WE BELIEVE IN LEARNING! Quindio, Colombia

Summer is approaching in the U.S. and for many of you that might mean you, a sibling, a child or other loved ones are also approaching graduation from school, whether elementary, middle, high school or higher education. In that case, celebration is certainly in order and what better way to celebrate than to give back to that 134 students from rural Colombia can work towards their own graduations!

A school in the coffee growing region of Colombia is lacking quality learning materials for its 6th and 7th grade students. With a little more of your help donating and spreading the word, we will be able to provide all 134 students with updated learning materials in 6 subject areas (Language, Science, Social Studies, Math, Human Values and Technology), as well as adequately train the school teachers in a collaborative learning approach centered around the learner. 

In other words, with a little more of your help, we can transform this school into an Escuela Nueva school. In EN schools, children sit and work in small groups, grouped by grade level. When you enter a classroom, you immediately see it is quite different from a conventional one and you instantly shift your attention towards the children and what they are doing. Some are working on their assignments or discussing in groups. You hear the buzz and hum of work and active learning. Each one is focused, excited and seems to know exactly what he/she is doing.

If you ask them what they are doing they explain very eloquently and confidently and, most importantly, they explain to you how they are learning. They know they are learning through observation, reflection, working individually and then in groups; they receive feedback from their teacher, share their work with others, and advance in their learning at their own pace. In this school the teacher is really fulfilling the right role. She is a facilitator and guide instead of a lecturer and transmitter of facts. This is the real role of the teacher. 

In an Escuela Nueva school students collaborate, participate, dialogue, interact, exchange. It is a school that fosters self- paced and cooperative learning where learners develop social and emotional skills such as learning to learn, lead processes, the ability to plan, but especially how to work in teams! Children are organized in a Student Government and have Committees where they learn to participate and have genuine responsibilities. The student government promotes the involvement and leadership of both girls and boys in equal footing. 

We believe this kind of approach yields quality education and learning for life. But we need your help and generosity to bring about this transformation in this urban-marginal Colombian school. So far, with the funds raised, we have not been able to fully fund the materials for all students, only for a small percentage of the 6th grade, and we find important to also train the teachers.

Please help us by donating to this project that believes that with adequate learning materials and training of teachers, all children can learn, increasing their life chances and opportunities! If you cannot afford to donate, please spread the word and share via email, Facebook, Twitter and more!