Before school starts, the children sweep in the door and straighten up the classroom. The rural schools are supposed to provide grades one through six, but only grades one, two and three are filled, and the definition between grades is vague. The students drop out before they get very far. They take off from school to help during the planting and harvesting seasons, or to help their mothers with new babies. Sometimes they simply can't get to school during the rainy season when the rivers are up.
Education is a disconnected process.
Sometimes the students only speak their indigenous language and the teacher speaks Spanish. This doesn't lead to great understanding, but some children persevere and eventually learn Spanish and what the teacher is talking about. Sometimes, a teacher doesn't show up and then we hold our classes outdoors in front of the school with the children holding up the charts. It works out just as well. School is over at noon.