Suzanne's questions

Suzanne asked:

Alice, how much time for and access to the computer do the students in the village have? What percentage of this camp will be technology based? ..............do you envision grouping students so that some are on computers, some reading or writing, some doing hands-on work...and then switching to the next activity?.......Is this what they have already been doing?.....................I am not familiar with their time schedules (if you can call it that) down there. How much time is spent with chores as opposed to school?...........Thanks

During the school year, which ends around mid-June, school lets out at 1:30pm. Kids seem to go home for lunch and chores at that point, and then often show up at Caiman House around 3 or so and hang out for several hours. This is probably negotiable and flexible, and if we serve them lunch I'm sure we could have them right after school.

Once term ends, some families go to their farms outside the village, some stay behind, and the place really empties out in August. So there is definitely a recruiting job we will need to do in advance of your arrival. But I'm not worried because we are not looking for any big numbers. This is pilot development time. A goal could be to establish a way of working that could be replicated as an afterschool program in September.

We currently own a total of 9 laptops, though I am looking for ways to increase that number by the time you arrive. In fact I will probably ship some to each of you and ask you to carry them into the country (they are duty-free items).

I have no preconceptions about how you might organize the class, whether using whole group, sub-groups, alternating sessions (like a morning group and an afternoon group, or a MWF and TuThSat). Obviously we need to know more about numbers to decide that. I will be getting our librarians (both young women) involved in this when I return to Yupukari (in less than a week).
Hope this helps a little.