Exeter Introduces Its First Arabic Language Course (excerpt from The Exeter Bulletin, Winter 2006)
Jebari says his goal is to introduce students not only to written and spoken Arabic, but to the riches of Arabic history and culture as well
This year, modern languages instructor Ahmed Jebari and 11 of his students are making history around the Harkness table. Together, they are launching Exeter’s first Arabic language class—a one-year, college-level course designed to introduce students to both written and spoken Arabic.
Jebari hopes the course is introducing students to something else as well. “Arabic is a gateway to an entire civilization, and to its brilliant culture and history,” he says. “Its contributions to knowledge and its ongoing evolution make it a positive field of study for PEA students and for the community at large.” At the college level, he adds, knowledge of Arabic has become increasingly useful in the study of such areas as international relations, political science, economics, history, anthropology and fine arts. “It also can lead to job opportunities in academia, government, business and other areas.”
Originally from Morocco, Jebari earned a B.A. in music and literature from the University of Massachusetts and an M.A. in history from Harvard. In addition to Arabic, he also speaks French and Spanish. He worked in different capacities at Harvard for 18 years, including the library and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. During this same period, he also taught at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Jebari, his wife, Maria “Lula” Lucia, and their daughter, Mariam, 6, and son, Sami, 9, reside in Robinson House. “We are slowly adjusting to the pace and rhythm of the Academy,” says Jebari. “My children are happy in their schools and people here are nice to us, making the transition easier.”
Exeter is Jebari’s first time teaching high school students, and he’s been impressed by his students’ progress. “Not only do they come to class prepared,” he says, “but they also absorb the language and keep asking questions until they understand. They don’t think about whether it is a hard language or not; they just seize the opportunity to learn.”
Jebari’s teaching continues outside the classroom, whether in meetings with PEA’s Middle Eastern Society, over dinner with Muslim students or in conversations with other members of the school community. “We are beginning to develop a climate of familiarity with the Arabic language and culture,” he says. “The leaders of tomorrow are creating their own village right here on the Exeter campus, and the first step is being able to communicate with each other.”
Read the article in its original form in The Exeter Bulletin, Winter 2006...
