Invisible Children Conference

The IC conference was centered around advocacy and empowerment of teachers and students. We were welcomed by Jolly Okot, the country director of IC and Patrick Mduga, the program manager of the Schools for Schools initiative. Their opening message was to encourage a more positive societal attitude towards teachers, by first building confidence in pride in the teachers of Northern Uganda. Many teachers did not choose the profession but were instead assigned to it due to lower examination results. Part of the teacher exchange is to expose the partner teachers and the staff at the partner schools to teachers who are passionate about their job and feel that it is valuable. Jolly talked about an experience arriving at the airport in Dubai and seeing an escalator for the first time. How she was frightened and embarrassed at her ignorance. She emphasized how we learn best through experience.

On the first day of the conference, each participating school from the first two teacher exchange groups (I am group 3) presented on a variety of topics: improving economic standing of teachers, improving communication between students, teachers, administration, and families, meeting student needs given changing curriculum, using current resources to promote need for more resources, overcoming the hurdle of large classes, balancing personal and professional life, and managing with minimal contact hours. Each school presented on one topic, they would describe the issue and then present short term and long term solutions. At that point the issue was opened up to all member of the conference. I was struck at the degree of conversation, and number of solutions offered.

We would break off into small groups by school and discuss how each of the issues mentioned appeared at our individual schools. This was the first time our group met our partner teachers. There are six of us placed at St. Joseph’s Layibi College. Our partners were there as well as the director of studies. It was so exciting meeting them. Their energy is wonderful and they seemed to have an excellent sense of humour. Because it was our first day meeting, we ended the day with dinner at a fancy hotel. The conversation was easy and fun. We came home very optimistic about the next six weeks.

The second day of the conference was centered around empowerment of students. We participated in a fishbowl – observing students participating in workshops: basketball skills, drama, art, rapping, and hip-hop dance. The last three were fascillitated by the youth from the previously described Bavubuka All Stars in Kampala.

I was most fascinated by the art table. The students had never used paints or a paint brush before. The only art they had done involved paper and pencil. What completely blew me away were all the questions from teachers regarding the mixing of colours. They were watching Zuzu from Bavubuka mixing red and yellow to make orange and utterly amazed. She described how adding white could make it lighter, or adding blue would make it brown. Then a teacher asked how to make blue and she explained that blue is a primary colour. She explained that primary colours can be mixed to make other colours but cannot be made by mixing colours. I got goosebumps at the level of interest and excitement in the teachers and couldn’t help but think back to Jolly’s comment about the escalator in Dubai.

We met back with our school groups and talked about student programmes at our schools. We were regularly told by teachers at other schools that St. Joseph’s Layibi is one of the top schools in the region and we are very fortunate to be there!

The day ended with an exhibition of the student workshops. The rappers performed in a mixture of English and Luo – their piece was called “Power to the People of Gulu!”. It ended with the dance to much laughter and cheers. The students certainly did feel empowered.

All of the teachers, both western and Ugandan, felt that they had gained a great deal by participating in the conference. The goal of increasing excitement and positivity towards the profession was achieved.