Teacher to Teacher.....from Sawyer

Yesterday and today I got in a few good interviews that highlight the hopeful and grateful nature of the Sierra Leoneans. I was thinking today it was a shame the trip has been so smooth so far (with exception to the roads) that I won’t have any drama to add too my feature. Of course the country itself is dramatic in its landscape, poverty and beautiful people. It was good to hear from the head teacher how much he believed in the child centered teaching methods that we are suggesting, as opposed to the common “chalk” method which is probably the easier method in the overcrowded classrooms, but which is rote and ineffective. It is no surprise that the education level here is substandard when the limited children who can go to school learn through chalkboard lectures. It can be amusing to watch the teachers go through the workshops which go a lot like an elementary school, they sit in groups, they learn basic math and go out to collect different types of leaves for science. But just as hands on learning help children, it also shows the teachers the benefits of modern educational techniques. Even though the workshops are coming to a close, we still have a long way to get home so please continue to pray for the teams safety, and that our work will become a deep-rooted foundation for the Sierra Leone teachers to build a stronger education.  Sawyer