I traveled to Zanzibar for the first time in July 2010 to help facilitate a two-week theatre through literacy workshop with a group of talented teaching artists led by Jennifer Holmes and John Socas. I was magnetically drawn to the project from the start and rightfully so, my first summer teaching in Zanzibar literally changed the course of my life and career. The following is one of my many reflections as a teaching artist on GETheatre’s July 2010 Zanzibar programming.
GETheatre’s workshops really foster a bond among students, teachers, and teaching artists. Everyone bands together towards a common goal: improving English and making theatre. I really felt valued by my fellow teaching artists and all of the workshop participants. The students made me work harder because of the investment in both their own learning and in the collaborative artistic product. I think we all pushed each other to work harder because everyone cared so much about the project.
I poured all of myself into the classroom and after the first few days of teaching I was exhausted in the best possible way. I felt guilty that I wasn’t writing at the end of every day or sending emails home as often as I had promised but my focus was elsewhere and I made peace in a brief journal entry:
“I want to save all my energy for the students because they are so willing, eager, and excited to learn. I could not have asked for a better group with more enthusiasm and spirit!â€
– Journal, July 6th, 2010