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Journal
Summary and Excerpts (below)
Although I did not
step a foot in the Gambia until mid-October, my internship started long
before. Almost a year of preparation including research, coursework,
meetings, and networking with other students who had ventured to the
Gambia, was dedicated to this idea that I could launch a new teaching
program in a developing country.
After completing the Maryland portion of student teaching and a final
meeting with professors Harle and Roberts, my colleague and I were set
to depart on the thirteenth of October. Facing our first cultural experience
here on our own soil, we learned about “Gambian time” as
we eagerly awaited for our flight to depart after four days of delays
and cancellations.
Finally arriving to Banjul airport in the afternoon on Friday, October
17, we were immediately greeted by a scattered and confusing immigration
process, frequent power outages that caused the luggage belt to malfunction,
and a wave of 100-degree air. Our wonderful driver, Foday Darbo, had
been waiting all night at the airport for us (God bless him!). Because
it was Friday, we needed to hurry and get home because Foday needed
to get to mosque, and offices would be closing.
We met Ebrima Colley, a language and culture trainer, and chatted a
little bit about our travels. We also got to meet Mirline Andre, our
neighbor and Peace Corps Education volunteer. Over the course of the
next 5 days, Ebrima taught us language and culture with private, in-home
lessons. Our meetings with the school, Embassy, and Peace Corps were
pushed back to Monday and Tuesday.
Our teaching officially started about a week after our arrival; the
posts with which we were given were actually assigned with considerable
amount of decision-making power bestowed upon us by the Principal of
Ming Daw, Mrs. Ndella Carr. We both decided to teach English and Literature
(taught as separate disciplines) for Grade 10. We were given a vague
curriculum for both, and none of our English students had textbooks
until two weeks later. Our Literature students never received textbooks,
and we received old and worn-out copies of an old textbook to use as
our guide in lesson planning. We really got tested as teachers!
From the first day it was apparent that our style was different; students
were thrilled to have interactive lessons, group work, creative writing
assignments, and frequent (but smaller) tests and quizzes geared at
their level. Our initial informal and formal assessments of learning
showed that most of our pupils were at about a sixth grade reading and
writing level, as compared to our American students.
Several interruptions into our teaching, including the Ramadan, death
of fellow teacher Mrs. Bolatito Adams, and Koriteh feasting, led to
a smaller window of opportunity for us to make an impact in the classroom
than we expected. Being there during the holidays was great though!
During my internship
I was able to implement a Gambian-American pen pal program that linked
American high school students with my Gambian students (total participation
is approx. 240 students).
At the end of the internship, my colleague and I wrote, administered,
and graded several exams. The school commended us with a gift and letters,
and we departed on December 15.
-Miranda
Williams, 2003
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