Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute

Each year on February 22, girls participate in activities, games and projects with global themes to honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries.  This day is referred to as World Thinking Day.

World Thinking Day was first created in 1926 at a Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference.  Conference attendees decided that there should be a special day for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from around the world to “think” of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their “sister” Girl Scouts. The delegates chose February 22 as the date for Thinking Day because it was the mutual birthday of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement, and his wife, Olave, who served as World Chief Guide.

As some of you may know, I am the Brownie Girl Scout leader (the equivalent of the Junior Girl Guides in Pakistan) for my daughter, Elsa’s, troop here in Plymouth, NH.  The Pemi-Baker Service Unit holds a World Thinking Day event each year at a local school.  Each of the participating troops is given the opportunity to choose a country to represent for the event.  This year, my daughter would like to represent Pakistan.  As a troop, the girls are researching Junior Girl Guides from Pakistan.  The girls will learn the Pakistani Junior Guide Promise and compare the differences between the uniforms for Brownies in the U.S. and Junior Guides in Pakistan.  For our Pakistani Junior Guide booth we will provide a craft for each of the visiting troops to participate in, a food item for everyone to taste and some background information and history on Girl Guides in your country.

We are very excited to get started on this project and would welcome any assistance from any of the PELI alumni who may be familiar with Girl Scouting. The girls and I have even talked about the possibility of connecting with a Junior Guide troop in Pakistan to share letters and photographs.

If you have any information at all that may help us in our research, please don’t hesitate to contact me through email at mclauriat@plymouth.edu.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks!!!

Plymouth Brownie Troop 183

Hello friends,

Waseem was kind enough to share some amazing photographs of the work he is doing for the World Wildlife Federation- I thought you’d all be interested to see them as well.

If anyone would like to share any information at at on the Blog- please don’t hesitate to email me at mclauriat@plymouth.edu and I’ll be sure to post it on the site!

Waseem delivering a lecture to AJK University students

Waseem sharing US Environmental Education knowledge with fellow staff

Waseem delivering a lecture to the Malakand University students

Waseem with the school children

Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful images with us Waseem!

Greetings to our alumni and collaborators,

Plymouth State University’s Pakistani Project is in the planning phase for next summer’s Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute.  The primary topic will be educational leadership in science education, with a secondary focus on conflict resolution and social tolerance.  Thanks to the State Department, our Pakistan partner, ITA, and our alumni for feedback and thoughtful suggestions.  The Institute will be content rich and also provide more learning resources for alumni connectivity.

Thank you again for all your contributions.  We welcome your input!

Best wishes,

Blake

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!!

I’m a jack-o-lantern, look at me.
I’m as happy as I can be.
Put a candle in and light the light.
Don’t be frightened, it’s Halloween night.
Booo!

*Ellanna & I at our Girl Scout troop’s Halloween party

Hope you all have a perfectly SPOOKY day!!!!

Plymouth State University’s College of Graduate Studies will be starting a doctoral program in 2009.  To provide flexibility for students, there will be two models: a year-round program that commences in 2009 and a summer program that begins in 2010.

More information is available on the Plymouth State University, College of Graduate Studies, website: www.plymouth.edu/graduate/doctoral/index.html.  Dr. Kenneth Heuser is the Doctoral Program Coordinator.  His e-mail address is kenh@plymouth.edu.

The doctoral program will examine many of the issues addressed in the Pakistani Educational Leadership Institutes.  They include global aspects of leadership and its impact on society; educators as system leaders and agents of change in their communities; and support and advance of knowledge and research that contributes to educational innovation and reform.

Special thanks to Plymouth State’s Pakistani alumni for their contributions in the critical area of educational leadership.

Best to you all from New Hampshire, with snow starting to cap the mountains,

Blake/Madame Director