Red clay backroads

My possessed and obsessed wife was up and gone, early morning for the backroads drive to the 9 teacher, rural Primary School at Chamalaza. Yesterday's dust storm has us all coughing and gasping for air. Mary headed off without a voice, but with merocets, hankie and cough bottle in THE BAG.

Mary tells me that there are 504 learners with 9 teachers and Rosaleen is a floater!!

Patrick is in standard 1 with 76 students, while Finius is in standard 2 with 116. In both classes she was treated to two displays of excellent teaching and classroom management by two enthusiastic and skilled practitioners.

At the request of the staff she worked on their action plan for the afternoon (voice??) which included teaching and learning materials, teaching methodologies for English and Maths and cross-curricular planning. By 3pm all was done and dusted(sic!). The visitors book was signed and invitations issued for the teachers to visit the farm in Lusangazi for demonstrations, seeds and seedlings.

What a day and what a happy and satisfied bunch of teachers.

The picture shows a lesson on ordering numbers (11 to 20)in ascending and descending order (Irish teachers note Senior Infants)

Reminded of the song by Michelle Shocked, "East Mzuzu red clay backroads" where there should be a sign saying:.

DRIVING RESERVED FOR CRAZY PEOPLE!!