Today was truly something special – a day filled with genuine connections and a deep sense of fulfillment. Our adventure led us to the Ramy Helal School, where my classmates and I went to meet the students and share what we’ve been learning in our class with Dr Maha. Stepping into that new environment, I couldn’t help but feel super excited, but at the same time super nervous.
Dr. Maha informed us that the students’ ages would span from primary to secondary, and this element of unpredictability left me feeling extra nervous. This also kind of made it harder to come up with a lesson plan as we had to ensure our activities would accommodate the diverse needs of the students. Thankfully though, we managed to come up with a solid plan for our two-hour visit, and everything rolled out smoothly. To kick things off, we dove into some icebreaker games to break the initial shyness and get to know each other. Then came the games – glucose and cloud 9 – which brought laughter and fun into the room. By this point, I felt as though we had all bonded with one another. There was this one boy in particular who felt very keen to learn and very grateful for meeting us. He made that very obvious to us which also made me super grateful.
In the midst of all the excitement, we squeezed in a quick chat about digital literacies and AI. Surprisingly, the students were familiar with the terms but weren’t entirely sure what they meant. So, we gave them a friendly intro to AI, technology, fake news, and even ChatGPT. It was really nice to see how curious they were about these topics. We also opened up a discussion about discrimination in Egypt. We wanted to hear their thoughts and know whether they’d like to explore it further during our next visit. Since our group mostly consisted of girls, we all agreed that our next discussion should focus on sexism in Egypt. A lot of them also gave me the impression that they had a lot to say. One girl said, “ I’m always told that I belong in the kitchen”. I honestly felt an overwhelming need to approach her, reassure her that she had the right to be anywhere she wished, and encourage her to follow her dreams and aspirations, no matter what she’s told. I’m so sick of hearing that expression, when will we, as a society, stop using it?
This experience at the Ramy Helal School has ignited a passion in me to continue reaching out and making a positive impact. It was a reminder that we all have the power to inspire, educate, and uplift others, even in seemingly small ways.I never would have thought that i was capable of doing anything like this. Turns out, I can:) I’m excited about the opportunities for learning and growth that lie ahead, both for us as a group and for the students we’ve connected with.
In the end, I realize that the most valuable lessons are often the ones we teach and learn outside the classroom walls. Today was one of those days where the exchange of knowledge mattered less than the promise for positive change we hope to see from the upcoming visits.
Janna's Wonders 