This is a picture of the me and the adminstrators with our flower rings we made at Kodjonya Millinium Presby school in Odumase, Ghana.
I had a very busy day on Monday July 19, 2010, but Juliana and I got much accomplished.
I arrived at the school at 9:00am and started by taking tea then showing Juliana the pencils, prizes (calculators, erasers, highlighters, etc.), and the computer I have brought for the school. I also showed her the pipe-cleaners I brought to show the children how to make flower rings just like my students in high school in Brooklyn love to do. Juliana called many of her staff members, administrators and teachers to come and I taught them all to make the rings. They loved the craft and we will teach students later this week to make the rings during art class. Juliana suggested that the students make the rings and sell them as a fund raiser so students can start to save to do a travel exchange to the United States. It is a very good idea!
I spent a good part of the day brainstorming ideas with the School Mother, Ernestine ("Ma") for projects for my students and the Ghana students to collaborate on. It is sort of meta-cognitive but we thought it might be good to have the Ghana students create project assignments for the U.S. students and vice versa. So the students get to be the teachers and plan and grade each other on projects! We also discussed the opportunity of watching video clips of documentaries and then our students discussing it on skype or through e-mail exchanges. I was so excited to hear of these wonderful ideas. I can't wait to implement them in my Globalization and the Environment class in the fall.
After the brainstorming session, we went to the MTN store in Atimpoku near lake Volta and got the internet USB stick for the laptop that FUND FOR TEACHERS has supplied for Juliana's school so that our students may be well connected. The school, Juliana, numerous teachers, and myself are so appreciative of this new tool. I will be testing skype with one of my colleagues from Williamsburg Prep later this week.
While in Atimpoku, Juliana, Ma, and I had lunch at a restaurant. Juliana bought me snails which I have never had before but for the most part agree with me. On the other hand, I accidentally ate a HOT HOT pepper. I was sweating, crying, my face was red, and my nose ran. I payed for that one this morning when my stool was not so solid. I've decided no more hot peppers for me. For lunch, I had rice, tomato gravy (sauce), fried chicken (they make it best in Ghana!), noodles and cream (may0) salad. The three of us sat around and spoke of far away lands such as Denmark, the U.S., the UK, and Italy. We drank beer and malta and felt like queens. I am certainly enjoying my time here in Odumase!
For dinner, I sat and ate with my Ghana grandma Dido Irene and Rosina from the house I stayed in 4 years ago. I love those ladies too because I always laugh and laugh when I am with them. We had fu fu and groundnut stew with Okra and Chicken just the way I like it. Of course Irene refused to be in pictures because she said I'd show everyone back home a witch (referring to herself) but the funny thing is she is probably one of the most poised, savvy, women I know in Ghana, I guess she just doesn't like photos in her "house" clothes. Rosina and I would laughed about how on Friday I will bring the "strong-hot drink" a.k.a. beer. She stammered around saying that Irene would be falling over if I brought that drink. I just patted my belly which I kept calling my FUFU baby. We laughed and laughed into the night. I can not imagine another community as friendly and welcoming as the one I have found here in Odumase.
I arrived at the school at 9:00am and started by taking tea then showing Juliana the pencils, prizes (calculators, erasers, highlighters, etc.), and the computer I have brought for the school. I also showed her the pipe-cleaners I brought to show the children how to make flower rings just like my students in high school in Brooklyn love to do. Juliana called many of her staff members, administrators and teachers to come and I taught them all to make the rings. They loved the craft and we will teach students later this week to make the rings during art class. Juliana suggested that the students make the rings and sell them as a fund raiser so students can start to save to do a travel exchange to the United States. It is a very good idea!
I spent a good part of the day brainstorming ideas with the School Mother, Ernestine ("Ma") for projects for my students and the Ghana students to collaborate on. It is sort of meta-cognitive but we thought it might be good to have the Ghana students create project assignments for the U.S. students and vice versa. So the students get to be the teachers and plan and grade each other on projects! We also discussed the opportunity of watching video clips of documentaries and then our students discussing it on skype or through e-mail exchanges. I was so excited to hear of these wonderful ideas. I can't wait to implement them in my Globalization and the Environment class in the fall.
After the brainstorming session, we went to the MTN store in Atimpoku near lake Volta and got the internet USB stick for the laptop that FUND FOR TEACHERS has supplied for Juliana's school so that our students may be well connected. The school, Juliana, numerous teachers, and myself are so appreciative of this new tool. I will be testing skype with one of my colleagues from Williamsburg Prep later this week.
While in Atimpoku, Juliana, Ma, and I had lunch at a restaurant. Juliana bought me snails which I have never had before but for the most part agree with me. On the other hand, I accidentally ate a HOT HOT pepper. I was sweating, crying, my face was red, and my nose ran. I payed for that one this morning when my stool was not so solid. I've decided no more hot peppers for me. For lunch, I had rice, tomato gravy (sauce), fried chicken (they make it best in Ghana!), noodles and cream (may0) salad. The three of us sat around and spoke of far away lands such as Denmark, the U.S., the UK, and Italy. We drank beer and malta and felt like queens. I am certainly enjoying my time here in Odumase!
For dinner, I sat and ate with my Ghana grandma Dido Irene and Rosina from the house I stayed in 4 years ago. I love those ladies too because I always laugh and laugh when I am with them. We had fu fu and groundnut stew with Okra and Chicken just the way I like it. Of course Irene refused to be in pictures because she said I'd show everyone back home a witch (referring to herself) but the funny thing is she is probably one of the most poised, savvy, women I know in Ghana, I guess she just doesn't like photos in her "house" clothes. Rosina and I would laughed about how on Friday I will bring the "strong-hot drink" a.k.a. beer. She stammered around saying that Irene would be falling over if I brought that drink. I just patted my belly which I kept calling my FUFU baby. We laughed and laughed into the night. I can not imagine another community as friendly and welcoming as the one I have found here in Odumase.
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