A Discussion with François Ngom, Teacher at the Abbot David Boilat Applied School, Center for Pedagogical Training, Mbour, Senegal
With: François Ngom Berkley Center Profile
July 22, 2015
Background: As
part of the Education and Social Justice Project, undergraduate student
Sabrina Khan interviewed François Ngom, who serves as a teacher at the Abbot
David Boilat Applied School (l’Ecole
d’Application Abbé David Boilat), a primary school that is part
of the Center for Pedagogical Training (CFP) in Mbour, Senegal. In this
interview, conducted in July 2015, Ngom discusses his passion for teaching
children in the Catholic school system.
What do you like the
most about your work?
It’s primarily the love of children. I think that someone who does not love youth cannot evolve in this career. I am someone who particularly likes kids. Even outside of school, when I am with kids, I am comfortable, because children are innocent beings. They do not know the types of problems that exist among adults. Children can immediately start fighting, but then seconds afterward, they will be together as if nothing happened. Besides this, there is the love of education. When you have a child in front of you, you want to give them everything. Furthermore, I admired many of my teachers when I was younger, which influenced my career choice. In short, it’s primarily the love of children that attracted me to this work.
What is the importance of Catholic education for children?
Whenever you make a choice, you discriminate. When you choose something, you leave the alternative. What motivated my choice? I am Catholic, along with my parents. I was actually educated in the Catholic school system from preschool to tenth grade. My junior and senior years, and university, were spent in the public school system. So, I’ve had the chance to compare the two systems a little bit. My experience in the Catholic system was better, and it gave my education a solid foundation. That is what heavily inspired and determined my [career] choice. One cannot have the kind of development I experienced in the public system. If you compare two children, for example, one educated in the Senegalese Catholic system and another in the Senegalese public system, you can immediately tell by their behavior who is from the Catholic system. We teach students values. Even teachers who work in the public system enroll their own children in the Catholic system because they see what we do.
Why did you choose to work at the CFP?
Before coming here, I was in the diocese of Thiese, where I did 13 years of teaching. During those 13 years, I had experiences as a teacher, but also as a principal for six years. But I wanted to go higher. The CFP had the Ecole d’Application, which I could not get elsewhere. Here, there are children but also adults. With adults and children, it’s possible to reach a higher level. That was my goal in coming here. In particular, I was interested in pursuing child psychology here. I have loved that subject since my initial training in 1995. At the CFP, I can get training in child psychology. This is what motivated me to come here. Unlike many who had to wait for the application call, I insisted to come.
When you encounter difficulties while teaching what motivates you to keep going?
I rely on the students. When you look at these beings in front of you, you tell yourself that they are dependent on you. The generation that you have before your eyes, you have the duty and responsibility to train them. You are responsible for them for the school year. If you fail your duty, you have sacrificed a generation for a year. I think that, in principle, no one is willing to sacrifice children like that for a year. That is what gives you courage to be able to continue, even if it is difficult. Children depend on only us. We don’t have the right to make mistakes.
How do you adapt your teaching methods to students’ different academic levels and capabilities?
Tutoring helps. Students often understand each other better than teachers do. For example, the stronger students often help their weaker peers. Sometimes this is organized by the teacher, who puts students in groups where they are responsible for one another. This often works because children of the same age and generation speak the same language. When an adult speaks to them, you can see the difference in language or perception.
It’s primarily the love of children. I think that someone who does not love youth cannot evolve in this career. I am someone who particularly likes kids. Even outside of school, when I am with kids, I am comfortable, because children are innocent beings. They do not know the types of problems that exist among adults. Children can immediately start fighting, but then seconds afterward, they will be together as if nothing happened. Besides this, there is the love of education. When you have a child in front of you, you want to give them everything. Furthermore, I admired many of my teachers when I was younger, which influenced my career choice. In short, it’s primarily the love of children that attracted me to this work.
What is the importance of Catholic education for children?
Whenever you make a choice, you discriminate. When you choose something, you leave the alternative. What motivated my choice? I am Catholic, along with my parents. I was actually educated in the Catholic school system from preschool to tenth grade. My junior and senior years, and university, were spent in the public school system. So, I’ve had the chance to compare the two systems a little bit. My experience in the Catholic system was better, and it gave my education a solid foundation. That is what heavily inspired and determined my [career] choice. One cannot have the kind of development I experienced in the public system. If you compare two children, for example, one educated in the Senegalese Catholic system and another in the Senegalese public system, you can immediately tell by their behavior who is from the Catholic system. We teach students values. Even teachers who work in the public system enroll their own children in the Catholic system because they see what we do.
Why did you choose to work at the CFP?
Before coming here, I was in the diocese of Thiese, where I did 13 years of teaching. During those 13 years, I had experiences as a teacher, but also as a principal for six years. But I wanted to go higher. The CFP had the Ecole d’Application, which I could not get elsewhere. Here, there are children but also adults. With adults and children, it’s possible to reach a higher level. That was my goal in coming here. In particular, I was interested in pursuing child psychology here. I have loved that subject since my initial training in 1995. At the CFP, I can get training in child psychology. This is what motivated me to come here. Unlike many who had to wait for the application call, I insisted to come.
When you encounter difficulties while teaching what motivates you to keep going?
I rely on the students. When you look at these beings in front of you, you tell yourself that they are dependent on you. The generation that you have before your eyes, you have the duty and responsibility to train them. You are responsible for them for the school year. If you fail your duty, you have sacrificed a generation for a year. I think that, in principle, no one is willing to sacrifice children like that for a year. That is what gives you courage to be able to continue, even if it is difficult. Children depend on only us. We don’t have the right to make mistakes.
How do you adapt your teaching methods to students’ different academic levels and capabilities?
Tutoring helps. Students often understand each other better than teachers do. For example, the stronger students often help their weaker peers. Sometimes this is organized by the teacher, who puts students in groups where they are responsible for one another. This often works because children of the same age and generation speak the same language. When an adult speaks to them, you can see the difference in language or perception.
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