51视频

08/21/2018
By Katharine Webster

Lesson No. 1 in critical thinking: The United States is a prosperous country, but ordinary people here face many of the same problems as their counterparts around the world.

鈥淚 learned that people are people everywhere. For example, society is male-dominated here, not in Egypt only. We are not alone,鈥� says Eman Wally, a senior English language instructor at Cairo University who came to 51视频 as part of a State Department-funded exchange program this summer.

Wally was one of 25 professors and teachers of English from northern Africa, the Middle East, India, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia who came for a two-week intensive course in teaching critical thinking skills through their American English classes, especially how to question and analyze texts such as stories and news articles.

The program, led by College of Education Prof. A.J. Angulo and Associate Dean Sharon Subreenduth, was funded by the U.S. State Department鈥檚 Office of English Language Programs, part of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.聽

The participants went through a rigorous selection process with help from a nonprofit partner, FHI 360, and U.S. embassies in their home countries, Angulo says.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 very competitive, and it鈥檚 an honor for them to be selected,鈥� Angulo says. 鈥淢any of these educators come from disadvantaged communities. They鈥檙e high-performing, highly motivated, very energetic, and they don鈥檛 take anything for granted. They鈥檙e here for a short period of time, and they know their experience is once in a lifetime.鈥�

The grant was highly competitive, too: 51视频 beat out 16 other universities to host the Critical Thinking Skills Exchange scholars, thanks to the curriculum, which takes advantage of Lowell鈥檚 reputation and resources as a city that welcomes immigrants from around the world.

Working with faculty from the colleges of Education and Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, along with community partners including UTEC and TeenBLOCK, Angulo and Subreenduth designed a program that emphasized hands-on learning exercises and games, technology and curriculum development.聽

The educators鈥� stay also included educational outings to Boston, Cambridge and the Lowell National Historical Park, bowling, shopping and a youth-led urban dance festival, Dance for Peace.

Nezha Youssefi, who teaches 14- to-18-year-old midlevel students in Fez, Morocco, says she was impressed by all of the creative and expressive opportunities for young people here. At her school, she invites her students to share their talents at the end of each term by singing, dancing, acting or reading their poetry aloud, but there is little support for such activities, she says.

Youssefi, a teacher-trainer, hopes to change that by sharing what she鈥檚 learned about student empowerment with other teachers.

鈥淢y students are motivated, gifted and creative, but they don鈥檛 have spaces, materials and encouragement to share their talents and gifts,鈥� she says.聽

Halima Kounniba, a high school teacher from Zagoura in southern Morocco, agrees that the education system in Morocco emphasizes rote learning rather than critical thinking. Students are focused on getting a degree that will guarantee them a safe job 鈥� often with the government 鈥� so they can buy a house and raise a family, she says. They lack confidence in their own creativity and abilities and also face cultural barriers.

Her biggest takeaway from the exchange program? Teaching critical thinking is about getting students to ask questions, not just acquire facts.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not what we teach them; it鈥檚 how we teach them, so that they can think and learn for themselves,鈥� she says.聽

Angulo, who like Subreenduth has worked on other State Department Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau grants to host international educators, says the visitors often leave with a more positive view of the United States and its people, as well as friendships and collegial relationships with each other.聽

San Sam, an English instructor and counselor at Pa帽帽茫s茫stra University of Cambodia, says he was impressed with the way American people help each other, whether at the grocery store or in programs like UTEC, which helps young people with criminal records leave gangs, complete their education, get vocational training and find jobs.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a good community here,鈥� Sam says. 鈥淧eople can work closely, it鈥檚 a positive environment and people can ask for help.鈥�

Wally says she was impressed that, at the Dance for Peace, people of all racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds came together.

鈥淚 like the acceptance part, that you don鈥檛 judge each other according to color, religion or social standards. This is something we need to learn,鈥� she says.聽

鈥淧ersonally and professionally, I鈥檝e learned a lot. I will return a whole new person.鈥�