1-28
Several months later, after the course
was over and the students were back in
their villages, one of the health workers,
named Rosa, was met in the street by
a mother. The mother gave her 7 eggs
wrapped in a leaf.
“Thank you,” said Rosa with surprise.
“But why.. .?”
“You saved my baby’s life!” said the
mother, hugging the health worker so hard
she broke 3 eggs.
“But I didn’t even see your baby!” said
Rosa.
“I know,” said the mother. “You see, my
baby had diarrhea, but the river was flooded
so I couldn’t bring him to the health post.
She hugged the health worker
so hard she broke 3 eggs!
He was all shriveled up and couldn’t pee. He was dying and I didn’t know what
to do! Then I remembered a song you had taught the children in school. My
daughter’s always singing it. So I made up the Special Drink, tasted it, and gave it to
my baby, just like the song says. And he got well!”
Moral of the story: Training gives better results if it keeps language simple,
focuses on what is most important, and uses learning methods people are
used to and enjoy.
•
What other ideas about teaching and working with people can your students
draw from these stories? Have them list different teaching methods on the
blackboard and discuss which are most appropriate and why. Can the students tell
similar stories from their own experience—ways they have learned things both in
and outside of school? (For more ideas about story telling as a teaching method,
see Chapter 13.)
To be a good teacher of health workers, you don’t
need to know a great deal about medicine, about
latrine building, or about weighing babies. These things
you can learn together with your students. What you
do need to know about is people, how they feel, how
they relate to each other, and how they learn.