Active Learning

The last four days have been spent working with local teachers on active learning/student centered learning concepts and strategies. We work from 8 until 2 pm. We have a "Nescafe" break at 10:45 and then lunch is provided at 2pm.

Many of the teachers we are working with have about a year of training after lyceé or high school...Normal school they call it. A few have less teacher training...3 months if they have some other sort of post secondary training. For example, one of the students has a secretarial diploma but then decided to take a 3 month teacher training course and now teaches in a rural school with perhaps 80 to 100 students in her class. Imagine, our audacity, to suggest that they do group work or other sorts of active learning!! It will be an eye opener for me next week when I go to do class visits to observe some of the teachers.

Besides introducing concepts and techniques, we have held a conversation hour after class. It was so interesting! Topics ranged from polygamy (the majority in my group of seven---4 women, 3 men were against it), girl attendance in school (all very well versed in the great need for this and supportive of the government's program to increase enrollment among girls) and family obligations. They had lots of questions about Canada and teaching in Canada. I.e. "Does your son, since he is working, send you money?" ("No, but that's a really good idea!") The were shocked that he did not send us money. There is an absolute obligation to send money to their parents each month.

The professionalism of the teachers is amazing. They have worked very hard, especially since the workshop was mostly in English. At times, they struggled with understanding.

The pictures are from top to bottom:1.Main buiding of the school compound where we work. 2. Teachers doing group work outside the classroom3. Washing dishes. The young women who prepare our coffee and lunch each day. They are trying to teach me Bambara.4. The "squatters" I'll never complain about having to dash down a flight of stairs to go to the washroom! This is a long walk across the dusty compound, with your bucket of water. 4. Moi, in action.