Wrapping up Faculty Development

English team at work and lunch

During these last weeks I've been blessed with good health and rest, but even more so by the love, compassion, wisdom, and good humor of our Congolese sisters and brothers. Wednesday (12.8.10) was a day of wrapping up and preparing to move on. ...

The English team for a last time during lunch. We looked at the work they have done during my time with them, and then planned and made commitments for how to move ahead. They committed to weekly meetings with alternating chair persons. They also committed to deadlines about aspects of their work. The work that this team does is essential. UCBC is bilingual university that teaches students English as a second language for general communication, civic engagement, and academic discourse. This team is developing as a professional learning community--a team that collaborates, works together, shares with and encourages each other, and holds each other accountable to do their best work. It's been fun to share in their growth in this small way.

Some serious work

We concluded our full faculty development sessions Wednesday afternoon with some reflection and plenty of celebration. Our Congolese sisters and brothers love to have fun. They throw themselves into play with abandon. We set up for a "graduation," complete with certificates and Pomp and Circumstance. It was definitely a game of "one-upsmanship" as to who could ham it up coming down the aisle. This group of faculty could out-do any American college graduate on the comedic scale!

The celebration line

But I was completely surprised when they formed a celebration line and marched around the room to present me with a gift--a carving of an elephant bearing the African continent, and the nation of Congo resting on top of that. Honoré, with characteristic eloquence, explained the symbolism. I didn't do a very good job of holding back the tears. But given the willingness of the Congolese to express emotion, that was probably OK.

My mother used to talk about how being a teacher is planting seeds. Several weeks ago, during a time of self-doubt, I had separate conversations with Honoré and Kaswera. I needed the ear and counsel of my Congolese friends. Each, in her and his own way, referenced the symbolism of planting seeds and reminded me that the work we are doing with the faculty is planting seeds--seeds about thinking, teaching, and learning in new ways.

Noé Kasali (L) and Honoré Bunduki (R)

I say our because many people have been and are part of the planting. Other American teachers and professors have worked with UCBC faculty. Honoré, David, and international staff model new ways of teaching and challenge faculty to improve their practice.

As the planters, that is what we are called to do. Someone else will water and cultivate. Someone else will see the harvest. But this is the time of planting. My conversations with Honoré and Kaswera were reminders to "trust the process" that is teaching and facilitating people learning and working together. What a gift to be able to celebrate the planting.