Many of my IFESH peers live in a region northwest of me called the Brong-Ahafo region (or the BA). On Friday, April 3rd I traveled to Bechem where my friends Karen and Jessie work at St. Joseph's Training College. The campus is much larger than ours, but there town was a bit smaller. It was fun to see their Teacher Resource Center and compare it to ours. The room is the same size, but they have a woman that runs the center so that students can come and go as they please. They also have a working copier, two working computers, two working printers, and a working laminator. The walls were filled with tons of TLMs . I was also jealous because of there wireless Internet! It was amazing. After visiting the school Jessie and I had dinner at the Orange Hotel with was on the outskirts of the town. I ate a plate of plain rice with a side of a pepper sauce. It was nice and the restaurant was interesting because it was an old hotel room that had been transformed into a small dining room. After dinner we went back to their bungalow for a good night's sleep before our big day.
The next day we took a taxi to Sunyani which is the capital city of the BA region. It is a nice sized town with a large, fancy hotel with a pool, gym, and restaurant with pizza. We meet up with Pamela, an IFESH volunteer that lives and teaches in Sunyani. She hired a mini bus for the day to take 12 of us to Kintampo Falls and the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary
Kintampo Falls. On the way to the Kintampo Falls I made a new friend Samatta. She knew Karen and works in Sunyani. We sang camps songs and played games for the 2 hours that it took to arrive at Kintampo. We walked down over a hundred stairs to the the base of this powerful waterfall. It was fun to walk long the base and get pelted by the water.
We had lunch at a nearby Catholic Church that Father Vincent, Pamela's coworker, new of. I ate a mango, but learned that cutting it is much better then just biting it. Thank goodness Karen had floss. We also took a moment to take pictures at the Center of Ghana.
After the waterfall we went to the monkey sanctuary. It took us a few hours to get to there due to bumpy roads and bad signs. But once we made it we were able to be less than two feet from tons of monkeys. They are sacred monkeys that are even given proper burials. They live freely int he forest around this small town. Folklore says that during a time of war the people of this town transformed into monkeys as a form of protection and then many didn't change back to their human forms. So the monkeys are treated well. We also say many beautiful trees. One was hollow. It was my highlight of the day- I wish I had the pictures it was outstanding.
After the long day, we traveled from 8am-7pm, Martha, another IFESH volunteer, and I had great fun in Sunyani and then traveled to her home in Berekum. When we arrived to Berekum
her roommate/IFESH volunteer, Amyianna, was cooking salmon croquettes. There kitchen is twice the size of ours and has the largest variety of spices I have seen in a long time. We visited until midnight and then I passed out.
The next day I visited their TRC which was amazing. They have alot of space to work with and computers, a copier, laminator, and tons of TLMs. They even made TLM of a computer monitor, printer, mouse, and keyboard. It was also so much fun to see and talk to Martha and Amyianna. I left Sunday around noon and got back to Agogo aorund 7pm. It was a nice trip.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Bad News
There won't be many or anymore pictures from my trips in Ghana. My computer is no longer with me so I can't download my pictures from my camera and many of my old pictures have been lost. This is very sad, because I went on a fantastic trip to waterfalls and to see monkeys- but these pictures are gone. I am going to try and get some pictures from friends, but for now words will have to do.
sorry
sorry
Monday, April 6, 2009
TLM Contest at A.P.C.E. with prizes from the Schoolbox
The first update I have for my readers is that the school I work at has changed its name. It was called APTC – Agogo Presbyterian Training College, but now it is Agogo Presbyterian College of Education. So if you read my blogs now APTC is the same as APCE.
Now own to the contest. Months ago Betsy and I met with educators from KNUST in Kumasi and began a partnership based on the creation of TLMs (teacher learning materials). During out meeting we decided that students from KNUST should visit our TRC to get ideas for their own TLMs. They did visit our campus early last month. Next, Betsy and I brainstormed things that our students could do to share with the KNUST students. I came up with an idea of a TLM contest.
I asked a few of our APCE students if they would be interested in entering a contest where they would create a TLM and win great teacher prizes from the Schoolbox. The few girls I surveyed said that this sounded like a great idea- so I got to work. I created a flyer that listed the rules for the contest:
• Participates are able to enter just one TLM
• Your TLM must fit in one of the following categories:
-Mathematics
-Science
-Social Studies/ History
-Health/Physical Education
-Language/Literature/Reading
• TLMs must be created primarily from found objects (example: bottles, boxes, tubes, etc)- at least making up of 30% of the TLM
• No posters will be accepted
• TLM must also have attached a handwritten or typed sheet (no longer than one page) explaining the TLM use to teach a part of the Ghanaian curriculum
• Finished TLMs are due to the TLM teachers by 4:00pm Monday March 23
And I created a rubric that explained to the contestants that they could be graded on neatness, their explanation, creativity, grammar, usability, and learning styles addressed.
We decided to have the TLM contest coincide with the students S.R.C. week- which is a week that the students get to celebrate being students! They had a beauty pageant, dance party, clean up day, and sport activities. On Saturday, March 28 they would have a program where guests were invited from all around the community and beyond. This sounded like the best time to have our students’ finished projects out for viewing.
APCE first and second year students were invited to enter the contest. Students had three weeks to work on their TLMs. They could work on the TLMs during class time or during open hours. We hosted additional Teacher Resource Center (TRC) open hours times on Sundays after church and on Friday afternoons as well as extended hours on our regular days (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays). The pupils that entered the contest worked countless hours on the TLMs that they submitted on Monday, March 23. It was nice to be able to give them help them get ideas to create TLMs that were much more interactive then posters.
On Wednesday, March 24, we began the first round of judging. This round was strictly for the “Kids Choice Award”. We had six children from the neighborhood come to give their expert input. This judges’ ages ranged from seven to eleven years. Each child took their duty very seriously and each had their favorite. In the end one vote put the winner over the others.
The second round of judging took place on Thursday, March 25. Earlier in the week I went around to multiple teachers and administrators in the community to deliver an invitation to the TRC to be the official contest judges. The judges, one head master of nearby school, one secretary of a primary school, and four teachers from lower and upper primary schools, received refreshments as they judges the projects with the rubrics provided. Each judge took their duty seriously and gave fantastic feedback for the contestants.
On Friday, March 26, Betsy and I had the contestants meet us in the Teacher Resource Center to find out the winners. Betsy took hours creating homemade 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons for the top winner.
Most of the prizes awarded (stickers, pencils, crayons, markers, pens, rulers, notepads, teacher tote bag, and a teacher resource book on creating crafts from found objects) were donations from a teacher supply store in Atlanta, Georgia called the Schoolbox. To find out more about the Schoolbox click here.
The first prize we awarded was the contestant that used the largest percentage of found objects.
Tina from class 2c had used cardboard, bottle tops, and water bags to create her Odds and Even number display with attached activities for the teacher.
Next we awarded Bernice the Kids Choice Award winner. Her 3-D intensive and extensive poultry farm was excited to the kid judges.
Finally we award the two honorable mentions. The first awarded was Cynthia from class 2d. She had created a pyramid from bottle tops.
The second awarded honorable mention was Irene from class 2c for her Ghanaian village diorama which included houses, a woman cooking over a fire, and pictures of two Ghana’s most popular crops, plantains and maize.
After honorable mentions we awarded Tina third place for her interactive displace of Odds and Evens.
Second place went to Bernice for chicken coop and chicken yard to show the different ways in which chickens are take care of.
Finally, first place was granted to Dorcas from class 2d. She worked hours on her project The Little Kingdom. Her 3-D diorama included over ten different animals, mountains, a river, a waterfall, and trees. The project included a corresponding poem that students would be asked to memorize. The most exciting part of her project was the added reward of a crown of the student to wear when they have correctly memorized the poem! She did a fantastic job on her explanation and creativity.
Participants were excited about their prizes and extremely gracious. After the ceremony Dorcas gave a heart-felt thank you to Betsy and I on behalf of all contestants that left few dry eyes in the room.
Although the projects never were displayed for the visitors on Saturday to see the judges, contestants, Betsy, and I were extremely impressed with the outcome of this contest. I hope that next year’s IFESH volunteer will continue this activity.
Now own to the contest. Months ago Betsy and I met with educators from KNUST in Kumasi and began a partnership based on the creation of TLMs (teacher learning materials). During out meeting we decided that students from KNUST should visit our TRC to get ideas for their own TLMs. They did visit our campus early last month. Next, Betsy and I brainstormed things that our students could do to share with the KNUST students. I came up with an idea of a TLM contest.
I asked a few of our APCE students if they would be interested in entering a contest where they would create a TLM and win great teacher prizes from the Schoolbox. The few girls I surveyed said that this sounded like a great idea- so I got to work. I created a flyer that listed the rules for the contest:
• Participates are able to enter just one TLM
• Your TLM must fit in one of the following categories:
-Mathematics
-Science
-Social Studies/ History
-Health/Physical Education
-Language/Literature/Reading
• TLMs must be created primarily from found objects (example: bottles, boxes, tubes, etc)- at least making up of 30% of the TLM
• No posters will be accepted
• TLM must also have attached a handwritten or typed sheet (no longer than one page) explaining the TLM use to teach a part of the Ghanaian curriculum
• Finished TLMs are due to the TLM teachers by 4:00pm Monday March 23
And I created a rubric that explained to the contestants that they could be graded on neatness, their explanation, creativity, grammar, usability, and learning styles addressed.
We decided to have the TLM contest coincide with the students S.R.C. week- which is a week that the students get to celebrate being students! They had a beauty pageant, dance party, clean up day, and sport activities. On Saturday, March 28 they would have a program where guests were invited from all around the community and beyond. This sounded like the best time to have our students’ finished projects out for viewing.
APCE first and second year students were invited to enter the contest. Students had three weeks to work on their TLMs. They could work on the TLMs during class time or during open hours. We hosted additional Teacher Resource Center (TRC) open hours times on Sundays after church and on Friday afternoons as well as extended hours on our regular days (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays). The pupils that entered the contest worked countless hours on the TLMs that they submitted on Monday, March 23. It was nice to be able to give them help them get ideas to create TLMs that were much more interactive then posters.
On Wednesday, March 24, we began the first round of judging. This round was strictly for the “Kids Choice Award”. We had six children from the neighborhood come to give their expert input. This judges’ ages ranged from seven to eleven years. Each child took their duty very seriously and each had their favorite. In the end one vote put the winner over the others.
The second round of judging took place on Thursday, March 25. Earlier in the week I went around to multiple teachers and administrators in the community to deliver an invitation to the TRC to be the official contest judges. The judges, one head master of nearby school, one secretary of a primary school, and four teachers from lower and upper primary schools, received refreshments as they judges the projects with the rubrics provided. Each judge took their duty seriously and gave fantastic feedback for the contestants.
On Friday, March 26, Betsy and I had the contestants meet us in the Teacher Resource Center to find out the winners. Betsy took hours creating homemade 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons for the top winner.
Most of the prizes awarded (stickers, pencils, crayons, markers, pens, rulers, notepads, teacher tote bag, and a teacher resource book on creating crafts from found objects) were donations from a teacher supply store in Atlanta, Georgia called the Schoolbox. To find out more about the Schoolbox click here.
The first prize we awarded was the contestant that used the largest percentage of found objects.
Tina from class 2c had used cardboard, bottle tops, and water bags to create her Odds and Even number display with attached activities for the teacher.
Next we awarded Bernice the Kids Choice Award winner. Her 3-D intensive and extensive poultry farm was excited to the kid judges.
Finally we award the two honorable mentions. The first awarded was Cynthia from class 2d. She had created a pyramid from bottle tops.
The second awarded honorable mention was Irene from class 2c for her Ghanaian village diorama which included houses, a woman cooking over a fire, and pictures of two Ghana’s most popular crops, plantains and maize.
After honorable mentions we awarded Tina third place for her interactive displace of Odds and Evens.
Second place went to Bernice for chicken coop and chicken yard to show the different ways in which chickens are take care of.
Finally, first place was granted to Dorcas from class 2d. She worked hours on her project The Little Kingdom. Her 3-D diorama included over ten different animals, mountains, a river, a waterfall, and trees. The project included a corresponding poem that students would be asked to memorize. The most exciting part of her project was the added reward of a crown of the student to wear when they have correctly memorized the poem! She did a fantastic job on her explanation and creativity.
Participants were excited about their prizes and extremely gracious. After the ceremony Dorcas gave a heart-felt thank you to Betsy and I on behalf of all contestants that left few dry eyes in the room.
Although the projects never were displayed for the visitors on Saturday to see the judges, contestants, Betsy, and I were extremely impressed with the outcome of this contest. I hope that next year’s IFESH volunteer will continue this activity.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Scorpian and Runaway Horse
While walking to the TRC the other morning I saw this in the pathway.
It was dead and very big.
It was an interesting morning.
While walking to the bank on Thursday, March 12, down Agogo High Street (the main street in Agogo) Betsy and I saw a horse running in the lane with traffic. The horse had a lead, but no one leading it. It was galloping quickly toward us as we were walking median in the middle of the two-lane street. All of a sudden we noticed it was heading straight toward us. We stopped and the horse came right to us and then walked across the median toward on coming traffic. As soon as it passed I realized I had my camera and snapped the picture seen below. Both Betsy and I wondered if we should have tried to stop the horse and tie it somewhere safe, but we just hoped that an adult caught it before the crowd of school children chasing it.
After spending 15 minutes on our trip from the bank to town we came across the horse tied to a tree in the shade next to a tro-tro station. Betsy took a picture of me with it.
As soon as we snapped the picture a gentleman came up and wondered why were taking pictures of his horse. I said “Because I love horses”. So later, further in town, he finds me again and asks me to take his picture…not with the horse- just a picture of him. So I did.
It was an interesting day in town.
It was dead and very big.
It was an interesting morning.
While walking to the bank on Thursday, March 12, down Agogo High Street (the main street in Agogo) Betsy and I saw a horse running in the lane with traffic. The horse had a lead, but no one leading it. It was galloping quickly toward us as we were walking median in the middle of the two-lane street. All of a sudden we noticed it was heading straight toward us. We stopped and the horse came right to us and then walked across the median toward on coming traffic. As soon as it passed I realized I had my camera and snapped the picture seen below. Both Betsy and I wondered if we should have tried to stop the horse and tie it somewhere safe, but we just hoped that an adult caught it before the crowd of school children chasing it.
After spending 15 minutes on our trip from the bank to town we came across the horse tied to a tree in the shade next to a tro-tro station. Betsy took a picture of me with it.
As soon as we snapped the picture a gentleman came up and wondered why were taking pictures of his horse. I said “Because I love horses”. So later, further in town, he finds me again and asks me to take his picture…not with the horse- just a picture of him. So I did.
It was an interesting day in town.
KNUST came to APTC
On Monday, March 9th Mariama and a fellow arts education lecture, and 29 Arts Education Masters and Doctoral students from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology came to Agogo Presbyterian Training College. During their visit we showed them our TRC and examples of TLMs that our students had created. It was fun to see these students get so excited about everything. The students and teachers traveling with them snapped pictures left and right. Papa and Ma paid our visitors a visit at the TRC.
After our introductions Betsy and I talked about the benefits of using TLMs in the classroom and how using found materials is cheaper and environmentally friendly. Then we let this art students show us their stuff by stepping back and letting them form groups and create. They came up with so many amazing TLMs.
Another great use for water bags...a small bag!
The following groups created a pencil holder/flower holder out of a toliet paper roll and the lid of cheese.
I also thought this Styrofoam house was a hit.
And what about this Styrofoam duck with a liquid pump head.
The movie screen for counting used to be a raisin bran box. How cool.
Here we have Shape Man. Can you name all of the shapes?
The group presenting below has a nice 3-D poster with water bags holding the words to match the Styrofoam shapes.
Here we have movable toilet paper rolls to demonstrate the primary colors.
This bottle cap match primary colors to make secondary colors.
Below is a basketball net for throwing words into. If you don't make the basket you have to write a sentence with the word.
This group created an interactive color wheel.
The group below used bottle caps to help students identify their colors.
It was so much fun to see what new ideas for TLMs could be made from toilet paper rolls, boxes, water bottles, and water bags.
After class we went to Agogo’s finest restaurant, Dollar Days Inn. Here Marima treated ups to delicious fried rice on the three-story porch over looking our beautiful town. After lunch we set them on their way back home. It was a successful and fun visit.
On the 28th of March APTC is having a celebration for the students and Betsy and I are going to put together an exhibit of the TLMs created for a competition we are having. We have invited the KNUST students back and we hope they can make it!
Send-Off Service for Mrs. Grace Ofosuhemaa Odjidia
When I first met my principal, Ma or Mrs. Grace Pfosuhemaa Odjidia, she told me she had retired the previous year. However, no one was found to replace her. So as soon as her replacement was found she would be leaving Agogo. In December she told me she would be leaving in February. Luckily I got an extra few weeks with her. On Sunday, March 8th the Agogo Presbyterian Church held a Send-Off Service for her. Betsy and I walked to church with Gloria, Emmanuel, and Rama.
Rama is Ma’s niece that always comes when she has college breaks from her teacher training college in Kumasi. This past visit we traded books. She read the first three Twilight books and we discussed them. Now I am reading two of her book The Judas Touch and The Kite Runner. She reads so much faster than I and is so excited about good books. It has been really fun hanging out with her over the past three weeks.
When we headed to church the service started right on time at 9:30am. We saw many coworkers and community members. Agogo's chief showed up as well.
It was a nice program. We left church at 1:30pm and then headed to the dining hall on campus for the presentation of gifts. People brought their gifts to Ma and then said a few words at the microphone. We were also served water, minerals (soda), and fried rice. I gave my rice to a friend since it wasn’t vegan…but it looked good.
We got home around 5:00pm and I made myself dinner…fried rice. How fitting.
Ma just left campus yesterday, Thursday March12. Not only did she leave, but Josephine (my Twi teacher/cooking teacher/friend) too. I am going to miss them both I so much. But I am planning to see them in Accra soon.
IFESH and World Cocoa Foundation Visit #2
On Friday, March 6, 2009, not only did Betsy and I celebrate Ghanaian Independence Day, but we also received a visit from: our Country Representative, the World Cocoa Foundation Education Program Director, and the IFESH Program Director. All three gentlemen were excited about visiting our principal before she left the school for retirement, and seeing what work we have done in our TRC. The week before this visit I had more time to send in the TRC since we had no workshops or classes. So I made a bunch of new posters and created new bulletin boards for the TRC.
My favorite board it one that Betsy and I are going to keep adding to. It is called “TRASH = TREASURE” where we showcase a piece of “trash” and talk about what TLM you can make from it. Currently we have shown bottle caps and boxes.
It was a nice visit and I think Betsy and I have done a good job added on to what the past IFESH volunteers had created.
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