Child Ownership of the XOs

Our group decided to try something different with the XO's. Instead of simply having a computer class for two hours a day we decided that we would let the children check the laptops out before school. We did not want the laptops to be a distraction from their classes so we have a meeting with the students and teachers. We told the students to keep the laptops in their desks unless their teacher wanted to use them for that class. We made sure the teachers understood that the children should be able to use them during their break times, lunch, and after school. We wanted to test the waters so we did an experiment day where the teachers were in charge of the laptops. We shadowed them to make sure everything went smoothly.

The results were fantastic. The kids picked up their assigned laptops and carried the XOs to class. Not one single child disobeyed the teacher when class was going on. On break, all the children were gathered under trees using their XO's in excitement and wonder. One boy had illustrated his family tree using paint and then wrote a story about each of his family members. One girl drew a house using the same application and then inside the house, wrote out the names of everyone who lived with her. Now we do need to keep in mind that the children of Pokot do not live in houses. They live in huts. The concept of "house" was different for these children.