Developing a Primary School for Kids

[IEatTravelnCode]

Hi everyone!

First, the charity is being run by my girlfriend, as her partner, I'm just helping her having success. I sometimes found amazing her way of involving in helping others, and mostly in our country, since if you don't have a big event or nice sponsors with people from TV is really hard to get something.
First a little about myself, I've mentioned on the new member area ( http://dr1.com/forums/new-members-introductions/146687-new-member.html), I'm a Web developer (Yeah, I build website) and current Project Manager, I've worked with several charity in the pass, one of them being NPH International (https://www.nph.org/), I served as their translator for some doctors that came over from Wisconsin, we stayed there for around 2 weeks, and it was a very nice cause, it's kind of sad also, to see people coming from other places, when we have sooo much potential in our hands.

We do what we can to help our cause, we've made several events, those have helped us gather USD$823 from 3 years ago when we started the mission, talking about that, we currently have a raffle and the prize will be a Dinner/Lunch at Neptuno's worth 5,000 Dominican Pesos, btw thanks to them for the donation, tickets only 200 Dominican Pesos.

Our vision is to provide a platform to develop social skills in a healthy environment for kids in kindergarten level in slums of the Dominican Republic.
Our program that is passionate about basic level education. We are working to help a school in the Dominican Republic led by Fanny Cepeda. Inspired by her love for kids and her desire to help her community, Fanny ventured on a project that will change the life of everyone around her. After working full time in a private school, she realized that she couldn't turn her back to the realities of the world she leaves in. Fanny decided to cut her work hours and allocate time to a project she was in love with. That?s when she opened a kindergarten school in Laura Vicuna neighborhood, the slum where she herself grew up. Mis Primeras Huellas has now three years open and it has approx. 20 kids that pay DR$100 on monthly basis (this is less than three dollars). The kids come every day from 3 to 6 PM where they get to interact with other kids and learn social dynamics.

Studies have shown that kids that get to have more social dynamics and have more interaction with adults have better communication skills and enriched minds. Furthermore, public schools in the Dominican Republic do not provide kindergarten education. Based on the data above, the lack of a space within the first years of kids? lives is already a factor to impact success in life.

Helping kids develop social skills and creative thinking is a most for educational success. We are committed to not only help kids develop, but also, provide parents the tools and knowledge necessary to understand and support education.

You can be the change today by supporting us.
Our goal is USD$4,500 in order for us to complete buying the school supplies, and finish the construction.
Hope the DR1 community can help, we are willing to accept schools supplies for kindergarten kids.

We accept Paypal - Dominican Bank Transfer and US American Bank Transfer.
By the end of November we will be establishing a website for everyone to be updated with information.
Thank you all!

 

[the gorgon]

when you say "develop social skills", what exactly do you mean?

 

[IEatTravelnCode]

Hi The gorgon, develop the skills we use to communicate and interact with each other, both verbally and non-verbally, through gestures, body language and our personal appearance, in order for them to initiate and maintain positive social relationships.
Have a nice day!

 

[La Profe_1]

Not to quibble, but I have been involved in providing assistance to and starting schools in the DR. It is my understanding that not only does the DR government require kindergarten, but a pre-k class as well.

I agree that communication is important, but wonder why "personal appearance" is mentioned for small children. IMO, there is already too much emphasis on externals such as appearance. Better that the students learn to communicate respectfully with others, develop good work and study habits and, as the traditional US report card says, "work well with others."

 

[LindseyKaufman]

This is a noble cause. The children are our future.

I have been doing educational programming for less fortunate Dominican children for 10 years now. I have made many mistakes over the years, but one thing I learned is this. The only way to be effective is to work within their cultural norms and value system. I happen to be American. If I were to teach American verbal and non-verbal social skills, gestures and body language, it would not be appropriate within this culture. Thus, I lean on Dominican teachers to impart these nuances, even after I have learned them.

I wish you much success. Not knowing your nationality or length of time in this country, perhaps I am preaching to the choir. But, I hope in your efforts, you are respecting and developing social skills within the Dominican context.

Lindsey

 

[barker1964]

PM Robert first to see first if your type of post is permitted. BTW in the Dominican Republic "APPERANCE" is the last thing for them to deal with. I can show you a million Dominicans that dress way better than most first world people yet go to their homes and you will see dirt floors.

 

[the gorgon]

Hi The gorgon, develop the skills we use to communicate and interact with each other, both verbally and non-verbally, through gestures, body language and our personal appearance, in order for them to initiate and maintain positive social relationships.
Have a nice day!

i am going to take flak for this, but here goes. when you say "skills we use", who is 'we"? this sounds like a civilizing mission to me. forgive me if i read into it wrongly.

 

[LindseyKaufman]

i am going to take flak for this, but here goes. when you say "skills we use", who is 'we"? this sounds like a civilizing mission to me. forgive me if i read into it wrongly.

That was the idea that I was trying to get at.

Lindsey

 

[the gorgon]

That was the idea that I was trying to get at.

Lindsey

thank the Lord someone else sees it. i don't want to feel that i am unraveling in my old age, even though i am.

 

[IEatTravelnCode]

@the gorgon
Not at all, we really appreciate your comment, we are just trying to forge a better future for this kids.

@barker1964
Please do, don't want any conflict or things like that.

@LindseyKaufman
Thank you, and I'm Dominican.

 

[the gorgon]

@the gorgon
Not at all, we really appreciate your comment, we are just trying to forge a better future for this kids.

@barker1964
Please do, don't want any conflict or things like that.

@LindseyKaufman
Thank you, and I'm Dominican.

it is a noble venture, and i wish you every success...

 

[AlterEgo]

@the gorgon
Not at all, we really appreciate your comment, we are just trying to forge a better future for this kids.

@barker1964
Please do, don't want any conflict or things like that.

@LindseyKaufman
Thank you, and I'm Dominican.

Hi IEatTravelnCode,

Your OP is fine where it is here in the Community Support Forum, that's what it's meant for.

Best of luck with your undertaking.

 

[cobraboy]

Check with the Ministry of Edumacation before you spend a dime. I suspect there are a pile of regulations they'd foist on you.

Reach out to bob saunders. His wife has schools with over 1,000 students.

 

[IEatTravelnCode]

Hi cobraboy, since our system does not support Kindergarten, they always have the same answer for us, they can only make it a school and help us from kids from first grade and up, plus we need minimum of kids which we do not have at the moment .

 

[chic]

kg nice but do kids really need it? i went...my best friend didnt (we both ended up ok) naps, sharing play time seems like alot of energy spent getting them there and back...and of course i dont remember anything of k.g.

 

[bob saunders]

My understanding is you just can't have a school that starts half way up the chain, meaning you have to have pre-kinder, and kindergarten classes offered. Private schools in the DR have to play by all the rules of the public school system plus some extra ones just for private schools. Go to the local school district and ask to speak to the supervisor in charge of private schools and talk to them in regards to what you are trying to accomplish and you may be pleasantly surprised at how much they are willing to help you, or conversely how little they'll help you.

 

[Mauricio]

Not to quibble, but I have been involved in providing assistance to and starting schools in the DR. It is my understanding that not only does the DR government require kindergarten, but a pre-k class as well.

I know for a fact that one of the best Christian (evangelical) schools in the country doesn't have pre kinder and neither kinder. They start at Pre primaria, which is probably like Kindergarten but for 5 year olds.

 

[bob saunders]

I know for a fact that one of the best Christian (evangelical) schools in the country doesn't have pre kinder and neither kinder. They start at Pre primaria, which is probably like Kindergarten but for 5 year olds.

Pre-primaria is the year between kinder and grade one. This is the DR. PRE-KINDER = 3 YERS OLD, KINDER - FOUR YEARS OLD, PRE-PRIMARIA = FIVE YEARS OLD. The public schools start with pre-primario so I assume that would be the minimum requirement. As a private school I can tell you two things: starting children in pre-kinder gives you a chance to start to develop discipline in them at a very young age. Behavior is the biggest problem with dealing with children and Dominican children are given less discipline in the home or public schools than in most countries or cultures. There are exceptions. Class room discipline is very important in the learning process and the advance of the students.

 

[Mauricio]

Y

Pre-primaria is the year between kinder and grade one. This is the DR. PRE-KINDER = 3 YERS OLD, KINDER - FOUR YEARS OLD, PRE-PRIMARIA = FIVE YEARS OLD. The public schools start with pre-primario so I assume that would be the minimum requirement. As a private school I can tell you two things: starting children in pre-kinder gives you a chance to start to develop discipline in them at a very young age. Behavior is the biggest problem with dealing with children and Dominican children are given less discipline in the home or public schools than in most countries or cultures. There are exceptions. Class room discipline is very important in the learning process and the advance of the students.

I agree to a certain point. My wife's parents own a private school, starting at pre-kinder. Probably a good thing, my youngest is in pre kinder and learning a lot of skills like learning to play, share and communicate, however those redacting study books for
Pre-kinder in DR apparently think that good education means difficult tasks. I don't need my three year old to distinguish letters already, pre-primaria is early enough to 'alfabetizar'.

 

[Chip]

PM Robert first to see first if your type of post is permitted. BTW in the Dominican Republic "APPERANCE" is the last thing for them to deal with. I can show you a million Dominicans that dress way better than most first world people yet go to their homes and you will see dirt floors.

With all due respect until you have lived like poor Dominicans you wouldn't understand. BTW, the nice clothes you see them wearing are no doubt used.