Q'anil Educational Project
San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala
Q’anil represents the regeneration of the earth and symbolizes the seed and fertility.
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Q’anil is one of the 20 Nawales (named days) in the Sacred Mayan Calendar. The Mayan culture is alive and rich in San Pedro la Laguna and the surrounding villages on Lago Atitlan. We are honored to be in this sacred land, in harmonious coexistence as human beings in connection with our wise and beautiful natural environment.
Q’anil Educational Project is a space where we compassionately foster creativity, growth, and a love for learning in our little seeds.
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Q’anil Educational Project is rooted in the planting, careful cultivation, blossoming, and prosperity of our precious seeds, our children, our future.
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Mission
The mission of our alternative and international educational community is to empower children to thrive as free-thinking, compassionately conscious, and capable lifelong learners.
Who we are...
We are a group of local, national, and international parents and teachers in San Pedro La Laguna, on Lago Atitlan in Guatemala who came together motivated by a common desire to provide our children with an intentional, customized, and personalized education that is deeply connected to the culture of our local community as well as represents the strengths of our intercultural diversity.
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“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning.
But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”
Fred Rogers
How are we alternative?
Q’anil Educational Project is not a typical, traditional learning environment. We believe that learning is always happening, even when the children are freely playing. Our children are regularly engaged in intercultural enrichment classes and activities shared by local and foreign community members supporting social and emotional intelligence, art, music, movement, and more. Invaluable life skills (such as conscious communication, mindful awareness, and conflict resolution) are taught and modeled throughout our day. Our teachers use alternative, creative, and playful methods, themes, and projects for guiding and teaching these as well as core academic subjects.
We also believe in the importance of having a strong connection with nature. We often go on cultural and recreational excursions.
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Within a semi-structured environment we promote choice and freedom of expression.
Every age group is small so we have the ability to closely connect with each child’s emotional and mental needs and desires, their individual learning styles, and where they are on their learning journey.
