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Africa in Transition: a Teachers Workshop

Announced: April 16, 2007

Texas A&M University International Programs and the Office of International Outreach present a teachers workshop, "Africa In Transition: politics, culture, agriculture, anthropology and education" for teachers of K-12 students on Friday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with six hours of continuing professional development, gifted training and ESL hours available.

Linda Edwards, Director of the Office of International Outreach at Texas A&M said that in a recent survey conducted with K-12 teachers the topic of Africa was one of the top five.

"The mysterious continent of Africa is a place still in transition with so many lessons to teach," Edwards said. "Martha Green our Education Coordinator has put together a full day of interesting topics that teachers can fit into their Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills required teaching curriculum."

The sessions planned for the day include: Nigeria, its People, Culture and Politics since Independence in 1960; The Impact of Socio-Cultural Differences: The Case of Cameroonian Children in the U.S.; The Pre-History of Africa: Searching for the Origins of Modern Humans in South Africa; The Constraints and Opportunities for Agricultural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa; and Refugee Camps in Kenya and Somalia: The African Migration and Refugee Movement.

"I hope my presentation will give teachers more insight into refugee students," says Danielle Bolks of Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement department in Houston, "including the barriers refugee families may encounter once they arrive in America."

Dr. Darryl de Ruiter in the Department of Anthropology at Texas A&M, who is teaching the session on the origins of modern humans, said that recent fossil discoveries over the last several decades in Africa have revolutionized our understanding of human evolution.

"With its 6 million year record of human evolution, Africa truly represents the birthplace of all humanity," de Ruiter said. "Understanding of the transitions that have occurred in Africa in prehistory is vital for comprehending humanity's place in nature."

Nigerian native Paul Obiazi will discuss the current political situation in his homeland. “With the upcoming presidential election on April 21, democracy in Nigeria is at a crossroads as the country struggles between democracy and military rule,” Obiazi said.

Dr. Mary Ghong, who will do the presentation on socio-cultural differences, wants to expose the differences in culture of Cameroonian children from West African in the United States.

"The session is intended for teachers to consciously review their expectations for students and their behavior towards students from other cultures," Ghong said.

Sam Goff, from the department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, will present a session on how agricultural development is an opportunity but not with out challenges.

"Seventy percent of all Africans- and nearly 90 percent of the poor- work primarily in agriculture,” Goff said. “Reductions in poverty hinge in large part on the collective ability of African farmers, governments, and agricultural specialists to stimulate and sustain broad-based agricultural growth."

The workshop is free, but registration and a refundable deposit is required. To reserve your space at the works contact Martha Green at mgreen@ipomail.tamu.edu or by calling 862-6700. For more information about this and other workshops, visit http://worldroom.tamu.edu/.

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