My family is from a very small village in Al Haskah, Syria.
The village is called Halmon (Tell Joumaa in Arabic). The first picture I included is what the village looks like when you first walk in. My family was pretty poor
just like almost everyone else in the village. Food and water were scarce,
sometimes the electricity would not work for days, but despite everything the
most important thing for the villagers was school. Kids would walk for miles, on
an empty stomach, in the blistering heat just to get to school. But that did
not matter to them, nothing was more important to them than learning. That Is
why I have always wanted to become a teacher. My people are Assyrian, and we
are indigenous to northern Iraq and eastern Syria. We speak a language that is almost
2,000 years old (Syriac-Aramaic). The last time my family and I visited our
village I would volunteer at our church 2 times a week and help the priest
teach kids how to read and write in Syriac-Aramaic. There was no better feeling
than seeing the kids’ reading and writing out their names after only a few
weeks of teaching them. Nothing made me happier than seeing them get excited
about going home and showing their parent what they had learned in class that
day. I feel so lucky to have been able to grow up in the United States and get
the education I did. I feel like it is my duty to learn as much as I can and
become the best teacher I can, so I can hopefully return back to my village and
teach math. But before that I would love to work at a school in Chicago,
hopefully not too long after I graduate from UIC. Another big reason why I want
to be a teacher is because of my Mom. She is like my best friend, we are
practically the same person, we even look like twins when she was my age! Teaching
was her dream job growing up, but because she had to get married at such a young
age she was not able to graduate high school. When I told her I was going to
become a math teacher she was so excited.
I think you are carrying on a great legacy and that your story is important to share with your students. So often we fail to acknowledge our privileges and discount others inequities they must face. I think you will give your students a good perspective and story that is often unheard. -Kiley
ReplyDeleteI think your experiences will help you understand the complex background in family, ethnicity, and language that every student is bringing to the classroom, which will greatly enrich their time in the community of your math class. And, wow, those side-by-side pictures are very similar!
ReplyDeleteI think your experience is so great for going forward in the teaching profession. Teachers with a diverse history are so important in reaching out to students and providing them with opportunities to learn and grow. I think having this unique experience will do a lot to not only inspire yourself as a teacher but will increase your determination to learn.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how you mentioned how you feel lucky to have been born in the United States. Many people fail to realize that despite the educational system does have its flaws, we are doing better than most of those worldwide, which is very unfortunate. Despite this reality, that does not mean we should stop there when demanding a much more quality education for all. I also found it interesting how you brought up your racial/ethnic background. It is evident to see that it plays a major role in your life, considering your language is so old and not many people speak it nowadays. Perhaps you can help students that despite being in a country where assimilation is very evident, they should be proud of who they are in all aspects, whether it be race/ethnicity, gender, social-economic status, etc.
ReplyDeleteYour story resonates with me specifically with this notion of wanting to go back to your roots and helping the people in the community where your parents came from. Although I have often thought about going back I am still yet unable to figure the best ways to give back to a society where education is a privilege, not a right and there are deep systemic barriers towards mass education. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI have so many common opinions with you which include teaching bring you gratification and the importance of family support. I also agree with you that living in an inclusive modern city gives us more chances to move forward to pursue our dream.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your deeply personal and culturally grounded journey to teach. I love that this work extends the lineage of your family (your mom's wish) and you have aspirations of bringing it full circle with a return to your village to teach Math. Your post makes me wonder how you might respond to those who don't come to school with an inherent value on education. It can be a struggle for those of us who have experienced education as a transformative tool to walk in the shoes of others who have little regard for education and its worth. Continue to reflect on what inspires your passion for education and how you might help others to develop that same feeling in reference to their educational journey. Thank you for sharing a poignant reflection.
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