One of the activities that children at Elimu Resource Centre really appreciate is the peer study groups. We gather the kids based on their classes. They organize themselves for discussions to identify the topics they want to delve deeper into. Then they search from within the group for leaders to give them a lesson on those topics. At times, an Elimu team member guides the process.
Kids have told that they enjoy learning this way because they find a fellow student will cover the topic at a pace that is better suited to them and they are not afraid to ask questions. The students who have lead these groups have commented that it actually helped them learn more and gave them greater confidence in the topic. Study groups often meet on the balconies where they have privacy and won’t disturb the other students in the study halls.
To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.
Encouraging children in self-directed studies is one of our key goals at Elimu. With these study groups, children learn how to assess themselves, identify their weaknesses and make a plan for addressing those weaknesses. They have at hand a variety of resources at the Centre to assist them.
Peer study groups is one of the more interactive approaches. They can also work at their own pace with eTextbooks on our eReaders and various digital tutorials for math and sciences on our tablets. There are also tools for reading and improving literacy.