Teacher Training in Senegal

ACEI is embarking on an outreach initiative that includes supporting teacher training and offering technical assistance to schools and child care programs.

The first such training was offered in November and was conducted in Fatick, Senegal. Senegal is located at the westernmost point of Africa and Fatick is located in a rural area small towns and villages, approximately a four- to five-hour drive southwest of the capital city of Dakar. The training took place at the community school of Diaoule.

The training was designed by Dr. Sue Wortham and delivered over a 4-day period. The training involved an intensive overview of content that included child development theory, stages of child development, classroom management, curriculum, and learning environments. Local teachers and school directors participated. The design of the training allows for follow-up evaluations and participants eventually may be selected to become trainers; therefore, the training is considered a “Train the Trainer Model.” When serving as a representative of World Children’s Relief, from 2002 to 2009, Dr. Wortham delivered similar trainings in towns and villages in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, and Haiti.

In addition to delivering the training, ACEI Representative Dr. Sue Wortham and ACEI Executive Director Diane Whitehead met with government and education officials from the local and regional offices of the Fatick Ministry of Education. School site visits were also made, which provided an opportunity for ACEI representatives to connect with teachers and school directors, and to observe children in their schools.

Mr. Faly Mane served as the coordinator of the ACEI training in Fatick. Mr. Mane works for the Ministry of Education, where he serves as the Inspector for Secondary Schools.