There's big news in the The National paper today about this country. It is about this town that I live in - Al Ain - and the fact that it has been chosen to build a component of the new Boeing 777 and 787 airplanes. It is Boeing's first supply deal in the Arab world.
Also, Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic has chosen Abu Dhabi as its second spaceport. New Mexico houses the first.
Both of these stories got lots of ink.
In other news . . .
Not sure if I mentioned it before, but the UAE has its hand in Hollywood, too, by providing funding for movies. The most notable ones are Contagion and The Help.
In many ways, this is an extraordinary, forward thinking country, with their space-age architecture and buildings that defy nature. They are making this the place to be in the Middle East, and ultimately, the world. They have made home so attractive, the percentage of nationals who leave the country is very small. There is a strong emphasis on culture and heritage and making sure the young folks are raised with full knowledge of where they come from.
That's what may account for any push back that this latest education reform may bring. In their effort to bring international standards to their educational system, there is the fear that the emphasis on local history and customs will be lost. Frankly, I think they're right to protect that.
Random thoughts . . .
Your mobile phone number is used like your Social Security Number in the US. Every store purchase is attached to it, every utility setup, and every bill. It acts as your account number for all of these entities.
Speaking of phones - I used to pride myself on being able to remember phone numbers easily. Not so here because there's no standard way to say them. For example, my cell phone number is 0509174857. We would say 050 917 4857. Some folks here would say 0509 174 857. Others might say 05 09 17 48 57. As a result of this inconsistency in the way they're stated, it's hard to remember.
Final thoughts . . .
I've been home for the past two days recovering from this bout of the flu or whatever it is. I've spent most of my time on the sofa reading and watching TV.
Work will be intense for the next few weeks as we're completing the second round of staff evaluations and I have to be ready to run when I hit the door.
Yes. You read right. Evaluations, complete with formal observations, are done twice a year. We have a staff of at least 125, with 75 of that number being teachers. The others are support staff. It's only the teachers with two evaluations per year, but it's still pretty intense to get them all done in the allotted time.
OK. Last thing.
It has been fascinating for me observing the Arab staff teach in their native language. What is so interesting is how much you can understand about what's happening by the body language of the teachers and students. You certainly can tell whether the students are engaged and actively responding to what is being taught. There is an Arab Head of Faculty that goes with me to these classes and I question her about the content when we debrief.
Every day brings a new experience.
I'm making a liar out of the adage, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."
Also, Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic has chosen Abu Dhabi as its second spaceport. New Mexico houses the first.
Both of these stories got lots of ink.
In other news . . .
Not sure if I mentioned it before, but the UAE has its hand in Hollywood, too, by providing funding for movies. The most notable ones are Contagion and The Help.
In many ways, this is an extraordinary, forward thinking country, with their space-age architecture and buildings that defy nature. They are making this the place to be in the Middle East, and ultimately, the world. They have made home so attractive, the percentage of nationals who leave the country is very small. There is a strong emphasis on culture and heritage and making sure the young folks are raised with full knowledge of where they come from.
That's what may account for any push back that this latest education reform may bring. In their effort to bring international standards to their educational system, there is the fear that the emphasis on local history and customs will be lost. Frankly, I think they're right to protect that.
Random thoughts . . .
Your mobile phone number is used like your Social Security Number in the US. Every store purchase is attached to it, every utility setup, and every bill. It acts as your account number for all of these entities.
Speaking of phones - I used to pride myself on being able to remember phone numbers easily. Not so here because there's no standard way to say them. For example, my cell phone number is 0509174857. We would say 050 917 4857. Some folks here would say 0509 174 857. Others might say 05 09 17 48 57. As a result of this inconsistency in the way they're stated, it's hard to remember.
Final thoughts . . .
I've been home for the past two days recovering from this bout of the flu or whatever it is. I've spent most of my time on the sofa reading and watching TV.
Work will be intense for the next few weeks as we're completing the second round of staff evaluations and I have to be ready to run when I hit the door.
Yes. You read right. Evaluations, complete with formal observations, are done twice a year. We have a staff of at least 125, with 75 of that number being teachers. The others are support staff. It's only the teachers with two evaluations per year, but it's still pretty intense to get them all done in the allotted time.
OK. Last thing.
It has been fascinating for me observing the Arab staff teach in their native language. What is so interesting is how much you can understand about what's happening by the body language of the teachers and students. You certainly can tell whether the students are engaged and actively responding to what is being taught. There is an Arab Head of Faculty that goes with me to these classes and I question her about the content when we debrief.
Every day brings a new experience.
I'm making a liar out of the adage, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."
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