Wow, it has been too long since we posted, but we are back!!! Look for one of our students to update you on what's been happening around here.

Athuman Msangi from Tanzania visits Boston Public Schools

It was so great meeting people in Africa and building relationships. Here are a few pics of Athuman (a teacher we met and built a relationship with) visiting the United States. He visited a Boston Public elementary, middle, and high school hosted by me at the Timilty, Craig Martin at the Hale and Doreen Harris at Madison Park.

He says that the schools visits were invaluable.

Building on Relationships

It has been awhile since I have blogged, but that doesn't mean nothing has been happening. I am still processing all that has transpired on my Africa trip and it is still as astounding as when I first returned. I have a fresh new outlook and appreciation for my work here with my students and I am committed to bringing new life and energy to what I am doing.

I am reminded that it is an honor to be a teacher and to serve the youth that come before me. Even as in Tanzania, when we seemed worlds apart, so be it with some of our students here because of the cultural diversity, language differences, generational influences, and the different social environments in which we live. This only brings to light the realization that if we are to be successful with our youth, we have to deal with the disparity of unfamiliarity. Therefore, this year I have to build more on my relationships with my students because they really don't care how much I know or can teach them, they want to know first how much I care.

Thank You

Many people are following my blog and sending me comments via email, however, you can click right on the comment tab at the end of each post.  This will help free up my email space.  Also, look at the right hand side and sign up as a follower of the blog.  If you believe this is a good site, let people know that you are a follower and they will be attracted to stop and browse.  It was an experience and I would love others to take the virtual trip along with us.

Others Schools We Visited Along the Way

(above video is a kindergarten class in a Masai village in Arusha; they are counting and reciting the alphabet in English and singing in their native tongue.)

As we toured around different villages visiting museums and historical places, we often saw groups of students on field trips.  They were always studious, seemed attentive and a pleasure to witness.  Even on our way to Zannibar, which is about a 2 hour ferry ride from Dar es Salaam, there was a group of school children adorned in their school uniforms on a school outing.  And the uniforms, all of them, are impressively clean and crisp!  Many villages were dry and dusty and we wondered how they could keep their uniforms so bleach white clean. 

 

Conference Events

Congrats to Judith Baker

I need to thank Judith Baker, retired Boston Public High School teacher, now educational activist.  Judith worked tirelessly on this 6th Pan African Literacy Conference.  I would have never had such an awesome experience without her using her resources and her desire for us to get all that we could get out of this educational trip.  I learned so much from her and now have a network of people throughout many parts of Africa because of the conference and her personal connections.  Even after the conference, she planned a Serengeti safari for us and wait until you hear and see that!!!!   THANKS JUDITH, FOREVER GRATEFUL