Fund a teacher and support more than 250 students

As of March 16, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than 4 million children and youths in Guatemala to be out of school. The already fragile education system within the country seems threatened more than ever. As a result of the pandemic, education has changed dramatically, with the rise of online learning, whereby teaching is undertaken remotely and on digital platforms. 

Teachers had no timely notice about the closure of schools and the shift to online learning where many feel overwhelmed with providing instructions remotely, the use of the new technological platforms and the production of academic materials. Many are experiencing anxiety and fear under the current circumstances of the COVID-19 and are afraid of losing their jobs in the coming year. Supporting effective forms of education seems critical.

CasaSito’s Teacher Development Program, which aims to awaken the teachers’ spirit of critical thinking and leadership, was supposed to be launched in April 2020. Due to the restrictions imposed by the Guatemalan government in the wake of COVID-19, the group of 11 teachers participating in the Program received an online pre-qualification course during the last few months that introduced them to tools of debating techniques, motivated them and prepared them for the actual program that had to be postponed to February 2021. In addition, the teachers participated in “Circles of Confidence” that are designed to mentally help them to soften anxiety, fears and create positive confident feelings.

It is expected that the teachers will be introduced to further techniques of debating such as the ordering of ideas, the construction of arguments, logical fallacies and public speaking, amongst others, during the last quarter of the year.

We are positive that the modified program encouraged the teachers during these last months in confinement and that it can be kicked off as planned in 2021.