Katie Jackson – Trinity Christian Classical School
What is the best way to teach other teachers the phases of the moon? How would you do that in a different country with minimal resources where any materials used must be cheap, easily accessible, and transferable to a class of 60 students? Can you do that and meet/exceed the curriculum standards of another country?
These were the questions I had the privilege of answering this summer on the Teachers Across Borders Southern Africa (TABSA) 2016 trip. What I discovered surprised me.
1.) Africa and its Teachers surprised me. The strength, resilience, perseverance, courtesy, kindness, and quiet dignity of the South African and Swazi teachers humbled and impressed me. I realized I have nothing to complain about ever again in my American classroom stocked with materials, resources, and knowledge a computer click away. I loved learning from and watching the African teachers. One highlight was in Swaziland when a group of teachers got up to demonstrate the earth’s revolution around the sun. They purposefully linked the concept to something their student’s would already know — a traditional Swazi cross dance. To demonstrate, the teachers picked up a long cardboard box or “cross” and held it stationary over one shoulder and began to energetically dance around the podium. Despite the movement of the dancers and their revolution around the room, the box/cross never moved its orientation and direction of pointing north – just as the axis of the earth consistently points north as it orbits the Sun. I realized then, that I was in the presence of master teachers with similar challenges and desires. We were in the same human condition and despite our cultural differences, we both wanted to learn and love and connect with our students using whatever means available. The African teacher’s humor, ability to laugh, sing, and dance despite the significant challenges of massive class sizes and little resources inspired me.
The country of South Africa also surprised me. It reminded me of Hawaii – familiar and at home with its raw beauty and incredible complexity. Yes, Africa might have elephants, monkeys, and baboons, but the differences I had imagined were not so different after all – just beautiful distinctions. The world became smaller this summer.
2.) I surprised myself. You don’t realize your capabilities until comfort zones are stretched. I didn’t realize flying solo around the world would cure my fear of long flights or that living, eating, and traveling for a month with a diverse group of strangers I had just met could be so much fun. Living and traveling with a group of fellow educational kindred spirits gave me friends I still enjoy hanging out with in Hawaii. I had no idea how my creativity would be stretched when compiling material for curriculum standards of another country for a culture I’d never experienced. That was harder than imagined. I also learned that when a lesson flops you should always throw out the ego, seek advice from a seasoned teammate, and try again.
3.) What I learned from my fellow teammates surprised me. For a month I had the opportunity to live and learn from some of the best teachers on the planet. When my session was over, I tried to sit in and watch my fellow TABSA Teammates present. Not only did I learn about chemistry, biology, food webs, electromagnets and algebra tiles, I also discovered teaching methods and ideas that returned home with me. It is funny that it took traveling halfway around the globe to understand that you don’t need much to teach science well. I think this is a lesson that the Americans and Africans both learned together. All it takes are a few simple things found in a trash bin, lots of creativity, and awe and wonder. Science is best discovered hands-on in a personal way – whether you are a student, teacher, or presenter. That is what I take back to my students: they need time and space to struggle together and wonder about the “Why.”
4.) Surprised by all the fun. Traveling with the same group of people for a month, living, eating, laughing, playing cards, discussing math, and working together was a high joy and privilege. I found myself missing the camaraderie and companionship when the trip ended. Our team spanned in age from 84 to 19, of all ages, races, religions, cultures, and educational backgrounds. There were car rides & podcasts, beach walks to light houses, elephant sightings and rides, late nights preparing and sharing material, practicing the dance of the tides in the hotel lobby, bubble blowing birthdays, generosity, tea, chocolate bars, shopping trips, hikes, penguin and chimpanzee sanctuaries, intelligent conversations and many discussions. Most of all, there was laughter usually over a competitive game of gin rummy while waiting for dinner. It is not often you get to travel on a worthy mission with incredible human beings with excellent minds and even bigger hearts. I count it a privilege to have been part of this team.
5.) Surprised by the power of a vision/legacy. Finally, I was surprised at how incredible good can come out of terrible injustice. While still a teenager the South African passport of Yunus Peer (our fearless and magician of a leader) was revoked, effectively exiling him in his own country. This was largely due to his family’s opposition to the Apartheid system. With the overthrow of the Apartheid system, Yunus and the Peer family’s homegrown idea to bring fellow teachers back to South Africa to conduct math and science workshops for rural African teachers was born and Teachers Across Borders Southern Africa began. This summer marked the 16th year of the project and what started small has grown and is now sponsored by the United Nations (UNICEF). Watching Yunus and his family (Laurie, Yaseen, Mikail) work behind the scenes to make the logistical and diplomatic cogs of this trip work was eye-opening. Their labor of love and logistical and diplomatic wizardry (plus humility and strong vision), made it possible for us to host workshops for over 600+ African teachers, meet a US Ambassador, visit Elephant parks, navigate the bureaucratic red tape of two different education systems and multiple sponsors, and safely shepherd a diverse group of 15 people across two countries for a month. Small ideas and beginnings — spun out of the injustices and history of Apartheid — can go excellent and big places with the right people. People can make a difference. Yunus and the Peer family taught me that challenges of the past can also become great opportunities for the future.