Running Workshops

Sorghum in the Village.

Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one (Malcolm Forbes).

     Recently I had the opportunity to help run various workshops for new staff in the Village. Working with Alain, Director of Education and Philosophy, I planned and implemented three different workshops: leadership, empowering kids and empowering students and staff.

      The first two trainings I ran for new counselors and a new Mama. Little did I know that many of them did not know English. For the first time in my life I ran a workshop to a non-English speaking audience. While at first I was nervous about how the new staff would receive my presentation, I quickly became comfortable. Utilizing the help of Andrew, the Enrichment Year Grade Coordinator, to translate, the workshop went very smoothly. While the new staff spoke primarily in Kinyarwanda, Andrew translated. Looking at the new staff, I could see their smiling faces and minds turning.

     At the end of the two-day presentation, I received many thanks. Andrew told me that I should always run seminars like this. And Alain told me that he think I found my calling. One of the new staff even asked me for the written plans for both workshops so she could continue to think about the topics of leadership and empowerment.

     So impressed with my presentations, Alain asked me to attend the new administration training to take notes on his presentations and lead another workshop on empowering both students and staff. At the beginning of the week I was able to listen to Alain discuss the philosophy of the Village. While I went through this training when I first arrived in the Village in December, it was very different to hear about the philosophy after experiencing life here for 6 months. Alain’s presentation was more powerful than ever and really made me realize the strong effect that the Village has on its students.

     At the end of the week I led a workshop discussing the notion of empowering students and staff. Coming from an informal education background, I try and utilize different methods of interactive teaching and learning. And the staff loved it! Through interactive dialogue and skits, the new administrative staff were able to grapple with real-life challenges within the Village (students who are resistant, staff that don't feel welcome in the Village, etc). While presenting different sketches, the staff were attentive and laughing. It was really rewarding to see the success of integrating a new teaching model into the Village.

     All in all, the presentations were great. It was wonderful to be a part of training new staff and to share my knowledge of leadership and empowerment, two concepts that I am constantly challenging in my life. Something that I always remember when engaging in social justice work is:

Be the change you wish to see in the world (Mahatma Gandhi)