I am a K-12 ESL teacher of 11 years and hold a 5-12 Principal Assistant Principal and Director license. I also run the nonprofit organization Azerbaijani Society of New England and Caspian Vibes magazine. In addition, I am an internationally titled women’s FIDE WFM chess master, having represented national teams of Azerbaijan, USA, and South Korea. I became the US National Girl’s Chess Champion U21 at age 16. I speak Azerbaijani, Russian, and Korean. I am open to co-authorship and peer review opportunities.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Roza-Eynula
education policy economic integration culture workforce development comparative studies law national security intelligence marketing languages
Approximately 250 nursery schools and 600 schools were destroyed during the First Karabakh War in Azerbaijan in 1988–94, interrupting the education of over 210,000 school-aged children. Of the 111,043 children until age 5, only 8,300 (7.5%) were registered in preschool, with around 90,000 children out of school and never enrolled. The purpose of this qualitative narrative research study was to explore how the protracted 30-year occupation of around 20% of Azerbaijani lands by Armenian armed forces impacted the educational journey of displaced Azerbaijani school-aged children, who are now adults, during and after the First Karabakh War in 1988-94. It also examined the extent it has affected their full economic integration into society today. Three participants took part in this study. Data collection included one semi-structured interview, a questionnaire, and a follow-up interview. All participants received interview questions prior to their main interview to facilitate reflection of lived experiences. The results indicated that despite years of displacement, hardship, and trauma, the children (now adults) were able to achieve economic prosperity with resilience and high family expectations. This finding suggests that despite experiencing hardship during war, children may be able to achieve economic prosperity if they acquire critical skills to succeed in the labor market with active family involvement, becoming contributing members of society and enjoying financial stability as adults. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Roza-Eynula
Educational gag orders are state legislative efforts attempting to enact government mandates on free expression and academic content in schools through restrictive teaching and learning on 'divisive' concepts of race in American history. The term, coined by PEN America, a New York-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend free expression, raises alarm of these legislative measures that are sweeping across American classrooms designed to suppress free exchange of ideas and silence critical perspectives. Essentially, these gag orders impose ideological censorship on our schools, disproportionally stifling the voices of marginalized groups and repressing academic freedom. They undermine diversity of viewpoints and deepen educational inequities by legalizing ideological exclusion on the government level. American values of democracy and free speech have been etched in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and ratified as part of Bill of Rights on December 15, 1791 (Library of Congress, n.d.). It bestows responsibility upon Congress to serve American citizenry via passing and upholding constitutional rights and civil liberties by protecting freedom of speech, press, and assembly (The White House, n.d.). By attempting to suppress discussion on topics of societal importance in schools, lawmakers egregiously trump principles of our Founding Fathers. As a result of this political gambit, our children lose the connection between American history, society, and their identity, unable to grapple with contemporary manifestations of our democracy. In addition, substantially modifying the tenets of liberal education by banning 'uncomfortable' topics in schools contradicts democratic ideals that has made the United States the leading country in attracting foreign students and talent.
In 2021, UNHCR estimated that around 82 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced (UNHCR, 2020). Children under the age of 18 make up 30% of the world’s population, yet account for 42% of forcibly displaced people worldwide (UNHCR, 2020). In 2016, the number of refugee and asylum children stood at almost 12 million (OECD, 2019). In addition, around one million children are estimated to have been born into a refugee life between 2018 and 2020 (UNHCR, 2020). When repatriation and resettlement in one’s country of origin fails, the only other viable option is local integration. Integrating entails acquiring legal status both for the child and the immediate family, residency permit, health insurance, and access to immediate and equitable education, all of which has shown to lead to independent sustainable outcomes both for the child and his family in the near future (UNHCR, 2020). In particular, equitable access to education allows the refugee children a better social and emotional well-being, promotes social inclusion, and creates a more just and healthy society.
November 9, 2021 marked the one-year anniversary of the end of the Second Karabakh War. Azerbaijanis worldwide took to the streets to rejoice at the momentous liberation of a large swath of Azerbaijani territories that had been illegally occupied by Armenian forces since the early 1990s. The 44-day war ended with signing a Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement, which in addition to liberation of several districts from occupying forces also made Armenia withdraw from three large districts adjacent to the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO). Approximately 7,000 soldiers died on both sides, with continuing casualties among Azerbaijani military and civilians due to border and sniper shootings, and landmines that had been planted throughout the region by Armenian forces in the last three decades. Eight cities and 286 villages were liberated, with many more handed back to Azerbaijan through border demarcations. Culturally significant cities of Shusha, as well as Agdam (now symbolically called the ‘Hiroshima of the Caucasus’), Jabrail, Fuzuli, Gubadly, Lachin, and Zangilan were victoriously liberated, although the region now stands in complete ruin. Once-thriving cities were turned into eerie ghost towns due to landmines with no sign of life for hundreds of miles. Carpets and other cultural relics of monetary worth had been smuggled out, while private property has been looted and stripped of everything valuable. Buildings of cultural heritage have been demolished, mosques were defiled by willful neglect and turned into sheds by raising pigs and cows inside, while the rest were outright destroyed. https://caspianvibes.hflip.co/9c3507ea72.html
For over 300 million people around the world, including 30 million Azerbaijanis, one of the biggest celebrations of the year falls on the Spring Equinox - the start of the astronomical New Year when day and night become the same length. It also marks the day of the biggest holiday of Novruz - which translates to new day. Novruz holiday is a time for friends and family to gather to celebrate the arrival of spring, say goodbye to the old year, and prepare for the new. Containing elements of Thanksgiving (big family gatherings), Easter (coloring eggs), and Halloween (trick-or-treating), Novruz is a beloved holiday both for children and adults alike. https://caspianvibes.hflip.co/af0da420c0.html
This Professional Development presentation of a two-year longitudinal study highlights the effectiveness of various non-evaluative assessment strategies that were used to monitor English language acquisition of middle school grade 6 beginner/foundational Level 1 and Level 2 English Language Learner (ELL/ESL/MLL) students. The study emphasized an iterative approach with frequent assessment cycles and continuous improvement in reading and literacy skills. The two-year study included the assessment of efficacy of Fry High Frequency Words in year 1 and Starfall reading curriculum in year 2. Improvements on non-evaluative assessments were then compared to student performance on the annual evaluative WIDA ACCESS test, which showed significant English level jumps for students from Level 1 to Level 3. The students also showed incredible jumps in their evaluative iReady scores, increasing their end-of-year (EoY) performance by 100%-1500%. The results from the study were presented at the professional development (PD) session for educators and administrators in 4 Massachusetts districts that were part of the 5dp District Partnership. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390932196_PD_Achieving_Performance_Gains_for_MLLs_ELLsESL_students_Through_Targeted_Assessments
This Professional Development Presentation was designed and facilitated at the 5dp Five District Partnership Educator Showcase professional development (PD) workshop. It focused on Chapter 11: Cases on Immigrant Status from the book "Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education (2nd edition)" by Gorski and Pothini. The cases presented a variety of real-life scenarios and allowed educators to reflect on their biases and ways to create a more understanding classroom. The cases spotlighted: -Educators assigning nicknames to students with difficult to pronounce names -How black students from Africa and the United States perceive and identify themselves -How high-achieving immigrant children are treated in school sports teams -How involved immigrant parents are in their child's schooling -Why it is normal to have non-related family members attend parent-teacher meetings and be considered 'family'. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390943678_Presentation_Case_Studies_on_Immigrant_Status
One sunny June afternoon, I was invited to the home of Amir Oskouei, a fine rug dealer of Azerbaijani heritage, to explore his antique rug collection. He had remodeled his basement into a fully-fledged museum housing an impressive array of rugs from different time periods, prominently displayed on every inch of the walls and floors. His collection displayed showstopping masterpieces with an array of vibrant colors, unique designs, and intricate geometric patterns – each with their own fascinating history. About a dozen more rugs were rolled up on a cart, waiting for their time in the spotlight. https://caspianvibes.hflip.co/23f2c31118.html
Molla Nasraddin is to Azerbaijan what Charlie Hebdo is to France. It used powerful satirical illustrations to shed light on hypocrisy of corrupt elites and clergy, and fiercely advocated for women's equal rights and education. https://caspianvibes.hflip.co/ac8ae38cd5.html
Sara Khatun (15th century) was the first female diplomat and mediator in Azerbaijan and the Muslim East. She rose to prominence as a senior advisor under her son’s rule, Uzun Hasan, the leader of the Azerbaijani state of Ag Qoyunlu. Skillfully negotiating with foreign dignitaries and state rulers, Sara Khatun worked to ensure peace and regional stability. Her influence was so great that during the Ottoman-Venetian wars, Italian diplomats were instructed to win her favor in pursuit of beneficial outcomes. https://caspianvibes.hflip.co/ac8ae38cd5.html
