Students at Sokehs Pah Elementary
I remember in college I would begin each semester imagining myself conducting a perfect academic symphony – reading all material twice, completing all assignments early, breezing through exams, and writing an amazing, well-researched final paper. While I did well in school, my symphony was never on the level of Mozart or Tchaikovsky. Indeed, once the semester got underway it was always harder than imagined to maintain momentum. Semester after semester I learned the same lesson. I know I’m not the only college student, past or present, who can identify with this story.
When I came to Pohnpei I remembered the lesson. I still envisioned a symphony – working with principals and shaping them into better leaders, exposing teachers to new techniques, motivating students to commit themselves to their education – all in an effort to make a deep and lasting change on the education system in Pohnpei. This time though, I knew it wasn’t going to be a smooth ride. Right now we are in the thick of it. We are teaching in the schools every week, working to improve our program and building for the future. As you might have gathered through past posts, we face our fair share of obstacles every day here in Pohnpei. Several times we have pulled up to an empty school due to a funeral or an unfamiliar holiday. Perhaps our largest obstacle that I have hinted to in my previous two posts is the teachers’ lack of English skills (see picture below). Given obstacles like these, it’s not surprising that each of us has asked “Can we really make a difference here?”
When I came to Pohnpei I remembered the lesson. I still envisioned a symphony – working with principals and shaping them into better leaders, exposing teachers to new techniques, motivating students to commit themselves to their education – all in an effort to make a deep and lasting change on the education system in Pohnpei. This time though, I knew it wasn’t going to be a smooth ride. Right now we are in the thick of it. We are teaching in the schools every week, working to improve our program and building for the future. As you might have gathered through past posts, we face our fair share of obstacles every day here in Pohnpei. Several times we have pulled up to an empty school due to a funeral or an unfamiliar holiday. Perhaps our largest obstacle that I have hinted to in my previous two posts is the teachers’ lack of English skills (see picture below). Given obstacles like these, it’s not surprising that each of us has asked “Can we really make a difference here?”
Worksheet found in one of our adopted schools
When not working, I have been doing a lot of job searching over the past few months looking at what I am going to do post-Pohnpei. Throughout my research I have been astounded at the incredible number of non-profit organizations that exist. There are literally thousands and so many of them are doing the exact same thing. I believe this is the case for many reasons, but I think a main one is because it is exciting and commendable to start something new. While there are obviously many non-profits that do great work, I can’t help but wonder how many of these organizations started off with lots of momentum and slowly faded away when things got tough.
It’s easy to start a new program or initiative and to set goals. While most of us have never started a non-profit organization, most of us have set goals, including resolutions a couple months ago. When we share our goals we can make ourselves sound quite accomplished and respectable. As my favorite author Donald Miller brought to my attention, we shouldn’t share our goals. As Miller writes, studies have shown that “when you share a goal publicly, your brain enjoys the sharing in the same way it enjoys the achievement itself, and you’ve lost some of your motivation.” Instead, we should focus on the work rather than any positive publicity from the admirable work we are doing. We should be proud of what we accomplish, not what we say we will accomplish.
Ultimately, the strength of MAHI International’s work here in Pohnpei rests on its mission. Specifically with our education program, we are addressing a desperate need. As long as we continue to be blessed with the resources to execute this work, we will continue to persist in our efforts. Like everything on Pohnpei, our progress is slow. In many ways, living in Pohnpei is like living in a different world.
It’s not anything new to acknowledge that the modern world is run by instant gratification, with people constantly distracted by the beeps and buzzes of technology. I remember going on a run to Red Square on Georgetown’s campus when I was interning in Washington, DC and stopping for a few minutes to witness how many people were on their cell phone. I ended up staying 20 minutes and literally saw every single person, well over 50 individuals, all talking or texting on their cell phone. It has been challenging to adjust to the slow pace on island, including living without a cell phone.
Education reform on any level, anywhere in the world, is incredibly difficult and takes time. The fact that we are seeking to reform the education system on Pohnpei only exacerbates this fact. Despite the ever-present obstacles, I’m learning that only those individuals and organizations that diligently stay the course hold the opportunity to create positive and lasting change.
It’s easy to start a new program or initiative and to set goals. While most of us have never started a non-profit organization, most of us have set goals, including resolutions a couple months ago. When we share our goals we can make ourselves sound quite accomplished and respectable. As my favorite author Donald Miller brought to my attention, we shouldn’t share our goals. As Miller writes, studies have shown that “when you share a goal publicly, your brain enjoys the sharing in the same way it enjoys the achievement itself, and you’ve lost some of your motivation.” Instead, we should focus on the work rather than any positive publicity from the admirable work we are doing. We should be proud of what we accomplish, not what we say we will accomplish.
Ultimately, the strength of MAHI International’s work here in Pohnpei rests on its mission. Specifically with our education program, we are addressing a desperate need. As long as we continue to be blessed with the resources to execute this work, we will continue to persist in our efforts. Like everything on Pohnpei, our progress is slow. In many ways, living in Pohnpei is like living in a different world.
It’s not anything new to acknowledge that the modern world is run by instant gratification, with people constantly distracted by the beeps and buzzes of technology. I remember going on a run to Red Square on Georgetown’s campus when I was interning in Washington, DC and stopping for a few minutes to witness how many people were on their cell phone. I ended up staying 20 minutes and literally saw every single person, well over 50 individuals, all talking or texting on their cell phone. It has been challenging to adjust to the slow pace on island, including living without a cell phone.
Education reform on any level, anywhere in the world, is incredibly difficult and takes time. The fact that we are seeking to reform the education system on Pohnpei only exacerbates this fact. Despite the ever-present obstacles, I’m learning that only those individuals and organizations that diligently stay the course hold the opportunity to create positive and lasting change.
