Friday, February 24

I finally have a moment to report on our peaceful protest at school. (Okay, that's not true. I've had lots of moments, but this is the first one I'm taking.) The protest was really great. I was proud of our students. I have never seen them so quiet and respectful, and I really mean never since Egyptian students LOVE to talk. Things could have gone the other way, with lots of rowdiness. Several of our students gave speeches ranging from "who is the prophet?" to "shame on us as Muslims for behaving so badly in response to the cartoons." I was proud of the students for saying, "Hey we don't agree with this," and then fighting back in a peaceful way. I was happy that they codemned the actions of those who were burning embassies, etc.

I think too often we see only the violent images of Muslims in the world. We see protests where they burn KFCs and McDonalds, or we see Muslims chanting in the streets, carrying guns. To be honest, most of our students are just your average, everyday people. Their first reaction is not violence. Many of them condemn it. It's probably equal to the number of Americans who would respond with violence. As the students pointed out in their speeches, true Islam and the word itself, means "peace."

I have been really pleased with my twelfth-grade students lately. We are holding debates in class, and I've been teaching the students how to make sure that you have proof, evidence, and logical reasoning. They have come a long way since I began teaching them last year. Many of them have realized that they have to support their ideas and not just follow a doctrine blindly. Of course, many of them still do. I get frustrated when their reasoning is, "because our religion says so." I know this shouldn't bother me, but coming from such a secular society, it's hard to get used to religion being the basis of so much thinking. On the other hand, I sort of admire them for sticking so faithfully to their religion.

I've also been proud of a few of our students who want to make things better. I walked into Joe's Model United Nations club last week, and the girls were asking Joe, "How do we change the West's minds about Muslims?" We continued to have a good debate/discussion about the views of the western world, why they are that way, and what can be done. I was very pleased to hear two girls comment that they came to the American system of education because they wanted to be able to talk, to explore ideas, and to learn to think for themselves. (Unfortunately many students come because they think it will be easy and it's a way to "pay" their way into college.) The students who come for the real principles of American education are not that many.

I have been struggling with this immensely in class. I teach an eleventh grade class where many of the students have just transferred from the Egyptian national system of education. They really cannot think. It's bizarre. For a project, I asked them to create something relating to a book. I wanted them to draw their own picture, create a movie poster, make a cartoon, etc. I would say 80% of the kids came back with the cover of the book photocopied. They just don't realize that photocopying is not creativity. I gave them an assignment to rewrite a scene from a book from a different character's point of view. I'd say only 5% did it. The thought of thinking outside the box was too overwhelming for the rest of them. This is how it is. They are not encouraged to think, create, or respond in any unique way. They are taught to memorize or cheat. Very frustrating when you come from a very different system.

Back to the protest, though, they ended up the afternoon of speeches with a silent protest in the courtyard. (Again, I've never seen them quiet for anything!) The students ask me all the time if I like Egypt and if I'm glad I came here. I'm so glad. I feel very fortunate to have been educated in this way. I really never knew. I never knew anything about Muslims and the Middle East. I only wish that I could share this education with everyone. I really think it might change the way the world is today.