Reflections

My contract with Abaarso Tech is fast coming to an end, and I am headed home for a brief sabbatical, before returning to work in civil aviation in Somaliland. Some have asked that I share some reflections on my year:                                                                                                                                                             On teaching: I no longer believe in the “weed out” method of teaching science that I experienced in my science courses. I now believe that it is up to the teacher to ensure a student's growth. A motto of a colleague here is this: If the student hasn't learned it's because the teacher hasn't taught. Certainly through the high school and perhaps the first-year college level, I think teachers would do well to embrace this maxim. Even while the goal is to enable students to become independent lifelong learners I think we should emphasize the teacher's role in facilitating this development more than the culture with which I was familiar presently does. My new sentiments comes in in contrast to my prior experience of educational institutions, whose philosophy seemed to be that some students would grasp, while some students would fail, because not all students could be fated to reach the same goal.  We don't believe in letting kids fail at AT – this is a no-fail school, not in that we set a low-bar, but in that we reach out to a student in every possible way to find and address any issue that may be holding that student back. We look for every option to enable the student to earn his/her success in the most just way. If the student is failing, we evaluate what we could do to change the situation first, and consider failure the last possible option.  This is not to say that we haven't failed students who refused to toe the line - we will absolutely enforce that consequence if necessary, this is really a top-notch school and all of our students have worked hard to get here; we make sure they continue to work hard to stay here.

 I think this standard, which is an exceedingly high bar compared to my own formative educational experience, is probably the most honorable and yet fundamental goal of “teaching.”

On Somaliland, the geographical site: This place is a natural scientist's dream. In its unexplored territory, unexamined geological history, undisturbed nature, it is beautiful. Before Somaliland I had only fantasized that one could run out into the desert, find a rock in the middle of nowhere, and meditate on an untainted vista laid out around you. I thought that was reserved for movies and exclusive resorts and Prophets. But I have found it possible here. One particularly lovely evening comes to mind: Some weeks ago I was meditating while perched on a weathered rock on an eons-old hill at sunset. The air and everything felt completely still – until I heard a rock fall somewhere a few meters behind me. I turned, startled and a little frightened at first, only to see a young and healthy camel grazing on shrubbery, having kicked a stone out of its way. The camel looked up to acknowledge me before going back to the apparently more interesting business of finding roughage, and I offered it my thanks for that moment of clarity.                                                                                                                                                        On (cringe) personal development: I came to Somaliland seeking a respite from popular routine in the US, a new and different place to love, and meaningful work. I wanted to make sincere connections, and I wanted to be in a place disconnected, in some sense, from the outward modern world so that I might look more deeply into self. Yet I also came here to feel more like I was of the world, to wise up about the way of things, to get my feet on the ground I defined as “the real world” as my first move out of college. I came here in the role of teacher, and having listened to the counsel of others, expected to learn more than I could possibly teach.  It is said that we only ever find in a place that which we bring into it; I've found that to be true. Here in Somaliland I found that whenever I internalized feelings or ideas of lack, “3^rd world” (or “developing” as the more pc term is now) I saw evidence of that manifested as the reality around me. When I remembered the positive, creative nature of being a human, remembered that where there's a will there's a way, I found that I had everything I needed right before me. As true for me now as ever, our thoughts define our reality.                                                                                                           I also came here with an innocent curiosity about the place, a playful, lighthearted desire to ask questions and just see. I credit that gentle questioning with opening doors and quickly inviting strangers to become friends, teachers. Keeping that childlike enthusiasm, then, really is the most important thing.                     I am grateful to this country and to this organization for inviting me in, allowing me to grow through these experiences here, and allowing me to become part of the land, to put down my own roots.                                                                                                                                     I have a future in Somaliland – not only in my own work, but in the students who have honored me with the opportunity to teach them.  May it be a bright future, bringing the highest good for all involved.  

Sprouting Roots in Somaliland

In the beginning, there was just sorghum, lots and lots of sorghum in this courtyard garden space.  I razed it, saving the stalks and seeds for bedding and food for the chicken project.

Then I laid down a path in the center, and waited for the rains to start:

Then the rains came, and now it looks like this:

There's watermelon (xub xub, pronounced "hub hub")

And a papaya tree I transplanted as a tiny sprout!

And broccoli:

And sorghum "as high as a elephant's eye, and it looks like it's climbin' clear up to the sky..."

Pomegranate (Roman)

And more too.  Cacti, vines, a guave (zeitun, prounounced "zay-tune") tree, and daisies in the desert, offering cheerful greetings:

Hmmm, looks like I need to start watering... the rainy season was short-lived.

ahhh

Spring Open House in Pictures - Finally!

Photos taken at our science fair and open house, a huge success, something I hope will be repeated for many classes to come!

Lunar Eclipse

A rusty red haze overtakes the radiant white glow of the moon as it stands watch over the still Somali desert. The sudden but silent celestial change perturbs not the trees, the crickets, the night moths. After the first few moments of this reverie pass, a loud and echoing masculine drone cuts through the peaceful black that unites the Heavens with this Earthly vantage point. The Somali Believers have fled to the mosques.

As I hear the call radiating through the night I envision our male students and our Somali askarii (guards) convulsing prostrate in prayer in the newly-finished school mosque.  A woman not as welcome in the main halls of a mosque because of her gender is sequestered instead in the courtyard garden of our building. She is whispering prayers and Quranic verse, trying her best to save something – her soul? Perhaps ours too?

It is so strange to have students at once devoted to their religion so absolutely unquestioningly, so sincerely committed to following its words in good faith, and at the same time experiencing a mental awakening like few ever get to experience in their life. Imagine, just as Abdirachman is reaching the hilt of his energy, the pique of youth at 15, his English vocabulary is bursting forward, his powers of reasoning are phenomenally strong, and suddenly everything he has known before is blown up into conflation with new knowledge, images, experiences in the form of the words and lessons and exposure we, his foreign, maybe even alien-seeming teachers unveil, step by step. Questions begin to percolate in Abdirachman's mind:

“Did humans really come from monkeys? Will they go back to being monkeys? You said that we know the ingredients of everything, like Earth, Sun, Space, and even humans. Why didn't the scientists create a human or rebirth the died people? Why they didn't create another world and life? Why they didn't invent something that can keep them live forever because every scientist will die one day?”

And another student, too:

“What about marriage? In my country I am allowed to marry four wives at once. My western teachers will only ever marry one person at a time. Which is right...for me?”

I have (or can easily find) answers for the questions concerning scientific or historical fact. I can give my opinion on matters concerning American culture and convention. And where matters of personal development are concerned, I do my best. I say that I can only speak from my own westernized mentality and experience, and that from my Western point of view, xyz would be the desired goal. But that Somali culture and/or Islam may advise otherwise. And that there is a freedom of choice with which I believe all human beings to have been endowed – so the choice is there's to make. I tell them that deep down, they almost surely know what is right for them.

On this night at least, the students have clearly chosen their path. It is their tradition, one of our Somali teachers explained, that at the time of an astrological phenomenon such as this, good Somali Muslims are to pray, pray, pray, until the passing of the event. And so while they pray, we breathe.  The other teachers and I snatch up these extra minutes of time to ourselves to catch up on what has taken a backseat to the priority students now occupied with a mission very separate from what we know. Tomorrow we will meet again, picking up where we left off.   

Germophobia comes to Abaarso Tech

Well, my germophobia, that is. My new slogan – "With Sanitation, Sanity."  In light of a wave of spring sicknesses – mostly mild colds and stomach ailments, sudden inspiration hit and I have begun working to raise the level of sanitation on our campus, if not that of the whole country. I'm generating a 3-part movement to push this front:

1. Teaching a unit on infectious disease and prevention to the whole school in my bio classes, and teaming with the school nurse to do it. This involves studying the specific diseases common to this region, and their foundations in microbiology (i.e., protists, viruses, bacteria), as well as personal hygiene, sterilization procedures, and modern medical innovations
2. Again teaming with the school nurse (a young Somali woman out of Mogadishu trained as a nurse) to educate and encourage our support staff to implement more sanitary behaviors – hand washing before food handling, etc. Posting signs in English and Somali to encourage this
3. Finding a fiscally responsible way to install soap dispensers at every sink, and bring serving gloves to our kitchen staff. I found a wall-mounted soap dispenser at “National Fuel Station and Super Market” last night, and we're trying it to see if it will be sufficiently durable to withstand our student's tests.

The student's mixed reaction to signage “Your health is in your hands – wash them with soap!” and “Don't fight your friends, FIGHT DISEASE! Wash with soap!” and “Science and Sanitation go Hand in Hand – Scrub with Soap!” and “Soap – Coming to a sink near you!” - took me by surprise. Some of our boys were personally offended by the signs, believing that I must think them unclean, if I am writing such things. Given that they “wash” (read, rinse) themselves 5 times daily for prayer, and the requirements of their religion, this uncleanliness would be unacceptable. I explained that in the West, people grow up to government-sponsored germ-awareness and sanitation reminders surrounding them in all public places. It's nothing personal! And further, the obsession with sanitation is generally viewed as one of the causes of the increase in life-expectancy of Western societies, and the decline in death rate that is part of the Demographic Transition. (I was careful to avoid pointing out the life expectancy in Somalia, which is 50 years of age, to the western world's average of 70.) Restaurants, schools, airports, especially hospitals, all public places are stocked chock-full of soap, and are generally plastered with signage reminding employees that they “must wash hands before returning to work,” I explained. Further, it has become a popular trend to carry personal waterless hand sanitizer on your person, everywhere you go. So, I said, the lack of this aspect of culture in Somaliland came as part of the culture shock for me.

“Well, teachers can spread disease too,” some said, resentfully.

“Anyone can spread disease! I am not accusing any particular group of people of disproportionate disease-carriers, all I'm doing is teaching you about disease and its spread, because its something all educated people ought to know. Further, I'm connecting your knowledge of disease and transmission to its biological roots now that you've learned so much science that you can see the connection.”

Not all were convinced of the topic's necessity, though most of the students were overwhelmingly grateful. I think some of our boys are going through a phase – sophomore-itis or something. They are suddenly touchy, defensive, defiant, and ready to challenge. Not sure how to diffuse this. While it may be behavior expected of the average American boy, these are not average American boys, and our situation requires that a much higher mode of conduct is assumed. Still, there are 4 weeks left till they (and I!) get a break for the summer and, insh'allah, some maturing time to burn off the extra energy, and perhaps escape the confinement of the academic year's routine.   Which is not to say that I'm not having fun out here.  I really, really do enjoy the company I have here, and am impressed and pushed to excellence by the people I get to teach.

AT Founder, Managing Director, Publishes Op-Ed in Wall Street Journal

Jonathan Starr's article is available here:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704425804576220524034207558.html

Addendum to Empathy 101

Some astute comments have been posted in response to my previous entry on Empathy 101. This has made me realize that I need to articulate my (our) goals for the program a bit more clearly.

We are not trying to re-socialize these kids – not at all, we are simply working to, as Daniel Goleman says in his book, Emotional Intelligence (1995, New York: Bantam Books) , 

“fulfill our responsibility to assist children in becoming emotionally literate:

Increase SELF-AWARENESS by using materials that help children identify their feelings, build a feelings vocabulary, and recognize links between feelings, thoughts, and actions. Help them assess their strengths and weaknesses and thus develop a realistic view of themselves.


Teach students to MANAGE THEIR EMOTIONS. It is normal to have mood swings, but children need to know that they have the power to cope with negative feelings in constructive ways. They can respond to put-downs and adverse situations by using "self-talk." For example, "Something bad must have happened to Tommy today because he doesn't usually say mean things," instead of thinking, "I hate Tommy and I'm never going to play with him again." Other methods of dealing with negative emotions are to write down your feelings, count slowly, breathe deeply, love a pet, tell someone what happened, sing, read, or draw.


Call attention to NORMS FOR ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR in our society and help children see themselves as contributing members. Increase their social interaction skills by stressing the importance of empathy. Teach them to acknowledge and appreciate differences in others' feelings and perspectives.


Teach them to CONTROL THEIR NEGATIVE IMPULSES through self-regulation. Help students think about their feelings and behavior and evaluate their choices before acting. Provide opportunities for them to delay gratification and to practice using refusal skills when appropriate. Emphasize that the choices they make today will determine the kind of future they will have.


Help students DEVELOP LISTENING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. Increase student's awareness of nonverbal communication including tone of voice, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact. Train them to be good listeners and to express their ideas and emotions clearly and effectively. Teach problem solving, stress management, and negotiation skills. Help children learn to be assertive rather than aggressive or passive.


Challenge students to MOTIVATE THEMSELVES, set clear goals, and develop a hopeful, optimistic attitude. Encourage self-confidence, zeal, patience, and require students to take responsibility for their actions.


INVOLVE PARENTS as much as possible, so that they will be encouraged to model emotionally healthy behavior in the home.


Our “students are looking” to us, their teachers, for “guidance on how people in our society live, so [we] strive to be empathic, self-disciplined, enthusiastic, tolerant, and compassionate.”

Goleman, Daniel. (1995), Emotional Intelligence, New York: Bantam Books.

In response to one comment – we show Western movies because that is what's available – if there were readily accessible Somali films we'd happily teach from those! Our goal is to help students become the mature and stable adults they need to be to reach their goals and interface with many cultures, challenges, and changes in this world.

Last evening's E-101 topic was “Losing with Grace.” The motivation – a lost football match. The point: It doesn't feel good to lose, but when it happens, it is important to maintain your respect for yourself and the others. To add a bit of lightheartedness and mental inspiration to this, last night's discussion leader shared a few of history's most notably clever insults; the point of this was to demonstrate that if you are going to engage, it is important to do so with intelligence or not at all. The outcome was, I think, moderately successful.

Today our students are getting a healthy dose of EQ challenge, as we are handing out midterm progress reports. We hold the students to an incredibly tough standard, and the grades we give are hard-earned. So these kids are showing their mettle now, in the middle of an arduous term. The question in the air on this hill in the desert is, “Teacher, what can I do to improve? How can I be better?!!!!” 

Spring Open House Update

Check out this attractive flier that our marketing guru, Stephanie, created for the upcoming Spring Open House:


You are all invited to attend.

The student's preparations are well under-way for the event - science projects on everything from shear-stress forces to tsunamis and wave dynamics to chlorophyll properties are in progress.  Speeches are being written.  Our basketball teams are hard at work in their regular practices and conditioning sessions. And a little marketing campaign is, well, developing.  In addition to this we are working to beautify and settle our campus even more in preparation for our Open House visitors - we are clearing neat rock pathways ("not a rock out of place by the 25th!" is the goal), clearing shrubs, continually planting trees and vines.

If this description doesn't make you want to book your tickets to Somaliland I don't know what will.

Addendum to Last Post: Tourism in Somaliland

For a look at what already exists in Somaliland in the way of tourist attractions, check out this link:

http://www.somalilandtour.com/

At the very least, the pictures on this site are nice.

For a more official site, take a look at:

http://www.somalilandgov.com/

Empathy 101

Our students are well on their way to earning the full academic skill set necessary to succeed at top level universities. But success in post-secondary education and in life hinges on more than high test-taking aptitude and quantitative skill; there is the emotional and interpersonal aspect to becoming a successful, well-balanced human being with a rewarding social life and rich connection to all components of personal fulfillment.

Though are students are generally very happy, hardworking, and kind individuals, most of them have a long way to go on the path toward emotional maturity. This lack of emotional depth, clarity, and understanding is apparent in many ways – from their inability to access the psychological undercurrents of plots and characters in stories and movies, to their complete breakdowns in moments of slight distress or confusion (two tests scheduled on the same day, something perceived as being unfair, or the minor pain of falling down or getting tired), to the peer-to-peer fights that erupt. (Physical between boys, tiffs of jealousy and spurn and queen-bee syndrome between the girls.)

Some of this is pure adolescence. There are other contributing factors, unique to the Somali place in the world.

But whatever the reason, many AT secondary students will sometimes struggle to accurately interpret social cues, stumble to give voice to the emotions motivating their actions, and are challenged by questions like, “Why did the captain of the Titanic stay inside the ship, rather than trying to get into a lifeboat?”, or “Why did Maverick (in Top Gun) have trouble going back to flying after Goose died?” The students seem unable to connect the morals and themes of stories they read or movies they watch to their daily lives.

To help them grow into a more solid EQ, we've started a little class that I like to call “Empathy 101.” In this half-hour session once per week we replay for students a few scenes from the movie we've showed them on their weekend-night, and ask basic questions to delve into the thematic meaning or emotional motivation or psychological state at work.

In a future session I'll lead the Empathy 101 discussion on “Citizenship.” First I'll introduced the definition of the term, then we'll break into gender-separated groups and discuss the meaning of the term and its application to their lives as citizens of this place – the land, the people, the school, the world. Then we'll discuss a quote from a member of a discussion panel hosted through AT's Executive MBA program: “It is the duty of every Somalilander to promote the development of this place...” I'd like to ask the students how they interpret this. Finally, since the quote stemmed from a panel on “Tourism in Somaliland,” I'm planning to pose a few questions on Tourism in Somaliland to the students – how might tourism benefit Somaliland? Are there any drawbacks to inviting visitors to the country? What might Somaliland need to do to invite tourists and make them feel welcome here?

Some of the students attended the panel discussion on tourism, and were very curious about what was discussed there. It made me realize that our students want to take a grown-up role in matters of their homeland, and are already realizing that the future of the country is theirs. So insh'allah, this discussion will be fruitful, and will help at least a few of these kids see that their education involves more than strategy and memorization, but is a matter of personal enrichment as well.   

How would you measure-up against our students in Biology?

Sample Biology Tests/Quizzes

I'm curious to see what those at home think of the level of science I'm teaching out here, so test yourselves, if you like, with the sample exam below, administered to my 10^th grade students today:

Biology

Form II Winter Term

Unit Test: Cells

February 2011

60 points

1.) In a typical cell placed into fresh water, osmotic pressure produces: (2 points)

a.) active transport

b.) a net movement of water out of the cell

c.) a net movement of water into the cell

d.) protein synthesis

e.) no change

2.) Which of the following is an example of active transport? (2 points)

a.) Facilitated diffusion

b.) diffusion

c.) osmosis

3.) Which of the following is an example of a prokaryote? (2 points)

a.) Plant

b.) Bacteria

c.) Red Blood Cell

Fill in the blank: (3 points)

4.) Osmosis is the diffusion of ________ through a selectively permeable membrane.

The _____________ regulates what enters and leaves the cell and also provides protection and support.

_________________ causes many substances to move across a cell membrane but does not require the cell to use energy.

5.) A substance that moves across a cell membrane without using the cell's energy tends to move (2 points)

a.) away from the area of equilibrium

b.) away from the area where it is less concentrated

c.) away from the area where it is more concentrated

d.) toward the area where it is more concentrated

6.) Proteins are polymers formed from: (2 points)

a.) lipids

b.) carbohydrates

c.) amino acids

d.) nucleic acids

Complete the following analogy:

7.) Amino Acids:Protein :: Fatty Acid Chains::_______?________ (2 points)

a.) lipids

b.) carbohydrates

c.) nucleotides

d.) bases

8.) Support : Cell wall : energy release : ________?_______ (2 points)

a.) cytoskeleton

b.) nucleus

c.) Golgi Apparatus

d.) ribosomes

e.) mitochondria

In an experiment, red blood cells were placed in salt solutions of varying concentrations. The rate at which the cells absorbed salt from the solution was then measured for the different concentrations. The results are summarized in the graph:

Rate of Salt Uptake

(micromol/g/L)

500
	*********	********************	******************
300	*******
*******
0   **

0                                 10                                       20                                     30                                 40

Concentration of Salt (mmol/L)

9.) The graph shows that as the concentration of salt increases from 10 to 30 mmol/L, the cells: (2 points)

a.) take in salt more slowly

b.) take in salt more quickly

c.) fail to take in more salt

d.) lose salt more quickly

10.) Consider the following phrase, “The cell theory revolutionized the way biologists thought about living things.” Using your knowledge of cells and your own analytical skills, write a short essay to support or refute (disagree with) this statement. (10 points)

11.) Fill in the blank: (2 points)

“As a cell gets larger, its volume increases at a faster rate than its surface area.” This is a description of the _________ ______ to _________ ratio.

12.) Cells are small for practical reasons. Explain in a short essay (one paragraph). (10 points)

13.) Next to each organelle name, describe it's function: (9 points)

Nucleus:

Golgi Apparatus:

Endoplasmic Reticulum:

Ribosomes:

Lysosomes:

Mitochondria:

Cell Membrane:

Cytoplasm:

Chromatin:

14.) Short Essay (10 points): Compare a cell to a factory, as in the chapter, or to something else, such as a school. Use that analogy to describe the function of different parts of the cell.

***How would you have done?***

And here's another sample assessment, this one given to my 9^th grade students last week:

Form 1 Week 5 Quiz – 15 points total

1. Four groups of organic compounds found in living things are: (4 points)
2. In polymerization, complex molecules are formed by the joining together of _________ (1pt)
3. Living things use ___________ as their main source of energy. (1 point)
4. Carbohydrates come in two forms: simple sugars, or __________________, like glucose, or more complex polymers, or ______________ like cellulose. (2 points)
5. Though a carbon atom has 6 total electrons, it has 4 ___________ electrons. The __________ electrons are those electrons available for _______________. (2 points)
6. Plants use carbohydrates for “structural purposes.” In other words, what does that mean? (2 points)
7. What are the two parts of a lipid's molecular structure? (2 points)
8. What is the difference between Acids and Bases? How do their numbers on the pH scale differ? (1 pt)

The challenge of starting up all of these classes and programs out here – (we now have 335 students in our programs from the boarding school, elementary-level tutoring, Adult English classes, Finance-University Classes, and Executive MBA classes, all run by a total of less-than 20 teachers) - while working to become completely financially self-sustaining, is the issue of what I guess might be classified as growing pains. The initial allotment of money the founder invested in this place has been stretched as far as it will go; more funding is needed simply to build the buildings we need on the campus – larger boy's dorms, an English-teaching building with a separate women's cafeteria and study space, additional teacher housing as well as funding to complete construction on the mosque, and additional structures for security, just to name a few of these expenses. Of course it seems that in the non-profit world as everywhere, there are always expenses adding up, but it is particularly frustrating for me to see this here, as I have never seen such an example of fiscal responsibility as I witness daily at AT. I am learning more about finance and the time value of money here than anywhere – even at the University of Chicago, with all the heady talk of the Milton Friedman school and the Graduate School of Business, I never saw an eye on money with such relentless persistence, such devotion to putting it to the best possible use, as here. And yet the school meets with resistance from those we thought we could rely on for the most support. Rather than offering up the share of support they could give to the school, many Somalis – from villagers to the wealthier Somalis involved with the school – simply look to take (and take, and take, and take) what they can get from its services. We have been doled out enormous bills, in several instances of late, rather than modicums of financial or social support. This does nothing to aid the school on its path to becoming financially self-sustaining, but behooves us to double down and dig in even deeper.

Teachers here are so motivated and dedicated; each teacher is taking on the role of advisor for 8-10 students, in addition to running clubs, supervising work-times, coaching sports, writing curriculums, coordinating standardized testing (SAT, TOEFL) programs, managing and writing policies, and that's only in the boarding school alone! There are the aforementioned university, MBA, tutoring, and adult English programs as well, all managed by our teaching staff of less-than-twenty. While we are as enthusiastic about these projects and driven-as-can-be to see success take shape here and serve these ever-so-deserving students, it is shocking that others (those in the local community, or whose businesses or families benefit from these services) do not share this same compulsion to invest at least a little bit of energy, effort, time, or money in the project.

As an example of the resistance I'm describing, consider this:

Some of the villagers demand that those we hire from their ranks be paid more and more, for poorly done or even incomplete work. While the other teachers and I put in 80+hours of work/week while making less than $3,000 for the year (we enjoy the work very much, and are proud to do it, but still), it is unnerving to see that those who do so little and yet benefit from the addition of educational and economic stimulus only demand more.

I attended a meeting with a collection of village council members a few weeks ago, with some of our best students serving as translators. The villagers were miffed that AT had fired the staff members we'd hired from the village, because these staff members were not doing their work (at all!) and were in fact causing more harm than good (these staff members were mainly responsible for managing the student kitchen, which was consistently understocked, and routinely left several students without food at the end of each meal! Abominable!)

So we had a meeting in which to negotiate new terms for hiring new workers and try to patch up the relationship of the school with the village. But rather than gratitude for the work we've done to educate their children and help their community, this group of villagers wanted more and more of us. Hire more workers, pay them better, paint all the buildings in the town, begin to run the village elementary school, provide electricity and running water, fix the road, etc etc. There's no end to this! Of course, in time we hope that AT will have the resources to accommodate all these demands, but we can never do it without the willingness of Somalis to work to accept and become part of these programs themselves, and their willingness to support us in these efforts. It was as if the cliches and stereotypes were coming true before my eyes. This group of villagers had come to expect that the white people from the West would do all the work for them, and this is precisely what has led to such a state of disarray in areas serviced by foreign aid – a dependence that leads to malaise and ennui rather than industrialism.

To add insult to the slight psychological pain this meeting caused, the villagers spent the entire meeting chewing qat (the stimulant) and smoking in front of us (this is seen as customary in some ways, though it is not accepted in higher Somali society, and is “haram” according to Islamic practice). The atmosphere was pungent with smoke and the smell of chew as well as the demoralizing attitude and pervasive lack of education, short-sighted, ignorant mentality, and mindlessness induced by a life of qat, poor nutrition, and lack of inspiration. Now this is not a knock on Somali society – every society and culture has its spectrum of struggling to successful individuals, and its own definition of success. But the aspect of this experience that most challenged me was seeing the undeniable truth that these people, after so many years of drug use and isolation, were incapable of sharing a vision for a future life, or a way in which things could be truly different. All they could manage to muster were demands for more money from those they perceived as “Haves.” They could not see that by their agreement, support, friendship, or willingness to work with us, that they could take part in something really great and constructive.

We used this meeting as a “teachable moment” for the students attending with us as translators – here, we explained, were the anti-role models. These people were the reason why we push our students to work so hard; we want our students to see that there is so much more to life than that lifestyle, and to see the difference education can make even in the interpretation of day-to-day activities. I also pointed out that one finds the same malaise and paralysis-of-ignorance in the US too, that it is a human problem, not one of this-culture or that.  
Most of the Somali people I've met working with our school have been more than gracious, very intelligent, and it has been an honor for me to get to know them and work with them, and I feel blessed to know and be entrusted to educate their children.  But I wanted to share this instance in order to foster better understanding of where we are.  

New photos...

...of baby chicks and students...

posted here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/mviola1/ChickensInSomaliland#

Enjoy!

Aviation News in Somaliland

This article just appeared on the credible news outlet, Somalilandpress.com :

http://somalilandpress.com/somaliland-receives-usd-10million-for-airports-upgrade-20146

Although there is no clear timeline for these events mentioned in this article, at least one Somali source expects the benefits of this agreement to come to fruition before the summer begins.  Which would be a good thing as summer here is the time of peak airport traffic, with flights full of returning Somali Diaspora visiting Somaliland on their summer holidays.

On the Joys of Lesson Planning, and other things

February 9, 2011

On The Joys of Lesson Planning, and other things:

Planning lessons with very clear objectives, that offer information presented clearly enough to overcome the language barrier here, and that are also engaging and light-hearted and fun is something toward which I find myself devoting more and more time. I'm teaching 9^th and 10^th grade Biology now, following a list of learning standards that I've pulled together from US A– state education standards, GCSE, and the AP and SAT II-Biology* tests (*Both Ecology and Molecular SAT II-Biology subject tests.) Fortunately I also have a few fairly good textbook resources here, (one edition with enough copies for each student to have his/her own text! What a relief!) and I've found a few helpful online resources too (thank you, Mrs. Dempsey!) But I am still working to find the right equation of lecture-based instruction and interaction in my classes.

I feel a personal pressure to consistently bring an entertaining physical demonstration into each lecture, which requires a bit of resourcefulness and scheming, as our lab equipment has not yet materialized. (More on that later.) But no amount of demonstration and “edu-tainment” can overcome the fact that our students must learn to read, first, and then learn how to read science texts, before they can have any hope of performing well on standardized science tests like the SAT subject tests.

My current teaching formula is this: Assign several readings from the text book each week, requiring students to submit written responses to critical-thinking questions based on the readings. These written responses must be presented with grammatical polish up to my (subjective!) standards, or will lose points. (The grading-time required to enforce this is always longer than I would like, but is probably worthwhile?) Then in class we will re-read certain important and difficult sections together, pulling out the information by defining each new word, and drawing relevant sketches and diagrams. I include walking-fieldtrips to places around campus, or demonstrations when I can think of them, and pull in readings from other sources, worksheets, or hands-on group activities as I find them. I hold vocabulary quizzes weekly – for words clearly biology-based, yes, but often general words too.

From student assessment so far it seems my kids have learned a few things. Maybe even a lot of things. The 9^th graders, only into their 4^th week of science, never having had a science class before – can explain what an atom is with its 3 subatomic parts, they will tell you how atoms are aggregate into elements, how combining atoms chemically creates molecules, and will explain the types of chemical bonds that hold these molecules together. They will explain how the periodic table is arranged, and can recite 8 of its elements with their symbols and atomic numbers. They know about isotopes and ions, they know the fundamental chemical properties of water, and how that relates to the pH scale. Next we are moving on to the chemistry of carbon – so that we will understand why biologists say that all life on earth is carbon-based.

The 10^th grade students have already had a full year of physics, and a semester of chemistry, so I introduced them to biology with a unit on environmental ecology. Having progressed through the standard topics under that umbrella – everything from ecosystems to nutrient cycles to population growth, in sufficient detail as to cover SAT II standards, I think – we are now zooming in for a close-up unit on cells, the biochemistry of carbon-based macromolecules, cell membranes and the associated concepts of diffusion, osmosis, active transport, and will soon move into the idea of energy synthesis.

As I keep pushing through this, creating a curriculum as I go, I would appreciate input and ideas from anyone out there – hardcore scientists, intrepid educators, and anyone with a random idea about how to convey Bio concepts in a meaningful way – please write!

Lab Equipment: I'm finalizing the orders! But putting together a list of basic lab needs was both easier and more difficult than I had expected. On the one hand, there are many resources online from the world's premier sources of technical equipment as to the basic stock lists of any lab. On the other hand, how do I anticipate the quantities of specific chemicals to order for our purposes? How regularly will we be able to expect re-stocking shipments? And another question – do I trust the whole-saler/general distributor in Dubai who offers equipment from India at an unbelievably cheap rate, or do stick with another highly-trusted but much more expensive Western-based company? The western-based company has a branch specifically for Africa, but they have been a bit more difficult to work with – in terms of email responses and arranging shipping logistics – than the Dubai firm.

So I'm going to work with both sides: chemicals from the western-based corporation, and nearly everything else from Dubai/India. Buying from the distributor in Dubai means that each item costs literally 1/10 – or less – than it would from the Western supplier. The reasons behind that cost difference merit a discussion all their own – in the style of the MBA classes I'm auditing as part of Abaarso Tech's Executive MBA program.

*Brief Chicken-Coop update: Now 10 baby chicks. Have assigned students the jobs of chicken-coop care. Investigating ways to keep jealous and aggressive hens from pecking at each-other's young, would value suggestions on that.

*New project on my horizon: Organizing a Spring Open House for AT. My students need an audience for their science fair, and have so much more to showcase in the way of academic skills – Quran-recitation, Debate, Academic Quiz Bowl, and athletic talent – that I think we need a day in which to allow them to share all of these skills they've been developing with such verve. I think we also need every opportunity we can get to invite the Somaliland public into our school, to see what we do, and get to know our staff as well as our students. So in short, the idea of a science-fair has grown into a vision for a full Open House, an afternoon for families and students.

The main logistical hurdle I foresee: communicating this vision effectively between the school's parent committee/Board of Directors, staff, and students to organize the event. Even without a language barrier, and even while living in such close-quarters with one's coworkers here, we find that open communication isn't always a natural step. Every day it seems I am sensitized to more ways in which the slightest nuance in communication can lead to either great synergy or alienation that requires much work to undo. 

 So I hope that in each step of organizing this event I can keep all parties communicating openly, eyes focused on our common goal.  Which is really the challenge of our whole mission out here: looking beyond the many obstacles of living in this developing place to stay focused on what really matters – the students, the people we are working for, and building an educational establishment here.

Hello Again!

After a ridiculously long absence here I thought I'd give this blog-business another go.

I was just inspired by this article in Guernica Magazine:

 

http://www.guernicamag.com/interviews/953/aiding_is_abetting/

This perspective on the overall socio-economic situation in Africa summarizes one of the main themes of what I've learned here, and come to believe about life in this continent.

I am doing extremely well here, I'm happy, healthy, engaged, challenged. I'm refreshed from a winter break spent traveling; back to the US for a time and within the UAE as well. While touring the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi I listened to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speak in a press conference.  A video-clip of the press conference is linked here:

 http://gulfnews.com/gntv/news/clinton-in-masdar-1.745845

The official transcript of her speech is here:

http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2011/January/20110110132033su0.8420941.html

One part of Clinton's speech that resonated with me was the expression of her wish that people in her country would understand the extent to which people in the UAE have taken on the goal of preparing for a world of technological advancement with respect to environmental and community responsibility. I too would like people at home to know how much potential for development exists in this part of the world, and just how much energy there is brewing here. Specifically, Somaliland is a place ready and waiting for investment and sustainable development. Not aid – but economic growth.

As to updates on the day-to-day goings on in my life at AT: I'm teaching 21 hours of Biology to the 9^th and 10^th graders in the Secondary (boarding) school, and coaching “Girl's Conditioning” - a weekly physical education class.  In addition to that I'm in the final stages of ordering and coordinating the delivery of science laboratory equipment, and overseeing the furnishing and final design touches of the lab room. On top of this the “Science Department,” (one fellow teacher and I) are preparing to hold the first-ever AT Science Fair on March 19, insh'allah.  

I'm learning about the nature of construction in Somaliland by working with a well-known contractor here to construct more cohesive water collection and irrigation systems. To add a bit of business and financial verbiage to my vocabulary I'm sitting in on a few MBA classes through AT's Executive MBA program. And with an eye toward my next career-steps I'm spending a bit of time researching the nature and impact of aviation development in this country.

In other news, I'm seeing to the growth of our chicken flock (there are now 5 little chicks and more on the way) and finalizing plans for a larger, more permanent home for these birds here on the AT campus.  And I water the garden now and again, nursing a few plants and trees through till the rainy-season begins in March.

Finally, I must say that I'm grateful for your encouragement to keep this blog alive. 

Now, time to write a test for my 9^th grade students on the meaning of science and the beginnings of Biology.

School Days

Its occurred to me that I haven't written at all about my day-to-day work here. Now 4 weeks in, its probably time...

At the beginning there was lots of cleaning and building and fixing. We cleaned the classrooms of the school, reorganized them, rebuilt broken desks and chairs. We cleaned out the old dorm room, which were actually classrooms, used as temporary dorms while the proper dorm buildings were under construction.

We also stocked the library; AT received a shipment of some 20,000 books from an organization called “Books for Africa,” and the boxes and boxes of books needed to be unpacked and sorted. We created several shelves of “haram” or “forbidden” books in the teacher's lounge. Books with references to sexuality or other sensitive topics belong there.

We have built and are building more bookshelves and desks and benches. Most recently, we've cleared out the building that is to house the science labs of last year's leftovers – the building was used as the temporary girl's dormitory. Now the girls are in their own (absolutely lovely) dorm, and the science building is clear and ready to be filled with equipment and chemicals and specimens and students. Part of my job as science (Biology) teacher is to aid the department head and physics teacher, Daniel, in stocking the lab. This means, essentially, building the lab up from scratch. We've laid out a wish-list “floor plan,” and now we need to order proper lab benches and counters, and ensure the right type of sinks are installed. We need to make sure that electrical outlets are built into each lab bench. We need to order all of the equipment necessary to make the science program at AT competitive with the best science programs at Western high schools.

As classes are starting on Tuesday (9/28), we must accept that the science labs will not be completely ready for the students this year. I'm brainstorming lots of ways to introduce students to experimental methods without the fancy equipment. By starting out the year with a unit on ecology, I hope to show my students that the entire outdoor environment here is our laboratory. Wish me luck.

In addition to preparing the physical lay-out of the school, library, laboratories, and even the dorms, all of the teachers here have been busy planning out curriculums. We are using US, GCSE, and other sources – AP and Teach-for-America – to create academic programs in each of our subjects that will prepare students to compete well on the SAT, and enter Western colleges on par with their peers from the best college-prep schools in the world.

I will be teaching Biology, yes, and a 9th-grade Geometry course too, and so far I've been planning out diagnostic tests and long-term plans in accord with the resources available here. It is fun to look back at material mastered long ago, and know that I can teach it with confidence. It is also fun to think that I have the chance to not do those things that annoyed me so much as a student in the past.

Fortunately I've had a chance to sharpen my teaching skills with a 2-week program here designed to immerse the AT Finance University students in English before the start of their fall term. I co-taught courses on Logic and Study Skills, and found (to my surprise) that I really, really, really loved the whole thing. I did not anticipate that I would enjoy the process of teaching nearly as much as I do. I completely underestimated the extent to which I would become invested in the student's success, and I did not realize how much I would value their respect and trust.

The students here are everything I'd silently hoped for and more. They are very warm and welcoming. They use the term “Teacher” as a title, such that whenever a student is speaking with me they say, “Teacher, would you please....” or “Teacher what is....” Or “Teacher do you like....”

Watching the students interact with one another is one of the more endearing behaviors I've witnessed. They outwardly display their friendly affection through platonic physical contact. They are always hanging onto each others shoulders, walking arm in arm, or even holding hands – boys with boys, girls with girls. Picture this: A group of strong, healthy Somali teenaged boys, crowding around you. Each member of the group either has his arm around another's shoulder, leaning in, or an arm around another's waist. Two might even be holding hands. And to them, this is completely cool. It is so so different from the stand-off-ish male behavior I am accustomed to. This does my heart good. The girls are just as affectionate with each other, and will often include me in their circle of hugging/shoulder-leaning when we are speaking informally. But there is no interaction between males and females – girls naturally sit on one side of the room, boys will segregate themselves to another. The gender-divide affects every aspect of life.

All for now – there is more curriculum/lesson planning to be done, I need to be sure the girl's dorms are fully prepared to handle 20 more students tomorrow, and I promised I'd play basketball with the girls. :-)

Storms in Africa

The rainy-season has been – and continues to be – unusually long and productive in Somaliland this year. I came to Somaliland expecting to find only the dry heat of the desert, and instead I've found a green, fertile, almost arable oasis. It's rained nearly every day since I've arrived. The days progress like this: the winds pick up just before sunrise, then continue to gust through the morning as the sun lights up billowing clouds and warms the air. The winds calm a bit around the midday, as if oppressed by the weight of the heat. Then in the late afternoon the winds again stir, ushering in even more massive cloud formations – some of them dark blue thunderheads. As the storms gather and grow on the horizon around our hill the sunlight beams through breaks in the clusters, creating a dramatic spot-lit background on which the lightning begins to dance. Rumbles of thunder roll their way to our hill and wash out again into the distance. All this while the wind rushes to meet the theatrics with ever more fortissimo gusto. When the wind reaches its hilt having blown the dark blues directly overhead, the rain begins. The rain always begins gently, but will sometimes decide to pour with a strength matching that of its fellow element, the wind. The marvelous production seems to end with sunset; perhaps the disappearance of the sun-spotlight takes away the fun of such a performance. There is a moment when it becomes clear that evening has completely ensconced the whole world, quietly, while the storms were creating their artful distraction. Everything becomes still, until the wind returns, and howls its way through to morning.

If you want to hear what it feels like to live in this environment (from my point of view) listen to the song “Storms in Africa,” by Enya. Yep, Enya. Really. Life is good.

On nights when the sky is clear of clouds, the stars are revealed like I've never seen them before. I've seen more shooting stars here in 4 weeks than in my entire life before Somaliland. I can also confirm that the Milky Way actually does exist – because I've seen it here with my own eyes. The school has a very high quality telescope, and Daniel, the resident PhD in Physics, happily sets it up when the opportunity for star-gazing presents itself. Tonight he zoomed in on Jupiter and its moons. Venus was also visible with the naked eye as were millions of other twinkling orbs. Millions more were probably hiding in the bright light of the moon, tonight. 

the latest, including some local drama

There has been some drama here in the wake of Abaarso's decision to “press charges” and imprison Omar and his brother Mulit, (Mull-eat) the psychologically unstable man who vandalized the track and threatened a certain track-runner. There is a bit of a backstory involved. When Abaarso Tech was first being built, a quiet deal was made between one of the AT Directors and Omar regarding the use of the land on which the school sits. Omar claimed ownership of the land, though every government official consulted deemed the land “public,” to the extent that it had been virtually untouched for many hundreds of years. But to appease Omar, said Director promised that in return for Omar's “donation” of the land, he would be given a job at Abaarso Tech. Omar's job, for which some say he was grossly overpaid and under-qualified, was to turn the school's generators on-and-off at the appropriate times of day. He was quite complacent about this duty, and was generally difficult to work with, and so the AT administration had long been unhappy about his employment here. Now that Omar committed a blatant act of vandalism, AT had a legitimate reason to terminate his employment and find someone who would work earnestly for pay here.

In the meantime AT has relied on some of the other employees here to manage the power generators – the guards, mostly. But a day or two ago the Abaarso Village Elders decided that none of Omar's clansmen are permitted to take over Omar's position. This is essentially the Somali version of Western-style Labor Unions. The AT administration hold 2 viewpoints on this simultaneously. On the one hand, they agree with the employee who relayed the news of the Elder's decision: while in Somaliland, we must obey the ways of the people here. We cannot push too hard and expect Somalilanders to want to convert instantly to Western practices. They value their way of life, even while demonstrating a deep respect for Western learning and progress. On the other hand, AT cannot function like the “tight ship” its founder envisions if the school is expected to maintain a payroll of employees who do not work.

Conclusions: 1.) This may be a good time for me to learn how to turn on-and-off these power generators. 2.) Maintaining a positive relationship with Somalilanders, especially the Tribal Elders, is a complicated business.

**

The other day I had the a startling realization: there are desert roses right outside my apartment window. Many, many months ago when I was meditating constantly on where I wanted to be in the next phase of my life, the song “Desert Rose” by Sting kept popping into my head. For some reason the imagery conjured up in that song resonated strongly – and now, right outside my window, are the very desert roses I had seen in my mind's eye. Ojala!

**

In other news, I'm fast becoming a proficient catcher of house flies. The house flies here are a good deal slower than those I remember from home, making easy targets on the kitchen table at lunch. Other than the flies – which are not really that bothersome – I've seen only a handful of other bugs. Very pretty, interesting, and fairly large bugs, but not in the hoards I'd expected. My guess is that the wind here makes life difficult for the delicate winged creatures. And so when I do happen upon any new type of arthropod I'm intrigued and curious rather than creeped out. (To be fair, I attribute this attitude of child-like-wonderment-in-place-of-fear in part to an Invertebrate Biology course at The UofC). But still, personal growth comes in many forms.

**

I happened upon another land tortoise on the AT track. The fellow was roughly 1' high at his peak, 1' max width, and 2' long. He looked kindly upon me with eyes as old and wise as the hills, and seemed to say, “Yes, I will permit you to stand there and gape. Take your time.”

**

To my EAA friends: Kiette says that she's spotted USAF Drones flying overhead recently, buzzing about with their distinctive sound. I've yet to see one, but perhaps if they're really sending drones over, they've already seen me. My guess is that the drones fly from the airbase at Djibouti through Somaliland to the front lines at Puntland or wherever – but who knows.

Also for my EAA friends: I think that glider flying here would be as good as anywhere in the world. With the combination of hilly (almost mountainous) desert terrain, strong hot winds, and clear thermal swells, there must be just about everything a glider could want. I've also caught myself on several occasions thinking that one aircraft in particular - an aircraft on display at the EAA museum, the Lockwood AirCam – would be perfect for flying 'round here. So if any of you pilots desire a vacation to really get away from it all, come visit me in your aircraft. And bring along a care package.

**

A women (Hinda) whom we'd met on the plane into Hargeisa recently came out to visit the school. She gave me the Somali name Marwo, which she explained means “the woman who has everything – beauty, brains, work ethic, charm, kindness, sincerity, wealth.” What's not to like about this name? And it is such a natural adaptation of “Margaret”! In exchange for the tour of AT, Hinda offered to give a tour of Hargeisa General Hospital. The other female AT teachers went on the tour, but I couldn't bring myself to go with them. I was simply not in the right frame of mind for that type of tour. And I'm glad I didn't go. The girls came back a bit shaken, as the hospital is apparently a fairly gruesome place. A reminder that this is indeed the 3^rd world.   Jonathan said that at one point he worked with the hospital administration to find out what improvements they most desired. The administration asked for training, and so J. got doctors and other employees of Massachusetts General Hospital to offer their assistance – at which point the people at Hargeisa General stopped responding to his emails. After hearing this I find it difficult to feel too sorry for the state of the hospital - I think of the cliché, you can lead a horse to water...

But anyway, I'm sure the experience is one the girls will not soon forget, and will provide great material for the one teacher in particular who is looking to “cut her teeth” as a journalist here. And I really do like my new Somali name.

**

New list of wants from Hargeisa: Head-wraps/head bands, gladiator sandals (vain fashion statement), a blanket, shea/coconut oil-butter, some sort of fragrance (myrrh or lavender or something), and Chickens.

**

We are in the final stages of chicken coop prep! We've secured a thorn-and-bramble perimeter and created a door/gate into the chicken-compound, we've moved the coop into place, raked the stones out of the soil to expose the healthy soil, built a ramp for the chicken coop, bought water-bins, and heaped piles of dried sorghum stalks in the area, to use for the nesting area inside the coop. We already have a “chicken pail” established as a compost bin, so all that's left (I think) is to purchase some corn to use as chicken scratch, and choose our chickens!  J knows where he'd like go to purchase these chickens, so we're waiting for the date to make that happen. I'd like to start out with no more than 8 chickens, and get them to lay healthy eggs at the most efficient rate possible before expanding. I've read that we can expect about 2 eggs per day from 3 chickens – so that's the rate we'll shoot for (unless anyone knows otherwise??!!!)

The thorn-and-bramble fence makes the chicken run look like a maximum security poultry-penitentiary. And the thorns as so strong, thick, and sharp that they stab their way right through even the most thickly-soled shoes.  I spent a good 45 minutes plucking the thorns out of my basketball shoes with tweezers after we'd moved the “fence” into place. While plucking away I kept thinking of the biblical stories of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the thorny crown they say was jammed down on his head. Before coming here the only imagery I had for “thorns” were those on my mother's rose bushes.  Not so anymore.  Here in the Sahel, thorns are serious business.  At the very least, the thorny brambles should keep the chickens in, and everything else, out.  

This Somali-chicken thing will be (and has been) an experiment in all kinds of things - that's what I know for sure.

All for now.