new public school hours

[bob saunders]

In a state school I visited in the SW the schoolbooks were all there - on a shelf in the director's office - with little evidence of actual use by the students.

Other than the English textbooks which are garbage and far too advanced for children just learning a second language the other textbooks are not bad. We use our own French and English text, and the math text created at PUMMC thru USAID is a excellent textbook.
I can't speak for other districts. I haven't been in all the public schools here either but I have been in a dozen or so elementary schools and three high schools and the books are available and are used. As to the quality of the classes and teachers I think we all know it isn't up to a decent standard.

 

[bob saunders]

Even better would be to encourage the director to go her/himself.

Yes but first you got to find out the situation. Lots of political games at school districts.

 

[bronzeallspice]

What do you mean there were no high schools? I have a sister who was in high school 30 years ago, and we lived in a small town. And still there was no school breakfast, and no school lunch either.

There was school breakfast LONG before that, but it stopped.

Correct. Years ago many did not attend high school and only went up to the 6th grade. After that it
was working in la finca (family). Many of my family members did just that.

 

[bob saunders]

What do you mean there were no high schools? I have a sister who was in high school 30 years ago, and we lived in a small town. And still there was no school breakfast, and no school lunch either.

There was school breakfast LONG before that, but it stopped.

In Jarabacoa there were several private high schools, but you had to go to La Vega back in the DAY. I think the first public high school in Jarabacoa started in 1968 or so and was just one teacher, Juan Antonio Guzman Fabian. So I guess it was more like 40 years ago, but the point is there was less availability of education in the past.

 

[Aguaita29]

Useful to know this. I do not know how to use it to get books free for the children, though.
.

I once went to a school that had a locked room with hundreds and hundreds of books. There were books on shelves, tables, the floor. Someone told me about it, and as I knew the principal, I asked him and I was able to get some books for a kid. I thought I'd give them the list and they'd get them, but instead someone took me there and I had to almost scuba dive in a sea of books.

There was a dictionary project I volunteered for. We donated school supplies and dictionaries to a class in a rural school. The teacher told me that the dictionaries would be kept at the school so that the kids would use them there, because these were careless and dirty students, and they wouldn't take advantage of them at home. Maybe the school you mentioned earlier won't let the students take the books home or something because they'll break them, or perhaps they see the benefit of next year's students using them.

I appreciate a teacher being candid about how careless the students are, because usually when you donate something, the beneficiaries are always supposed to be angels and geniuses.....but what about teaching kids to care for their own stuff, to be neat and have pride for what they have?

 

[LindseyKaufman]

Just want to report back. I said I would after visiting the local public school that extended their day with the opening of a new building.

This is the local public school where most of the Strength for the Journey kids attend. They gave me a tour of the new building and classrooms. The new rooms were identical to the existing classrooms....desks, a teacher's desk, and a chalk board. No shelves for books or supplies, no indication of technology, such as an overhead projector. Actually, nothing, except the desks and blackboard.

There was a computer room with about 10 desktop computers. I asked and was told that every child in the school takes computer classes. I assume the school has about 300 - 400 kids. I wonder how that works.

The kids were at recess when I was there. Recess was 30 minutes long, kids just hanging out. I was told that there are 3 recesses every day now that school is 8 - 4. Add in 30 minutes for breakfast and 30 minutes for lunch, and one session to complete homework assignments) as our kids tell us they now have in place, and there is how you make a 4 hour school day into an 8 hour day.

There is a new cafeteria. I was impressed by that. It looks like a first world cafeteria. Women were working and were proud of what they do.

The kids say they have music class. I saw no indication of a keyboard or instruments. They say there is art, but when I asked, "Are there crayons, paints, construction paper, scissors?" They said no. I don't know what art is all about.

My foundation that provides after school classes for 80 of their kids at no cost is just a couple blocks down the street. I visited this school many times. They know me. I hold 2 masters degrees, one in global education. I work for nothing, volunteering all my time at my little foundation. I see so much they could do....things that cost nothing, but make huge improvements.

Sadly, there is a long way to go before the Dominican education system is adequate.

Lindsey