Teach Your Heart Out

Uniform for our school- Cem Pikine

Teaching

Jessie teaching

Students

Tuesday and Wednesday were incredible days! We had the opportunity to teach a variety of lessons and interact with numerous kids.

Mai, Jessie, and I initiated a two-hour class in Fatoumata's classroom focused on America and its educational systems. We kicked off the session by showing a map of the US and asking the students to identify any states or cities they knew. It was intriguing to hear them mention New York, Texas, California, and Vegas as familiar places. We highlighted these locations on the map. Each of us then taught a lesson about our respective state or city. Mai is from Boston, Jessie is from Maryland, and I shared an alphabet book about Washington. Thanks to generous contributions from our school districts and state colleges, we were able to give all the students pencils, stickers, and other items featuring our state names. In this environment, supplies are provided by the teachers, not the school, and many students lack basic school supplies, including writing instruments. I was thankful that we had brought a sufficient supply of pencils and pens.

We also taught students about the American School System. I taught about the history of the American School system and the structure of our system. As I looked out to the classroom of seventy students, I was taken aback by the desire to learn, focus, and resiliency despite the large classes. The intrinsic motivation in these students is inspiring.

We also had an opportunity to observe a Spanish Class, and Mai (who has taught in the Dominican Republic) got to teach the class! It was fun to watch.

The most intriguing class I observed and assisted in was Mr. Sow's. He taught about the Talibe—street children in Senegal who beg for food and money to bring back to their families. Whenever we went anywhere in St. Louis, they would follow us, hoping for a baguette or chips. It truly breaks my heart to see hungry children and a system that doesn't provide support like ours does. He asked students to identify the problem, consequences, and potential solutions. Unlike other teachers I observed, Mr. Sow incorporates group work despite the large class sizes. He acts more as a facilitator for his 9th-12th grade students, allowing them to collaborate and find solutions independently.

Many classrooms lack electricity. In each class, a student is responsible for the sponge, bringing a bucket of water and a sponge to the classroom. Their task is to clean the chalk off the slate at the front of the class and whenever the teacher requests it. Most classes last two hours, and without projectors and with limited copies, the teacher writes most things on the chalkboard. Some classes are so crowded that the teacher cannot even walk to the back. The desks are boards balanced on metal frames, varying in size, and many are broken. When I sat in one, the front of the desk pressed into my stomach, and the back pressed into my back.

The resilience of these students is incredibly inspiring. They attend every day ready to learn, without complaining or whining. Teaching in Senegal was a delightful experience. I've been considering how to integrate what I've learned here into my life and teaching.