Send a Child to School

One of the many challenges of teaching is keeping all the students engaged in the learning process.  In order to make this happen, lessons need to be interesting and fun!  This year we had a blast when we allowed the students to take over the school for the day!  Students had to take on different roles on campus and make the school interesting and fun! 

Each student was given one-half hour to teach a lesson which they had to prepare and present.  They were told to pick their own topic, one which they felt comfortable presenting and were knowledgeable in the subject area.  They then had to develop a lesson plan and develop their visual aides.  

Our teachers came dressed as students and observed the lessons with the rest of the class. The teachers were able to grade the presentations and present some of the problems students have while spending the day in class.  By the end of the day, everyone had had a lot of fun and walked away with a totally new appreciation for their teacher.

This exercise benefited the students in many ways, they got a good review of information which would ultimately be on their upcoming exams and they learned more about public speaking and how to present themselves. Most importantly, they learned that what their teacher does every day for them, is really hard work.! 

Ambergris Caye Elementary School takes pride in being an innovative school.  We believe children need to experience what they are learning.  Once you have an experience, you will never forget it!  Keeping ACES open is a challenge which presents itself every day.  It is because of people like you, who support our school that we are able to keep the doors open.  Please give and help us make learning fun again!

Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES) believes in small classrooms with a maximum of 15 -18 students in a classroom. This design provides a low student to teacher ratio allowing more one on one time with each and every student.  Along with smaller classrooms learning is more interactive and project based.

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. In PBL, projects are focused on student learning goals and include essential project design elements.

The projects are focused on students learning goals, including standards-based content and skills such as critical thinking/problem solving, communication, collaboration, and self-management. The project is framed by a meaningful problem to solve or a question to answer, at the appropriate level of challenge.Students engage in a rigorous, extended process of asking questions, finding resources, and applying information.

The project features real-world context, tasks and tools, quality standards, or impact – or speaks to students’ personal concerns, interests, and issues in their lives.  Students make some decisions about the project, including how they work and what they create. Students and teachers reflect on learning, the effectiveness of their inquiry and project activities, the quality of student work, obstacles and how to overcome them.  Students give, receive, and use feedback to improve their process and products.  Students make their project work public by explaining, displaying and/or presenting it to people beyond the classroom.

Learning is the pathway to the future and learning should be an interactive process that is fun!  Each child is given the opportunity to be an active member in their own learning process.  We hope you are able to appreciate the differences in this learning design and see it as a worthwhile endeavour.  Giving to a program like this program at ACES ensures a brighter tomorrow for the young minds we are stimulating today.  Without the help of individual donors like your self, ACES could not offer these more innovative processes of education.  Thank you for your continued support.