Escuela Proyecto La Esperanza

Escuela Proyecto La Esperanza - Nivel Basico

Introduction to Escuela Proyecto La Esperanza
Staff
Routine

Introduction to Escuela Proyecto La Esperanza

Escuela Proyecto La Esperanza is a primary school dedicated to educating some of the poorest children in Jocotenango and the surrounding villages.

In early December 2004 we found a large empty

unit in the centre of Jocotenango, a poor area adjoining Antigua. The unit consisted of one extremely large room, one large room and four standard size rooms. There were also two sets

of bathrooms, a small kitchen and a small play area.

Most importantly it was a self contained unit with security. Although the unit costs were a lot higher than we were currently paying, due to the cramped conditions the children were currently in we decided to commit to it.

We divided the large room into three classrooms and created two more classrooms at the end of the extremely large room. One of the standard rooms is used for the principals/teachers office and one for storage, with the other two used for classrooms. We now for the first time have a spacious classroom for each of our seven classes.

On January 17 2005, the school opened its doors for the first time. 150 children were educated in 2005 rising to 176 in 2007.

At Escuela Proyecto La Esperanza we believe that every child has the right to an education, and our aim is to be able to give the opportunity for a brighter future filled with possibilities reached through education. We offer completely free education to children that otherwise would not have the means due to their family’s economic situation.

We offer education from Kindergarten to sixth grade for children aged from 5 to 18 years old. The children also receive a nutritious vitamin enhanced mid morning snack and a two course lunch including meat, veg, and fruit. For some this is the only food they will eat that day.

As well as an academic education in the morning, we also have an afternoon programme with different activities and classes for the children that will help prepare them for secondary school and teach them to be more creative. Our afternoon activities include I.T, Sports, Music, Crafts, and Art.

In the morning each teacher works together with their class and in the afternoon each teacher takes on the responsibility of an afternoon activity, rotating the classes.

Staff

Guatemala Coordinator: Sophie McKee

Principal: Blanca Patricia Castillo Chivichon

Sixth Grade & Coordinator: Lys Elena Montufar Santis

Fifth Grade:Luis Alfredo Castillo Reguan

Fourth Grade Teacher: Manuel Laynes Anay

Third Grade Teacher: Julio Rafael, Arriola Gonzalez

Second Grade Teacher: Eslin Odeth Reyes Cruz

First Grade Teacher: Osmar Romeo Santos Lopez

Prepa Teacher: Ana Luisa

Cook: Maria Cristina Reguan

Cook: Flavia de Concepcion Ramos

Routine

The school opens bright and early at 7.30am when children begin to arrive and play with their friends and prepare for another day at school. At 8am the bells rings and they line up to enter the classrooms with their teacher.

Morning classes are from 8am until 12.30pm. In these classes the children will be taught the national curriculum, Math, Science, Spanish, and Social Studies. Each Child is given a text book at the beginning of the year to work through for each of the subjects.

The children have a short break at 10am, where they each receive a snack and a drink to keep them going, for example, cereal, fruit, pancakes, biscuits or a sandwich.

For many children that attend the school, this will be the first thing that they have had to eat that day. After finishing their snack, the children are free to play with their friends for the rest of the break.

When classes end at 12.30pm, the children then receive a nutritious and balanced lunch. It is really important that they receive the vitamins and nutrients that they require as they may be lacking at home. We give them a variety of food from Chicken, rice and vegetables to pasta or soups. They also have various traditional dishes like Chile, Rellenos or Pepian and they will receive a small dessert afterwards, like fruit or Jello.

After lunch the youngest children from pre school head home as it has been a long day for them, the others return to their classrooms at 2pm. For the rest of the afternoon the students from first grade that have problems with their work have a reinforcement class, where the teacher and volunteers sit down and concentrate on the students that are behind or that may have learning disabilities.

The students from second grade to sixth grade have half an hour of reinforcement and then at 2.30pm begin a variety of classes and activities depending on the day of the week. The afternoon classes include I.T, Music, Sports, Crafts, and Art.

Classes end at 4pm and the students begin to clean up in their classrooms and get ready to go home!