ID 601 BLOG

Different Background I have had the opportunity to study under two distinct education systems: Kenyan and American. The Kenyan system of education is mostly lecture-based and teacher oriented. In most cases, the teacher is the central figure of authority in the classroom who is in charge of the entire learning process, creating classroom policy, and makes all the decisions regarding teaching and learning in the classroom. There are less classroom activities that require students’ direct participation and most lessons are designed in a lecture format with students taking notes. The danger of this is that the students  often regurgitate this information on their exams without critically analyzing its content. There are assignments given in the course but this rarely contributes to the final grade which is solely based on the final exam. Furthermore, transition from primary school to secondary school and from secondary school to college is based on one final national exam...

Coming from Without I grew up in rural Kenya. I went to a local primary school where everyone knew everyone else, you had a ton of friends and there was no way you were left out in anything. School was fun. This perspective became narrower as I progressed in my education. However, regardless of attending a boarding high school far away from home, joining university even further and in the city, and disconnecting with all the friends I had in my primary school; I never felt out of place. It was easy to interact and make friends with new people that I met along the way. Well, things changed when I moved to the US. It was the first time I travelled outside my country and I think I was not prepared enough for the tremendous changes this would have on me. I felt like an outsider in many ways. First, I am African. I come from an entirely different culture. Second, I am from an entirely different education system that has very little in common with the American one. Third, I share very...