My First Day of School!

Hello To All,
I hope this message finds you all in good spirits! It was my first day of school today, and what an experience! But before I explain, I need to share with you a few unique cultural differences that exist in Ghana. First off, there is really no such thing as “time” in Ghana. People rarely wear a watch and many, including the family I am living with, could not give you the time of day. This poses a significant problem when it comes to the teaching and learning process, because so many students will be late or not show up for school at all. For instance, having just come off the weekend, we had a whopping six children today, most likely because family forgets it’s the start of a new week. But WOW, what awesome little children! I am truly blessed to have this opportunity. I know I will learn just as much from these children as they will learn from me. This is unique to any teaching experience I could receive in Canada, and I am sure I will be a better teacher when I come home because of this opportunity.

Another drastic difference between the educational systems in West Africa compared to North America is that corporal punishment is still widely used in West Africa. In Ghana, a teacher can strike a child, which is something I will never get used to. But being a foreigner in another country, I need to respect these differences and keep my opinions to myself. But what is most impressive about students in Africa is that they rarely require discipline because they are so well mannered and eager to be in school. School is so unaffordable to many families that those children who have the opportunity to attend school consider it a privilege and don’t waste time misbehaving.

I have been trying to post pictures, but right now, Ghana is facing a major electricity shortage, and power is only alloted in small amounts. It doesn't want to let me download pictures. But I will try again from a different cafe tomorrow night!

Love Heather