School and Workshops

One of the greatest achievements of NPH Guatemala has been the development of a Montessori program for the younger children.  A long-time volunteer from Germany both designed the program, and raised funds to build and equip special classrooms. At present, we have a Montessori program for preschool through first grade, with plans to expand to second grade next year. 

The regular school program, Primaria for grades 2 to 6 and Basico for 7^th to 9^th, makes use of a more traditional classroom format.  Unfortunately, the classrooms are poorly equipped, and their placement next to the outside play area where gym classes are also held makes for a pretty undesirable learning environment. There are few physical resources- hardly any textbooks or science supplies. Classes often consist of lectures, with the kids doing their best to take notes. Teachers for Primaria only have to have a high school degree, but those for Basico have a university diploma. There is a fair amount of transition among the teachers, as many teach just to earn money to further their studies in another field. The pay is poor, and so many also teach the morning session with us, and then go to teach the afternoon session at another school. (Schools here teach in two shifts- morning and afternoon.)

About 150 externs, children who live with their families in town, come here for school each day. They pay a small tuition (they’re given full scholarship if necessary). While it creates some problems to my mind, there is a certain advantage of our kids meeting and developing some friendships with those outside of the home. Because of changes in the law in Guatemala, it is no longer appropriate to run an “orphanage.”

So we are formally considered a “boarding school,” even though most of the kids here are here for the long term. Many who come from rotten family situations are placed here on order of a judge. The externs obviously do not board here, but inviting them in helps to maintain the facade that we are primarily a “school.” Plus, as much as I think the educational program here is poor, perhaps it is better than what would otherwise be available to them.

In addition to Primaria and Basico, we have a program called “Etapas” for those who arrived significantly behind in their education and need some catching up. What this means is that many are more like sixteen or seventeen years old by the time they finish 9^th grade and move on to Bachillerato (a version of high school here, but one which is more career focused- often an end point in kids’ educational careers). Etapas covers in two years the material normally taught from grades 3 through 6.

One of the ways that NPH is preparing the kids for their future is to ensure that they also receive vocational training. Many of the “pequeños” will go on to study at the university, but that will not be the route that all take. In addition, the employment situation in Guatemala is such that it certainly will not hurt to have other skills. The workshops here provide training in iron work (all construction projects involving iron are done here), cooking (kids also help in the main kitchen), baking (all of our bread is made in the bakery), tailoring (all of the school uniforms are made in the tailor shop), carpentry (in addition to learning how to make furniture, the carpentry shop handles many projects needed for the home) and soap- and shampoo-making. (There was supposed to be a farming workshop, but they lost their instructor, and so someone on staff who knows how to make soap and shampoo stepped in. Granted, this is probably the most questionable of all, but at least they are providing something we need and can use,- plus, it saves the house some money since making it is cheaper than buying it.)

Those in “Basico” (7^th – 9^th grades) take part in the workshops for three hours each weekday afternoon after lunch. Frankly, I think their schedule is too full: class from 7 until 1, lunch, and then three hours of workshops.  But the kids mostly enjoy this time, and it gives those less academically inclined an outlet to learn and grow. Also, some of the projects they make can be sold (I bought a nice end table for about $30).