Tag: Dhofar

Teaching Metaphors: Conducting a Jazz Symphony

I was talking to a friend about teaching in Oman and trying to find the right metaphor. The usual comparisons: teachers as parent, as coach, as conductor couldn’t convey my exact meaning. Then I realized that teacher as conductor didn’t work because it was too constrictive – the players have to follow the music and what the person in front is signaling. That doesn’t give the necessary leeway for a positive classroom atmosphere.

But conducting a jazz symphony works. It gives the idea of someone basically in change but ready to let others take the lead and change direction if necessary; if the oboes feel the need to do a solo riff, then off they go. The conductor walks in with a musical score and general sense of how things should proceed, but also needs to be ready for the swerve.

There are days I walk into a classroom and everyone is ‘off’ – tired, cranky, silent. Sometimes there is a reason (an important football match the night before), sometimes it just happens and I need to readjust like a quarterback calling an audible. Suddenly I will decide that we are starting with group work or I might try to tease them into getting organized; sometimes I have to roll with it and try to do all the heavy lifting or give students a choice of different activities.

Or sometimes I walk in and there’s a manic energy, as if everyone had a few espressos for breakfast. Then I need to try to harness that liveliness into productive discussions.

A regular conductor knows exactly how they want the music to sound, but with a jazz symphony, you never know what is going to happen. Even after twenty-five years of teaching, I can still be knocked off balance. Once a student’s phone rang and they said, “I have to take this call.” I remember standing there utterly blank for a moment, wondering what to do. The student seemed serious, but letting a student leave class to talk on the phone was, for me, a dangerous precedent to set.

I was stuck. According to my rules, I should have said, “if you leave class, I will mark you absent.” But the student was asking permission in a straight-forward way, I felt (although I had no way to prove this) that there was an emergency and there had not been any negative behavior in that class.

After a few seconds of silence, I nodded and said, “OK.” I did not feel comfortable yet I thought I was making the right choice for that moment. I braced myself for fallout however, the student came back in after a few moments and no other students asked to leave for the rest of the semester.

Sometimes the best way to lead people is to let them do what they want.

Donaldson’s article on “Units of Counting” in Oman

I recently read a great article about Oman:

Donaldson, William. 1994. “Units of Counting and Aggregation in Omani Arabic.” Journal of Semitic Studies 39: 87-96. https://doi.org/10.1093/jss/XXXIX.1.87

The same author also wrote:

  • Donaldson, William. 1979. Fishing and Fish Marketing in Northern Oman: A Case Study of Artisanal Fisheries Development. Doctoral thesis, Durham University.
  • Donaldson, William. 2008. “Enterprise and Innovation in an Indigenous Fishery: The Case of the Sultanate of Oman.” Development and Change 11: 479-95.

I think it is so interesting when a researcher gives a clear overview of a small aspect of a culture. I ran into the issue of how to count items when I was doing work on fishing a few years ago. At that time I noted:

Oman uses the metric system but different measuring systems are used in fishing. Boats are ordered by ‘feet,’ petrol is measured by ‘drum’ (8 Omani Riyal for a standard 30-liter petrol can), engine power is by ‘horsepower,’ and the radius of circular sardine nets is by dhirae (‘arm’ in Arabic, from the inside, centre point of right elbow to tip of middle finger on right hand). The depth of water, the size of fish boxes (traps) and the height of a curtain nets is by ba’ (from furthest edge of left shoulder to tip of middle finger on right hand).

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 4

(photo by S. B.)

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 1

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 2

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 3

I hope that my previous essays on teaching might help all teachers, but this essay is focused on teaching writing to students who can put together a few paragraphs in English by explaining the benefits of doing daily in-class writing. I also discuss the benefits of having students use rubrics, come up with their own topics and share papers.

In-class Writing – for classes such as Introduction to Creative Writing and Writing Workshop, just telling students HOW to do something is not effective unless students have a text to work off of, so I ask that every student brings a large notebook to class every day. They write the date at the top of page, I give a prompt to help them get started, then let them write for 10-15 minutes.

For creative writing class, I might ask them to write a poem about the weather, then the next day, ask them to take that poem and change it so the weather itself is the narrator, i.e. the “rain” or the “sun” speaks and explains their feelings. If we are doing drama, I might ask for a dialog between two people who are very different ages or a dialog in which someone is trying to get something in a sneaky way.

For a writing workshop class, I might ask them to explain something they want to change about our university. Then I ask them to take that topic and change their writing so they are talking to other students, then change it again so they are talking to administration. This kind of practice allows them to get a handle on “audience” and how to craft arguments depending on who you are writing for.

Writing daily means that when it is time to think of topics for their main papers, they have pages of writing to look through to help them come up with ideas. Also, as the semester goes on, students are able to write more quickly so that a student who managed a few sentences in 10 minutes during the first class might be able to write two paragraphs after two months. When I ask them to review their journals and they can see their progress, it improves their writing confidence for doing midterms and papers in other classes.

A really important part of doing daily journals is that I do not comment when a student does not write in class one day. From friendships with Omanis who are not connected to the university, I can see how students are sometimes subject to enormous pressures at home. For most North American/ UK/ EU students, college is seen as the most significant factor and while some students might have a job, there is a general understanding that school work comes first.

In Oman, if older relatives come to visit on the night before an exam, students might be expected to sit in the salle or majlis with them. Sometimes a family decides that a student will be married in the middle of the semester, or a beloved sister is married so a student is busy for weeks with the preparations, then has to cope with the sadness that the sister is no longer living in the house. There might be a death in the family or sometimes a student has to sit up all night with a sick child. And sometimes a student is simply out of ideas.

At the start of the semester I say, “you need to write at least half a page every class period, but if you can’t write in class a few times during the semester, that’s fine. Sit quietly and take care of yourself. But you will have to do the writing at some point. I will put the prompt on Moodle (the on-line teaching program) in case you miss class, you still have to do the writing.”

Knowing they have to do the work, but they can take a break if they are having a bad day, eliminates scolding, arguments and unhappiness. When I am walking around the room to check progress and I see a blank page, I quietly say, “do it later tonight with a cup of tea” and walk on. I have never had a student abuse this by not writing for several days in a row, but every semester I have students who simply can’t focus. Sometimes they look at me and shake their heads, and I whisper, “it’s ok.” Sometimes they will try to explain what’s wrong and I say, “you don’t need to tell me the reason. No phone, don’t talk to anyone, draw a picture if you want. Make up the work later.” Of course for tests, students need to do the work at the correct time, but I don’t think it’s helpful to force students by pretending there is something magically useful about writing EVERY day.

The journal work is usually worth 10 points (from a class total of 100). I collect the journals three times during the semester without advance notice and skim though them. If the students’ journals are organized and have 1/2 page of writing for each class period, they get full credit. If not, I write what the issue is and give a lower grade. Then I hand them back at the start of the next class period.

Writing papers

Some people advise giving out sample papers and students usually want a sample but I don’t think it’s a good idea for students who are at the level of being able to write 3 or 4 connected paragraphs. A sample is too easy to copy. On the other hand, it’s never helpful to give vague assignments such as “give me a 5-paragraph argument essay.”

The happy middle ground is a three-step process: create and discuss a rubric, have students hand in topic choices and do an in-class workshop day. This drastically cuts down on the chances to cheat/ plagiarize and improves students ability to think and write from themselves.

using rubrics – Three weeks before a major paper is due, I always give out a detailed rubric (see example below) which gives all the relevant dates and explains the sections of the paper. Using a table format means I can write the points the students earn next to the explanation, so they can see where they have made a mistake. I also add examples of quotes because some students have not used quotes before and having the sample sentences right on the rubric means they don’t have to look elsewhere for help. Lastly, I put the late-paper policy so, again, students have all the information they need in one paper.

choosing topics – On the day I hand out the rubric, I tell students that they need to think of at least three topics, and write them out on a paper with a few bullet points and hand it on by the due date. I review the topics and put a check next to the topics which are ok for them to use. This cuts down on over-used topics (on-line teaching!) and allows me to make sure no two students are doing the same idea.

sharing writing  – A week before the paper is due, I set up a “workshop” day in which students read each other’s writing. The two most important aspects are to start small and provide a framework. Nothing could be less helpful than simply giving a student’s paper to another student.

In classes in which I use peer groups, I always try to put students in groups with a task to work on several times at the start of the semester so they can start to get to know each other. If we are doing daily in-class writing, I will announce (BEFORE THEY START TO WRITE!) that they are going to share that day’s work with another student. I let them write, then assign everyone a pair and they switch notebooks and talk about what they wrote. Doing this a few times allows students to get to work together and feel more comfortable about sharing papers.

The second step is to give students a review sheet to fill in (see sample below) instead of simply asking students to read or “comment.” Having a worksheet allows them to read with a purpose and check that the student has done all the assigned parts, which makes them reflect on their own writing.

I explain to students that another student in the class (they will not know which one) will read their paper and if they don’t want to use their real name, that’s fine. They need to make sure that there is either a name or title on the paper. When I walk around the room to pick up the drafts, I can verify that each student handed in a draft, then I mix up the papers and hand them back with the peer review sheet.

As students finish reading and filling out a sheet, I give them a second paper to work on which helps stop the “do the worksheet in a hurry and then just sit” syndrome. They know if they finish one paper, they will get another one to work on.

And I make sure to explain that students who do not come with a draft will be given the chance to work on their assignment on their own. If a student comes in without a paper, I don’t ask, “Why didn’t you do the work?” I ask them to sit at the back of the class, make sure they have paper and a pen and ask them to start writing. After I have distributed papers to the rest of the class, I will sit next to every student who did not come prepared and ask if they have any questions. Then I will give them a peer-review sheet and remind them that they have to have someone else read their paper and they need to turn in their drafts and peer-review sheet with their final paper.

example rubric for writing class:

Assessment 3 –  May 14  – 10 points – due in class

 

topics due April 30, counts as a homework grade

peer review May 9, counts as class participation grade

 

  Explanation possible score student score
   Essay ·         a complete, realistic, original, thought-provoking argument paper on a topic that PERSONALLY impacts the author·         must have clear AUDIENCEtopics NOT allowed:·         not smoking

·         not cheating

·         driving (too fast or who drives)

·         on-line teaching

·         cell phones/ social media

·         where to take a vacation

·         correct grammar and spelling

·         at least 4 pages long

 ·         creative, interesting argument explained in introduction – 1·         compelling conclusion (restatement, positive or negative if this doesn’t happen, story, expand topic, etc.) – 1·         at least 2 points supporting the argument based on author’s reasoning – 2·         at least 2 points supporting the argument based on interviews/ external sources with quotes – 2

·         at least 1 rebuttal (anticipating counter-argument) – 1

·         1

points deducted if not long enough
 Draftsand documents ·         at least THREE drafts with evidence of substantial revision ·         at least one peer review sheet·         topic sheet with teacher approval ·         2
  Format  Paper should be:·         neatly handwritten in blue or black ink on plain white, large, lined paper·         each paragraph indented with between 3 and 6 sentences unless it is dialog points deducted if not done correctly
total score

Quotes are:

  • approximately 10 words or less
  • within a sentence:
  • My father agreed that, “There should be more hotels in Nizwa.”
  • “I think Dhofar should have more libraries,” said Dr. Risse.

Please note

  • 1 point taken off for lateness
  • last time to turn in an assignment is exactly ONE WEEK after due date

**********************************************

example peer review sheet for above assignment in writing class (the original has spaces for writing between the questions)

ENGL 285 – assignment 3 – peer review – May 9

Name of author or title of paper __________________________

* Is the paper divided into paragraphs?                                                          yes / no

* Are all the paragraphs indented?                                                                 yes / no

* Does each paragraph have 3, 4, 5 or 6 sentences?                                  yes / no

* What is the main argument of the paper?

* Who is the audience?

*Sections of the paper – for each section write the main idea/ argument

 

Introduction – is there a ‘hook’/ does the paper have an interesting opening?

Authors reasons

1)

2)

Outside reasons – either interview or website

1)

2)

Rebuttal

Conclusion

*What do you not understand? What questions do you have?

* What information should the author add to the paper?

* Circle all misspelled words or grammar problems.

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 3

(photo by S.B.)

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 1

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 2

Image someone who works in a cement factory who meets 100 people every day who have made houses with their cement blocks. Or a restaurant in which a cook makes the food, then sits at the table and watches the customers eat the meal and comment on it.

That’s what teachers do – we have to face the recipients of our work every day. I always tell new teachers that they need to teach from their personality. You can walk into a class and decide to adopt a persona but if it’s not your personality, the “new you” is not going to last. Which is why I say that it doesn’t matter as much how you teach as it matters that you stay consistent and explain your reasoning, especially if you have to change your mind.

Students in high context cultures like Oman usually learn about behavior by observation, not explicit directives. When students are trying to understand an teacher, they value consistency because they are trying to figure out what the teacher is doing and why. Acting the same way and keeping the same rules day after day makes for a calm classroom.

My second suggestion is to always keep on top of the paperwork – after a major assignment is due, write down the names of students who did not hand it in and make a quiet comment to them in class so there can be no future arguments about what was turned in or not.

Also, in terms of class management and assignments, I recommend teachers make statements, not ask personal questions. Some teachers like to put students on the spot and ask questions such as “Why are you talking?” or “Why did you come late?” or “Why didn’t you turn in your paper?” To me, this opens up all sorts of unpleasant options such as a student saying a relative died or a cheeky, “I wanted to.”

If students are talking when they should be listening, reading or writing, then it’s good to ask “Do you have a question” or “Is something not clear?” to help get students back on track, but “Why are you goofing off?” is not helpful. If it’s an issue of class management, a flat statement is usually best: “Please come to class on time.” If it’s an issue of a student not doing work, again a flat statement lets the student know you have noticed the omission without getting details of the student’s personal life.

If a student is way out of bounds, I sometimes use. “What on EARTH are you DOING?” which focuses on the action, not the reasoning and since not all students know the idiom, it can create a moment of confusion which stops the action and allows me to refocus the class back to our work.

Lastly, if a student is upset and the problem is unsolvable, distract them. Change the topic so they can focus on the future, not get stuck in an escalating situation. For example, if a student did badly on the midterm and wants a new exam or for you to change the grade, start talking about the next assignment, stressing if they do well on the up-coming work, their grade will improve.

Staying consistent, keeping an eye on students who are doing poorly, making statements and distracting angry students means a peaceful atmosphere in a class and fewer explosions.

For example, I accept papers up to one week late (with a late penalty) and on the last possible day to submit, I always check my grade book before class to see who might need to still give me a paper. In one course only one student hadn’t done the assignment, so in class, I walked by their desk and said quietly, “You haven’t given me the assignment.” Then I stood and looked at the student until they responded by nodding.

Months later, 10 days after the course ended and two days before the final exam, this student came to my office with a few papers stapled together and said, “This is the assignment. I did the work but you didn’t accept it.” This is a situation in which I could have said “that’s not true” but the basis of the student’s speech was fear of failing the class. So I addressed that aspect, not the lying.

I briefly explained again my policy about accepting late work and reminded the student that I had checked with them in class on the last day they could have submitted. Then to change the focus, I took a piece of paper and wrote out the grading scale for the class, adding in the student’s grades so far and showed that if they did well on the final, they could pass the class. The student was not happy but I avoided a long, angry discussion.

When the student was ready to leave my office, I said, “You can’t get a grade for what you wrote, but if you want me to check it – I will read it now and give you feedback so if  there is a mistake, you won’t make the same problem on the final exam.” Saying this is a good way to make peace by showing that you want to help the student and it’s often a check on the student’s intentions. If they took the assignment seriously, did the work themselves and want to do well on the final, they will hand over the work and let me look at it. If they got the work from another person, my comments won’t help them and they will not show me the paper. That student did not show me the paper.

My last point is that, if it works with your personality, using humor is often very effective in Oman. Omanis have a great sense of humor and respond well to joking. It can be an helpful way to get your point across, but have a back-up plan ready.

For example, I am very consistent that I should never see a phone in class – phones need to be inside a purse or pocket or set face-down under the chair. I say this during the first few classes, then in the 2nd or 3rd week, if I see a phone I act like I saw a snake and yell, “OH NO! What’s that?” as I back away in horror. Everyone starts looking around to see what I am pointing at asking, “What? WHAT?” Then I point and say, “That black thing there!” They realize I am pretending to be scared of a phone and laugh while the student puts the phone away.

Or if I see a phone I cover my eyes and yell, “OH NO! That hurts my eyes!” Again everyone looks to see what’s wrong, then laugh when they realize it’s the phone. And they understand that I will always react when I see a phone.

After the 3rd or 4th week, I say, “we have talked about the no-phones rule, now if I see a phone, I will take it and put it on the front table.” Then if I see a student is looking at their phone in class, I walk by and quietly say, “give me the phone.” If the student tries to put in their purse or pocket, I shake my head and say, “No, you have heard the rule – either you give it to me or you can walk up and put it on the front table. Your choice.”  Then I do not move from their side until they give it to me to put on the front table or they have put it on the front table themselves.

If they refuse, then I say quietly, “Your choices are leave the class, give me your phone or put it on the front table.” I have never had a student refuse at that point, but if they did, I would say, “I am marking you absent,” then I would walk to the front of the room, mark the attendance sheet, then continue to teach the class, ignoring that student.

To me, it’s important to avoid anger and “no-win” situations. Using humor saves me from having to say over and over “no phones.” After I do a fake scream two times, everyone knows to look for who has a phone out – and everyone knows that having their phone on their desk means they are going to get negative attention.

Talking quietly and giving students a choice of “give me the phone or you put it on the front table” allows them some privacy and autonomy over what happens. (They can take the phone from the desk at the end of class.) Yelling and/ or saying “give me the phone” is too public and direct.

Sometimes I am told that I am “babying” students but taking away their dignity is never going to create a positive learning environment. I want to uphold the class rules in an equal and fair manner which allows students to concentrate on learning.

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 4

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 2

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 1

Overview

All people have strong memories of their school days. Sometimes these memories become an inviolate template, so that teachers think “X was a great teacher and she did Y so I must do Y also” or “I was a good student and I did Z, so all of my students must also do Z.” Sometimes when teachers say “this is the ‘best’ way to do it,” they actually mean “this is the way my parents did it,” “this is what I am comfortable with,” “this is what is usual in my culture” or “this is what I learned from my teachers.” This might be useful if the teacher is working in their own culture, but such generalizations may not be helpful when working in a foreign country. Actions that might be seen as beneficial, such as using a student’s name in a sample grammar sentence, might be problematic in Oman where students might resist having their name used in public.

I will discuss five common cultural constructions within Oman which can affect student’s behavior. I am specifically not talking about any particular subject of study, but issues related to classroom management and creating a positive, pro-learning atmosphere.

Understanding Cultural Constructions within High Context Cultures

Oman is a high context culture meaning that most learning about proper social behavior is done by observation, not explicit instruction. When a teacher also comes from a high context culture that has different definitions of what good students do, this can lead to unintended confusion. It is much easier when teachers use low context techniques such as explaining all expectations clearly with written explanations and detailed rubrics.

The more organized and confident a teacher is at the start of the semester, the easier it is to create a positive learning environment. To use Krashen’s terms, when a teacher appears confused or uncertain in high context cultures, students’ affective filter is up, meaning that they students might be anxious to focus on learning.

Worrying about new concepts or new types of assignments can block students from being able to work effectively, so teachers should clarify exactly what is expected. For example, one teacher asked students to do presentations but did not specifically say that students would be interrupted with questions. When the first student was asked a question mid-presentation, they froze up and were unable to answer, nor could they finish the presentation. The rest of the class immediately developed sore throats with raging headaches and stated that they were not able to do their presentations.

Understanding Cultural Constructions of “Power” and “Authority”

Some teachers come from cultures in which teaching is very authoritarian. Teachers speak – students listen. Students do not have the right to question what a teacher is doing or why, much less complain about grades or that they have been treated unfairly. Also, some teachers have the idea that since many Omani cultures are based on tribes, that there are very top-down, repressive cultures, e.g. sheikhs speak and people obey.

This is not the case. Sheikhs might have the last word but it is their duty to listen as part of the understandings within tribes is that the person without power gets to state their case, sometimes emphatically and at length. Also, a good sheikh will not issue commands, but talk in an intelligent way so that the people will agree with him or at least agree to follow a specific course of action.  

Oman has many cultures which are oral-based, meaning people talk far more than they read or write. The powerplay of shutting people down without listening to them is rarely used. Further, refusing to discuss an issue can be perceived as being weak. The thinking is: if a person can’t listen and/or debate, maybe it’s because the person knows their case is not defendable. Someone who can’t support their position will try to run away from conversations. Thus a common model of a person in authority is a person who listens and explains their thinking. It is also necessary that their words and actions match each other.

Students expect that their reasons/ excuses will be listened to

Because of this cultural constructions, an Omani student might come to complain or plead for a change in the rule several times. This can frustrate teachers who come from backgrounds in which students should not repeatedly ask for something. In this case, the American communication strategy such as saying “I’m sorry” to defuse a tense situation is helpful, as is setting limits such as saying, “I’m sorry, I would love to discuss this with you but I have to go to class now, I will be back in 1 1 2/ hours and if you are busy then, I will be in my office tomorrow morning at 9am.”

If a student continues to speak, the teacher can restate with questions which will break up the flow of complaints and force students to refocus: “Did I tell you that I wanted to continue the conversation? Did I tell you that I had a class at that time? Did I tell you when I would be back in my office? Did I tell when I would be in my office tomorrow?” The problem is deferred and not escalated.

When a student comes during office hours, I usually write down the exact time they start to speak and let them talk for ten minutes. Then I interrupt and say, “I have listened for 10 minutes, now I would like you to listen for 1 minute.” If I am not going to grant the student’s request to change the rules, I will explain WHY I have that rule, then say, “if you would like to continue to talk, that’s fine, but unless you have NEW information, I need to do some work.” Then I will listen for a few moments, if the student is simply restating their objections, I will start doing desk work such as e-mail and entering attendance without asking the student to leave my office.

Teachers need to explain their reasoning

In some cultures, teachers can make blanket declarations, but it’s easier for students in Oman to have foreign teachers explain the class rules in a clear manner both orally and in writing on the syllabus and on-line teaching program.

One example is that I carefully describe how I grade tests. I turn the cover page over so I don’t see the student’s name. Then I grade all of the first pages together so I can see if students are having any particular problems with one question or if several students have answers that are too similar. Then I re-shuffle the papers and grade all of the 2nd pages, without looking at how a student did on their first page. When I have finished all the pages, I add up the scores and record the grade. I believe the reason I receive very few complaints or petitions about final grades is that I take the time to make sure students know exactly what I am doing with their tests. This allows them to feel more confident that I am being as fair as I can.

A second example happened one semester in which I was given a class to teach and I planned the syllabus alone, thinking I was the only one doing that class. During the add-and-drop period, a second section needed to be opened, but I didn’t know that had happened, nor did the other teacher know I was also teaching the same course. A few weeks into the semester, the fact that the two sections had different assignments became clear and there was some worry that students would complain that my class would be perceived as being more difficult. I said that I felt there would not be any problems because I had spent a lot of time explaining what work I was assigning and why I chose to ask for that work. By taking the time to say why I felt the homework was helpful, students did not feel that they were being treated unfairly.

Do not make false threats

When talking to new teachers, I often give the example of a child crying for a sweet while a parent says no. After a few moments, the parent gives in and hands over the sweet so the child stops crying. The parent has now taught the child to cry. My point is: don’t teach your students to create problems.

Think through realistic assessments and policies for your classes which you can defend. If you need to change something, do it explicitly in front of the whole class, write it on your on-line teaching program and make sure you have a built-in support ready to go. For example, “I was not marking who came to class without the course book but this is turning out to be a problem as many students are coming unprepared, and then bothering other students to share books. This means it’s harder to some students to take notes. So, now I will be checking to see if you have your book and marking that as part of your class participation grade. If you forget your book at home, please come to my office before class and I can lend you a photocopy to use.”

A related topic is that making broad threats only shows students that you cannot be trusted and invites students to attempt to change your mind on ALL aspects of your class. Saying “if you talk during the exam, I will take off 5 points” is not helpful. A teacher who tells students to come to class on time, but then arrives late is teaching students not to trust their words. Some teachers come from cultures in which older people are not expected to always follow their advice, but in Oman the idea of “do as I say, not as I do” can lead to classroom difficulties.

Understanding Cultural Constructions of “Magic Words”

Tied to the above discussion about power, some cultures work with what I term “magic words,” meaning that a teacher can simply say “this will not happen” and (like magic) it does not happen in a manner reminiscent of Gandalf blocking the Balrog by saying, “You cannot pass.” This construction does not work in Oman.

Simply telling students “do not…” will not work effectively. Words have to be connected to specific actions. For example, for a midterm exam, stating “do not cheat” is not useful. A teacher needs to think through the problem and create concrete steps to prevent cheating such as making sure students are seated apart from one another, writing tests with essays questions or having different versions of the test.

Another example is that many students like to solve exam questions in pencil, then go over their answers in pen. This creates a whole series of problems. First, to do this, students will need a pencil, easer and pen. First year students often forget one of those three things, then create havoc by asking loudly to borrow an eraser, etc. Also, some students will not start re-writing until the very end of the exam time, so that you are trying to take exams as students are trying to erase and re-write. If you take the exam still written in pencil, the students are upset and if you give them extra time to re-write, then the other students are upset because they feel that the pencil-using students got extra time.

The way to deal with this is not to say “don’t use pencils” but to be very clear: “If I see a pencil in your hand, I will take it out of your hand.” I also make sure there is blank space on the exam. Once the exam starts, I walk around and take pencils away from students but at the same time, point out the blank space and say, “if you don’t like your answer, cross it out and write a new answer here.” Or if students complain that they circled the wrong answer on a multiple-choice question, I suggest that they draw an arrow to point to the correct answer.

The combination of words, actions and making sure that students know you have thought through the ramifications creates a quiet exam.

Understanding Cultural Constructions of “Patience”

There is a strong Omani emphasis on covering/ hiding feelings and emotions. I believe this is connected to the fact that most Omanis live in multi-generational family homes with 20 or more people. Living in close quarters with so many relatives, creating a peaceful environment is important. This is on contrast to other cultures in which living in nuclear families or alone is common.

Living with so many people requires high levels of patience. For example, if several people want to go on a picnic but one child is sick, the family may delay plans so as not to leave two or three members at home.

Further, in many Omani cultures, getting angry is seen as something that children, not adults, do. A proper adult will not lose their temper but always stay in control of their emotions. Other conceptions of “patience” include not rushing to judge behavior. This means it is usual in Omani cultures to give people second chances and to look at their intentions, not only their actions.

Self-control

Sometimes when I explain the values of patience to teachers, I am told, “But students yell at me! They are not patient” There are a couple of issues at play. One is that the belief that the older the person, the better they should behave, so that a student who loses his temper might think, “I am yelling because I am young, but this teacher is older than me and should not yell at me.”

Perhaps a student is mad because of perceived unfairness, a teacher is requiring something that other students have not done or that other teachers do not ask for (such as coming to class on time). Or a student might be testing the teacher to try to get the teacher annoyed enough to say something wrong, which the student can then use as against the teacher.

So staying calm is absolutely vital. Sometimes the best choice is to explain that you cannot continue the conversation now for X reason, but that you are available to talk at Y time, giving you both some breathing room.

Sometimes you can plan ahead for how to avoid tense situations. You will know that X type of event might induce panic (and hence anger), so you can figure out how to keep a calm atmosphere. For example, the end of exams can be a difficult time for students who do not know the answers. Perhaps, they have been sitting and starting at the exam for over an hour, but when the times comes to give in the paper, they can get upset, try to quickly write something and yell if a teacher tries to take their exam paper. Handled wrongly, the situation can end in tears and/or fury.

Therefore, I make plans to ensure a smooth ending without me having to raise my voice, much less grab a paper away from a student. First, I give verbal warnings about the time such as “you have one hour.” I make those as clear and short as possible, not: “now dear students I want you to know that we have finished half the time and you have one hour remaining.” Simple, short statements are best.

When there is 10 minutes left, I say “you have to finish now, there are ten minutes.” And then when the time is finished, I don’t say, “the time is over, give me your papers.” I say, “time to finish” and then give a count-backwards from 10: 10 – pause – 9 – pause – 8 – pause, etc. When I get to “zero,” I start talking (sometimes singing) very loudly, “let’s go home – let’s go have ice cream – time for tea,” etc. It’s silly and distracting. If someone refuses to hand over their exam, I stand next to them and talk very loudly about how I really want to leave and go have an ice cream. The fact that I am talking loudly means they can’t concentrate; they quickly give up and hand over the paper. The students might be unhappy with how they did on the test, but they do not feel attacked or antagonized.

Believing the Best of a Person

A second issue related to patience is that Omanis often believe a person, especially a younger person, should be forgiven the first time they make a mistake, even if it was a deliberate transgression. Thus Omani students might breezily say “first time/ last time” when, for example, they have cheated on an assignment. A teacher from a culture which believes “do it right the first time” might feel insulted by a student who is not taking a problem seriously. One way to handle these situations is to make a great show of writing down the student’s name and what happened, then saying, “this was your ONE chance to make a mistake. And I have noted it, so if it happens again, then the consequences are…”

Judging on intentions not actions

 Something that has really helped me as a teacher in Oman is that I spent two summers learning Arabic from Omani teachers. Being a student in an Omani-led classroom gave me a lot of insights into how teaching and learning is conceived of in Oman.

I was once, painfully slowly, trying to say a sentence in my Arabic grammar class but the Omani grammar teacher kept trying to help by interrupting me with hints. I got really frustrated and yelled “STOP!” He walked to the corner, turned his back to the class and raised his hands over his head (punishment for misbehaving school kids). The other American and European students were appalled but the Omani teacher was not angry with me because he perceived my intention in yelling was to express my exasperation with myself, not an attempt to be rude to him. The action of yelling was rude, but there was no intention to be rude so we kept a good relationship.

From his comments in class it was clear that, to him, it was less rude to shout from frustration than to play with a cell phone in class or sit silently seething. I was making mistakes and inappropriately yelling, but at least I was trying to speak and learn so I was judged positively.

Some students might work out of the same framework. For example, students might whisper questions to each other while a teacher is talking. If a teacher assumes the talking is social (not class-related), the teacher might become angry, making the students also angry as their intention was not to disrupt the class but to understand something. As always, staying calm is the best idea. A teacher can stop talking, look at the students and ask quietly, “is something not clear?”

Understanding Cultural Constructions of “Shame”

In some cultures, involving students in the lessons is seen as a method of improving learning, thus teachers might ask students to write something on the board or use a student’s name in a sample sentence. This can create issues because Omani students are often uneasy when they are singled out, especially in first year university classes. Having special attention paid to one student can also be problematic as many Omanis have very strong memories.

One former student told me how a teacher had made a comment to her about her new purse, then a few days later used that student’s name in a sample sentence about someone who likes to go shopping. That student assumed the teacher was making fun of her and felt unhappy in the class for the rest of the semester. I am sure that the teacher never connected a compliment about a purse to a grammar example but the former student believed that the teacher remembered every comment made to every student and had used her name on purpose.

This is why I suggest that teachers never use their students’ names in example sentences (you can ask your students for a name of someone not in the class) and be careful about personal comments, even if they are compliments.

 Further, if a teacher wants students to write on the board, bring six white board markers and have six students (same gender) write at one time for the first few days, then have four write, then two, then it’s fine to ask one student to write.

Or if a teacher wants to have students do presentations, first ask all students to stand in the front of the class and say one simple sentence. The next day ask them to say two simple sentences on an easy topic such “your favorite food.” In this way, you can gradually get the students accustomed to talking in front of the class so that presentations will go smoothly.

One teacher asked students at the end of presentation to evaluate their own work. When another student gave a positive evaluation of their work, the teacher said that they were wrong and the presentation was not well done. Then all the other students refused to do any kind of evaluation of their work. A simple way around this is to ask students to write a short response to their presentations listing one aspect that they think they did well and one aspect that that they could improve on.

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 3

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 4

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 1

first of a series of essays about teaching in Oman

Overview

The idea that the “right way” to teach is the way one was taught is very deeply ingrained. When I do orientation sessions for new teachers, I am sometimes surprised that, while teachers know that there will be many cultural differences when they move to a new country, they occasionally expect that students will behave exactly as in their home culture.

The result is that teachers can get caught in tough binary of thinking: either I have to accept this unwanted behavior or the students have to change. This might lead to misunderstandings, then escalate to anger on both sides. When I suggest that teachers make small adjustments, the response is often, “so I have to let students get away with this wrong behavior?”

No, I think teachers should have control of their classrooms, but insisting on creating your own (foreign) culture in an Omani classroom is not possible. Small adjustments can create a positive classroom atmosphere by taking in account local understandings.

For example, when students come late to class in some cultures, they should knock on the door and ask permission to enter. In other cultures, students should apologize and explain why they are late; another scenario is that students enter quietly without speaking to or looking at the teacher. When a teacher from a culture in which apologies are expected is confronted with Omani students who simply walk in and sit down, they can become annoyed and call out to the student.

This may create a problem as the student might feel unfairly persecuted for being made the center of attention. As students have explained to me many times, “students feel shy if the teacher makes all the students look at them.”

In talking about situations like this, I recommend teachers write their late policy on the syllabus, on-line teaching program and announce it in class, then talk to the student after class about the penalties for coming late. In one conversation with a teacher who was confronting this issue, they said, “But the student needs to apologize to me! You are telling me that I should allow them to be disrespectful!”

This reminds me of the Rita Mae Brown quote, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Asking for student apologies for weeks on end and getting angry when an apology is not forthcoming doesn’t help the teacher, the students or the classroom atmosphere.

Allowing students to come in late without noticing them, then enforcing a specific penalty saves time and prevents frustration. Talking to a student at the end of class permits the teacher to continue the forward momentum of the lesson. And if the student starts to dispute about the penalty, the fact that it is time to leave the classroom gives a natural break to the argument. A teacher can say, “I am happy to discuss this more but now I have to teach another class. I will be in my office at 1pm.”

Culture and Pedagogy

When thinking about education I consider the most helpful definition of culture is that it encompasses the objects, actions and beliefs of a set of people who are grouped together by both themselves and others. When I teach classes specifically on culture, I always emphasize to students that they belong to many sets, hence many cultures. For example, a woman might be within the categories of student, sister, Muslim, Omani, artist, daughter, member of her tribe, resident of her neighborhood and that each set carries within in emic and etic expectations of actions (behaviors), objects (for example, clothing) and beliefs.

I have lived in five different countries and what often happens is that locals consider that manifestations of their culture, both simple (what’s the usual time to eat lunch) and complex (what are the steps to getting married) are lucid and natural. On the other hand, a newcomer might be bewildered and confused about how to navigate even easy tasks such as giving a proper greeting or writing a memo.

In Oman, foreign teachers need to both try to understand Omani cultures and be clear about the implicit and explicit effect of their background, experiences and education. It might be self-evident to a teacher that of course work can be turned in up to a week late, but students might believe that work might be submitted weeks or month late. Hence the articulation of expectations is vital when trying to minimize misunderstandings.

The “Third” Option

What I call the “third” option means finding a middle way between a teacher acting exactly as if they were teaching in their home country and allowing students to make all the classroom decisions, which might be antithetical to good learning practices.

The comment I hear often is that “students need to change” but often the issue is cultural perceptions. Sometimes when I suggest that teachers need to adjust I hear comments such as “So I should let students be rude?” or “I should let them do what they want?”

The answer to those questions is “no” but, to me, the most important issue is creating an effective learning environment, not recreating the exact behavior that teachers are accustomed to at home. Attempting to reconstruct another culture inside an Omani classroom will probably leave teachers and students equally frustrated.

Another way to look at this is to remember that that your decisions are in your hands; what is not in your hands is other people’s perceptions and reactions to your choices. You can say I am doing X action for Y reason and this choice means that I am Z. But that might only work among people from your culture; there is no validity in saying that all people must understand that X action means Z. In another culture, X might give a meaning of A.

In one teacher’s culture, a student talking back is seen as rude; but in another culture it can mean the student is positively, actively participating in creating meaning. In one culture, students not looking teachers in the eye is considered polite, in another culture it is rude.

For example, Omani students might ask for a mock exam. In some classes that is a good idea but in other classes, perhaps the teacher doesn’t think it’s necessary which makes students upset. This can lead to situations in which the teacher doesn’t think a practice exam is useful, but gives one to keep students quiet. Or the teacher refuses and the students complain later that their low score was the result of not having a practice exam.

The solution is teachers can make a few, small changes by addressing the root of the problem, thus restoring classroom balance and positivity. Students often ask for a mock exam because they are scared about exams, especially if it is the first class with that teacher. Students may have had teachers who changed the date of the exam, put a new style of question on the exam or asked about topics that hadn’t been covered in class. If teachers look at the issue in terms of ‘my students are fearful’ instead of ‘my students are rude,’ solving the dilemma becomes easy.

When I am getting students ready for my poetry midterm, I literally draw a rectangle on the whiteboard with a series of 10 squiggly lines, one underneath each other. Then I say, “This is what your test page will look like, these lines are a poem, one of the poems we studied in class, but you won’t know which poem.” Then I draw a few more lines underneath spaced a little apart and say, “These are the questions. they will not be true/ false or multiple choice. You have to answer in a complete sentence. You won’t know which vocabulary words will go with which poem. For example, for ‘Skylark’ the questions might be about the narrator, setting atmosphere and finding a metaphor. Or the questions might be about the characters, exposition, rhyme scheme and diction.”

Then I say, “I don’t know how many pages there will be but this is what the vocabulary question pages look like. At the end of the exam there will be questions to compare and the poems to compare will be in the text will be included. And there one or two questions of analysis, for example I will give you two poems and ask you which one is better and why.” If a student again asks for a mock exam, I go through the entire small speech again.

I am not advising to give or not give mock exams. My advice is that when students start to clamor and insist that they don’t understand, explaining something clearly, then repeating the exact same words is often effective. Omani students may show fear in ways that can be read as anger or disrespect; when teachers respond with annoyance, the classroom atmosphere can deteriorate. When teachers show that everything is in hand, for example that they know exactly how the exam will be set up and are willing to share that information, students can stay calm.

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 2

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 3

Using Cultural Understandings to Improve Teaching, part 4

Ethnography: Conversations about Men/ Masculinity, part 2

When reflecting about my conversation with the research guys [see: Ethnography: Conversations about Men/ Masculinity, part 1 ] a few themes emerged. First, I know Bristol-Rhys and Osella’s article (full cite below) and my discussion with the research guys is somewhat apples to oranges. I don’t know which questions were posed to elicit the answers discussed in the article. A conversation would go in very different directions if the opening query was: What is a man?, What is a good man?, What is the definition of an Emirati man?, or What should an Emirati man look like and do?

Also, I realized later that I had unconsciously hewed close to Dhofari cultural understandings by not asking about a ‘man’ (much less a ‘bad’ man) but focusing on a ‘good man’ as their conversations almost invariable focus on the positive; negative people or actions are not appropriate topics for discussions.

Given this, it is still interesting that there is a complete contrast between the Emirati answers with focus on appearance [clothing, beard, sandals, the people “he is seen to associate with in public” and looking “bored”] and the Omani answers which only mentioned one physical issue: that a man should sit up straight in the majlis. Further, there was a strong Omani emphasis that you can’t know anything about a man by looking at him, i.e. appearance tells you nothing of importance and even his speech can be deceiving.

This goes back to my first example in my first book which illustrates the Dhofari belief, especially prevalent among the qara tribes, that you can know a person for years but not know their true character. One’s personality is not an compared to the layers of an onion or mountains beyond mountains but is often completely unknowable. So people need to watch each other carefully. One of the worst things that can happen in a person you trust betrays you, so you need to always ready for that kind of surprise.

Another point was consistency of Omani understanding that good men control themselves. In my first book a man, who was not at the group discussion, called this “the quality of the bearable,” meaning the ability to handle your emotions and responsibilities. Thus, on this specific point, 7 men from 7 different tribes all explained the paramount importance of self-restraint.

I want to note that this is in contrast to other possibilities such as an understanding that a good man is strong and able to control others. There were no examples of commanding/ supervising/ managing other people, i.e. a good man has good children, a good man is in charge of people at his work or makes X group of people behave well.

All the Dhofari men I have talked to about this issue have explained that a good man acts politely, generously, helpfully and patiently with others. A good man is outward-oriented; he listens to the talk, he participates in the talk and in a majlis he is always aiming for the middle spot, avoiding both aloof and ingratiating behavior.

Also, it was interesting to me how the men lived out their opinions. For example, one of the research guys who is 15 years younger than me, X, had said that a good man will always respect those who are older than him and try to do their work for them. When we had finished the discussion, I got up and brought a container of cupcakes from my car, then I grabbed a box of Kleenex and started to walk around the circle as we were all sitting a little too far apart to easily hand the container from person to person. X jumped out of his chair and walked towards me with his hands out saying, “I will do this for you,” exactly as he has explained a younger person should act.

For all the differences, there is a broad, underlying similarity between Emirati and Omani responses: an understanding that as soon as you walk out of your house you are on display and may be judged. In the Emirates it seems this is more appearance-based, while in Oman this is more behavior-based.

Although I am not a Gulf, Arab man, I feel both those pressures intensely and when I go to my mom’s house in the summer, I celebrate the fact that I can go out in public without looking professional or constantly monitoring my surroundings. Sometimes when my mom asks if I want to go run errands, I make the freedom I feel explicit by saying, “Yes, let me just go put on a tank-top, long-sleeved sweater and a lined, tea-length skirt; get my hair up in a neat bun; use some anti-frizz spray; pencil in my eyebrows; put on lipstick, perfume and some jewelry…oh wait…I only need my sunglasses! Let’s go!”

In terms of behavior, I find myself scanning every café I go into, even in towns where I don’t know anyone, to make sure there is not as familiar face, as to fail to greet someone is very rude in Dhofar. And one slightly cranky older relative has benefited by my living in Oman because when the research guys heard me mention that this elder relative was a little difficult, I received repeated, lengthy, kindly admonishments to always show respect and never show impatience. When I am back in Oman after a visit I am quizzed on my behavior: Was I always polite and helpful to this relative? Did I always do what was asked of me? Did I always have a calm demeanor? Knowing I will face a gentle court of inquisition about my conduct makes it easier to live up to the expected standards.

article mentioned

Bristol-Rhys, Jane and Caroline Osella. 2016. “Neutralized Bachelors, Infantilized Arabs:  Between Migrant and Host Gendered and Sexual Stereotypes in Abu Dhabi,” in Masculinities Under Neoliberalism. Andrea Cornwall, Frank Karioris and Nancy Lindisfarne, eds. London: Zed.

related articles

Bristol-Rhys, Jane. 2009. “Emirati Historical Narratives.” History and Anthropology 20:2: 107-21.

—.  2007. “Weddings, Marriage and Money in the United Arab Emirates.” Anthropology of the Middle East 2.1: 20–36.

Bristol-Rhys, Jane and Caroline Osella. 2018. Contexts of Respectability and Freedom: Sexual Stereotyping in Abu Dhabi. New Diversities 20.2: 1-20.

Ethnography: Conversations about Men/ Masculinity, part 1

I often bring a quote from another author to the research guys and ask for their opinion. While reading Bristol-Rhys and Osella’s chapter on “Gendered and Sexual Stereotypes in Abu Dhabi” (2016, full cite below) I was struck by how their informants tied the definition of masculinity to clothing:

We turned first to masculinity as it is measured and judged by Emirati men. Through interviews and discussions with Emirati men from 18 to 65 years old, it became clear that physical presentation was paramount.  How a man presents in public is key; he must be in national dress and it must be perfect.

I wondered how the research guys would define what were the qualities of a man so during a picnic dinner, I asked if I could throw out a question and record (by writing) their answers. The six men (from six different tribes) agreed. Since I didn’t know how Bristol-Rhys and Osella framed their questions, I started with “What can you tell about a man by looking at him? Can you tell if a man is good by looking at him?” And the unanimous reaction was “you can’t know from the first time.” It was impossible to tell if a man was good by seeing him, one has to talk to a man to recognize what he is.

The consensus was that best quality of a man is that he is ethical/ moral (athlaq) and one can’t know that without a lot of interactions. As one man said, “I was told that to know a man you must trade with him or travel with him or live next to him.” Thus, by being in business (buying or selling something), going on a long trip or being neighbors you will see a man in enough different situations to come to an understanding of his personality. [To me, this is the Omani equivalent of the Maya Angelou quote: “I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.”]

Then picking up on Bristol-Rhys and Osella’s discussion of behavior in the majlis (full quote below), I asked about how one could tell if a man was good or not from seeing him in a majlis. Again the unanimous decision was that one cannot know from his “talk in the majlis, maybe his talk is good but he is not.” You should “check his speech,” but it’s more important to pay attention to what he does. Specific points about how a good man acts include:

  • When others speak, he listens carefully and listens to all equally (i.e. not paying attention to men who are sitting close to him or have special status while ignoring others) [One man made the particular point that one cannot judge a man in his own house the same way, as in his own majlis a man has “his homework,” i.e. being generous, making sure there is enough tea and food so he might not be able to follow the conversation/ respond as carefully]
  • Speaks, but not too much, i.e. not dominating all the conversation
  • Does not try to give special greetings/ try to sit next to important men but treats all men equally [this point was illustrated by one of the men acting out how a groveling/ fawning man behaves]
  • Does not interrupt others
  • Does not talk badly about others
  • Does not show jealousy or anger
  • Never boasts
  • Never exaggerates
  • Never contradicts or corrects an older man, even if the older man is saying things that aren’t true or is speaking badly
  • If he stands up to get himself tea or water, he is happy to give to everyone (even younger men!); passes food and drinks; acts hospitable
  • Sits up straight (not slouching)

When we finished talked about behavior in the majlis, one of the man stated, “If someone you trust says a man is good, then one should listen [i.e. take it under advisement] but you have to check for yourself.”

Another man added that you can sometimes tell a good man by his talk when he makes statements about his actions. For example, a man is good if his conversation includes statements such as “I will” or “I did”:

  • visit this person who is sick
  • visit this person in the hospital
  • go to this person’s funeral
  • go to this person’s wedding

When I asked, “in general, if there is a man who have met a few times, so you know him but not every well, how can you learn if he is a good man or not?” all the answers hinged on seeing proper behavior such as:

  • Greeting all people
  • Helping all people (for example if a stranger has a flat tire – another man chimed in and said “a good man will help you from the first time,” meaning both ‘even if he doesn’t know you’ and ‘will help without you having to ask twice’)
  • Being generous (for example bringing food or drinks when meeting friends for a picnic)
  • Treating waiters/ people who work in stores politely
  • Being kind to children
  • Having patience (for example if the food is served late in a restaurant)
  • Doing the work/ doing extra work so that older people can “sit and take their rest”
  • Helping the members of their tribe (staying connected socially to people such as helping others when they are sick, going to social events of family members, etc.

One example that I thought was very interesting was one man said specifically, that a good man respects his religion and the religion of others. He gave the example that a good man knows his own religion, i.e. if he is a Muslim, then he should know to pray 5 times a day at the time of prayer.

As the conversation was winding down, three more points were raised. One man said, “a good man has a good heart, he will forgive quickly. If someone says something bad, he will smile and answer quietly.” He continued, “if there is a hard discussion, he will greet you the same the next day.”

Another man said, “a good man will not speak of [meaning “make fun of”] your clothes or your car.” And the last comment was, “a good man is always good with his family.”

As there were no more remarks, I paraphrased Bristol-Rhys and Osella’s conclusions and their reaction was a flat “no.” In his own way, each man expressed disagreement from a head shake to “we do not agree,” “not clothes!” and “we do not think like that.” No one expounded on his beliefs; they did not agree with the opinions of the Emirati men, but they did not feel that they needed to explain their disagreement in detail. I put away my research book and the topic turned to another subject.

I discuss this conversation further in: Ethnography: Conversations about Men/ Masculinity, part 2

Bristol-Rhys, Jane and Caroline Osella. 2016. “Neutralized Bachelors, Infantilized Arabs:  Between Migrant and Host Gendered and Sexual Stereotypes in Abu Dhabi,” in Masculinities Under Neoliberalism. Andrea Cornwall, Frank G. Karioris and Nancy Lindisfarne, eds. London: Zed.

(underlining – my emphasis)

We turned first to masculinity as it is measured and judged by Emirati men.  Through interviews and discussions with Emirati men from 18 to 65 years old, it became clear that physical presentation was paramount.  How a man presents in public is key; he must be in national dress and it must be perfect.  An Emirati man’s kandoura must be immaculate and, unless in winter, it should be gleaming white.  His gutra and agal must be worn correctly and he should not “fiddle” with it as if it were an unusual accessory.   A beard is mandatory and it should be trimmed perfectly (in fact, we were told that a man should have his beard trimmed “professionally” at least 3 times a week) What a man wears on his feet is important as well and it is unacceptable to wear trainers or sports sandals.  There are several acceptable styles, – even Birkenstocks are considered ‘aady (normal) – but the sandals should be white leather in summer.  During winter, darker sandals are acceptable and, if wearing a western style sport coat over a kandoura, then loafers or brogues, worn with socks, are also appropriate.  This critical scrutiny of attire might indicate the success of the nationalist project of Emirati, indeed Khaleeji, dress (cf. Al Qasimi 2010); it was the importance placed on the “correct kandoura” and the “correct sandals” and the “proper way of wearing the gutra and agal” that was emphasized, stressing the cultural competence necessary to negotiate the performative demands of “correctness.”

Cultural competence was stressed again and again throughout our interviews with Emirati men.  “A man recognizes a man by how he enters the majlis,” said one of our interlocutors.  Another man listed carefully the behaviors that are noticed and noted in a majlis.  “We watch how a person enters and then greets the people in the majlis.  Does he know whom to greet first?  Does he recognize those men like the sheikh of his tribe, younger sheikhs of the ruling family, and the men who are important to his father and uncles?”  In addition to knowing who is who, and the order in which important men must be greeted, the greeting itself was also critically assessed. “Does the man use the correct religious phrases in his greetings?  Does he know when to touch noses (ywayeh) and when to only shake hands?”   And a man’s knowledge of his society is judged as well. “In conversation with the men in attendance at the majlis, does he know his tribal history and lineage?  Does he know how his tribe connects – or not – to the other tribes?  All these things must be known well for a man to be thought a man.”  All of these behaviors require knowledge – gendered, culturally specific, and highlight exclusive knowledge – in order to perform them adequately.

Outside of the majlis, in more informal situations and in the public spheres of malls and universities, we learned that a man is measured by how he acts, by those with whom he is seen to associate with in public. According to our Emirati interlocutors, clothing is still important in public spaces because there they are judged not only by Emiratis, but also by foreigners. “We must dress and act appropriately in public because of the image, the image of the Emirati man.”

The young men at the university where Bristol-Rhys teaches have a hierarchy of dress with which they judge each other and establish boundaries between cliques of friends.  First, there are the men who wear only kandoura and gutra/agal to classes.  They describe themselves as “pure Emirati men”.  Then there are those who wear kandoura with an American baseball cap or nothing at all on their head – these are considered “okay Emirati, but too casual” and comments / assumptions usually follow fast that, “their mother is not Emirati.”  The third group is made up of those who wear jeans, t-shirts, and shorts to university; they are scorned by the “pure Emirati” and are only grudgingly accepted by the group who wear baseball caps.   They describe themselves as “trendy,” but others use words such as “fake, wannabe American, or zaalamat, the pejorative term for Levantine Arabs, that has, for lack of a better term, sleazy connotations in Emirati society.  “They try too hard to be seen, and that is not the Emirati way.  We are always supposed to be at ease, we don’t show anxiety, in fact, the best is if you can look bored.”

Reflections on Ethnographic Research: Making Adjustments for Positive Multi-Cultural Exchanges/ Events

(photo by S. B.)

For the first few years I was in Oman, I often went on picnics with mixed groups of Omanis and expats but that gradually stopped as I got frustrated with what I perceived to be situations in which the Omanis were doing all/ most of the work. I started having picnics with just the research guys and the few times I brought an expat, I ended up frustrated or embarrassed by expat behavior such as showing up empty-handed, sitting passively, dominating the conversation and not showing gratitude.

But a dear friend, T, was coming for a short visit and I was sure that she had the temperament to enjoy and appreciate a beach picnic, so I got in touch with the guys. This started a series of adjustments on all sides which illustrate the importance of compromise in effective inter-cultural communications/ interactions.

First of all, the morning of the picnic I told the guys that T did not like fish and asked that they not bring fish for dinner. This is completely out-of-bounds behavior. People who meet up together should never show any preference (or really, any interest at all) in the dinner that someone else will bring. But given that some of the research guys are fishermen, I guessed that they would want to bring freshly caught fish and cook it over the fire as a special dinner. I wanted to stop that as I knew T would not enjoy it and I wanted to protect her from either being hungry or forcing herself to eat a dinner she didn’t like.

On the other side, before we left my house, I told T that wearing long, loose clothing was my way of being respectful and asked if she could please wear one of my long tunics over her pants and t-shirt. I held out a white tunic with a toile print, something she would ordinarily never wear, and she agreed. Then I said that I cover my hair in front of the guys and that while she didn’t have to… She instantly agreed so I grabbed a lossi (headscarf worn with a thobe, the Dhofari-style housedress). Usually you wouldn’t wear a lossi outside the house, but it was 105 degrees, so I thought the light cotton would be the most comfortable choice for her. I knew the guys would say that she didn’t have to, but I also knew they were going to make an effort to bring a good dinner and this was a small gesture she could make to be polite.

When we got to the beach, we set out the mat and then put out cushions, Kleenex and the cooler with water and soda. I made a fire and we chatted until we heard cars. Then we stood up and I draped the headscarf on her and wound mine tightly.

When the guys came to the mat, one began fussing with the fire, setting rocks in two lines which usually means that fish would be grilled. I was disappointed and said to one of the men quietly in Arabic, “she doesn’t like fish!” He said, “there is chicken.” I nodded, then I saw one of the men open a plastic bag with lobster tails, removed from the shell.

I should not have worried. The men had listened to my (unreasonable) request for no fish, but as I had suspected, wanted to bring something freshly caught, so it was lobster. And, as I have never seen them take the meat out of the shell before, I knew they were showing politeness to a guest. [In contrast, the first few times I had lobster with them, they handed me a whole one and I had to twist off its head, pull off the small limbs, etc. – if I wanted to eat a lobster, then I had to deal with the lobster!]

The whole night was a series of modifications on their part – actions I had never seen in over 15 years of picnics. For example, instead of placing their chairs right at the edge of the mat as usual, most of the men sat about 6 feet back. Instead of eating by lights from cell phones or small battery-powered lanterns, one man set up a large, area-light attached to a car battery. Instead of a usual dinner with one dish (rice with meat, chicken or fish), there was a big container of rice and chicken, plus the grilled lobster tails, a salad in a separate bowl and a dessert.

Instead of people dividing themselves into two equal groups (or one-off if there was an odd number) around the two platters, the best pieces of chicken were put on one platter for me, T and one of the research guys, while the other five gathered round the second plate. Half the lobster tails were put on our platter as well. I had forgotten that T might not be used to eating with her hands, but one of the men brought spoons. The man eating with us gave her a spoon, then proceeded to eat his dinner with a spoon, which I have never seen him do before. No one commented on any of these adjustments and T did not comment on the bother of wearing a tunic and headscarf.

T chatted, answered questions, gave profuse compliments and (bless her!) was happy to sit quietly and look at the stars and ocean during the times the men were speaking in Gibali (Jebbali).

I was a little nervous – hoping that there would be a comfortable meeting between my friend of 25 years who was only 2 days into her first visit to the Arabian Peninsula and the research guys, most of whom had never socialized with a North American besides myself but everything worked out well.

By giving up some comfort/ in doing something unusual, we all helped create a positive atmosphere. I am very grateful to T and the research guys for a lovely evening and a lovely example of the necessity of all sides making adjustments to create harmony.

Houseways: Podcast, a discussion with Ahmed Almaazmi and Ayesha Mualla

Houseways: Including/ Excluding Expats in Discussions about Housing

Reflections on Ethnographic Research: Changes within Cultures

Reflections on Ethnographic Research in Dhofar Oman

Reflections on Ethnographic Research: (Not) Asking Questions

Houseways: Podcast, a discussion with Ahmed Almaazmi and Ayesha Mualla

(photo by Onaiza Shaikh, living room in a rental house in Dhofar)

I had a great conversation yesterday with Ahmed Almaazmi and Ayesha Mualla for the Indian Ocean World – New Books Podcast.

https://newbooksnetwork.com/houseways-in-southern-oman

One interesting point that came up in our talk was how changes in house design affect the inhabitants. For much of the Arabian Peninsula, the most common type of house had a central courtyard until the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s depending on the area. With this type, not often found in Dhofar, all the rooms of the house open onto a center space that is exposed to the sky. Thus there are open sightlines in all directions; while more recently built houses are often ‘closed’ with hallways and corners which drastically cut down on the chance of seeing other inhabitants.

The reaction to this change can vary from person to person/ family to family. Some might celebrate the feeling of openness and togetherness found in a house with many vantage points to see most or all of the rooms, where it was easy to cross path with family members. Others see modern houses with limited sightlines as a great advantage in that people can come in and leave without others knowing.

One Dhofari friend told me that having a large open area near the front door, big enough for a few sofas, has been a blessing for her elderly father who can sit in that space all day and see every person as they move between the salle, majlis, kitchen, stairs and front door.

On the other hand, a different Dhofari woman told me about the early years of her marriage when she lived with her husband’s parents and felt a tremendous pressure to have herself and her children always well dressed and on-view in the public areas of the house. She and her husband eventually moved into a small rental hour so that she could have a more peaceful life.

This is one of Maneval’s main points in New Islamic Urbanism: The Architecture of Public and Private Space in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2019): the built elements for privacy (high walls, limited sightlines in houses etc.) allow for people to act as they chose as they can create non-observed spaces for themselves.

Thus one can imagine a courtyard house with an family member who rigidly watches, criticizes and controls all the movements or a house in which inhabitants happily greet each other and sit together in harmony. Just as there are modern houses in which people are thankful to have privacy and chances to live as they please and other modern houses in which people feel cut off from each other and lonely.

The only drawback to our talk was that, to prepare, I read a published copy of my Houseways in Southern Oman book and found numerous typos. It was disappointing to see so many mistakes: Salalah misspelled, the author R. Guest written with a small ‘g’ and Modern South Arabian languages referred to as “South Arabian languages.” The proof I was given to check was write-protected, so I could make edits but I could not ‘accept’ the changes to see what the corrected version would look like. The result is odd spacing, missing words and small errors. Very frustrating!

Houseways: House plans

Houseways: Dhofari/ non-Dhofari house plans

Houseways is published and more examples of houseplans

Selected references related to Houseways in Southern Oman, Oct. 2022

Houseways in Southern Oman