the Joy of Cross-Cultural Educational Work

  I would like to share an article about me and Jode Brexa the work that we are doing now.

Here is the link.

https://www.boulder-dushanbe.org/post/jode-brexa-and-zebonisa-murodova-sharing-the-joy-of-cross-cultural-educational-work

Jode Brexa and Zeboniso Murodova: Sharing the Joy of Cross-Cultural Educational Work

Itgelmaa Chavgaa, Communications Assistant for Boulder Dushanbe Sister Cities, recently Zoom-conferenced with Jode Brexa and Zeboniso Murodova, two Fulbright Alumni who have maintained a ten-year relationship with BDSC. During their chat, Jode and Zeboniso shared past experiences working with Tajiks and their current education-based projects in Tajikistan. While discussing their mutual work and longtime friendship, it was apparent that these two specialists share a sense of enthusiasm and joy for working with Tajik students.

Jode Brexa

Jode received her postgraduate degree in Applied Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Colorado-Denver. She has been involved in education for 40 years, teaching in several different countries around the world from volunteering in the Peace Corps in Senegal to a fellowship in Romania. In the past several years, Jode has worked in Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore as well as in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, training women as an English Language Specialist with the State Department.

Zeboniso Murodova

Zeboniso graduated from Tajik State University in 2004 with a degree in English. Her passion for teaching kids began in her childhood as she observed her mother, who was also an English language teacher. Regarding her mother’s influence, Zebo said, “I like to teach because it is in my blood. My mom is my first mentor, she is also an English language teacher.” After her graduation, Zeboniso started her journey as a teacher at the public school in her hometown in Tajikistan.

Meeting through a passion for education

Jode and Zeboniso’s friendship dates back to 2009, when they were both involved in the Teaching Excellence Achievement Program (TEA), for which Zebo won an opportunity to the United States. Soon after her arrival to the US, Zeboniso spent two months at the University of North Dakota, her program host institution. After, Zeboniso would develop the cross-cultural exchange by hosting an American teacher in Tajikistan. Jode was teaching at Arapahoe Campus and was selected as an American TEA finalist to teach in Tajikistan. Jode emphasized that the reason for choosing Tajikistan as her host country was deeply connected with the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse in Boulder where she was a frequent visitor. Then, soon to visit Tajikistan and learning about the amazing work and initiatives of Boulder Dushanbe Sister Cities, she joined the board and served for 2 years to work on BDSC’s marketing, project goals, membership and outreach.

While discussing how they first met in Washington D.C., Zeboniso and Jode were excited and nostalgic. Neither Jode nor Zeboniso knew what the other looked like. Fortunately, they were able to identify each other. Jode said, “There were these three beautiful Central Asian women in full Tajik dress, celebrating their national culture with little traditional hats. The Tajik clothes are stunning, the fabrics and the design. They were so full of goodwill and I felt so lucky to meet them!”

Initially, the TEA program was for two weeks in Tajikistan. However, Jode and Zebo’s collaboration evolved into a decade-long exchange. Through a TEA alumni grant, Jode traveled back to Tajikistan to do a Digital Storytelling project. In 2011, Zebo returned to the US on an exchange and visited Boulder, hosted by the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse for a welcome dinner, which, Zebo said, reminded of her culture and felt like home.

Ever since that initial meeting, they have evolved their partnership. Zeboniso and Jode’s mutual work represents a deep cultural exchange between Tajik and American educational interests and exemplified how two women from different cultures strengthen person-to-person diplomacy through education. In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Jode and Zebo continue to work together to support rural girls, despite the geographical location and time difference.

Currently, Jode and Zeboniso are working with the ACCESS Microscholarship program, an English language program funded by the U.S. State Department in more than 80 countries around the world. ACCESS is a great opportunity for economically disadvantaged students between the ages of thirteen to twenty to about American culture. Zeboniso emphasized the importance of Tajik students’ drive to learn English as a means to improve their lives by opening the door to professional opportunities. Only students with little to no prior English language experience are accepted and on completion of the ACCESS program, students can apply for the Future Leadership Exchange Program (FLEX).

First Five Girls in Zoom

Many ACCESS Alumni aspire to qualify for the FLEX Program. FLEX participants get an opportunity to study in the United States for one year, live with an American family, explore American culture, and share Tajik customs with American students. The FLEX Program also offers career opportunities.

To develop digital literacy with Zebo’s ACCESS students, Jode initiated a Digital Storytelling project. Funded by a grant from the American Embassy in Dushanbe, workshops teach girls how to narrate a 3-minute story using a movie-making platform. Jode and Zeboniso’s objectives for this project is to give skills to girls to amplify their voice, using Digital Stories to express their thoughts, passions, and dreams.

Zeboniso’s fifteen students love their ACCESS Program this year, but due to COVID-19, the face-to-face program was moved to a cell-phone Google Meet platform. In this climate, Jode and Zebo have built a hybrid Digital Storytelling model. Zebo and Jode’s 10-year friendship and collaboration underlie their daily online communication as they move forward with building virtual models for the ACCESS Program. Certainly, their passion and goodwill support the development for young women with digital literacy. The first five ACCESS girls are completing their Digital Stories this week! Look for their work in October on Jode’s website jodebrexa.com.

First Five

 

First Five Hybrid Digital Storytelling Project

As an alumna of the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program in 2009 and a Fulbright FLTA Program in 2012, and as a current ACCESS teacher, I applied for the Alumni Small Grants Program to facilitate a Digital Storytelling Project for ACCESS girls with my long-time colleague Jode Brexa, an alumna of the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program in 2010 and a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching in 2014.

In 2009, I met Jode Brexa  in Washington, D.C.  in a Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program networking session.   Following my program in the United States, Jode came to

Sarband 2010 on the TEA Program exchange. In 2011, she returned to Tajikistan on a TEA Alumni Grant and we facilitated a successful Digital Youth Action Project using then beginning skills for Digital Storytelling.  

 With our decade-long friendship and collaboration, we applied and won an Alumni Small Grant from the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe.   We planned  Digital Storytelling workshops for 15 girls of the ACCESS program in Kushoniyon district and arranged transportation, housing , and visa to bring Jode Brexa from the USA as Lead Facilitator to conduct the workshops.   We scheduled four workshops weekly to meet ACCESS students’ schedules over the course of one month at the American Space. But due to COVID-19, our project was put on hold because Jode Brexa could not travel and the American Space closed.

Online, through Zoom meetings, we re-visioned the project as a hybrid model.  Since August 2020, Jode and I have been planning two-hours every morning, reviewing the Digital Storytelling process, creating teaching materials, and planning technology access for the girls.   My role would be to facilitate the workshops face-to-face  and Jode would facilitate by Zoom. Jode and I received permission from the Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in early September and we selected five Access girls for the First Five Hybrid Digital Storytelling Workshop.   In preparation for the workshops and to re-tool for the hybrid model, I  wrote,  edited, and recorded a narrative, added photos, transitions, and music to create my own Digital Story titled «Vision.”

 

As of Saturday, October 2, five workshops will have been conducted in public spaces such as a local park and socially-distanced in a restaurant as well as technical work facilitated at an NGO with PPE including masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer along with a  temperature check.   An  invitation-only socially-distanced screening of the Digital Stories and certification ceremony is  scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2020

Through the process of participating in the Hybrid Digital Storytelling workshops and producing a Digital Story, these young girls with elementary digital literacy skills have learned  storytelling and technical skills, including narrative writing and editing, recording and editing audio, selecting, creating and editing photo, and basic video creation as well as Microsoft Word, Gmail, WhatsApp, GoogleMeet, and Blogspot.

 

Project Activities we have done:

First Workshop  Students took a skills pre-assessment and they and their parents signed a Media Release permission form.  The students listened to a  lecture about the theme of  Resilience and an overview of the  Hybrid Digital Storytelling Project. Students identified their skills and coping strategies to overcome the challenges they face in a global pandemic. Students brainstormed their story topics and wrote a draft narrative story.

A WhatsApp group was created where students received suggestions to their first narratives and Zebo’s follow up two times a week by cell phone.  They revised their second draft and shared it with Zebo and Jode.

Second Workshop  Students typed their final narrative on their phones. Students highlighted on the printed copy of the story the hook, conflict, solution, and conclusion. They typed the narrative in Word and saved it. Students practiced checking the word count. Students learned how to attach the draft and sent it to Zebo and Jode’s email. Jode Brexa edited their final story.

In  WhatsApp, students practiced recording their narratives and sent the audio files  to each other and to Zebo.

.Third Workshop Students reviewed their skills in Microsoft Word (type, copy, paste, word count,  save).  The watched model  Digital Stories and registered in a video-making software program licensed by Jode. . Students recorded their narratives. Students worked with storyboards and brainstormed about the photos they plan to take for their story.

In WhatsApp, students sent their completed storyboard and shared it with this group.  Students listened to some suggestions on taking photos for their story from Jode and Zebo.

Fourth Workshop  Students learned how to create a folder on the desktop and transfer photos from their cellphone to the computer and then how to upload photos to the Media Picker in the software program. Students made their First Cut by dropping photos into their timeline, then explored transitions and themes. They sent their draft videos to Jode for review and editing.

 Fifth Workshop  Students take skills post-assessment and review the Digital Storytelling process.  They review their finalized Digital Stories and export them to screen with their peers. . After identifying the take-aways of the five weeks, they will plan how they will cascade their knowledge and skills.  Students will plan the Community Screening.

 Community Screening   Students will host a by-invitation socially-distanced Digital Story screening to celebrate their accomplishments and promote the use of video in building digital literacy.   

Certificates of Achievement will be presented to each Digital Storyteller and photos will be taken. Each Digital Storyteller will receive a flash drive with the stories created during the workshop.

Future Careers of Access students from Kushoiyon.

 In the middle of September, I had a lesson about Future Career. My Access students have decided on their future careers.

Future Career of Access students from Kushoniyon district, Tajikistan.

Access student Sadriddin wants to be a tour guide.

Access student Mehrangez wants to be an English teacher.

Access student Sabohat wants to be a journalist on TV

Access student Makhfirat wants to be an English teacher

Access student Abdulholiq wants to be a dentist

Access student Mahbuba wants to be an English teacher and have her own language center to help kids to learn English free.

Access student Suhaylo wants to be an interpreter

Access student Mahina wants to be an interpreter

Access student Marhabo wants to be an English teacher

Access student Firdavs wants to be a lawyer

Access student Navruz wants to be a dentist

Access student Malohat wants to be a Human rights activist a lawyer.

I wish them good luck.

Elevator Speech

 In August I had a great experience to learn about Elevator speech participating in the Access teacher corner on Facebook and learned a lot of new things. One of the thins is what is an elevator speech?

What's an elevator pitch, and how can it help your career? An elevator pitch – also known as an elevator speech – is a quick synopsis of your background and experience. The reason it's called an elevator pitch is that it should be short enough to present during a brief elevator ride.( https://www.thebalancecareers.com/elevator-speech-examples-and-writing-tips-2061976) 

This speech is all about you: who you are, what you do, and what you want to do (if you're job hunting).

There was a contest to create an elevator speech, I created one and became the winner.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AccessTeachersCorner/permalink/439759486981925

Here is the video

 Questions for Katrina Schmidt

 From Access students from Kushoniyon district, Tajikistan.

1.       What is the secret of your success? Do you have any secret to us to be successful in future? ( by Access student Sadriddin )

2.        Who has influenced you most in your life? ( Access student Sabohat )

3.        When was the last time you feel broken and how did you show your resilience? ( Access student Mehrangez)

4.       If you find Aladdin’s lamp what three wishes you would ask genie? ( Access student Makhfirat)

5.        What was your best and memorable experience when you were in Colombia and Mexico? ( Access student Abdulholiq)

6.        What are your achievements and wards in your teaching profession? (Access student Mahbuba)

7.       If you stopped, teaching would your life changed. (Access student Suhaylo)

8.       How did you feel during lockdown how did you show your resilience?  (Access student Mahina)

9.       If you could go back to Colombia and Mexico what activity would you there that you did not do? (Access student Marhabo)

10.    What do you think what is true beauty from your point of view? (Access student Suhaylo)

11.    What is your favorite day of the week and what activity do you like to do on this day? (Access student Firdavs)

12.    How old were you when you when you first fell in love? (Access student Navruz)

Covid 19 and our loss

In April 30th we have lost our aunt Mukarram. And I made my first digital Story about her. And even i wrote a letter to her.

My dear aunt Mukarram,

I have to admit that this is not going to be easy. I am going to shed some tears while writing this letter. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. You will be greatly missed. In April month despite WHO recommendations, the government has not announced an official quarantine in the country but there were people dying from two-sided pneumonia. By the end of the month, this disease Covid-19 came to our country. And we were not ready and hospitals had not necessary things to protect themselves and cure patient. You were the first victims of the first wave of Covid-19.On April 30. 2020 I had a phone call. It was very sad news. At that moment, I thought about my mother. How she will be after this news. I could not call her and say this news. She lost her younger sister last year. Then, I called to your elder daughter Nargis, she was crying, and we cried together. Then she could not talk and gave phone to Parvina I asked her how it happened. She told me that you had high temperature for several days and you cure yourself at home. Your children told you do not go to work and stay home. But you did not listen to them as you were very dedicated and committed to your work. You really loved your profession and worked until the last breath. You know when Parvina came and saw you in bad condition you had a high temperature, your blood pressure was high and she and your son Aziz asked you to go to the hospital. You said NOO Do not take me to the hospital!! You knew that the hospitals were in not good conditions but your children took you to the hospital. You said if I die, I want to die in my house not there away from your children. How you did not want to go to the hospital.

Dear aunt I have the best memories of you. You always will be in my heart. Do you know when I was in the third grade, our elementary teacher asked me to write a short essay about our future profession. I wrote I want to be a doctor like my aunt. I like to wear a white robe and be a useful person and give advice to people and be helpful.

I have another moment in my life connected with you, which I feel ashamed of. When I was in the 7th grade do you remember I had something red on my left eye, as a red spot?it grew bigger? My mother and I did some folk medicine and it did not help. We went to Dushanbe to your house for advice because you were always helped us with health issues. You looked at my eye and blamed my mother for being careless. You were very strict. You yelled at my mother. You said: “she is a girl!  This eye will make her shy and embarrassed.  She will never feel normal among her friends.  They will mock her and she will develop a complex.  Even if someone would marry this girl with a bad eye, she will never agree.”  You were totally right.

Your son Parviz my cousin who was studying at the Medical University knew some doctors told my mother to stay at home and we together went to the hospital but the Chief Doctor was not there.  I stayed with my aunt and my mother left.  On Monday, Parviz and I went to the hospital.  The chief doctor looked at my eye and said she could operate on this serious problem with my parents’ permission. But my father was always with his friends and my mother had too many responsibilities—her children, her husband, her mother-in-law, her job. You were so angry, complaining, and blaming my parents. Then your husband came to one solution.  I will never forget that moment. He said WE are not going to return this girl home with this serious problem.  We are going to solve this.  We are going to be her parents.  He said that you and he would go and sign the permission on Tuesday.   I am so thankful to your husband he returned my beauty and give me the opportunity to live without complex. But I understand that you were afraid and did not take the responsibility because it is eye and might have consequences. That day when you sign the document you became my mother.

 

At that time, I did not even understand what beauty was or now important my eyes were.  The life after the operation gave me inspiration and strength to make my own choices.  

I became an English teacher and worked in Community Health; I traveled internationally;  I chose my husband, I had sons.

.I want to tell you that I became everything you had hoped for. But one thing that troubles me in my heart is I promised you that I would name my son after your husband Zulfiqor.  Now you are gone. 

If I am blessed with another son, I will name him Zulfiqor. 

My dear Aunt I will make dua in my prayers for you.

I can understand your children now. They are missing you so much. Losing someone you love is one of the hardest things in life. Actually, it is the hardest thing ever. You no longer get to see their face, hear their voice, or cherish your time with them. Instead, you are saved by memories, phone calls, and photographs. You have to rely on everything you have experienced with that person to remember them.

You are a hero for me.  The motto of your life was saving the lives of others.

Rest in Peace

You will be always in my thoughts.

Zebo

Your niece,

5/08/2020

Access Lessons are online

  

Connecting With Students Through a one to one phone Call

In April COVID-19 came to our country. Schools were closed and kids stayed home. 

 And our Access lessons were canceled too. But in May till August 2020 till now  Our Access lessons have changed dues to COVID-19. 

 I began to teach my Acess group of 12 students remotely and asynchronously. We had our lessons through one phone call. It was a challenge both for me and the students. Even pre-corona, it has always been hard for me to remember their phone call and remind them to gather at the bus stop where we usually meet to wait for our bus to go to American Space once or twice in a month to have our Computer lesson, Intensive sessions or meeting with native speakers, diplomat. Students had challenges that they do not have a cellphone. Parents did not allow them to have it. Each time they gave me different numbers of their relatives and I tried to reach them. Some had one cellphone at home and if a parent took it with them I could not reach the student and I had additional lessons through IMO or Whatsapp applications.

In these strange times in the midst of a pandemic, I called each student and had more than 10 minutes conversation lesson. I started phone calling from 2 pm till 7 even at 8 pm at the beginning.  Students were connected with each other and practiced and developed speaking skills. I called each individually it looked like tutoring. And my weaker students became more confident after a lot of attention they had from me.  In the beginning, I was very exhausted besides it was during Ramadan month when we all were fasting. But we overcame this challenge and became resilient. Then I started grouping students by their interest and ability and sometimes I mixed them and had group phone call conferences.  Students created groups in IMO and WhatsApp and we had communication there and I shared there some worksheets. Little by little, we all adapted and worked together helped and supported each other.

Now, nearly four months later, I have a lot more information about each of my students than I ever thought possible. The one tech tool that helped me achieve this was the good cell telephone. One of my cellphones Samsung GalaxyA5 got broken it was a very new phone I have bought it in March and during the pandemic, I overused it during our phone call lessons and it got broken and I could not fix it. Then I bought a new one Redmi.

 Access students supposed to go to the capt in summer which they look forward very much but COVID-19 took this hance from them. In September thanks to our coordinator Mr. Khaitov he bought students a modern cellphone and provided with the internet. Now we have our lessons on Zoom and Google meet. Students are very excited to have cellphones and be connected with the world.