Kaia

Mr. Jabiz Raisdana, father of Kaia, decided to create a blog to document Kaia's life so one day she can look back on these precious memories. One day Mr. Raisdana began reading The Last Child in the Woods, and decided to take Kaia out into the desert of Qatar to explore. Kaia mentions, "My daddy was trying to teach me that sometimes if we look closely at things, even if they are discarded and ugly, they can be beautiful, if we look at them right." This is a wonderful way to teach children about nature, and to further the experience, Kaia and her father took pictures of the things they came across. Kaia also made a photo essay describing the picture she took all by herself.

Shortly after, Mr. Raisdana tweeted about their experience, and before he knew it, people were contacting him all over the world. Mr. Chamberlain's class wanted to skype Kaia and her father, and from that point on, everyone was hearing about 3 year old Kaia. Her father suggested that the students create video comments since Kaia cannot read. This story has become quite famous over the web, and I am so impressed with Kaia's intellect and curiosity. Kaia seems to be full of joy and pleasant to be around. Mr. Raisdana commented that he hopes more and more people will view his and Kaia's blog and that teachers and students grow from this experience. All this worked because Mr. Raisdana and Mr. Chamberlain "were following [their] curiosity. [They] were discovering new things. [They] were learning, beyond classroom walls, because [they] had all decided to take risks and be open with [their] lives.

Mr. Raisdana is a bit apprehensive in the connection his daughter has with the world. Although I am not a parent, I definitely agree that we have to be careful on the internet. I am happy that Mr. Raisdana is sharing Kaia with the world. She is so wonderful, and I am sure she is changing people's life. I know my life and perspective has been changed. I want to continue connecting with people all over the world. I think it is important to connect with different people because we are able to experience different cultures and go beyond our confined life. Mr. Raisdana concludes with "What is the value in this experience? Is the risk of exposing ourselves and our children online worth the connections that will be made and the lessons that will be learned?" I definitely think it is worth it! As a teacher, I want my students to connect with different people and learn new things, especially through the eyes of a 3 year old. I think this is a great way to learn and see the changes that are taking place around us.

Kaia's Photo Essay
Mr. Raisdana's Blog
Mr. Chamberlain'sClass

Comments for Kids

This week I listened to Raven, a 3rd grader in New Zealand. She created a Mihi (Greeting) in the native culture of Maori. In the culture, greeting people is a way to show respect. Although I do not speak Maori, I thought she did an excellent job. I think it is quite amazing that she can speak another language at such a young age. I was quite impressed with her Mihi.

Raven's Mihi in Maori