Aga Khan

Earlier this past week I participated in an Aga Khan workshop in English. It was 5 days and I missed the majority of it I was just too busy but I really tried to come a lot on Monday and Tuesday because I loved it so much. Unfortunately Tuesday was the last day. It was held at my university with other teachers from my university and teachers from other branches. Most of the 12 or so participants were women. There was two other active men.
One day we talked about women's role in society it was very interesting. Our reading the night before was by Simone de Beauvoir "The Second Sex." It was very difficult for the teachers to read but it was great for me and I helped others understand. Beauvoir concludes many things one of which is true here. That is that women accept their "other" status and don't often work collectively to change their status. I had a young women telling me that "statistics show that men are more clever than women." I said what statistics? No response on her part. Most women submit and accept because they consider it normal and the only way. The question is what is best? What is right? Maybe it isn't the American way many don't think it is.
I had one incredibly bright young woman tell me that "people here are not used to critical thinking." That really lights my fire when I here that. I had a hard time not taking over the whole workshop and allowing the trainer to do her job. I still get rilled up just thinking about it. Because that is exactly what people need they need to become critical questioning people that aren't afraid of the big tough questions.
I thought it was interesting that while the Tuesday workshop was happening a singing competition was also going on simultaneously at the university. Everyone asked why I didn't come and watch. I said I was busy with more important things but people were really excited about bad lip syncing. Imagine if people were that excited about debating if modernization means westernization or the role of women in society. I hate glossing over things all the time and pretending like nothing is wrong. I think lip syncing is a pretty good analogy here.

Anyway I also presented my syllabus from WHS. The other teachers' assignment was to make one. One or two did. We also talked about tollerance and technology in society. I explained why Truman decided to use the atomic bombs on Japan in 1945. Most still thought it was a mistake.
later in the week I also gave an impromptu short history lesson on the Vietnam War at the American Corner. I get into everything here.
Aga Khan's goal is not to change ideas but to get people to think for themselves which is my goal too. The workshop was presented in a very western way that's probably why I liked it.
Things like a syllabus or a concept map graphic organizer are new things for the teachers here. They are bread and butter things in the U.S. but people here are slowly very slowly coming to these new ideas. And these new ideas I believe are better ideas.