Project Overseas - Team Ghana 2009
On July 2nd, 2009 I started an amazing journey. It began in Ottawa where I met the team of 5 other Canadian teachers that I would be traveling with to Ghana, Africa. After a fabulous 3 day in-service at the Canadian Teachers' Federation that focused on team building and inter-cultural effectiveness, we were on our way to Africa.
In the capital city of Accra we met with our Ghanaian co-tutors (and almost met President Barack Obama as our time in Accra coincided with his visit) and prepared our lessons at the teacher resource centre at the headquarters of the Ghanaian National Association of Teachers (GNAT). Here we had access to some computer technology and created handouts for our course participants. I would be sharing my time between 3 different classes - Junior High Math, Junior High Math - Women's Only, and Primary Math. My teammates would be focusing on Senior and Basic Administration, Senior High Math, Senior High English, Junior High French, and Junior High and Primary Science. I was most impressed by the professional knowledge of our skilled co-tutors, many of whom had conducted Project Overseas in-services in previous years. My focus was to deliver lessons that modeled activity-based learning and classroom management techniques through the curricular topics of shape and space, investigation with numbers, and collecting and handling data.
We conducted 3 one week workshops in 3 different locations around the country; Tamale in the Northern Region, Wa in the Upper West Region, and Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region. Our first stop was a grueling 10 hour ride to Tamale. Now I can truly say that the potholes in Winnipeg do not seem that bad! At each location we would begin with an opening ceremony, attend information evenings on unionism and HIV/AIDS education, present information, trivia, songs and dance at Canada Night, conduct gender equity workshops, teach our individual classes, attend a lengthy closing ceremony, and be delightfully entertained by singing, dancing, and drumming at Ghana Night.
Our generous Ghanaian hosts treated us to 2 very special cultural events. The first was a trip to Kakum National Park where we were able to criss-cross the rainforest on a canopy walk of 7 suspended bridges at times 40 metres above the ground. It was a breathtaking experience. The second event was even more spectacular than the first. We were treated to a one night stay at Mole National Park and enjoyed a safari in the morning. We saw many antelopes, bush pigs, birds, crocodiles, monkeys (one that stole my team leader's toast right out of her hand at breakfast), and accidentally stumbled upon a family of 7 elephants in the bush. It was a whirlwind tour of the country and I definitely came home for a rest.
I was excited to be part of a project that builds the capacity of teachers in a developing part of the world. This year we in-serviced almost 600 teachers. Just imagine the ripple effect that will have if every participant shares just one new idea with one colleague! Not to mention the thousands of children whose education will be affected as a result. Ghana is a beautiful country with beautiful people. I hope very much to return one day.
In the capital city of Accra we met with our Ghanaian co-tutors (and almost met President Barack Obama as our time in Accra coincided with his visit) and prepared our lessons at the teacher resource centre at the headquarters of the Ghanaian National Association of Teachers (GNAT). Here we had access to some computer technology and created handouts for our course participants. I would be sharing my time between 3 different classes - Junior High Math, Junior High Math - Women's Only, and Primary Math. My teammates would be focusing on Senior and Basic Administration, Senior High Math, Senior High English, Junior High French, and Junior High and Primary Science. I was most impressed by the professional knowledge of our skilled co-tutors, many of whom had conducted Project Overseas in-services in previous years. My focus was to deliver lessons that modeled activity-based learning and classroom management techniques through the curricular topics of shape and space, investigation with numbers, and collecting and handling data.
We conducted 3 one week workshops in 3 different locations around the country; Tamale in the Northern Region, Wa in the Upper West Region, and Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region. Our first stop was a grueling 10 hour ride to Tamale. Now I can truly say that the potholes in Winnipeg do not seem that bad! At each location we would begin with an opening ceremony, attend information evenings on unionism and HIV/AIDS education, present information, trivia, songs and dance at Canada Night, conduct gender equity workshops, teach our individual classes, attend a lengthy closing ceremony, and be delightfully entertained by singing, dancing, and drumming at Ghana Night.
Our generous Ghanaian hosts treated us to 2 very special cultural events. The first was a trip to Kakum National Park where we were able to criss-cross the rainforest on a canopy walk of 7 suspended bridges at times 40 metres above the ground. It was a breathtaking experience. The second event was even more spectacular than the first. We were treated to a one night stay at Mole National Park and enjoyed a safari in the morning. We saw many antelopes, bush pigs, birds, crocodiles, monkeys (one that stole my team leader's toast right out of her hand at breakfast), and accidentally stumbled upon a family of 7 elephants in the bush. It was a whirlwind tour of the country and I definitely came home for a rest.
I was excited to be part of a project that builds the capacity of teachers in a developing part of the world. This year we in-serviced almost 600 teachers. Just imagine the ripple effect that will have if every participant shares just one new idea with one colleague! Not to mention the thousands of children whose education will be affected as a result. Ghana is a beautiful country with beautiful people. I hope very much to return one day.
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Comment by Raman Job on August 28, 2009 at 4:25pm - Great post on your Project Overseas visit to Ghana, Jennifer. Interesting that you almost met up with the Obama. Is that the family of elephants we see in this pic on your blog entry?
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Comment by Jennifer Levesque on August 28, 2009 at 4:39pm - Yes that is 4 of the 7! The others are "hiding" in the bush.
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