Friday 17 August 2012

The Wonders of Ghana!

I love living in Ghana for many reasons. If you have not visited Ghana; suffice it to say that you can teach ancient and modern history with complete ease. I won’t bother to list all my favorites about living in Ghana. The main reason for this blog being the abundance of history available at my finger tips. And as a historian, I cannot stop gushing about Mother Ghana! This latest epiphany was realized after our latest field trip to the Ghana National Air Force. It was fantastic! The children learned about the history of the Force. They sat on the various aircrafts. They got to wear the equipment and the staff did everything to make sure we had a great time. Parents realized how historical this moment was and spent the entire period documenting their children’s part of it. This trip was particularly relevant for our family. My children’s great uncle was part of the Air Force. The main street at Burma Camp is named after him. He is part of G
hana’s great modern history. The “Rawlings Years” or the 1980s cannot be discussed without Robert Kotei. He is one of the martyrs of Ghana’s recent turbulent past. Having visited the Force brought them a bit closer to him and that legacy. I’m sure if he is watching that having my children take a picture on his street would bring a smile to his face. Another reason why I am crushing on Ghana today is that another mom, (www.esheabutter.com) emailed to invite us to an orchard in Akosombo. The children would learn “how to identify the trees, other species of plants and talk about composting among other things.” I wish I had these learning opportunities when I was younger. I would have finished my Ph.D. at 21! Isn’t that fantastic! Where else in the world would children have such wonders at their fingertips? So today, and I hope for many days to come, to continue crushing hard on Ghana. God bless Ghana!

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Applause is in order!

As I prepare for another day of amazing home schooling with my wonderful children, I have to stop and thank the many educators who make it easier for me to educate. It’s understandable that teachers will feel insecure once in a while. We worry about not teaching the materials “properly” or fear that we don’t have enough materials. Well, that is no longer the case. It’s as though the world is united in the home schooling movement. Materials abound, all over the web and most are free, targeting home schololers and educators in general. I want to send a big virtual hug to some amazing educators who make my teaching efforts all the more rewarding. Teachers Pay Teachers ( is my latest find. I get tons of free materials from them; a network where teacher design worksheets and other materials are sold to other educators. However, they also have free materials. I am also grateful to Little Lovely Leaders (). Her site has tons of hands on craft activities that are fun and easy to do. I also want to recognize the wonderful educators on Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) who share and share wholeheartedly. And of course, I cannot forget Mrs. Lonnice Hammond, the wonderful teacher who turned me onto those sites. Good educators unite! The world is listening.