Learning about Africa as Middleborough Students Talk with an
American Student in Africa
On Friday, December 4, students from Mr. Leonard's Social Studies class during
DIAL "face-timed" with an American student in Africa.
I know of an American family who are living in Kenya, Africa, for the last
couple of years. I worked with Mr. Leonard to set up a DIAL period to
have the students talk with this American middle school student, Sebastian.
The students prepared questions and got to hear about African culture,
languages, schooling, sports, weather, geography, pop culture, and more.
Looking at this experience made me think about how we need to be exploring more
activities such as this.
Students learned about Africa from their textbook, from their teacher, and from
pictures and videos, but talking with a "real life American boy about
their age" asking him their own questions in real time was an experience I
do believe they learned from far greater than what they might have read,
watched, or listened to, and will maybe always remember.
This is what we mean when we discuss utilizing technology as a tool to better
learn from. We need to do more of this, and I know we will.
Here are some pictures from the experience and also some that Sebastian shared
with the students:
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| Students getting their questions answered by Sebastian. |
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| Students attentively listening to Sebastian. |
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| Listening & Learning to Africa Free of Charge. |
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| A picture from Sebastian on a safari. |
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| Sebastian with a Native Kenyan. |
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| Sebastian on a safari. |
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| Flags of all the nationalities represented in Sebastian's International School. |
