By: Suzanne Bandick

Bringing kids to Mexico and the Riviera Maya is one thing but now you want to educate them too?

My goodness! You need a guide........

As a Canadian who came down with her husband and 2 kids 3 ½ years ago. Let me fill you in on the good – the bad – and the better on education in Mexico .................

We spent our first year on the west coast in Puerto Vallarta and the kids went to a private Spanish/English school. Puerto Vallarta has 2 large schools to choose from; The British American School and the American School; both expensive for a parent who has never needed to pay for schooling before. The cost was about $550 USD/month for 2 kids; plus uniforms, entry tests, $400 USD inscription fee for 2 children and then the cost of text books.

At that time the kids were age 7 (grade 3) and age 11 (grade 6). That first year honestly was a challenge as not only did they have a brand new school and culture to absorb but a new language to deal with. They knew very little Spanish. They gave them extra tutoring at the school and we hired a tutor at home. They got by. The English was of course was too easy balanced by Spanish that was too hard.

The next year we wanted to give their life a little more shake up so we moved to the opposite coast of Mexico to our new home, Playa del Carmen. The last year had been rough on them so we decided to home school – never tried that before! I by the way have no teaching experience. We went to Canada and brought back books and a game plan.

Now Canada and the USA have wonderful support systems for home schooling. It is also widely recognized as a viable educational option so you have many different programs to check into; everything from long distance education that follows the Province or State curriculum where you can have the work marked by a teacher back home (even internet schooling) to a wing it approach.

Now, move to Mexico and no one will even know what you are talking about when you say home school. It is a totally foreign concept. It is also not recognized as a viable education option in Mexico if you ever decide to enroll your children back into the school system here.

Anyway, we had a wonderful first year so we went back for more books to do it the second year – that was more of a challenge – you see the kids had mastered Spanish by now and had friends who they wanted to be with – we finished their second year of home school and then this year it was back to private school.

Remember the home schooling not being recognized in Mexico? We managed but that is another story.

My kids are now at the Colegio Ingles and loving it. We are back to paying about the same price as in Puerto Vallarta. The kids are now age 11 (grade 6) and age 14 (grade 9). Believe it or not they have now adjusted very well to being back in a traditional school system and their new adopted country. Was it a challenge? Yes, most definitely for us all. Was it worth it in the end? I believe so. We believe the children have become more than if we had just stayed in our same old town in Canada.

Here are some local education options and contact info:

Colegio Ingles

Playa del Carmen, Phone: 984-803-3253

http://www.colegioingles-qroo.com.mx/

Manuel Acosta

Playacar, Phone: 984-873-0652 or 984-803-1056

Papalote – Waldorf Education

Playa del Carmen, Phone: 984-879-3052

http://www.elpapalote.org/

Yits’Atil

Phone: 873-3874

Colegio Puerto Aventuras

Phone/Fax: 984-873-5141

Home Schooling- Contact your local association and bring the material from home.

Internet Schooling – research your options on the internet.

More questions? E-mail Suzanne at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

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