Accra, Ghana

The Republic of Ghana was originally named the Gold Coast by Portuguese explorers in the fifteenth century.  It was in 1957 the first African colony south of the Sahara gained independence from England. Ghana's links with the Europeans are particularly unusual and are cemented in the many former slave forts along the coast. The wide variation in the landscape - from palm beaches and tropical rain forests to savannah and semi-desert - makes Ghana a unique destination. Tema is located just 30 minutes outside of the capital city of Accra, near the coast. With the opening of an artifical harbor in 1961, Tema developed from a small fishing village to become Ghana's leading seaport and industrial center.  Most of the country's chief export, cacoa, is shiped from Tema.  Tema prides itself on its SOS-Hermann Gmeiner School and Tema International Schools with both national and international reputations. Tema'spopulation is approximately 200,000. The schools aim to provide a world class international education for young people in a multi-cultural context, for the benefit of Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians alike.

Program Mission:

  1. Experience in Ghana can stimulate a student's growth in academic competence. This field placement builds on an initial eight weeks of student teaching in Michigan and provides continuity and support in preparing teachers for multicultural classrooms.
  2. International experiences further develop each student's personal and international philosophies. Students develop both an understanding of another culture and an increased ability to make comparative decisions and judgments in new situations.
  3. These experiences expand students' international understanding and prepare them for intelligent participation in society.

Costs and Financial Aid:

  1. Previous program fees were $4300-$5000 and includes room and board, field trips, health insurance and the study abroad administrative fee.  Additional costs include airfrare, passport, and personal expenses.
  2. Financial aid provided by CMU may be applied toward the cost of this program. It is also possible to apply for aid based on the program's additional cost. Students are encouraged to apply for the various available scholarships both through TEPD and CMU. Click here for TEPD scholarship information and click here for OIE scholarships for study abroad.

Accommodations:

Bed and Breakfast accommodations are provided by SOS Village (the school's dormitory) in Tema. This expense is included in the overall program cost.

Expectations of Students:

Students will be required to attend all student teaching seminars pertaining to Ghana during the first eight weeks of their student teaching.  Students are also required to attend all student teaching seminars and excursions while in Ghana.

While studying in Ghana, student teachers will:

  • see different school organizations and methods of teaching subject matter.
  • get along with people in unfamiliar situations.  Such opporutnities will help to develop tolerance and self-confidence.
  • live in a bed and breakfast/dormitory environment for an extended period of time, thus experiencing learning in Team in greater depth than a typical travle/study course.
  • become prepared for changes in American culture and society that may likely take place during their lifetime.
  • broaden their world view.
  • be more marketable with an international experience.  The international experience provides an added dimension to a student's teaching background which interests prospective employers.

Applications:

Three applications are required.

  1. A TEPD Student Teaching Application.
  2. An International Student Teaching Application.
  3. An Office of International Education application.

For further information, please feel free to contact Ann Neal at 989-774-4411 or via email neal1al@cmich.edu.