Can you really complain?

I know what goes on in the teachers' room. Yup. I taught public school for 2 years, and we teachers can complain about what we don't have and what we're expected to do with it. Sometimes, those complaints are completely valid. Definately. Not enough paper, not enough chairs, too many students in the classroom... and you expect the students to pass the state test?! ;)

Well, I must admit, after being in every school in Limpio, Paraguay, 64 schools to be exact, I'd say we US teachers have NOTHING to complain about. Let me try to help you picture a Paraguayan school... a normal, good one... mid-economic level: The students have chairs with a tiny writing desk attached. Enough room for the 1 notebook that they will use all day. They don't have any textbooks, and they copy everything that the teacher writes on the board. Photocopiers do not exist. Class sizes are about 20-35 students. Teachers teach their first group of students from 7:00-11:30 and their afternoon class from 12:30-4:30. Some teachers teach a night session as well. 

This is one of the schools in Limpio. See 4th grade? They're the ones under the first mango tree, looking at the chalk board. Each mango tree provides shade for a different grade. No school when it rains! This is obviously a very poor neighboorhood. Another interesting thing about this school is that the students were much more comfortable speaking Guarani than Spanish. Since Samuel, on our Tekove team, is Paraguayan and can also speak Guarani, we did a total bilingual Tekove presentation. In our drama of Jesus and the 12 disciples, Jesus spoke fluent Guarani to His disciples who only spoke Spanish! :-)