the course, I also wanted some structure and guidance on planning lessons and activities. Learning about the general stages of a lesson helped me structure a lesson and break it down into meaningful stages. The practice of preparing lesson plans helped me become a better prepared and more organized teacher. I think all the classroom observation and live teaching lessons provided nice hands-on training. Being prepared enough to teach in the real world was something I hoped the course would provide and the teachers Vera Bradford and Fernando Gregores did a great job in helping fully prepare us.

On-site administration of your program

The Bridge school has a good support system. Even after you finish the program, they are welcoming and will help by providing information on anything you need to get adjusted to living in Rio.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Pretty good apartment, but no A/C. Coming from America, I'm pretty spoiled.

For the budget-minded, go with salgados! For the rich, go with the upscale Churrascarias. For the in between, you can do the Kilo Buffets. So there's something for everyone and all types of budgets.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Bridge planned some cool free field trips like to Jardim Botanico, the public zoo, and Niteroi Contemporary Museum where Bridge Portuguese students and TEFL students were openly invited.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Just like in any big city, use common sense. Don't wear gaudy jewelry and walk into dark alleys and you'll be fine.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Being enrolled in Bridge IDELT, you get one free week of Portuguese lessons, basically 20 hours. After week one, you get into the important structures of the language like simple past and present continuous, so one week really isn't enough. I paid for an extra week which helped in my improvement of Portuguese.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

• The teachers, the school support system, and the job placement via partner schools.

• Upgrading of PCs and adding a computer lab. Allowing Bridge IDELT students access to a network printer.