Learning
to Teach in the Global Village
by Ingrid Burkett
Training Development Coordinator
Oxfam Australia
Sometimes the world really does still
seem very big - and for me here in Brisbane, Australia that
has meant that I've spent a great deal of time lurking on the
Global Learning Partners website waiting (patiently and hopefully)
for a Learning
to Listen, Learning to Teach course to appear on my side
of the planet! (Not that I don't appreciate the other side...it's
just the long plane trips that make this side more attractive
to me!!). So when one day I saw that the course was being offered
in Hong Kong (this past July) I literally jumped at the chance
to spend a week experiencing and being part of the action of
Dialogue Education (there's only so much that I can learn from
books!).
What I experienced in the course
(skilfully led by Peter
Noteboom) surpassed all my expectations! It was a week of
learning, of listening, of sharing, of practicing - and of experiencing
the most wonderful companionship and hospitality of ten fantastic
co-participants. I had a great opportunity to put into practice
what I had read in Jane Vella's books (and I have to say that
it's flowed over into my training work already, and I continue
to practice my learnings from the course). But more than this,
I had the opportunity to experience this learning in a cross-cultural
setting which made the whole experience even more wonderfully
rich. I thank my co-participants (Jonathon, Winnie, Maureen,
Lynne, Huei Yin, Dorothy, Rita, Doris and Wai Yin) for the opportunity
to learn with them - and I hope Peter will return to this part
of the world sometime soon so we can keep learning! I don't
think that I needed much convincing that Dialogue Education
is the way of the future, but spending a week experiencing this
in Hong Kong has made me even more determined to design and
facilitate learning experiences that are people-centred, respectful,
and mutual. I am excited to see how this shapes my work and
life into the future!
Thanks Peter and thanks to all my new friends in Hong Kong (and
a big hello too - see you next time)!
