Imagine getting the chance to run a class of 25 8th graders in a public school, once a week, for ten weeks, and work with them on topics like learning more about themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, how to deal with their surroundings and their society, and introducing to them the concept of volunteerism. And then at the end of the semester, you get them to volunteer with some community program or NGO.
This is something you get to do through a program called INJAZ, which I’m sure many of you are aware of. I started writing an introduction on what INJAZ is all about, but then I figured, right now I just want to tell you about the experience I had yesterday at my first session with 8th-grade girls. So I’ll save the intros and background and yada yada stuff for later :)
As much as I was excited about being a class facilitator, I was quite nervous and not sure what to expect. These are 13 and 14 year-old girls… the age when they start developing an attitude, when they don’t want to listen, when you have to be careful not to come out too preachy!
I arrived at the school – a large public school for girls – and was shown to my class by a teacher. The minute I walked in with her, faces started turning and they started asking “INJAZ? INJAZ??” She didn’t do much introduction, just told them that I’m their Injaz facilitator and that I’ll be coming every other week. Excuse me? I’m supposed to come every Wednesday… where did you get the ‘every other week’ plan?
I found it funny that some girls were busy playing monopoly :) but eventually they put the board away. I started by introducing myself, then asking them what they know about INJAZ, then telling them a bit about the program and their particular course. They were all listening very attentively, and in my head I was like “oh my God oh my God they’re all listening, they’re actually listening!”
I asked them to introduce themselves by saying their name and then sharing something different about themselves, something simple… anything. The first few girls were giggling and confused and didn’t know what to say, but eventually, they started sharing all sorts of things; one girl loves cats, one said she is very curious and loves to know everything, another said she loves going out a lot but her parents make her stay home with her tawjihi sister. Many of them said they love going with their moms shopping, one girl said she loves football but has no one to play with… then most of them started expressing how much they love the Italian team!! Do I blame the guys for what they say about girls and supporting Italy? Well, maybe not!! Eft!
One girl sitting in the corner, with her uniform collar unbuttoned, and her legs up on the chair, sat very quietly and didn’t want to say anything, but then the others told her she should say the truth; that she’s a trouble maker. She nodded in agreement. I told her that she seems like the smart type of trouble maker, because she’s very quiet, so she does it “min ta7t la ta7t”… she just smiled, shrugged it off, and didn’t say anything till the rest of the class. Something about her intrigued me… I don’t know!
Afterwards, we were supposed to all agree on the rules of conduct. I asked them what rules they think we should have… and one girl asked “no chewing gum”? I told them that I really don’t mind if they chew gum, so long as they don’t use it as jaw-exercise or for balloon-popping competitions. We agreed on some basic points; active listening, not interrupting each other, sticking to the point being discussed, respecting differences in opinions, and respecting each other’s time. Of course it’s easier said than done, because a few minutes later, while discussing a point, girls would be raising their hands and saying “ya miss ya miss” without listening to what was being said the girl whose turn it is.
This was just an introductory session, but next week we’ll be addressing the concept of “expectations”, as well as getting to know ourselves, our different roles, rights, and responsibilities. I gave them an optional assignment, for each one to write a short description of herself, and then to ask her parents, siblings, and friends to write a few lines to describe her. The idea is to see how different people perceive us, and how we perceive ourselves, and if there’s a difference! I also asked them to write what their expectations are from the course, to prepare for discussing expectations.
I realized that 45 minutes once a week is nothing, and that there’s so much that can be done with these girls. I’ve been getting ideas nonstop since yesterday, of what guest speakers to bring, where to take them, how to decorate the bare and unused bulletin boards in the classroom… AND – the idea I’m excited about the most – how to set up a small library in class, and create incentives for reading. Problem is, I’m not sure what the most interesting books for girls this age are. If anyone has any recommendations please tell me. I have a couple of resources that I’m going to check, and I still haven’t had the chance to go to the Amman Book Fair (I have two days left :S ) If you know anyone who’d be interested in donating some good books, let me know. I didn’t check out their school library yet, but anyways, I think I’d like to create something small inside the classroom that can be easier to access. Or perhaps, we can create some kind of a Saturday book club or something.
Oh well, I can get carried away when I start thinking of such ideas… too many ideas too little time is such an annoying dilemma! I do have my hands full right now, but I really hope I will be able to make a difference for these young girls… somehow…
I’ll keep you posted on how the course goes :)
This is something you get to do through a program called INJAZ, which I’m sure many of you are aware of. I started writing an introduction on what INJAZ is all about, but then I figured, right now I just want to tell you about the experience I had yesterday at my first session with 8th-grade girls. So I’ll save the intros and background and yada yada stuff for later :)
As much as I was excited about being a class facilitator, I was quite nervous and not sure what to expect. These are 13 and 14 year-old girls… the age when they start developing an attitude, when they don’t want to listen, when you have to be careful not to come out too preachy!
I arrived at the school – a large public school for girls – and was shown to my class by a teacher. The minute I walked in with her, faces started turning and they started asking “INJAZ? INJAZ??” She didn’t do much introduction, just told them that I’m their Injaz facilitator and that I’ll be coming every other week. Excuse me? I’m supposed to come every Wednesday… where did you get the ‘every other week’ plan?
I found it funny that some girls were busy playing monopoly :) but eventually they put the board away. I started by introducing myself, then asking them what they know about INJAZ, then telling them a bit about the program and their particular course. They were all listening very attentively, and in my head I was like “oh my God oh my God they’re all listening, they’re actually listening!”
I asked them to introduce themselves by saying their name and then sharing something different about themselves, something simple… anything. The first few girls were giggling and confused and didn’t know what to say, but eventually, they started sharing all sorts of things; one girl loves cats, one said she is very curious and loves to know everything, another said she loves going out a lot but her parents make her stay home with her tawjihi sister. Many of them said they love going with their moms shopping, one girl said she loves football but has no one to play with… then most of them started expressing how much they love the Italian team!! Do I blame the guys for what they say about girls and supporting Italy? Well, maybe not!! Eft!
One girl sitting in the corner, with her uniform collar unbuttoned, and her legs up on the chair, sat very quietly and didn’t want to say anything, but then the others told her she should say the truth; that she’s a trouble maker. She nodded in agreement. I told her that she seems like the smart type of trouble maker, because she’s very quiet, so she does it “min ta7t la ta7t”… she just smiled, shrugged it off, and didn’t say anything till the rest of the class. Something about her intrigued me… I don’t know!
Afterwards, we were supposed to all agree on the rules of conduct. I asked them what rules they think we should have… and one girl asked “no chewing gum”? I told them that I really don’t mind if they chew gum, so long as they don’t use it as jaw-exercise or for balloon-popping competitions. We agreed on some basic points; active listening, not interrupting each other, sticking to the point being discussed, respecting differences in opinions, and respecting each other’s time. Of course it’s easier said than done, because a few minutes later, while discussing a point, girls would be raising their hands and saying “ya miss ya miss” without listening to what was being said the girl whose turn it is.
This was just an introductory session, but next week we’ll be addressing the concept of “expectations”, as well as getting to know ourselves, our different roles, rights, and responsibilities. I gave them an optional assignment, for each one to write a short description of herself, and then to ask her parents, siblings, and friends to write a few lines to describe her. The idea is to see how different people perceive us, and how we perceive ourselves, and if there’s a difference! I also asked them to write what their expectations are from the course, to prepare for discussing expectations.
I realized that 45 minutes once a week is nothing, and that there’s so much that can be done with these girls. I’ve been getting ideas nonstop since yesterday, of what guest speakers to bring, where to take them, how to decorate the bare and unused bulletin boards in the classroom… AND – the idea I’m excited about the most – how to set up a small library in class, and create incentives for reading. Problem is, I’m not sure what the most interesting books for girls this age are. If anyone has any recommendations please tell me. I have a couple of resources that I’m going to check, and I still haven’t had the chance to go to the Amman Book Fair (I have two days left :S ) If you know anyone who’d be interested in donating some good books, let me know. I didn’t check out their school library yet, but anyways, I think I’d like to create something small inside the classroom that can be easier to access. Or perhaps, we can create some kind of a Saturday book club or something.
Oh well, I can get carried away when I start thinking of such ideas… too many ideas too little time is such an annoying dilemma! I do have my hands full right now, but I really hope I will be able to make a difference for these young girls… somehow…
I’ll keep you posted on how the course goes :)
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