What a day to spend with kids today. It’s days like this that I feel so lucky to do what I do. Started the day at 7:30 in the Sports Hall where we organized a Nuke’m Ball tournament for 201 sixth graders. The game is like a stripped down version of volleyball with giant balls. We blasted music, laughed, cheered, and had a great time bonding with our mentor groups. They were excited, but listened to instruction when they needed to.
Then I attended to some administrative stuff, meetings and emails mostly before my Daraja meeting at lunch. Twenty plus kids, mostly girls and three boys. Mostly sixth graders ready to work toward achieving the UN sustainability goals and learning about Daraja, Kenya and Gender Equality issues. Light conversations, collaboration and food. We have only met three times, but it is already starting to feel like a family. We are brought together for a common cause and that is awesome.
Then I taught two classes. We talked about reading habits and self-assessment. The power of a great reading partner and critical thinking. They worked hard with focus and determination. I spoke openly and honestly with some kids having relationship issues. We shook hands and spoke about how to move forward. I reminded myself how hard it is to be 12 years old or 42 years old. The path to a better world starts and ends with these kids.
Then after school it was Off Tangent- our literary magazine. Again another group of twenty plus kids. Mostly girls. Three boys. Working together to create a magazine that showcases art and writing. We wrote at the start and then Paula and I watched our student leaders take over and run the show. We already have a design team working on our new look. An editing team preparing for submissions and the social media team finding ways to hype the project. The time flew by and the kids did most of the work. Looking forward to sharing their story next week at Learning 2.0.
Came home for a mediocre run, a tea party with the girls, some more work and time on The Cyber watching youtube.
Tomorrow is Friday. A two week break is looming and I am off to Vietnam in less than a week. Life is good. Life is really good.
Then I attended to some administrative stuff, meetings and emails mostly before my Daraja meeting at lunch. Twenty plus kids, mostly girls and three boys. Mostly sixth graders ready to work toward achieving the UN sustainability goals and learning about Daraja, Kenya and Gender Equality issues. Light conversations, collaboration and food. We have only met three times, but it is already starting to feel like a family. We are brought together for a common cause and that is awesome.
Then I taught two classes. We talked about reading habits and self-assessment. The power of a great reading partner and critical thinking. They worked hard with focus and determination. I spoke openly and honestly with some kids having relationship issues. We shook hands and spoke about how to move forward. I reminded myself how hard it is to be 12 years old or 42 years old. The path to a better world starts and ends with these kids.
Then after school it was Off Tangent- our literary magazine. Again another group of twenty plus kids. Mostly girls. Three boys. Working together to create a magazine that showcases art and writing. We wrote at the start and then Paula and I watched our student leaders take over and run the show. We already have a design team working on our new look. An editing team preparing for submissions and the social media team finding ways to hype the project. The time flew by and the kids did most of the work. Looking forward to sharing their story next week at Learning 2.0.
Came home for a mediocre run, a tea party with the girls, some more work and time on The Cyber watching youtube.
Tomorrow is Friday. A two week break is looming and I am off to Vietnam in less than a week. Life is good. Life is really good.
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