Fulbright in Practice: Robert Kenfack

Meet Robert Kenfack, an educator from Cameroon who participated in the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program in 2020. Learn about his experience at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

Why I applied

I wanted to increase my skills as an English language teacher. I was excited to meet other English teachers from all over the world, meet native English speakers, and learn more than I could just from reading books. I wanted to understand how English was taught around the United States and to network with people from around the globe.

What I did

I will never forget that moment when I landed in the United States I had never traveled to another country or flown in a plane. I was in the United States for just six weeks, but it’s led to so much!

I learned a lot about America. And I was excited to meet people from different countries on the program. I studied educational issues around gender, technology, leadership, instructional technology, and teaching English as a foreign language/second language. It was a life-changing experience. It’s transformed me. I’m no longer the teacher I was.

What changed

When we studied instructional technology, I wondered at the time how I would ever use it. But I was open-minded. Then the coronavirus happened. Everything became technology! I immediately put to use what I learned on my fellowship. I use Flipgrid, Google Classroom, Kahoot! and Quizlet. My students really appreciate it. I became a technology expert in my country, and I’ve been able to share this knowledge with other teachers in Cameroon. I started training people online about how to use technology to educate students, including other teachers across sub-Saharan Africa.

I remain in touch with my partner-teacher at Andover High School. From time to time, we connect our classrooms online. My students are happy to learn about the United States, and the students in Massachusetts are excited to learn about Cameroon as well. It’s great!