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Teacher Spotlight: Ms. Gh’ail

Teacher Spotlight: Ms. GH'AIL

Teaching Liberation through Writing

Ms. Gh’ail starts her day at 5 AM each morning to prepare for her Institute classes. Her blackboard is packed with colorful, motivational calls to action written in chalk: SHINE your voice through! Project! Express! Provoke! This palpable energy is maintained throughout her lesson. 

During class, her kids scrapbook and write original poetry. The atmosphere is focused, but never quiet or dull. They have no qualms about running up to Ms. Gh’ail with their thoughts, questions, or even just to proudly show what they’ve made so far. Her creative writing curriculum involves the visual and tactile just as much as the writing, as her campers piece together their own books. It feels like her affirmations have cast a spell over her class—a spell that lasts the entire time, lifting everyone up.

Ms. Gh’ail’s impact on her campers is undeniable, and it is only because of the Institute’s welcoming environment that she is able to foster a sense of comfort in her classes. She has witnessed students who previously had trouble with reading, or with learning English, grow tremendously over the course of the summer. “My class opens up the floodgates for kids to feel safe,” she said. Her students are also encouraged to keep flourishing in the arts long after summer camp has ended, with some even starting their own writing clubs and book clubs at their schools. She teaches them skills of self- advocacy and agency.

"Ms. Gh'ail pushes her students a bit further than they’re used to, and it brings out a side of them that makes them feel more confident," says Samuel Elysse, a longtime Youth Leader in Ms. Gh'ail's classes who has witnessed the growth of her students over the course of the program. "One thing she always says is to 'be in your power stance'. Being in your power stance helps you not only speak confidently but also engage your diaphragm as you’re speaking.”

Her unrestrained, free style is reflected by her class offerings throughout the years—acting, voice, creative writing, public speaking, and even a course on etiquette—which all attest to her teaching philosophy. “Teaching helps me redefine my artistry on a daily basis,” says Ms. Gh’ail, who is celebrating her 16th summer with the Institute, “Teaching or taking an art class is like taking a picture of your soul—your real, authentic self. The arts show you who you really are.”

Growing up, Ms. Gh’ail was active in her school’s drama club and debate club, designed costumes and sets, and even started writing her own plays. She describes herself as a full-time actor, spoken word artist, self-empowerment speaker, and visual artist. She has toured all over the country and even performed with the National Theater of Ghana last year at the University of Cape Coast abroad.

But the Institute remains her home. At the end of her last class, her students celebrate the hard work they’ve done and chant firmly in a circle: “In order to write, you must know words. To know words, you must learn them. To learn them, you must be open. To be open, you must engage. And to truly engage, you must be FREE!” Then, she asks her students which one of them has more confidence now than at the beginning of camp. Every single student raises their hand.