Teach with Africa – The 2010 Gala Video – HD from Schaffer&Combs on Vimeo.

Teach With Africa in The New York Times

The New York Times article “New Schools in South Africa Serve the Underserved,” by Celia W. Dugger, highlights the tremendous success that Teach With Africa and the LEAP Schools are helping to foster. Read the full article.

Teach with Africa and LEAP featured in The Marin Independent Journal

Check out excerpts from Sunday’s Marin Independent Journal article, ”Marin teachers rejuvenated through Teach With Africa Program,” from April 2011, by Beth Ashley, featuring inspiring stories from Bay Area educators.

“South Africa suffers from a serious shortage of qualified tea chers. During apartheid it was forbidden to teach math and science to black students, who were trained only for manual-labor jobs. In international tests, South African students have tested at the bottom in math and science. Now, through the San Francisco-based nonprofit Teach With Africa program to help close the gap in these and other subjects, Leap student teachers are visiting Marin and Marin teachers are working with students in South Africa.

“They are no different than my students at Branson,” said science teacher Jamie Brandt. “They are bright, dedicated, eager to learn.”

“They want to learn. They want to succeed,” said Jonah Weaver, a teacher at the Marin School in Sausalito. Students participate in social-emotional learning classes where they discuss what’s going on at home, and through facilitation with trained staff learn not only how to cope but to thrive. The American teachers have introduced hands-on learning, Webster said.

For teachers like Woodall, the African experience is rejuvenating.”It has changed the way I look at my life and at the education system I’m invested in. It has been breathtaking.”