Teacher’ Corner
The beginning of the fruitful journey
With years of teaching experience, two years ago I attended the workshop conducted by the Tanzania English Language Association (TELTA) Arusha-Chapter in collaboration with the RELO Office from the U S Embassy Tanzania at Meru District Council where I met 50 or more English language subject teachers. The facilitators were the Coordinator of the TELTA Arusha-Chapter Mr Godwin Kaaya, the Event Coordinator of TELTA Arusha-Chapter Dr Lydia Kaoo and Ms Laura Shayo from the U S Embassy office. I had a chance to unlearn and relearn my ways of teaching the subject as well as sharing experiences. It was my first workshop to meet with only language teachers and I was so impressed with almost everything including knowing opportunities that are provided by TELTA and the U S Embassy. I joined the conversations and discussions and at the end, I had a chance to give thanks to the organiser of the workshop. It was at this juncture that my journey of success began and dreaminess phrases.
Right after the workshop I decided to join TELTA as a member, a few weeks later, I had the privilege of being selected as the secretary of the TELTA-Arusha chapter up to date. This position has kept me closer to other teachers in the Arusha region and the country at large. My coordinator, other leaders of the chapter and I conducted different workshops, trainings, and webinars and attended different conferences. Being a member and a leader in the Arusha Chapter has exposed me to different online courses that have made me who I am today. I did my first webinar on the TELTA webinar series with the title `Using Music in Speaking Classroom’ and attended two international conferences as a presenter. One at the Zanzibar-TELTA and ZAPELATO Annual Conference in February 2023 with the title `Error Correction in Integration to Learners Profile’ and ALZELC in Kisumu-Kenya in May 2023 with the title `Use of Poster to Enhance Speaking Skills in Schools’. TELTA has become a ladder for both my national and international success. From a classroom teacher to a presenter, trainer, coordinator of the online training, a storyteller and currently a Fulbright Teachers Exchange participant at Georgia State University-Atlanta.
My Genuine Call
My efforts, volunteerism and consistency to strive for the best have taken me this far. With teaching loads in my school, chapter activities and personal matters I still focused on the best. It’s my call to other English language teachers to foresee the benefit of professional development and join TELTA as a platform for professional opportunities.
James Kidiga is a dedicated secondary school teacher based in Mara, Tanzania, bringing over a decade of expertise to the field. He’s also a regional coordinator for TELTA in the Mara region. Besides teaching in the classroom, he volunteers to guide other teachers to brand themselves and become iconic global educators. Committed to reshaping perceptions of the teaching profession, he’s on a mission to inspire change among educators to stand out, be seen, recognized, valued, be innovative, win international accolades, and build a legacy. He has also helped his students perform well academically.
Regarding TELTA, he says, “It has been the all-time reason for my professional development. Without TELTA, I would’ve been somewhere unseen and broke. So, I wouldn’t have achieved or become who I am today. It has shaped me through different trainings and workshops, as a trainee and presenter at the TELTA International Conference in Dar es Salaam 2021, TELTA – ZAPELATO International Conference 2023, etc., and as a trainer for the ‘English for Specific Purpose – ESP of the AWE program 2023. It has also unveiled more opportunities for me, made me visible worldwide, and hence acquired multiple accolades.
These include emerging among the Top 50 Finalists of the Global Teacher Prize 2023 competition (The Nobel Prize for Teaching), from over 7000 applications worldwide, and being the sole Tanzanian in the prestigious list. Additionally, I have won different professional development programs such as the Fulbright TEA program (University of Massachusetts Lowell, U.S – 2022), IT Tools – ITEC (Lovely Professional University, India – 2020), among others.
I call upon teachers across Tanzania not to think twice but to join TELTA today and continue creating changes for professional and personal development.”
Catherine Njau
I vividly recall the year 2016, during the first Africa ELTA conference held in Tanzania, where I attended my inaugural professional conference since my employment as an English teacher in one of the government schools in the Kilimanjaro Region. Although my teaching career commenced in 2004, I had never had the opportunity to participate in a conference or professional development session aimed at enhancing my teaching skills. Witnessing other educators confidently deliver their presentations, articulating their experiences and contributions to their students and communities in various regions, filled me with immense joy. It was almost astonishing to discover alternative teaching methods, and I couldn’t help but wonder where I had been all those years without knowledge of the tremendous support TELTA provides to teachers. Realizing that I was in the right place among like-minded individuals, I resolved to implement the insights gained from the conference upon my return to school.
During this time, I was selected as a regional coordinator to establish a new TELTA chapter in the Kilimanjaro Region. This appointment brought me great happiness as it symbolized a key to unlocking my professional development success. Upon my return, I successfully inaugurated the chapter with 15 teachers. Subsequently, I gained valuable experience in conducting teacher workshops at the district level. Within a few months, I collaborated with Riah Werner, a former Peace Corps Volunteer in Tanzania and an English Language Fellow in Cote d’Ivoire, to organize a two-day workshop for English teachers. This workshop marked my first opportunity to lead an energizer activity in front of other educators. Eager for feedback, I sought recommendations for my efforts and soon found myself presenting at a TESOL Conference in Chicago.
The TESOL Conference provided me with valuable learning experiences, exposing me to new expressions and teaching practices. Upon my return, I eagerly shared the knowledge and insights acquired at the conference with teachers in the Kilimanjaro region, using TELTA as a platform to disseminate these initiatives. Attending another TELTA Conference in the Mwanza region further solidified my professional growth, allowing me to proclaim myself as a modern teacher who employs participatory approaches in the classroom, fostering critical thinking among students.
Continuing to leverage the resources provided by TELTA, I participated in numerous online courses facilitated by the US Embassy and British Council, further enriching my teaching knowledge and experience. Additionally, I served as a counterpart and volunteer to support new English fellows and Peace Corps Volunteers in my region, collaborating on presentations and proposal writing submitted to TESOL. Despite the financial challenges associated with travelling and conference registration, TELTA’s support and connections enabled me to attend TESOL face-to-face presentations four times, a remarkable feat for any teacher, especially in Tanzania.
In conclusion, behind every success lies someone who supports and encourages us. Through unwavering commitment and determination, I have utilized every opportunity to raise my voice and make a difference.