Teaching in Saint-Louis, Senegal

Teaching in Saint-Louis, Senegal, has been one of the most energizing, unpredictable, and meaningful experiences of my career. Over the course of a week, I observed, co-taught, and led lessons with anywhere from 25 to over 100 students (yes, at one time), ranging from as young as 6 years old to 22.

One of my favorite moments was observing a high school English lesson centered on the idea of freedom. The teacher used music by Akon (who I recently learned is from Senegal) as a bridge to help students listen, engage, and communicate in English. The song sparked powerful conversations about what “freedom” means in personal, community, and global contexts and how environmental challenges shape that freedom in everyday life. I also had the chance to observe a French lesson. Despite my “40 days of Duolingo French” level of understanding, it was clear the teacher was exceptional. It was a powerful reminder that multilingual learning is deeply embedded here as students moved fluidly between French, Wolof, and English in ways that felt both natural and culturally rooted.

While much of my time was spent at a high school, one of my favorite teaching days was at a private elementary school and getting to be back with the younger students. I brought storytelling into the classroom through a read-aloud of a Pigeon book, followed by a directed drawing activity. The goal was simple but impactful, build language through art, listening, and step-by-step instruction. Watching students’ confidence grow as they realized they could both draw and understand English directions was incredibly rewarding. I also handed out “Howie” cards from my school dog, which quickly became a favorite connection point and sparked so many smiles.

My U.S. partner teacher, Mrs. Zink, and I led several other lessons throughout the week. One student's favorite focused on comparing and contrasting schools in Senegal and the United States. Students asked thoughtful, insightful questions about schedules, uniforms, transportation, sports, and classroom routines. Prior to arriving, a group of 10th-grade students was especially curious about the differences between British and American English. That curiosity turned into a spontaneous collaboration with my British partner teacher’s class, where students created videos highlighting vocabulary differences, like “trunk” in the U.S. versus “boot” in England. It was one of those moments where global education truly felt global.

Throughout the week, I kept coming back to the importance of flexibility and responsiveness. Nothing goes exactly as planned and that’s exactly the point. Lessons might start anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes late (Senegalese time is very real), and teaching here means constantly adapting, listening, and learning in the moment.

And then, almost as quickly as it began, it was time to say goodbye. Leaving the school, our host teacher, and the community was harder than I expected. In a short time, we had built routines, relationships, and shared moments of laughter and learning. The warmth and generosity of the students and teachers stayed with me long after we left the classroom. I left Saint-Louis feeling both full and humbled, grateful for the experience, and aware of how much more there is to learn.