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DEIRA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL: THE JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING DURING COVID-19
Educators from their Deira International School Dubai, share the joys and challenges they are experiencing teaching during COVID-19. acting out stories together, to name but a few. It served as a timely reminder, that yes, academics are important, but relationships and the well-being of students hold equal, if not higher weight, for them to succeed.
Claire Heylin – Primary English Lead/ Year 2 Teacher Distance learning connected me to my class in ways that wouldn't have been possible in a classroom. In the absence of physical space, my students allowed me into their homes. I received SeeSaw videos of pets, family workouts and siblings
22
Term 1 Sep - Dec 2020
As Primary English Lead, the main challenges online were in replicating school experiences for students via a screen. This was done through sourcing an online reading programme to ensure that all students were accessing high-quality literature through Active Learn website. The creation of a Virtual Reading Buddies system enabled students to still feel connected to each other whilst confined to their homes. It has warmed my heart to welcome students back to school after 180
Class Time
days. The settling in period has been an adjustment for us all. I teach Year 2 – the youngest cohort required to wear masks all day and practise social distancing. This has been a challenge for me as I strive to learn new ways of ensuring collaboration and active learning while still adhering to health and safety guidelines. The upskilling of students and staff has been an enormous benefit of our online experience. I can no longer imagine a classroom without SeeSaw or Microsoft Teams – two apps I had never previously used before March. Live streaming of our lessons has ensured that our distance learners can still feel part of our community as they choose to learn from the comfort of their homes. My students have shone upon their return to school, and I am in awe
