Judges: My End is Your Beginning
By Elisabeth J Turner
Everyone talked about Judges.
Word of it was a hushed whisper around PST; it was the “cool” secondary project.
Everyone seemed to be doing it.
…which maybe was an exaggeration, but there were certainly enough people doing it to make it seem like the thing to do.
We got our first real introduction to Judges at IST. Prior to that, the details were fuzzy: Supreme Court, weekends in Kigali, extra money…enough to get your ears twitching with interest.
So, I signed up. It was just an interest survey, but I jumped at the chance. I was sad the program was reserved for second-year Education PCVs. I was ready to start now.
Months passed. I met more and more PCVs on weekends in Kigali.
“Why are you here?” I would ask.
“Judges,” they always replied.
They were happy. They loved their weekend classes, and they were sad when the term came to an end.
I was happy that ending meant my own chance could begin.
That interest survey I’d signed months before finally resulted in an invitation to the first meeting for the 2014 Judges program: a weekend in Kigali and a review of the curriculum and schedule. Even then, we had another couple months to wait.
Finally, we met in the spring. This time to tour the Supreme Court building and to see the rooms we would teach in and organize our collaboration teams and weekend leaders. I was finally going to be a part of Judges.
Assigned to week one of the schedule, I was there bright and early the first Saturday. I’d reviewed the lesson in advance and was ready to teach basic interview skills to the Level 4 students—the most advanced English speakers in the program. I knew I was ready, but I was still heady with nervous anticipation. I’d been hearing about Judges for over a year, and now, I was actually going to get to teach in the program. I won’t say it was “a dream come true,” but it was fulfilling.
I love teaching students in the village. I love teaching teachers as well. But Judges has become something else entirely.
I only see my Judges students once a month, but we’ve formed a bond made possible by both their advanced English skills and their profession. They know I travel far to come teach them each weekend and they show their appreciation in their attendance and participation. They laugh and joke in class and make the lessons fun.
With them, I get to teach material that is not possible with my secondary students in the village, such as Powerpoint and mock trial. We talk about culture and government and law with an insight that is refreshing and open and theoretical. Even the grammar lessons are easy because they’re already planned, tested, and found effective.
Occasionally, there are weekends where I feel stressed and one more trip to Kigali seems like it will do me in. But when my students begin to arrive, happy to see me and eager to learn, that stress fades away and I’m pleased, once again, that I chose to participate in Judges.
The term is coming quickly to an end now and I’ll be sad to say farewell to the class I have come to enjoy so much. But, I will be proud to see them each receive their certificate, knowing the program I’ve helped support has helped them advance their professional careers.
So for all those Health and Education PCVs out there, waiting for your chance at Judges…my ending is your beginning. The program is well-prepared; all you have to do is review the material, show up, and be a part of developing English in Rwanda’s legal system.
It’s the cool thing to do. And it’s fun.
Word of it was a hushed whisper around PST; it was the “cool” secondary project.
Everyone seemed to be doing it.
…which maybe was an exaggeration, but there were certainly enough people doing it to make it seem like the thing to do.
We got our first real introduction to Judges at IST. Prior to that, the details were fuzzy: Supreme Court, weekends in Kigali, extra money…enough to get your ears twitching with interest.
So, I signed up. It was just an interest survey, but I jumped at the chance. I was sad the program was reserved for second-year Education PCVs. I was ready to start now.
Months passed. I met more and more PCVs on weekends in Kigali.
“Why are you here?” I would ask.
“Judges,” they always replied.
They were happy. They loved their weekend classes, and they were sad when the term came to an end.
I was happy that ending meant my own chance could begin.
That interest survey I’d signed months before finally resulted in an invitation to the first meeting for the 2014 Judges program: a weekend in Kigali and a review of the curriculum and schedule. Even then, we had another couple months to wait.
Finally, we met in the spring. This time to tour the Supreme Court building and to see the rooms we would teach in and organize our collaboration teams and weekend leaders. I was finally going to be a part of Judges.
Assigned to week one of the schedule, I was there bright and early the first Saturday. I’d reviewed the lesson in advance and was ready to teach basic interview skills to the Level 4 students—the most advanced English speakers in the program. I knew I was ready, but I was still heady with nervous anticipation. I’d been hearing about Judges for over a year, and now, I was actually going to get to teach in the program. I won’t say it was “a dream come true,” but it was fulfilling.
I love teaching students in the village. I love teaching teachers as well. But Judges has become something else entirely.
I only see my Judges students once a month, but we’ve formed a bond made possible by both their advanced English skills and their profession. They know I travel far to come teach them each weekend and they show their appreciation in their attendance and participation. They laugh and joke in class and make the lessons fun.
With them, I get to teach material that is not possible with my secondary students in the village, such as Powerpoint and mock trial. We talk about culture and government and law with an insight that is refreshing and open and theoretical. Even the grammar lessons are easy because they’re already planned, tested, and found effective.
Occasionally, there are weekends where I feel stressed and one more trip to Kigali seems like it will do me in. But when my students begin to arrive, happy to see me and eager to learn, that stress fades away and I’m pleased, once again, that I chose to participate in Judges.
The term is coming quickly to an end now and I’ll be sad to say farewell to the class I have come to enjoy so much. But, I will be proud to see them each receive their certificate, knowing the program I’ve helped support has helped them advance their professional careers.
So for all those Health and Education PCVs out there, waiting for your chance at Judges…my ending is your beginning. The program is well-prepared; all you have to do is review the material, show up, and be a part of developing English in Rwanda’s legal system.
It’s the cool thing to do. And it’s fun.