Africa Experience (Beth Young)

QUESTION: Ms. Young -
You just returned from an incredible trip to Africa where you were able to learn a lot about a culture of people, different from your own. How have, or will you use this experience in your classroom, to make your students more "in tune" with the world around them? from "Toon Town" J.S


Answer: Beth Young
My Africa trip was so amazing and I should never put into word everything I learned and experienced. I feel like my whole personal and spiritual lives have been jostled around in a very good way. I'm still learning and reflecting daily on what this trip means for me personally, that I honestly, haven't considered much how this experience will impact my teaching. In general though, I know that this trip has and still is changing me into what I believe to be, is a more mature individual and hopefully a "better" person. As we know that which affects us so deeply in our personal lives will eventually flow into our teaching. So we'll have to wait and see what "changes," if any, occur in my day-to-day teaching role.

I will say it was a lot of fun to share with the kids my Africa experience. I even did share with them about the poorness of the people. I explained what the homes - aka huts - were like (showed pictures too) and how they have no electricity, got water from the crocodile river, and had to make their own toys. Of course, they seemed surprised, but I think for even adults, until you see the situations people, other than Americans, live in; you don't fully understand. But, I did have a parent say her child is actually helping out more at home and taking better care of stuff, because of our talk!