Kazakhnomad’s Blog: A Westerner’s View of Kazakhstan

Icy Cold, Resolute Pine Trees and Kazakh Apples

November 14, 2009 · Filed under Blogroll · Tagged Almaty, Apples are From Kazakhstan, Christopher Robbins, Communist party, Kazakhstan, Soviet

PB100114 Reading “Apples are from Kazakhstan” for the third time brings new insights into old thoughts and vice versa. I liked the part that I read to my listening students today about the President of this great country of Kazakhstan, in his own words spoken to the author, Christopher Robbins.

The Communist Party was like an army in those days. It was simply not done to disagree even slightly with your superiors. We were all meant to be “soldiers of the Party” and soldiers had to obey orders. (p. 261)

The leader of this great land continued to reveal what it was like for him under the Communist Party system:

Years of exhausting hard work, with no solution at hand, build a slow-burning anger. I saw all the flaws in the system. Every year the numbers were faked, and every year everybody worked flat out to show 101 per cent. You dared not show only 99 per cent. That would have meant everybody would be kicked out of their positions. (p. 263)

Somehow I can relate to these two above quotes as an English teacher at a westernized university in Almaty but maybe my problem is that I have put in 110 percent. Maybe I’m feeling the icy, cold reception to my ideas, my student-centered ideas. I’m misunderstood by my “superiors” in a land that is supposedly hospitable and friendly to foreigners.

I’m caught in a wedge now because I also have Kazakh students who are lazy and are turning in their final papers and wanting all sorts of breaks. My response, “Sorry, this paper looks like a blah, blah paper,” or I’ll say, “sorry this is NOT your own words” or “This paper used personal pronouns, OR you are to use the other authors words but give them PROPER attribution!!!”

A lot of fakery going on, I’m afraid. I’ll end with one last quote from “The Howling of Wolves” chapter from Apples are from Kazakhstan.

“The Soviet system was trapped in an enormous vicious circle. Bureaucratic legerdemain made it appear that plans were fulfilled when the reality was the opposite. Projects known to be doomed to failure were approved for political reasons, and when they inevitably collapsed the plans were quietly revised…in other words, the more inefficiently it worked, the better it seemed to be doing.” (p. 264)

Oh, just ONE more last quote which seems appropo, again the KZ president speaking of Soviet years gone by,

Whether you liked it or not, you had to follow the unwritten rules - you had to fawn on your superiors and offer hospitality…the only way to get investment was to be clever and resourceful, and in our system this led to degradation, crime and corruption. The system virtually demanded it. (p. 266)

How do you like THEM apples?

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Three Bus Incidences: Downed Passenger, Unbroken Eggs and Stolen Mobile

November 10, 2009 · Filed under Blogroll · Tagged Almaty, Bluetooth, iPod Touch, Kazakhstan, Nokia, Russian

Several weeks ago I witnessed an older woman fall to the floor of the bus because of a sudden stop made by the bus driver. Unfortunately, there had not been enough people to catch her fall. All the surrounding passengers inwardly sympathized with her once she was upright again. She had lost her wig in the process and tried to restore whatever dignity she had left by setting that aright. Her shoes had also fallen off, obviously she had really been caught off guard. Put back together again, she continued digging around in her purse for the bus fare money of 50 tenge (equivalent of 33 cents) but she was angry with the conductor who stood at the back door taking people’s coins.

I don’t understand Russian very well at all but I think she said something like , “since I lost my dignity with that last sudden stop and slammed to the floor, I shouldn’t have to pay my fare!” That arguing went on for a minute or so. She wasn’t getting anywhere with the young conductor, so she marched up to the driver and gave him a piece of her mind she couldn’t afford to lose. Moral of first story, you always hang on for dear life since you never know when the bus might jerk to a sudden stop.

Second incident was when the bus was JAMMED packed with people one evening several weeks ago. I was leaning over one lady who was sitting with a bag on her lap. I held on but wouldn’t have had to because of the press of the people around me. But because of the press around me I looked down to see this lady give me a cold, withering look similar to Munch’s “The Scream” but not that desperate. I thought to myself, why did she look so angry or scared or both? I thought, this must have been what it was like when the Jews were herded into train cars and so much humanity was given so little of their own personal space. Another jerk of the bus and I looked down at the lady again, apologizing, as if to say that I didn’t have any control about where my elbows or body might land in her space. She opened up her bag to reveal 10 eggs loosely sitting in a plastic bag. I smiled, she smiled back. I understood her glowering look that she had given me earlier. I hope she made it out of that bus that evening with unbroken eggs. Moral of second story, buy your eggs closer to home and don’t take something so fragile on a crowded bus.

Last Friday night I was dog tired and it was raining when I got on to a packed bus going up hill in Almaty. I should have let it go to wait for the next less full bus but I was eager to get home. I squished myself in with the mass of wet humanity. During the ride I mused how nice it is to trust people and know that my section of town had more honest people, not to worry about my purse. Twenty-four hours later, on Saturday night I discovered that the twitch that I felt of my purse meant that someone had STOLEN my four year old Nokia that had great sentimental value to me. In 2006, my husband had given me an ORANGE cell phone in memory of the Orange Revolution in Ukraine. All I ever used it for was calling but mostly texting my friends in Almaty and using it as a flashlight in our dark stairways. I had saved favorite text messages that were gems to me from friends or students. Now someone had stolen it but I was satisfied to think that they got a mobile with a dead battery and don’t know my password.

Yesterday I went through the busy work of restoring my old number and having the 1,000 tenge I had just deposited in the account put back on my new SIM card. My Russian is not good enough to know that THAT was free, I thought they had told me earlier that I would get a free cellphone to make up for the loss. Not to be! I went down the block to buy the cheapest mobile, made in Romania, available at over $100. It has all the bells and whistles you could ever want.

I don’t want all the extras, I just want my cheap, clunky orange cell phone back. Now I have to spend time figuring out the new VGA camera with zoom features. Program the FM radio station so I can play the Kazakh and Russian stations. I am inputting all the contact names that I lost and I already put a new screensaver on with my new fangled camera that I used taking a photo of the KZ flag. I can also interview people by recording their voices and use this mobile with Internet (if I pay for the extra package deal). I already have an iPod touch so that is superfluous. It has Bluetooth and GPRS connectivity with MP3 ringing tones.

I just want my simple cell phone with the flashlight feature (haven’t found that yet on my NEW mobile) BACK!!! I really do suspect that cell phone companies perhaps hire thieves on Friday evenings when the busses are packed to lift such items from peoples purses or pockets. It creates more sales yet keeps the customer frustrated. At least this one is frustrated with learning how to use all these things that I don’t need. (I only got a Russian instruction manual) Now I have to carry an extra flashlight along with my iPod Touch, Olympus camera, Nokia cell phone. Modern technology, does it really free us up more? Moral of story: No, we are NOT more free with so many digital items to keep track of from being stolen.

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Teaching Our Hearts Out! (Part III)

November 9, 2009 · Filed under Blogroll · Tagged Almaty, American, digital natives, Kazakhstan, Soviet, student-centered, teacher-centered

Which approach (student-centered or teacher-centered) works best with digital natives and why?

D. – Digital natives need up-to-date approaches. Modern technologies make the learning process easier and more effective, so teachers should have obligatory to use them.

R. – Majority of foreign teachers work best with digital natives. Learner-Centered paradigm about professor role is much preferred by students because the professor is not only giver of primary information but also coaching and facilitating. It makes education process much more interesting and involves the student in it.

A. – Today the impact of new technology is great. People cannot live without using it in their lives. Even education uses information technology. Mobile phones, internet, e-mail and so on. Everything in our lives I think it makes our living easy in this world.

A.S. I think I prefer Learning-centered paradigm because students are actively involved in the lesson. They will improve their skill by their work they will not have ready materials they will do some research. Also, learning by portfolios and papers can exactly show your performance, your progress.

Y. – As we already know, nowadays, it is impossible to live without any digital device (such as mobile phone/computer) so I think it is important to interact with digital natives via Internet.

X.– Our generation has many differences from the previous one. Firstly, we prefer new system of education, we prefer to do everything with the help of electronic devices.

A. – Student centered is working better for us as digital natives, we work with computers and we learn from our mistakes.

N. – With digital natives, American approach works best, because they can easily find information using the computer.

D. – I suggest to Kazakh teachers to keep up step by step with time. Because NOW our world, technology, medicine, everything is not standing in one place, it’s changing everyday and month. To teachers and students I also suggest to refresh their knowledge.

J.– students get numerous information from the mass-media these days. So, rather than emphasizing one right answer, it is important to respect and listen to everyone’s different thoughts.

I. – Digital Natives are more independent and in good touch with technology.

A. – With student centered approach there appears interaction between students and professor. Their students interest rises consequently professors get what he wanted, the interested to his subject.

If changes should be made at our university with teaching methodology, what should they be? If not, what is good about our university?

D. B.- Provide our Kazakh teachers access to modern trends in teaching, organize professional discussions, maybe some one chares his experience or ideas.

D. – I’m taking this writing class a second time and I love my second practice because the teacher is in touch with the students. My first teacher even did not work with students on how to do a bibliography and reduced our scores for not right work. I think more experienced teachers have to give some kind of “lecture” to these other teachers as a refresher course. Maybe the first teacher was not new but she needs some work with teaching methodology.

K. – The professors create an atmosphere in which the student feels himself very organized, focused in learning, in good discipline and developing his individual skills. It is a good and friendly atmosphere at our university where professors and students are learning together!

V. – As far as I am concerned, learner-centered paradigm is better. But it is definitely not for lazy students. But the teacher-centered paradigm is too old to work with digital natives. I like the reminders via e-mail about assignments, it helps a lot and is the personal approach. It should definitely be improved at our university.

Y. – In my opinion, we should write more papers like essays, short journals, to upgrade our writing skills first. In my view, it is a good way to divide writing in three courses (Academic Writing I, II and III).

A. – Foreign teachers are more creative, they are trying to make classes interesting. But, our Kazakh teachers try to give us all their experience.

X. – maybe change the way we write self-studies in order to kill plagiarism. Do self-studies in class instead. Another problem, is our textbook, it isn’t interesting, its boring.

A. – Our Kazakh students may become rude if lessons become too learner centered. They will not follow and listen to the teacher because she gave freedom.

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Teaching Our Hearts Out! (Part II)

November 8, 2009 · Filed under Blogroll · Tagged Almaty, American, Kazakhstan, Soviet, student-centered, teacher-centered

Yesterday I wrote out what some of my writing students answered to the question:

What have you observed as the major difference between your Kazakh teachers versus American or other foreign teachers?

A. – In Kazakh or teacher-centered class room, all work refers to the teacher and personally I can’t behave myself as I want. It’s like the atmosphere is under the pressure.

N. – Foreign teacher relies more on students’ self study while Kazakh teachers try to explain things in detail.

S. – To be honest, I like to be taught by foreign teachers because firstly, their pronunciation of words is much better. But the main thing is many Kazakh teachers tend to not value teaching. It seems to me that many of our teachers try to use a foreign system of teaching and think that students should do everything on their own. But I think they should show something like an example and after that value what we have learned. The best way to incite students work to attract their attention is to show some interesting things which will relate to their interest.

A. – Kazakh teachers (not all of them) are concentrated on the structure of the teaching, the way they are following the syllabus, not on whether the students got the information or not.

D. – American teachers do not follow to particular system of teaching process. They tend to be creative and connect with students during the lecture. Kazakh teachers think as just instructor, they explain once and want great results. Soviet system of teaching is ineffective and old.

B. – I think the foreign teachers will have very big success if they live in KZ several years, understand the local people and then teach.

L. – Kazakh teachers always work by outline or by their plan. Most of the time of our lessons we do exercises, and only sometimes discuss or do something interesting and useful too. Foreign teachers don’t work by outline. They always try to give us tasks, which we should do ourselves, lessons are really interesting. They like to do a lot of games and movies.

D. – To be honest, sometimes I don’t like some of our Kazakh teachers who studied in KZ and I graduated in Kazakh Institute, because they don’t develop personal peculiarity and sometimes they do not receive information which students say or report. They react like it is unbelievable or is just imagined by ourselves.

J. – Usually Kazakh teachers teach the information for the whole lesson. So, it is hard to express my opinion during the lesson. American teachers give lots of opportunities for students to speak out their thoughts and gives lots of practical practice and elicits ideas from students.

I. – They use totally opposite ways to teach their students, American teachers are trying to encourage us, they are like coaches. They give direction and then the students gather information and solve specific problems. On the other hand, our Kazakh teachers are more teacher-oriented. They are like a source of knowledge and information which they give the students but in this way the students passively receive it. American teachers are involving students in brainstorming and helping them to integrate skills of inquiry and problem solving and critical thinking.

A. – Kazakh teachers rarely use “learner centered” paradigm because for them it is easier to give a ready information to their students. Thus students are not so active and they are not so involved into studying process. However, foreign teachers try to overload students. I think it is good, positively. Because when student begins to search some information, he become involved in it, he is gathering information that can be useful for him in the nearest future. I like this phrase: “When quantity transforming into quality.”

I’m not sure what that last phrase is about, I’ll have to ask my student to explain. What I noticed in some of these responses is that under the teacher-centered, Soviet kind of teaching methodology there was fear and intimidation used against the students. How foreign to us as Americans where each student is considered an individual with his own gifts or talents to be encouraged, not to be put down.

I DO remember Mr. Nomland, my algebra teacher, in my high school who struck fear in the hearts of everyone because he had such a temper and was very strict. I remember him berating one hapless student for saying “Oh” in his number answer rather than saying “Zero.” Wow, I would quake in my seat for fear of being called on to write something on the board and I was a good student! So, I have an idea of what these Kazakh students refer to when they feel under pressure or not free and relaxed in an old style of Soviet pedagogy.

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Teaching our Hearts Out!

November 7, 2009 · Filed under Blogroll · Tagged Almaty, American, Kazakhstan, patriotism, post Soviet Union, Streams in the Desert, student-centered, teacher-centered

You’ve heard the expression, “He is so spiritually minded that he is no earthly good.” I have a new spin on that regarding teaching “She is so theoretically minded that she is no pedagogically good.” Last week I asked my writing students three questions related to student-centered vs. teacher-centered and also which teaching methodology fits them best as “digital natives.” Many of my teaching colleagues who were born and bred in Kazakhstan under the old Soviet system had a lot of theory given to them but were not able to practice anything creatively outside of the box.

These same teachers are having a difficult time keeping up with the 21^st century in our “westernized” university in Almaty. I know that many of my colleagues are trying hard, but there are those who are not. They just gather their paycheck after punching the clock and go home to their families. I read this in Streams in the Desert today and thought it applies to foreign teachers who are called to this diverse and challenging land of Kazakhstan.

There is a legend of an artist who had found the secret of a wonderful red which no other artist could imitate. The secret of his color died with him. But after his death, an old wound was discovered over his heart. This revealed the source of the matchless hue in his pictures. The legend teaches that no great achievement can be made, no lofty attainment reached, nothing of much value to the world done, save at the cost of heart’s blood.

What have you observed as the major difference between your Kazakh teachers versus American or other foreign teachers?

D. – Enthusiasm. For example, in college and h.s., teachers were not very enthusiastic. They were not very much interested in teaching in a good quality level. The situation is much better at our university. Everybody wants to give us knowledge, but sometimes some teachers feel lack of skills to do it in an interesting, effective way. Over this background, foreign teachers usually look more preferable. It looks like they are working not for money, but for idea. Another thing is that they probably have better education and richer experience.

R. – I think Kazakh teachers have more connections with students outside of class. Also, during office hours, they can speak about topics which are not related to the subject that they are teaching.

K. – Of course I like foreign teachers! Why? Maybe because I am interested in the way they are teaching, in their language and in their specific behavior. When you go to their lessons, you start to compare they way of their learning and our Kazakh teachers learning. Of course, it is more interesting, you have a lot of useful, new information about other countries. And what about our Kazakh teachers? They always use info about our country, our culture, all about Kazakhstan! We always speak about patriotism! I don’t like this.

Also, foreign teachers are more extensive, modern, focus on monitor learning, different tests, use a lot of supplementary material like short videos, movies, sounds, cases and so on. And all this interests students in the learning.

A. – I like my classes with American teacher, because the language is more clear and understandable, also I am surprised by positive energy of this teacher, because she help me to motivate myself, she can do so many things during the class, as noone can do…Kazakh teacher is also good, but he is boring and classes is not interesting. So, I think, that American teacher gives us more possibilities to know more and to develop ourselves like individuals.

S. – Foreign teachers are more creative, in particular Americans try to conduct numerous researches, tests including psychological tests. Another feature they try to connect the practice to the theory. Also, foreign teachers try to make students be interested in learning process using different creative methods.

M. – Kazakh teachers try more to obey the rules, while foreign teachers (American) often pay more attention to learning more about the subject by students, making studying more free, actively involving students in discussions.

A.S. – I think the main difference is that our Kazakh teachers are still used to old system of education. It is because of post Soviet Union system. Foreign teachers use another way of teaching to involve all students in lessons. Using modern technology during the lessons and giving a chance to choose topics by own choice – it is beneficial, because students will really be interested in the subject. Kazakh teachers do not prepare new presentation of lessons for every class but they have ready presentations and program and they just repeat. Moreover, taking courses from foreign teachers can improve your English.

X. – Foreign teachers relate to students as grown up people, and our Kazakh teachers want to be in the center of classes. Foreign methods of teaching are better than ours because while in a foreigners class, I feel free and I can tell everything that I think.

Y. – I think foreign teachers are more supportive and helpful to students. I felt that they always try to help us but here the local (Russian/Kazakh) teachers seem more strict than foreign teachers.

Z. – American teachers are more willing to help others (students) while Kazakh teachers in some cases forgot about helping others. But at our university all the teachers are qualified and I don’t encounter differences between Kazakh and American teachers.

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GREAT Speakers (Part II)

November 6, 2009 · Filed under Blogroll · Tagged Arthur Andersen, Australia, Chevron, Citibank, Deloitte, Enron, Kazakhstan, Nestle

PB050107 Rarely do I invite guest speakers to come to talk to my university classes whom I barely know or have never met. Usually they are people I am confident will deliver a good talk to my students because I have gotten to know them in the last several years I have been teaching in Kazakhstan. Last night was that special exception when my masters class was treated to Australian dry humor with Russell Banham speaking about his journey from Australia to working at Deloitte in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He had sage advice to deliver concerning his work experience but also about life values.

Russell began with a question about what happened in December of 1974, long before these Kazakh students had been born. They guessed and guessed but all were wrong. That was the date when Russell started working for Arthur Andersen accounting firm. If the blow-up at Enron had not happened in 2002, which impacted Russell in Brisbane, Australia, he claimed he would probably still be working for Arthur Andersen as a life-long employee. However, what is interesting with most competitive accounting firms is that mid-50s is the age of retirement from being a partner, but you can return as a mentor consultant for the same firm. Russell’s dry humor went right over my graduate students’ heads when he admitted, “I’m 55…I know I don’t look it.” To me, Russell looks like a happy, knowledgeable professor with distinguished, graying hair.

Kathy, his wife, was sitting in the back of the classroom with me and we both laughed. I believe people with dry humor need others around them that “get it,” Kathy has gotten it over 27 years now. To live in Kazakhstan for any length of time, you NEED a sense of humor. What was funny was that Russell, in an e-mail exchange, had initially asked me what his wife had “volunteered” him for. Never having met him, I didn’t know if this was a stern rebuke of my not letting him in on what I expected from him or if he was simply dashing off a quick note to me. E-mail messages sometimes have a strange way of getting things more complicated with even a simple inquiry. So I rattled off in my e-mail back to Russell all the different speakers he might know and what the titles of their talks had been: Chevron – “Change Management,” Citibank – “Effective Management,” Nestle – “Values and Principles” but I added that our speaker from Nestle had brought bars of chocolate.

PB050106 Naturally, the competitive Australian which Russell no doubt is, and not wanting his organization of Deloitte to be outdone, did one better than Nestle. Russell brought Deloitte baseball hats as a gift for each of my students. Thanks Russell!!!

We’ve had some GREAT speakers in my English Speaking and Listening class and next week we will have our final speaker of the semester with Julia Connelly talking about her passion.

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GREAT SPEAKERS in my classrooms

November 5, 2009 · Filed under Blogroll · Tagged AIWC, Australia, bride kidnapping, Cambridge, Deloitte, human trafficking, Uzbekistan

scott talking music Thanks to a LOT of help from my friends, I have had some very good speakers come to talk to my three different listening classes. So far, I have had six speakers videotaped. The students are loving it!!! These first year and graduate students have heard different accents and witnessed various styles of presenting. Yesterday I had Scott come to talk about a favorite topic for many young people, “How to Make a Music CD.” I don’t know how many budding musicians we have that have the same dream as Scott had ,but he was very thorough and entertaining. I hope I see good, typed up notes from my listening students tomorrow. Thanks Scott!!!

Yesterday morning I had a former MBA student come to talk about “Women against Violence” at the AIWC (Almaty Intl. Women’s Club) meeting. Katya did a GREAT job, she was very poised in front of about 35 international women talking about something close to her heart. (bride kidnapping, human trafficking, etc.) I finally found out from Katya why this topic is such a passion for her. Her explanation will go into a later blog entry.

Elena and class The night before I had another woman who I recently met at AIWC come and talk about something close to her heart. Elena was originally from Uzbekistan but has her citizenship from the U.S. and received her MBA degree there, then went to Cambridge to receive her MPA degree also. I wanted her to talk a bit about student centered vs. teacher centered issues since she has experienced both. Later, she had very interactive discussion with my masters students about consumer rights.

Tonight I will have Kathy Banham’s husband come and talk about his place of employment at Deloitte and what brought them both here from Australia. I feel very blessed with all those who are coming to my aid during this tough time of tangling with students over their rough draft papers. Some are pretty unsightly, but by next week I hope to see better final versions from ALL of them.

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