posted
So I was talking to my guy, about where our "future" children (inshallah) will go to school in egypt ( he wants to move there after maybe 5-8 years) and i want to put them into american schools, naturally, and hes like no, then they'll come out weird like my cousins ( theyre like 4,5, and 9) and i was like, how are they weird, they were sweet ( i liked them b/c they spoke the best english out of everybody) and he was like, they speak funny arabic, and they know about all this other history, and nothing about ours! (great pharoanic history, blah blah blah)and they dont learn about islam.
n i was like, wth? its good that they learn about the history of other places, so theyre not all ethnocentric.
has anyone dealth with this? i would assume that you could place the children in some type of sunday school classes to learn about islam, and they'll learn from the home. I dont want little kids who dont speak english well...
OMG! IS this what my parents went through when they immigrated?
Posts: 1967 | From: USA | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
If I ever move to Cairo, my child is going to American schools.
You could always hire tutors for the subjects you care about, like Classical Arabic, that might not be taught in the American schools.
That's an interesting issue, though. The American schools in *Egypt* don't teach Egyptian history? Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Left.Side.Lying.State.Of.Mind: If I ever move to Cairo, my child is going to American schools.
You could always hire tutors for the subjects you care about, like Classical Arabic, that might not be taught in the American schools.
That's an interesting issue, though. The American schools in *Egypt* don't teach Egyptian history?
I thought they did, but they teach recent modern history, not the Pharoahnic crap. At least at my daughter's school.
Hibbah,
it sounds like he's being cheap. My former spouse as cheap, selfish and evil as he is made sure our daughter went to a foreign language school.
Besides kids don't learn much in those Egyptian schools anyhow, its the private lessons that actually teach them something of use.
If your future husband wants to have children with a foreigner he need to pay the expenses of having children with a foreigner.
Besides you might not want your child learning Islam from some of those teachers in Egyptian schools. Parents don't talk about alot of "taboo" topics with their kids in Egypt, so thats is handled in these religion classes. ANd what these teachers want to teach in these religion classes is in effect a pressure cooker valve for their anger towards the government.
Not a good place for foreign kids to learn, possibly will be ostracized for being foreign born.
Don't send them to local government schools. It'll ruin your marriage and ruin your kids.
and my BIL is a teacher.
Posts: 3168 | From: If you don't like it, don't look or read it! | Registered: Oct 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Left.Side.Lying.State.Of.Mind: If I ever move to Cairo, my child is going to American schools.
You could always hire tutors for the subjects you care about, like Classical Arabic, that might not be taught in the American schools.
That's an interesting issue, though. The American schools in *Egypt* don't teach Egyptian history?
My brother went to an American school & he studied American history
not sure about Egyptian history though
But what I liked about these American schools is that kids get to work smarter & not harder...... They have time to go out & socialize & do activities they also get to do research & interesting stuff........
Posts: 3128 | From: Not Your Heaven | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
Do they teach religion or Classical Arabic in the American schools? Even as electives?
It makes me chuckle to think my child might have an easier time of learning Islam here in the States.
Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Left.Side.Lying.State.Of.Mind: Do they teach religion or Classical Arabic in the American schools? Even as electives?
It makes me chuckle to think my child might have an easier time of learning Islam here in the States.
Yes they do but not all american schools teach arabic I guess but to get into an Egyptian Uni they have to make an exam before..... forgot the name of it
Posts: 3128 | From: Not Your Heaven | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
OK, what's the difference between Modern Standard Arabic and Classical Arabic???
CAC teaches Egyptian Culture, whatever that means, and Modern Standard Arabic and Colloquial Arabic.
Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Left.Side.Lying.State.Of.Mind: OK, what's the difference between Modern Standard Arabic and Classical Arabic???
CAC teaches Egyptian Culture, whatever that means, and Modern Standard Arabic and Colloquial Arabic.
what?
I am not sure whether they teach colloquial arabic in american schools or not?
I need to check with my brother & get back to you..... he's fast asleep now.... he's an early bird Posts: 3128 | From: Not Your Heaven | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
What's the difference between Modern Standard Arabic and Classical Arabic???
Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
MSA and Classical are basically the same thing- fusha. Which is different from what egyptians speak on an every day basis.
Pasha- I dont think hes being cheap- hes not cheap at all by nature, hes very generous alhumdulilah- im the cheap one in comparison. whenever he buys gifts for his family and friends, im all like- clearance section! and hes like, uh...no.
also, his family isnt THAT wealthy in egypt, his dads a doctor- but theyre just middle class. so maybe he has this idea that the foreign schools are just out of reach? either way, ill have my own money saved up by then inshallah, and ill be working- so if push comes to shove, ill handle it.
anyways, yeah, i want them to go to american schools. Im assuming their level of education is better, and yeaah, you're right about the tutoring thing. my guy said he never went to class, just had private tutors. which is retarded. and i bet egyptian kids are mean. ( his nephew threw a kabob at me). I often wonder if egyptians care about education as much as people from other parents of the world?
Posts: 1967 | From: USA | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Thanks Hibbah. I thought they were the same thing, but wasn't sure. Is *classical Arabic* an old term that my sort-of-old husband is using?
I'm sure you will find the educational opportunities you need for your children. I think English is so important for anyone these days...seems to be the international business language at least.
Of course, you may want to teach them Chinese as well. Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
Strictly speaking the difference between classical and modern standard is just vocabulary. In classical you would study poetry, classical literature etc. MSA is sort of newspeak, the language of modern newspapers, academia and modern lit. The grammar of both is the same. Foreigners learn MSA as it's relevant to the modern world.
Schools, well, I could write a thesis on schools in Egypt. The language schools, like Pascha's daughter goes to, are not foreign. They do the Egyptian curriculum translated - and translated really badly too! for Maths and Science. They do other subjects including History (which is part of Social Studies and taught in a very dry, kings and dates rote-learning way) in Arabic. I wouldn't recommend these schools if you can afford a foreign curriculum.
The original foreign schools i,e designed for expats, employ expat teachers so are extremely expensive. In recent years many American system schools run by Egyptians for Egyptians have started up, there are now around 30 or so, I think. These will be more affordable as the staff will be mainly Egyptian.
In the Egyptian curriculum, History is taught in a very old-school way, just facts to be memorized, no original source materials, no meaningful illustrations. The books are very unattractive and uninspiring. The foreign curriculum schools try to make history as relevant to the region as possible. Some subjects, like Ancient Egypt, are taught in a much more exciting way outside Egypt. The average British 9 year old knows more about Ancient Egypt than the average Egyptian 19 year old!
Posts: 1039 | From: Cairo | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote:Originally posted by citizen: Strictly speaking the difference between classical and modern standard is just vocabulary. In classical you would study poetry, classical literature etc. MSA is sort of newspeak, the language of modern newspapers, academia and modern lit. The grammar of both is the same. Foreigners learn MSA as it's relevant to the modern world.
Thanks for the explanation. Back in another life, husband used to be a TV newscaster and said they all had to write their scripts and speak in Classical Arabic. Maybe he's just using these terms interchangably.
He feels it's very important for his children to learn Classical Arabic (or MSA?) as well, which they do in their Islamic school here in the States.
Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:Originally posted by citizen: [QB] Strictly speaking the difference between classical and modern standard is just vocabulary. In classical you would study poetry, classical literature etc. MSA is sort of newspeak, the language of modern newspapers, academia and modern lit. The grammar of both is the same. Foreigners learn MSA as it's relevant to the modern world.
Citizen..... you described in a way I couldnt
quote: Schools, well, I could write a thesis on schools in Egypt. The language schools, like Pascha's daughter goes to, are not foreign. They do the Egyptian curriculum translated - and translated really badly too! for Maths and Science. They do other subjects including History (which is part of Social Studies and taught in a very dry, kings and dates rote-learning way) in Arabic. I wouldn't recommend these schools if you can afford a foreign curriculum.
In the Egyptian curriculum, History is taught in a very old-school way, just facts to be memorized, no original source materials, no meaningful illustrations. The books are very unattractive and uninspiring. The foreign curriculum schools try to make history as relevant to the region as possible. Some subjects, like Ancient Egypt, are taught in a much more exciting way outside Egypt. The average British 9 year old knows more about Ancient Egypt than the average Egyptian 19 year old!
I think my school is included in this category.....Ramses College For Girls (ex american school) We take the same curriculum as govenment schools but in english (yes very bad english) but we take very tough english curriculum (that's a good thing)
But in general..... American or British schools such as AIS, CAC, nefertarty..... etc, are much better because they learn much better & do researh & activies.... they actually work smarter not harder........ & the kids have time to have a life & go out
History was incredibly boring everything was boring...... nothin made sense to me learning that way
While being in a school like mine, you work harder & longer & not at all smarter
I hated those days ......... I never read a book until I graduated
This system of learning made me hate reading Posts: 3128 | From: Not Your Heaven | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
I think its ok to put ur kids in american School, i grew up in Canada, i learnt about my religion at home not at school!
Posts: 5 | From: canada | Registered: Nov 2006
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quote:Originally posted by *The Dark Angel* aka CAT:
quote:Originally posted by Left.Side.Lying.State.Of.Mind: Do they teach religion or Classical Arabic in the American schools? Even as electives?
It makes me chuckle to think my child might have an easier time of learning Islam here in the States.
Yes they do but not all american schools teach arabic I guess but to get into an Egyptian Uni they have to make an exam before..... forgot the name of it
You mean the mo3adla exam? I had to do it, but anytime before I graduated.
Posts: 116 | From: Egypt | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
International/American schools are definately way better. And you don't have to deal with the mountains of homework they give in the other schools, or tons of private lessons all the time. But they're getting really expensive, actually in the last 5 years the fees have been doubled or more than doubled actually.
Posts: 116 | From: Egypt | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote:Originally posted by *The Dark Angel* aka CAT:
quote:Originally posted by Left.Side.Lying.State.Of.Mind: Do they teach religion or Classical Arabic in the American schools? Even as electives?
It makes me chuckle to think my child might have an easier time of learning Islam here in the States.
Yes they do but not all american schools teach arabic I guess but to get into an Egyptian Uni they have to make an exam before..... forgot the name of it
You mean the mo3adla exam? I had to do it, but anytime before I graduated.
yes yes, you're right.......... that's the one
but what is it called in English? Posts: 3128 | From: Not Your Heaven | Registered: Sep 2006
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quote:and i bet egyptian kids are mean. ( his nephew threw a kabob at me). I often wonder if egyptians care about education as much as people from other parents of the world?
Ok you must be kidding. "Egyptian kids are mean" and "i wonder if they care about their kids"????. I am assuming you are joking. i would not imaging someone really making such a generalization. To start with throwing a kabob at you is not mean yet ill mannered, which is a global problem with kids. yet if egyptian parents did not care ,there would have not been a huge industry of expensive private schools in Egypt.
Posts: 39 | From: LA | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
ok thank you hibbah, I have just read so many absurd things today that I am clearly loosing my sanity Good luck with your kids ( how old are they)
-------------------- Without the serious possibility of error there can be no freedom; and in the long run, without freedom and independence there can be no real love. ~ Rudolf Frieling Posts: 39 | From: LA | Registered: Oct 2006
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quote:Originally posted by *The Dark Angel* aka CAT:
quote:Originally posted by Sarah02:
quote:Originally posted by *The Dark Angel* aka CAT:
quote:Originally posted by Left.Side.Lying.State.Of.Mind: Do they teach religion or Classical Arabic in the American schools? Even as electives?
It makes me chuckle to think my child might have an easier time of learning Islam here in the States.
Yes they do but not all american schools teach arabic I guess but to get into an Egyptian Uni they have to make an exam before..... forgot the name of it
You mean the mo3adla exam? I had to do it, but anytime before I graduated.
yes yes, you're right.......... that's the one
but what is it called in English?
I have no idea. I remember in that exam the invigilator was going to burst out laughing at what I had wrote in the essay bit. I think they're pretty lenient, cause I passed.
Posts: 116 | From: Egypt | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
another thing to consider is funding for american schools. I'm not attending colleges in america. The tuition price is rising very year.. i think at least 8%, not sure.In a few years its going to triple. I'm not sure of the education system in Egypt but here its pretty good. Even though american colleges don't rank as high as other foreign institutions... the Ivy league schools of course rank high but...you need to be rich to go to them as well...
I wanted to learn arabic as well but not many american colleges have programs for that language . just mainly romantic and other european languages and a few east asians ones as well...
Posts: 40 | From: Chicago | Registered: Nov 2006
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