Message from San Francisco-United States Volume 2, Issue 4 iEARN Pakistan has been an outstanding member of the AYUSA Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Consortium for several years. Not only has the Pakistani group of Youth Exchange Inside this issue: students have been the largest group of participants for several years, they are consistently some of the best prepared to take full advantage of the experience. English Access Program- 2 The projects they engage with upon returning to Pakistan as part of the Alumni Karachi is Launched program is further evidence of the high quality of work iEARN Pakistan performs. Healing by Caring... The friendships and connections made between Pakistanis and Americans benefit 2 all of us by building a more understanding and caring world. We look forward to many more years of YES Alumni at the Int’l 2 working with iEARN Pakistan! Youth Conference David Beiser Community Service 3 Director of Grant Programs at AYUSA Activities by YES Alumni Little Ambassadors 4 Dr. Marilyn Wyatt Visits the iEARN Centre-Pakistan During the IEW Children’s Council 4 “The people of Pakistan are very friendly and Karachi. Students shared their experiences of Networks with Children outspoken as people in America, I love people language learning in the Access classrooms: and Officials here,” said Dr. Marilyn Wyatt, the wife of US “The classes are very different from our regular Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter, during English class, we have lots of fun activities,” said her visit to the iEARN Centre-Pakistan, on 6th one of the students. Another one added “our December. She met with a group of students, teachers are more like friends and we enjoy teachers, and iEARN-Pakistan officials. “I am these classes.” Later on Dr. Wyatt and Susan learning Urdu as well,” Dr. Wyatt replied during Harville, Cultural Affairs Officer from the US her discussion with students currently enrolled in Consulate, Karachi took a tour of the SIE facili- the English Language classes as part of the ties and were updated on various projects and English Access Microscholarship Program for programs run by SIE. Dr. Marilyn Wyatt with Access Karachi team Society for International Education Opens Islamabad Office Celebrate UN International Days by integrating iEARN Projects Society for International Education is proud to open its new office in Islamabad, a spacious and func- Global Family Day tional facility located in Sector-I. The facility presents a fully equipped ICT training room for all online (Jan 1st) curriculum based and other program related trainings. Check out the training schedule below. Also “Kindred Project” check our website at http://www.iearnpk.org/PD/11schedule.htm .. Int’l Mother Language Day (Feb 21st) “Global Art-Images of Caring Professional Development Trainings at Islamabad Project” iEARN Online Project Based Learning Workshop — January 2011 World Water Day (Mar 22nd) Youth Volunteering and Community Service Workshop — February 2011 “YouthCaN” YouthCaN — February 2011 Download lesson plans & Digital Storytelling in Classrooms — March 2011 activities at: http://www.iearnpk.org/ Classroom Publications for Effective Communication —March 2011 iEARN_workshops/intl_days.htm Page 1 iEARN and I English Access Program-Karachi is Launched I have been English Access Microscholarship Program, classes under Access and the ones in their associated over the st years with iEARN Karachi kicked off with a bang on 1 October at regular school: First, the Access teachers always Pakistan in more the Beach Luxury Hotel. Nearly 100 participants speak English and insist that their students do than one ways. attended the two-day Orientation and Training the same; second, they are friendly; and third, When I was working Program for Module-1. This was followed by the Access classes combine learning with more fun as a faculty in the after-school Access Classes involving more than and enjoyment. Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development (1997- 1500 students (aged 14 to 16) in 15 Access The 32-hour Module-1 ended by the end of 1999) Farah Kamal as a professional Centers located in under-privileged areas November. Before the beginning of 118 hour colleague often used to share her of Karachi. Ensuring that the classes take place Module-2, another Teacher Training Program was discovery of iEARN and the subsequent progress in this direction. regularly in all Centers amidst the uncertain law organized for the Access Team. The main focus So, in a way, I can say that I had and order conditions was a major challenge, but of the program was introduction of the course quite a close view of iEARN with the help of commitment of teachers and materials (mainly the Headway Book) and the Pakistan growing through its initial formative years. support by host schools the challenge was met corresponding teaching approaches. Module-2 quite successfully. In addition, students were started in the second week of December. The Later, as iEARN Pakistan expanded its range of programs and sometimes also provided with an opportunity to work on high point of the module, so far, was the distribu- needed quick and positive response Community Service Projects which they found fun tion of program related materials among from some school, I as the Director and great learning. As part of the International students. As the students received colorful of Al-Murtaza School Network, contributed my bit to extend the Education Week, YES alumni gave talk-cum- books, folders, notebooks, pens, attractive needed support. This, then, was my presentation focusing their year long backpacks, and stylish caps their joy was evident association with iEARN Pakistan as experiences in US. In general, the Access from their happy faces and cheerful expressions. a school-based ally. students find three key differences in the English www.iearnpk.org/accesskhi/index.html I had a chance in 2004 to attend the regional Conference of Bridge (organized by iEARN) in Alexandria, Egypt. The conference afforded me a wonderful opportunity to get a close look at the iEARN as a global organization connecting individuals and diverse communities around the world. All my associations with SIE- iEARN Pakistan have been as an ‘outsider.’ Now recently – October 1, 2010 to be precise - I have joined Healing by Caring... the organization as the Program Manager of English Access iEARN Pakistan-YES Alumni and SIE Children's photos and videos etc. Microscholarship Program –Karachi. Council in collaboration with UNICEF and Social depicting their present No more an ‘outsider’ now, I hope to make some productive contribution Welfare Department, Government of Sindh, lives and future to SIE-iEARN Pakistan in my new initiated a project called “ Healing by Caring” to aspirations. A group of role. help build the resilience of the child survivors of 50 volunteers of YES Tahir Javed, the recent floods, supporting healing and rehabil- Alumni Pakistan and Program Manager (English Access) itation through creative processes. The first Children‟s Council phase of the project consisted of engaging actively participated in raising awareness of the children in camps in different activities facilitated flood-effected children‟s issues and strengthen- by YES alumni and Children‟s Council members. ing their ability to advocate for their peers. In the This phase continued from 21st to 31st December second phase of the project, an anthology of the 2010. The program engaged around 570 girls children‟s creative artwork and their stories will and boys of 10-17 years of age, currently located be compiled in the form of a publication and a in the camps in Karachi, Sonda (Thatta) and multimedia DVD which will be acknowledged in a Sujawal. The children at the camps were divided grand event that would include public exhibition into „Listen‟, „Look‟ and „Create‟ groups. The aim of selected pieces. The voices and concerns of was to capture their voices and perspectives children affected by the flood will also be shared Children at the flood relief camps through a range of creative activities such as via social media to extend its reach. learning to draw with volunteers poster making, drawing, interviewing, capturing Page 2 iEARN Professional Development Workshops and Trainings iEARN Pakistan arranged a series of professional School, Habib Girls School, Ghulaman e Abbas development workshops for teachers for the last School, Bahria College (Karsaz), Bahria College quarter of 2010 at iEARN Centre-Karachi. These (MT Khan), Aga Khan School Kharadar, Fatimiyah workshops were based on interesting topics like School and Al Murtaza School joined and Digital Storytelling in the Classrooms, Under- benefitted from these workshops. standing Cultures with iEARN Projects, iEARN These trainings helped them to improve their Participants of the workshop on Beginners Training, Digital Imaging Across teaching and learning practices through interest- Digital Storytelling in Classroom Curriculum and Desktop Publishing Tools for ing sessions and activities focusing ICT integra- Classroom Publications. All the trainings went tion and collaborative learning approach. The My iEARN Experience... successful emphasizing different aspects of the educators discussed new ideas and shared I attended iEARN Professional Development Program on 8th teaching-learning processes. Around 100 experiences with other teachers and students and 9th October. This workshop teachers from different schools in Karachi around the world through iEARN forums. http:// was based on Digital Story