The preschool project "Planting Seeds" was initiated by "Oneness" in 2001 with the set up in Antigua of one of the first child-centered, activity based early childhood programs in Guatemala.

Since then, project directors Susan and Richard Schmaltz have raised the funds to establish and support several more preschool programs.

The goal of "Planting Seeds" is to partner with quality non-governmental organizations (NGO's) to provide unique educational learning centers, based on the sound principles of early childhood philosophy.

The Philosophy

The program centers on a philosophy of love, nurturing and caring. As opposed to the much accepted view that the school's main purpose is to provide skills for future careers, "Planting Seeds" is not primarily about pursuing academic excellence. It is about preparing children for LIFE.

First and foremost, each human being must feel a sense of personal self worth - "I am unique" - "I am valued for who I am and not what I do" - "I am a person capable of achieving success". It is only then that one is able to reach out to others, forming loving, caring, supportive relationships that lie at the very heart of our ability to learn.

If the classroom is to evolve into a warm, caring community, the primary source of love must be the teacher. By truly listening to the children, valuing their ideas, respecting their feelings and recognizing each one's unique personal gifts, an essential bond of trust is established.

Committed to the idea of holistic education, "Planting Seeds" designs programs that address the needs of the whole child:

• Physically - a child's body needs to be nourished. Until this basic need is met one cannot be open to learning.
• Emotionally - one must feel loved and be able to express love.
• Socially - we all need to feel a sense of belonging to a caring, supportive community.
• Cognitively - the child needs to develop essential critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Creatively - self expression is paramount. A child needs to be free to express who he/she is without judgment by others.
• Spiritually - a child needs to feel connected to nature and the universe.

Each of these human needs is addressed in a specific area of the program on a daily basis. In order to ensure the children's needs are met, it is necessary to keep class size relatively small, with the maximum of 15 children to two adults (one teacher and one assistant).

Infused with a sense of joy, "Planting Seeds" classrooms fully support the research, which confirms "young children learn best through play". This individualized teaching approach allows each child to progress at his/her own rate, achieving a continuous sense of personal success, so crucial to a child's desire to stay in school. As the children advance through the grades, the program will continue to be centered on the needs of the children, but the focus will gradually move from the "learning through play" model to an age appropriate, co-operative learning, activity-centered program, geared to the ages and interests of the children.

Free choice of activities and sharing of personal opinions is encouraged. Emphasis is on teaching children to explore, experiment, to think and most importantly - to understand. Rather than memorizing hours of basic facts, we need to teach children "to learn how to learn".

The new hope of Guatemala 's future rests with its children. "Planting Seeds" believes that the only way this world is ever going to change, is by teaching children to love themselves and care about others from their earliest possible years. They need to learn to think, to problem solve, and to create, so they can lead their generation into a whole new way of being in this world . . . a way of freedom . . . a way of peace . . . and a way of love".
- Susan Schmaltz, 2009

Many preschools and classrooms have been opened by Oneness Through Service – Guatemala since 2000. Several are in Camino Seguro - Safe Passage at the Guatemala City dump, both in the Guardaria (day care) for children ages 2 - 6, and pilot project primary classes within the school. There are also schools in the rural indigenous communities of Sacala Los Lomas , San Antonio de Tioxya , La Cuidad Vieja , and at the Orphanage in Patzun . Each class has a teacher and a teacher aid, all trained by Susan Schmaltz in the activity based model dubbed "La Systema de Susana" by the local people.

A project which received significant help for the children and their families is the school in the remote rural village of Tioxya . A generous grant from the organization "Retired Teachers of Ontario" in 2009 provided the amelioration of this school by paying the salaries of the teachers for one year and providing teaching and learning materials and Spanish language aids. The children were provided with a nutritious lunch each day for the school year from the RTO grant.

Two other schools of the Cambiando Vidas projects in Pastores and Santa Maria de Jesus were set up by Susan and Richard with the Planting Seeds philosophy, including the teachers' training, classroom furniture built to specification and the classroom supplies furnished by Oneness volunteers. These two programs now run independently of Oneness.

These important achievements are far from the sum of Susan and Richard's service to the people of Guatemala since they first committed themselves to help this impoverished country. However, focusing on these schools gives pause to reflect on how Oneness Through Service - Guatemala has grown since its origin.