(3/17/08, Tueday)
The work at Holy Cross continued today, and we’ve been mostly staying in the classrooms with the students. The staff needs all the help they can get assisting the children with reading so that’s what most of us have been doing. Three or four from our group have been helping the librarian organize the library, carding books and establishing a reference catalog (the library has TONS of books, mostly up-to-date materials that the students are really excited about!). I worked with the Standard VI class (the equivalent of grade 8 in the United States) as they are working on the mechanics of writing in preparation for next week’s high school entrance exam, a standardized test created and administered by Belize’s Ministry of Education.
Despite the homes that these students come from, it’s remarkable to see how positive and upbeat they are during the day. All of them seem excited to learn and eager to share their progress with the other students and ourselves. It’s funny how similar they are to students their age in the U.S.—chatting during class, passing notes, and giving the teachers light-hearted grief. It’s interesting that only one of the teachers at the school has a formal university degree, as every one else there has only a high school education, as required by the Ministry of Education. The teachers seem to be so patient with the kids, and really appear to have a vested interest in seeing them succeed. I still continue to see every day how the school is an integral part of the community, as these children are reliant upon the school to provide what they cannot receive at home, especially since there is no formal system of welfare in Belize. We’ve seen kids that are getting vitamins every day, new shoes when they need them, free dental screenings multiple times a year, hygiene supplies, and even free uniforms (yes, every student is even in a uniform). It’s so impressive to see the dedication of the administrators and support staff that all keep coming back day after day because they realize the impact that they’re actions are having on these kids’ lives.
Everyone in the group is still doing well—the work in the morning is tiring but the afternoons are a welcome relief from the heat and humidity as we all head back to the beach and lounge around in the sun after lunch. A few of the girls went snorkeling today and said it was absolutely amazing. I’m thinking about going scuba diving tomorrow, so that should be fun too. Last night we all got pizzas and brought them back to the hotel where we ate on the beach and shared stories and laughed about the day late into the night.
The work at Holy Cross continued today, and we’ve been mostly staying in the classrooms with the students. The staff needs all the help they can get assisting the children with reading so that’s what most of us have been doing. Three or four from our group have been helping the librarian organize the library, carding books and establishing a reference catalog (the library has TONS of books, mostly up-to-date materials that the students are really excited about!). I worked with the Standard VI class (the equivalent of grade 8 in the United States) as they are working on the mechanics of writing in preparation for next week’s high school entrance exam, a standardized test created and administered by Belize’s Ministry of Education.
Despite the homes that these students come from, it’s remarkable to see how positive and upbeat they are during the day. All of them seem excited to learn and eager to share their progress with the other students and ourselves. It’s funny how similar they are to students their age in the U.S.—chatting during class, passing notes, and giving the teachers light-hearted grief. It’s interesting that only one of the teachers at the school has a formal university degree, as every one else there has only a high school education, as required by the Ministry of Education. The teachers seem to be so patient with the kids, and really appear to have a vested interest in seeing them succeed. I still continue to see every day how the school is an integral part of the community, as these children are reliant upon the school to provide what they cannot receive at home, especially since there is no formal system of welfare in Belize. We’ve seen kids that are getting vitamins every day, new shoes when they need them, free dental screenings multiple times a year, hygiene supplies, and even free uniforms (yes, every student is even in a uniform). It’s so impressive to see the dedication of the administrators and support staff that all keep coming back day after day because they realize the impact that they’re actions are having on these kids’ lives.
Everyone in the group is still doing well—the work in the morning is tiring but the afternoons are a welcome relief from the heat and humidity as we all head back to the beach and lounge around in the sun after lunch. A few of the girls went snorkeling today and said it was absolutely amazing. I’m thinking about going scuba diving tomorrow, so that should be fun too. Last night we all got pizzas and brought them back to the hotel where we ate on the beach and shared stories and laughed about the day late into the night.
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