Bringing Back a New Educational System to Guatemala

Six teachers from Guatemala smile as they proudly show off their "Renown Roadrunners Readers Club" shirts that were given to them by Riverdale Elementary School's principal Carol Cantu on Friday.  Sitting at a table in the school's office, they laugh at each other as all of them look alike in the bright maroon shirts that are normally awarded to the school's students who read 25 books in one year.

"Yes! I'm so glad we get to have these shirts," said ecstatic Marco Vinicio, an English teacher from Ipala, Guatemala, who added that reading clubs are not available in Ipalan schools.

Through a partnership with Riverdale Park that was started in 2008 through Sister Cities International, the six Central American teachers traveled to Maryland to observe classes at Riverdale Park Elementary School and Beltsville Academy, and one teacher was even able to lead an art class.

"This is a wonderful experience," added Vinicio. " We are so grateful."

On Monday October 4th, the teachers arrived at Riverdale Elementary School where they had a continental breakfast with Riverdale Park Mayor Vernon Archer, the superintendent and a member of the school board. Their last day of observation is next Thursday October 14th and the six enthusiastic teachers fly back to Guatemala on October 22nd.

By the encouragement of the Mayor in 2008, the partnership between Riverdale and Ipala was formed.  In 2009 and July of this year, a group of Prince George's County teachers traveled to Ipala and taught in schools where they provided an advanced curriculum and a new style of teaching. The PG County teachers donated to the schools CD players, materials and CDs to learn English. Now, it was the Ipalan teachers' turn to visit Maryland.

"This experience has been very good, " said Iveth Argueta, an elementary school teacher in Ipala. "Everyone has welcomed us like we are their own family. Whatever we learn here, we will bring back to our country."

After observing classes for a week, the teachers agreed in unison that they would bring back the following to Guatemalan schools: lecture, presentation, homework, comprehension and analysis. They plan to speak with their superintendents about this in hopes that it will get to the Ipalan government and be incorporated in not only their schools, but the entire educational system.

While helping the visiting teachers with their new schedules, Principal Cantu noticed the teachers were very impressed by the amount of bilingual students at her school, the available technology and the school's emphasis on analytical thinking.

More than sixty percent of the students at Riverdale Elementary School are Hispanic and about ninety percent are bilingual.  Some students translated for the Ipalan teachers during classes.

"The Ipalan teachers are impressed by how many teachers and adults speak Spanish here, " said Cantu. "They also see a different method of teaching and an emphasis on our kids to really think and understand why certain things happen and how they come up with their answers."

Cantu added that this exchange meant a lot to her students.

"I told our students that having international students at our school really means something. They have more pride in our school and really feel that we are the best school in the world now, " Cantu said.

Pamela Aguiniga, an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher at Beltsville Academy who taught twice in Ipala, has two Ipalan teachers staying with her while the other four are staying with Mayor Archer and Riverdale Park Council Member Alan Thompson.

"I am going to be so sad when they go, " said Aguiniga.. For the weekend, she is taking them to Washington, DC to see the Smithsonian Museums, the Washington Monument, the White House and the Senate.

Next week, the six Guatemalan teachers will be performing a traditional dance at William Wirt Middle School on Tuesday night and a similar dance at Riverdale Elementary School on Wednesday night. After their last day of observation, they will spend time with Ipaltecos Ausentes, a group of Ipalans who live in Riverdale Park, and family members before heading back to Guatemala.