"The community is seen as a strong pillar to improving early childhood education," Hasan said. "This is really interesting for me, and I feel that this is one of the things that I gained a lot from, and in my country we can work on that."

Hasan toured American education organizations from February 22 to March 11 as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) at the US State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. At the same time Hasan participated in the early childhood education program, countryman Osama Al-Mahdi, an assistant professor at the University of Bahrain, took part in an IVLP about science and technology in the classroom.

The Bahraini educators exchanged ideas on education improvement strategies with their American counterparts at schools and universities in Arkansas, California, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon and Texas over the three-week period.

Back in Bahrain, Hasan is meeting with officials at the education ministry to share the experiences from his tour. "We've discussed some of the ideas I've learned on the trip at least in order to have a presentation for policymakers here at the top in my institution," Hasan said.

Hasan said that early childhood education is not a major part of Bahrain's national education system and that most early childhood education in Bahrain is linked with private schools.

"What I've seen in the US is that from the results from research, it is in America's best interest to invest in early childhood education," Hasan said. "This is a big take-away from this visit, is to widen the horizons of policymakers here in Bahrain and to get this concept and approach of early childhood education in our system of education."

While Hasan met with American early childhood education pioneers, Al-Mahdi learned approaches in inspiring students to study science. He observed how successful secondary school programs teach science.

"When they talk about science, it is to make science more relevant to the life of the student, especially for students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds," Al-Mahdi said. Teachers highlight American scientists from various ethnic backgrounds for students to identify with. "When they see those scientists, they believe more in themselves, and this will encourage them to like science and to become scientists in the future."

Al-Mahdi and Hasan said that making contacts with American educators and IVLP program participants from other countries will benefit Bahraini education.

"I have contacts now with so many different professionals in the US, and my plan is also to communicate with them and keep in contact with them whenever I need anything in the future," Hasan said. "I'm also trying to invite some of the professionals that we met in the US in order to come here to Bahrain to give some presentations."

For Al-Mahdi, the tour of American education institutions deepened his view that learning is a student's key to a better future.

"Regardless of their language ability or their ethnic background, social status or economic status, every child can achieve if we provide a suitable opportunity for them," Al-Mahdi said. "Education can become a key ... to help students to change their future and to become better citizens and to help them improve their skills."

— M. Scott Bortot is a staff writer at www.america.gov