Mr. Essan Weah and I presented a few days ago at the World Council of Oregon "Teach Africa Youth Forum" on Yo Ghana! and came away impressed and inspired by the level of dedication of the students and teachers.
Near the end of our session, one teacher asked us what guidance we had for people trying to select from one of the many opportunities she had been exposed to for a deeper engagement with Africa. My only piece of advice was to choose a project that she felt passionate about, as she was no doubt already overwhelmed with responsibilities.
I think that's what impresses me most about the teachers Yo Ghana! works with in the U.S. and Ghana. None of them have the time to take on the extra work of overseeing the writing and sending and receiving of letters. But they do so anyway.
Teachers in both nations are confronted with a growing list of responsibilities growing numbers of children who need extra attention. They are also expected to raise everyone's scores on standardized tests that have become the judge and jury as to whether or not their school are deemed good or bad.
How fortunate we all are, then, that so many of these overworked and underpaid professionals are not only willing but eager to search out opportunities for their students to learn about the broader world in ways that will not show up in a test score.
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