Maritza teach
es 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade at an STW school in the Guatemalan village of Mactzul VII. She was born and lives in the nearby town of Santa Cruz del Quiche.
Of her 23 years as a teacher, Maritza has spent the last 7 years in Mactzul VII.
In 2010 School the World built a school and began programs in Macztul VII. Maritza and her fellow teachers have completed two years of training at the local university. Since 2010, Maritza and her fellow teachers have completed two years of training at the local university. Mactzul VII has been one of our strongest communities, with a 0% dropout rate in 5th and 6th grade this year.
What part of your work as a teacher do you like the most?
Maritza: "I like to have a full class of active students."
Is there a part of your job you don’t like?
Maritza: "There isn’t anything that I don’t like. I like it all."
What is your favorite technique you learned at a STW Teacher Training?
Maritza: "I sit them down to read, tell them to analyze the messages of the books. Little by little, that’s how they learn to write well."
How has the school in Mactzul VII changed since you have been here?
Maritza: "It’s changed a lot. When I came in the earlier days there wasn’t a lot of Spanish being spoken in the classroom. The students didn’t know how to speak it. [Students first language is the Mayan language of K’iche.] But now the children do know Spanish, and the sixth graders even know a few English words."
What has contributed to this change?
Maritza: "There have been so many positive changes because of the support we have received from School the World, most importantly, you trained us. We, now as conscious teachers, do our homework and practice what we learned in the trainings and work as a team."
What do you see for the future of the students in Mactzul VII? Is the school going to continue to progress and change?
Maritza: 'I think it will continue, because we have all visualize our students and the school succeeding. We will work as a team to make it happen."
Students at Mactzul VII love Senora Maritza!
