Tea Sekaric, Emma Thwaites, and Rachel Schulz.Students reflect on their transformative journey across the world and the impact of their service-learning experience in a new documentary. From left: Tea Sekaric, Emma Thwaites, and Rachel Schulz.

Documentary details transformative educational experience in Tanzania

UWindsor students reflect on their “life-changing” journey to Tanzania, recounting the profound impact of their service and the lessons they learned, in a newly released documentary produced by the Office of Public Affairs.

Nearly eight months ago, 30 teacher candidates from the Faculty of Education ventured to Tanzania as part of a service-learning course. The trip took many out of their comfort zone and across the globe, a powerful and lasting experience that reshaped their professional paths and personal growth.

In the documentary, students gather to revisit the experience, sharing reflections on the cultural exchanges, resource challenges, empowering programs they helped facilitate, and an unforgettable encounter with an elephant during a safari.

“As much as I planned to go there and teach them, they taught me so much as well,” said Rachel Schulz, a recent graduate of the teacher education program. “I take that with me every single day of my life and I couldn't be more thankful to have gone on this trip.”

The stories participants shared underscore the significant impact the trip had on their understanding of global education and social justice.

“We went in knowing that we were going to experience things, but I don’t think any of us could have ever imagined the magnitude of what we would experience,” said Emma Thwaites, a graduate of the teacher education program now pursuing her master’s degree in education.

To view the documentary and learn more about the transformative experience of UWindsor students in Tanzania, click here:

To learn more about the Teacher Education program or service-learning opportunities like the one in Tanzania, visit uwindsor.ca/education/teachereducation.

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