Oct
15
“What matters is the work you do out of the values you carry.”
Posted by: Natasha Chiang | October 15, 2012 | Leave a Comment
This past weekend I attended a conference on Poverty and Migration: finding solutions to global and local poverty. The quote that titles this blog post was from the opening speech given by Grand Chief Steward Phillip (Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.)
I have not had enough time to sit down and reflect on the things I have been doing in my Teacher Ed Program. It has been a constant, grueling process of reading, learning, discussing, reflecting, and sharing.
We were asked to bring a significant object to our inquiry class, as a starting point to explore possible inquiry projects for the rest of the year. I chose a photo of Emmanuel who is a little boy I met last year in Uganda. He passed away two months after we left Uganda, but the photo captured his smile and genuine love for learning and being a natural leader.
One of our faculty advisers prompted a very deep, personal question: How difficult is it, as an aspiring educator, to see all the things that you see, and come back knowing that you cannot bring them back, that there is a certain status quo that cannot be changed simply by your visit there? I started crying, I wish there was something I could have done for him– given him an extra hug? Gave him a book. Recorded a story for him? Given him my lunch.. The point is that I learned a lot about what values I hold very near my heart, and I know that my passion for teaching and learning with kids is genuine.
Here is a link to the post I wrote last year, during the pilot Kindergarten program there. Today, the school has K-6, and has enrolled over 100 students.
https://blogs.ubc.ca/cchiaen/2011/06/11/kindergarten/.
An an excerpt from a similar post, about longing and nostalgia:
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June 11, 2011
I’ve realized, while experiencing homesickness, that I only need to feel comfortable with myself and with my environment for me to feel at home.
I also find it difficult to separate myself from yearnings that come with longing for home and the ‘luxuries’ which we so easily call our essentials. Sometimes I am most conflicted because I can see that villagers face the realities which cause me to yearn for home every single day, as they have and will for the rest of their lives.
Trees touch windows say their hellos
Hear this house as it settles in
Worry slips away it don’t know your name