Basic Education

First Cycle (1st -3rd grade)

The first cycle includes 1st - 3rd grade. It is our aim to offer an all-embracing education for the children in those grades, therefor the curriculum contains subjects as Christian Education, Musik, Plastic Arts, English and German. The classes in these subjects are aimed to meet the student individually. The children can work and learn about new, interesting attractive and - over all – meaningful topics and activities.

Over the years by means of innovation in addition new exclusive courses were offered as communication, social life, mathematics, science, arts etc. For these classes the students have to go to classrooms which are especially equipped for the different subjects. To rotate classrooms asks for everybody´s commitment and develops attentiveness, autonomy, tolerance and leads the pupils to help each other.

Another very important influence on the education of these grades is the idea to teach in games. Children learn, as we understand it, the best in a playful manner. Through games many abilities can be developed and improved which has an enormous significance for the emotional and mental growth of a child. A child that plays is a child that loves to live, that understands difficult situations and learns how to deal with them, that respects others, and that laughs and is happy.

In 2006 we started the annual retreat for families, which got to be a tradition in order to meet the parents as well. With those meetings we want to give the parents the opportunity for spiritual reflection, to think about their life and to help them find a positive direction for it. In addition this “meeting with God” and his Word is also a chance for parents, pupils, teachers and the direction to spend a joyful time together and to come closer one with another.

Second cycle (4th - 6th grade)

The second cycle includes 4th -6th grade. The curriculum is completed with subjects as Christian Education, Music, Plastic Arts, Computing, English, Choir, and German with the aim to offer a good general education. In addition there comes along another subject, which builds up the spatial sense by means of games.

Every teacher´s work, especially the leading one´s, is aimed to support the student’s individual progress and the social development (consciousness) in the group. Here emerge the relevant topics and strategies for their intellectual, social, spiritual and physical education.

With the participation at competitions or other artistic or cultural events the students make very significant experiences. Thereby they learn to maximize their abilities and to build up a healthy and friendly relationship to their neighbor (classmates).

According to the personal interests the student has also the chance to learn an instrument.

The annual retreat for the students is another traditional activity to give the students the opportunity to play, have fun and to think about their lives and it´s sense as well. In addition this “meeting with God” and his Word it is also the chance for parents, pupils, teachers and the direction to spend a joyful time together and to come closer one with another.

The third cycle (7th - 9th grade)

The third cycle includes 7th - 9th grade which are the last grades of the obligatory basic education in Paraguay.
The students in these grades are 12 to 15 years old. This age holds hard challenges, but also great successes. It is the phase of profound changes and basic decisions in everybody´s life. Children grow up to be adolescents and a great part of their growing up personality is formed in those years.
Therefor we at the Centro Educativo Nandejara introduced new subjects and activities that give the students the opportunity to discover and develop their talents and abilities. All this happens within a frame of principals and values that are based on the Word of God. The friendships with each other shall grow and multiply, especially the personal relationship to Christ shall get deeper, since it is the base for a full development of the personality.
The subjects, that emerged are Spanish, Guaraní (indigenous language, since 1992 next to Spanish, it is the second official language in Paraguay), Work and Technology, Mathematics, Science, Health, Physical Education, History, Geography, Ethics, Social Studies, Artistic Elective Courses (Choir, Choreography, Theater), Computing, English, German, A Math Club, Guitar Classes, Methods of Research (Investigation). These subjects are integrated in projects that the students plan.
The grades are always guided by their coordinator who is also responsible for counseling and for general orientation. Every day starts with a little devotional time and prayer in every class. Weekly there is a devotional time all together with spiritual impulse. Moreover it is enriching for the group to spend this time together.
Every year the adolescents enjoy many different activities such as retreats, artistic, cultural and sportive competitions, math contests, “Spanish and Verses form the Bible”, presentations, tournaments, tours – for recreation and education, community service, etc.