Klemm Fellowship-Learning to Teach: My Experiences as an Education Intern in Madagascar

I helped to teach English to students in Andasibe, Madagascar as an intern with Projects Abroad through the Klemm Fellowship. During my three weeks with the students and teachers in this small village I learned about Malagasy culture, language, and attitudes towards education. I took French lessons from a local teacher, and picked up on some Malgasy. As I used this vocabulary in school, I built a stronger rapport with the students and provided improved instruction to my students. As I was teaching, I built on these connections to learn more about life and education in Madagascar. After watching teachers instruct packed classrooms, using only a blackboard and chalk, I gained an immense respect for the resilience of the Andasibe community. For fun, I explored the village and the beautiful surrounding forests, spent time with other volunteers from around the world, and even got to visit a local park to see lemurs. Madagascar is one of the poorest nations in the world, but it is rich in biodiversity, incredible people, and culture. As I contributed to the English teaching program in Madagascar, I learned to be a better teacher and communicator, and to appreciate the determination of the Malagasy students that I was fortunate enough to work with.