Titrim Attipoe was a substitute for Mrs. Cromer’s Spanish II ADV. class. Attipoe substitutes for many schools in the Clarke County School District. “(Mr. Attipoe) was different from like a lot of substitutes because most substitutes don’t even care. They just give you your work, but he like actually talked to us and made the class interesting,” freshman Ginny Marbut said. “He told us about his culture and how different it was from here in America.”
The ODYSSEY Media Group will provide viewers with stylized profiles that center on people in the Athens community telling their own stories.
By LUCIA BERMUDEZ – Staff Writer
Titrim Attipoe, a current Clarke County School District substitute teacher, was born and raised in Ghana. He has noticed many differences in culture between the U.S. and Ghana throughout his years.
“Well I was born in Ghana. My father was a traditional ruler but a farmer by profession so I was raised on the farm. I went to school and I came here to do vet medicine. It was kind of nice because I grew up with animals and I love animals. I could remember using my father’s snow white ram as my pony,” Clarke County School District substitute teacher Titrim Attipoe said.
Growing up a young boy in Ghana, Titrim Attipoe always wanted to come to the United States to pursue a higher education. When he finally came to America for college, he slowly began to learn and realize various aspects of American culture.
Since he has lived both in the U.S. and Ghana, Attipoe has been able to compare his cultural experiences in both countries. He has specifically noticed the difference in technology and its usage in America versus Ghana.
Attipoe believes in America, most kids don’t know the difference between “tools” and “toys.” In Ghana, most universities don’t have computer for individuals and if the individual did have it, it is the family who suffered to get it for him.
He also notices a big difference in education. According to Attipoe, students in America seem to have less discipline than students in Ghana. He has noticed students doing things like running behind teachers desks and opening their drawers. That doesn’t happen in Ghana; it would be “total disrespect.”
He feels that teachers are to be held in the highest respect, and students in the U.S. don’t always fulfill that respect. In Ghana, teachers are number one. No matter what profession a person may have, they were taught by a teacher, therefore they are given the highest respect. However, in America, Attipoe feels that teachers are hardly given respect at all.
As a child being raised by his father in Ghana, Attipoe says he also learned certain values and morals that he carries with him today and that led him to becoming a substitute teacher after his education and career. He believes students should follow these morals as well, morals such as working hard to accomplish goals.
Attipoe feels fulfilled being a substitute teacher while he awaits to go back home to Ghana.
He has finished all of his classroom works and says he would rather be doing something to earn rather than to be idling.
