Mexico Missives: English Classes in Zacango

I want to thank the Men’s Sunday School Class of Berlin Mennonite Church in Berlin, Ohio for their generous donation of a copy of Rosetta Stone, English levels 1-2. The donation has improved the learning environment and resources of at least 35 students who are learning English in Zacango, a community of 200 people where MCC workers Bruce and Jaime Friesen-Pankratz live.

Jaime teaches English classes every Tuesday and Thursday from 3-6pm to three different groups of students. The classes meet in an unused classroom of the elementary school in the community. After much work, Jaime and Bruce have created a welcoming space for their students to study English and to learn how to use the computer. They found unused desks and chairs for the students and have created many posters and visuals to decorate the walls.

The first hour, 18 students from the primary school sing songs and play games to learn colors, numbers and greetings in English. The second hour is for students of middle school age, and the last hour is for students in their teens and early 20s, many of whom are young women. For the older students, groups of 3-4 students rotate between three learning centers. Jaime works with one group on listening and speaking skills. The other two learning centers involve the use of the Rosetta Stone, which integrates listening, reading and speaking skills. The young women really love using the Rosetta Stone as it integrates learning English with their recent computer skills.

Education in Zacango is a scarce resource. There is a primary school that has two teachers. One teacher is responsible for the students in grades 1-3, and the director of the school teaches grades 4-6. The classes should meet in the morning from 8:30am until 2pm, though usually the students leave at noon. Unfortunately, classes are sporadic, with weeks of only two or three days of class. For students who want to continue their education in la secondaria (grades 6-9) and la prepa (grades 10-12), they would need to go to Olinalá, a 15-20 minute drive. Few have the resources to pay for the transportation or the necessary school supplies and uniforms.

Jaime and Bruce have made their classes a priority. The classes are consistently held every week and begin on time. The students and the community have seen the value that they have placed on education. There are changes in behaviors that reflect this value. Many of the young women work really hard in the mornings to finish their chores and tasks so that they are able to be at the classes in the afternoon. Hernan and Valentina, Jaime and Bruce’s neighbors, posted a calendar of their weekly events. All of the events posted are the classes that Bruce and Jaime teach.