A peek into an Amala Educator’s world with Vivian
When speaking to Vivian, Amala Educator and alumna about her journey through Amala, one sees not only how committed she is to Amala’s approach to education, but also how deeply it has impacted her. Her transition from student to educator at Amala is testament to this in itself.
“All of the teachings that Amala focuses on equate to a lifeworthy education. It is all about your personal growth, and how it encourages self awareness, emotional intelligence, personal development, all while contributing to the students’ communities and also the larger world. The way Amala programmes connect it all together is crazy.”
She cites Amala’s “unique emphasis” on “self awareness, emotional intelligence, personal development, all while contributing to the students’ communities and also the larger world” as the reason for deciding to stay at Amala as an educator at Amala’s learning centre in Jordan.
Her passion about Amala’s vision and community is palpable. Vivian aims to provide students with a “nurturing environment, a safe space for them to feel safe and to learn and grow.” She explains that since her students are often in situations more complex than the average high school student, and have a lot going on outside the Global Secondary Diploma, they require a different approach that most other academic programmes are not equipped to provide.
“Amala is not just a job for me, it’s a family. ”
Vivian on a hiking trip with her students and colleagues
“I really feel I’m responsible for the students. I know what they’re going through because I’ve been there. So I am the person who best knows how to support them, how to be flexible, and how to pursue them when they are not submitting their work.” Vivian also makes the point that because she, and many of the other Amala Educators, are fairly close in age to their students, that gives a unique spin to their relationship. “It’s so helpful because we can relate to each other better… there is always some distance and respect of course, because we’re still educators, but we speak to them as their friends and that really works better.”
When asked about her students, Vivian shares how deeply inspiring their enthusiasm and growth has been for her. “I never imagined their projects could be this influential, this fast, in the community.” She explains how despite personal projects being mandatory for only one of the two courses taken by Amala students, her cohort banded together to do an extra project at a local orphanage, raising funds and running activities for the children. Vivian accompanied her students to see what they’d been up to at the orphanage and was moved to see that “when we were leaving, some of the kids were crying because they hadn’t seen such empathetic people in a very long time.” For her, watching them work to better themselves and their communities has been not only inspiring, but a testament to the transformative power within the Amala community.
“They want to show that empathy and love to the world, and show the great stuff that they are gaining from Amala… you can see how much of a change there is in them.”
Vivian’s excitement when asked about what changes she’s seen in her students is unmistakable. She explains that the course is especially challenging for some students due to the language barrier, as many struggle with their English at the start, but that “as soon as we give them the opportunity and space to develop the improvement is insane… they are so dedicated to developing themselves, it’s really inspiring.” She goes on about watching them gradually become more and more confident in themselves and their skills, saying that it’s a real privilege to see them bloom throughout the programme.
“The innovation and the experience the students are having, their learning journey, is outstanding.”
Vivian also points out how Amala’s multiculturalism impacts her students. “We’re talking about many different communities here, Somali, Sudanese, Iraqis, Syrians, Yeminis, Jordanians, etc., but because we all feel we belong here, have things in common, shared goals, we’re also creating a community here… This is something that’s very special and beautiful about Amala, as it allows us to learn from each other and embrace diversity.” She explains that because in each class you can find about six or seven nationalities among the students, so there are often differences to get used to as they get to know each other, something which is a massive contributor to the students’ development. She loves seeing these exchanges, not only in class, but at the cultural events the Amala centre sets up to give an opportunity to the students to share their culture and traditions with each other. “It’s all about embracing our diversity and respecting each other.”
“I can see the influence and the impact that Amala is having on everyone.”
Vivian at work in the classroom
For Vivian, the positive effects of Amala’s growth mindset extend beyond its students. Speaking about her colleagues at Amala, she says “none of us are just sitting at home, like we were before joining Amala; some of us are working; some are doing internships with UNICEF; some are building projects and businesses; a lot of us are an active part of the advocacy community.” She tells how inspiring and encouraging it is to be a part of such a positive and active community, the Amala community.
“I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Vivian spoke to Amala volunteer Sophia, who produced this blog. You can read more about Vivian’s path to Amala in Sophia’s first interview with her, here.
This interview is the fourth in our series about Amala Educators. To make sure you don’t miss out on future stories, follow us on social media (amala_edu on X and Instagram, Amala Education on Facebook and Linkedin) and sign up to our newsletter.