Brother and neighbors

My host brother Yosshine.


Hassan (11) and Oumayma (7), the children of my neighbor Meddi, who is a professor in Oujda and is returning next week to begin the school year. Like elsewhere, children here are ornery. And they love to make fun of me; laughing at my strange behavior, attempting to teach me dirty words, and imitating my arabic.

I think there’s a difference between these city kids, Hassan and Oumayma, and those in my village. Besides a father whose a professor and living in a city of half a million, they attend a private school, where teachers don’t use the rote memorization used in public schools, but encourage critical thinking and problem solving. The result is that in general, these children have more self confidence.

I’ve read that educational reform in the Arab world is being led by the United Arab Emirates. Arab scholar Muhammad Boneb from Qatar call this a change from monologue to dialogue learning. “Our Arab culture has been raised on monologue. Hey listen, but don’t talk. Today, we have to give children the opportunity to talk.”