guest - stacy duren “Oh Man, Oman!”
A Perspective on Diversity in International Schools Stacy Duren, Muscat, Oman
A
As our world gets smaller and music edu- cation students look farther away to find positions, it will be interesting to see what the impact might be on our public schools in the U.S. In the meantime, it is really exciting to hear about their experiences and important for them to share their lives with us. Here is a perspective from Stacy Duren, who graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and completed her student teaching semester in Oregon Public Schools in the fall of 2009.
~ Leyla Sanyer
A young woman, a recent college gradu- ate, a midwestern belle, boarded a plane. She left behind a life she had known for 23 years; armed with two suitcases, a vio- lin and a belief that anything is possible. Eighteen hours later, 10 time zones ahead, a weary woman, not quite as young and no longer in the Midwest, stepped off an airplane, boarded a shuttle bus and found herself in Muscat, Oman…
From the beginning, my teaching phi- losophy was steeped in the belief that multiculturalism and diversity education were vastly important. This conviction is what drove me to a career in overseas teaching, but now I feel that I have a much deeper understanding of what this means, and how to involve these ideas in my lessons.
The American-British Academy (ABA), where I teach, is diverse. Families come from all over the world to work and live in Oman, and a slice of this demographic comes to learn at ABA. These amaz- ing students speak over 50 different languages, and countless countries are represented.
The diversity at ABA is incredible, and provides great learning opportunities. However, as a first-year teacher with a limited supply of tricks up my sleeve, I found all this diversity a bit daunting.
32
Because the students come from such different backgrounds, their learning and experiences are all over the place. In order to sing songs about autumn, we needed a lengthy discussion about seasons, why leaves change color (they stay green all year in Oman) and even what decidu- ous trees look like. For winter songs, a conversation about snow, an explanation of snow pants, pictures of skis and sleds and a diagram of a sleigh. Thanksgiving was even more complicated, because Canadians celebrate six weeks ahead of Americans and nobody else around the world has a holiday centered around eating a turkey dinner.
While the students have been learning about cultures, places and customs from outside Oman (namely the United States), they have been teaching me as well. Indian students brought in native music during their Diwali celebrations, and German students explained why they set their shoes outside their doors in early December. Students from Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan and Oman educated their classmates about the two Eid celebrations every year, and showed their devotion to their religion by fasting during the holy month of Rama- dan. A Nigerian student taught her class a native dance, while a boy from Turkey translated “Frere Jacques” into Turkish. Students are proud of their culture, tradi- tions and heritage, and love to share these
“From the beginning, my teaching philosophy was steeped in the belief that multiculturalism and diversity education were vastly important.”
Visit Stacy Duren’s blog about Oman culture and school life at http://ohmanoman2010.
blogspot.com/
unique bits of their home life at school. I have learned many things this year, but one trait stands above the rest. Early in the year, I would become frustrated with these constant interludes, interruptions and tangents. I was on a deadline! I had unit plans to follow, skills to teach! However, the most important lesson I have learned, and the most valuable wisdom I can im- part, is the power of flexibility. Lessons cannot have an impact if the students lack a cultural reference for the songs or stories I use in class, and if students are still engaged and have further questions at the end of a unit, then the unit is not finished. I have discovered that learning is fluid, and children do not understand that lesson plans put questions in order and skills in a sequence.
I tell my students that at the end of the day, I do not care if they do not become musicians, or go on to play an instrument, or pursue higher music. I do care that they make connections, learn about the value of self-expression and understand the importance of diversity. I hope that once they leave my classroom, these stu- dents use the skills they have learned to express themselves and relate to others in meaningful ways. I hope that my discov- ery of flexibility translates into flexibility in their lives and schedules, and that they continue to investigate and take pride in the diversity around them.
Stacy Duren, a Wisconsin native from Sun Prairie, is a first-year elementary music teacher in Muscat, Oman. Email:
sduren@abaoman.edu.om
April 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76