Mentoring

It seems like only a few years ago that I presented at my first national conference with my mentor, Dr. Pamela Rupert. In actuality, it was 24 years ago. I have come full circle now, working with new colleagues, helping them present at similar conferences a quarter of a century later. Last week, Grant, Carmela, Patrick, and I presented a paper at the National Symposium on Student Retention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Grant and I are old hats at this, having worked together on and off for more than ten years. But this was the first big conference presentation for Patrick and Carmela. Our paper outlined the strategies we have used to raise our developmental education and adult education success rates. We painted a picture of the culture we started in, the related challenges, and the subsequent policies and strategies we have developed. We worked on the presentation for several weeks with help from Christian back in Chicago. The night before our presentation, we decided to overhaul it, and we spent a late night in my hotel room reworking things and eating chocolate ganache cake. We had a minor setback as the German chocolate cake wasn't on the menu, then was, then wasn't again, but we compensated. Grant led off, Patrick and I filled in the middle, then Carmela came on and finished things up with good examples from the adult ed side of the house. We had 21 participants who were fully engaged. They asked several good questions, and a few expressed interest in following up with us in the future.
It was a great week preparing for the presentation, going to other sessions, and exploring Salt Lake City together. It is good to get away with colleagues to recharge a bit. Most importantly, doing these types of presentations give us the luxury to step back and look more broadly at our work and to discuss vision and philosophy. I love being able to work with my colleagues in these kinds of settings. And I feel a little sad for my friends and acquaintances whose lives are filled with platitudes like "don't work too hard" and "your life should include balance." My work is rewarding, I share it with great people, and we serve deserving students, families, and community. What could possibly be a balancing weight to that?

For A Friend That Stops By Now and Again

*Looking at some old posts and drafts and came across this one from several years ago...

It is nice to know you stop by here once in a while. There was a time when I wrote everything here for you. Now, I smile thinking it is an occasional connection that keeps you from drifting away forever. It is one last place we might share new things together, albeit it tenuously and in an avenue of asynchronous sentiment. I am not sure I am ready to relegate you completely to the distant past, only to fade mutely with the remnants of my stubborn pain. I don't think anyone who has had a ghost really wants to give it up. I know there is no path forward other than these poorly constructed intersections and second hand gestures, but it is enough. There are promises and parameters that bind me now, and those limits frustrate and comfort me. There are things I dare not lay down, not knowing how to navigate the loss of their ballast. So no, not everything I write now is designed to draw you in, but if you do stop by, smile and know that there are still ghosts we can feel.  

A New Prototype

I have been intrigued by the notion of building a table for our gala coming this next spring. It will be made from marble, barrel staves, and teak. It could be used as a wine table or a display table. Given the expenses of the materials (in excess of $600), I decided to make a prototype first. The prototype is made from pine tops and bottoms and barrel staves. Hazem, my gifted mechanic, welded a black metal hoop for the center. It turned out very nicely I must say! I wasn't sure what I would do with the prototype once I completed it. At least until a colleague gave me an old adding machine/cash register. I put one and one together (pun intended) and made a fun candy stand for the kids that visit our office. Each child is given a secret code (any combination works though) and then pulls the lever of the adding machine. The drawer pops open with lots of candy :)  It has been a hit so far.....

Back And Unpacked!

I had a pleasant, if not long, journey home yesterday. Thursday, we finished our workshop with the teachers and awarded them certificates for some very hard work. I returned to my hotel and got a few hours of sleep before I packed and waited for my hosts to come pick me up. My flight was at 6:30am the following morning, so it would end up being a long night for them. We made the long drive into Amman and they took me to dinner for some great schwarama in Abdoun. They could have then taken me to the airport, but instead treated me to tea at a cafe. Being the perfect hosts they are, they made sure they stayed with me until I would be able to check in at the airport counter (almost 3:30am). They helped me get all my bags into the airport and we took a few last pictures :( 
They had a long ride back to Irbid, and I bet they didn't get home until almost 6am. I had a very uneventful trip back to Chicago. I was grateful to have a shower in the lounge in Istanbul and some good coffee. On the long flight back home, my seat mate was a very nice young man from Germany. He had a good sense of humor and the flight was very nice. I got a good deal of sleep and Kipp picked me up punctually when I arrived. I got a good night sleep last night, and woke up and unpacked this morning. I was looking forward to having lighter bags on the way back, but no dice. I had bought some gifts for friends at work, and then, of course, my Irbid friends loaded me up with more presents. I think my bags were heavier coming back :)
I will do another post tomorrow with a bit of introspection on the trip. It was an incredible adventure!

Sameh, Moatisim, and Alaa - hanging out in Abdoun

The Last Day With Teachers

Today was a very nice, low-key day with the teachers. We spent an hour or so discussing what they have learned, what they felt, and what they have taken away from this week. They were so introspective - I have never felt better about the time I have put into a group of teachers! They remembered various things I had shared with them, but mostly, they had put together their own thoughts on so many wonderful things. Suad brought cakes and we had our certificate ceremony. There was a lot more to the day of course, but I will selfishly hoard those memories thank you :)

Hanging out, using the basement windows for a mirror :)

Ready to go for the last bit, somewhat tired, but troopers to the end!

Cake Boss comes through again

A few of our graduates :)

Mudeera Saghera closing the ceremonies

Happy Man!

Final Day Of English Camp

We had a wonderful day today! Our English Camp concluded and we had lots of guests that helped us celebrate. I was touched deeply by the families of the special needs children who were so happy their kids were included in the activities and that they would receive certificates for the camp. I have spent only three days with their kids, and I can only imagine the energy, patience, and devotion it must take to care for them full-time. The kids were a lot of fun, and I only got bit once (I probably deserved it). There was a wonderful transition in the activities where the teachers turned the corner and began to understand the children and the children began to trust them. The other kids followed suit and soon it was almost impossible to tell which children were which - except for Hashem of course, who bolted almost every three minutes :)
We identified to Syrian refugees, sisters Zina and Jaina for our scholarships. I am so proud of the work we have done here with the help of dozens and dozens of new and old friends. Never has 20 hour work days been so fun rewarding! I borrow a lot of love and energy, but I feel a crash coming soon........
Thank you to everyone who has helped us with this adventure. Tomorrow, we wrap things up with the teachers and I am off for Chicago. I will miss Arar and its family. Not for too long though :)
From a teacher yesterday: "Mr. Michael today was a really wonderful day and the interaction of the student with us and their integration was more than yesterday. We really enjoyed it. We wish you were with us and tomorrow will be a very wonderful day. We have prepared it well and our performance and interaction will be better and better. New experiences and how to deal with all groups with all love and vitality and patience and teach us how to be in the form of the required, thank you very much for this session"
After a lot of arm twisting, I got the team to go with me to the Yemeni restaurant for some foule, salta, and other yummy goodness :)

Digging the Arar and MVCC T-Shirts :)

Super Teachers

A good role model

Losing the water balloon fight

Payback

Abeer, my favorite dance partner

Suad, the Cake Boss of Irbid

Certificate and MVCC bag time

Zina and Jaina, our scholarship recipients :)

Here with Alaa and Moatisim (the school benefactor)

Our great volunteer, Heba!

The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow

Wow!

Monday was day one of our English Camp and it couldn't have been a better day! We had forty children attend, fifteen of them from the special needs center. The teachers (many of them new and without experience) jumped right into activities with mixed ages and mixed abilities. They did a wonderful job of sorting things out, adapting, and extending their original plans. Most importantly, the teachers reported that the traditional students grew more and more comfortable with the special needs students. This is important as the two groups are almost totally segregated here. The day was punctuated by a SKYPE call with the Moraine Valley crew. For the most part, I will let the pictures speak for themselves :)

Some of our Syrian students arriving early :)

Backward Bowling - sure to catch on

Our friends from the special needs center arrive

Let me in there

Mudeera Saghera leading the call

Lama leading the songs

Feeding the kids (the stars of the call) after a 10 hour day! The kids all got Marvel stuff in their Happy Meals!

Sara is digging the Ms. Marvel book.