Dear Kaia

Wow. It is difficult to understand the scale of what has happened to this little girl and her father in Qatar. Kaia's father explains in his post that her blog started as a way to just share photos with family. What he did not realize, at least at first, is that a blog is but one way to show the world who you are. Little Kaia's adventure around her home was simply awe inspiring. She and her father took cameras out into their surroundings to capture the beauty of the things that may seem ugly at first. Jabiz has really taken a big step forward putting his daughter out into the internet public like this, but at the same time look at what has happened! A school in Missouri has connected with someone on the other side of the world and learned something about other people that they would have never known without leaving the confines of the classroom.

So where does this leave our old friend the classroom? Personally, I think the classroom may be a fading idea. I think classrooms will be reduced to simply a room that students can go to so the teacher can observe their work on assignments. I think most of the work will be done at home, in libraries, coffee shops, etc. The classroom will only be needed for assisting students and checking progress in the class. I have to say that I do not think that schools will disappear any time soon, but the current idea of school will.

Mr. Chamberlin's class organized a voicethread to be able to communicate with Kaia, since she cannot yet read. This is incredible! Now not only can she connect with people all over the world through blogging, but she can do it easily without being able to read. That is a scary thought; to be able to connect with people worldwide, share ideas and comment on each others' thoughts before being able to read. That is the world we now live in, though. Technology has allowed us to do remarkable things with the greatest of ease.

So, for Jabiz, I have to say thank you for what you are doing. You are bridging the gap of old and new. You are creating a strive for learning and imagination in your daughter as well as yourself, that I wish I had at her age. It is truly amazing seeing what you and your daughter have accomplished. I hope to be able to inspire my students the way you have inspired Kaia.