By Mike Haden | Chairman, Jersey branch of Hands Around The World
Back in May, a team of ten Jersey teachers spent their May half-term holiday pairing up with teachers in three Bugarama schools. This is the second visit – part of a developing partnership between Jersey and Bugarama schools benefiting both the Jersey volunteers and the Rwandan teachers who are gaining confidence in English and developing teaching methodology.
The difference from last year’s pilot visit was that the visit took place in the middle of the Rwandan school term so that the Jersey volunteers were involved in the normal curriculum and the Rwandan teachers were taking their usual classes.
Jersey teachers
Jersey teachers defined success as sharing good practice and 100% felt they had achieved this. In their feedback they described authentic and significant descriptions of personal growth, professional development and cultural awareness. 100% felt extremely positive about the project and described life-changing experiences.
Initially, they had assumed that the majority of growth would be on the part of the Rwandan teachers but their reflection was that they had learnt significantly themselves and had brought many skills back to Jersey. Interestingly, the Jersey teachers had not considered the impact of the project on the Rwandan students prior to the project but following the visit they identified the lasting and significant impact on learners that they had observed.
Comments from those participating in the partnership
I learnt the importance of knowing the learner well, to know their level of understanding to be able to adapt the situation for the leaner that we not able to catch-up. Benjamin – Rwandan Teacher
Our teacher tells us to be confident and speak, speak, speak… Rwandan Student
I think there is a new change because me and my fellow teachers try to put into practice all we learned. Vincent – Rwandan Teacher
People will think that even teachers from Rwanda can have a relationship with teachers from Jersey and it will improve their confidence, students also. Kalisey – Parent
I feel invested in creating a shift in education practices and my partner teacher feels this too. I truly believe we have a lot to learn from each other. - Jersey Teacher
Rwandan teachers
The Rwandan teachers expressed high expectations which they felt had been met by their experience. Increasing proficiency in English had been their main priority prior to the project. Afterwards, they reflected that actually their main growth area had been in teaching methodology alongside language development.
The Rwandan teachers described specific aspects of teaching strategies that they had supported their Jersey partner to improve. Examples of included class management of large numbers of learners and setting high expectations of students’ verbal responses.
All Rwandan teachers evaluated themselves as developing their practice significantly more than they had expected. In particular, 90% felt that they had grown in confidence and 100% felt that their teaching knowledge had improved.
The next stage in this partnership will see another group of ten Jersey teachers arriving at the end of July to run a summer school for street children at GS St paul Muko. We’ll report on this visit next time
By Mike Haden | Chairman, Jersey branch of Hands Around The World
By Mike Haden | Chairman. Jersey branch HATW
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