Pakistani Educational Leadership Project » 2007 Participants

Oh Its really nice to see al of you

Samia Dogar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:05:01 +0000

Daer All

Hope you are enjoing youe visit ,Blake as Misbah (My very nice Colleague) is with you so i am feeling my self with you ,Misbah seems to be enjoying her visut ,Yes Nighat how are you you are in few pictures only,where are you ? a lot of friends and family from Pakistan (Along with me) wants to see you

Warm regards

Samia

American Elections and Crutches…!

mubasher — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:12:24 +0000

G-8 or EU, they are big names for the developing nations which consider their multi-dimensional progress with envious eyes. Their progress is, undoubtedly, tremendous and has made various countries dependent on them who are ready to follow the directions of highly advanced countries while making their socio, economic and political policies. But the forthcoming US elections have given me an interesting thought about the crutches the American Politicians need to win January 2009 Presidential Elections. For instance, almost every presidential contestant has mentioned the on going war on terror by mentioning Pakistan. Some have gone to the extent that Pakistan is not capable of protecting its nuclear assets and of the opinion to support Pakistan, militarily, to look after this huge task. But all the honorable politicians forgot to acknowledge that Pakistan did not seek any assistance while making nuclear bomb. That means if Pakistan does not ask assistance for making the bomb, it does not need any sort of assistance from USA or any other country to protect it when it is providing assistance advanced countries to counter terrorism as a front line state. In the same way if some politicians feel that their roots are in US soil then there is no need of external crutches to win the elections. The outcome of my discussion may be the needs of Global Village where every Country/Nation has equal right to live the way it wants to live for the peace and harmony of the inhabitants of this Global Village. It is high time to promote equality and justice for world community instead of making under developed nations Crutches for political wins. God bless humanity. Ameen.

Greetings!

Sean Robinson — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 23:33:04 +0000

Hello everyone -

I saw Sarah’s post and realized that i had been lax about my own updates. School has been very busy as i am approaching graduation. In May i will be done my Undergraduate Degree (16 years of school). I am in the process of applying to new schools to continue on in hopes of getting a master’s degree (2 more years) and my phd (five years after that). I will be coming back, as Sarah said, for this summer’s institute. I’ll also be teaching a module (brief class, meeting perhaps for a week) for the 2008 group. Once i get a complete syllabus together i’ll post it for other people to comment on. We’ll be exploring a number of things including student-centered education methods (Modes of Transmission, Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences, and Feure’s work with language) and writing as a way to express one’s self. Equally, we will be discussing how through writing we may understand eachother better and promote social responsibility. I’m really looking forward to it. I’m also hoping that we can identify the research and learning interests of the 2008 participants and tailor some of our cousework to meet their needs.

If anyone has insight, please feel free to send it my way. I hope life is treating everyone very well.

Yours,
Sean

Thinking of everyone…

Sarah — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:12:04 +0000

Winter is here and with the cold weather and snow I can help looking back on this summer and remembering how wonderful of an experience I had with all of you. Sean and I have signed on to be community advisors with the Pakistani Institute for Summer 2008 and I can say that I am extremely excited to meet a whole new group but will be sad that I will not get to see any of you. Hopefully some of you return to the USA within the next couple of years. In preperations for next summer, I ask you all… is there anything that Sean or I could have done differently or better to enhance your experience here at PSU?

I must say, I miss talking in the kitchen with you all, dancing in Faiza’s room, and our trips to Boston, and Washington D.C.

I hope all of you are well and I wish you the most wonderful New Year.

I’m going to try to insert a picture of what Plymouth looks like now, in the Winter, it’s a bit different than the summer? Wouldn’t you say?

Happy New Year and Eid Greetings

Samia Dogar — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 11:38:19 +0000

Dear All

EID GREETINGS & CHRISTMAS GREETINGS to all of my friends in US and Pakistan.May the coming year brings up all the best for you all.

With love love and love for all

Samia

BEEN BUSY BUT NEVER FORGOT…

Huma — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:35:38 +0000

Dear all

I am really sorry for being so silent lately. I have been really busy in the on campus workshops of Educational Planning and Management. Then had my days off for the EID and now back after my holidays. So first of all Belated EID GREETINGS & CHRISTMAS GREETINGS to all the sweet souls in US and Pakistan.

New year is coming up and I wanna be the first one to wish you all a very happy new year. May the coming year brings up all the best for you all.

Best regards and love for all.

Huma

Visualizing Plymouth…

mubasher — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 06:39:51 +0000

When free I used to sit in front of Samuel Reed Hall on the bench close to the ‘Maple Tree’ which might have had plenty of memories of the people who would look at her to talk and share their life…which, of course, I did. The unannounced rain sometimes disturbed but thanks to the university that provided us with umbrellas to use them to enjoy lovely weather. But sitting in my office here in Pakistan only allows me to visualize Plymouth the trees of which must have been covered by snow and old John must be having some woolen stuff in the evenings to ensure security. Neither can I see Plymouth nor old John but at least through this text they can see me and vice versa. But I am primarily concerned with ‘Pemmy River’ that was my associate there in Plymouth. I can see it’s also covered with snow and must be waiting for those who will come in the coming July to study at Plymouth but I must inform her I won’t accompany them…I don’t know whether it makes her gloomy or not but it definitely makes me…I never wish to be a millionaire in my life but when I think about snowy Plymouth I have started praying to God to make so that I can visit Plymouth with all its beauty and meet John who is agile even at the age of late 50s. I hope my friend John won’t mind me when I call him ‘OLD’ because old are the people who are unable to visualize beauty of Plymouth which I know he can…

Thinking you…

mubasher — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:06:21 +0000

Come and sit before meSo that I can take a picture of your eyesTo hang it to decorate The Barren Walls of my Heart…

Oh Time Listen! I miss all my friends, streets, lawns, halls, roads, trees, and birds of Plymouth…

Physician heal thyself first…

mubasher — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:11:35 +0000

Pakistan despite being a developing country has been trying to face economic, social, geographical challenges for the last 60 years after its inception. At the same time it had to fight on different fronts either for its own survival or others but astonishingly one of my American friends has declared it the most dangerous nation (published in the leading journal of USA) in the world without considering the feelings of 160 million people majority of which is peace loving and hardworking souls who believe in fraternity and mutual cooperation. This is what my two Canadian friends expressed in the dinner I hosted for them on last Saturday at famous Food Street of Lahore.

May I dare ask my friend, who has given a sweeping statement, that has he ever seen Pakistani forces occupied the land of another country? Did Pakistanis ever question the system of government prevalent in other countries? Did Pakistanis ever invade any country to prove its supremacy? Did Pakistanis ever use force to make people believe we are right and they are wrong? Does Pakistan have more than 20 thousand modern sophisticated air crafts? Does Pakistan have thousands of war heads to save itself from the clutches of others? Does Pakistan have numbers of air crafts carriers to take its forces to other soils? Moreover, did ever Pakistan try to explore space by leaving millions of people on earth to starve? Rationally speaking, the answer to all such questions is no. Even then it has been declared most dangerous nation of the world. I would like to remind my friend that Pakistan was dragged to Afghan War in 1979 and since then has been looking after Afghan brethren. It was Pakistan which stood firm before the majestic power like Soviet Union and had courage to support Afghan brethren. Again what happened after Afghan War? All the Allied left Pakistan in wilderness to celebrate the re-union of Europe and there happened 9/11.

In my another article, Bill or Bull, I requested policy makers of USA to consult American friends while chalking out policy about Pakistan who I met in Plymouth, Londonderry, Manchester, Boston, Washington and on streets of USA. They are the people who gave us love and declared Pakistanis are the most loving people because they had close interaction with us.

No nation in the world is dangerous until it proves and Pakistan has not caused any threat to others rather they themselves are suffering because of others’ policies. If people are killed, they are Pakistanis and not of any other nation. For God sake let the people of the world live peacefully and there must be an end of all this killing because of the hegemonistic designs. And further, it is humbly requested that pen should be used to bring to life and not to hate life… Long live humanity. Amen

Plymouth State University awarded State Department open competition grant

Blakeman Allen — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:50:25 +0000

Greetings, Pakistani Institute alumni,

Plymouth State has been awarded a selective State Department open competition grant that continues the University’s Pakistani project and valued partnership with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi.

Most importantly, the grant proposal integrates input from all eighty of you – the intensive brainstorming that has taken place during the summer institutes in New Hampshire and the critical work that you have undertaken during follow-on activities in Pakistan.

The grant focuses on “…demonstrating active and responsible citizenship through education in environmental stewardship and cultural heritage preservation.” Within the context of the layered landscape, the curriculum for next summer will explore models that effectively integrate policy, environmental stewardship, cultural heritage preservation, and community-based educational initiatives, with schools as delivery sites.

The coursework will continue a strand from previous institutes and examine communities as interdisciplinary classrooms without walls and integrate numerous Road Shows. The framework consists of international, Pakistan, and United States standards and best practices in the relevant areas. Next summer’s institute also will include an academy with Pakistan and New Hampshire educators collaborating in a cross-cultural exchange to enhance the richness of their respective learning communities.

As always, your input is welcome. And many thanks for all your contributions! Best wishes from Team Pakistan at Plymouth State and from Blake, ”Madame Director.”