God is Good

We are now just two weeks away from leaving DFW for Nairobi, Kenya. Due to several large contributions, we have been able to purchase many items to take with us. Five new digital cameras, eight MP3 players, three Wacom pen tablets, and lots of other tech goodness. Not shown is the 500GIG hard drive that is loaded down with an amazing assortment of free, open-source software and teaching and learning resources that have been donated by Academy students and teachers. (Please don't overlook the five frisbees in the top-right corner of the photo below...the coolest human networking tools and entertainment devices known to mankind.) God has provided more abundantly that I could have imagined.

One Month To Go

We will be leaving for Nairobi in one month from tomorrow. I have left the majority of planning and preparing for June and I am excited to begin the work. During the last weeks of school, several classes at The Academy created some amazing teaching resources for me to take with me. Students in health, English, history, government and of course my web mastering classes put together a collection of powerpoints, videos, tutorials, audio recordings, and games that the students and teachers at MITS will be able to use. Its a great feeling to be able to be able to pack up one small hard drive (500GIG) worth of materials that contains many times more information than they have available to them right now.

We are also preparing lessons that we can teach the teachers and students that will help them be able to use the new resources (technology toys/gadgets) that we will be bringing. Right now, the plan is to focus on basic English language development and developing Math skills. We will be purchasing and bringing: computer headset microphones, Mp3 players, digital cameras, video cameras, USB drawing tablets and suitcases filled with other fun stuff. The goal is to teach them and encourage them to create products that demonstrate their learning. This is a shift from the traditional ways of rote learning that most African schools are known for. We will package this as "story telling" or communicating using digital tools. We'll see how that goes.