Teaching Together

This past summer, Alberta teachers participated in the Canadian Teachers’ Federation’s Teaching Together program (formerly known as Project Overseas). The participants had the opportunity to travel abroad to coplan and codeliver professional development workshops for local teachers, aiming to promote equitable, high-quality, publicly funded education for all.

Alberta’s participants share their Teaching Together experiences here.

Uganda

Resilience, enthusiasm and commitment

This July, I took my passion for education beyond the classroom and across the globe. Volunteering through the Teaching Together project, I spent a month in Uganda, Africa, working alongside local educators and offering professional support in under-resourced schools.

The Teaching Together project is designed to strengthen global education by pairing experienced Canadian teachers with educators in developing countries. The goal is to support teachers with limited formal training, share effective teaching strategies and foster a mutual exchange of knowledge.

During my time in Uganda, I was struck by the stark contrast in classroom environments compared to those in Canada. One of the most memorable experiences was observing a Grade 6 classroom with more than 167 students, a number that far exceeds the typical class sizes in Calgary. Seeing the overwhelming numbers and limited resources, I was inspired by the resilience, enthusiasm and commitment of both students and teachers.

Throughout the month, I worked directly with Ugandan cohort teachers to develop lesson plans, introduce interactive teaching methods and provide mentorship. I also had the opportunity to learn from local educators, gaining insight into how they adapt to teaching in overcrowded classrooms with minimal materials. The experience was eye-opening. The challenges are significant, but the determination of the teachers in Uganda is incredibly inspiring. They are doing so much with so little.

The project not only supports educational development abroad but also provides Canadian teachers with a deeper appreciation of global education issues and the impact of cross-cultural collaboration.

Upon returning to my classroom this fall, I felt like this experience has made me a better teacher. This program is amazing and, in many cases, life changing. It has inspired me with a renewed perspective and a commitment to sharing my experiences with both colleagues and students. I hopes that my experience will inspire others to take part in Teaching Together and support free global public education for all.

Robert J. McKague
Our Lady of Grace School, Calgary

Sierra Leone

Powerful learning moments

Sierra Leone. A country with a raw natural beauty and a vibrant dance culture, but also one that has a literacy rate of less than 50 per cent and a large percentage of the population living below the poverty line. I knew when I was assigned to lead a small team of teachers into Sierra Leone that it could be a challenge on many levels, so I went in with an open heart and mind. I will never regret my time or experiences spent with so many wonderful colleagues who are doing the best they can in difficult situations.

Our team supported teachers in the areas of numeracy, literacy, peace education and Teachers’ Actions for Girls. With the country still visibly recovering from some brutal civil wars and disease outbreaks, peace and gender issues were important areas of interest for local teachers and held powerful learning moments for all those involved. It was personally very moving to hear female educators who had faced unthinkable challenges stand up, share their heartbreaking stories and advocate for better for their female students.

I know that our work this summer won’t change the education system or country immediately. My hope is that we were able to plant seeds of change and that the ripples of some of our hard conversations and joyous “ah-ha” moments will reach far beyond our time in the country. 

Thank you to the ATA and the CTF for trusting me with this important work. More than ever, I am privileged to live and work where I do, and to be afforded a personal and professional learning opportunities such as this. 

Michelle Dickie
Varsity Acres School, Calgary

Guatemala

The excitement and potential

I could feel the tropical warmth and humidity in the air as soon I emerged from the airport in Guatemala City.  We were met by Lorena and the awesome team from Change for Children and Mundo Posible. That marked the beginning of an excellent two-week trip in Guatemala as part of the Teaching Together program. 

An awesome team of Alberta teachers spent one week in two schools in Chicamán in the mountains of Guatemala. The second week we were in a school in a larger centre in Panajachel. We were privileged to spend some time in an area with a strong, vibrant, indigenous Mayan culture, with colourful indigenous dresses worn by the girls, and both Spanish and K’iche’ (or Quiché) languages used seamlessly by students in the classroom. In each school, we spent some time observing in the classroom, as well as leading activities using some teaching supplies we brought to the schools from Canada. 

A highlight of the program for me was seeing the students’ excitement to be out of their desks, playing learning games and activities with cards, ministicks and parachutes. They were very keen to try new activities. Sadly, many of the students, particularly the girls, don’t continue in school past Grade 6, which is a sad reality for these bright kids with so much potential. 

If you have been teaching in a public school for at least three years, I highly recommend you consider applying to participate in this program. It was a positive experience for me as an educator.

Dan Dornan
Escuela Collingwood/Collingwood School, Calgary

Gambia

Step by step, bit by bit

When I first arrived in The Gambia, I was surrounded by new sights, sounds and flavours. I was struck by the richness of the local languages: Mandinka, Wolof, Fula and others filled the classrooms and streets. I couldn’t wait to listen, learn and experience more. 

I was fortunate to be part of the CTF/FCE Teaching Together 2025 program this past July, working in Farafenni and on the island of Janjanbureh with leaders of The Gambian Teachers’ Union. Together, we explored classroom management, communication, collaboration, leadership and climate education. The Gambian leaders shared their invaluable expertise, and our role was to support the delivery with strategies for cofacilitating the workshops. Working together in this way made the learning both practical and relevant to the local context.

Over the course of two and a half weeks, we explored ways to strengthen communication and collaboration within schools, promote positive leadership both inside and outside the classroom, and organize classrooms more effectively to support student learning. What stood out most was the universal commitment to student success. Teachers everywhere, regardless of resources or location, face the same challenges and share the same drive to make a difference.

Working in the heat required us to slow down, which made the Wolof idea of ndanka ndanka —“slowly, slowly”—take on new meaning. At first, I thought it was just about coping with the sun and the heat, but I came to see a deeper meaning: progress in life and learning comes step by step and bit by bit. Deep learning unfolds gradually, and each small effort adds to the foundation for lasting growth. Ndanka ndanka reminds me to be patient, to keep going and to trust that steady steps forward are what truly create change. I will carry this lesson with me through the school year and in all aspects of my life, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of Teaching Together!

Jodi Campbell
Jasper Elementary School, Jasper

Ghana

Planting seeds for the future

When I told a friend that I was returning to the Teaching Together project—this time to Ghana—her response was unexpected: “I’m surprised you’re doing that again, given how The Gambia in 2023 sounded so challenging!” She wasn’t wrong; it had been challenging, but it was also rewarding and inspiring. It made me a better teacher and strengthened my belief in the importance of union solidarity for improving public education. I wanted another opportunity like it, and Ghana did not disappoint.

The ATA and CTF have worked with the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) since 1962, with Teaching Together professional development programs serving over 600 teachers each summer. My Ghanaian cofacilitator and I taught sessions on gender equity, gender-based violence and teen pregnancy. While I was happy to assist GNAT in this important work, I was also keenly aware of my positionality as a white, western male, and I was careful to always frame my comments and questions with this in mind. The participants, all dedicated and passionate professionals, contributed to rich dialogues filled with anecdotes that illustrated their desire to improve themselves and their system for the sake of students. In our program debrief, we all agreed that many seeds had been planted, and the teachers seemed ready and eager to nurture that growth.

Apart from the work, I was delighted by Ghanaian culture. From their love of song and dance to their warm hospitality to their affection for selfies, the Ghanaians made me feel welcomed and valued throughout my 18-day stay. My experience in Ghana will undoubtedly continue to shape my views and actions as a teacher for the remainder of my career. 

Kevin McBean
McNally School, Edmonton

Ghana

Collaboration at a global level

When asked about my time volunteering in Ghana this summer, I find it difficult to capture my experiences in only a few words. Memories of Ghana trigger a range of emotions, but to briefly summarize my impressions, the country was beautiful, the people were welcoming, and though the work was challenging at times, the experience was fulfilling, both personally and professionally. 

From start to finish, the Teaching Together program was a whirlwind of activity! After a two-day orientation in Ottawa, participants were sent to their placements in Africa and the Caribbean. When Team Ghana landed in Accra, Ghana, we were warmly welcomed by our partners from the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT). We spent the following two days in collaboration with our Ghanaian partners to prepare two weeks of workshops to be delivered at the GNAT Institute for Research and Industrial Relations Studies in the city of Kumasi. The Canadian and Ghanaian facilitator teams delivered professional development to 640 teachers and administrators from the northern regions of Ghana. The four overarching topics were inclusive education, classroom management, educational technology, and gender and culture. 

The professional development sessions were designed to be interactive, practical and relevant to the participants’ teaching context. I was inspired by the passion and knowledge of our cofacilitators and motivated by the creativity and resilience of the teachers. The CTF/GNAT partnership emphasizes collaboration among teachers at a global level, and I am grateful for the opportunity to connect, share and teach together with my teacher colleagues from Ghana. 

For Alberta teachers considering this unique experience, I highly recommend the Teaching Together program. The ATA understands the value of international cooperation in education, and I am thankful for the opportunity to represent the ATA and CTF in Ghana. 

Barbara Madsen
Harry Collinge High School, Hinton