Brad Uy – Math
In TAB-SA workshops, we teach teachers and we raise awareness. But in the process, we ourselves are taught, and we gain greater awareness of the needs of the world around us.
In our noble way this past summer we worked to make the lives of our colleagues abroad professionally and personally perhaps a little richer. However, the tremendous professional and personal benefits we accrued were far more tangible. I was thinking today that this journey didn’t just accomplish development for Africa’s teachers. I feel that I myself gained so much by being there and participating; not only professionally but personally-spiritually as well.
Professionally, I brought home a handful of sharp insights with regard to various math concepts, all accumulated through thoughtful discussions with my multi-, mega-talented teammates at home and colleagues abroad. So on the technical side of things I came away with fresh perspectives on how to think about math and life.
But I also assimilated lasting lessons on the personal-spiritual side of things as well. I was again lucky enough to become fully immersed in the spirit and gift of giving which TAB-SA makes possible and represents. We entered with the best of intentions: we loved and helped with full compassion and were melted and made stronger. I am so humbled and awed to have been allowed to continue the inspiring work of so many great people before me, many of whom were my own high school heroes-teachers. The importance of this opportunity to help others–and ourselves in the process–cannot be underestimated.
I vividly and warmly remember working with one student on a special day, where us teachers had the opportunity to interact directly with students. This one student had a wonderfully curious mind and was so eager to learn (this was apparent when John and I were giving mini lessons; she asked so many fun, intelligent questions); and when she asked me a math question individually after and we sat down and did some work, I was reminded of how connecting with students–fully communicating and growing in our medium–can be transporting. It doesn’t matter where in the world we are: passionate teaching makes available these rewarding connections. It was a source of inexpressible pleasure to be able to share ideas with someone who I never thought I would meet.
Luckily for us, we were rewarded to see immediate fruits from our labors. We trained teachers, and those local teachers in turn trained their own nation’s teachers during a part of our workshops. It was extremely gratifying to see how well they delivered; to see how freely they shared tools and ideas with each other; to see how they went beyond some of the things we showed them. It was elevating. All of the team members were so heartened by the wonderful collaboration that transpired. We left confidently knowing that their students were in good hands. But that was true, too, before we came, for these teachers are inspiring. The sacrifices they make are significant and worthy of admiration.
