Experiences: Idea & Ideology

Canadian volunteer Adrienne Gornall visited Idea & ideology Nursery school in November 2006:

I will never forget the warm welcome I received in Mamprobi. When I first arrived it was overwhelming. This welcome continued everyday that I spent in Ghana. The children’s exuberance at seeing their ‘obroni” teacher every morning cannot be paralleled.

There is such a huge range of ages/abilities in the class, a far larger gap than I was prepared for. Anyone accustomed to education systems in the west has much to adjust to. I quickly realized that in order to have and contribute a positive experience, I’d have to relax my expectations of what school “should be” and do the best I could given the resources available.

The children are used to physical discipline that I, as a foreigner, could not provide, so without Grace or Dominick in the classroom, things quickly out of control. By the end of my term, I started thinking I could have used some kind of positive reinforcement system using charts with each child’s name on it, and stars for good behavior which add up to a reward at the end of the week or month.

Some of the highlights of my time here were: the arts projects (drawing pumpkins, tracing the children’s hands), our halloween party, teaching children’s songs/dances (some of which were a hit!) and seeing the progress they made (i.e. new vocabulary they learned via flash cards). I also spent some one-on-one time with Derek, a special needs kid. I can see so much potential in him if given the right attention and care.

I will always look back with fondness at my time spent in the school/community of Banana Inn. I am so thankful for all of the people – there are so many to mention, but especially the wonderful Kofi and Wendy and their respective families who welcomed me with open arms and made one feel so very at home. I shall return!

Adrienne Lisa Gornall
Canada
November, 2006