Our Little Ones Are in School

As we have mentioned, we are part of Grupo Cajola, a community group working to “build a better Cajola, where people live in peace and dignity.” This week, they started a new preschool for our children. The school is named Xnaq’tz Nabl Qchman in our language Mam, which loosely translates into “Wisdom of our Elders School.” This first year our children are the only students, but next year it will be open to the community. The school is located where we used to weave on the foot looms – we have moved into new, more ample space. It is based on the principles of the Reggio Emilia preschools from Italy, where the interests of the children provide the basis for their development, and the emphasis is on developing children’s aptitudes, creativity, and collaboration rooted in their own culture. We have been creating children’s books in Mam for them and will be emphasizing Maya Mam culture and spirituality. But the best thing is that the children have the chance to play and develop and we have the chance to work more effectively. We are sharing a photo of the first day of school’s morning snack.