What does 21st Century Learning in an International Context mean for my classroom?

I think the biggest take-away from looking at everyone's ideas about what 21st Century Learning in an International Context means for my future classroom is that everything is and should be student-centered.  With this said, taking into consideration student's learning styles, their hobbies, what they enjoy, their culture, etc. and apply that to the curriculum is important for students to become really engaged in learning.  Also, another theme is the involvement of collaboration with the community.  I think that as an educator, knowing the community and the resources out there is important as well as involving the community.  This not only enhances a student's range of knowledge, but it allows for networking and allows for the community to be aware of what is going on in the local schools.

July 14: Last Day in Kenya

Today has so many different mixed emotions.  I'm glad to be going home and being back with my boyfriend and family, but I'm sad that this wonderful experience is coming to an end (and I'm definitely not looking forward to the 20+ hours of traveling!

Today we were able to finally experience the Maasai Market and to be honest with you, I was expecting something like a farmer's market out in San Diego.  Boy was I WRONG!!!  I've never felt so pressured, so out of my element, and so nervous to go shopping!  I literally was pulled in every direction to shop and it was definitely overwhelming.  Luckily before the Maasai Market, we were able to visit a fairly cheap store that had everything I wanted souvenir-wise, so I was basically shopping for myself with the shillings I had left and ended up purchasing a traditional Maasai blanket.  After all the shopping, we said goodbye to Odyssey Safari's at the Nairobi Airport and began our journey home to the States.

Today's agenda:

• Check out of hotel 
• Shopping in Nairobi 
• Maasai Market 
• Airport

July 13: Goodbye Daraja

Daraja and USD!

Funny picture!!!

Acrobats at the Boma's

Wife #1's hut!

School kids

School kids at the Boma's of Kenya

With my Maasai Prince... Michael Jackson!

Today's Agenda:

• Goodbye to Daraja 
• Drive back to Nairobi 
• Shopping at a wood-carving store, lunch at the mall 
• Boma's of Kenya 
• SHOWERS and HUGE upgraded room at the Heron Hotel! 
• Last group dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant with James, Eliud, and Lucy

July 12: Community Health Project

Today definitely was a bitter-sweet day.  I couldn't help myself from feeling extremely sad that we are leaving Daraja tomorrow.  Honestly, I felt that we FINALLY had that breakthrough, not only with the teacher's actively asking questions about their iPad's and genuinely trying to learn about the device on their own, but I finally had that personal breakthrough in the sense that I finally understood my purpose on this visit to Kenya and we leave tomorrow.  I can't help but feel that I still have so much I can contribute to the school, but we have so little time left on campus.  With all this emotion, Chris and I started talking about how we would love to come back to Daraja, at least next year with the next group that visits.  I feel that since Chris and I were the one's who headed the technology project, we have that obligation to continue to support the Form 1 girls as well as the teachers to make sure that the iPad's and iPod's are used to their maximum potential.  Although once wifi is finally hooked up at Daraja, we can have more communication with the school while we are back home, but there is still that sense of "WE NEED TO COME BACK!!" and I'm glad I wasn't the only one feeling this way!  There is still so much I can learn with implementing these devices in the classroom and I hope that I can bring what I learn back to Daraja very soon!

Anyways, today started with Chris and I sitting at the triangle tree waiting for teachers to ask us questions, but we started to get anxious, so we moved into the library (which is the teacher hang-out area) and made it known that we were there to help in any way!  I kind of felt like a stalker because I pretty much chased down teachers that I saw walking in the courtyard to ask them if they had any questions or needed help!  Since it was the Community Health Fair, Chris went out to help the girls with the set-up and I stayed in the library, and I think today was the biggest breakthrough with the teacher's feeling comfortable asking me questions!  I spent a lot of time with a few of the teachers today just talking technology!  Then we talked about life, schools in the U.S. versus in Kenya, aspirations, etc. and it made me even more sad that we were leaving tomorrow, but all in all, today was a good, well not good, GREAT day!

We ended the school day with an awesome turn-out at the Community Health Fair.  People from nearby villages came through as well as students from the local schools.  The Form 2 girls did a great job and I think everyone truly enjoyed the event!

Today's Agenda:

• Help with teacher’s Q&A’s 
• Q&A with Mwambura, Wycliffe, Cypress, Jackson, & Peris
• Darja Community Health Project

July 11: My Passion! & Observe a Teacher Day!

Check out my Evernote's on Charles' Biology Class HERE!!!

• Observe Charles’ Biology class 
• Help teacher’s with iPad’s/iPod’s 
• Q&A with Form 1’s 
• Hike up to Jenni and Jason’s house

July 10: Distribution of iPad's & iPod's!!!!

• Focus group with Form 1: Technology 
• Professional development with teachers about introducing the basics and expectations with the iPad’s 
• Distribution of iPod touches to the Form 1 Girls 
• Set up the check-out process 
• Saved girls pictures as the wallpaper 
• Introduced tips 
• Helped girls with questions

July 9: Daraja + Mobile Technology

• Continued editing the excel format 
• Created a basic maintanence video for the iPad with Chris 
• Met with Charles Introduced tips for the iPad 
• Received more information about what he already knows 
• Got the census that teachers right now need to play with applications, then we can focus on how to integrate the iPad’s into the teacher’s lessons/preparation, and how to integrate the iPod’s into the Form 1 classes