1. “The world is not changing.
It has already changed”
Dr. Samuel Betances
© Abdimalik Askar

2. Understanding Somali Culture
Presented by: Abdimalik Askar
Scholar, Journalist, and Politician. Ed.D candidate:
Leadership of Education
© Abdimalik Askar

3. COMPANY
L/O/G/O
General
Q/A
Culture
Parents
Students
Overview

4. Cultural Game 10
Evaluation and Conclusion 10
Introduction/ Icebreaker 10

5. Before Civil War

6. After Civil War

7. Cultural Game 10
Evaluation and Conclusion 10
Introduction/ Icebreaker 10
To understand a
culture, we must
first
understand the
beliefs and values of
the people.
© Abdimalik Askar

8. Cultural Game 10
Evaluation and Conclusion 10
Introduction/ Icebreaker 10
World Value
Traditional Secular
Strong belief in God Strong belief
&authority reason & human
Africa Asia L/America United States
Europe
(Adapted from BrigidBechtold Consulting, 2004)© Abdimalik Askar

9. Time Perception
Do one thing at a time Do more than one thing at a time
The clock-mechanical The sun-natural cycles
Precisely segmented time Flexible
Future orientation Present orientation
People live & plan for future People live for today
Task Focused People focused
Schedules as imperatives Schedules as goals
North America Africa
German Middle East
Scandinavia Asia
Latin America
(Adopted from BrigidBechtold Consulting, 2004)© Abdimalik Askar

10. Cultural Game 10
Introduction/ Icebreaker 10
© Abdimalik Askar
Remember - One
of every six
people on this
planet is a
Muslim!

11. Dates Fajr
(Morning)
Dhuhr
(Noon)
Asr
(B/w Noon
and evening)
Maghrib
(Evening)
Isha
(Night)
8-Apr 6:00 PM 1:16 PM 5:00 PM 7:51 PM 9:20 PM
1-May 5:15 AM 1:11 PM 5:07 PM 8:20 PM 10:00 PM
2-May 5:15 AM 1:10 PM 5:15 PM 8:22 PM 10:15 PM
3-May 5:00 AM 1:30 PM 5:15 PM 8:25 PM 10:00 PM
© Abdimalik Askar

12. Muharram
(Islamic New Year, 14333)
26 October, 2013
Mawlid al-Nabi
(Muhammad's Birthday)
December 5, 2013
Ramadan begins July 10, 2013
Eid al-Fitr
(Ramadan ends)
August 10, 2013
Eid al-Adha
(Festival of Sacrifice)
October 7, 2013
© Abdimalik Askar

13. Challenges Facing Parents
Challenges
Various aspect of life
struggle
Assistance with
Homework
Communication
with teachers
To protect religion
and culture
heritageParticipating
school events
Language
Education
discussion
with child
Time
volunteer
in school

14. The reasoned Somali student fail in the school is lack of reading.
© Abdimalik Askar

15. The reasoned student fail is not returning homework.
© Abdimalik Askar

16. Student Behavior is depended on the house is coming
from.
© Abdimalik Askar

17. Be aware of students: monitor their participation, know their names, look at each
individual. Talk to the students individually: do not like to be embarrassed
(embarrassment is one of the worst things for them (Amakulo, 2005). © Abdimalik Askar

18. Check for understanding by asking follow-up questions: often will say they
understand something, even when they don’t (afraid of being embarrassed)
(Amakulo, 2005). © Abdimalik Askar

19. Somali culture is extremely social and interactive, and students will benefit
from collaborative activities, but may struggle with individual work. (Farid
& McMahan, 2004). © Abdimalik Askar

20.  “What’s done to children, they will do to society.” (Stacia
Tauscher)
 “You are not teaching [a class] …you are teaching human
beings” (Dr. Samuel Betances)
 “We worry about what a child will be tomorrow,
yet we forget that he is someone today.” (Dr.
KarlMenninger)
QUOTES

21. “It matters less
where we are from.
What really
matters is where we
are going”
Dr. Samuel Betances
Conclusion
© Abdimalik Askar

22. www.poweredtemplates.com
http://www.bartamaha.com/ygsc_women.html
© Abdimalik Askar

23. Cultural Game 10
Evaluation and Conclusion 10
Introduction/ Icebreaker 10
References
• Bechtold, B. (2004). Somali Cultural Workshop.
Minneapolis, MN. BrigidBechtold Consulting.
• Breslow, Lori (1997). Teaching Notes. Sloan
Communication Program, Sloan School of
Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT). (1997). Retrieved April 02, 2008 from
http://ocw.mit.edu/NR/rdonlyres/Sloan-School-of-
Management/15-279Spring-2005/B47DFA91-76FC-
4AFC- BD11-
3170FAEA1FA3/0/intculcommlecnot.pdf
• http://www.humanrights.state.mn.us/somali_culture.html
• http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/call/c
all_93-1_chp5.htm
• Monica Friedlander (1991), The Newcomer Program:
Helping Immigrant Students Succeed in U.S. Schools
http://www.nwrel.org/cnorse/booklets/immigration/5.html
© Abdimalik Askar