Enhancing Skills and Sharing Culture in Gananoque Classrooms

I am Nyaboh Epse Manga Louise Chulley, from Cameroon, and I have been teaching French and English as second languages for 16 years. My educational background includes a degree in General and Applied Linguistics from the University of Yaoundé 1 and a Secondary School Teacher's Diploma Grade 2 in Bilingual Letters from the University of Bamenda. My teaching career spans from kindergarten to high school, allowing me to work with a diverse range of students.

My motivation to pursue the Internationally Trained Teachers (ITT) program at Queen’s University comes from my passion for language education and my aspiration to become a qualified teacher in Canada. I believe this program will help me bridge my teaching experience with the Canadian educational system, allowing me to contribute effectively to the diverse classrooms in Canada.

Presenting at Linklater Public School in Gananoque was a wonderful and enriching first-time experience for me in a Canadian classroom. I conducted a PowerPoint presentation for grade 3 students that incorporated pictures and videos showcasing my culture. The topics I covered included aspects of Cameroonian culture, language, culinary traditions, schools in my home country, mode of transportation and daily life. The students were very engaged and curious, which made the experience incredibly rewarding.

The feedback from both the students and the staff at Linklater Public School was very positive. The students were fascinated by the cultural insights and visual elements of the presentation, and they expressed their excitement and interest through numerous questions and interactions. The staff appreciated the effort to bring a diverse cultural perspective into the classroom and mentioned that it was a valuable learning experience for the students.

The ITT program at Queen’s University has been instrumental in preparing me for teaching in a different cultural and educational context. It has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the Canadian educational system, inclusive teaching strategies, and culturally responsive pedagogy. Through the program, I have learned how to adapt my teaching methods to meet the diverse needs of students in Canada, and I have gained valuable insights into the importance of creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

As an internationally trained teacher, I hope to bring a unique and enriching perspective to the Canadian education system. I aim to promote bilingualism and cultural diversity in the classroom, fostering an environment where students appreciate and respect different cultures. My goal is to contribute to the academic and personal growth of my students by providing them with a broad and inclusive worldview, and to support their language development in both French and English.

I’m excited to share a bit of my background and what motivated me to pursue the ITT program. I’m Nigerian, and I am the second of four children. From my days in high school, I discovered my immense love for teaching my classmates about government. My government teacher at the time made me love the subject so much that I often imitated him after he left the class. Although my classmates found it funny, they began to call on me whenever they didn’t understand certain things in the subject, and I was always willing to help out. It was fun for them, but it helped them grasp the concepts faster.

I thought about a profession that would allow me to talk to people about politics, history, and political ideas, and only the teaching profession ticked all the boxes. This informed my decision to study Educational Management and Political Science at the university.

One of the primary reasons for my interest in the ITT program is the opportunity to gain exposure to diverse teaching methodologies and educational systems. By immersing myself in an international setting, I aim to broaden my horizons and learn from educators from various cultural backgrounds. Furthermore, undertaking this course in Canada will enable me to acquire specialized knowledge in curriculum development, evaluation and assessment, instructional strategies, and educational technology, which are essential for implementing innovative teaching approaches.

It was a good experience for me as it gave me insight into classroom practices for teachers and the typical classroom environment in Ontario, which is very different from what we have in my country. The curiosity of the kids to learn about different groups of people and their cultures was very pleasant to see. I quickly learned how important it is to always take teaching outside the box so that teaching is not just an activity but becomes an experience they will never forget.

We explored the rich culture of Nigeria, including our food, clothes, and modes of transportation, water supply, and music. We even tried to dance to one of the songs, which was fun for the kids. At the end of the class, we played an Edpuzzle game to check how much information about Nigeria the kids had retained, and the feedback was excellent.
 

Their Teacher appreciated us and admired how we were able to keep the students fully engaged for the entire presentation and how curious the students were as they kept asking so many questions just to satisfy their curiosity which was quite fascinating.

The ITT program has given me a much better experience than I expected. I strongly believe that I would have fallen short in my teaching practice if I had been placed in an Ontario classroom without the rich plethora of knowledge and information I have gained, and will continue to gain, from this program. Considering the diverse nature of a typical Ontario classroom, which is different from my previous experience, the ITT program has trained me to be intentional in infusing culturally responsive pedagogy into my teaching practice. The classroom environment must be a safe place for every culture and background to learn and enjoy learning.

Additionally, this program has taught me to individualize my lesson plans. Every child must be catered to in the plan, and their differences must be considered in my lesson planning, content planning, evaluation, and assessment, which should be differentiated and flexible. I believe very strongly that every internationally trained teacher who wants to ease into the Ontario system and hit the ground running should opt for this program. The socio-cultural dynamics hold a major influence in Ontario classrooms, which is different from our diverse backgrounds. However, a good knowledge of these changes will prepare us for what to expect and how to conduct ourselves professionally
 

I intend to bring life into my classroom. I have been an advocate of a classroom full of life and I’m even more motivated to get into it now considering that I’m on the side of the students now as a student in this program. Students must enjoy learning and relish their experiences in learning different things which helps them retain knowledge. As a Teacher in Nigeria, I was restricted by so many factors such as socio-economic factors, school policy and the curriculum, but from what I have learnt about the Ontario curriculum, we have some sort of freedom to get our students learning provided our practices are guided by the core ethics of teaching in Ontario which are care, respect, integrity, and trust. 

I will be modeling my teaching from a world-renowned Teacher in America, Ron Clark who has shown me with his ‘crazy’ school, Ron Clark Academy, that teaching is fun when learning is fun.