Rabat

Education with Amazing Educators

For the past week, Stephanie and I had explored Marrakesh with Meriem where we ran all day from 7:30 AM until 11 at night. We saw so much and had such little time! In Rabat, things slowed down a little and we got to know the other educators in our cohort along with visiting historical sights, becoming better informed about the culture and education of Morocco, and interfacing with each other and amazing educators working internationally.

At the gate of the Kasbah of Rabat, a 10th Century fortification and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We couldn't go inside the walls due to renovations, but enjoyed the grounds, the view, and the storks who have made it their home.

The Mosque of Sale is the 3rd largest in Morocco. Originally built around 1028, but has been rebuilt many times including the 12th century and the 14th century. The kings of Morocco are buried on these grounds, and some of the columns are original.

At 250 feet, the Mohammed VI Tower will be the tallest building in Morocco, and the 2nd tallest in Africa (behind The Pinnacle which is slated to be completed soon in Kenya.) Started in July, 2015 with a shape inspired by a rocket launch, it is expected to be completed in 2023.

At the Mohammed Institute of Islamic Culture and Qu'oranic Studies, we spoke with the director. He explained how the lobby has seven elements: plaster, glass, tile/ ceramics, stone, wood and metal and crystal. These crafts have been long admired and taught within Islamic culture, but the crafts are in need of craftsmen who are able to master them. Like mosques and other places of interest within the culture, the art is natural, abstract, and colorful. One of goals of the center is to teach students to speak English in order to communicate about and better understand issues and tenets of Islam.

As part of our visit to the Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS) with the Mohamed V University teacher trainees, I gave a presentation on the Project Zero Thinking routines of "See, Think, Wonder" and "See, Think, Me, We."

We discovered a paradise school at the 2-year old Rabat American School (RAS) next to the beach with beautiful grounds and equipment. They educate the children of American ex-pats living in Rabat.

Amazigh jewelry piece called the Tazrit.

Shaped like a Tazrit half-embedded in the earth, the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (IRCAM) is a beautiful building. Inside, we spoke with a linguist who just completed the first Amazigh dictionary. The Amazigh, once known as Berber, are the original inhabitants of a quarter of Africa (from Burkina Fasa to Tunisia across the Sahara, the Atlas Mountains and to the oceans). There are different branches of the language, and it has been solely an oral language, but they are working to restore the culture of the people and to codify the language.

A visit to Colegio Espanol, a school run by the Spanish government for locals, helped us understand the Spanish system of education. We were impressed by the children's artwork depicting the National day of Peace.

With lectures about linguistics, history, gender equality, and the education system, we felt enriched and better informed about a culture and heritage which previously we knew little about. We were also able to visit an NGO (non-governmental organization) titled Conseil de Soutien á la Scolarisation des Filles Rurales (CSSF). We learned that girls in rural areas have a 40 percent drop out rate before high school. This organization receives funds from USAID, embassies, and the private sector to help improve the odds of girls' success in school. They provide busing and housing to improve their security and to encourage them to continue.

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