Taking part instead of sitting in silence

We encourage children to actively participate in education and learning.

To be curious and able to take part in education: for many children in Guatemala, this desire remains unfulfilled as their requests often go unheard. However, those who are able to actively participate and get involved in lessons derive greater benefit from going to school. As part of our project, teachers receive targeted training on how to motivate children to play an active role.

Challenge

Poor teaching methods lead children to leave school prematurely
Measure

Working with teachers to improve teaching
Aim

Integrating new teaching methods into national curricula

Participating teachers

1200

Project duration from 2012 to 2020

Project activities

Teachers find their jobs more meaningful and can apply participative teaching methods.

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Breaking the silence

Children have rights. This also includes the right to participate. However, children speaking their mind and having a say is rarely the case in Central American schools, where the emphasis is on a pedagogy of silence: quiet obedience is expected from the children, and questions and criticism are not welcome. This leads to high drop-out rates in schools.

Motivating children to learn

Our partner organisation combats this through a pedagogy of participation. Innovative teaching methods and materials are developed in cooperation with the teachers, who are taught to facilitate a learning atmosphere that promotes curiosity and participation from the children. It also enables values such as equality, freedom, respect, personal integrity and human dignity to be passed on to the children.

The aim is to give the children the tools they will need to assert their rights, as well as creating a basis for society to develop in a positive way. At political level, the project accelerates the integration of this type of teaching into national curricula.

marlene_grajeda_-_country_representative_guatemala_-_pestalozzi_childrens_foundation

«Children who learn to face challenges and uncertainties in life and society with solidarity, joy, knowledge and courage, is our greatest achievement.»

Marlene Grajeda
Country Representative of Guatemala

Do you have any questions or suggestions about our work in Guatemala?
m.grajeda@pestalozzi.ch