A colleague once remarked to me that teaching is about enabling connections. We work to connect students to the content, to ourselves, or to their classroom peers in an effort to engage their minds in learning. As educators, we should similarly connect ourselves in as many ways as possible to those who can help us further refine our craft. One way of enabling this is by traveling abroad and fostering relationships with educators of different nationalities. Not only do we gain insight into how different cultures approach the central problems in education, but we see our own society's approach to education with fresh perspective. Such a trip is invigorating both on personal and professional levels.
A Teaching fellowship to Bahrain and Qatar
In June 2013, I traveled to the Persian Gulf on a teaching fellowship through the Bilateral US/Arab Chamber of Commerce. Accompanying me were two fellowship leaders and nine teachers from across the United States, including two other Partnership teachers, Joy Lee and Fred Simmons, who teach math and biology at Roosevelt and Mendez high schools, respectively.
Over eight whirlwind days, we met with educators and students, visited numerous schools and historical sites, and took in as much culture as possible in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Qatar.
The fellowship's mission was to foster ties between educators from the United States and the Arab world, which took place through sharing methodology, best practices, and classroom experiences with our Arab counterparts in education.
Over eight whirlwind days, we met with educators and students, visited numerous schools and historical sites, and took in as much culture as possible in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Qatar.
The fellowship's mission was to foster ties between educators from the United States and the Arab world, which took place through sharing methodology, best practices, and classroom experiences with our Arab counterparts in education.
History and Hospitality in Bahrain
Our stay on the small island country of Bahrain (pop.: 1,200,000) commenced with visits to two of the most significant historical and cultural sites in the capital city, Manama: the archeological site of the Bahrain Fort, an ancient fortress with a stunning panoramic view of the Persian Gulf, and the equally beautiful, albeit more modern, Bahrain National Museum.
While visits to museums can be impersonal and leave a traveler feeling detached from the people and society of a country, our hosts made sure that we enjoyed the full embrace of Bahraini hospitality. The management executives at GPIC, one of Bahrain's flagship petroleum companies, welcomed us to their country and corporate campus with a warm reception. And before leaving the country, we enjoyed a traditional meal of fish at the home of one of our Bahraini hosts, a highlight of the trip.
While visits to museums can be impersonal and leave a traveler feeling detached from the people and society of a country, our hosts made sure that we enjoyed the full embrace of Bahraini hospitality. The management executives at GPIC, one of Bahrain's flagship petroleum companies, welcomed us to their country and corporate campus with a warm reception. And before leaving the country, we enjoyed a traditional meal of fish at the home of one of our Bahraini hosts, a highlight of the trip.
QatarI Education and geography
We continued our tour through the Gulf by visiting more schools and universities in Qatar, including an international K-12 school run by the petroleum company RasGas, and an expansive multi-university campus known as Education City.
For some high-level perspective on education in Qatar, we met with officials at the Supreme Education Council. In an impressive board room, complete with UN-style language translation functionality, our group engaged in a question & answer session with a handful of the leaders who craft country-wide education policy. While the entire nation has as many citizens as LAUSD has students, our education systems share many of the same challenges.
To escape the congested streets of Doha, Qatar's rapidly modernizing capital and regional economic hub, we took to the empty deserts to the south. Qatari drivers led us on a wild excursion over and across seemingly endless sand dunes until we reached a small barbecue spot on the beach. With the Persian Gulf in front of us and the sun setting into the dunes at our backs, it was a supremely tranquil capstone to an otherwise frenetic, but phenomenal, trip.
For some high-level perspective on education in Qatar, we met with officials at the Supreme Education Council. In an impressive board room, complete with UN-style language translation functionality, our group engaged in a question & answer session with a handful of the leaders who craft country-wide education policy. While the entire nation has as many citizens as LAUSD has students, our education systems share many of the same challenges.
To escape the congested streets of Doha, Qatar's rapidly modernizing capital and regional economic hub, we took to the empty deserts to the south. Qatari drivers led us on a wild excursion over and across seemingly endless sand dunes until we reached a small barbecue spot on the beach. With the Persian Gulf in front of us and the sun setting into the dunes at our backs, it was a supremely tranquil capstone to an otherwise frenetic, but phenomenal, trip.
Reflection
A large component of the fellowship was discussion, collaboration, and reflection. One of the short essays I wrote while on the trip is below:
Bahrain and Qatar have more in common with each other than not, and this is probably true of their education systems as well.
Both countries’ governments provide public education throughout secondary school, most of which is compulsory. Recently, the language of instruction has switched from English to Arabic, and this is in line with the push for “Bahrainization” and “Qatarization." As their economies have exploded over the last decade, globalization seems to have caused concern among the older generation that today’s students are losing touch with their Arab roots, and have poorer Arabic language skills. The governments in each country have reacted by demoting English from the language of instruction to just a single academic subject. It was reported in each country that math and science skills have improved as a result of students’ ability to access the core curriculum in their native Arabic.
The contrasts between the education systems of the two Gulf countries are more evident at the higher education level. Bahrain and Qatar have established national visions for 2030, with the primary goal being a transition from a carbon-based to a knowledge-based economy. One of the keys to achieving the vision is a strong university system, with an emphasis on STEM fields. Both countries are trying, but Qatar seems to be off to a much grander start. Bahrain Polytechnic is a newly formed university designed to address the needs of students seeking careers in technology fields. In a visit to the campus, there was a palpable focus on tech careers, but the university nonetheless felt quaint. In contrast, Qatar has established an entire education megaplex, “Education City,” and has successfully courted a handful of top-tier American Universities (Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Texas A&M, and Georgetown to name a few) to set up satellite campuses on Qatari soil. Amazingly, Qatar’s government provides full scholarships to any citizen studying domestically or abroad.
Qatar’s Education City is an impressive undertaking, but it remains to be seen whether it will have a profound impact on the country’s ability to establish itself as a knowledge hub in the Gulf region. Will Qataris embrace the world-class education opportunities immediately in front of them, or are they complacent with comfortable government and petrochemical jobs? And will Bahrain, an island kingdom of 700,000, be taken seriously on the world academic stage without partnering with established Western universities like Qatar has? The governments of both Qatar and Bahrain are certainly investing in education, but whether their citizens embrace it en route to the future will determine the likelihood of achieving their visions for 2030.
Bahrain and Qatar have more in common with each other than not, and this is probably true of their education systems as well.
Both countries’ governments provide public education throughout secondary school, most of which is compulsory. Recently, the language of instruction has switched from English to Arabic, and this is in line with the push for “Bahrainization” and “Qatarization." As their economies have exploded over the last decade, globalization seems to have caused concern among the older generation that today’s students are losing touch with their Arab roots, and have poorer Arabic language skills. The governments in each country have reacted by demoting English from the language of instruction to just a single academic subject. It was reported in each country that math and science skills have improved as a result of students’ ability to access the core curriculum in their native Arabic.
The contrasts between the education systems of the two Gulf countries are more evident at the higher education level. Bahrain and Qatar have established national visions for 2030, with the primary goal being a transition from a carbon-based to a knowledge-based economy. One of the keys to achieving the vision is a strong university system, with an emphasis on STEM fields. Both countries are trying, but Qatar seems to be off to a much grander start. Bahrain Polytechnic is a newly formed university designed to address the needs of students seeking careers in technology fields. In a visit to the campus, there was a palpable focus on tech careers, but the university nonetheless felt quaint. In contrast, Qatar has established an entire education megaplex, “Education City,” and has successfully courted a handful of top-tier American Universities (Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Texas A&M, and Georgetown to name a few) to set up satellite campuses on Qatari soil. Amazingly, Qatar’s government provides full scholarships to any citizen studying domestically or abroad.
Qatar’s Education City is an impressive undertaking, but it remains to be seen whether it will have a profound impact on the country’s ability to establish itself as a knowledge hub in the Gulf region. Will Qataris embrace the world-class education opportunities immediately in front of them, or are they complacent with comfortable government and petrochemical jobs? And will Bahrain, an island kingdom of 700,000, be taken seriously on the world academic stage without partnering with established Western universities like Qatar has? The governments of both Qatar and Bahrain are certainly investing in education, but whether their citizens embrace it en route to the future will determine the likelihood of achieving their visions for 2030.
Evan Dvorak teaches Conceptual and AP Physics at David Starr Jordan High School in Los Angeles.