I can’t wait to connect with teachers from across the world

Primary teacher Hannah Radbourne will be leaving Europe for the first time to the Land of a Thousand Hills.

— It’s OK. You get all those holidays! —

Yeah right! I think to myself every time I hear someone say that, oblivious to the fact that school holidays are often far from the relaxing holiday many people think we teachers experience. Yes, with some careful planning it’s possible to make some time to relax and get out and about. But, as a teacher, you never totally switch off.

It was this thought that made me decide to apply for an LRTT Fellowship this year. I love teaching. I’m always formulating ideas and thinking about how to adapt resources or how to make something more accessible. That was one of the biggest attractions for me — the chance to share best practice with professionals from all over the world.

I want us to be creative together for everyone’s benefit

Anyone who knows me will say that my favourite time of the working day is coffee break! This is partly because I really love good coffee, but mostly because I find that this is when the very best ideas come to mind. When you put people together in a relaxed environment the ideas seem to flow. People are able to take a step back and view the situation from a different angle. Often a small change in approach is all that is needed but we all need that time to stop and think. This summer I am hoping to be a part of these innovative ideas, helping others to view their situations from a different angle which will have a positive impact on the practice of all involved.

An opportunity to venture out of Europe

I decided to apply for a Fellowship in Rwanda. I’ve never left mainland Europe and knew very little about the country. However after doing some reading I decided this was where I wanted to go. The Education System in Rwanda is undergoing huge changes which I see as a brilliant opportunity. Here in England we are still getting used to a new national curriculum but in Rwanda, they have had to cope not only with curriculum changes but also a change in the language of delivery from French to English! Coupled with the fact that teacher training and CPD opportunities are rare, this is what attracted me to the country. I am excited to share stories about coping with change, how it has affected our pupils and methods for managing this within the classroom. There is certainly opportunity for mutual development.

A chance to Mix my Devon experience with a Rwandan perspective

I currently teach Year 5 at Okehampton Primary School in Devon, England. I’m in my fourth year of teaching and am Year 5 Leader, Music Leader and am on the Science Leadership team. I thrive on the variety the job offers; the fact that no one day is the same as another. Everyday there is a problem to solve and something which requires quick thinking to remedy. Being a rural school, I find people have an expectation of the opportunities available to us and are often surprised when they see the reality. I hope my experiences will help me to see the challenges my Rwandan colleagues are facing and that I will be able to help them find solutions or ways of managing these.

An opportunity to travel

I’ve always wanted to travel and the LRTT program offers the opportunity to do that, as well as share my love of teaching with like-minded individuals. The excursions look fantastic and there is plenty of variety. As mentioned, I chose Rwanda based on the education system but the travel opportunities look amazing. From visiting rainforests and volcanoes to having the chance to track mountain gorillas – there isn’t one particular thing that I am looking forward to more than another. It was a nice surprise to find one of Rwanda’s biggest exports is coffee. Hopefully our coffee break idea sessions will be just as, if not more productive than, the ones I have in England. I am really excited to meet everyone else on the project and to share the amazing experiences I know we have in store.

Roll on August!