Student Teaching in Ghana

In the Fall of 2008, the School of Education at SUNY Geneseo entered into a partnership with The Village of Hope in Feteh, Ghana which supported our efforts to send student teachers to their campus for on placement. The school is a department of The Village of Hope which includes an orphanage and social outreach service. The mission of the school is to prepare children (mostly orphans) for university education. The children who finish at the school generally attend public secondary schools either in Cape Coast or Accera, the capital. In addition to the academic curriculum, religion is taught at all levels. Our Teacher Candidates stay in dormitory housing while at VOH and are assigned to work with a faculty member this fall.

The program includes experiences at both ends of the student teaching placement that are designed to provide an international emphasis. Upon arrival they will travel to Kumasi University for orientation programming including an introduction to Ghana’s education system, local excursions, and an opportunity to complete their student teaching experiences. This portion of the trip will be supervised by Dr. Sherry Schwartz, a SUNY Geneseo Professor Emeritus. Candidates will then travel to the Village of Hope with Glenn McClure (SUNY Geneseo adjunct professor) for a one week visit student teaching. Following their work at VOH, they will travel to Cape Coast and Accra for closure activities including local excursions and visits to a number of public and private schools in the Accra area.

Based upon last year’s program, we are very pleased with the student teaching piece and anticipate the changes that have been made to enhance and enrich the international experience.