📚TEACH – Education, Equity, and Impact

📘 Guiding Question & Reflection

"What instructional strategies do Senegalese teachers use to support student engagement, achievement, and comprehension, and how can these strategies inform effective teaching practices in U.S. schools?"

This essential question guided my entire Fulbright journey, shaping how I observed, questioned, connected, and reflected while in Senegal.

🌍 Teach: Global Learning Resources & Local Connections

These curated resources can help educators around the world bring global competencies into their classrooms through project-based learning, culturally relevant pedagogy, and real-world application.

1. iEARN (International Education and Resource Network)A global platform where teachers and students collaborate on real-time, curriculum-based projects. I used iEARN to explore ideas for international classroom collaborations before traveling to Senegal.Use: Great for cross-cultural communication, service-learning, and authentic global connections.

2. Asia Society: Center for Global EducationOffers resources, policy tools, and lesson planning frameworks to support global competence.Use: Ideal for instructional leaders looking to align curriculum to the Global Competence Matrix.

3. World SavvyTrains educators in global competence skills and integrates global issues into content areas.Use: Especially useful for building teacher capacity through PDs and school-wide transformation.

4. Fulbright Teacher ExchangesAs a Fulbright TGC alum, this program has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth.Use: Encourages educators to experience immersive cultural exchange and then globalize learning in their home communities.

5. Blue Apple ProjectsOffers interdisciplinary PBL units focused on real-world global challenges. I used their “What’s In Your Water?” project as a starting point for connecting science to local-global environmental issues.Use: Perfect for K–8 classrooms looking for plug-and-play global PBLs.

📍 Local Georgia-Based Resources for Global Learning

1. The Center for Civil and Human Rights (Atlanta, GA)Provides immersive exhibits on global and domestic justice struggles.Use: Ideal for field trips or virtual tours to connect history and social justice to global citizenship.

2. Clarkston, Georgia (DeKalb County)Known as one of the most diverse cities in America, often referred to as “the Ellis Island of the South.”Use: Educators can build pen-pal programs, explore local immigrant stories, or organize community interviews to explore identity and global migration.

3. Fernbank Museum of Natural History (Atlanta, GA)Hosts global science and cultural exhibits—including those on West African artifacts.Use: Supports interdisciplinary links between geography, culture, and STEM.

4. Atlanta Global Studies Center (Georgia State & Georgia Tech)Offers grants, PD workshops, and curriculum toolkits for globalizing K–12 instruction.Use: Ideal for professional development and connecting with fellow globally-minded educators in Georgia.

5. Liberation Academy (Clayton County, GA )As a middle school educator and instructional leader at Liberation Academy, I’ve helped design globally-focused ELA and STEM projects.Use: This school can serve as a model for integrating global competencies into instruction, with project-based learning that reflects our students’ cultures and voices.

TEACH – A Smile That Reminded Me Why I’m Here

From the moment I stepped onto the campus of Lycée Valdiodio Ndiaye in Kaolack, something in me shifted. My heart didn’t just beat—it dropped. In the best, most humbling way. The kind of feeling you get when your soul is being realigned with your why.

This young man in the photo was the first student to welcome me. His eyes lit up with curiosity, and even though English is still new to him, his drive to connect, to grow, to learn was louder than any language barrier. Every day since, I find myself searching for him during breaks—just to check in, share a laugh, or exchange a few new words. But it’s more than that.

He sees me as a light—someone he feels safe around, someone who represents a dream of one day studying in the United States. But the truth? He’s the light. He’s the reminder I didn’t even know I needed. In all the busyness of lesson plans, leadership, and life, he brought me back to my purpose.

As Fulbright educators, we come to share, to teach, to build global bridges—but sometimes, the greatest lesson is the one we receive. And this student, with his joy, his hunger to succeed, and his open heart, taught me that impact doesn’t always come from what you say—it comes from how you show up.

This is what Fulbright is all about: connection, transformation, and rediscovering your why—through the eyes of a child who just needed someone to believe in him.

TEACH – More Than a Moment: A Lesson in Presence

This picture may look simple—just a student and a teacher side by side. But it holds so much more. This wasn’t posed. It wasn’t planned. It was a moment of genuine connection, the kind that doesn’t need words to be felt.

We sat together, not talking much, but saying everything. The way he leaned in. The way I listened. The way the world seemed to slow down, just long enough for both of us to breathe.

What Fulbright has reminded me—especially here at Lycée Valdiodio Ndiaye—is that teaching is never just about content. It’s about presence. It’s about being there for the quiet students. The observant ones. The ones who carry stories in their eyes.

And as I sat next to this student, I realized I wasn’t just here to support his learning—he was teaching me something too. About patience. About paying attention. About the power of just being still and being seen.

We often chase big “aha!” moments in education. But sometimes, the most profound teaching happens in these small, sacred pauses. And this was one of them.

TEACH – Learning With Less, Dreaming for More

Walking through the classrooms of Lycée Valdiodio Ndiaye, one thing becomes immediately clear—resources are limited, but passion is not. Desks may be worn, supplies may be few, but the hunger to learn is loud, undeniable, and alive in every single student.

The education system in Kaolack faces real challenges—large class sizes, minimal materials, and limited access to technology. And yet, these students show up fully. Their curiosity is unshaken. Their focus, unbreakable. It’s a powerful reminder that innovation isn’t only born from abundance—it often rises from necessity.

My purpose here is to help reimagine what’s possible. I want to support teachers in seeing the beauty and power of STEAM education—not as something distant or complex, but as something they already hold the tools for: creativity, problem-solving, cultural connection. I’m focusing on helping educators differentiate instruction, meet students where they are, and honor the many ways students learn and shine.

Because even without fancy labs or digital whiteboards, there’s brilliance in these classrooms. And my goal is to help it rise, resource or not.

TEACH – Paper, Stickers & Wonder: When Learning Feels Like Magic

In this video, you’ll see students smiling, laughing, fully tuned in—and all because of something so simple: a paper fortune teller. To many students in the U.S., it’s a playground classic. But here in Kaolack, it was a brand-new experience—and it blew them away.

We introduced fortune tellers as a fun, hands-on activity to help students practice English vocabulary in a creative way. Each flap held a word, a color, a number—and a world of possibility. The classroom lit up with excitement. Students who were once quiet leaned in closer. They folded, guessed, read aloud, and shared. They didn’t just engage—they lit up.

And the moment we brought out scratch-and-sniff stickers as little rewards? The classroom exploded with joy. Something so small, something many kids back home might not even blink at, felt magical to these students. They smelled every sticker like it was a treasure. Because to them—it was.

We also took this opportunity to talk with teachers about how these kinds of low-cost, high-impact strategies could be used to support English learning. From vocabulary games to personalized goal setting, fortune tellers can be a gateway to student engagement, creativity, and connection.

It reminded me that teaching doesn’t have to be fancy—it has to be thoughtful. And sometimes, a piece of paper and a sticker can speak louder than a textbook ever could.

TEACH – Language, Equity & The Right to Understand

In this photo, we’re mid-conversation—me and a student working through words, meanings, and gestures to connect across a language barrier. It looks simple, but it holds so much more.

At Lycée Valdiodio Ndiaye, students are learning English as a second, sometimes third, language. But the challenge isn’t just learning a new language—it’s learning through it. English is tested, expected, and taught, but often without the necessary scaffolding, resources, or support these students need to truly thrive. And still—they show up. With curiosity. With drive. With grace.

This experience has made me reflect on our own systems back home. Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), all students are expected to meet the same academic standards, regardless of language background. But what happens when language becomes a barrier, not because students are incapable—but because systems are inequipped? What happens when understanding isn’t accessible, but still required?

And here in Kaolack, it’s the same question in a different language: How can students meet expectations when instruction isn’t differentiated? How can we talk about excellence without ensuring access? What does equity look like when education is a universal right, but not a universal experience?

In classrooms with limited books, no visual aids, and one teacher for 40+ students, the right to understand becomes a right too easily overlooked. And yet, every student here deserves it.

My mission in Kaolack is to support teachers in seeing how STEAM strategies and differentiated instruction aren’t just buzzwords—they are tools for justice. Visuals, hands-on activities, translanguaging, and storytelling—these are the bridges that help students cross from confusion to confidence.

Because whether you're in Atlanta or Kaolack, language should never be the thing that holds a child back from their dreams.

TEACH – When Understanding Becomes a Privilege: A Deeper Look at Language, Policy & Power

The more time I spend in classrooms here in Kaolack, the more I see that language is not just a tool—it’s a gatekeeper. In Senegal, French is the official language of instruction, even though many students grow up speaking Wolof, Serer, or Pulaar at home. Then, by the time they reach secondary school, English is layered on top—another expectation added to an already complex linguistic journey.

Imagine being 15 years old, expected to read and write in a language your parents don’t speak, with no access to translators, multilingual texts, or individualized support. That’s the reality for many students in Senegal—and the truth is, it's not all that different from multilingual students in the U.S.

Back home, we have policies like No Child Left Behind, ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act), and court decisions affirming that education is a constitutional right. But even with these, we still see multilingual learners disproportionately under-supported, underrepresented, and overlooked.

So I ask again:

• If education is a right, why does understanding feel like a privilege in so many places?

• If language is power, why are so many systems structured to withhold it from those who need it most?

• Why do we continue to test students on standards they were never given equitable access to learn?

Here in Kaolack, the Senegalese system functions with national exams that determine a child’s educational future, with little room for flexibility, little space for language support, and few resources to reach every learner. And yet—these students show up. They show up with notebooks worn thin, uniforms washed by hand, and hearts wide open to learn.

It’s not the students who are behind—it’s the systems that haven’t caught up.

That’s why my work here matters. That’s why differentiated instruction, culturally relevant pedagogy, and STEAM integration aren’t optional—they’re essential. Because when a child understands, they can rise. When a child sees themselves in the lesson, they engage. And when a child is met where they are, they begin to believe in where they can go.

As Fulbright educators, we’re not here to “fix”—we’re here to listen, to learn, and to offer what we can with humility and care. And what I’ve seen is that language access is one of the most radical forms of equity work we can do.

TEACH – Chalk Dust & Dreams: What a Classroom Can’t Always Show

I sat in the back of this classroom quietly, just observing. Chalk in hand, the teacher was doing their best—with what little they had. No projector. No markers. No anchor charts or visuals. Just a chalkboard and a voice carrying across a room of nearly 50 students, most of them sitting shoulder to shoulder, scribbling fast in well-worn notebooks.

And I couldn’t stop thinking: this feels familiar. Not because it looked like my classroom back home, but because I’ve seen this story before—different setting, same struggle.

The students were expected to grasp complex English vocabulary, yet many had no individualized support and limited exposure to the language outside of school. No language labs. No leveled readers. Just a system doing its best within the boundaries of what it’s been given.

These educators are some of the most dedicated, brilliant, and resilient professionals I’ve ever met. This is about the systemic gaps—in funding, in training, in support—that mirror so much of what we see in under-resourced schools in the U.S.

It made me think about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Title III of ESSA—laws meant to protect and uplift learners who need support in the U.S. And yet, even with these protections, students still fall through the cracks. So what happens in a place like this, where there are no legal mandates, and teachers rely more on passion than policy?

What happens when a student doesn’t get what they need—not because they’re not capable, but because the system never made room for their voice?

That’s what I’m here to wrestle with. That’s what this picture represents. A classroom full of brilliant minds waiting for someone to believe in their ability to learn differently.

As part of my Fulbright work, my focus is helping teachers see that STEAM education and differentiation aren’t luxuries—they are liberation tools. They allow students to access learning in the ways that reflect who they are, not just how they’re expected to be.

Because every student, whether in Kaolack or D.C., deserves more than chalk dust and hope.They deserve access.They deserve to understand.They deserve to be seen.

 TEACH – The Power of Voice: Theater Meets Language at the English Club

When I walked into the English Club that afternoon, I wasn’t just carrying materials—I was carrying a vision. A vision of what could happen when creativity, language, and identity collide.

I introduced a theater-arts integrated lesson, using roleplay, movement, and expression to help students explore English vocabulary in a way that felt alive. We didn’t just say words—we embodied them. We didn’t just translate feelings—we acted them out.

And the magic? It was instant.

These students, many of whom are still navigating English as a new language, lit up the moment we began. Through laughter, improvisation, and bold interpretations, they connected with the language not through textbooks, but through performance. I watched as students who had been quiet in traditional classroom settings became the most expressive actors on our makeshift stage.

For many of them, this was the first time learning English felt… fun. Felt freeing.

But this experience was about more than learning new vocabulary. It was about reminding students that their voice matters—even when the words are still forming. It was about reminding teachers that arts integration isn’t an “extra”—it’s a bridge. A bridge that connects content to confidence.

In Kaolack, where resources may be limited, the hunger to learn is not. What’s needed isn’t more expensive programs—it’s innovative strategies that meet students where they are. And theater does exactly that.

Through Fulbright, I’ve come to believe more than ever that when we teach from the heart when we blend joy with rigor, culture with content we’re not just teaching English.

We’re teaching students that their story matters in every language.

TEACH – A Math Lesson Written in Chalk and Hope

This lesson plan wasn’t just a plan—it was a testimony. One that reminded me that the core of good teaching lives beyond the margins of any template.When I walked into this 4th grade classroom in Kaolack, I was handed something I hadn’t seen in a while: a handwritten math lesson plan.

This lesson plan wasn’t just a plan—it was a testimony. One that reminded me that the core of good teaching lives beyond the margins of any template.

No typed template. No pre-made digital resources. Just lined notebook paper filled with neat penmanship, carefully outlining the objectives, materials, and step-by-step lesson delivery for the day’s math instruction. It was humbling—and honestly, it stopped me in my tracks.

Back in the U.S., lesson plans have become layered with data trackers, Common Core alignment, digital scaffolds, and tech-enhanced engagement strategies. We write them in Google Docs, align them to state standards, and often plug them into platforms like Canvas, ClassDojo, or Otus. It’s all fast-paced, tech-reliant, and resource-rich (comparatively speaking).

But here in Kaolack, the absence of those digital tools doesn’t equate to an absence of intentionality. This teacher had a clear aim: to help students understand place value concepts using manipulatives made from local materials. And you could feel the care in the sequencing of the lesson—the oral warm-up, the guided practice, and the moment carved out for student collaboration.

What struck me most was not what was missing, but what was present:

• A commitment to clarity, even when resources are limited.

• A desire for student engagement, even without SmartBoards or online games.

• A deeply held belief in the power of education, even when systems haven’t fully delivered on their promise.

This plan didn’t need standards printed in bold font to be effective. It didn’t need a graphic organizer to be intentional. It reminded me that good teaching begins with a clear purpose, a passion for student growth, and a willingness to adapt with what you have—not what you wish you had.

A Deeper Connection to Equity

In the U.S., we talk a lot about educational equity, and we should. But visiting classrooms like this reframes what equity means. It’s not just about closing test score gaps or increasing access to devices. It's about honoring the human resourcefulness of educators who make magic with nothing more than chalk, a blackboard, and belief.

As a Fulbright educator, part of my mission is to not just observe, but to uplift. That includes sharing strategies around differentiation, STEAM integration, and culturally responsive instruction. But it also includes recognizing that their system has wisdom we sometimes overlook: the beauty of simplicity, the power of oral instruction, and the importance of human connection over tech dependence.

TEACH – When STEM Sparks Social Change: A Campus-Wide Call to Action

One of the most transformative moments of our Fulbright experience in Kaolack wasn’t inside a classroom—but spread across the entire campus.

As three STEM educators with a shared passion for sustainability and real-world learning, we were deeply struck by the absence of something so basic—trash cans. Waste was everywhere: wrappers scattered across courtyards, empty bottles lining walkways, and students stepping over garbage on their way to class. It wasn’t a lack of care it was a lack of systems.

So, we did what teachers do best: we turned a problem into a project.

We collaborated with the school community to launch a campus-wide recycling initiative. We didn’t just clean—we taught. Through classroom lessons and hands-on activities, students explored the science behind pollution, the environmental impact of plastic waste, and the power of community action. They learned English vocabulary like reduce, reuse, and recycle while living those very principles.

Our objectives were clear:

• 🌍 Cultivate environmental awareness through STEM.

• 🧠 Foster critical thinking and collaboration.

• 🗣️ Integrate English language acquisition into meaningful, applied contexts.

We guided students through designing signs, building makeshift bins, and reimagining their role as environmental stewards of their school. For many of them, this was the first time they saw that science wasn’t just a subject—it was a solution.

And for us? It was a reminder that the best lessons don’t always follow a script. Sometimes, they start with a single question:

In a school with limited resources, this project became more than a cleanup—it became a curriculum. It was math in measuring, science in decomposition, engineering in structure, language in explanation, and heart in every action.

This is the essence of culturally responsive, student-centered education. This is what happens when STEM isn’t just about test scores—but about teaching students that they can change their world.

TEACH – “If You Wanna Make the World a Better Place…”

In this classroom, theme wasn’t just an academic standard—it was a mirror. These students didn’t just analyze a text. They saw themselves in it. They debated what change meant for their communities, their families, their future.

And in that moment, I was reminded: this is why I teach.

I decided to teach Theme using a song they had never heard before: “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson. The classroom was packed—every seat taken, some students sitting two to a desk, others standing in the back just to listen. A few of the local teachers had even snuck in, curious to watch how we engaged the students. And I was ready.

We read the lyrics aloud, slowly and with purpose. I modeled how to annotate, how to look beyond the words, and how to ask, “What is the deeper message here?” And the students? They lit up. As we broke down the metaphors—“a broken bottle top,” “washed-out dreams,” and the unforgettable, “If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change”—something clicked.

The Power of Pedagogy Across Borders

What struck me most was how engagement strategies transcended borders. In this classroom, I used many of the same tools I rely on back in the States: pair-share, guided annotation, call and response, and thematic questioning. But the difference? The stakes felt even higher. For many of these students, English is their third or fourth language—and yet, their hunger to understand, interpret, and express was undeniable.

Teachers watched, took notes, and later pulled me aside to say, “This changed how I think about teaching literature.”

What struck me most was how engagement strategies transcended borders. In this classroom, I used many of the same tools I rely on back in the States: pair-share, guided annotation, call and response, and thematic questioning. But the difference? The stakes felt even higher. For many of these students, English is their third or fourth language—and yet, their hunger to understand, interpret, and express was undeniable.

Teachers watched, took notes, and later pulled me aside to say, “This changed how I think about teaching literature.”

Why This Matters & Call to Action: Reflection for U.S. Educators

We say we want engagement. But do we bring passion into the room like it’s oxygen?

We say we want cultural relevance. But do we invite students to wrestle with texts that reflect their reality?

We say we want equity. But are we willing to let go of control and let students lead the meaning-making?

In Kaolack, I didn’t just teach theme. I taught with heart. I taught for change. And in return, I learned that no matter where you are in the world, the desire to be seen, heard, and understood especially through language—is universal.

Because if we really want to make the world a better place…We start right here. In the classroom.

🌱 Teaching for Climate Action: Global Ideas, Local Impact

As part of my journey with the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, I developed and implemented a Project-Based Learning (PBL) unit titled “Climate Action and Environmental Responsibility: A Local Approach to a Global Problem.” This unit—designed for 4th grade science—asks the powerful question:

“How can we, as global citizens, take action locally to combat the effects of climate change?”

Grounded in both the Global Competence Framework and Constructivist Learning Theory, this unit engages students in authentic, real-world learning. They explore climate data, investigate environmental strategies from around the world, and design their own local climate action plans. These projects are then presented to school and community leaders, empowering students to see themselves as changemakers both at home and abroad.

This unit directly connects to my field experience in Senegal, where I witnessed firsthand how environmental sustainability is not only taught, but practiced through community collaboration whether it was recycling solutions in schools without trash bins or engaging with local leaders on climate topics. These lived experiences informed how I structured this unit to emphasize cultural relevance, community engagement, and student voice.

🔗 Click below to explore and download my full Global PBL unit plan. I hope it inspires you to globalize your own classroom one action at a time.