At Elimu, we like to find ways to make learning relevant. Getting heads out of books to experience the lesson hands on is one of our favourite activities.
A group of 34 Grade 6 – 8 students joined us last month for a tour of several historical sites in Malindi. They learned how Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer on his way to India, stopped in Malindi and the impact he had. They visited the Portuguese Chapel, the first church in East Africa (now an historical monument), where some of Vasco da Gama’s confreres are buried. They also experienced tribal cultures from the Coast region at the local museum.
Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.
The lessons learned will be useful at school and help to bring what they learn in textbooks to life. With schools opening in Kenya this week, they will soon find out the value of those new experiences as they share with fellow students in their classroom.
Along with getting students out of books for a while, the program gave our interns a chance to shine. The history tour was inspired and organized by Martin, a recent graduate of teacher’s college. At Elimu Resource Centre, he’s getting the chance for hands-on work experience, interacting with children from different grades and school backgrounds.
Each intern was given the opportunity to come up with an educational program to implement at the Centre. The win-win situation provides unique experiences and opportunities for both students and interns and ensure creative new educational programming during the school holidays (when Elimu Resource Centre is filled to the brim with learners catching up on their studies or getting ahead).