Teacher Talk (Day 25)

Arriving at school today we immediately knew it was going to be similar to the first school. We pulled up along the bumpy road and there was a roar of “azungu” as a wave of children came rushing towards our bus. But sadly this week I am not working with the kids. My role is that of Teacher Facilitator. This means that each day I will meet with the teachers. We will talk about our curriculum, different teaching methods and their concerns about education. This information is used each session to help develop the ever improving curriculum and to address specific concerns within each school. The idea of the Teacher Facilitator is not to tell the teachers how to do things but to enter into two way discussions were we learn from them and they learn from us. I have been looking forward to this week. I really wanted to get a chance to talk to the teachers and see what they have to say.

Creating an open discussion between two vastly different groups of people is easier said then done. This is my experience from today and it is one I totally understand. When we arrived the teachers were very welcoming and took part in the morning songs. They also seemed to enjoy watching the games we played with the parachute. They laughed and made comments as the kids worked together. Even with their positive attitude it was difficult to enter into and open discussion with them. They expected us to come baring gifts of supplies and fix the school and seemed disappointed when we told them that this was not what we did. I have to remind myself that these teachers are not being rude or ungrateful. They look at us as people who have everything, so of course we can give them what they need.

Because open discussion was difficult on the first day we started by trying to establish relationships with the teachers. We talked about ourselves and our experiences and let them share with us. I found it interesting how similar the teachers were to my American counterparts. I think Malawian teachers need to have a greater love of education because of their challenges. Imagine teaching 60-100 students in one class.

I am encouraged by some of the comments that the teachers made today. They were very interested in alternate sources of energy and want us to find them additional information. They were very impressed when they learned about the young Malawian boy, William, who after reading about wind turbines built one to power electricity for his village (read The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind). I have to do extra research tonight about solar energy and turbines for them. They also were very interested in starting community groups for environmental concerns. They have a community and after school club about AIDS already. From prior reading I have done about other Non Governmental Organizations I have learned that many successful projects have been those that helped to give the tools for education but put the power of taking action into the community. From our talks today the teachers seemed that they were interested in taking action.