I've never blogged before. You have to start sometime. I am meant to be a member of the Net generation, all tooled up to communicate with my peers across the globe. We shall see how it goes, I'm game to try it out.
I am now lucky enough to be working in the education industry, and part of my job involves travelling to places outside of my home in London and visiting schools, talking to civil servants within various Ministries of Education, talking to NGO workers who are out in the field, talking to members of the international donor community, talking to education researchers, talking to teachers, talking to students, talking to parents.
When put like that it seems as if most of my job involves talking. Dialogue is of course good and has its place; this blog, I hope, may become in time a forum for extended and interesting dialogue on topical education subjects. Needless to say I, and many others like me working in the education industry, are also interested in moving beyond mere talk and into action. Action in this case being better learning outcomes for students around the world. Some of this blog will be dedicated to recording projects and people I encounter who are promoting just that kind of action.
I'm starting this blog therefore as a way to document some of the more interesting parts of my visits abroad so that I'll have my own record. It may just be that other people working in the same field find things I put up chime with their work in different parts of the world. They may want to comment, endorse, constructively critique, or provide complementary examples from their own experience. I welcome such contributions, and hope this blog will encourage the educationally curious.
Oh yes, the picture in the background is some children within a government school classroom in the Northern region of Ghana. They are not actually attending a conventional school class, but are there after-hours, learning from a volunteer farmer. I will say more about that trip in another posting. The title of this blog 'Buffalo Soldier' is from a favourite Bob Marley song. Wikipedia also tells me that Bob must have been referring to the nickname given to the African-American members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 22, 1866 and fighting in the Indian Wars of that era. I know nothing more about that period of American history, but I am partial, it's true, to some Bob Marley. Hence the name.
I am now lucky enough to be working in the education industry, and part of my job involves travelling to places outside of my home in London and visiting schools, talking to civil servants within various Ministries of Education, talking to NGO workers who are out in the field, talking to members of the international donor community, talking to education researchers, talking to teachers, talking to students, talking to parents.
When put like that it seems as if most of my job involves talking. Dialogue is of course good and has its place; this blog, I hope, may become in time a forum for extended and interesting dialogue on topical education subjects. Needless to say I, and many others like me working in the education industry, are also interested in moving beyond mere talk and into action. Action in this case being better learning outcomes for students around the world. Some of this blog will be dedicated to recording projects and people I encounter who are promoting just that kind of action.
I'm starting this blog therefore as a way to document some of the more interesting parts of my visits abroad so that I'll have my own record. It may just be that other people working in the same field find things I put up chime with their work in different parts of the world. They may want to comment, endorse, constructively critique, or provide complementary examples from their own experience. I welcome such contributions, and hope this blog will encourage the educationally curious.
Oh yes, the picture in the background is some children within a government school classroom in the Northern region of Ghana. They are not actually attending a conventional school class, but are there after-hours, learning from a volunteer farmer. I will say more about that trip in another posting. The title of this blog 'Buffalo Soldier' is from a favourite Bob Marley song. Wikipedia also tells me that Bob must have been referring to the nickname given to the African-American members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 22, 1866 and fighting in the Indian Wars of that era. I know nothing more about that period of American history, but I am partial, it's true, to some Bob Marley. Hence the name.
Great Job! Carver. Most a time my heart aches to see children in many parts of Ghana play around when school is in session. I ask myself, what is the future of these kids going to be like? What opportunities would be open to them under competitive circumstances? What families would they have? What opportunities would their children have? Thus, the cycle of poverty, deprivation and inequalities assume larger coverage with increased intensity. The only way to reverse this unfortunate trend is to start now to let the children enjoy their fundamental right to education no matter which part of the world.
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