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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend October 6, 2006 Aaron Pankowski, left, and Joe Granger talk to their class Thursday about the Serengeti Plain in their Orchard Hill Elementary School fifth grade class. (Mail Tribune / Jim Craven) A trip to AFRICA Two teachers bring their experiences in Africa home to the classroom By Paris Achen Mail Tribune Fifth-graders Hannah Buell and Mia Bianchi walk up in front of their class at Orchard Hill Elementary and take their peers on a tour of a typical African schoolhouse. The image: 70 pupils in one classroom, some sitting in chairs with pencils and paper and others crouched on the floor empty-handed. "There's one toilet for 600 kids, and sometimes kids have to walk three miles to school," Mia says. Last summer, Diana Gilley, Hannah and Mia's teacher, and Linda Murphy, computer teacher at Talent Middle School, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to fulfill a decade-long dream. This fall, their pupils at Orchard Hill Elementary and Talent Middle School are touring Africa vicariously through activities based on their teachers' experiences. Advertisement During the journey, they learn about geography, history, science, math, research, writing and public speaking. Gilley and Murphy are one example of the way teachers use personal, self-funded travels and experiences to enrich their classrooms with culture, firsthand knowledge and often, a fresh dose of excitement, some school officials say. "Anytime I've seen teachers have a cultural experience, whether it's teaching in Japan for a year or seeing teachers doing things differently outside the valley, they come back inspired," said Gerry Flock, Orchard Hill principal. "That inspiration directly affects students' education. It gets kids excited about what they're learning even if it's not an exciting subject." Seeking to enhance her pupils' Internet search and public speaking skills, Gilley asked them to split into pairs, research a topic related to Africa and present it to the class. Many of the topics came from Gilley and Murphy's experiences in Africa, which included the ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as a five-day safari. "She told us all this cool stuff about Africa, and it made you want to learn more about it," said fifth-grader Aaron Pankowski. Hannah and Mia chose home and education in Africa for their research project. "We thought it would be kind of interesting to see what's different about them," Hannah said. "It makes me feel a lot better we have this school with actual desks and stuff." Timothy Schatz and Gabrielle Wallace incorporated some geology in their presentation as they described how the separation of tectonic plates formed the Great Rift Valley in Eastern Africa about 35 million years ago. Some students gave the sizes of mountains, valleys, rivers and deserts in kilometers and meters and miles and feet, demonstrating an understanding of both measuring systems. Fifth-grader Kaylie Olchawa brought her peers to a Maasai village and recounted how the tribe came to Tanzania probably in the 1700s. The presentations Thursday culminated in a feast of African cuisine prepared by some of the students' parents. "This is the first time I've had African food," Timothy said. Murphy has also used the trip to Tanzania to enliven her computer lessons at Talent Middle School. Internet searches and keyboarding activities have focused on subjects such as how elevation affects the body, and Murphy can give a first-hand account from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. "If a teacher acts like, 'I'm bored. I've been doing this forever,' it transfers over to the student," Murphy said. "By following our dreams and visiting other places, we are able to offer our students a bigger knowledge space. It opens avenues to learn more than what's in Talent, Ore." Another teacher at Orchard Hill, Terry McNaught, has used his experiences in the military and his fluent Russian to take his pupils on exotic travels through the world of learning, Flock said. "It would be nice if we could send a teacher every year" to visit another country, he said. "Of course, you know that's not going to happen with funding." Reach reporter Paris Achen by calling 541-776-4459 or [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Trunks, Footlocker Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Discount Hotel Reservations Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Debt Help New Hampshire Primary