School Outreach

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
Prov 1:7

“Good morning, teacher!” Juan Diego smiles out the classroom door as I walk by. Sure, they’re common words for anyone working in a school. They are basic and friendly, but they will always bring a smile. The soft Spanish accent only adds to the enjoyment of hearing the words. You see, it isn’t the words that bring the joy it’s the child.

El Colegio de las Américas de Ixtlán is an outreach of the Apostolic Christian Church in Mexico. The school began in August 2009 with eight students in first grade. El Colegio de las Américas is a Christian Private school that is focused on teaching Biblical values to students while providing a solid education which is often difficult to find in Mexico.

In order for the school to be accredited with the state, we use a standardized curriculum, but by including biblical teachings, we hope to have an impact on the children that will also affect the entire family. Currently we have 15 first graders and 12 second graders. For the fall 2011-2012 term there are also 15 children signed up for the next first grade.

Opportunity in Teaching
There is still a need for Christian teachers. Our prayer is that the Lord will bring us qualified teachers who will be living examples of Christ in word and deed.

It is possible for an American certified teacher (degree in any area of Education, except pre-K) to be qualified to teach in the school, but there is some paperwork that needs to be approved which may take a couple of months. Candidates would also need to be proficient in Spanish (except for English teachers, see below).

Part of the school curriculum is quality English learning from a native speaker. For this, we are looking for brothers or sisters to make at least a two year commitment. While specific teaching qualifications are not required to teach English, the following are some basic qualifications for those interested in teaching English in El Colegio de las Américas:

Native English Speaker.
Demonstrates correct use of the English Language.
University degrees in education or TESOL (Teaching English to Speaker of Other Languages) are not necessary, but will be taken into consideration and will be helpful in the classroom.

Any person interested in teaching in El Colegio de las Américas should also be willing to do the following:

Learn to control a classroom.
Research and learn about the English language to better understand how to teach it.
Learn and practice Spanish.
Adapt to Mexican culture both inside and outside the classroom.

As a representative of the Apostolic Christian Church it is also important that those interested be in good standing with the church and commit to practicing the teachings of the Bible, while being in submission to the authorities in Ixtlán, as well as practicing daily prayer and study of the Scripture.

At the present moment, due to current housing situations, we are only able to accept couples or single brothers. However, we ask that all those interested still contact us for more information. If interested, first speak with your family and elder regarding your desire, and when granted their support, please contact one of the following brothers:

Matt Gerber
magerbe@gmail.com

Regg Beer
Reggie46542@yahoo.com