Simple Homes. Big Hearts.

Marisa and the elder tribeswoman sharing a smile together

Danny being welcomed to the community 

There have been a lot of experiences, here in Pakistan, that are “firsts” for both of us.  However, our visit to one specific rural village, and an outlying neighborhood of Mirpukhas, have topped the eye opening charts, and maxed out my emotional and inquisitive barometer for me thus far, still leaving me awake at night thinking.  It is difficult to convey in words what these interactions felt like, looked like and the impression they have left on us both.  As teachers, we try our best to encourage our students to “show” rather than “tell” the story.  So in today’s posting, I will try to do this.

To say we were welcomed with open arms would be an understatement. In the village gorgeous hand sewn tapestries were laid out on beds for us to sit on.  The finest teas were served to us, exotic holiday treats were presented on lavish ceramic plates.  We were blessed with traditional scarves and shawls, and prayers were said for us.  The entire village, all consisting of one family: an elder woman who had given birth to many children, 9 of which were still alive, whom had produced 50 plus grandchildren, whom have recently fostered some of their own children.  It was truly a family affair, no pun intended.

The ENTIRE family

 It felt like everyone’s eyes were glued on every single movement we made, expression we showed, and things we said to one another.  At first, when we would make eye contact, especially myself with the women, their faces would turn away, however with time, as we both felt more comfortable with one another, the shy looks turned into deep and inquisitive eye contact, quiet whispers and side comments and even the occasional giggle with family members.  These eyes, belonging to some of the most exquisite and majestic faces I have ever seen, met us with a curiosity that could grace the cover of a National Geographic magazine. 

Junaid and Danny during our first moments in the village.  Definitely a unique and amazing place to visit, absorb,  and take in....had I been tipped off we were going to such a remote place I likely would not have worn such a ridiculous t-shirt.  I think Joe Montana would've been proud of me though.

Some of the younger boys in the village sitting quietly and respectfully, checking out the visitors.

The backbone of the village's nourishment.  This cow gives off 50 lbs of milk a day.  The milk from it and the eggs from the chickens are the main food sources most of the year, other than the occasional goat or chicken roast for special events.  In case you can't tell, that is a HUGE HUGE papa cow.

Malika socializing with some of the children

As westerners growing up in comfortable, and very privileged upbringings there’s absolutely no way for us to relate our lives to the people we visited.  As much as we felt compelled to sympathize for them because they do not having running water for drinking, bathing and cooking, electricity, sustainable nourishment, health care, access to education, cars, what we deem “comfortable” living situations, and the ability to interact, learn from, and see people from other parts of the world through the internet, television, and radios, these people wore some of the grandest smiles, walking with immense pride when they were able to show us their animals, their soccer field, their homes, serve us tea and dessert, and humbly welcome us into their simple lifestyle. 

The goat stole the show in this one!

Marisa is all smiles after being adorned with a beautiful traditional chadar

Malika wearing the sindhi ajrak she was given by the villagers.  

I think we should've tried to organize a name game of some kind...

     

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY kids

  The frustrations, disappointments, hassles, anxiety, and stresses we as Americans may experience because of finances, work, relationships, an uncertainty about the future, a slow internet connection, having to wait a long time at Kaiser or in line for gas, feeling frustrated by MUNI and other forms of public transportation, parking our cars (maybe I’m alone on that one?), do not factor into these people’s lives.  I understand when we went to visit, we were given the red carpet treatment and everyone wore their smile proudly, however I firmly believe smiling and happiness is a way of life, a natural learned behavior passed down through the generations with the communities of people we met.  Surely there are a myriad of complications, agonizing challenges, difficult decisions, heartache and heartbreak, stresses, and discomforts we did not learn about and were not exposed to other than what we were able to observe with our eyes and imagination.  However, for this brief couple of hours in their life and ours, we were all sharing a forever memorable experience.  And although our communication through Urdu was limited and somewhat brief, we could tell how special it was for them to have us in their space, and I want to truly believe they too could feel the admiration and respect we felt to be in theirs. 

Beautiful children

The things we shared on the surface and at the material level were non existent, however those that are felt inside someone’s body: respect, curiosity, compassion, interest, desire, inquisitiveness, the wanting to ask questions, the desire to make a simple physical connection through a handshake or hug were felt by everyone that day.  I hope you enjoy the pictures, they really do not give justice to what we were all feeling that beautiful Wednesday afternoon deep in the heart of Pakistan.

Me and the boys taking a quick pic on the soccer field.  These kids were STOKED to be in a photo and even more jazzed to see what themselves on digital screen afterward.  

Soccer in the school yard...

Lots and lots of curious faces looking on and wondering what was going on in their neighborhood.

Kids LOVE having their photo taken

And they especially love when they get to see the picture afterward.

                  This a short video of some of the soccer player boys loving their time on camera.

 This is a short video of the drive down one of the streets of Mirpukhas up to the gates of the "Government High School".  This is the reality tens of millions of people in Pakistan are living in, and hundreds of millions of other people throughout the world experience everyday....

Photograph of a classroom through a barred up window.  Public School.  2012.  Mirpukhas, Pakistan.  Not 1912 like you may have thought....notice no backs on the benches.  

School improvement list for the "Government High School" in Mirpukhas

A humbling first week with the future of Pakistan...

Lots of collaboration and sharing of ideas.

After our first three days of facilitating the teacher training workshop at the FI Foundation School in the village of Mirpukhas, it has become very clear how meaningful our time, ideas, thoughts, open ended questions and answers are for these teachers. Marisa and I share a child centered teaching philosophy. While here in Pakistan we are placing particular emphasis on building positive healthy relationships in the classroom, amongst students and teachers.  We want to help these teachers understand the relevance in how student’s think about themselves as students, how they can set goals, how they can express their feelings, ideas, thoughts, and emotions all have equal impact into a child’s social, emotional, and academic development.   What we might deem as common place in school’s throughout parts of the United States, this progressive approach toward education have come across as revolutionary ideas for many of these teachers.  It is not that the teachers here are unaware of these things, rather, they have not been encouraged and told of the importance of making these critically important child development concepts as a component in their teaching style and practice. 

Some solid one-on-one between teacher and teacher. 

The teachers here are aware some of their students misbehave, are unengaged, apathetic, easily distracted, unorganized, lazy, and unhappy at school.  These are common realities that happen in schools all over the world.  However, how to go about best supporting students who are feeling these challenges and pains are daily struggles some teachers, especially in developing communities, do not know where to start with, and how to manage on a consistent basis.  Marisa and I are fortunate enough to have been trained in how to better manage student’s experiencing these behaviors, we know the value of collaboration with our colleagues, we’ve been supported by previous administrators, we attended formal teacher training graduate school programs, and professional development workshops.  Although this is a new experience for us as well, it is clear to us that ALL the information we have brought to share with the teachers in this rural and developing community is being soaked up with open eyes, ears, and extreme curiosity. 

Communication is something we have stressed since day one of the training.  It's been wonderful to see it happening on a more consistent basis, even between a 2nd grade teacher and high school physics teacher.    

Junaid translating from his heart.

Teachers looking for teacher approval. 

Lots of check-ins all week long.  Modeling our best teaching practices as much as we can!

The discussion of rearranging classroom desks into a U shape, semi circle, and table groups, as a way to mix things up was a totally foreign concept to them met with extreme excitement.  Classroom timing is a huge reality many of the teachers struggle with throughout their day, not sure how to fit everything into their busy days.  Classroom management, and how to keep students engaged and participating, eager to be in school is felt by practically all the teachers we have met so far.  Teachers that are in their 4^th or 6^th years of teaching at these schools are not sure how to juggle the stresses and realities most first and second year teachers in the U.S. spend afternoons, evenings, and sleepless hours trying to figure out.  The challenges in education are the same at schools throughout the world, however having the support system in place, the leadership, the wisdom, the guidance, the confidence in implementing new ideas a try to see if they work and being ok with moving on to the next type of management are risks these teachers do not necessarily feel comfortable trying.  It has been our goal to help them know making mistakes is part of being a teacher, as well as an important lesson for students to learn and feel comfortable with as well. 

Each day we enter the school in the morning we are met with immense praise and respect.  During short breaks and when we leave at the end of each day teachers flock to us with admonishment, wanting to take pictures with us, shake our hands, look us deeply in the eye and say thank you from the bottom of their heart. This feeling of reverence makes it feel as if these teachers think we have been master teachers for 10 years. Rather, we are young teachers who have taken a leap of faith on what has so far felt like a life changing and eye opening experience.  There are no professional development and graduate school courses or programs offered by Stanford, Columbia, Teach for America, or any other highly regarded teaching institution in the U.S. that can come close to offering and providing the experience and feelings we have been flooded with during our first few days in this quaint village, which truly feels like it is in the middle of nowhere.   We have come on this unique and critically thought processing adventure with the hope we can share with others what we have been fortunate to enough to learn. 

Happy teachers.  Happy Principal.

It is an intense feeling to bring your ideas, what you deem “best practices” into someone else’s culture.  We are explicitly clear when we use the language that these are “mere suggestions”, “new techniques, new approaches, new ideas” you may want to try, only if you want to, only if it seems appropriate for you, your students, your style, your school’s community.  There are many questions brought our way in English, broken English, in Urdu and Sindhi( the local Pakistani languages).  Whether communicating in English, or through an interpreter we are simply trying our best to help support these teachers with their questions, concerns, and unending curiosities about how to adapt the activities, lectures, lesson plans, and philosophies we are sharing with them. 

Morning assembly at school

The administration, the volunteers, the American Pakistanis = solid team.  Left to right, Vice Principal, Principal, Danny, Marisa, Malika, Shanzeh, Junaid

Morning assembly at school.  The schools pulled out all the bells and whistles for the "special visitors", singing, prayers, announcements, all led by the students. 

Curious 2nd grade students, wondering, "who are these visitors?" 

Greeting the Kindergarten class

Mickey Mouse is a legend all over the world!

Counting to 100 in Kindergarten

Marisa working with some 3rd grade boys on a lesson about factoring.

Marisa and a student check the factor tree numbers

A second student comes up to check her friend's work on the board.

3rd grade students attempt to solve some math grade problems together. 

Junaid is introducing Danny and Marisa to the teacher of the FI Foundation school during our first day of teacher training.  

Marisa introducing the week's schedule to the teachers. 

Danny and Sama are making a first day connection

Danny leads the group in some morning stretches, as well as 30 second dance party.  This was met with some odd looks at first, and a lot of laughs by the time we were all done and ready to sit down and get started. 

Danny introduces the "Grow Your Garden" activity, with Shazeb as the interpreter.  

Teachers work on their "gardens", taking diligent care and pride in their work.  

Teachers looking for Danny's feedback.  The teachers in Mirpukhas wanted Marisa and I to evaluate and "write comments and sign" every piece of work they produced or activity we did....a bit exhausting, however, very rewarding to see their appreciative smiles following our comments. 

The principal showing off his lovely flower. 

Comments for dayyyyyys! 

A beautiful drawing by one of the teachers.

Nursery school and kindergaten students filing off to class following the morning assembly. 

Some proud 3rd grade boys...notice the classic mischievous look in the boy's smile on the right....kids are kids, no matter where they come from. 

We will be here in Mirpukhas one more day.  We have created “Certificates of Completion of Professional Development” to hand out to all 29 teachers and 4 administrators tomorrow before we bid farewell to them.  What may seem like merely a certificate to us, will surely be a crowing moment in many of these aspiring teacher’s teaching careers.  I can not wait to hand out certificates, shake the hands of someone who is elated and proud of their hard work, while looking at the camera for a photo.  It is going to be awesome!