Work- but not as I knew it

I have now been working for approximately ten weeks.
From my old work pattern of classroom, small group and individual teaching I have moved to training and mentoring with some office based duties. To date I have recorded twenty training, observation and one to one mentoring sessions with headteachers and teachers, principally but not wholly from the Special Educational Needs (SEN) sector. I have been well supported in this change in role by other volunteers, not only working in education but also in health and the volunteering sector, as placements typically involve developing capacity through  sharing and developing people's skills, knowledge and practices.

Training days- "Workshops" as they are called here- reflect the routines and rhythms of everyday work. An 8.30 am start will mean the first people will be arriving at 8.30. Delays will be caused by transport problems, sorting out children and schooling, sudden heavy rainfall etc etc.
The opening period is for chat and catching up, as establishing and maintaining good conversational relationships is key to working together. This will take an unspecified length of time.
 The extent of opening formalities will reflect the status of the meeting but anything with a national profile will require the relevant government minister, other dignitaries  and a television camera to record the event for the evening news. The national pledge may be stated, or a prayer offered.
The training agenda can then begin, with two key elements to be negotiated:- mid-morning snack and lunch. I can now appreciate the importance of the food and drink, as I recognise the toll that the heat and humidity takes, and I welcome the arrival of the pastry savouries, the sponge cakes and the chilled fruit drinks at 10 am, along with the fried chicken or fish, cook-up rice and side salad a few hours later.

Guyana is a talking culture.There is a natural feel for rhetoric. Participation, debate, role playing are all relished in workshop sessions. Ice Breakers, Energizers and the like really do get people talking and energized.

This photo indicates another aspect of some training sessions. In order to buy materials for future "Craft" lessons, the special schools sell items made by pupils. Adjacent to the policy documents and examples of teaching materials from "low tech" resources, there may be a display table of needlework, art and wood work products.