#Ghana Project

My class has been on an exciting journey recently. Literature is taking us outside our own world and all the way to Africa, more specifically, Ghana.

My class has been reading the Short Listed CBCA Australian Book of the Year 2015 Figgy In the World by Tamsin Janu. There is so much reality about the culture of Ghana that my class wanted to learn more. With the power social media, Facebook and Twitter, we have been able to connect with the author and with Mr Pete Freeman.

From @MrPeteFreeman

Pete Freeman is young and passionate grad student from Illinois, USA who has spent his summer holidays working in Ghana to research and promote education for women and children in developing countries.

My Year 4 class from Sydney, Australia used Google Hangouts on Air to connect with Pete from his home in the US, having just flown home from his time in Ghana, this week. They were so excited to be talking with someone who had been on the ground and in the culture that we are reading all about and is so vastly different from their own.

Pete shared many stories and the students had so many questions to ask. This was an amazing and authentic global connection lesson that my class will not forget. The conversation went for over an hour and could have continued. If you are interested in watching some of the chat, it is online and available in a cut down form, only 17min. However, if you follow the link through the image you will see my students reflections from their learning. These are unedited and a true reflection of some of the things they took away.

Thanks again to Pete Freeman who was so willing to talk with a class of student from Australia. You have enriched their world with your generosity. My class is keen to talk again with Pete about his increasing work throughout developing countries. 

I believe that opening up our student's eyes to how truly connected we are is so important to their future. It can expand their understanding of how blessed they are. This knowledge is power and what they do with that power is up to them. I for one am excited to see what can and will come of it.