the ESCUELAS we are ADOPTING or ASSISTING
Escuela Rincon de Mora (ERdM) (Blackberry Corner School) - is located in the Rincon de Mora area of San Rafael de San Ramon. Founded in 1964, the school was built as a part of a community project between 1966 and 1970. The two teachers (one of which is the principal) along with the part time religion and English teacher, educate 30 children from grades 1 to 6. Kindergarteners go to the Escuela San Rafael down the road. Classes are held in two sessions per day from this 2 room school. There is a separate building containing a kitchen and multi purpose room. Even though most schools in Costa Rica are painted blue or green on the exterior, Escuela Rincon de Mora was painted inside and out in bright pastels and primary colors in 2007 compliments of a group of missionaries.
Escuela Pata de Gallo (EPdG) is located in a remote region approximately 10 miles southeast of San Ramon. It is the local school for the town of Pata de Gallo (translated as Rooster Foot in English). Similar to escuela Rincon de Mora, it is a two room schoolhouse with an attached cafeteria/kitchen. The school also has a covered play area for the children. There is one full time Teacher/Principal and part time Special Education, Religion and English teachers who visit the school once each week. In 2010 there are 13 students in the entire school, 2nd through 6th grade. Unless things change there will be fewer children next year with no 1st or 2nd grade. The school is in excellent condition, having recently been refurbished through an international cultural exchange program.
The end of the school year ends with graduations in Escuelas and Colegios alike before the start of summer vacations.
We were the 'Guests of Honor' at the graduation at Escuela Rincon de Mora. We asked our friend Tom Ackley to accompany the students on his acoustic guitar while they sang "Feliz Navidad". We bought red tinsel ‘scarfs’ for them to wear for the occasion. Watch YouTube
HERE The students surprised and honored us by giving us a ‘gift’ after they all thanked us on stage in English. Watch YouTube
HEREApproximately 60-70 family and friends were in attendance and it was over in less than 2 hours. We ate at Forty Fay Restaurant after with Xinia and her hushand Juan Carlos.
The law here in Costa Rica requires children to finish the 6th grade. If they choose to go on, the 7th through 11th grades are spent at the Colegio (High School). We have heard from Xinia (the English teacher) that all except one boy is planning on going on to Colegio next year. We are proud of them all and wish them great success.
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Our friend, Tom Ackley agreed to accompany the students on his acoustic guitar when they sing “Feliz Navidad” at their graduation ceremony Friday night. He went with us today to meet the students and have a live practice.
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We were invited and attended the graduation dinner for the graduating students this evening.
We were treated to dinner at
“Vista Verde Restaurant” on the Pan American highway in Rio Jesus which is owned by the father of student Emanuel.
Before dinner, Dave passed out the class and wallets size pictures he made. After, he thanked the parents for the time that we have spent with their children and told them how much we have enjoyed them.
We were honored to be at the dinner. We were the only ones there that didn’t speak Spanish and they were patient with our Spanglish!
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Xinia and we decided that the students should sing “Feliz Navidad” for graduation. Not only is it easy to learn, they can show off their English and it will be in keeping with the season!
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• Dave found that 7 of the 12 PCs and 10 of the 11 Macs we gratefully received in August from Oklahoma are usable. Others need parts or other repair and we are awaiting funds to make them serviceable.
• All equipment that has been received has needed evaluation, cleaning and repair, including reinstallation of the operating system and the installation of educational software.
• Costa Rican schools are not Mac knowledgeable or oriented like the US educational system. Because of this we had to purchase and install a program called “Virtual PC” on all of the Macs in order for them to “feel” like PC’s and run PC programs.
• The Ministry of Education has been promising schools computer labs complete with teachers for years. In order for them to continue to be eligible for these new computers from MEP (Minister of Education) and to honestly say that they don’t own them, we decided that it would be best to make each school sign a loan agreement for the computers.
• It has become evident that most schools here do not have themselves prepared for computers. Because of that we had to demand that before a school could receive computers they had to have the proper security, electricity and grounding in place not to mention appropriate workspace. Additionally, teachers must find a way to interject computers into the English course curriculum while still meeting requirements of the Ministry of Education. We also stipulated that the computers MUST be used weekly in English classes. After that condition is met they may use them for other subjects and for administration.
• The reality of getting the equipment here involved significant expense. A generous company “rounded up” the computer equipment at a school in Tulsa, OK and packed them for shipment. Through the donation of an individual the computers were shipped to Anaheim, CA. Through the donation of yet another company they were shipped in a container to Costa Rica and delivered to our home in San Ramon. Another generous company put up the $600 required to process the equipment through customs. There have been other costs borne by us personally for parts and supplies required to make the equipment ready to be placed in the schools. All-in-all, the “free” computers incurred a significant expense to get here, begging the question “is putting computers in the schools here worth the expense?”
• The realities of placing computers in the escuelas have been rather stark and unforeseen by us. In order to place computers in schools (those with computers in place and planned) they have had to make significant investments. They have had to place bars in all windows, secure locks on all doors, improve the electrical wiring and, in some cases, provide the materials for suitable desks. All that for “well used” computers. From the school’s perspective it has been worth the expense but we can’t help but wonder if the money could be better spent elsewhere in either the infrastructure of the schools or in materials or equipment.
• So, the question remains, “is it worth it to have donated computers sent to Costa Rica to be placed in escuelas?” In our estimation the answer is, despite the cost, “yes.”
1. It advances the teaching of English, giving teachers and native English speaking volunteers another “tool” in their curriculum.
2. It exposes computers to children at the elementary school level, preparing them for high school.
3. It allows teachers to have in in-school resource for the creation of lesson plans and other administrative tasks.
4. It will, in schools that have internet access, allow students in Costa Rica to communicate with students in Tulsa, OK and elsewhere, as well as will have access to the world wide web in the classroom.
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Dave took 2 VFE computer systems to the Escuela Yadira Gamboa in Calle Leon today. Because he needed two computer work stations, Dave had to tie wrap two groups of three desks together to make them. Dave was asked to return on December 8th to power up the computers after the school had installed electrical ground and purchased a power strip.
The principal asked for copies of the software “The Farm” and “Sesame English 1, 2, 3” so he can have it on his computer for students to use.
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Dave and I went to the school today so Dave could take a class picture and wallet size pictures for the students to give to others.
Unlike the US schools, these kids most likely would not have had this done. The kids and the staff were SO appreciative!
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We gave Paola Artavia a laptop today. Paola is the English teacher coordinator for
the Minister of Education. The 250 English teachers she oversees teach in schools from Zachero to Rio Jesus and Naranjo to Piedades Sur.
We have been working with her for over a year and know that she needs this kind of portability outside her office.
She has truly been invaluable to us in SO many ways!
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