Frequently Asked Questions
Practical Information
Where is Tierra Libre located?
We are in Puerto Aventuras, Riviera Maya, in a safe and privileged setting surrounded by nature, the sea, and parks—an ideal environment for families. Children can come to school walking or by bicycle, and we regularly organize group outings to the beach, jungle, or mangroves as part of our educational approach.
How long have you been in Puerto Aventuras?
Tierra Libre was founded in 2020, and we have grown alongside families who have arrived from many parts of the world. This continuity has allowed us to build a strong, vibrant, and deeply nurtured community.
What ages and grade levels do you offer?
We accompany children from Nursery (1.5 years old) through Sixth Grade (12 years old). Each stage is cared for according to its needs: play, rhythm, art, academic formation, emotional support, and age-appropriate intellectual stimulation.
What if my child does not speak Spanish?
That is not a problem. Each year, we welcome international families and thoughtfully support the adaptation process with patience and warmth. What matters most to us is that the child feels safe; language comes naturally when there is connection and trust.
What if my child does not speak English?
We accompany them with care. Our English program is solid and progressive, following the Cambridge Primary Path curriculum and adapted to different levels. We do not seek to pressure children; we want them to understand, gain confidence, and enjoy the language with strong foundations.
What is your schedule?
We have different schedules according to each stage (Nursery, Preschool, Lower Primary, and Upper Primary). Older students begin at 7:40 a.m., and younger children at 8:30 a.m. Dismissal times are staggered between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., depending on age and any optional classes selected.
Do you offer extracurricular activities?
Yes. We offer a variety of programs that complement our integral formation (artistic, movement-based, and other workshops depending on the school year). We invite you to visit the workshops section on our website for current offerings.
Do you provide lunch?
Our approach is based on conscious nutrition—fresh, thoughtfully prepared food designed for childhood. In Preschool, we offer a daily shared meal covered by the food fee. In Primary, families may either send lunch from home or enroll in the lunch service. We will share the current structure with you at the time of your visit.
How does the admissions process work?
It begins with an interview and includes several stages, ensuring that Tierra Libre is a true “yes” for both the family and our community. For more detailed information, we invite you to consult our admissions process in the “Contact” section of our website.
Is it possible to join mid-year?
In some cases, yes—if there is space available and if the timing is appropriate for both the child and the group. We always prioritize the well-being of the collective and a loving integration process.
Is it possible to enroll for only a few months?
Yes, it is possible. Each situation is considered individually, and we discuss it openly to ensure the experience is clear and thoughtfully held for everyone involved.
How many students are in each group?
We work with small groups, with a maximum of 12 to 14 students per primary classroom. This is part of our essence: it allows for close guidance, genuine observation, and an emotionally safe environment.
What materials are required?
All general materials are covered by the semiannual materials fee. The only items families purchase individually are personal reading books, musical instruments, English books (from the Cambridge Primary Path program, available through Tierra Libre), and Tierra Libre institutional shirts.
Is there a uniform?
In general, we do not believe in standardizing childhood through uniforms. For safety reasons, we do ask students to wear the Tierra Libre shirt during outings. In daily life, we recommend comfortable clothing that allows freedom of movement.
How is communication with families handled?
It is close, respectful, and clear. Important information is shared by email, while day-to-day matters are communicated through WhatsApp groups. We kindly ask that these chats be used only for topics relevant to the entire group.
Can families participate in community life?
Yes—and it is a fundamental part of our project. Tierra Libre is strengthened when families engage consciously through festivals, gatherings, community projects, and supportive involvement in the life of the educational community, always grounded in respect.
Academics
What is your academic content based on?
Our curriculum is based on the Waldorf model, following its block structure and content adapted to each developmental stage. In addition, we have enriched it with academic components that ensure alignment with official grade-level standards. For more information, we invite you to visit the “Primary” section of our website.
What is your English program?
Our English program is based on Cambridge Primary Path. Our goal is not only for children to “know vocabulary,” but to truly understand, communicate, and build confidence through a meaningful progression. We gradually prepare students to successfully take Cambridge standardized exams (Cambridge Flyers or KET, depending on their level) before completing Sixth Grade.
Do you offer a bilingual education?
While our main lessons are taught in Spanish, we are a multicultural community with a strong English presence. All primary grades receive daily English classes, and exposure to the language begins in preschool through stories, songs, and activities. We accompany children from different starting points—native Spanish speakers, native English speakers, or those developing both languages.
Are you a Waldorf educational community?
Our philosophy and curriculum are inspired by Waldorf education, which we have enriched and adapted according to our values and the needs of our community.
Do you have official accreditation?
Tierra Libre is not a formal school affiliated with SEP. However, we offer close guidance to families who request support in obtaining the corresponding administrative validation for their child’s completed grade.
Do you give grades?
Yes, we assign grades in the different subjects to allow for an objective evaluation of academic integration. However, these quantitative results are for internal use by the teaching team and are not shared with students. For us, it is essential to foster the joy of learning and intrinsic motivation, while avoiding competition and the search for external validation.
How do you evaluate progress?
Beyond quantitative results, our teachers carry out ongoing and in-depth observation of each student. This is communicated to families through individual semester evaluations. We value true integral progress—emotional, social, and academic. We evaluate to accompany, not to pressure.
How do you integrate technology?
In a world of overstimulation, we defend a childhood rooted in real experience. We do not integrate technology into our classes and recommend guided use at home only for specific projects in the upper grades.
What importance do festivals and the rhythm of the year have?
They are very important. Internal and community festivals are an integral part of our educational proposal, offering children a rhythm connected to natural cycles and local culture, and offering the community opportunities to gather and connect. Festivals provide belonging, beauty, and meaning; rhythm provides emotional security. A childhood held by rhythm is a childhood that grows calmer and stronger from within.
Community life
and educational philosophy
What does it mean that Tierra Libre is an association and not a traditional school?
It means that we are an organized community that sustains a living educational project. The families and teachers in our community are members of the association, and together we actively shape the education our children need.
What are the values that sustain the project?
Respect for childhood, love, care, gratitude, cooperation, awareness, and a deep connection with nature. And something essential: coherence between what we believe and how we act.
What is your position regarding children’s use of phones and social media?
At Tierra Libre, we believe it is fundamental to protect childhood from early exposure to phones and social media. An essential part of our philosophy is safeguarding the child’s inner world and preserving their capacity for imagination, concentration, and authentic human connection.
For this reason, we ask all families to sign a commitment letter agreeing not to provide access to phones or social media, and to thoughtfully supervise screen use at home. We believe that a childhood free from these influences strengthens emotional, social, and cognitive development.
What does “Doing, Feeling, and Thinking” mean?
It means that learning does not remain only in the head. It first passes through the hands (doing)—through movement and practice—then is integrated in the heart (feeling)—through art and song—and finally reaches the mind (thinking) with depth, where concepts are explained when, in truth, the student has already internalized the knowledge through lived experience.
International families
Do you welcome international families?
Yes, with great joy. Tierra Libre is a multicultural community, and each year new families join us, enriching the community in meaningful ways.
Does the program allow students to reintegrate into educational systems in other countries?
Yes, thanks to our strong academic level and English program. Each country has its own particular requirements, so we guide each family according to their destination and specific needs.
How do you communicate with international families?
Although we are a Mexican educational community, our communication with families is bilingual, and we provide English translations of our official documents.
How do you support cultural adaptation?
With closeness and community. No one arrives “alone.” We guide, integrate, and thoughtfully support both the child’s and the family’s emotional adaptation process.
Contributions & Administration
How do monthly contributions work?
We are an association: contributions sustain the project—our team, spaces, materials, maintenance, and the overall educational quality. We share our costs transparently from the very beginning.
What do the contributions include?
They include the educational guidance and the operation of the project. We clearly detail what is included at each level, as well as any additional items, so that everything remains transparent.
Do you offer sibling discounts?
Because we work with small groups, we are not able to offer discounts for younger siblings.
What does it mean to be a member of the association?
It means belonging—not simply “attending.” To be a member is to be part of a community that consciously chooses to protect childhood, sustain a human-centered project, and build something greater than just an educational space.