Small hills, big mountains

Success!

One of the things you realise when doing something like a VSO placement is that you’re not going to change the world – because if it could be changed that easily, why hasn’t it happened yet.

However, the other day, I had what I can only describe as a very surprisingly successful day. In order to explain it, you need to know a few things about workshops in Ghana and how they work.

If teachers are invited to a workshop, they will normally receive either lunch or a snack, or a snack and lunch if it’s an all day event, a mineral (soft drink) and water. This is provided by the organisers; participants pay nothing. The organisers are also expected to pay T and T – travel and time. This can vary from Ghc5 to Ghc10 normally, and I’ve heard a case of some giving as as much as Ghc35 for one day’s work. (£1=Ghc2.40)

In early 2010, I wanted to do a series of 1 hour workshops at one of my schools, but not provide any snack (one hour doesn’t honour a snack in my miserly opinion) and no T and T (the workshops were during the day at the school). When I told the Head this (let’s call her Janet – she’s not!), she was not very pleased, until her depute said “she is helping us, why should she pay us!”

Earlier this year, I organised another workshop at her school. This time, 3 other schools came along too, and I did give them mineral, snack and water as it was a 2 hour affair (I’m not that mean.) I gave T and T to the other 3 schools, as they’d all had to travel a fair distance, but not to the host school – all they were providing was an empty room, so I thought that was fair enough. At the end, several teachers from the host school and the head asked about T and T but I explained my reasoning. The head seemed ok with it, I think I annoyed some of the teachers a little.

The other day – another workshop, for 3 schools, same host school. The head teacher 1. willingly provided school funds for the workshop for snacks – first time in any school; 2. did not ask about T and T – and in fact seemed highly understanding about it and 3. thanked me over and over for coming. Success!

The workshop was on phonics, and was a real success – lots of games and teachers knowing their stuff MUCH better than a year ago. = Happy Rachel.