by escuelacaracol | Mar 13, 2020 | UPDATES
We want to give you a glimpse from our students point of view of a regular day at our kindergarten classroom. Today, our Caracolitos and Caracolitas will be cooking tortillas to be eaten later accompanied with tomato sauce and cheese. Zoe and Carolina will be the journey’s narrators, you will easily realize why Escuela Caracol is the place where children are happy. Become part of our community and help us continue nurturing heads, hearts, and hands of children form the wester region of Lake Atitlán within an environment off love and respect, donate now following the link below: Give Now Learn more about Escuela Caracol here: Our mission and name Learn more about Waldorf Pedagogy here:...
by escuelacaracol | Mar 9, 2020 | UPDATES
Waldorf Pedagogy aims at integrally nurturing its students according to the development stages they are passing through; these stages are divided into septenniums matching with physiological, psychological, and mood changes. The fourth-grade group is currently passing through the second septennium. Some of the students are still on an authority confronting stage, the rest already passed through this and began with a small resting period, showing more interest in new subjects. Overall, boys and girls are on a stage where they look for new knowings and ways to express. They are focussing on doing their jobs in a good way and on being proud of their performance. Fractions are a very important subject in fourth-grade, they include academic teachings that will help develop the intellect, and ethic teachings, like justice; both are basic tools we provide to our students looking for them to holistically develop as human beings. To live fractions as an integral experience teaches that things can be shared and leaves a very important message about justice. When you share, a healthy moral feeling of community and unity arises. Escuela Caracol’s fourth-graders are currently studying their math block; In the classroom, fractions are presented in two ways, a conceptual and a practical way, in both ways, blackboard drawings are an indispensable tool. We can see a beautiful tree drawn on their blackboard representing the units, each of its branches representing a fraction. One way to encourage students into practicing fractions is to use objects that are regularly divided, such as cakes, bread, or pizza; these were the subjects of study for this particular lesson. We deeply appreciate the...
by escuelacaracol | Mar 3, 2020 | UPDATES
From the 24th to the 26th of February, We had the first round of 2020’s grade meetings in Escuela Caracol, in which we had the participation of our Caracolitos’ families. These meetings are the ideal moment for our families to be familiarized about what is currently happening in our school and about the students’ development; these are also ideal occasions to clarify personal topics regarding the school, as well as to grow within the learning of the Waldorf Pedagogy and as a community. Very relevant subjects were covered during each of the meetings, that could be resumed as pedagogical subjects, general group subjects, and coordination and organization subjects for upcoming activities. During each of the grade meetings, the teacher explains de spirit’s and physiological’s development of the group, as well as the pedagogical approach and the best academic contents regarding the current stage. It is also common to have the teachers conducting rhythms that are usually performed in the classroom, and explaining the stage the group’s children are currently crossing, and how this could bring special characteristics that can be perceived by the specific attitudes and conducts presented. We deeply appreciate the constant commitment and support shown towards the school’s labor. If you couldn’t be present during your grades meeting, don’t hesitate and schedule an appointment with your group’s teacher to keep up to date, and don’t forget, Escuela Caracol belongs to all of...
by escuelacaracol | Feb 26, 2020 | UPDATES
Last Saturday, February the 22nd, took place the Harvest Festival, a cultural activity where a good bit of the San Marcos La Laguna’s community and the tourist’s population gather to enjoy a journey packed with music, culture, and fun times. Our staff had the chore of welcoming all the attendants and receiving the donations at the gate; all along the journey, our team had shifts assigned were we shared very special moments and information about the labor Escuela Caracol is doing to benefit the community through education. We also were represented by our dear teachers Carmen, Diego, and Nacho, as they guided a series of activities and games, usually used in our classrooms, with the youngest assistants of the festival. This year’s edition had Escuela Caracol as one of the main beneficiaries. We deeply treasure the constant support of the festival’s heads, Tim Reher and Osnat Rafaeli, towards our school, and the honest concern and actions they constantly manifest for the wellbeing of our dear...
by escuelacaracol | Feb 25, 2020 | UPDATES
Kindergarten students enjoy a full hour of playtime in the School’s gardens and open spaces every day. During these periods, children have the opportunity to explore their environment and to develop their space and movement senses. During the first septennium, children develop four basic senses: movement, balance, touch, and vital...
