Time To Teach And To Learn..

So my internship has begun. I am officially a math teacher at NADAT Memorial School in the small town of Adenta. It’s about a 40 minute commute each way by tro-tro and a little bit of walking. I teach two different levels of math, four classes in total. Initially the last thing I wanted to do in Ghana was teach, but I’ve decided to accept the responsibility. There is a shortage of teachers at the school and if I had not come, the students would have to have math and science combined. On my first visit to the school, the math and science teacher was so happy to hand the math completely over to me, and now the students that I teach only have only math class on the days that I come. I found it funny that the headmaster and the other teachers trusted me immediately. They never questioned my knowledge or ability to teach. They are just thankful that I have decided to dedicate my time to the children and they have faith that I will do a good job.

                     

It is a known fact all around the world that education is the best key success, but from my experiences here so far, I feel that these students really embody that fact. In some respects, they have a much better grasp of the concept than many of the students I’ve worked with in the U.S. After only teaching for two days and volunteering with Beatrice (which I described in a previous post), I can honestly say that every student that I’ve worked with generally wants to learn. They are veryyy well behaved, they help each other in class, and they are not afraid to speak up when they don’t understand. I would love to walk into a public school like that in the U.S. I plan to look deeper into the comparison while I’m here, but here’s what I can say so far. A lot has to do with culture. Ghanaian culture and their way of life are very much connected to the level of poverty in this country. The opportunity to get an education is more of a privilege because not every family can afford to send their children to school. There is less of a competitive nature here because everyone is united by certain cultural elements and practices. We don’t have that in the U.S., I haven’t even really noticed it in many minority communities. An education is easier to obtain in the states, and many students take it for granted. There is also more pressure to be the best. While I’m here I definitely plan to look more into the comparison and I plan to share my thoughts as I go along.

On the one hand, I feel unworthy of my new teaching position because I’ve never handled a class on my own, let alone four…and I don’t want to fail my students. On the other hand, I see this as the opportunity to impact so many lives from now until December. Teaching will be a challenge and I’m excited and scared at the same time. But Galatians 6:9 says, “ And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not”. Not only will I be their teacher, but they will be mine, and I will learn in ways that no textbook could ever teach me.