ID 601 BLOG

My Education Foundation was Teacher Centered! Sterehe High School students during an exam. Education in Kenya, especially at primary and high school levels, is mainly teacher centered and exam oriented. The teacher is the central figure of authority in the classroom. For instance, the teacher is responsible of the entire learning process, designing classroom policy, and the sole decision maker regarding classroom activities. Furthermore, the teacher is to be respected, even feared, and cannot be challenged. There are less classroom activities that require students’ direct participation, and lessons are designed in such a way that all students do is listen to lectures and take down lesson notes dictated by the teacher or from a textbook. In high school, some learner centered practices such as group discussions are encouraged; however, the teacher remains the know-it-all-can’t-be-challenged figure that the students are often afraid of. Basically, the role of the teacher is more ...

First Impression. I was very nervous on the first day of class this semester. I knew I was only going to observe a class and not teach but I still was extremely nervous. I had arrived in Muncie from Kenya a few days before. After spending more than 24 hours travelling, I was immensely jetlagged and completely disoriented. I was tired and confused and my body betrayed me. I came to class a few minutes late (after missing the bus from my apartment and having no internet access on my phone, I had no idea how otherwise to get to school) and the moment I stepped in class I couldn’t help but notice how I stuck out. I was the only international student in class and more so the only African. I was obviously different from everyone else. But what did I expect anyway? This is of course, what I expected to find and yet the reality still unsettled me, I felt I wasn’t prepared enough for this. When my mentor introduced me, I was extremely aware of the scrutiny. I could tell most of the studen...