Video Description: A compilation of the food, dancing, people, and history that made up an unforgettable experience in Ghana.
Check-In:
It’s hard to put my 9 days in Ghana into one collection of pictures or even one short post. Was it the food? The music? The dancing? The people? The history? The new connections and the reconnections? The culture? ALL. OF. IT.
It was a blessing to come to a place for the first time yet have that feeling of familiarity. A true understanding and meaning to a ‘return’. Every day I learned something new about Ghana and how it connected to me.
I came to Ghana to present at and support the ASCD Ghana International Educators Conference, which was a year in the making. I had the opportunity to engage with Ghanaian teachers, headmasters, assistant headmasters, and other education leaders through multiple workshops and a book talk.
We all think our experiences are so unique (and often they are) but I learned over the past 9 days that there is more that connects the Ghana education system to the United States than not…
low teacher pay
focus on exams
distrust in politicians
lack of infrastructure that supports versus hinders
friction between public schools and non-public schools
Eurocentric curriculum
lack of quality professional development for leaders
teacher recruitment/retention challenges
embracing of a white-dominant culture
and more….
These connections made conversations with Ghanaian educators and leaders rich, deep, and complex. We discussed tribalism versus race and how it impacts education. We interrogated the challenges of advancing technology across communities particularly rural ones. We questioned the leadership gender dynamics and its impacts.
Overall, this trip affirmed my decision to pivot into the world of policy and research.
It’s policy changes that asked Ghanaian teachers to shift from working 10 months a year to 12 months without a pay increase. It’s policy changes that shifted the country’s curriculum but materials still lack representation of Ghanaian history. It’s policy changes that focus student success on exams.
It was monumental to hear the Ghana Ministry of Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum speak several times and hear his commitment to building better school buildings across the country. His sponsorship of the leadership conference is promising and shows his commitment to leader development.
It is not lost on me that the country is so young (March 6, 1957 is Ghana’s official independence day after a long campaign for separation from the UK), especially in comparison to the United States. The US has yet to figure out how to support all of its students across their vast identifiers and circumstances so why should we expect Ghana, a new country, infiltrated by foreigners looking to create their own wealth off the backs of the natural resources the country has to offer, to have it all figured out themselves?
Ghana and its committed educators are making progress and there needs to be continued writing, research, and policy changes for the students of Ghana and across Africa, to be successful.
There’s still so much for me to digest, unpack, question, and ask so this is just my first attempt to share what I learned, and I will continue to reflect and share for many months/years to come.
This was my first trip to Ghana but it definitely won’t be my last. I say ‘leaders of the GLOBAL majority’ for a reason. I’m just getting started.…
How are you expanding your worldview of education to understand education in your community better?
#mondaymotivation: God bless our homeland Ghana,
And make our nation great and strong,
Bold to defend for ever,
The cause of Freedom and of Right.
Fill our hearts with true humility
Make us cherish fearless honesty,
And help us to resist oppressor's rule
With all our will and might forevermore.
-Ghana National Anthem
Newsletter UPDATES:
ONE
It’s been TWO years since I launched this newsletter!!!
Thank you all for being part of my journey as I continue to play with length, format, and tone. As I move to year three of this newsletter, I would love your thoughts and feedback by completing this quick 4-question survey. I would love to hear what you like/dislike including suggestions for improvement.
I’m taking off August to appreciate the journey of this past year, rest, recenter, and review whatever thoughts you may have. I will return on Monday, September 2nd with Issue #47.
TWO
Please let me know if you would like to be interviewed and/or recommend someone to be profiled in the Interview with a Leader of the Global Majority section. I need new interviews!
THREE
I will be launching a subset of this newsletter titled “MRB Writes” this upcoming Friday focused on the writing process of my second book. All current subscribers will be automatically subscribed but you will have the option to opt-out of it if that topic is not of interest to you.
What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To:
READING: One thing I appreciate in the newer YA books is the breadth of characters and how each author takes time to develop them and their unique qualities. In Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert, you have a character managing OCD. You can find a full list of my book recommendations here. Please note that I am an affiliate with Bookshop.org and receive a small compensation for your purchase when you use the book links provided.
LISTENING TO: Reckon True Stories is a new podcast hosted by authors Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymo. It discusses “ new and classic nonfiction – the essays, journalism, and memoirs that inspire us, that change the world, and help us connect with each other.” A Vanity Fair interview with the hosts can be found here.
WATCHING: After thoroughly enjoying the food of Ghana and experiencing how much Caribbean food is influenced by it, I had to rewatch this episode of High On the Hog to understand all the connections.
How to Continue to Support Leading-Within:
Go to Amazon and rate or review the book there! Reviews are a great way for others to see that this book is worth the time to read.
Post about the book on social media using the hashtag #leadingwithin. Even better if it includes a picture of you WITH the book!
Host a book club with your affinity/ERG group. Two study guides are also available on the ASCD website - one for leaders of color and one for white co-conspirators that are perfect for starting a group conversation. For book clubs with participants who have purchased and committed to reading the book, please reach out to me so I can support your journey!
Connect with me to speak to your organization or group about topics covered in the book, like ‘practicing love and rage’, ‘building a coalition’, and ‘taking a stand’.
If this is your first time reading, please go back and read my Introductions post.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. If you like it, please share it with your network!