Fresh teachers to take their skills to Tanzania

Twelve teacher candidates will be heading to Tanzania this week knowing that the volunteer project they have been working on since September will change lives—especially their own.

The group, lead by associate professors Clinton Beckford and Andrew Allen, will leave Thursday for a two-week trip to work with orphaned and vulnerable children at the Kititimo Child Centre in Singida, Tanzania, taking much-needed clothing, school supplies and books to 45 children, aged five to 17.

“The initiative is part of the faculty’s efforts to provide our teacher candidates with international and global perspectives in education, as well as inter-cultural experiences,” Dr. Beckford says. “Teaching is not just about the time you spend in the classroom, it’s about the social, moral and ethical qualities that you want to see in your teachers.”

The students have been fundraising since September, holding raffles, selling UWindsor merchandise and gathering supplies and donations from businesses, non-profit organizations, family and friends, all in an effort to provide educational opportunities for vulnerable children living at the centre.

“My heart is social justice,” says teacher candidate Katie Nanson. “The focus at the Faculty of Education is to equip teachers to meet the needs of every child. We’ve learned about equity versus equality and the idea that while all children need shoes, not all children need the same shoe size—we have to reach them as individuals. By going to Tanzania, I’ll develop a different outlook, a different perspective—I’m looking forward to the influence the children will have on me.”

Previous work with faculty members at the University of Dar es Salaam in 2003/04 led UWindsor Faculty of Education professors to plan the first student trip to Tanzania in 2008, which Beckford calls “life changing.” He said that in addition to their work at the Kititimo Centre, this year’s group of UWindsor teacher candidates will take Swahili language lessons and have an opportunity to spend time at a school tailored to the needs of children of the Maasai people.

The students say that they have made a commitment to ensure that all funds raised go directly to support the needs of children in Singida. The group is also hoping to work to establish such sustainable projects as the building of a chicken coop and an educational trust as a lasting legacy.

“It’s really a grassroots non-profit initiative,” said Brianna Jentzel, president of the Education Society. “The benefit of having teacher candidates right on the ground is that any funds go directly to assist the children. We are also hoping to buy supplies locally so that money spent will help the local economy. This is about community building.”