A Life Given to Teachers: Introducing Brigid Yambunpe's Reflection

Br Thomas Yapo describes Brigid Yambunpe as "a true Lasallian who has the heart for young people," someone whose "love for teacher education, commitment, dedication and selfless giving" has marked her years of service in ways that words can barely do justice to. It is a fitting tribute. For 39 years, Ms Yambunpe committed herself to work at Holy Trinity Teachers' College, shaping the professional lives of thousands of teachers who now form part of the backbone of Papua New Guinea's education system. That kind of sustained contribution does not make headlines, but its effects are felt in classrooms across the country every single day.

What follows is Ms Yambunpe's own reflection on that journey. Running through it is her long association with the De La Salle Brothers and the way their mission of Human and Christian Education shaped who she became as an educator. She writes with honesty and affection about the Brothers she worked alongside over the decades, the support they offered her, and the Lasallian spirit she came to know through that shared work. Her engagement with the Lasallian charism was never abstract. It grew out of real relationships, real classrooms, and a sense of calling. 

Her reflection is both a personal account and something of a tribute. It speaks to what Lasallian formation can look like when it takes root in a person over a lifetime, not through grand gestures, but through faithful, everyday commitment to the young. We are grateful she has shared it.

Ms Yambunpe's full reflection is included below.

THANK YOU DE LA SALLE BROTHERS.

My special thank you to all De La Salle Brothers whom I have interacted and worked with at Holy Trinity Teachers’ College (HTTC), and Brother Superiors whom I had the privilege of meeting them from 1986 – 2025. Working with each one of you has truly influenced my carrier as a teacher educator.

Most importantly, I thank you De La Salle Brothers for sharing your heritage, The Lasallian Mission of Human and Christian education with the lay teachers. This shows your love for the welfare of all children and their future.

I first learned about St John Baptist De La Salle from the weekly maxims put in our boxes by Principal, Br Peter Gilfedder which I still keep and use them for my teaching and share them with my students.

When I was first introduced to the Lasallian Spirituality, I was challenged by the Twelve Virtues. I was challenged because the twelve Virtues were asking me to regard myself as a servant teacher.

In other words, I have to change my ways of teaching and doing things. I was challenged because to accept change means accepting the responsibilities that comes with it. But I started reading the training course books and my own notes about the purpose of the Lasallian Mission of Human and Christian Education. Though, I regard the purpose of the mission as a challenge, my Mercy Secondary education background and the Christian Brothers’ initial teacher training helped me to understand its purpose.

There are some facts I came to realise at the initial stage and they are

• My students are human first and learners second.

• To pray and bring my students before God each day

• Not to look down on my students but learn to like them

• To consider the learning needs of my students when planning the lessons

There were times when I did not want to pray for the troublesome students. The Lasallian prayers were my answer: I will continue, Oh my God to do all my actions for the Love of you. Live Jesus in our hearts… forever. These are very powerful prayers, and they really touched my heart. These prayers guide my daily cations and had an impact on my attitude towards my teaching students, other students, colleagues, support staff and other members of the community. There were times when I saw the look of trust and hope on the faces and in the behaviour of my students.

Br Bill Friman at the District Chapter (1999) gave these three statements:

1. “Teaching is not curriculum deliver”

2. “Teaching is a ministry of touching hearts”.

3. “Teaching is s challenge to the intellect”

I use these three quotes as guides in planning my lessons, pastoral care sessions, community worship sessions, and staff professional development sessions.

Br Jeff Culligan at the District Chapter (1999), made this statement, “the best discipline is a well-prepared lesson”. This quote is written in the course book (Managing Students Learning and Behaviour) and it is used each year with the final year students. These four quotes helped me to understand clearly the plea by St John Baptist De La Salle, the International Educators and the philosophers about educating a whole person and not just teaching the subject.

The quotes also helped me to understand the relationship between the Lasallian Mission of Human and Christian Education and the Papua New Guinea philosophy of education which is Integral Human Development.

In our classroom, we have a picture of St John Baptist De La Salle. Below the picture we wrote – “The teacher with a mission of touching hearts and transforming minds”. So, our mission as teachers of tomorrow is to “touch hearts” and “transform minds” of the children who will be entrusted to our care.

This is another challenge for me as a teacher educator. If students are taught to touch hearts and transform minds of the children, I must do my best to teach them in such a way to touch hearts and transform their minds. This will enable them to observe, experience, develop genuine interest and a caring attitude towards the children who will be entrusted to their care. It is also important for the students to understand that the children they will be teaching are human first and the learners second.

Working together on our attempt to respond to the signs and voices of need today is to be more vigilant than it was some years ago. The challenge to all of us is to keep striving to make each day a best day. To identify the voices of need and appropriate response is a difficult task. But we can do it by assisting one another in holding together as we continue our journey in the ministry of teaching.

Therefore, in teacher education institutions like Holy Trinity Teachers College, the De La Salle Brothers presence is vitally important. In the same manner the presence of the lay people who have in depth experience and exposure in the Lasallian Spirituality to work together and by association with the De La Salle Brothers.

Though I am retiring from active teaching, I will take with me the knowledge and experiences about the Lasallian Mission of Human and Christian Education. The knowledge is needed out there to help change the characters of persons who need it for a better life. 

Once again, I thank you the De la Salle Brothers for sharing your Heritage which is the Lasallian Mission of Human and Christian Education. Thank you for entrusting the lay teachers with the responsibility of the Lasallian Mission. Let us continue to work together to make a difference in the lives of the people of Papua New Guinea through the education of our children.

May God the creator of human life continue to bless you all and the great work you do for Human and Christian Education.

Bridgid Yambunpe, Lecturer – 1986 – 2025