The Child Aid staff does a tremendous variety of activities in their work promoting literacy in Guatemala. They run training workshops, distribute books, provide one-on-one support for teachers and librarians, work with students and even pitch in to help label and organize books from time to time. Watch this slide show to see the Child Aid staff in action and learn about the many ways they are making a difference in Guatemalan communities.
Leading Workshops: At a training workshop, Literacy Trainer Nancy Samayoa talks with teachers about how to plan and run reading activities. Child Aid staff lead dozens of trainings with teachers each year.
Leading Workshops: At a training workshop, Literacy Trainer Edgar Garcia leads a small group discussion. Child Aid’s trainings are designed to encourage participation and give teachers opportunities to practice skills before using them in the classroom. Trainers engage participants in conversations allowing them to make discoveries about how to best adapt the techniques to their own situations.
Communicating with School Leaders: In a meeting with San Antonio Palopo District Supervisor Edwin Yaxón, Literacy Trainer Jeremias Moreles explains how the Reading For Life curriculum aligns with requirements from Guatemala’s Ministry of Education. Child Aid staff meet regularly with principals and district leaders to inform them about our programs and the potential benefits for teachers and students.
Building Relationships: Teacher Training Coordinator Graciela Pichiya talks with principals from the San Antonio Palopo school district. Child Aid’s literacy trainers work with schools over multiple years, giving them time to develop the trusting working relationships which are crucial for learning to take place.
Follow-up Sessions: Teachers receive two one-on-one follow-up sessions after each workshop, which helps them personalize and practice what they learn in the trainings. At the beginning of a follow-up session, Literacy Trainer Rosenda Ajpacaja meets with a teacher in his classroom to review the training materials and find out which techniques he wants help with.
Observing Teachers: Literacy Trainer Norma Guzmán watches a 2nd grade teacher at the Chutiestancia school lead a small group activity with students. At the end of class, Norma reviews the activity with the teacher, providing suggestions and answering questions to help him improve his skills and confidence.
Providing Support to Schools: Kelly Batz reads a story aloud to a pair of eager students during recess at the Agua Escondida school library. As a Literacy Trainer, Kelly regularly provides support and training to schools in how to run reading programs, catalog books and prepare special displays and activity areas.
Organizing Books for Distribution: Literacy Trainers Evelyn Camey and Rosenda Ajpacaja sort through boxes of donated books in Child Aid’s warehouse. Books are sorted by topic and reading level and are grouped into packets to be handed out at training workshops.
Distributing Books to Schools: With the help of some eager students, Literacy Trainer Jeremias Morales unloads a delivery of books for use in classrooms. Child Aid distributes thousands of books to teachers, schools and libraries each year.
Child Aid Literacy Trainer Kelly Batz (right) shares a laugh with a teacher while labeling books at the San Isidro school. After a school gets a delivery of books, a Child Aid staff member leads a labeling session to provide training and help with categorizing and labeling the books.
Staff Training: Erik Estacoy and Kelly Batz review their Reading Lesson Plans before leading a read aloud session with students. Recent additions to the Literacy Training Team, Erik and Kelly are learning the Reading for Life curriculum and training methodologies through hands-on experience working with students and teachers.
Building Literate Communities: Literacy Trainer Alberta Guarchaj chats with kids in the library in her hometown of Pasaq. Many of our staff members come from the communities where we work. They speak the local languages and have a passionate commitment to bringing literacy to their communities.
Ambassadors for Literacy: While working in schools and libraries, Child Aid’s staff also serve as literacy promoters and role models for students, providing a personal example of the benefits of reading and education. At the end of a school visit, students crowd around Rosenda Ajpacaja as she holds an impromptu read aloud session on the playground.
Visiting Schools: After a day of follow-up sessions at the Chuijomil school, Angus Fredenberg and Rosenda Alpacaja wait for a minibus to begin the journey home. Most of the schools Child Aid works with are in remote, rural communities, requiring long days of travel for the literacy trainers.