Reflecting on how new perspectives and relationships have transformed my understanding of education and child welfare
By: Fleur Van Buuren
When I first got to Tanzania, I expected to learn about educational access by observing classrooms and working with students. While this has definitely taught me a lot, one of the biggest lessons has been understanding how strongly education is influenced by government policies and educational laws. Before this experience, I often viewed educational challenges primarily through the lens of resources and funding. Although these factors are important, I have learned that larger systems and policy decisions have a strong influence as well.
Another thing that has surprised me is how eager the students are to learn. Working with kindergarten-aged students has shown me just how intelligent, creative and curious the young students are. Despite differences in resources, the students I have met are extremely excited to learn. I have also noticed how welcoming the local community is. From teachers and parents to community members, I have consistently been welcomed with kindness.
Self-Reflection and Evaluation
Since the start of the Global Scholars program, I have become much more aware of the importance of understanding issues from multiple perspectives. I have recognized that meaningful solutions require listening to the people who are directly affected by these issues. Personally, I have become less quick to make assumptions. Hearing people’s stories and learning about their experiences has reminded me that every situation has a deeper context that may not be visible on a surface level.
My relationships with my community-based inquiry has also evolved. Originally, this was an academic interest in educational access, but it has become much more personal. Now, when I think about education policy, I picture the students, and families I have met rather than just research findings.
Environmental Influences
My environment this summer has been dramatically different from my life at home. This has encouraged me to be more adaptable. Driving on the left side of the road, traveling on mostly unpaved roads, adapting to different foods, avoiding drinking tap water, and experiencing common power outages have all become part of everyday life. While these differences originally stood out, they all quickly became normal.
There are also important similarities between Tanzania and home. Families care deeply about their kids, students want to learn and succeed, and communities want opportunities to grow. These shared values have helped me see that many human experiences are universal, even though circumstances may differ.
The most influential part of my environment has been the people. Conversations with teachers, students, fellow volunteers, and community members have given me perspectives that I could never gain through research alone. Being able to hear directly from teachers and school directors about their experiences are helping me understand the complexities of education access and are helping me shape my Capstone project.
Where Do I Go From Here?
This experience has increased my desire to pursue a career focused on child welfare and educational access. As I continue to develop my Capstone project, I want to focus further on the relationship between educational policy and educational outcomes. One goal I have for the remainder of my time in Tanzania is to continue having conversations with local organizations. I want to better understand the challenges they face and the solutions they believe would be most effective. I also want to research how successful educational policies have been implemented in different contexts around the world.
My Capstone is beginning to come together as I connect academic research with firsthand experiences. Instead of viewing educational access as an abstract issue, I can now connect it to real people and communities
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