​The research articles that I have studied for the course thus far have not only made an impact for me personally, but also for my continued interest in research for the field of education. The changemaking team from USD has compiled several overarching themes that we have noticed about the particular articles each of us have analyzed. Those themes are as follows: teacher training, the current system of education, practices in schools, and teacher perspectives. With these categories, we have organized our comparative research with schools in Tanzania and in the US. I am currently focusing on practices we have used or are currently studying that have shown progress for our schools. From the research collected in Tanzania, we have found that some schools showed positive effects to democratically elected student councils. It helped students become more confident in speaking about their needs towards education. Another finding was that student teacher candidates that used concept mapping for their students were then able to conduct lively and engaging group discussions towards inclusive education. In relation to the US, many of our current practices focus on inclusive education for all learners. The US profile in schools includes education based practices, student-led individual education plans; asset based restorative practices, transitional assistance to college and careers, and finally, a multi-tiered system of support that includes response to intervention plans and positive behavior interventions and supports. 
I have traveled to numerous countries in the last three years and I always make sure safety is my priority in my travels. To ensure I am safe on this particular trip, I will keep conscious of the resources that I have to my advantage. I will ensure I have copies with me of all of my important documents which include, but are not limited to prescriptions of traveler’s medication, my passport, etc. I will also make sure I am near my team at all times during the trip. Finally, I will always be aware of my surroundings, especially on day trips such as hikes and safaris.
My main concern for this trip to Tanzania is my ability to communicate with my family. I am sure I will be safe throughout these travels; however, I know my mother, in particular, worries about me often when I leave to trips abroad. I hope I am able to communicate to her and my other immediate family from time to time that I am safe throughout the trip. Some of my other concerns include being able to communicate with others. I hope that the language barrier does not keep us on the team from sharing and collaborating knowledge amongst each other. I have had similar experiences with small miscommunications while meeting new people, but overall I believe these experiences have ended well with both parties learning something new.    

I initially chose this course because I have never been to the continent of Africa. Now with extensive research and preparation for this course, I am excited to present at the IASE conference in Magamba. This educational research stimulates my goals in teaching overall and I hope to continue to further my knowledge in new practices and cultures.

I read the book “A Girl Called Problem,” by Katie Quirk. In summary, the book discusses the story of Shida, the Swahili word for “problem.” She is 13 years old and is forced to move with her entire Tanzanian community to a new foreign village that is significantly larger than her current village that she resides in. The story unfolds to share Shida’s new experiences, from instances like her mother being accused of being a witch, to her struggle with the misogynist culture against young girls like herself attending schools. Ultimately, this book gives insight into the country’s view of family traditions, cultural practices, and the prioritizing of the earth’s resources. I gained perspective on the cultural practices of Tanzania. They value family, their land, and their country. The book ultimately influenced me to think in a more selfless way and never take my education for granted.

The film I watched was titled “Darwin’s Nightmare.” The documentary was produced in 2004 and structured around the fish production in Tanzania. It was a film that demonstrated how this production of fishing in Lake Victoria affected the people in Tanzania. The film provides numerous interviews from different Tanzanians, as well as Europeans involved in the market. Specifically, the Nile Perch fish dominates the waters of Lake Victoria and this is what Europeans went to purchase from Tanzania. It was very vivid in the images of the people and overall was a great depiction of the society. My perspective was influenced by the different classes that were shown in the film. Many people including children were depicted as very poor and slept on the ground outdoors. Many have no option to become educated whatsoever. It opened my eyes to Tanzania and it being a developing country. I hope to continue to learn more about this country what we can do to help when we arrive.

Postcolonial context holds a major position in the current educational curriculum. Leon Tikly said it involves “extending analysis beyond the economic and political to embrace issues of culture and identity and to address profound questions about the nature of knowledge itself” (Tikly, 2009). With the publication of textbooks for school districts, the foundation of students in postcolonialism have their materials written by many committees that look nothing like themselves. Furthermore, the lack of diversity with administration shines through in reading the materials. Students identified as minorities are unable to comfortably relate to what they are learning because of the fact that they do not see anyone like themselves in the curriculum. On a larger scale, people with cultural differences to the majority have a constant history of representing the oppressed in society. Colonist oppressors took land from Native American Indians, and it is evident that similar actions continue. Families with low socioeconomic status are usually in that state because they have inadequate resources and support. These resources are often controlled by systems of the majority that do not support differences in cultural identities. As educators, we must work to find an inclusive curriculum for our classroom communities. We must share cultural reciprocity throughout our teaching so that our students have a foundation to be culturally educated and understanding individuals.

The Brownell article we looked at discusses inclusion for students with special needs or disabilities. The article titled "Recognizing Professional Responsibilities to Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms" looks closely at teacher requirements for students with disabilities. It shows the context of inequities when these requirements are not met. Overall, the article was beneficial to create awareness and educate professionals in education.

Zaretta Hammond's book opens with a chapter called "Climbing Outside of the Gap: Supporting Dependent Learners to Become Independent Thinkers". This chapter goes in depth with a framework to provide academic rigor for students that identify as English language learners, poor, or students of color. Often times these students are neglected proper instruction due to behaviorist practices in the classroom. Hammond says that with culturally responsive teaching, student's brains will begin to mediate learning effectively. The framework to implement this rigor included awareness, learning partnerships, information processing, and community building.

​This research, as mentioned above, has definitely stimulated my drive for teaching. The research completed thus far has shaped my perspective of this trip. I want to absorb all of the new information I learn from the travel to Tanzania, but also be able to return with a stronger sense of different educational practices from a continent very different from mine. Although we identify as educators, we often complete more learning than that of our students. ​

In researching Tanzania, I have learned that they have a very different organization of schools and classrooms than the United States. We have learned that their classroom sizes are very large in comparison to the educator ratio. I have also been surprised by how much research has been completed in this country on the subject of education. From government educational initiatives to photography, Tanzania has produced very specific research studies for their education systems. As far as reading the email forum written by various individuals in education, I have learned a lot about Tanzanian educators. Consequently, we all have a similar goal in that we want our students to succeed, not only for themselves as adults but as they impact society as well. We understand that early education truly impacts students in their futures be it academically, socially, or emotionally. As teachers, we recognize that we play a role in the foundation of future adults. I am glad that although early on in this endeavor, I can relate to these educators on teaching and changemaking basis. I am very much looking forward to the IASE Conference and meeting special educators from all over the world. I am slightly intimidated as I have never participated in an event like this, but excited to intake all that it has to offer. Secondly, I am also excited to visit Zanzibar. I have researched pictures and I am looking forward to enjoying the island in July this summer. This work has impacted my understanding of the US education system by creating awareness in the lack of support in education from the government. I know that financial committees that focus on education are often biased and do not have a diverse group of representatives advocating for teachers. With effectively trained educators that do not hesitate to question the systems and policies of their leaders in power, there will be a noticeable change for education. ​