Student Author(s)

Leah Ewald

Faculty Mentor(s)

Dr. Daniel Woolsey

Document Type

Poster

Event Date

4-11-2014

Abstract

This investigation aims to analyze the operation and overall results of Servicio País Educación (SPE), an intervention-based program offered to primary, low-resource, municipal schools in Chile. SPE’s involvement in the schools Colegio Juan José Latorre and Escuela Municipal de la Pacífica of Valparaíso served as the primary case studies. Functioning from 2010-2012 as an after-school mentoring program aided by college-aged volunteers, SPE provided a non-formal educational environment for a select group of students coming from especially poor socioeconomic situations. These students often underperformed academically or exhibited behavioral issues in the classroom. The program not only provided individualized academic help, but also practical education in the areas of self-esteem, social skills, and emotional health, in hopes it would serve as support for the harsh situations students faced outside school. Results from this investigation were reached from interviews and an analysis of primary documents revealing the actual implication of the program in the two schools. This information identified that a relationship of trust and communication between the school and program was key in its success and the success of the student participants of SPE. In addition, the academic, social, and behavioral development of student participants could not be fully reached through this single program, but was dependent on various external factors. Finally, this study discovered that the non-formal education methods utilized by SPE in the extracurricular environment of these schools could also be implemented by the teachers to create an engaging learning experience in their own classrooms.

Comments

English Translation of Title: Beyond Academic Support: Non Formal Education and the Servicio País Program in Valparaíso, Chile

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