A wonderful visit from a great artist.

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During the third week of February, our students received an enriching visit from the talented sculptor Terrence Rooney.

He came from the United States to share a little of his creative ability with each of the elementary groups.

Fourth, fifth and sixth grades participated from the modeling workshops where they learned how to handle mud, clay, paper mache and salt dough.

This is how we seek to form our “caracolitos”, nourishing their head, heart and hands in each of the activities scheduled.

The “jocote” is flowering again.

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Mother Nature has its own ways of letting us know when the time to be reborn has come. 
Our beautiful “jocote” trees are flowering again, getting ready for the red, yellow and crown mombin harvest that will happen a few months from now.  

These delicious fruits will accompany our community during the “Jocote Festival” in October.

Kindergarten students cooked delicious “tamalitos de chipilín”

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Our kindergarten students had great moments while making “tamalitos de chipilín”; following teacher’s directions, the students mixed, shaped and wrapped this delicious Guatemalan traditional dish.

Cooking is one of the main activities for the kindergarten groups at a Escuela Caracol, it helps students develop self-confidence and their will, as well as their psycho-motor and social skills.

Children enjoying math class?

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One of the biggest concerns of parents when sending their children to school is whether they are going to learn what they need to overcome all the difficulties that life can place on their path as adults or not. The biggest concern of children is having a boring and difficult experience while learning.

At Escuela Caracol, we work towards forming students through three main dimensions, the head (academical knowledge), the heart (the human part of the child), and the hands (their ability to create and express through making and doing).

On each and every lesson, our teachers do their best to apply all the tools and techniques they have on hand to make the learning experience complete and fun, so children can feel the joy of learning; all of these without leaving the academic content aside.

We want our students to feel the joy of learning. Our teachers, through Waldorf Pedagogy, encourage students to enjoy the whole learning process.

We want to share with you a short video where the fifth-grade titular teacher, Carmen Alvarado, explains a brief exercise used on the elementary level at Escuela Caracol to teach math (Spanish).

Enjoy, share, comment.

Building model scale houses.

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Following the construction of shelters that marked the beginning of the block, the third graders learned how mud-bricks are made and the basics of how constructions are done, all this by building scale houses.

Teacher Ervin guided the whole process; the students begun by making the bricks, being really careful they shaped one by one those that, a few moments later, would form the tiny houses’ walls.

The children had a great time playing the role of builders and engineers while learning. This kind of activities help teacher nurture the heads, hearts and hands of students by letting them understand the world, feel useful and capable of doing great things.

First day at the garden

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Our first grade caracolitos had their first day at the garden. Following their gardening teacher’s directions they learned how to prepare the soil, water the plants, recognize the plants, among many other incredible things.

Being in touch with nature through gardening lets the students develop respect and love for nature. They also learn about responsibility, each of the students is in charge of a specific chore and of the tools needed to perform it.

While working on the garden, children learn directly from our gardening teacher, Santiago, he teaches them through the use of tales and stories, anecdotes and direct instructions.

Every time the go to gardening class, children have the chance to work their brain, by knowing new terms and developing their motor skills; their hands, by performing all the physical tasks required in a garden: and their heart, by getting in touch with nature.

First day in elementary.

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In a magical activity, first grade students were welcomed to their first day in elementary.

Followed by their parents, each of the students passed across a welcoming tunnel made of older students and the elementary teachers.

After that, a special moment happened. Parents left their children at the door of their new classroom to be welcomed by their teacher, Sonia.

This was, without a doubt, a moment they won’t forget for the rest of their lives.

Finding Balance.

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By Carmen María Alvarado / fifth grade teacher.

To keep a bamboo stick over the head and walking without dropping it is a balance exercise we all should do at least once a day.

Performing every day a balance exercise helps students from many different perspectives; for example, they achieve full concentration and have the chance to find themselves. While performing this type of balance, children must ignore all external influence and find the silence inside themselves, an approach to their “own self”.

This exercise helps by providing calmness to the group, it also finishes the rhythm and movement parts the quietest way possible before the cognitive part of the journey begins.

Here we go again!


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After the holiday break, students and staff came back to school. With deep happiness we contemplate how the trails and classrooms get filled with energy and happiness through the laughter and movement of our students.

The first day of classes went by normally, school’s new students easily adapted to their groups and teachers couldn’t hide the joy of having their caracolitos back.

2019 will be a year of growth and success to all of us, here, at Escuela Caracol.

A Magical Shelter

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As part of this year’s first block, third graders learned about using and building shelters in the wild.

Using materials gathered in the gardens, our Caracolitos built two shelters with branches, flowers and leaves they found on the trails of our school.

Having their teachers guide as a reference, our students built the structures to fit a few students inside.

As a special detail, boys and girls decorated their shelters with flowers and leaves, giving the structures a more warm and homelike feeling.

The stories the gardening teacher, Santiago, told them about the way bees and ants work, gave them inspiration to work as a team.

Our Caracolitos had a great time while learning about construction and basic survival techniques. Now and for a few weeks on, third grade students will have a small place that can become a fortress, a castle, a house or a school, where all their dreams can become real through the game.