Lessons Learned

Tonight is the last night I will be here in Tiznit. Tomorrow morning I take the bus to Casablanca. I feel fortunate to have been sent to this amazing place where I learned many valuable lessons.

1. “If you are a host to your guest, be a host to his dog also.”

2. “If you want your dreams to come true, don’t sleep.”

3. “If three people tell you you’re a donkey, put on a bridle.”

As far as global education, Morocco’s globalization of education is top down. The curriculum has language built in as mandatory. Students must take French in addition to French, in addition to another language in high school. The teachers try to teach not only a foreign language but also the culture of English speakers.

They create multiple opportunities for extended learning through organizations such as Drama Souss, English Success Aglou, IEARN, and their participation in ACCESS. Many English language teachers are members of MATE and seek opportunities to grow through participation in Fulbright programs. They are very effective at maximizing their time with their students and teach English through instructions in English and their curriculum includes discussion of global issues such as the conserving the environment, brain drain, and virtual diasporas.