Beyond School Books: Discovering the World
Los Gatos High School Students Visit Kenya
David Homa
Social Studies Teacher
Los Gatos High School, Los Gatos, California
Students usually learn about the Bay of Pigs in Cuba, the former
cannibals of Fiji, or the animals of the Serengeti from a book in a
classroom. This format does have its value, yet learning does not
need to stop at the end of the school day. Seniors from Los Gatos
High School are given the opportunity to learn about this world beyond
their books and the walls of their classroom. Each of the past three
years I have offered seniors the chance to see these places not just
with their eyes but with all of their senses. Learning should not be a
static experience coming from the same sources throughout a
student's academic career.
Learning needs to be a complete and holistic experience when
possible. The trips I have made available create a whole new learning
environment. In March of 2004 I began my annual senior trip by
taking 21 students and one other teacher on an eight-day tour of
Cuba. This trip was made possible through a special license that until
June of 2004 was issued through the US State Department. In May of
2005, 20 students spent 14 days exploring Fiji, New Zealand, and
Australia.
In February of 2006 I decided to push the students further by offering
a 17-day expedition to Kenya and Tanzania. Fifteen students took up
the challenge and had the experience of a lifetime. The first twelve
days we spent exploring different parts of Kenya. We watched the
great variety of animals in places such as Samburu and the Masai
Mara. The wildlife is an important component of the Kenyan
experience, but it is the people of the places we visit that offer the
greatest learning experience. Six days into the trip we spent three
hours at the Naru-Mobu Boys Secondary School. This stop gave
students from both countries a chance to talk about what it is like to
be a teenager in the United States and Kenya. Here is where students
from both countries get a real education.
Each trip brings students in direct contact with not only the pictures
from the textbooks but more importantly, with the sounds, smells, and
even the tastes of an environment that a book simply does not offer.
Students are given to the chance to speak with the people and interact
with the culture in a way that gives them a deeper understanding of
what they may have only read about in a book. I choose countries
that students may have never thought of traveling to before or might
not have the opportunity outside of these trips.
This coming school year I will be starting a new course, Introduction to
Anthropology. Students do not need to take this course to go on the
senior trip, but students who take this course will have an even better
understanding of the places we will visit. The plan for next year's trip
will be a ten-day expedition to the cradle of civilization, Egypt. Future
trips are planned for Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, India, Rwanda, and
hopefully other African countries.
I am very fortunate to have an administration, faculty, and parents
who believe in the value of these trips and support my desire to
expand the students' educational experience. While travel is not for
everyone, those who are willing and able to meet the challenge come
away with an educational experience that cannot be taught in a
classroom.
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