The Tradition Continues,...

Wednesday evening, we were scheduled to attend an education conference at Mohammed V University in Rabat.  My partner teacher, Todd, made a nice presentation about how he approaches the teaching of Algebra in his classroom.  Knocked it outta tha park!

Tea break was approaching and a student at the university had just presented about his understanding of competency-based learning and stated we are in an information-based society so we have to get information to our students.  The floor was opened for questions and comments.  I pressed the button on the microphone in front of me at the end of the long table on my side of the room.  

This conference room had a very nice u-shaped conference table arrangement and there was a nice projector with a big projection screen on the wall furthest from the speaker.  There were horizontal air conditioning units on each end of the room near what must have been a 20 foot ceiling.  The walls were lined with cork.  There was wiring showing working its way out of a hole in the cork in the corner of the room opposite me and some conduits out in the open air.

It had been enjoyable where I was sitting because the weather in Rabat was mild and my seat was facing east.  I know this because the wide door to the conference hall was open and I could feel the warm late afternoon sun on my back, alternating with the sensation of a pleasant 65 degree breeze.  It was the best seat in the house.

The light on the microphone turned red and I asked my question, adding some comments supporting the last speaker.  "You mentioned we are in an information-based society", I began.  "Are you familiar with a book by Daniel Pink entitled A Whole New Mind?"  I listed Pink's credentials to be speaking on the topic of the future, economics and human interactions.  I went on, to paraphrase:  In it, Pink asserts we are now in a conceptual society in which the abundance of goods, globally, has brought us to a place in which the information itself is plentiful and that due to current technologies, the conceptual learners are being prepared for the future in which they will have jobs that don't exist yet using tools that haven't been invented yet.  Have you thought about how student-guided study can allow students to learn the key concepts about our subject material and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to be successful in a future like that?

I then listened attentively to his response.  The student said he wasn't familiar with Pink's work.  He reiterated the idea the information, which I had mentioned is plentiful for anyone holding a smart phone, is still king and that's what needs to be taught.  "Thank you!" I said.

And that's when I learned something about the tradition of the Moroccan education system.  A gentleman who wasn't sitting anywhere near the best seat in the house and whom I could not see from my vantage point began to teach us all about the "French System" of educating students.  He insisted the French system was "the best" and didn't understand why Moroccan educators wanted to adopt the American approach to learning.  He continued to say students could not and should not be allowed to drive their own learning (Remember the cell phones?).  Everyone listened as his rant went on.

"Every student in Morocco receives a free education from youth through college" he droned on with his British accent.  His breathing labored and it was apparent someone had struck a nerve with the man.  "Teachers in America run up huge debts for their education, which they can not pay.  When they can not pay their loans back, they are sent to jail!"  That's when I leaned over and softly told the teacher next to me, "When I graduated with my undergrad degree, I didn't owe anyone anything for college".  Can't blame the guy for being passionate about his cause but I still don't think the French way is the only way!

He finished his diatribe, coming off much like the last of a dying breed, going "into that good night" although not quietly.  Tea break!  I eased over to a few of the members of my travel cohort and said "I wasn't trying to dismantle the entire Moroccan education system with one comment."  They assured me it wasn't my speech which sent the French education proponent into his soliloquy.  I said, "Yeah.  That guy had an ax to grind a long time before I got here!"

Not sure if he returned to the meetings after the tea break but this event began to unlock my understanding of Moroccan education.  The teacher does all the thinking in the classroom.  The students listen and repeat.  They take some tests and still, figuratively speaking, have a head full of rocks.  There is no room for the student being creative or learning outside the proverbial box.  Understood.

During the break, the student I had agreed with in the conference walked over and introduced himself.  "I'm Aziz and I would like to continue discussing this after you return home,...May I have your e-mail?"  "Yes, you may", I replied.  We talked for about 5 minutes and then some other students needed him elsewhere so we parted ways.  I began to see the potential for Moroccan education based on Aziz' desire to interact with teachers and learn all he could about teaching 21st century students.  It made me feel a lot better about the evening.

OinM

Tradition & Tradition

Wednesday morning, we were welcomed to Abi Dar Alghiffari Baccalaureate High School.  Dates and milk were delicately served to us as this is a Moroccan tradition.  We joined the staff in eating and drinking the ceremonial foods before our tour of the school.  After we toured the school and observed English and Science classrooms, we were served tea.

During the tea, I was answering questions students had about how to go to school in America.  Student Chadi, said "I have a problem with time management".  I told them all specifically to work to have high grades, participate in extra activities and write them on the applications, then to apply for financial aid at the universities they hope to attend, on time.  "Especially you, Chadi!"  When we were finished talking, I gave Shadi an Oklahoma scissor-tail flycatcher quarter so he would remember the Oklahoman.

I was still talking with kids when the pleasantries of the tea were being exchanged so I was finally ushered to the table to enjoy a glass and some delicious Moroccan pastries.  Students had been listening intently and said they liked my accent.  I will try to write with an Okie drawl from this post on.  Can you hear it?

Chadi came to the gate to say good-bye.  We exchanged a natural urban handshake.  He stepped back.  "I will miss you", he said.  "I'll miss you too."

Later on the bus, riding away from the school I asked a colleague from Tennessee, "Hey Allison, did any of the students just want to listen to you talk?"  She said "Yes, they did!  They said I talk slowly so they can understand better."  Note to self:  Moroccan students of English like the southerners.

That evening, we would begin to understand another tradition.

OinM

Boys Club

So much to post.  We have been traveling to historic cities over the weekend and were back at our schools on Monday.  Much more on those days later.

After five days in our current hotel, we noticed a sign above a downstairs elevator that says 6th Floor Terrasse Panoramique.  I said, "Hey, you want to go check it out?"  We rode a grown up elevator (The guest elevators are very small and have a low capacity.) to the 6th floor where we discovered a billiard table, a workout room and a terrace with a view of the western half of the city.

Since dubbed "The Boy's Club", we have been able to eat dinner out there and relax while we wait for the wifi to start working again.  The wirless internet connection has been sporadic.  When it is working, it is adequate.  Last night, for instance, it was off all night from about 10:30pm here (5:30pm DST at home) throughout the night.  The club is noisy during the day because there are workers breaking out old tile with a pickax.  Rhythmic but monotonous.

Henceforth, Todd and I will hold all our important meetings in The Boy's Club.

I've learned a lot.  I will attempt to catch up with the herd soon!

OinM

Rock the Kasbah,...of the Udayas

Our Tuesday morning meeting was about Language Planning and Education in Morocco.  Meriem covered the history and philosophy of how languages have evolved here and talked about the future of languages, based on current trends.  Then we made our trip to the U.S. Embassy in Rabat.  It was a memorable moment as described in a previous post.  The Regional English Language officer who greeted us at the embassy was named Rebecca Smoak.

We left the embassy late, and missed lunch at a famous restaurant in Rabat, called Ch'hiwates so our facilitators found another good lunch spot and everyone enjoyed another meal together.  After lunch, we visited one of the top schools in the city, Moulay Youssef High School.  The Principal and staff are very proud of the levels of achievement they have reached as a school community.  After a campus tour, we were allowed to enter classes as a group and ask/answer questions.

When I asked a class "What is your favorite thing about school?,...What do you like most about school?" The classroom filled with laughter on the part of students and teachers.  As we left, I said "I guess they don't like school", Todd said, "They just weren't ready for you yet."  Snicker.  There was a tea break with more of that Moroccan strong green tea with mint and sugar.  Delicious.

When the last bell of the day rang, students ran out to speak with us and we were able to connect on a much more personal level.  A group picture was taken by the courtyard fountain including the TGC teachers, local administrators and students.  Everyone was having a good time.

I'm not sure how many selfie photos were taken in the next 10 minutes but many of us took pictures with students before it was time to go back to the bus.  Most students were beaming.  It is not often they are visited by teachers from the U.S..  We could tell they knew this was a big deal.  "The Principal wished us au revoir! and we headed to the Kasbah.

The Kasbah of the Udayas is situated on a rocky cliff, overlooking a cemetery, a beach and the city of Sale, across the river.  It is what remains of the old city and used to serve as a royal fort.  According to sources, the old city of Ribat, was built at this place in 977 AD.  It was defended by the Almoravids.  The Almohads took over from the Amoravids around the year 1140 and rebuilt the old city/fort in 1150.

It is a spectacle because standing on the top of the kasbah, one can look out to the west and there is nothing between them and America, other than the Atlantic Ocean.  The beach below had the Surf Club of King Mohammed VI and some young people were playing soccer in the sandy field they marked by scraping lines in the sand.  Even from the overlook, the waves can be heard making landfall and the elegant ocean spray can be seen.

Some of the narrow alleyways and walking paths in the old city are painted bright blue and white like typical Mediterranean old world cities.  Some people don't know Morocco has both an Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline.  That's what makes it such a strategic point, joining North Africa and the European continent across the Straits of Gibraltar.  There were peddlers, art/gift shops and at least one restaurant with a view of the water scattered throughout the maze of pathways winding around the ancient fort.  Great place to end a day out.

A group of us went to dinner at a place called Aya Rosa.  The food was good and I was reminded French fried potatoes are a main staple of the Moroccan diet.  A few skewers of beef, chicken, kafta, lamb and some veggies helped stave off evening hunger.  Of course there was plenty of bread and olives.  The walks there and back were pleasant.

On the way back I stopped on the sidewalk to video a passing train for my students.  The rest of the group kept moving.  When two of them turned around to see where I was, they couldn't see me because there were trees between us and they were some distance down the street.  They began to yell for me and I jogged to catch up.  They said they couldn't see me and were looking but only saw trees.  I thanked them for their concern.  This cohort looks out for one another.  That's why it's a pleasure to travel with them.

Another day before the rides to Temara begin.

Have a great night!

OinM

Ten Feet Tall

I am an American.  I love my country.  Tuesday, in the legendary navy sports coat with the fancy lapel pin, my traveling companions and I had the opportunity to visit the new patch of ground which is on loan to the U.S. at the Embassy of the United States in Rabat.  We arrived on a perfect day with only a few clouds dotting an bleu sky.

Guests to the embassy are not allowed to bring ANY electronics inside the grounds.  No cameras.  No phones, smart or otherwise, no smart watches, no nothing!  It also took a while to get 17+ people through the security process at the gate.  Once inside, we were able to see numerous gardens and common areas with green sub-tropical and tropical species of plants, making the grounds a wonderful place to take photos, if that was allowed.  No photos.

We learned about an initiative by the U.S. State Department to lower illiteracy rates in Morocco's 1st and 2nd grades which is partially implemented.  There are many parents and students who can not read Arabic so the new program, gained in a methods exchange with Egypt, is going online in phases over this spring semester and all of the 2016-17 school year.  Moroccan Arabic is the main language for grades 1-12, while French is the primary language spoken at most Moroccan universities.  It will be very interesting to hear how the program goes.

We also heard from a faculty member from a local university about students learning English.  There is an ongoing effort in Morocco to move English up the scale from the 3rd language in the nation behind Arabic and French, to 2nd.  French, according to Meriem is dying out in Morocco.  We've all learned a few phrases from Meriem in Moroccan Arabic, which is a dialectic offshoot of standard Arabic.  It's fun listening to native speakers of Arabic or French switch languages in mid-sentence, depending on the emotion and the subject matter.  Sometimes we even hear a smattering of Spanish, then English, then back to Arabic.  Then the circle begins anew.  Meriem called this code switching.

Everyone in the group has been told the only language to compare with Arabic, as far as learning difficulty for those who are non-Arabic speaking, is Mandarin.  Mandarin ain't gonna help anybody in Morocco.  Xie xie.

So time was short and I am sure I nearly nodded off once during the two speaker visits but the information was very interesting and we were all glad we visited that day.  The State Department rep scooted everyone along and we were checking in our visitor badges then on the bus.  There were some curious birds nesting just outside the embassy fence.  When the G4S security officers told some of our group not to take pictures they said, "From the end of the driveway".

Walking back out across the scenic embassy grounds, I asked an embassy attendant if there were U.S. Marines present at the embassy.  He pointed over to the opposite side of the campus and said "There are Marines over there".  "In the buildings?" I asked.  No.  At the outside gate.  Turns out we had entered a diplomat gate.  Nothing like special treatment when visiting U.S. territory in a foreign country.

I had my navy sport coat.  I had my lapel pin, shining in the sun.  I had other Americans around me.  I was walking on American soil.  I was John Wayne, Bruce Willis, Toby Keith, Jim Thorpe and Will Rogers rolled into one.  I was ten feet tall!

My Moroccan Station in Life

Monday evening's dinner was a prime example of how a teacher from Oklahoma can rise to power quickly in a wonderful nation like Morocco.  After a traditional Moroccan hand-washing at the front door, consisting of warm water poured over my hands from a silver tea pot, I was the first person to enter the seating area.  This was a traditional Moroccan seating arrangement of a u-shaped sectional type sofas made of large soft pillows.  The area wrapped around two rectangular tables with very fancy woven Moroccan table cloths in a U shape.

I had no choice, really, except to scooch (Is that a word or did I just misspell scooch?  Yeah.  I spelled it right all you English teachers out there!) to the end and sit down at what was actually the foot of the table.   When the waiter arrived with bread and olives for the table, he reached across the tables and over some of my colleagues to hand me the basket.

"For the king", the waiter stated!  Laughter ensued around the table and I haven't lived it down yet.  To add to my meteoric rise in social status here in this incredible land, at lunch the next day, I was seated at one end of the table once again.  I was dressed in a navy sports coat with a lapel pin that has the U.S. and Moroccan flags on it.  Anyone who has seen my expansive wardrobe knows I never wear a sports coat unless someone has married the love of their life or expired.

The waiter arrived.  He sat the bread, olives and sauces on the table in front of me and said "For Le Presidente!"  This was the second day in a row I had been granted high status by the locals who laughed along with the rest of the diners at that table.  Some of them had been at the table the night before.  Their sides were splitting.  So were mine.  "I know, last night the king, today Le Presidente!" I said.

As we waited for entrees to arrive, Kendra, the IREX facilitator asked us what our favorite part of the experience was so far.  Others gave thoughtful examples of grand historic sites or standing on the edge of the Atlantic looking West towards home.  I said my many stations of authority here in Morocco.  "What do you mean?" she followed.  Last night I was king!  Today I am Le Presidente! and we're going to be making some changes around here!"  Apologies to those with a mouthful of lunch beverage.

So, at Wednesday's lunch I was named Prime Minister by one of the TGC teachers.  Can't wait to see where my ascent to power takes me on Thursday, the day we mosey on over to our host school!

Thanks again for reading.  Wish you could all be here!  It's beautiful.

OinM

No Case of the Mondays Permitted in Morocco!

Monday morning it was up and at 'em with two sessions of preparation for our experiences here in the form of Meriem's Moroccan History and Culture along with  a second meeting spanning the lifetime of Education in Morocco.  This was followed by a lunch meeting with Norddine Bendouqi, the President of Moroccan Association of Teachers of English (MATE).  He is a key figure in the nation's English teacher training program.  He described the goals of MATE's organization.  The group is working to prepare teachers to implement "alternative methods" for teaching English to 21st Century non-English speakers, aka, English as a Second Language learners (ESL or ELL).

Breakfast has been tomatoes, fruits, boiled egg, potatoes, olives, juices and numerous other choices.  That brings to mind an example of the language barrier on my part.  I inadvertently had myself paged at Monday breakfast.  When the waitstaff greeted me I wanted them to know I was with IREX.  I could see a table full of others from the group and the quickest way I could think to identify myself was to show the host my name tag.  The kind gentleman read it,..."Karl Fayshar".  He repeated the name to himself, then I pointed to the table where part of my cohort was already enjoying the meal.  He walked over to the full table and started asking if anyone there was named Karl Fayshar.  Motioning to myself I said "I'm Carl Fisher".And that's how I accidentally paged myself.  It's just a clever example of the language barrier creating a humorous situation.

Speaking of humor,...the Moroccans we have met have a very quick-witted sense of humor which isn't wasted on an individual who is the product of immersion in dry Sooner wit.  It doesn't matter if we're passing on the sidewalk or purchasing goods from the establishment where they work, the Moroccans have welcomed us warmly on each occasion and are making this cultural immersion a joy to be a part of.  Their hospitality transcends the language differences and we definitely feel like honored guests in this beautiful place.

Our working lunch had pasta, slaws, hummus, different kinds of vegetables, meatballs and pepper sauces to name a few items.  The food has been very good and we've had several entertaining dining experiences here.  There will be more entries about that later.

When lunch was over, we visited a teacher college where teachers of English are being trained.  There was a round table discussion with Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS) students and professors.  The topic of the afternoon was Education Systems in Morocco and the U.S..  ENS students and our teachers spoke about current issues in our field and most of them were very similar.  It was fun to hear student perspectives and the optimism of those currently student teaching.  The professors gave us an overview of the college's goals and introduced students, and one alumnus, speaker who runs a successful private sector English program and has put several ENS graduates to work there.

In speaking with a professor afterwards, I found there were 47 ENS graduates last year.  I asked if that was enough teachers of English to meet the demand and he said they are getting as many students prepared and graduated as possible to keep up.  Interestingly, the goals are the same for the staff here as they are for the one back home.  There was a very nice tea reception for us and the ENS crowd.  The avocado juice smoothie was a big hit among American teachers.  That and the fact we saw a snake cross the sidewalk we were touring on, made a memorable afternoon, unforgettable.

Dar Naji is an authentic Moroccan restaurant and the atmosphere equals the high quality of the food.  The waiters are all dressed in traditional Moroccan uniforms and their acrobatic tea pouring ceremony is very entertaining.  When internet upload speeds permit, I'll be posting videos of this.  The food, chicken, lamb, beef, vegetables and again some incredible sauces with olives and peppers provided a delicious end to a day which had been alternating sunny, overcast, rainy, then cool and clear.  The only thing we hadn't done to this point was meet students in the grades we work with at home.  Tuesday's schedule would take care of that.

We knew this would be great!  Much more soon!

OinM

Midnight in Rabat

The entire cohort assembled in Atlanta, Georgia Saturday afternoon before flying to Rabat, Morocco via Paris, France.  Our traveling TGC facilitator, Kendra navigated our flights and spare time flawlessly, creating a smooth day of travel.  After three pleasant plane rides, the tired but positive group exchanged currency and boarded vans headed to the hotel.  Meriem, our in-country contact and instructor, greeted us and guided our drivers to our accomodations.

After a nice nap and some cleanup on Sunday afternoon, we gathered for a walk to dinner along the picturesque Bou Regreg River where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean.  The smell of salt air, fish and popcorn was in the air as we passed vendors and took pictures.  One man on a bench said "Welcome to Morocco" and I replied "Shkra, shkra" pronoun show-krawn, which means thank you in Arabic.

Meriem told us Sunday evenings are very busy times for this river walk.  Many people were there with their friends or families.  A group of dancers was making local music and dancing.  There was a snail vendor, peddling fresh snails, a fresh juice kiosk, a cotton candy stand and other sellers of snacks and drinks.

Dinner was a relaxing time during which Meriem gave us a tutorial in Arabic and the group laughed a lot attempting to pronounce the cononant heavy dialect.  We were all relieved to be in the country and excited about the next two weeks.

When we learned about how to tell a host or seller, "I don't eat fish.  I don't eat eggs.  I don't eat meat.", we were taught how to say "I eat everything":  kan-akulkulši (can-uh-cull-cull-she), I raised my arms in the air and said "I just found my catch phrase!"  The humor wasn't wasted on this group!

Of course, conversation turned to how school is done in both countries.  We described our common perceptions of our technology hungry 21st century students to each other.  It was very interesting conversation.  After the great food gave way to fatigue, we all walked back to the hotel to rest.

Just wanted everyone to know the Okie is safe in Morocco and has video chatted with the fam back in OK.  Looking forward to learning much more about schools, teachers and students in Rabat as we conduct team meetings and tour the capitol city over the next 3 1/2 days!  Photos later!  Thanks for reading and have a great evening back home.

OinM

How Was DC?

It was informative.  It was energizing.  It was communicative.  It was collaborative.  It was creative.  It encouraged critical thinking.  It was historical.  It was global.  It was fantastic.

The weekend was spent feeling very honored for our school and for myself that Principal Corey Barton, Ed.D. could spend 3 days away from his family for the TGC Symposium February 18-20.  Thank you to his gracious wife and kids for allowing me to borrow Dr. B..  Thanks to the staff at home who kept daily operations going during the absence.  Thank you to my family, nuclear and extended, for the support and encouragement during this program.

We met teachers and administrators from across the U.S., including my IFE partner teacher, Todd Noyes from Ithaca, New York.  Todd is a math teacher and upbeat, positive, brilliant gentleman.  I roomed with the always entertaining Walt Davis from South Carolina.  He is a U.S. Jr. Air Force ROTC instructor and student of human behavior.

Teachers spent the weekend learning about the countries each cohort will visit this spring and summer.  Administrators were given an introduction to global competencies in education.  There was a lot of brain power at these meetings.  I left feeling very confident in all the colleagues involved.

TGC fellows and administrators met for an evening reception on the day of arrival which was a big hit.  It was good to get acquainted with all the teachers we'd been working with during the online course, in person.  The next day and a half was spent hearing about global education from global citizen/teachers and working together on curriculum reviewing and refinement.  The TGC staff was a pleasure to meet and partner with as well.

The food was good.  The hotel was very nice and the Capitol building was in view down the street.  There were a couple of opportunities for sightseeing without booking extra days.  A little election year satire on the last night in D.C. didn't hurt either.  The weather was chilly but not unbearable.  Overall, it was an extremely worthwhile experience and increased the travelers' comfort level, with upcoming IFE's, for all who participated.

The Moroccan cohort consists of 15 teachers and a TGC in country rep who will accompany the group.  They're all great teachers.  Over the next two weeks, we will all have the humbling opportunity to experience the culture of the Kingdom of Morocco.  This will be an excellent backdrop for our time in Moroccan schools.  We are a fortunate and grateful team.

See ya on down the trail,...

OinM

Cultural Exchange Padlet

Here is a padlet I've been working on recently to learn about Morocco and to help the teachers and students from Morocco understand the cultural background here in Oklahoma.  Hopefully this will create understanding between the cultures during the International Field Experience.

Enjoy!

OinM

Created with Padlet