The new school year offers many opportunities for our home and children. We’re very excited to share that Alejandra will be the first child in our home to complete high school through our homeschool ISEA program.
High School in Guatemala
In Guatemala, high school begins with 3 standard years, followed by 2 to 3 more years of specialization. Alejandra chose the specialization of Bachelor of Science and Letters, which is designed to prepare her for further post-secondary studies.
By completing her high school studies within our homeschool program, Alejandra receives the challenging curriculum provided by our educational partner and the support of our Dorie’s Promise staff. The purpose of our homeschool program is to focus on the individual needs of our children and foster their success.
Program Expectations
Alejandra is very excited to be the first to complete high school in our program. In general, her weekly routine focuses on five main classes: English, Language and Literature, Project Development and Management, and Information and Communication Technologies. The ISEA program has designed a series of guides that she must complete by the end of the semester. We’ve worked with Alejandra to create a system to organize her many assignments.
Overall, much of her work is self-guided. Alejandra has the freedom to explore and discover which study methods suit her best. For many years, she faced difficulties in traditional learning environments. During the last few years, she discovered that the most suitable way of learning for her is “kinesthetic” learning. Although she will certainly encounter other forms of learning, she is much happier and motivated.
Learning to Face Challenges
We anticipate there will be challenges in this new program. For Alejandra, her most difficult subject is English. To counter that challenge, she has chosen to use alternative learning platforms such as “Duolingo” to reinforce what she learns in class. Another challenge is computer proficiency. Although she has some basic knowledge, her studies require significantly more usage this year.
Even with these challenges, Alejandra shared that she feels happy to “learn new things and if there’s something I don’t know, I can research it!”
When asked about her favorite class, she quickly replied – Physical Education. Every Friday when the children go to Campo Marte, one of the instructors completes an evaluation form and returns it to our staff. Alejandra loves playing basketball and doing Zumba. Her enthusiasm not only boosts her physical education evaluations, it also encourages our other children.
So far, Alejandra is off to a great start and her instructors are confident in her choices. With the help of our Dorie’s Promise staff, we’re excited to watch her excel in this next phase of her educational journey. Keep up the good work, Alejandra!