Activities in Guatemala

Although 96% of children enroll in elementary schools in Guatemala, the completion rate is only about 42%. It is noted that high dropout rate in mathematics should be the major factor of it. The aim of this Project is therefore to work with the Ministry of Education and educators to improve their teaching ability for mathematics through teaching method trainings. Mathematics textbooks and teachers’ manuals (hereinafter referred to as teaching materials) for the first grade through the sixth grade will be drafted and revised in accordance with the national curriculum.

To draft teaching materials appropriate to Guatemala, the officers in charge of arithmetic education in the Ministry of Education the first initiate to analyze Guatemala’s curriculum and the teaching materials in other Central American countries, and then the preliminary version are compiled. Next, the teaching materials are piloted at some partner schools where observations are made for further revision, and the final version will be completed. Also, the officers in charge of arithmetic education in the Ministry of Education are taking a leading part to improve teaching techniques through guidance tour, mathematics teaching methods trainings, open classes and educators’ discussion groups. The process of working on this program helps the officer themselves advance their skills as well.

In the training sessions for mathematics teaching methods, mock lessons are being given to help with teaching ability for teachers in the pilot partner schools while sharing unit goals, unit teaching content, troubles which students face to in the process of learning and helpful points to teach. Currently, the teachers who have participated in the trainings disseminate their knowledge by providing the trainings in other schools. Also, the training plan for the officer in the Ministry of Education has been used in the supplementary trainings when the teaching materials were distributed by the Ministry of Education. In such ways, training methods and teaching materials are being spread throughout Guatemala.