Adding to Our Menu of Services: Typing Classes - Open ...

Newsletter                                                                     Fall 2020

 Adding to Our Menu of Services: Typing Classes
                                                         In order to graduate middle school
                                                         youth in Guatemala must pass a typing
                                                         course and, for those attending the
                                                         public schools, the course has to use
                                                         typewriters rather than the computer
                                                         keyboards employed by some of the
                                                         private schools. San Miguel Dueñas
                                                         has had an academy that provided the
                                                         necessary course, but it closed along
                                                         with all the schools and does not plan
                                                         to re-open. However, the owner of the
                                                         academy offered to donate the
                                                         machines, tables and chairs to Open
                                                         Windows, so, once in-person classes
                                                         begin again, students will learn their
                                                         typing skills through us.

Between 80 and 100 students from Dueñas and surrounding towns enroll in the typing course
each year, so the population we serve will expand substantially. We will have to have a
teacher certified to teach typing because the academy is registered with the Ministry of
Education and the students have to pass their course with a certified teacher in order to
graduate. We are looking forward to providing this new service to the community – as soon
as the schools are allowed to re-open.

 Estamos ofreciendo un nuevo servicio a la comunidad. Una academia de mecanografía en San
 Miguel Dueñas se ha cerrado y no se abrirá. La dueña nos donó a Ventanas Abiertas todas las
 maquinas (13), escritorios y sillas para que el servicio pueda continuarse. Todos los estudiantes
 de primero y segundo básico deben aprender mecanografía para graduarse y por eso esperamos
 entre 80 y 100 estudiantes cada año cuando las escuelas tengan permitido abrir.

Can You Help Us Get Alejandra into 7th Grade?
It is the time of year when we
start thinking about the
scholarships we will give out for
the coming year. Like
everything else this year, that
has gotten more complicated.
The sixth graders who will be
competing for scholarships this
year have missed most of the
school year, so it is unclear how
many will be able to pass the
exams qualifying them for
middle school. At the same
time, due to the uncertainty
many feel from the pandemic,
the donations which support the
scholarships have dropped off.

We are working now to help the sixth graders get ready for their exams and our goal is to
help every student who qualifies and needs a new or continuing scholarship to obtain one.
One example is Alejandra. Alejandra is 13 years old and started the current school year in
sixth grade, but of course that ended in March. Since that time she has been studying on her
own to prepare for the exams in November.

Alejandra has been coming to Open Windows for the past five years. She loves to sing and
has been part of the chorus at the learning center. She lives with her single mother and four
year-old brother. Her mother works as a maid in a private house and is very anxious for
Alejandra to continue her education. She wants her daughter to have a chance for a better
future and so she is pushing Alejandra to continue her schooling. That will only be possible,
however, with a scholarship.

Can you help us get Alejandra into 7th grade? The total cost for a year of middle school
will be $500. That could be a single donor sponsoring her, five donors giving $100 each, 20
donors sharing the sponsorship with $25 each, or any combination of those possibilities.
Whatever the combination, every amount helps and we hope to see Alejandra in middle
school in January.

 Los estudiantes del sexto grado enfrentan una dificultad especial este año: para continuar su
 educación necesitan aprobar un examen en noviembre, pero las clases presenciales terminaron
 en marzo. Ventanas Abiertas ha ayudado a los que piden clases y algunos estudiantes están
 listos para tomar el examen. Una de esos es Alejandra. ¿Puede usted ayudar a Alejandra a
 continuar su educación?

Distance Learning Progress
Within a very short time the teachers at Open Windows have made some serious progress in
creating distance learning materials for primary school children. There are now more than 30
videos available on YouTube (probably more by the time you read this) under the channel
Aprende con Ventanas Abiertas. All four of the basic areas are covered: language and
communication, mathematics, natural science and technology and social science. In
addition, we have added a fifth subject, accounting, because of its popularity and importance
in Guatemala.

We are also getting help from outside sources. Gretchen, a Masters level student in
Learning Design and Technology at Purdue University, is devoting the practicum required for
her degree to creating online games that will accompany the videos and also on showing the
teachers how to design and create those kinds of games. In addition, Lois, a teacher of
technology, has provided some guidance for the teachers and has offered to work with them
on designing the content of the videos and even on the possibility of developing a capacity
for doing online teaching (if only we can get internet access for all the kids!!).

We are still learning, exploring and looking for new ideas. The best thing is that as we learn
and improve we are also creating the tools kids need to study at home, whether it is a matter
of learning new material or refreshing their memories on things they have already learned.
We are now exploring additional sources of help so we can make as much material available
as possible as quickly as possible.

There is still no word on how or even if schools will operate here in Guatemala when the
academic year begins in January. That makes it all the more important that as broad an
array of learning tools as possible is available to children. Open Windows cannot replace the
schools or provide everything kids need to learn at home, but we are doing as much as we
can as quickly as we can, and we are appreciative of all the help we are getting.

 Los maestros de Ventanas Abiertas han subido más de treinta videos en YouTube para brindarles
 a los niños la oportunidad de aprender en casa. Hay videos de lenguaje y comunicación,
 matemática, ciencias naturales, ciencias sociales y contabilidad. Tenemos ayuda de voluntarios,
 como Gretchen que hace juegos basado en las lecciones y Lois que les enseña a los maestros a
 mejorar la calidad de los videos y busca software con más capacidades.

New Classrooms
Two new classrooms got added to our
facility this July. Previously we had a
garage-like structure which was
crumbling under the elements and no
place for conducting music lessons
without disturbing all the other classes.
Even some of the regular classes had
to be moved from place to place
depending on what else was occurring.

The new classrooms will solve at least
some of those issues and will also help
us in adding the new typing classes for
which we might otherwise not have had
space. The rest of the space issues
will be addressed when the pandemic is sufficiently under control that we can predict our
future costs and revenues with more assurance. At that time we hope to add a second floor
on top of the new classrooms to serve as a large meeting room for parent meetings and other
special events. For right now, though, we are excited to have the new spaces and anxious to
be able to use them. Maybe in January?

 El julio trabajadores han terminado la construcción de dos salones nuevos. Usaremos los salones
 para clases de música, mecanografía y otras. Nunca más necesitaremos utilizar un garaje en
 malas condiciones como aula. En el futuro esperamos construir un segundo piso con un salón
 amplio que podemos usar para reuniones de los padres y otros eventos especiales.

                         End-of-the-Year Giving
As you plan your donations for the end of the year, please consider including Open Windows
Foundation. The American organization has no staff and no buildings, so every dollar
donated supports the educational and community services provided by Asociación Ventanas
Abiertas. This year we are especially focused on providing scholarships to middle school
and high school students and on expanding our array of videos for distance learning.
Anything you can afford is appreciated – especially by the kids.

 Change a child’s life today:                        Find out more about Open
 Send a tax-deductible check to:                     Windows Learning Center:

 Open Windows Foundation                             Contact:
 c/o John Davis                                      Nilda Girón, Director
 1268 E. McNair Dr.                                  openwindows.nildag@gmail.com
 Tempe, AZ 85283                                     (502) 7834 0292