The Growing Classroom

My school garden is on its way. Well, actually, it's just begun. I recently made friends with some of the technicians and professors at the crop science department in the College of Agriculture. They've been kind enough to take time explaining to me the soil composition and primary crops grown in this region. They also donated chicken manure and started seeds to the school I am teaching at. So, this coming week the soil should be tilled and eventually it will be ready to be planted in. I cannot wait to perform lesson plans in the school's very own outdoor garden classroom. Recently, I've been collecting different types of leaves or plants or even dead insects from campus to bring to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders. I can't decide who enjoys it more...me or them?

I entered this missionary school by "faith." Or as most Ghanaians would say "The fate of God blessed you in going there." Of course, it's a school of God, an Anglican primary school to be exact. But I still refuse to tell the students that everything natural just appeared from God (I also refuse to "beat" the kids with a small stick...which most teachers do). Instead I perform hands on activities where students have to "think" versus being "told". This is extremely hard to get them to do, believe it or not. The students do not know how to think for themselves or for that matter, outside of the box. I always exasperate USE YOUR IMAGINATIONS! So the kids are gradually catching onto having discussions and thinking creatively with me.

Perhaps I am not the only one becoming adjusted over the past few months, yet Ghanaians, too, are becoming adapted to me (or at least that's the case with the primary school students...).