Ghana

Last fall, Professor Sylvia Morrison, Director of Links Across Borders invited us to travel with her to Ghana to train teachers and consult on curriculum in the first school she founded a library in. Orchard families have raised funds and sent books in support of the incredible work Sylvia does to promote literacy in past years. Last year, our elementary class also started a penpal program with the grade 5 students there.

In July, I had the immense pleasure to go to Kpedze Todze to work with the teachers in the local school. The school has 200 students aged 2 – 12 years. Sylvia has worked extensively with this community and, as their patron, is addressed simply as Mamma wherever she goes. The headmaster of the school identified a need for materials and training in math and literacy but also conveyed a desire on the part of his teachers to learn to teach in a way that energized and engaged students. Orchard families raised enough money to purchase an elementary math setup which we shipped with our book donations in the spring. I arrived in July to teach elementary math. The 18 teachers were keen and eager learners but the most amazing thing to me was that while their teachers spent most of the day learning on the materials, the children looked after each other. I had the chance to observe in the classrooms and led art workshops for the kids. We also conducted a roundtable discussion with the headmaster and staff on improving literacy outcomes. Just before I left, Sylvia took me on a tour of the beautiful junior school built by Ryerson Architecture students and we began discussions about the possibility of converting their program into a Montessori casa program.

In the end, I learned so much more than I taught and was overwhelmed by the welcome I received. The children I saw and worked with there were healthy, confident, beautiful people and they, along with their devoted teachers, caused me to reflect deeply on the nature of gratitude, the meaning of community, and how teachers can foster children to become peaceful, capable global citizens.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Links Across Borders and the students of Kpedze Todze Basic School. I am happy to say I brought back a fresh batch of penpal letters that I will share with the lower and upper elementary classes in September.

Holly