As the 6A boys wandered in to class today they had energy about them that just couldn't be ignored. One of the groups was fully funded, another was at 58% and the last 41%. I could sense a range of emotion from these 12 boys.
Excitement. Anxiousness. Confusion. Curiousity. Nervousness. Frustration. Competitiveness... and MORE!
Much earlier than last year, I sensed my first lesson of empathy was a success. The boys tried to get me to change the rules on the lending process to allow for student loans and/or parent loans... They complained that the numbers weren't fair. They questioned how come they weren't fully funded as their loan amount wasn't that much money at all. And they argued with me on why getting a loan on kiva.org would be easier than getting a loan at Town. Opportunity presented itself. I sat back, listened, processed and began to think fast and furiously. This could be a BIG moment.
For those that wonder how I am teaching Standards Math through Kiva.org, I was about to have my first Ratio/Proportion lesson with the boys, without a lesson plan. Double Period Appreciaton!
With the help of the boys we discovered that...
Town Style's Loan that is 100% funded by faculty/staff might look like this on Kiva:
21 loans at Town School made up for $38 which means that average loan was $1.80.
If we use $25 (smallest amount able to be lent throught kiva.org) to desribe that $1.80 loan, using proportions we discovered...
$1.80/$38 = $25/$527. So Town School Style is actually looking for the equivalent of $527.
So, Why would the group looking for $75 be frustrated and wondering if they should review their business plan for a smaller loan? Because they are looking for the equivalent of nearly $1000??
More Math, 'Cause it's everywhere...LET THE STATS PROVE IT!
Kiva works with 169 Field Partners. That 169 Field Partners for 919,123 Borrowers. We thought about our own personal attention at 6 Field Partners for 6 Loans. Or 10 Field Partner Workers for 21 Boys.
We analyzed stats on Kiva to discover that in fact the ratio of approximately 70 teachers to 6 loans was much better than on kiva.org where it was approximately 1,300,000 users to 500,000 loans. 70 to 6? or 13 to 5?
We talked about whether or not our community was too small for our loans using proportions, ratios and statistics from our lending community and from kiva.org.
We discovered that our community statistics were likely not unfair at all and I encouraged them to think about the 30 days that kiva allows users to be online. Will time and exposure make a difference?
While we worked through some of these ratios and proportions I began dreaming up our next full project day and the work I had ahead. Stay tuned for the worksheet that has them analyzing their lenders, average loans, daily loan graph, Average loan as it compares on Kiva, how the loan compares globally etc...percents, ratios, proportions! It will be out this week!
Reflections from some of the boys on Edmodo.
I feel proud and satisfied with being the first group to be fully funded. My opinion has changed immensely since I first started the kiva project, I can sympathize a lot with all they people in need on kiva. I hope that our product of sunglasses will help support many people on kiva.
I feel a bit behind and nervous, because we have one of the largest loans, if not the biggest if we don't change our loan to 55 from 75. This has changed my thinking of how I view borrowers on Kiva. I now know how frustrating it can be to not have all the money or to be behind on what we thought we would be at.
I now realize how frustrating it must be for borrowers, because we aren't fully funded, even when we know the lenders. Lending 25$ to a stranger is even harder, which makes the chances of getting loans even less likely. I am decently happy, but we should have more money right now.
I feel ok, considering that right now we are trying to lower our loan request. I now realize how borrowers on Kiva feel when they haven't received the money that they've requested.
I feel a little worried that we aren't as funded but also the loans are still coming. Also it seemed easy to get funded on kiva but I don't think that anymore it is a lot harder to get bigger loans lenders don't seem as keen to lending to people with bigger loans.
It feels really good and I feel really prepared to be fully-funded. I feel so relieved once we don't need to wait any longer for loans and how anxious it must be for a borrower on Kiva.
I feel behind but feel confident that we could be fully funded by the end of the week or by Wednesday next week. I am now greatful though for how much money and field partners we have compared to Kiva Borrowers.
I fell like I am ahead of the groups and can get started. But at the same time I know that you don't have all of the money so far. It has not really changed but I now that if I were a borrower on kiva then i would be so exited and happy.
I am quite excited at the rate of how fast we are being funded, and i am anxious to get fully funded and start building our business. Also I am really interested to see who else loans to my group and how much they loan. After reflecting on it, I now am grateful that I am not asking for as much money as $450-$1000+. I think that because it would be so much more easily repaid. In closing, it has made me ponder on how lucky we are to be in a controlled, safe enviroment.
Not being fully funded some what makes me frustrated. It makes me think about how the people on kiva must feel when their lives rely on the loans they receive. I'm also exited that we are getting very close in the span of only one week. It is good that we are only asking forg 75 dollars and not 750 dollars.
I feel really good being fully funded, I was a little worried that it would take long time but since our loan wasn't a lot of money we got it fairly quickly. I now think that we were all like borrowers and we all had different scenarios. People with less money only needed a few lenders but if you looking for a lot of money It may be harder to be fully funded. It is a lot easier to become fully funded in our community than in the kiva community. I very excited get our business up and running.