Pageant News

Friday 15 and Saturday  16 February

We had warned the breakfast team at the hotel that we would be over for breakfast at 7.00 and they were ready for us. The team arrived at 7.30 having already picked up Linda and at 7.45 we set off for Gambia College arriving at 8.15 giving us plenty of time for our final preparations for the workshops.

Our first snag – due to a misunderstanding only 20 trainee teachers had been recruited. However Mr Colley, the lecturer said he would have no problem in finding another 20 and we were able to start at 9.30.

Yankuba Wandifa, Linda and Kathy ran the microscopy workshops. Pippa was sorely missed but Yankuba did a superb job.  Meanwhile in the lab next door, Abdoulie, Carole, Andrew and Bob ran the chemistry workshops. Abdoulie was brilliant and you could see from the huge grin on his face that he was enjoying himself immensely

The only other hiccup in the day’s proceedings was that lunch was not ready for us at the time we had asked for. We think this may have just been a misunderstanding.

We finished the day pleased with the day’s work and very tired.

The second day went more smoothly and there were no snags.

The student teachers learned how to use and care for a basic microscope and by the end were happy that they could see thing clearly that they could not see with their eyes only. In chemistry the students learned that they could undertake some practical chemistry experiments without all the equipment that you might find in a modern laboratory.

In the afternoons the student demonstrated what they had learned by giving a lesson to some students from nearby local schools.

All in all we think that the workshops were a great success. Below is a selection of photos taken

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