A Teacher's Best Reward - Outdone by His/ Her Students

on route to Waterloo where we conducted a youth leadership training camp

As soon as we got off the plane and arrived back to Canada, we practically had to load up our car and drove to Waterloo for a training camp for the young people there.

Fortunately, this year, I had some unexpected help.

As a teacher, the best reward for me is knowing that I have done a good job and that my students have learned.

Unlike other jobs such as building a house, making a garment, or writing a computer program, the people involved in these kinds of job can see the results and admire the beauty of their work within a relatively short period of time. For teachers, we would not be able to see the result of our work after a long period of time.

Having taught for the past thirty years, I have not run into too many of my former  students due to the size of the city where we are living. However, a few months ago, I received a pleasant surprised email.  A young man whom I taught almost a decade ago at our summer camp wrote to me . He is currently completing his master degree in education at university. He enjoyed the camp experience so much that he wanted to give back and offer to help run the VBS.

I was thankful and delighted! We met a couple of times last June and planned out our programs for this year's vacation bible school.

View from the community room at Sobey's in Waterloo

😊



Today, we held our VBS leaders training sessions in Sobey's community classroom in Waterloo, the first time we used this facility.

Jack led the training sessions at Sobey's community room

Instead of  me delivering the training program, Jack was standing confidently in front of a group of youths conducting the training.

I was proud and astonished by his smooth and professional presentation to the young people.

I sent him my ppt on safety; he modified and put his own stamp on it. In fact, he did a much better job than I did.

A hands on session at our VBS leaders' training day

He did a couple of games, then divided the youths into 3 groups giving each group a piece of chart paper and a marker and asking them to brainstorm and think about what was safety like at the camp.

Write down what a safe VBS should
1. look like
2. sound like
3. feel like

The leaders program help develop next generation's leaders

These three questions generated a lot of lively discussions and informative sharing at the safety training workshop!

Thanks Jack. for a great workshop!

S. helped with data entry at our training program

R.T. 
Community Classroom
Sobey's Community Room
Waterloo, Ontario