Teaching in Africa

I apologize up front for my long absence from the digital world.  My teaching assignment started a week early and I literally packed up my things and dashed off to the capital to begin teaching with no lesson plans or anything prepared as I thought I had another week to do so.  Talk about being thrown in!  The other contributing factor is that I don't often have reliable internet.  Not only is electricity hard to rely on, but internet is very very slow.  Welcome to the world of modems.

After my first three weeks at the school, I am getting to know the customs and culture and have made fast friends with my students.  I am teaching 1st grade through 9th grade, and I didn't expect this at all.  In fact, I expected to have junior and senior high school students. I also didn't expect the total lack of supplies that a typical school here experiences.  This means that ALL of the things we take for granted like staplers, paper clips, tape, glue, etc.  are all difficult and expensive things to obtain.  So, the supplies I brought with me are a god send and I am thankful that I have them.

Some of the supplies that I put on the container ship have been trickling in.  That means that these supplies were removed from the ship and stuck in various persons' luggage.  This is actually much more hassle free.  I do expect a shipment of long awaited paints to arrive in a few weeks.

Art Ed is a wondrous experience.  Teaching it, I have found, is starting from the very, very beginning.  Most students have had no exposure to art.  My students are over-enthusiastic.  They jump into things with gusto, and because I challenge the older students, they often stress out about doing quality work.

For those of you who have donated funds for my art supplies, know that every single dollar has been used and appreciated.  You are altering lives and giving students an opportunity to experience something that they have not ever encountered before.  Some have asked me if I need more money, and simply, the answer is yes.  You can continue to donate funds, and I will literally scour the markets for the items I need.  For instance, I found paper plates and foil the other day...a rare find indeed.  I have been searching for weeks for tempera paints and have not yet found them, but have them coming with my program supervisor in October.

Since I cannot exactly post pictures of students while I am student teaching, I can post some of their work.  This is a 4th grade student's work on pattern and the one below is a 5th grade student's work on line.

Oh, that is another thing....student work has NEVER been displayed before, and I have been exhibiting their work on the outside classroom walls.  This has solicited interesting repsonses from both students and parents.  At first, the students were embarassed to have their work out there for public display.  Now, they LOVE it.  They have turned into little braggers.  Students love to compare what they are doing with others and also love showing off to their parents.  I am going to try to get some of their work installed in a local restaurant or in some other public place.  I am in the capital after all.

That's it for my first reflection.  I will do a better job of keeping you all posted.  Know that all is well and art is alive in the schools in Ghana!