earning should be exciting. Challenges should be motivating. School should be fun! This year we are trying a new schedule with our classes. Monday through Thursday, the kids study their academic courses such as reading, writing, math, science, Spanish language, history, and geography. But, each Friday we offer extra classes such as art, music and theater. We have also added tumbling, English, and the new favorite, learning to ride a bike!
A bicycle is a given for most kids in the U.S., and it's also a popular item in Bolivia. But, if you are a child living on a dirt road with potholes the size of small craters in a family where the basic needs are not being met, a new bike isn't likely to be in your future. That is certainly the case for our kids, so as you can imagine, Friday is a very popular day!
When kids found out abou tthe bicycles, they had smiles from ear to ear! Currently, we have six new bikes, and the kids rotate the activities so everyone has a chance to ride. We plan to purchase six more later this year, but for the moment six new riders a time is a handful for the teachers. By the way, the children ride on a paved road in front of the school that is closed to traffic. We are happy to report that so far we have had no skinned knees or serious wrecks. Most of the riders still use training-wheels, but they are progressing quickly.
Every child should feel the joy of getting a new bicycle, and we are so happy that our kids have been able to share that experience!
