USA

The Observer has written a story about our own Alahdj Amadou, director of our international program.  Read the original article here http://observernews.com/index.php/news/general-news/1743-west-african-educator-visits-reston-schools, or below.

West African Educator Visits Reston Schools By Leslie Perales, Observer Editor

Last week Alhadj Amadou, an educator from Niger, West Africa, visited South Lakes High School and Langston Hughes Middle School to learn more about American Schools. Amadou is the director of a school called Kabey Fo, which was founded by a Peace Corps volunteer and her five sisters. The school is supported by Educate Tomorrow, an organization based in Miami that is operated by the sisters. While touring SLHS and LHMS Amadou learned about the programs offered to students.

Comparatively, his school has no electricity and his computer is run off solar panels. Instead of Smart Boards or whiteboards his school uses blackboards, and most students walk or use donkeys for travel. His students still enjoy putting together theater productions, playing sports during their free time and learning about students in other countries. While at SLHS Amadou visited the school’s highest level French class to give a lecture in French, his native language. He told them about his school, students’ daily lives and life in West Africa. During his tour of the school he learned about classes, arts, extracurricular activities and more. SLHS senior Yoan N’Komba provided translation during the tour.

After visiting SLHS Amadou provided a similar lecture to LHMS students. His school is located in PeaceCorps territory and isn’t very close to any large villages so many of his students walk up to four miles to get to school every day. Students are between ages 7-12 years old but eventually the school will include high school age students as well, Amadou said. He told LHMS students the school has no air conditioning or fans and the heat can reach up to 120 degrees. He said while often there are not enough books there are volunteers and he has about 60 students who are eager to learn. Amadou said the literacy rate is about 20 percent. He said if students don’t attend school they often stay home

to work and support their families. He said girls help with household chores, such as collecting water and kindling, and boys help with farming. The average school day is from 8 a.m. to noon and 3

to 6 p.m. Amadou said it is very difficult to teach and learn without materials and students in the United States are very lucky for the resources available. He said in West Africa they also often have

to teach the parents why an education is important. When students finish school they have the opportunity to go to university if they do well enough on a standardized test. Amadou said about 10 percent of students are able to make it to university. Similarly students must pass a test at the age of 12 to continue their education into their teen years, he said. Amadou said after visiting schools in America for the past few months he has been able to see how they can strengthen their curriculum. He said often the problem is that teachers do not have the ability to teach a strong enough curriculum. He said he also learned how his teachers can improve their relationships with students and use American

teaching techniques.