teachers become students to reach students

I LOVE teaching. There are so many things I like about it, but the most rewarding is seeing students learn and grow - and the learning and growing I do as a result of that too.
When I took this new position, one of my big concerns was leaving the classroom. I thoroughly enjoyed the daily interactions and relationship building. I still miss it.
But God, in His wisdom, has given me opportunity to have a much bigger classroom, with teachers as my students, and me getting to be a student of many teachers. I thoroughly enjoy entering their classrooms, seeing their daily interactions and relationship building.



Mrs. Madueke and her class at Alama Private School

I am also blessed by having teachers in a classroom together. Allow me to give you a picture of some of these experiences...




teacher training follow-up seminar in jos, nigeria












Teachers come together to listen to each other's joys and challenges, and find encouragement in knowing they are not in this alone...




Teachers reflect on their current teaching practices, and how they can do things better...



Teachers also put practice new teaching strategies as they encounter new ideas. Many classes experience the "lecture, copy, memorize" teaching method on a daily basis. During seminars, teachers are stretched as they demonstrate/teach others what they have learned through...



POEMS




POSTERS




DRAMA, GROUP DISCUSSIONS, and much more!


Goal setting is also integral as we meet together. What we learn doesn't mean anything unless there is change in our lives, and in our classrooms!

































I STILL love teaching. And I do miss the classroom. But I still get to experience those things that I love and watch God do some amazing things in the lives of teachers and then on to their students. Praise Him for that!



Mrs. Madueke and I in her classroom

a work in progress

I would like you to meet Rex. Rex came my office at the Daniel Center almost immediately after I arrived in January. He was what they call here a "teacher candidate" (This means someone who is looking for a job). He was very interested in the idea of Christian Education, and began attending the monthly "Prayer Altar" meetings. He came to visit me in my office several times: borrowing books, asking questions that arose as he had discussions with others about Christian Education. He has written today's blog posting. Please join me in thanking God for the work in progress in his life and the lives of many teachers like him.







I must confess that for me “Christian” education is a relatively new term, not to mention teaching with a Biblical perspective. I have never considered teaching as a calling since I had not the least idea of anything called Christian education, moreso that, the least of us here in Nigeria would really want to make a career from teaching. Though I like to impact knowledge to others, if I ever gave it a thought, the university level has been my only consideration. But thanks to Sheila Dykstra and to all of you out there who are making this possible. Thanks a lot.

As a Christian, my familiarity with the “Great Commission” given by Jesus Christ is not in any doubt at all. The doubtful issue is the thought of ever being a pastor/preacher/evangelist. To say the least, I never thought one could actually evangelize others in any life undertaking be him a teacher, doctor, nurse, pilot, engineer, lawyer, etc… But many thanks to Sheila who is walking with West Africa. Through her missionary work, people like us can also disciple others, especially the young ones.

Since Sheila assumed work in Abuja, people like me have learnt so much in the area of Christian Education. I have been attending conferences, seminars, workshops all on Christian Education. These and the Prayer Altar for Christian Schools raised by ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) have really touched and brought meaning to what some of us do as teachers.



When I first attended the prayer altar meeting and when the prayer was done with, “Biblical Worldview” was introduced and a demonstration was carried out. Ever since then it has been fantastic and exciting you know. I just discovered who I am: that God has called me to be a teacher so I could evangelize and make disciples of kids. The Christian teacher needs to lead kids to Christ and build them in Christ so they will serve Christ in all areas of their lives. To achieve this, I needed to teach kids the truth. But what is truth? All truth is God’s truth. They are imaging God and so must flee from all sins and receive Christ for them to be saved. This is where I must use the story of “Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration”.

In one of the Leadership Conferences titled “Rescuing the Next Generation: Now or Never”, I was exposed to the dangers faced by today’s youths and the imperative to rescue them which rests squarely on Christian schooling.
To achieve all these in the present world is a huge task. So Christian educators need to understand our times as we prepare students to the battle of truth (and I tell you what, great just was done to this by our sister Tosin during one of our prayer altar sessions**). I was exposed to the challenges of Christian schooling such as competing and conflicting worldviews. We also discussed the window of opportunity available in our time despite the opportunity that has been lost.

I must also mention the fact that the array of literature on Christian Education*** has been very helpful. Textbooks like “Walking with God in the Classroom” have particularly been found handy especially for classroom management . More and more is being revealed everyday and I tell you what, it’s been exciting all the way!

Thanks and keep doing what you do. Bye.

Rex Edward Gbangban








**Tosin is another teacher we have been working with who is passionate about training others. She has received very basic training, but is already taking what she has learned and teaching it to others. Praise God for that!

***I have a resource library in my office that teachers can come and borrow books from. We are also trying to import some for sale, and publish some here to make resources available at a more reasonable cost.


Rex relays stories from his classroom:
• One day a child’s father came to me and asked, “What have you been teaching in your classroom?! My child comes home always telling me to be a good accountant, that I am responsible for the money that I deal with.”
• One day the students were having difficulty answering a question that I had posed. A Muslim child in the class stood up and said, “But, Mr. Rex, you didn’t pray at the beginning of the lesson, maybe that is why our heads are blocked.” :)

students joining the movement..

A few weeks ago, I was asked to speak at a career day at a local Christian Secondary School. I was asked to speak on becoming a teacher. Wow, I thought, what an opportunity. Here in Nigeria, the teaching profession is not highly regarded. In fact, I would venture to say that 5% (?) of teachers are teaching because that is what they want to do. Teaching is viewed as a job to take if nothing else works out. Most students here have their eyes set on one of the following professions: doctor, architect, engineer, banker, lawyer.

So...what was I going to do? I really prayed that God would give me wisdom to know what to say and how to say it.

I spoke of the privilege it is for me to teach. I spoke of the opportunity teaching presents to impact so many people in profound ways. I asked the students what qualities a teacher needed to possess.
Patience.
Sincerity.
Integrity.

Wow. I told them I was challenged, and I also told their teachers I hope they were challenged too.
I shared with them that even though teaching is not highly regarded, it needs to be. That teaching is the place where change of a child, a class, a generation, a country can really happen. And until some of us step out in faith to take up the call, things would continue as they are.

The students, teachers, and parents SEEMED engaged. I prayed that impact would be made.

I had to leave early to get to another meeting, so I was not even able to talk with anyone to get a feel of people's response.

As I left the building, a student came out running after me. She said that she was really touched by what I said, and that she had written a poem for me as and after I was speaking.



She said that she has always wanted to become a teacher. This is the first time I have heard a student here in Nigeria tell me this.

I was touched.

Pray that God would use this girl, and students like her to rise up and bring about change in the state of education here in Nigeria.

Transformation, One Opportunity at a Time

I have been VERY behind on posting blog updates, but its not because I don't have anything to say! Things have been so busy, and I find it a challenge to balance the DOING and the writing about what I am doing!
Allow me during this month to give you a peek into the process of transformation happening here..and join me in thanking God for the lives and hearts of each and every one!



One of the major themes we talk about in Christian Education is the story of God and His people as laid out in the Bible and then continuing with exploring our own part in that story. We talk about the themes displayed in the picture above: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Renewal.

One day I walked into Heritage Academy to meet this bulletin board. I was so impressed. The principal, Mr. Spencer Okoroafor had the art teacher put it together. He had spent the week bringing the students down to explain the significance and meaning of these themes.

A few weeks later, I was in a Primary 5 (grade 5) class, sitting in on a lesson on "pests in the home". And would you believe it, the themes came up! The conversation came up as students were asking about why we have household pests, and why do we as Christian still experience the suffering of mosquito bites and malaria, cockroaches and rats. A result of the fall, of course!

Thank God for teachers willing to take the time to point to the big picture with their students. Pray that teachers and students will see the connections and apply them to their everyday learning.

Train a Teacher, Help a Child

In my December Kid's Edition Prayer letter, I mentioned a special project that people can give to this Christmas.
I want to tell you a little bit more about Mrs. Sa'adatu Yashim, her staff, and school.
New Vine Academy is a small emerging school in Jigo-Bwari, a little town about 30 minutes outside of the city of Abuja, Nigeria.






It is a secondary school (middle school/high school), that a group of people had a vision to start a few years back. They started with one class of 11 students last year, Junior Secondary 1 (grade 6)and this year added a second, JSS 2.




Mrs. Yashim is the principal, and she has a real passion for developing her staff, especially in their understanding of Christian Education.



There are 8 teachers working there, all teaching a particular subject area.



I have had the privilege of working with this school for the last year. We planned a teacher's appreciation day, when most of these pictures were taken. The students put together a dance, the principal put together small gifts for the teachers, and I spoke on the joy of teaching as a calling.

In the last few months, the staff and I have been meeting monthly to do a book study together, using "Walking with God in the Classroom" by Harro VanBrummelen.
It has been a wonderful experience! We have had many discussions on teaching practice, lesson plans, life, and living in general.







God is really working in the lives of these teachers. Because of gifts like yours, we are able to meet together weekly and grow in becoming better teachers and disciples of Jesus Christ. We want to be able to continue so that these teachers may continue to grow and be transformed. Your gifts make this possible. Thanks in advance!
Our goal is to use this goal as a model school for development, along with 2 other schools in the greater Abuja area.
Each teacher that is trained impacts the lives of so many students, and we thank God everyday for the impact that is being made here in Abuja and all of West Africa!

The Power of Questions.

This past weekend, I partnered with a fellow Nigerian Education Consultant to lead a seminar on teaching methods. Two specific methods we dealt with were: Inductive Teaching, and Scientific Inquiry. Both of these methods are not common in a typical Nigerian classroom, where transmission of facts through lecture, note taking, and memorization is the order of most days. These methods both involve asking questions of the students.






I was reminded once again of the power of questions. God has set in His creation so much for us to explore - not just to be told about. How will we explore? To ask questions. If we want to be effective citizens of God's kingdom, we need be able to think critically about information we receive, the society we live in. How will we bring ourselves to distinguish that which is truth? To ask questions. If we want to bring others into a living relationship with Him, we need to...you got it: Ask questions.









Its been just over 4 months since I have arrived here in my new position. This first 6 months has been set aside specifically for listening and learning. Here are some questions I have been exploring.

*What is on ground here in West Africa in the area of Christian Education?

*How does the education system work in general?

*What is the best way to connect with teachers? schools? students?

*What needs are expressed?

*How can we together build capacity of Christian Education?

*What could it look like to walk alongside an initiative?

*Is there a specific strategy that should be adopted?

*How can we work in a way that empowers nationals? That is sustainable?

*Who could be key leaders in this movement? Do they feel called? Are they available?

*Do we work on a national level? Establish an association?

*Do we work with individual schools? Should certain schools be trained to develop as model schools?

*What is realistic and achievable in terms of setting goals?

*What will have long-term impact?


So many questions...

I have met with a variety of people to explore such questions. Teachers, principals, heads of schools, parents, friends, church leaders, education stakeholders, fellow missionaries.



I have partnered with Nigerians who are working to establish a national christian schools association. I have visited schools and classrooms. I have partnered with Nigerians (and fellow missionaries) to lead seminars and workshops.



I have prayed alot. I have listened alot.

Do I have all the answers? No way. Am I wiser for the experience thus far? Certainly.

I love asking questions. It helps me to focus on what I need to do and where I need to go. It helps me to become a more effective citizen of God's kingdom. It reminds me that I am on a journey, and that my life - my work - is a process. It reminds me that I am not there yet, and need to keep growing.

I know that God has a plan. I continue to rest assured that it will be made known all in His time. That He will answer the questions that need answering. My job is to be faithful and diligent with what He has given me thus far. And keep asking questions.

I Got a House!

Yes, thanks for your prayers! As it turns out, one of my friends are leaving for the United States. And I am able to take over their lease! It's a 2 bedroom flat, on a compound with 8 flats. I'm on the top (4th) floor!
I move in next week, but here are few shots of the inside to give you an idea of the place. More pictures to come when I move in!



Living Room



Kitchen


Bathroom



Bedroom

Sights and Sounds of Niger

You got to hear of my arrival, but not of my actual stay in Niger! I will just share a few pictures and thoughts...
Niger, being closer to the Sahara Desert (Actually the desert is IN Niger), the landscape and animals are more..."desert-like" :)


Camels....



Donkeys...















A village church we attended before our car breaking down...













I stayed in Niamey, with a missionary family: The Persenaire-Hogeterps. They were great hosts. My goal in traveling to Niger was to see what is going on in the area of Christian Education, meet with key leaders in the movement, and discuss possibilities for capacity building.

I visited SIM Education Department (another missionary agency), who, among many things, is assisting kindergarten teachers in creating their own resources for their classrooms.


















Cornerstone is a national organization of Christian teachers looking to apply biblical principles in Education. One of their projects/goals/dreams is to have a model school which provides fully integrated Christian Education.





This is the core group of Cornerstone.





This is Mrs. Halima, the kindergarten teacher. She is enthusiastic and passionate about meeting the needs in her class.


Here are some of the children in her class...


I got to visit giraffes! Just outside of Niamey is the last group of wild giraffes in West Africa. We hired a guide to drive us around, and then got to get a little up close and personal too!




I participated in an appreciative inquiry for a church that had started a school in a village, but has had some problems in continuing the project. This church in Niamey partnered its members with children in a village who then are sponsoring those children to go to school! It was a beautiful picture of how the church in Niger is reaching out.



This is one of the activities of the inquiry. The group was to make a map of the village, plotting physical places, but also trying to highlight relationships between the school and the village.


And, one of my highlights, was the Roundtable follow up meeting. Representatives from schools all over the country, and church stakeholders came together to discuss the way forward for Christian Education. This is what we asked for prayers for. God is faithful, and the conference resulted in good listening and sharing. A committee to look into forming a national association for Christian Schools was set in place. This committee was also mandated to look at the proposal for a Christian teacher training Center in Niger!



This was the group who met....


And a reporting session, where we dialogued about the "sickness" and "remedies" for Christian Education in Niger.


My trip back into Nigeria went like this:
4:30am Leave for bus station
6:00am Bus leaves Niamey for Konni (border town)
11:00am Bus arrives in Konni
11:15am A pastor came to pick me up on his motorcycle. I spent the day with him and his family. I got to sleep under the stars - as it was so hot that night.
7:00am Taxi arrives to take me across the border and into Nigeria to the airport.We spent about an hour at the border.
11:00am Arrived at the Sokoto airport, bought the LAST ticket to Abuja.
2:00pm Flew from Sokoto to Abuja
3:00pm Arrived in Abuja, took a taxi home!

Space for God

So there is this book that I have had on my shelf for years that has come highly recommended by those who have read it. It’s called “Space for God” by Don Postema. It’s basically a book of reflections, study and practice of spirituality and prayer.

I have finally opened it earlier this week. Am excited for all there is to reflect on..

I wanted to share one of the poems I read inside this morning that touched me. I think making space for God, in theory is a great idea. But practically, not so easy.

COVENANT
God
knocks at my door
seeking a home for his son.

Rent is cheap, I say.

I don’t want to rent. I want to buy, says God.

I’m not sure I want to sell,
but you might come in to look around.

I think I will, says God.

I might let you have a room or two.

I like it, says God. I’ll take the two
You might decide to give me more someday.
I can’t wait, says God.

I’d like to give you more,
but it’s a bit difficult. I need some space for me.

I know, says God. I’ll take it. I like what I see.

Hm, maybe I can let you have another room.
I really don’t need that much.

Thanks, says God. I’ll take it. I like what I see.

I’d like to give your the whole house
but I’m not sure....

Think on it, says God. I wouldn’t put you out.
Your house would be mine and my son would live in it.
You’d have more space that you’d ever had before.

I don’t understand at all.

I know, says God, but I can’t tell you about that.
You’ll have to discover it for yourself.
That can only happen if you let me have the whole house.

A bit risky, I say.

Yes, says God, but try me.

I’m not sure---
I’ll let you know.

I can’t wait, says God. I like what I see.

----Margaret Halaska.

Rescuing the Next Generation...Now or Never!

This is the theme banner of the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) Leadership Conference held in Abuja on April 23,24.

Representatives from ACSI Africa came as conference speakers: Director Samson Makhado (bottom, right) spoke on the essentials of a Christian School, and an overview of Christian Education in the continent of Africa. Teacher and principal Greg Stokell (bottom, left) spoke about biblical worldview as a framework for school leadership, as well as the implications of biblical worldview in the classroom.



We fellowshipped and worshipped together,















learned and prayed together,




This teacher (above)is taking part in an exercise demonstrating an alternative teaching method, using different coloured hats to get students to express ideas from a variety of perspectives. Most classes in Nigeria are limited to a concept being presented by the teacher writing a note on the board, and the students copying it. Demonstrating and having teachers practice alternative strategies encourages them to see that these can be applied in their own classrooms as well.
The topic here was abortion. When someone wears the yellow hat, they are allowed to express what people might consider to be "advantages" to abortion. Wearing a different coloured hat gives students opportunities to share "facts", "disadvantages", "opinions", "what the Bible has to say", etc...


Here are various members of the steering committee who put this initiative into action...



Mrs. Yakubu (left) is a proprietress of a primary and a secondary school. Mrs. Mokuolo (right) is the proprietress of a primary school. They both reside in Abuja. They are very interested in exploring ways to have meaningful Christian Education in their schools.



Rex (above) is what we call a "teacher candidate". This means someone who is looking for a job. He has been visiting the Daniel Center and showing interest in this movement of Christian Education. He went and delivered invitations to schools, and is sitting on the Steering Committee for Christian Education in Abuja. And, believe it or not, the day before the conference, he was offered a teaching position! God is good!

Note: The pictures of me are on someone else's camera... So you will have to wait until I am back in Nigeria to share some of those!

A Roadside Adventure

Many people say that travelling by road in Africa is an adventure. I don't always pray for adventure on the road, usually its for protection and a safe journey. We certainly prayed this prayer as we left Abuja, Nigeria at 5am on Saturday morning. Final destination: Niamey, Niger Republic. This is usually a 2 day journey. The first leg would take us from Abuja to Sokoto (via Kontagora, Niger State) is a LONG journey - about 10 hours. The roads are generally good, except for one road that is paved with potholes for over 100 kms. Then the plan was to spend the night in Sokoto, drive the last hour to the border in the morning, cross, and meet our missionary host who would take us the final 5 hours on to Niamey.
God had a different plan in mind. Let me tell you what ACTUALLY happened...

Our trip to Kontagora state was good. We arrived before noon to pick up the rest of our passengers, and greet our fellow missionaries at Warari Bible School. On we pressed to Sokoto...

We were supposed to stay in Sokoto...but after checking a couple places they said that most places were full because it was weekend. They suggested we press on to the border town (Illela) that there was accomodation there. There wasn't. They said there was accomodation on the other side in Niger. So we pressed on. It was dark by the time we left the border and then had to find a place. It was kind of shady, but they were willing to let us pay in naira (that is Nigerian currency. The currency in Niger is CFA), and we didn't know anywhere else to go anyways. The doors to the room locked, and I'd brought my own sheet, net, and towel, so I was fine.

In the morning we left in a hurry because we finally got ahold of Henry, our missionary colleague, who was picking us up...he actually was staying in a nicer place 2 minutes away!! (We couldn't get ahold of him that night).

Here is a picture of some scenery along the way...



On the way, we stopped at a village church for service, and to see the Christian school there. This is a two room school started by the pastor of this village.





About 30 minutes later, our engine cut out. We were in the middle of nowhere.





Desert... The next town was about 25 kms away. It seemed that the radiator had sprung a leak, that would not even hold water for us to go bit at a time (nor did we even have enough water to do so).

Ok, so you are not going to believe this, but not 15 minutes later, a missionary Henry knows (SIM director) drives by!!!! In a pickup. And he stops.






















He's got a tow rope, and is willing to tow us on to the next town! He finds us a mechanic and then continues on his journey. So we wait in Dogun Doutchi (the name of the town) for a few hours while they fix the radiator. It is SCORCHING hot...all we do is sweat, and sweat.

And make friends with a few children and adults who are watching us with interest.





No water is cold enough to bring relief...This missionary group (SIM) that we met actually has a house in the town that he offers to let us sleep in should it get to late to travel on. Our time limit was 4pm. We don't have any money in the right currency remaining. We search all over town for someone who will change dollars. Noone. We finally find someone who will change naira. We pay off the mechanic. At 4:05 the truck is ready and we continue on (Still 3 more hours till Niamey). Yipee!

Not 40kms down the road, the truck engine cuts out again.
This time we are in a little village. No missionaries drive past this time. But the villagers are finding us a rather curious sight. Henry can speak Hausa, so we are fine to communicate the problem. While there, we meet a guy who speaks English and spent a number of years in Nigeria. He goes off to find a mechanic for us. By about 6pm, the mechanic arrives ad gets to work. The radiator split in the exact same place as before.



This mechanic we were not too sure about. He is fixing the radiator with super glue, then a layer of ash. Then super glue and cotton, then super glue and ash, then soap and charcoal! During this time, I have made friends with all the village children who are having a blast as I take pictures of them and show them on my digital camera.





A duststorm comes and goes. The chief of the village comes to greets us and tells us if it is too late to travel on that we can sleep in the mosque! He also offers his house/hut. By 8:30pm we are on the road again. We have paid this mechanic the rest of our CFA currency. We stop every 40 kms to make sure there is no leak. We make it to the next town that has accomodation, and spend 30 minutes driving around trying to find any.

By 10pm we have a place (nicer than the night before) and crash.

This morning, we get up and search all over town for a place to change money so we can pay our hotel bill. We go to 4 different places, including banks and they are not willing to trade dollars. We finally meet an "Alhaji Mohammed" in a hardware store who trades - at a good rate at that too! We pay our bill, and are on the road again!

Thank God...no more wahala (this is a Hausa word for "trouble"). We finally arrive in Niamey 11:30am...

God is good. He kept us safe and together, using the most unexpected people in the most unexpected places. I pray my next 3 weeks will not be quite so packed with adventures!!!