Want to observe/volunteer in a class?

If you are good at listening, we can use your help in the classroom. With extra helpers, the teachers are able to do small group work, and students get more individual attention. You do not need to speak Spanish, and it can be a great setting to get to know some very friendly local people!

NOTE: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN OBSERVING/VOLUNTEERING, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY ALL THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BEFORE CONTACTING THE SCHOOL.

1. Please look over the class schedule to decide which class you would prefer:

9:00 – 10:00 AM	Adults basic
10:15 – 11:00 AM	Kids intermediate
1:30 – 2:15 PM	Kinder
2:30 – 3:15 PM	High school
3:30 – 4:15 PM	Kids intermediate
4:30 to 5:15 PM	Kids basic
6:30 – 7:30 PM	Adults basic
7:45 – 8:45 PM	Adults ongoing
9:00 – 10:00PM	Adults intermediate

2. Make sure the class will be in session:

Course schedule 2008:

Jan 7 – Mar 6
Mar 31 – May 22
Jun 2 – July 24
Aug 25 – Oct 16
Oct 27 – Dec 18

Plan to come to the school for the same class daily for a minimum of 4 classes.

3. Contact the school with the exact days and classes you would like to volunteer. It is best if you present at least 2 choices, so we don’t overload any class with too many observer/volunteers. Once we confirm this time, it will be reserved for you. If your plans change, please let us know!

We love having volunteers and invite you to enrich your vacation with this unique experience, and appreciate your cooperation with the following guidelines:

1. Do not take pictures during the class unless given specific permission by the teacher before class starts. You are welcome to take pictures before and after class, with permission from the students.

2. Please remember that the teacher may need time just before class to prepare her teaching materials, so cannot visit with you at that time.

3. Your children are allowed in the classroom to volunteer in classesof their age group when accompanied by a responsible adult.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide any housing assistance or stipend for volunteers. If you plan to volunteer for more than a month at the school, we might be able to give you some leads on housing options, but cannot guarantee this, especially between mid-December and early April.

PLEASE NOTE: It is officially illegal for anyone on a tourist visa to volunteer anywhere in Mexico. This law is ‘broken’ all the time! However, to avoid any problems with immigration, please do not tell them that you will be volunteering at the school. Legally, you are not volunteering, but observing classes, and that is ok with a tourist visa.
(To obtain a legal visa to volunteer in Mexico you need to pay at least $200 USD, file a stack of documents all in Spanish and wait 6 to 12 weeks for the paperwork to be processed.)

Donate money!

Bring donations to the school!

Bring donations to the school!

As of October 2007, this is what we can use if you are coming to Isla and want to bring donations for the school. We distribute these donations a number of ways, including a) selling them at our school special sales at very low prices to distribute them respectfully throughout the community and make a little money for the school; b) giving to specific families we know have need; and c) giving school supplies to teachers and students at the local school elementary school.

Here are some specific suggestions of what we use at the school and donate in the community:

1. Good used clothing: There is a continual need for good used clothing especially children's and teen's. At this time of year, we have specific requests for raincoats for children, teens and adults. Baby clothes are always in demand. As the cooler weather approaches, warmer clothing including light jackets are especially appreciated. Generally there is no need for tall men’s clothing or for women’s dresses and skirts.

2. School supplies are in demand for the school year, including simple pocket folders, spiral bound notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, erasers, rulers, scissors, you get the idea!

3. Office supplies are also deeply appreciated. We are currently in need of white and pastel copy paper, printer ink for our HP 1210 3-in-one printer-copier-scanner. (It is HP #56 and #57.) We can also use white-out correction tape or fluid, masking tape and scotch tape.

4. Small gifts - for good attendance and performance in class including gel pens, key holders, and any inexpensive toys you might come across that might intrigue 8 to 14 year olds, or adults. Sometimes a local dollar store has some great deals. At this time we are extremely well supplied with stickers, no more are needed right now.

5. Dollars or pesos are always needed! Less than 50% of the students pay the full $600 peso tuition (about $55 dollars). The average tuition collected per student is closer to $25. Your donation at the school makes these scholarships possible.

6. Good used laptop computers: There are a number of students in the community whose families have stretched their budget to the limit to get them to high school or college, but cannot afford to own computers. Without them they are faced with the extra work and expense going to Internet cafes to try to complete assignments in a poor working environment. The computers must be changed to the Spanish version of XP. Older computers are not useable, as it is impossible to convert them to Spanish etc. There is no way for us to recycle computers at this time, so pleased do not bring older versions.

All donations must be brought to Isla Mujeres, but if you don't have time to bring them out to the school, there are several places in the downtown of Isla Mujeres where they can be left, and we can come and pick them up. Please email us at: lagloria@gmail.com or call us at 888-0666 to let us know you have dropped them off.
1. the Francis Arlene Hotel on Avenida Guerrero,
2. the office at Nautibeach Condos
3. DigaMe! on Avenida Guerrero
4. Aqua Adventures next to Sancocho’s Grill
We are not able to go to Cancun to pick up any donations.

When school is in session, it can be very disruptive to classes if donations are brought in during class time. We therefore ask that you bring any donations at specific times when there are no classes and someone will be there to receive them and have you sign our donations book. The times are: Tuesdays between 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM or on Fridays between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM

If you cannot bring the donations to Isla Mujeres, please do not try to mail a box to us. It will be extremely expensive for you, and we will be forced to go to the airport in Cancun and pay to get the box out of customs. It could easily cost us $100 for travel and customs fees! Small manila envelopes usually make it through the mail and get to us – please do not mail money.

If you are not familiar with it, www.islamujeres.info is a great site for learning more about Isla and communicating with other Isla lovers, on the ‘Chatter Board’. You might find someone there willing to carry a donation to the school from the U.S.

Thank you!!