We are starting a new year which means that it is time to hire teachers for 2012 school year. Each year we hire teachers to teach in the learning center and in 6 aldean schools. The school year in Guatemala runs from January till the end of October although classes usually do not start until the middle or end of January and usually end the beginning or middle of October. Our practice is to lay off our teachers at the end of the school year and rehire those who performed well the following year. This saves us from having to fire those who did not perform too well. We simply do not rehire them. Often when there are issues we do not find out about them until the school year is almost over. It is easier therefore to let them finish the year instead of firing them and having to find another teacher to replace them for a month or two. Only in severe cases do we decide to terminate a contract before the year is up.
This year we will most likely be rehiring all the same teachers as last year since we had no major issues with any of them. Most of them did their work well and not only worked in the schools teaching the regular subjects but also taught Bible and supported the Reformed Churches in Cubulco and in the aldeas. Even though we know these teachers well, since most of them have been working with us for a number of years, we still felt it was important to interview each of them. We had each teacher answer a number of questions and most dealt with their spiritual life. After this Pastor Xicara, Vilma (education director) and I spent 30-45 minutes with each of them talking about their spiritual life. Pastor Xicara spent a lot of time exhorting each teacher with the Word of God. We feel that we need to focus especially on the spiritual not only because FRMI (Free Reformed Missions Int'l) is a Christian organization, but because this is the key in ensuring that these teachers do not feel that this is simply a job, but a ministry. Our goal in having teachers has always been in the first place to minister to the children in our communities. We need our teachers to feel the same way and therefore we need their spiritual life to be in order. The rest will come later. "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added...." Of course not all are at the level that we would like. Many of them struggle with a lack of spiritual maturity, but through this interview process we made them aware that we will be there to help them stay the course. We will pray for them and we will monitor their spiritual life. We will also spend more time in training them with Biblical teaching. We ask that you join us in praying for the teachers of Cubulco.
We are starting a new year which means that it is time to hire teachers for 2012 school year. Each year we hire teachers to teach in the learning center and in 6 aldean schools. The school year in Guatemala runs from January till the end of October although classes usually do not start until the middle or end of January and usually end the beginning or middle of October. Our practice is to lay off our teachers at the end of the school year and rehire those who performed well the following year. This saves us from having to fire those who did not perform too well. We simply do not rehire them. Often when there are issues we do not find out about them until the school year is almost over. It is easier therefore to let them finish the year instead of firing them and having to find another teacher to replace them for a month or two. Only in severe cases do we decide to terminate a contract before the year is up.
This year we will most likely be rehiring all the same teachers as last year since we had no major issues with any of them. Most of them did their work well and not only worked in the schools teaching the regular subjects but also taught Bible and supported the Reformed Churches in Cubulco and in the aldeas. Even though we know these teachers well, since most of them have been working with us for a number of years, we still felt it was important to interview each of them. We had each teacher answer a number of questions and most dealt with their spiritual life. After this Pastor Xicara, Vilma (education director) and I spent 30-45 minutes with each of them talking about their spiritual life. Pastor Xicara spent a lot of time exhorting each teacher with the Word of God. We feel that we need to focus especially on the spiritual not only because FRMI (Free Reformed Missions Int'l) is a Christian organization, but because this is the key in ensuring that these teachers do not feel that this is simply a job, but a ministry. Our goal in having teachers has always been in the first place to minister to the children in our communities. We need our teachers to feel the same way and therefore we need their spiritual life to be in order. The rest will come later. "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added...." Of course not all are at the level that we would like. Many of them struggle with a lack of spiritual maturity, but through this interview process we made them aware that we will be there to help them stay the course. We will pray for them and we will monitor their spiritual life. We will also spend more time in training them with Biblical teaching. We ask that you join us in praying for the teachers of Cubulco. 