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Video by Chris Lazarski from Wisconsin...
(thank you, Chris :))
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with special thanks to Meriem Lahrizi, our "in country" coordinator, TGC 2014, for her valuable lecture on the topic...The photo above features a typical book display among the streets of any major Moroccan city. The books feature primarily Arabic, but also French and English titles. They reflect the multilingual nature of the country.
Unfortunately, different languages and varieties are recognized and assigned hierarchical status. Some expressions of language are valued more than others in a way that is associated with some people being more valued than others and some ideas expressed by people through language being more valued than others. We see some of the same in the U.S. in a regional sense, where we make fun of each other's accents and either consciously or subconsciously connect regional and/or ethnic slang and accents with qualities such as intelligence. Yet in Morocco, these judgments are much more obviously apparent. The majority of the population is functionally multilingual and are assumed to be able to effortlessly switch from one language to another according to need between the following: *Standard Arabic (Fusha) is the official language; *Moroccan Arabic (Derija) the vernacular; *Tamazight: the mother tongue (early inhabitants language) *French: a relic of the colonial period. It maintains a dominant role as an elite language; *English: the international language and important in terms of upward mobility; *Spanish, etc. Different aspects of social life are seen as critical bases of linguistic social inequality, including colonial role, economic position, geographical area and gender. Language inequality through education is a harsh reality in Morocco. The 44 year French occupation left an education system dominated by the needs and ideologies of the colonizers. The use of the colonial language as the language of knowledge and opportunity created a barrier to those without access to this language, thus establishing an elite class. The status of Moroccan languages became hierarchical with the indigenous, or mother tongue, falling at the bottom. Which tongue you choose to speak to which person in what domain constitutes political decisions influenced by broad historical and cultural discussions (Sadiqi 2003; Norag News 2004). To bring these realities to a more personal level, I observed and spoke with students who have spent many years studying in Arabic but who will take national exams in French. For those hoping to study abroad to improve their career choices, a mastery of multiple languages is critical. What if the majority of our American students were faced with a similar situation? Imagine what it might be like for students to study Physics or Calculus using English terms and than to have to take their end of year exams in French? The stress level of the Moroccan students I met was of course extremely high. The gap between the language of formal education, the language spoken at home, and the languages spoken at the marketplace and outside of school are a major cause of low learning achievement rates in schools and low adult literacy. We met with the president of MATE, Mr. Abdellatif Zaki, and Mr. Robert Lindsey, director of the Regional English Language Office at the U.S. Embassy, to learn about current education initiatives including the highly successful "Access" programs which are making a difference for students throughout the country. The program targets underprivileged students in rural areas. He laments that there is huge resistance to changes in educational policy, and asks, "How do we influence policy makers to innovate?"
Zaki is particularly interested in helping teachers reach beyond content knowledge to address wider questions. As in the U.S., it is a challenge to find time to go beyond standard curriculum topics, but Zaki feels it is essential. "We are human beings and citizens, too. To be happy, our own needs and the needs of society must be met." "Access" schools were created to address civic education, gender and diversity issues, as well as democratic principles. Zaki is continually asked by teachers and community members, "What does this have to do with teaching English?" He stated, "We brought these values in, to integrate and sensitize our teachers through events, small and large, throughout the country. We are adopting and adhering to a vision of being part of forces that try to improve the quality of life for young people." He mentioned a gender equity conference he helped organize that generated a great amount of criticism. Zaki said, "Many people asked me, "Why are you doing this?" By trespassing on traditional ideas about the purpose of education, Zaki has made enemies yet firmly believes that he has a responsibility to assist the wider community through his work. His goal is to equalize educational opportunity. Challenges include scarce resources, a small budget and lack of translators, to name just a few... The English Access Microscholarship Program was initiated in 2003 after the suicide bombings in Casablanca, as a way to counteract extremist viewpoints and activity. At the program's onset, 17 boys were recruited. A million dollar grant allowed the enhancement of activities and expansion of the program. Students must come from underprivileged homes in rural areas, and must demonstrate that they have the motivation to succeed. The format of the English classes is non-traditional in its approach. Students learn English through activities. There is no set curriculum, and teachers are given wide freedom in what they cover, which may range from American culture, to ICT (IT), to public speaking. Whereas the Moroccan system is normally very teacher-centered (inherited French system), the Access program is student centered. One way in which to assess success is through the measuring of absences and tardies. For students enrolled in the Access program, "Absence and tardiness are not an issue," according to Zaki. Since the Access program is not exam based, teachers are free to be creative in their methods. As Zaki states, "The mission of the teacher is not to cover the book, but to uncover the book." In a country where text books are still state-controlled and limited in scope, this certainly seems the best assurance of teaching students how to think for themselves. As Zaki puts it, "Students have the space to reflect and express what they've learned. Access doesn't just improve their language skills, it also improves their lives." Beyond that, the program has helped eradicate radicalism by providing a deeper understanding of what being an American means, and what American life is about. Currently, the program serves 1600-1700 students per year in Morocco. 85 other countries are implementing similar programs. In order to understand the current educational system in Morocco, it is necessary to understand the history of that system.
During the Protectorate, the French attempted to administer a reform of the Qarawiyin mosque university in Fez, the traditional educational institution. This strategy met resistance. In French Morocco, colonial education served as a tool to transmit ideas of republicanism, liberalism and socialism, but it also deliberately promoted an essentialist and anti-liberal discourse of cultural separation. The methods of traditional Moroccan teachers, or fqih, were considered too primitive. The new reforms included three to five hours of French for every hour of Arabic. College directors were warned against giving students too much knowledge, or too much of a taste for analysis. Class segregation was to be ensured by charging tuition fees at elite schools. Students were to learn French as a second language, for use as an 'instrument,' and were to acquire an 'exact and complete' understanding of French civilization, but they were not to be immersed in French, since they were not to become part of French civilization themselves. A divide and conquer policy ensued with the "Berber Dahir" of 1930, which declared that all serious criminal cases would now fall under the jurisdiction, not of Berber tribunals, but instead of French courts. A Berber/Arab division resulted, with marginalization of Amazigh language. This protected the traditional elites upon whose collaboration the French depended. After independence, education was made compulsory for all Moroccan children between the ages of 6 through 13 in 1963. During this time all subjects were Arabized in the first and second grades, while French was maintained as the language of instruction of math and science in both primary and secondary levels. Later, to meet the rising demand for secondary education in the 1970s, Morocco imported French speaking teachers from countries such as France, Romania, and Bulgaria to teach math and sciences, and Arab teachers to teach humanities and social studies. by 1989, Arabization of all subjects across all grades was accomplished. However, French was maintained as the medium of instruction for scientific subjects in technical and professional secondary schools, technical institutes and universities. Many civilizations have influenced Morocco and contributed to its linguistic and cultural diversity to produce what is today a complex, multilingual profile. Two native languages, Berber and Arabic, plus French, are predominant. Tamazight covers a number of widely different dialects which are not entirely mutually comprehensible. Arabic was introduced to Morocco in the seventh century. Two varieties of Arabic are used, as in other Arab countries - Classical Arabic or its modern version, Standard Arabic, and Moroccan Arabic. Spanish also once played an important role in northern Morocco throughout the Spanish occupation, though it is now only marginally used. Other languages, such as English and German are more commonly taught as foreign languages in the public and private schools. English language skills are seen as highly desirable in terms of future career opportunity. Education Today: The education system offers the following tracks: 1) the Modern track, which is the continuation of the French system 2) Original track, which focuses on Koranic teachings 3) The technical track, designed to produce a skilled workforce After nine years of basic education, students begin upper secondary school and take: *a one-year common core curriculum, which is either arts or science *First year students take arts and or science, mathematics or "original" education *Second year students take earth and life sciences, physics, agricultural science, technical studies or A/B mathematics track. The country has fourteen major public universities, in addition to a large number of private universities. Admission to public universities requires only a baccalareat, whereas admission to other higher public education, such as engineering school requires high marks on competitive special tests as well as special training before the exams. 1999-2009 was considered "The Education Decade," wherein the government undertook several reforms to improve the access of education and to reduce regional differences in the provision of education. The success of these reforms is debatable. For example, one may find computer labs with locks on the door. Resistance to change is an issue there, just as it is in the U.S. Student Portrait: Mariam
Mariam lives in Ville Nouvelle, Fez, and has three sisters. She is a very talented young lady, with a voice of pure gold. She honored our visit during the welcoming ceremony by singing traditional Moroccan songs along with Adele's "Someone Like You." Her own favorite musicians include Mariah Carey, Stevie Nicks, Avril Lavigne and Alicia Keys, along with Moroccan and Arabic singers. Favorite movies include "Titanic," the "Twilight" saga, and "The Wedding Singer." Favorite books include "Les Miserables," by Victor Hugo, the classic, "Andromaque," by Jean Racine and "The Red and the Black," by Stendhal. She is truly a global citizen, as are the majority of Moroccan students simply by the nature of their history and the many multi-cultural influences that touch them. Mariam speaks Arabic, French and English fluently, as do the majority of her classmates. To hear her beautiful voice: https://soundcloud.com/mariam-henida/sunday-morning-maroon5-cover She has proudly added a Sharon High School sweatshirt to her wardrobe and we look forward to staying in touch through the Internet. Having visited both private and public schools, I have learned that Moroccan students who attend private schools have greater opportunities to access higher education.
Students in Morocco are steered toward either arts or science tracks in their upper secondary years. Humanities and the arts are unfortunately underemphasized. Low achievers are pushed toward the arts track, and students are not generally well informed about what the different tracks mean in terms of their future level of opportunity. Librarians and libraries, guidance counselors, school social workers and psychologists are lacking. This places a heavy burden on classroom teachers, especially in the public schools where classes may reach 40 or 50 students in number. The majority of public school students lack adequate emotional support in a very stressful environment. Yet, despite all of these challenges, those students I met were hopeful about their futures. When I asked them about their dreams, the answers varied from public to private. Popular options for public school students included police officer and soldier. Several female students mentioned wanting to do work of any kind that "would help their family," or "help to make a difference in the world." Many students wanted to know about steps they could take to get to the U.S. for university studies. My teaching partner, Lilia ben Ayed, who grew up in Tunisia, has served as a wonderful role model for the students, and shares about her early years of hard work and study which resulted in her receiving a scholarship to the University of Missouri. Students in the private schools shared dreams of becoming engineers, scientists and doctors. The students appeared every bit as stressed out as many of our American students about their upcoming exams. I gave them suggestions about time management and study skills, and promised to share hand-outs and videos on the topic as a follow up. I also shared about the importance of adequate sleep and nutrition, exercise and the benefits of deep breathing and meditation to combat anxiety. We encouraged all of the students we met to stay open to all possibilities, to study hard but also to take care of themselves. At this suggestion, many of them offered us wide smiles of gratitude. I am deeply touched by how much our caring matters to them. In my past ten days in Morocco, I have been privileged to visit a wide range of public and private schools in the cities of Rabat and Fez, in which my teaching partner and I have presented to students about life in America, learned from them about life in Morocco, laughed with them and shared hopes and dreams.
The warmth and hospitality of the Moroccan students and staff at the schools feels both heartwarming and humbling. I am aware in every moment that these first impressions may also be last impressions. E-mails and Facebook contact information have been exchanged, yet the reality is that I more than likely will not meet the majority of these young people again. What will I leave them with that might serve them in the future? I am awed by the way in which they hang on every word and so attempt to make those words matter in the deepest way possible. When I asked them about their dreams for the future, one student answered, "I just want to be happy." Lilia, my teaching partner and I told her that her answer was very wise. We expressed that we wanted that same thing for her and all of the other beautiful young people we've met on this amazing journey. When students hugged me to say good bye with tears in their eyes, I felt the deepest sense of gratitude for the opportunity I've been given to connect with them and learn from them. Inshallah, this brief encounter has served as a bridge toward understanding that will continue to influence us far into the future. Last night my teacher taught me the lesson of poverty, having nothing and wanting nothing. I am a naked man standing inside a mine of rubies, clothed in red silk. I absorb the shining and now I see the ocean, billions of simultaneous motions moving in me. A circle of lovely, quiet people becomes the ring on my finger. Then the wind and thunder of rain on the way. I have such a teacher. Rumi, Persian poet "As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world." Virginia Woolf
In the past four days, my Global Classrooms Fellows and I have accumulated more new knowledge than could possibly have been captured by books or online courses alone. We have participated in lectures and group discussions about the ways in which history and politics influence education systems, and compared the similarities and differences between Morocco and the U.S. We have formed individual essential questions to guide our research interests, and experienced first-hand through visits and interviews with Moroccan teachers, administrators, government officials and students, new perspectives which will continue to inform us as we now branch out with our teaching partners to various parts of the country before returning to Rabat to share with each other and then our home communities in the U.S. Our first stop was the American Embassy where we met with Mr. Robert Lindsey, from the Regional English Language Office. We then enjoyed informative lectures and panels facilitated by local coordinator Meriem Lahrizi, followed by a meeting with the Moroccan Association of Teachers of English to learn about the highly successful and innovative "Access" program. In addition, we visited MACECE (The Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange) and ENS (Ecole Normale Superiore) as well as local public and private schools. Through these informative and interactive field experiences, we have received comprehensive and highly valuable professional development which takes the meaning of the term to a whole new level. Our quest for knowledge in the arena of global education is both professional and also deeply personal and meaningful. We are invested in our commitment to raising global awareness in our schools and home towns. Our sense of community continues to shift in both subtle and profound ways to include the whole world as our country. Photographer John Stanmeyer's “Signal,” above, was named the 2013 World Press Photo of the Year “Signal” was taken along the shores of the Red Sea on an evening of a full moon in Djibouti City, Djibouti. While wandering along the beach, photographer John Stanmeyer discovered a group of people at dusk, standing at different spots along the shoreline holding up their phones, some talking on them, others waving them in the air or just standing motionless. They were “catching”—trying to catch an inexpensive signal from neighboring Somalia by using a Somali SIM card in their phones. Stanmeyer said, "Not all attempts to catch the signal were fulfilled. Some would stand in one place for 20 to 30 minutes, waiting for their phone to grab the faint signal that never appeared, only to return another evening to try once more." As I prepare for my Moroccan travels, the image grabs me at a heart level. The unexpected death this week of my treasured childhood best friend, Kathy Kanakis, makes it all the more meaningful to me as I contemplate our human journeys and connections to one another. I am also reminded of the power of art and photography to serve as a bridge toward understanding. My father, Gerald Collins, took the photo of three-year-old Kathy (on left) and carried her image on his business cards for years. He freelanced as a photographer outside of his day job as a high school English teacher. Both he and Kathy journeyed from planet Earth too soon, leaving those they loved looking upward to catch a signal. Similarly, in our human wanderings across the globe, we look both forward and backward to stay connected to those we love and those we have yet to meet. During my Washington, D.C., Global Education Symposium last weekend, I met new friends who will share my Moroccan experience. Lilia Ben Ayed, from Columbia, Missouri, will be my closest traveling companion and will journey with me to Fez. I am fortunate in that she speaks both fluent Arabic and French, the country's primary languages. Beyond that, we have already discovered that we share many common interests, from dancing and music to food and a love of nature. So as one friend departs, another arrives and life moves forward even as we grieve. Both my new friend Lilia and I will seek out Internet rooftop cafes to catch signals to those we love back home. As we do so, we will hear the muezzin's call to prayer in the distance, reminding us that this universal need to connect extends both outwards to those on Earth and upwards to the Heavens. |
Cathy CollinsLibrary Media Specialist: Sharon High School Archives
April 2014
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