The Inception of the Liberia Teacher Cultivation Program           

     

  The Liberia Teacher Cultivation Program was conceived by the author, Dr. Ruth Mathis Wisseh, a United States of America accomplished educator.  Dr. Mathis Wisseh has written a Liberian grassroot curriculum from North Carolina, because as a person who originates from Paynesville, Liberia, and was educated in the school system, she has a firsthand knowledge of the learning styles and contemporary intricacies of the students’ educational needs.  These students, seemingly, share similar characteristics with many of the students that she teaches in the United States of America and/or Hawaii.  As the country goes through a transitional period, a new paradigm of education that is inclusive of all its people is the focus of this curriculum.  It is based on an educational model that incorporates both traditional and non-traditional methods of teaching to bridge the gap in the learning of students who have experienced unspeakable social issues. 

   Liberia needs a drastic restructuring of her educational system through a secondary student-teacher training program that will effectuate a change in the minds of the youth to embrace forthcoming generations and lead them to an enlightened future, thus, seeking to build a democratic society that respects and uphold human dignity.  Dr. Mathis Wisseh designed the curriculum with a unique attribute of educational leadership.  She envisaged the need to formulate a home-grown secondary school student-teacher corps/cadets that would develop young students who are products of the school system, culture and people of Liberia.  This vision became the Liberia Teacher Cultivation Program.

    In 2003, Dr. Mathis Wisseh was trained and certificated as a teacher cadet teacher by the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Students in collaboration with The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), a subsidiary of the National Educators Association (NEA). She served in many capacities at the Charlotte- Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina: these included pedagogy, campus leadership and high school liaison between the University of North Carolina, at Charlotte, and the School District for new teachers’ recruitment and growth.

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

     Dr. Ruth Mathis Wisseh holds Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Political Science/Public Administration from the University of Liberia, Master of Science (MSc.) degree in History Education from the City University of New York, Queens College, Master of Arts degree in English Education from the University of North Carolina, at Charlotte and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) degree in Education Leadership/Curriculum from Gardner-Webb University, Boiling Springs, North Carolina. She is the author of the book, "A Case Study of the Process of Learning Standard Written English: An Interactive Classroom-based Research of the Influences of Students' Language Background on Their Ability to Learn Standard Written English," published and sold on Amazon.

     Furthermore, Dr. Mathis Wisseh holds current NC Principal, Superintendent, English Language Arts 9-12, Social Studies 9-12, and Elementary Education K-6 licenses. She also holds an Advanced Hawaii License in three pedagogical areas: English Language Arts 6-12, Social Studies 6-12, Elementary Education K-6.

     Dr. Mathis Wisseh is National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certified in Adolescence and Young Adults (AYA) English Language Arts (ELA) and now, an NBCT Emeritus. Concomitantly, for over twelve years, she taught as an adjunct professor of English, History, and Education at Montreat College School of Professional Studies on the Charlotte campus, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 

 

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 THE LIBERIA TEACHER CULTIVATION PROGRAM DEFINED:

"Knowledge must be desired and actively sought"

 

     The Liberia Teacher Cultivation Program is a novelty teacher education venture that is designed to train secondary students to become K-12 classroom teachers in the Republic of Liberia.

This progressive effort is built on the belief that bright young Liberians can learn and be attracted to a career in teaching that meets the astronomical needs of the Liberian student population.  Hence, its philosophy is rooted in the human development concept that states, "The knowledge of oneself can lead to personal growth, which in turn leads to neighbors and/or comprehensive societal growth." As Liberian children desire knowledge and actively seek it, they deserve to have educators in the classrooms who know the students emotionally, educationally, socially, culturally and are willing to build a concept of "I Am My Brother/Sister's Keeper.” We must all work to build up the weakest links among us.

     A true Liberian must know and believe that ignorance and lack of skills are connected to physical awkwardness and then to carelessness, rudeness and lack of consideration for others. Ultimately, one can achieve expertise which brings appreciation, fame, and reward for oneself and community. Charlot (2005-parapharased).

     Moreover, the primary teaching model for this curriculum is for teachers to view students as active responsible participants in their own educational process; therefore, learners are no longer viewed as receptacles to be filled with knowledge. Thus, the teaching strategy for this type of classroom, is the Paideia Seminar model, which is a collaborative, intellectual dialogue facilitated by open-ended questions about a text or topic to increase understanding of ideas and values. Through this springboard of knowledge for Liberian education, when acquired appropriately, the students will explore, evaluate and acquire an in-depth appreciation of the education system of Liberia.

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         A Chronology of the History of Education in Liberia

YEAR

EVENT

 

Pre-19^th Century

Early Education: Traditional education systems were based on indigenous knowledge and oral traditions.

 

1822

The American Colonization Society established Liberia as a colony for freed African Americans.  Formal education began shortly after the landing of the Americo-Liberian settlers in 1822. The first record of a school was the elementary day-school opened in the same year by the settlers.

 

1847

The country of Liberia gained her independence.

 

1850’s

The establishment of primary and secondary education in Liberia.

 

1862

Liberia College, the precursor to the University of Liberia, was established during the American Civil war.  In the same year, the American Colonization Society (ACS) chartered the ship “Cora” to take 346 immigrants from Barbados to settled in Liberia.

 

1920s-1940s

Expansion of primary and secondary education, though access remained limited.

 

1947

Cuttington Collegiate College, the precursor to Cuttington University College

 

1971

Harper Technical College, renamed William V.S. Tubman College of Technology in 1978, is now Tubman University and has been a public institution since 2009.

 

2003-Present

Starz University

African Methodist Episcopal University

Don Bosco Technical College

United Methodist University (UMU)

African Methodist Episcopal Zion University (AMEZU)

African Bible College University (ABCU)

Liberia International Christian College (LICC)

Nimba County University College (NCUC)