Summer Teacher Stories: Emily Chant Attends Tearfund Event in London

Renton Prep teachers always look for ways to enhance their teaching. Even when on vacation, there is always an opportunity to learn and grow. Well, this summer you might have seen some of our faculty and staff share their summer learning stories on social media. These stories allow teachers to share what they have learned over the summer and how those experiences have changed their perspective on teaching.

This article highlights 1st grade teacher Emily Chant’s summer learning story. This summer she traveled to London to visit her best friend who has just been hired by the organization Tearfund. So, while on her vacation, Emily had the chance to attend a Tearfund event that piqued her interest in social justice curriculums for schools. Read on to see more details on what she has learned from her London experience.

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Impact: Life, a Tearfund Event

Tearfund is a UK based Christian relief and development organization. It supports countries and communities throughout the world who are in crisis. For instance, when disasters strike, Tearfund responds quickly. 

“We’re Christians passionate about ending poverty” and “we’re following Jesus where the need is greatest, working through local churches to unlock people’s potential and helping them discover that the answer to poverty is within themselves.” Tearfund’s statement.

The event celebrates young professionals who participate in the organization’s “Impact: Life.” This project has eight christian professionals form a group who collectively support a project. These groups meet monthly and commit to faithfully serve those who need it most. The purpose is to together commit to raise £10k over the course of a year. 

Discussing Social Justice

During the event, Emily had the privilege to speak with Tearfund employees about social justice curriculums for schools. So, since most social justice curriculums exist for older students, they discussed the need to create them for elementary students too. Generally, this age group is often overlooked as those who can learn empathy while practicing social justice.

The Takeaway

Emily Chant is looking forward to engaging in partnerships with organizations like Tearfund. It will give her the opportunity to assist Renton Prep’s commitment in enabling students to use their voices. As a result, this could contribute solutions to the challenge of our global community. Significantly, she is excited for her potential partnership with Tearfund to adapt a Biblical Social Justice curriculum for younger students.

London Adventures

Besides all the growth from the Tearfund event, Emily has been enthralled by the history of London. She visited many famous landmarks where she was able to learn more about London’s history and culture. One of which was St. Paul’s Cathedral. The church’s intricate design and statues tell the story of the Apostle Paul’s conversion. And even through the disaster that World War II caused, St. Paul’s Cathedral remained. Additionally, Ms. Chant had the privilege to visit historical landmarks such as The Churchill War Rooms and The National Gallery. There, she was able to see artwork by Van Gogh, Monet, Degas and more.

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Sharing Experiences Everywhere

Although London was a vacation, Emily Chant came back with many ideas. She is now thinking of ways to incorporate what she’s learned into her lessons for the upcoming school year. We are thankful for the commitment of our teachers and their desire to continue to grow. Also, we are excited to see where Emily will go to next. We will continue to keep up with her adventures! 

Renton Prep is a safe and collaborative environment for students. Visit our website to learn about our approach and contact us today to enroll your child!