You and yourself

Yesterday I had a very long lunch outing. In actual fact I had a long day out.  First thing, I arranged some stuff in the garden, made sure that the roses and mandarins trees are in place, threw some of garden junk (that will make my kids day) and talked to my Chinese neighbour for a long time after giving her a portion of the fruit cake that I baked the previous night.  Mentioning the cake, this time I had amazed myself as its one of the best fruit cakes I had made for a while.  My neighbour loved the cake, and suggested that I go with her to China, and walk on the Great Wall. Of course, if it takes a portion of a cake to be invited to a Great Wall outing, then I will spend the rest of my life baking! How about that? She even suggested that I stay in her house!! That was a fantastic start for the day.

Then I met a friend for coffee and croissant who told me how miserable she is and how her husband is driving her insane. I told her off, I said that us the women are very creative. We can turn everything to our advantage,  if he drives you insane, just take your stuff and go to a library, at the same time book him a ticket to go to a resort. Maybe he needs it? She laughed when I said that you can also go with him to relax and enjoy your self. She couldn't believe me when I mentioned that all my resort trips are just a way to reward myself for enduring my husband!! Of course this morning was the worst, his body is full of red spots, I told him that its allergy? It's something you ate I said! I had to drag him to the doctors, who will be coming at 10!  No, he cannot weight till ten, then I took him to the pharmacist, who confirmed my theory! But he had to unprove the theory, that its just an allergy ! The pharmacist said that it must be some sort of additives in food and he needs an injection to clear it, he will not admit it, he must have eaten something and doesn't want to tell us. Men are a special breed, but what to do, we love our husbands.

Ok, now that I got that out of the way, lets go to my third outing (see, I told you that I had a long day yesterday, I stretched it to the limit), I went to see a husband and wife friends at their daily place, the Montgomery golf club, amazing place, it's like being in Manhattan and having a golf club in the same place, in actual fact it was like Manhattan and Central Park put together. The club was buzzing with people and kids learning how to play golf, my friends' kid had a perfect swing, I am sure he will be the next (is it still Tiger Woods?) Tiger Woods! I had the most perfect iced tea.

Then I moved to my lunch invitation; my friend's daughter had a baby three months ago, I was so ashamed of myself as I didn't go to congratulate her! Also my kids are returning from Bahrain in the evening so I thought I will go to her as she is close to the airport and then get the girls. She insisted on lunch; when I went, there were like a 100 people there! Lovely I thought! The gathering got smaller by the evening and we had lovely discussions and laughters in the garden , sipping tea and talking about Reiki, energy, Feng Shui, gem stones, Zen colours and the value of looking after ones self.

Apparently we have seven selves, I am not going to explain why, but basically this is why some people think that they are schizophrenic, their selves make them think that they are different people, so they feel that they have two personalities or sometimes more than two!  As soon as we make the person know that we must listen to ourselves, talk to ourselves and tell ourselves that we are fine and we love ourselves the schizophrenic person will be cured. Magic wand is needed here!! No I am not skeptic!.

So, I woke up this morning, I heard myself telling myself that I am a lovely person, I love myself, I treasure myself, my heart is great, my blood pressure is normal, my head is not aching, my legs are light, I am not overweight and I have a perfect health.and its the first day after one month and three days that I didn't see my granddaughter's face first thing in the morning, I love her.

Isn't that a great start to the day! This reminds me of the song, I tell to myself, it's a wonderful day!! Love it

Suad Alhalwachi (Ms)

Director, Education Zone

STEM and ART

The word STEM doesn’t refer to a stem of a tree or a shrub, it refers to a new acronym that links all the important studies that are completely under developed in many countries.  Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, I added the last but not least one which is ART.  

The reason STEM had become the talk of the millennium is because the subjects within it are taught in isolation, and links are not highlighted to the students.  For example a question can be solved by introducing all the methodologies that now followed by science by itself, math by itself and so on, and have one methodology that will help find a solution by interlinking the various fields.

Some scientists support broadening the study of engineering within each of the other subjects, and beginning engineering at younger grades, even elementary school. It also brings STEM education to all students rather than only the gifted programs.

On the other hand, Art is also mistreated in our countries, students who want to study art they have no background of how to hold a brush, how to mix colors and so on, and till the time they finish school they think that the university will teach them this. 

If we think of education as a factory, and the products are the students, then our schools are putting a lot of responsibilities on the universities to complete the “work in progress” that they dispatch on their conveyor built.  The basic ingredients (raw materials) are not mixed properly, hence, the lack of comprehension from the students’ side that a problem is solved by thinking of all the elements, whether its science, technology, engineering, math or even art.

Then another scientist added communication skills, and a whole can of worms is opened.  My idea is that the teachers should disappear, and we have facilitators who probe students’ minds and let them be savvy in problem solving by using all the fields at one go.

ع ت ه ر وفنون

هذه الكلمة لا تشير إلى جذع شجرة أو شجيرة، بل يشير إلى اختصار جديد يربط جميع الدراسات الهامة والتي هي غير متقدمه  في العديد من البلدان. العلوم والتكنولوجيا والهندسة والرياضيات،  واناأضيف  علم أخيرا وليس آخرا وهو ART.

السبب في ان  STEM أصبح من الاحاديث الألفية لأنه يتم تدريس  هذه المواد الدراسية  في عزلة عن بعضها ، وعدم تسليط الضوء على طريقة لتوصيل المواد ببعضها للطلاب. ويمكن على سبيل المثال ان يحل السؤال عن طريق إدخال جميع هذه المنهجيات من  العلوم في حد ذاتها، والرياضيات في حد ذاتها والتكنولوجيا بحد ذاتها وهلم جرا، في منهجية واحدة من شأنها المساعدة على إيجاد حل عن طريق الربط بين مختلف المجالات.

بعض العلماء يؤيدون توسيع نطاق دراسة الهندسة في كل موضوع من الموضوعات الأخرى، والبدء في تدريس الهندسة لأصغر الاعمار، حتى مدرسة ابتدائية. كما أنها توجب تعليم STEM لجميع الطلاب وليس فقط الموهوبين. منهم.
من ناحية أخرى،حصل  الفن أيضا على سوء المعاملة في بلداننا، والطلاب الذين يرغبون في دراسة الفن ليست لديهم خلفية عن كيفية حمل فرشاة، وكيفية مزج الألوان وهلم جرا، وحتى في الوقت الذي أنهو دراستهم المدرسيه فأنهم يعتقدون أبن الجامعة وسوف نعلمهم هذا.

إذا كان لنا أن نشبه التعليم بالمصنع، والمنتجات هي الطلبة، فقد وضعت مدارسنا الكثير من المسؤوليات على الجامعات لإكمال "العمل الغير مكتمل" الذي وضع على حزام المصنع الناقل من مرحله الى اخرى. لا يتم خلط المكونات الأساسية (المواد الخام) بشكل صحيح، وبالتالي، فإن النتيجه هي عدم الفهم من جانب الطلاب لحل المشكلة من خلال التفكير في كل العناصر في نفس الوقت، سواء في العلوم والتكنولوجيا والهندسة والرياضيات أو حتى الفن.

ثم أضاف عالم آخرعلم مهارات الاتصال، وبذا تم فتح  علبة من الديدان. فكرتي هي أن يختفي المعلمين  ويجب أن  ان نكون "ميسرين"   لسبر عقول الطلاب وندعهم ان يستخدموا دهاءهم في حل المشكلة عن طريق استخدام كافة الحقول دفعة واحدة.

                                                                                                                             

The past, present and the future are we wired all the time?

this is not my blog, its my friend's Dr Suhyla Alsafer, she is a columner in Alwasat newspaper in Bahrian.  its in Arabic, but its very true. 

كنت انتظر لإنزال بعض البرامج في تليفوني ! حينما رأيت طفلين في عمر الثامنة تقريباً من المدرسة،،دخلوا المحل لشراءاشرطة الالعاب الالكترونية !ويبدو انهم زواراً منتظمين لشراؤها! 

! ودارت في ذهني للحظاتٍ كيف تغيرت الازمنة وكيف يسمح لهم الآباءبما يشترونه ؟وقد تكون شديدة العنف ؟ مما يؤثر سلباً وقد يصابون بالعدوانية ؟

 وماهو الوقت المسموح لهم للعب بها وماذا عن دروسهم  ؟؟

،، وشرد ذهني يعمل مقارنة سريعة مابين البراءة في زماننا وزمان اطفالنا !! فبعد ان كنا نتسرب خلسةً بعد المدرسة لشراء الحلويات !مثل الايسكريم والشوكولاتة والتي كانت محرمة علينا ؛لأنها مفسدة للشهية قبل الغداء! هو الشيئ الاخطر الذي كان مخيفاً اايامنا ! 

وكيف كانت خياراتنا محدودة ؟ولم تكن ضارة كألعاب اليوم  !وكيف انها  كانت بريئة ومسلية  نسبةً لألعابهم المدمنة والخطيرة ؟

 وكيف  كانت القراءة  اهم  العابنا !اضافةً الى العاب الشطرنج والطاولة والتيلة وركوب الدراجة وتطير الطيارات الورقية والكثير من الالعاب البسيطة الاخرى!وبمشاركة اخوتنا ووالدينا كنا نرتب وننظف البيت ونتعاون على غسل الصحون وزيارات الأهل والأصدقاء كعائلة متجانسة ومتشاركة  محبة وسعيدة ولم نشعر باننا ينقصنا شيئ !

حيث كانت تزيدمن الحميمية بين الاهل وتخلق نوعاً من التعاون الأسري والتدرب على شؤون حياتنا    !

كان لدينا الكثير من الوقت للجلوس معهم والتمتع بالاحاديث الشيقة ومناقشة مايدور بافكارنا وفي العالم من سياسة وتاريخ وقصص والتعرف على العالم وامور الدنيا ...الخ وسماع النصائح من الوالدين والضحك مع الجميع  وتبادل الخبرات الحياتية  وماتكونه من نضج في الشخصية ومحبة  !

 اما اليوم فالجميع مشغولون كباراً وصغاراًولم يعد هنالك وقت للكلام او العمل المشترك وقلت الزيارات ولمة العائلات ::

:فالأم قد  تعمل في وظيفة ثم  تعود لمتابعة شؤون المنزل والاطفال! وماتبقى لديها من الوقت تشغلها بالايباد والكمبيوتر وبعدها تمسك الأي فون او الجالكسي او مشاهدة التلڤزيون وحيدة  ! ولاوقت لمجالسة الابناء فهم ايضاً مشغولون بأجهزتهم ولن يستجيبوا لما تقوله!!

والوالد بعد العمل وحيداً وايضاً  مع الاجهزة الالكترونية ومدمناً  بممارسة الالعاب الإلكترونية( وvideo games ) او على النتنت والشات ! ولادخل له في شؤون البيت ويعتبرها مسؤلية الزوجة والتي لا زال يعيش بعقلية السي سيد  ! 

وتحتل مباريات الكرة الدولية والمحلية الإهتمام الاكبر ولها قدسية خاصة ! 

! واما الشباب فلقد ابدعوا بتنزيلها من على النت ! 

واصبحوا مدمنين بشكلٍ غير طبيعي على كافة الالعاب والاكترونيات وبدرجاتٍ تتخطى حبهم لآبائهم وعائلاتهم وحتي يتفوق على الهامبرجر!!  

والمؤسف انهم يتابعون ادق التفاصيل للاعبي الكرة الافاضل الاجنبية  !وبلدانهم ومن اشتراهم ولباسهم !وتقليدهم في حلق شعورهم !وصدقوني بانهم يعرفون عنهم اكثر مما يعرفونه عن مجتمعهم اخوتهم وآبائهم !!بل اكثر من انفسهم!

وبذا نرى انه لم يعد وجودٌ للعائلة !!

والكل يعيش وحيداً وهم تحت سقفٍ واحد!!   

لقد غابت الحميمية بين العائلة وانشغل الجميع بكل شيئ وسُرقت الاوقات لصالح الالكترونيات وتفككت العائلة واصبحت تعيش في غربة البيوت !ودفء الاجهزة الحديدية!

وبالرغم من رؤيتهم لبعضهم ولكنهم غرباء ولاتوجد بينهم حميمة زمان! لان هذه الوحدة مع الاجهزة تخلق الكثير من الإنعزال و الأنانية  والجمود العاطفي! !

واصبحت العلاقات  من نوع  تحصيل حاصل! نظراً للحاجة المادية ولزوم الإعاشة والتي تضطرهم التواجد في بيوت العائلة!  

وذلك يفسر قسوة القلوب في التعاملات العائلية اليومية ! وظهور طبقة عقوق الوالدين!وعدم احترامهم او المساهمة في تقديم اي دعمٍ لهم وعلى الأخص الدعم العلطفي! 

وتزداد عندما  يخرج الابناء من البيت العائلي!  !فنراهم يزدادون غربةً وابتعاداً !!لأن الأمر يصبح بعدها خارجاً عن ارادتهم!وليس بيدهم اذا ماتركناهم صغاراً يلعبون ويدمرون نفوسهم الغضة البريئة؛!

وينسوون الوالدين والأقارب ويبتعدون...! وتصبح زياراتهم للأهل نادرة!!

انها هى هذه  الحضارة الحديثة والخطيرة !!والتي تمكنت من الإنسان وباشغال جل وقته في أشياءٍ لا قيمةً حقيقية لها!

هذا  اذا لم تقنن وتحتسب بأوقاتٍ معينة للجميع !  هى سرقت ابناؤنا من احضاننا وأضاعتهم في غياهب الاجهزة المدمرة وباءذنٍ رسميٌ منا  علنا نتدارك ذلك !قبل فوات الأوان ان لم يكن قد فات فعلياً  ؟!

Art and art thinking

I love art, I think that those that can express themselves with paint and canvas are really clever, I can never do that, or maybe I do not have the patience to do that.  Is it the same as writing? or is it totally different? how do the artist express themselves? do they just look at the canvas and think that today I am going to drew something, splash the colors and there it comes out? a magnificent painting?  or is it an accumulation of feelings and experiences that gather in the person's head until one day he or she explode and splash them on canvas or in a sculpture without realizing why? 

What is art at the end of the day? according to wiki:
"Art is a diverse range of human activities and the products of those activities; this article focuses primarily on the visual arts, which includes the creation of images or objects in fields including painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and other visual media. Architecture is often included as one of the visual arts; however, like the decorative arts, it involves the creation of objects where the practical considerations of use are essential—in a way that they are usually not for a painting, for example. Music, theatre, film, dance, and other performing arts, as well as literature, and other media such as interactive media are included in a broader definition of art or the arts.^[1] 

Until the 17th century, art referred to any skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts or sciences, but in modern usage the fine arts, where aesthetic considerations are paramount, are distinguished from acquired skills in general, and the decorative or applied arts.

Many definitions of art have been proposed by philosophers and others who have characterized art in terms of mimesis, expression, communication of emotion, or other values. During the Romantic period, art came to be seen as "a special faculty of the human mind to be classified with religion and science".^[2] Though art's definition is disputed and has changed over time, general descriptions mention an idea of human agency^[3] and creation through imaginative or technical skill.^[4]
The nature of art, and related concepts such as creativity and interpretation, are explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics.<sup>[5] "

The encyclopedia Britannica defines art as: "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others". By this definition of the word, artistic works have existed for almost as long as humankind: from early pre-historic art to contemporary art; however, some theories restrict the concept to modern Western societies.[6] The first and broadest sense of art is the one that has remained closest to the older Latin meaning, which roughly translates to "skill" or "craft." A few examples where this meaning proves very broad include artifact, artificial, artifice, medical arts, and military arts. However, there are many other colloquial uses of the word, all with some relation to its etymology.

From the writeup above it is very clear that art is an expression of what the mind stores coupled with a creativity or talent.

Of course I am not writing an assignement about art, I am trying to prove a point here.  The point is art is used by many people to talk about something or somethings that are going on in their lives, or their beliefs or their feelings etc.  The expressions can be mind boggling, or can be as simple as drawing the feeling itself without hiding it.  

One day I attended a talk by an Italian artist (http://bit.ly/Trjsk7)  who showed us a collection of art or installations done by those who felt for the Jews that were burnt in chambers.  There was heaps of shoes, lots of dirty cloths that are hung on top of each other, a bowl and a hose hung from the ceiling dripping with blood that seeps into the bowl.  There was also knives stained with blood and other items that clearly shows how artists felt about the holocaust!  those artistic pieces stayed in my mind for a while, and to date I will never dismiss the holocaust or say that it never happened.  If one can draw those pieces then one had either been in that situation, or vividly heard about it and thus drew it in that manner.  Very deppressing.  

Last week the Shia mourn the tenth of Muharram, which had been done every year for over 1400 years.  The deep feelings are either displayed by actions, or like in Bahrain by art.  Every year a tent is erected and many artists gather to draw the events and tell others who frequent the Gallery, these pictures are also showcase what the artists had felt or vividly heard about the events that happened on the tenth of Muharram hence being able to draw them that well.  Click the link to see some of these art pieces (http://bit.ly/TtAgdj)

I suppose, that anything done by the human beings is an expression of some sort, whether it being writing, drawing, acting, drama, poetry and the array of fields that the human mind is able to benefit from in order to make believe or re-invent history.  I wish we can all acquire these abilities, as if we do, we will never have a person that requires a psychiatrist or a brain surgeon. 

Sorry if I blabbered in the beginning, and I hope that I was able to make my point really clear, if not, please tell me about it??</sup>