Since 2007, Doxa’s education program has provided hundreds of students the resources, mentorship, and knowledge to succeed in school. A Doxa scholarship means meeting children on a holistic level, taking an individualized approach to the success of each student. Entering into relationship with their family, journeying along with them, and sharing in the successes and failures along the way. This intimate knowledge helps guide exactly what resources and assistance the student needs to be successful. In the long-run, education empowers youth to break the cycle and mindset of poverty.
On a basic level, a Doxa scholarship materially equips students to succeed. This entails the required school tuition fees, uniforms, shoes, backpack, school supplies, transportation, access to computers and Internet, medical/dental checkups, and glasses (you’d be surprised by how many kids don’t know they need them). Having the basic necessities affords students greater opportunity to succeed.
While the materials and school fees are necessary, Doxa has found that relationally equipping students to succeed is where the real impact happens. This entails surrounding students with competent tutors and coaching their parents to be a positive voice when it comes to education. In Mexico, school is only half-day so there can oftentimes be a lack of discipline, mentorship, and priorities around homework time.
The main way that Doxa relationally equips students to succeed is through the after-school program. Children come in the afternoon to complete their homework, learn additional lessons, or participate in a workshop or seminar. The after-school program is a constant touch-point with each student throughout the entire school year. This becomes even more important as students progress in school and their parents can no longer help them with their homework. The vast majority of parents only finished middle school, with some not even completing elementary school.
Additionally, Doxa’s after-school program has a good reputation among local school teachers. Elementary and middle school teachers have even sent their students to Doxa’s after-school program when they get behind or need additional help.
The backbone of Doxa’s after-school program are its tutors. Employing skilled tutors who are motivated and invested in each student’s life is essential to success. With Doxa now sponsoring about 140 children, it is time to bring more tutors on staff. This allows for more individualized attention and lays the groundwork for additional expansion in the future. This school year, Doxa added four new tutors. Here is a little about each one:
Ailin and her family have known about Doxa for many years. Her family received a Doxa house and Ailin and her brother had previously received scholarships for education. Ailin finished college this year with a degree in Education Sciences. A degree that allows her to teach in the classroom, conduct research, work in school administration, or human resources. She has always liked working with children and after going through online school during the pandemic, realized how important in-person education is to a child’s development and learning. She understands that a student is learning much more than just the school curriculum in the classroom. They learn from the way the teacher conducts themselves, classroom rules, having to interact with fellow students, and completing work in teams. These are things that are difficult or don’t happen with online school, but are necessary and applicable to a student’s development as a person.
Sergio also recently finished college with a degree in Education Sciences. He brings a level of expertise and command to the 4th through 6th grade students, who can sometimes be a handful. Even though he regularly works with 20+ students in Doxa’s after-school program, Sergio says that’s nothing compared to what school classrooms look like. Normally, the student-teacher ratio is 1 to 40. The school where Sergio did his teaching observations, the ratio was 1 teacher to 43 students. Instead of observing and learning from that teacher, Sergio says that he spent most of his time actually helping and teaching alongside. Sergio was drawn to Doxa as a way to get practical teaching experience in an environment that better sets teachers up for success.
Lili is Doxa’s tutoring specialist for 1st and 2nd graders. She believes that learning starts early, with establishing the basic building blocks. This means knowing numbers and letters, being able to write them well, and gaining confidence in reading. She is patient and kind in all she does. In just the first half of this school year, she has started with kids who couldn’t write their numbers or know the sounds of the letters, and who are now accomplishing both of those tasks. Her tutoring work is often very individualized, so she only works with several students at a time.
Giovana is excellent at adapting to a variety of situations because she handles students from elementary and middle school. She helps students complete their homework, extracurricular exercises, language development, and writing. She also keeps the after-school classroom neat and organized. Giovana believes that a good education can facilitate any future goal that her kids have.
Employing competent and qualified tutors is extremely important. It elevates the quality, consistency, and impact of Doxa’s education program. A differentiator among the other education-focused after-school programs in Doxa’s area. Doxa is blessed with these tutors who can provide the individual attention and mentorship needed to see students succeed in school, always completing a higher level of education than their parents did.