Friday, October 3, 2008

An Invitation to explore teaching in Guatemala

Our principal asked all of the faculty to introduce our school any of our friends who might find teaching for a year (or more) in Guatemala something worth considering. So here, along with the past several blogs, is a brief introduction to our teaching experience at Inter-American School.Do you think that you might be interested in exploring the possibility of teaching in Guatemala? Do you know of anyone in your Church or network of friends who might be interested in teaching at the Inter-American School? This would be a great opportunity for Christian mission service for someone who is retired, or has an independent income. Or, a truly meaningful experience for a recent graduate. The school offers a living stipend of $500 which is sufficient for rent, utilities, and food. Though the cost of living is very low in Xela, having some additional income from other sources (Church support, retirement, etc) would probably be beneficial.


Teachers must be college graduates, however a degree or experience in education is not required (but certainly preferred).



Inter-American School
http://www.ias-xela.org/
IAS is a Christian school, originally established in 1961 by the Presbyterian Church to provide quality education for the children of missionaries. It is now operated by the Inter-American Foreign Evangelical Missionaries Cultural Association, and is governed by a local inter-denominational board of directors who come from Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, and other denominations. The school uses a curriculum based on North American college preparatory standards.

There are about 150 students each year in grades Pre-K through 12. The maximum class size is 15, the average 2008-09 high school class has 7 students. The overwhelming majority of students today are from Guatemalan families and are members of the Catholic Church. About 15% of the students are Europeans, Asians, or North and South Americans.
Six of last year's eight graduates are now enrolled in universities in the U.S.A., one is studing in Europe. Previous graduates have attended such colleges as: West Point, the Air Force Academy, Loyola, Brigham Young, and the Universities of Texas and North Carolina. The point being that Inter-American School provides a superior education, preparing students to enroll in some of the world's best universities.


Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala
Quetzaltenango is usually known by it's shortened Mayan name of Xela (from Xelaju). This beautiful city is located at 7,658 feet in the Sierra Madre Mountains of western Guatemala. If you want it, culture shock is available in Xela. If you don't, it can be significantly minimized or even avoided (especially if you have previous travel experience in developing nations).



Xela has a large very modern shopping mall, complete with food court (McDonald's, Taco Bell, Subway, Domino's Pizza, etc.) and even a Walmart! There are dozens of elegant restaurants, with cuisine ranging from Italian and Chinese to an Uruguayan steak house. Entertainment can be found at the historical municiple theater, modern movie complexes, cable TV, and in-home Internet. There are lounges which provide live music, dancing and entertainment. If you need to learn Spanish, there are several wonderful schools which offer concentrated one-on-one instruction.

Modern housing in gated communities is readily available, as are very nice houses and apartments in the city. Although crime exists, it is not prevalent as it is in Guatemala City. During almost 50 years of existence, no IAS teacher has ever been the victim of violent crime.

Assemblies of God, Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Nazarene, Presbyterian, and independent evangelical "mega-churches" (among many others) can all be found in Xela.

Please contact the Inter-American School director director@ias-xela.org or principal principal@ias-xela.org for more information. You can download an application on-line through the IAS Web-page: http://www.ias-xela.org/.