Casa de Hogar

Education

Most of the children in the orphanage have had inadequate or intermittent schooling and are years behind their expected grade level. With a customary ratio of two adults to more than forty children, help with homework has been unavailable.

The children were consistently going to school unprepared and the failure rate was high. Upon leaving the orphanage at age eighteen (as required), they have been completely unprepared for the future. In a society lacking in social programs, their future as independent adults has looked bleak, destined for a most difficult life, if not one of homelessness and/or crime.

After trying other ways to assist the children's learning, the Fund decided a local teacher would be the best choice, rather than relying on volunteers since continuity was crucial. On May 1, 2002 an educational pilot program was begun. A local teacher, Sandra Martinez, was hired to work full time at the Orphanage. The results with individual children have been astonishing. In recent years, two of our students have won “cuadros de honor” (highest honors) for their respective secondary classes. As a matter of fact, the climate of the orphanage has changed too. (Keith this is moved from below with additions) There is more order and the children are beginning to understand the importance of education and thinking about their futures. With their homework completed, they are finding school more enjoyable. One little girl commented, "School's not so bad when I do my homework".

Sandra has instituted a point system where completion of homework and other responsibilities are tied to privileges like going to movie night, going to the playroom or taking bikes to the park. As a result the children are much more motivated than before.

The current annual cost is $10,000 per year in 2007. This amount does not include vocational training programs or private school tuition for students with special needs. The monthly cost per private school student in 2007 exceeds $300. This cost can sometimes be defrayed with partial scholarships. Additional support is needed for future children. Another area of educational costs borne by the El Buen Pastor Fund is for outside professional help such as counseling, speech therapy, and physical therapy.

New Computer Program

In the effort to help prepare children to live in an increasingly modern age, we have started a computer program. Thanks to the gift of six brand new IBM computers with printers from the state government of Michoacan, made possible by Señora Mayra Coffigny, the wife of the Governor; three other working computers donated by others; and a computer room was installed and equipped through the generous donations from local ex-pats and others. Mexico, like the rest of the world, has become computer dependent. Computer skills are an advantage in the job market and will soon be a necessity.

The goals of the computer program are to teach keyboarding, reinforce reading and math skills through educational games and for older children to attain competency in popular applications.