UAE's 10 Most Influential Education Leaders-2019 by The Knowledge Review

VOL 5 MAY - 2019

ISSUE-1

UAE’s Most

Inuential Education

Leaders 2019

T H E

NOWLED GEREVIEW Education. Innovation. Success Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Senior Editor Anish Miller Managing Editor Crescent CU

Executive Editor Contributing Editor Visualiser Art & Design Head Art & Design Assistant Co-designer Art & Picture Editor Business Development Manager Marketing Manager

Stella Andrew Ryan David King Amol Kamble Poonam Mahajan Paul Belin Mayur Koli Phill Miller Marry Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Souza

Business Development Executives Amy, John Sales Executives Amanda, Frank, Sandra, Helen, Steve, Kevin Technical Head Assistant Technical Head Technical Consultants Digital Marketing Manager Assistant Digital Marketing Manager

Jacob Smile Pratiksha Patil David, Robert Alina Sege Prashant Chevale

SME-SMO Executives Uma, Manoj, Gemson Research Analyst Eric Smith Circulation Manager Tanaji sales@insightssuccess.com

May, 2019

Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100,Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602-1754

Off. No. 22 & 510, Rainbow Plaza, Shivar Chowk, Pimple Saudagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411017 Phone - India: +91 7410079881/ 82/ 83/ 84/ 85 Email: info@insightssuccess.in For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.in

Copyright ÂŠ 2019 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd. The Knowledge Review is powered by Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd.

CONT ENTS Ruth

Burke A Genius' Quest to Enlighten Many

10 COVER STORY

18 Irum Farhat Farooq A Face of Persistence and Inventiveness

CXO STANDPOINTS

Expert Insight Brief us on how education in UAE has changed

40 50

Foreseeing the Future Envisaging the Future of Educational Sector in UAE

Teacher Leadership Rebirth of Pre-Existing Teachers

Ben Rothwell

ARTICLE

Teacher Development

Leading by Example and Spreading the Gleam of Knowledge

Colette Doughty

Breaking Traditions and Realizing Dreams

Dr. Paul Lieblich

Redeﬁning the Signiﬁcance of Excellence in Education

Kosta Lekanides

A Reasonable Leader with a Gist of Providing Education to Students’ Core

Poonam Bhojani

An Embodiment of Persistence and Innovation in Education

Rehana Mannan

Shaping Successful Careers from Dusk to Dawn

Shady Elkassas

An Ingenious Personality with Profound Knowledge

Dr Zeenath Reza Khan An Incredible Mentor Going Beyond Boundaries

Wayne Howsen Teaching the World with his Remarkable Insights

ducation is a substantial source of empowerment in every modern individual’s lives. It caters to and delivers an improved quality of living, a holistically progressive career, and a comprehensive development of both, the educated individual and the society in its entirety. But for the fulfillment of its purpose, education in the form of a guiding light has to be bestowed upon the right shoulders in order to magnify its provision of empowerment, and for showing the right directions to the seekers of enlightenment. This holder of the torch of education thus becomes an educational leader. A proficient educational leader is au fait with the current trends and developments in the educational sector, thus implementing the same within his/her school syllabi, teaching methods and infrastructure. Creating a reformative learning culture for students wherein they could make optimum utilization of the school’s infrastructure and guidance is one of the primary tasks of an educational leader. Taking into consideration, the avid exhibition of these traits, The Knowledge Review presents this special issue titled “UAE’s 10 Most Influential Education Leaders, 2019”, which features some of the most creative, prominent and decorated individuals in the sphere of education. These leaders are voluntarily embracing the contemporary advancements in the field and are providing a profoundly new outlook towards education, all the while sculpting the forthcoming generation of learners. On the cover of the issue we have featured, Ruth Burke, director of Deira International School, who is always on a quest to improve the educational experience of the students. Under the section of ‘A Word with Shepreneur’ we have featured Irum Farhat Farooq, Co-founder of MetaMindz. Unappologestic and fierce, Irum along with improving academic qualification of students, she also talks about women empowerment and what it means to be a women leader in charge of bringing change. Poonam Bhojani, Kosta Lekanides, Colette Doughty, Rehana Mannan, Wayne Howsen, Ben Rothwell, Shady Elkassas, Zeenath Reza and Dr. Paul Lieblich are the other profiles included in this issue. While flipping the page please make it a note to read the CXO articles pened down by educators which will give insides into the educational sector of UAE. Also, make it a note to read article drafted by our in-house editors. Happy Reading!

READ IT FIRST SUBSCRIBE TO SUCCESS

GLOBAL SUBSCRIPTION

Date :

Name : Address :

Telephone : Email :

City :

State :

Zip :

Country :

Check should be drawn in favor of : INSIGHTS SUCCESS MEDIA TECH LLC

T H E

CORPORATE OFFICE TM

N O W L E DEducation. G E RInnovation. E V I ESuccess W

The Knowledge Review 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017,United States Contact No.: (614)-602-1754; (614)-472-4768 Email: info@theknowledgereview.com For Subscription: Visit www.theknowledgereview.com

etaMindz is on the front of offering BLENDED Learning in UAE. In an interview with The Knowledge Review, Irum Farhat Farooq, the Founder of this organization sheds light on how this educational approach is reforming the educational fraternity. Above all, she talks about ‘Women Empowerment’ and what it means to be a women leader in charge of bringing change. 1. How do you define the word “Empowerment”? And, to you, what does “Women Empowerment” stand for? Please tell us how you are contributing to that. Thank you for this honor and for putting forth this very eminent question. I feel that ‘Women Empowerment’ is a very misunderstood term in today’s world. As per my understanding, it doesn’t necessarily mean rebellion from traditions and clash with the opposite gender. On the contrary, it means that men and women co-exist as partners and mutual supporters, leading the world to a better future. For me personally ‘Women Empowerment’ means that a human being, who happens to be a woman, has the opportunity and ability to make choices and decisions for her life, personal or professional, without any person, system or tradition hindering or doubting her ability to believe in herself. My advice to the younger folks is that both men and women need to respect each other and value each other’s contributions. Life is not a race between the genders, it’s about teamwork! If we can help girls develop a sense of self-respect and belief in themselves and the will to grow and develop intellectually and spiritually, we will have empowered them in the true sense of the word. 2. Kindly brief us about you and your journey since the beginning of your career. My life journey has been exciting thus far, with highs and lows, as expected from any worthwhile endeavor! In my professional journey, from being an educator to an entrepreneur, the core of my efforts has always been to add value to the society and humanity. With Education as my calling, working with children, young adults and

MAY 2019

Co-founder

MAY 2019

fellow educators, this aspiration is met quite naturally and effortlessly. 3. How do you describe yourself in one-word or one-sentence? Persistence meets optimism! Both traits can be a strength and a weakness. 4. Tell us about your passions, aims, and goals. When passion gives birth to a goal, the aims become rather clear. I’ve always been passionate about seeking knowledge to facilitate individuals to discover themselves and enhance personal growth. A cause very close to my heart is to facilitate equal opportunities for all in education. Every child has the right to learn and learn the way they want irrespective of their social or intellectual disposition. It is not necessary to follow the one-size-fits-all approach. By embracing change in the education landscape, we can ensure that every child gets the opportunity to gain knowledge and benefit from it. So in a nutshell, my goal is to make academic learning a meaningful, rewarding and egalitarian experience for all. 5. What acts as your motivational tool? Or, who is your role model, who inspires and motivates you? Without sounding clichéd as an educator, my motivation literally comes from the children I see every day and my desire to offer the best to these brilliant young minds, including my own. My role model however would have to be my father. He taught me the value of hard work and perseverance and gave me the wonderful gift of faith and belief in my dreams and aspirations. My mother is also an inspiration for her giving nature, philanthropic mindset and unshakable faith. 6. Share any of your major achievements and your company’s achievements under your leadership. I co-founded MetaMindz in 2012 with the ambition to bring a ‘learning-revolution for children’ in the Middle East and South Asia. MetaMindz founders, experienced educators and technology experts, equipped with diverse education and training carried out extensive research to find the most cutting-edge methods to offer personalized learning to children that is relevant, affordable and meaningful. The common belief that the objective of learning must go beyond grade attainment became the core of our endeavor. We aspired to offer learning that catered to 21st century needs and ensured children become motivated-learners forever. As a result MetaMindz became the pioneer of blended learning in the region and the first learning center that was approached by a leading Education company to offer enrichment programs in their schools. The program adopted by MetaMindz became a choice after much research and deliberation as it met all the needs of the 21st century classroom. From powerful, data-driven diagnostics to understand individual needs, to fully integrated personalized learning paths, i-Ready by Curriculum Associates gave us all the solutions we were seeking. After demonstrating the success of this program with children from different curricula and with diverse individual needs, I was awarded exclusive distribution rights for the Middle East and Pakistan by Curriculum Associates.

MAY 2019

It is indeed a great honor to be representing a highly acclaimed and wellestablished company like Curriculum Associates and be instrumental in introducing their programs to schools, parents and children who are ready for the 21st century learning experience. 7. What are the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout and would like to share? The appreciation of people in your life, in a personal and professional capacity, is very important. It always takes a team to make a dream a reality. Appreciating diversity of thought, respecting differences and keeping an open mind is key to success in today’s world. 8. Brief us about the industry scenario from your perspective and women’s participation and involvement in a growing business sector. A dictum I work by and encourage teachers and parents of my students to believe in is to not confine our children to our own learning, for they were born in another time. Education is the right industry for you if compassion and a desire to enrich are at the core of all your actions. I tell all educators, women and men alike, to not be afraid of change and to incorporate latest methods to improve learning outcomes of their students. Leverage off the great resources out there and customize them to your needs. Keep an open mind and encourage your thirst for knowledge. 9. In your opinion, how have women contributed in the development of the education sector in UAE ? UAE has some very impressive statistics when it comes to women participation in Education. 100 percent of nursery schoolteachers, 55 percent of primary schoolteachers and 65 percent of intermediate and secondary schoolteachers are women. UAE women comprise over 40 percent of all employees in education. (Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs). This demonstrates the UAE leadership’s vision of empowering and entrusting women with the most critical role in nation building; education and development of the new generation. 10. What would you advise to aspiring woman leaders? Whatever you endeavor to do, do it with full commitment and passion. Seek feedback for improvement but not universal approval. Your people are your biggest asset. Keep the bar raised and help them discover their potential. And lastly, a wonderful quote from Michelle Obama “Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

MAY 2019

Ben Rothwell Leading by Example and Spreading the Gleam of Knowledge

en Rothwell: Leading by Example and Spreading the Gleam of Knowledge

The American author, H Jackson Brown, Jr has rightfully said, “Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity”. Alike challenges, opportunities too are a part of life and by knowing how to recognize the latter and hurdle the ﬁrst, one can lay the groundwork for success. Ben Rothwell, Head of Innovation and Technology at Victory Heights Primary School (VHPS) is one such persona who attributes his success and career growth to this approach. Earning the title of ‘Most Inﬂuential Educators in Dubai’ has not stopped him from enthusiastically working to achieve his goal of a better educational system. His strong sense of responsibility towards the development of the educational sector and dedicated work to ensure that teaching should be based around strong and evidence-informed practice has played a major role in elevating the school’s success. Working along with other faculties, Ben has succeeded at helping VHPS move up considerably in the school assessment ranking and has adopted new ideas that raise attainment and reduce workload. His collaborative work with other educational leaders from some of the leading schools in Dubai

Ben Rothwell Head of Innovation and Technology

and Abu Dhabi; notably Dubai College, British School of Al Khubairat and Kings School Al Barsha to form the UAE Research Schools Network is one of his attempts towards achieving his goal. Ben realizes that a great responsibility rests on his shoulders and being an educational leader has given him the power to impact the lives of many students both directly and indirectly. Here is the tale of an evolving, confident and gallant educational leader who looks at the challenge in its eye and turns it into an opportunity. Journey to Prominence Ben’s journey has taken many turns, transitioning from a teacher to be an influential educational leader. His teaching expedition began with undertaking a GTP (Graduate Teacher Program) qualification in ICT through Canterbury Christ Church University College, which was later known as Canterbury Christ Church University. This program entailed working as a full-time teacher in a secondary modern school in East Kent - Sandwich Technology School. This technologyenabled school enjoys additional funding and therefore has an

MAY 2019

excellent ICT provision which set Ben on a deﬁnite and diﬀerent path while prospering as a trainee. Regardless of having zilch experience in working with young children, Ben felt extremely fortunate to secure this role. Though it was Ben’s gusto and passion that had driven him towards the success of this role, he acknowledges the trust, faith, and guidance Karen Peel and Elizabeth Williamson had put in him. During this period, he used to work with students mainly in KS3 and KS4, however, with the sheer guidance of Mark Beaman, Ben also used to teach in Computing and Business & Economics to the KS5 students. Upon the completion of his training, Ben further moved to another school, namely the Chatham House Grammar School for Boys. Here, Ben’s prior experience in coaching rugby led him to the role, which combined both the teaching of ICT as well as a Games commitment. This school marked yet another milestone in Ben’s life. Though teaching was always his calling, it was in Chatham House Grammar School that Ben realized his undying passion towards this profession. The sense of collegiality at the school, with pupils from a deprived area looking to achieve grades that would enable them to attend university, made Ben’s each and every day at CHGS worthwhile. “And always, there was the magic of learning things” Betty Smith, Author

MAY 2019

Ben Rothwell is one such avid learner, who never turns his back from anything. Given any situation in front of him, Ben thrives while learning as he goes. Remembering his days in CHGS Ben says that his colleagues had influenced him to a great level. However, one such colleague whom Ben had idolized was Phillip Hughes, a PE teacher and incharge of Year 11 students. Philip’s interaction with other staffs and the relationships that he maintained with others was something that Ben wanted to practice. He then realized that this is how he wants to be perceived around the staff room. He also expresses his gratitude to Chris Bowman and Clark Goodwin. Clark, the then Head of PE was an inspirational teacher. Greatly influenced by his teaching strategies, Ben had envisioned himself delivering high-quality lessons. Similarly, he also admired Chris’ teaching techniques and aspired to achieve the same. Seeing an opportunity in any given situation was one of the most admirable qualities that set Ben apart from others. His never giving up attitude and willingness to learn from any given situation has acted as a catalyst in his journey towards the top. Above all, Ben epitomizes humbleness. It is because of this modesty that Ben Rothwell had achieved the mantle of the ‘Best NQT in East Kent’ during his NQT year at Chatham House. No matter how tech-savvy the world gets, the importance and need of a teacher will never diminish. A teacher beholds the power to awaken one’s own expectations and guides them to achieve even beyond those

expectations. However, for these noble creatures, the only thing that matters is witnessing their students touching the zeniths of success and expecting nothing in return. Ben Rothwell, who follows the trail of this noble profession, has left an imprint in his student’s hearts forever and being nominated for the ‘Best NQT in East Kent’ by his pupils justifies this. With abundance of love towards learning and learners, and aiming to bring these two together, Ben Rothwell’s expedition of spreading knowledge landed him at Kent College, Canterbury. With new ventures, came new responsibilities, now appointed as the Head of ICT at Kent, Ben continued to learn and also guide others. Having transformed from teacher to a leader, Ben worked on improving the provisions of technology in schools. Ben has closely witnessed the importance of using technology in schools and hence, he was very delighted when Adobe asked to produce some curriculum resources for them surrounding the innovative use of Adobe Flash to support some of the curriculum objectives that they studied. Ben’s journey further took him to the bright shores of Dubai. He believed that this city held great prospect for him. The first step towards this was securing the position as a class teacher of ICT at Victory Heights Primary School. Shifting from KS4 and KS5 to be a teacher in primary sector had not only marked a significant change in Ben’s career but also brought him new challenges. Nevertheless,

MAY 2019

Ben had mastered the art of bracing himself for any situation and therefore as much as scary this evolution was Ben was excited and ready to face it. Meeting Sasha Crabb, the Founding Principal of Victory Heights Primary School was yet another turning point in Ben’s life. Having forgotten the trepidations of his new role, Ben now focused on learning all the essential knacks. This school gave him an opportunity to work with many other influential people who brought their own magic to school and their attributes have rubbed off on Ben. Paul Dowlman, the inspirational teacher who exudes calm, Laura Dowlman, the Headteacher who is a tour-de-force at ensuring the school runs every day, and Matt Hawley, the Deputy Head who shares a lot of Ben’s visions for education are some of the noticeable people Ben has worked with. Ben and VHPS- Nurturing Students for Future Victory Heights Primary School has a simple mission; to Nurture, Challenge, and Excel. It is a small communityfocused primary school, which aims to get the best out of all its students. The school has put no limitation to its students, however, the faculties of the school make sure that it nurtures students to his or her highest potential. Here, students are challenged daily to be the best they can be. Today’s children are tomorrow’s movers and shakers, this belief being central to VHPS; it has been sought for offering the finest education. Propelling this same thought, the

MAY 2019

school has left no stones unturned to achieve its goal. This student-centric school believes in the two-way learning process and realizes that for students to develop in the right environment it should also focus on nurturing its teachers. Hence, along with ensuring the wellbeing of the students it equally focuses on the wellbeing of teachers and appropriate actions are taken to ensure smooth functioning. “Teachers who love teaching, teach children to love learning”, this quote rightfully defines Ben Rothwell. A teacher who has been dedicatedly working to ensure that education is being delivered in a meaningful way is hard to come by and easy to spot .Ben is one such educator who has taken decisions that would benefit the whole student community. At present, he envisions to see Victory Heights Primary School finally achieve the ‘Outstanding’ rating that it so richly deserves. He further quotes, “Everything we do is outstanding - in many areas, I believe we are the absolute best in the region. We are not perfect in every way, but we do everything we can, and we do it with an open mind and kind heart. I want us to continue to develop our research focus, and that research that we will produce in the next few years will lead to us having a significant impact on the education of pupils beyond our setting.”

Colette Doughty Breaking Traditions and Realizing Dreams

ightfully said by Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible until it is done,” these words describe the journey of Colette Doughty. To achieve success or the vision one has set in mind, it is very important to start. We often hear people say that it is usually the start that is scary and the desired future seems impossible. However, the groundwork of success can only be laid by those who learn to swallow the trepidations and start anyway. At present, heading the Secondary Section of Jebel Ali School, Colette’s journey to prominence teaches us to be brave, confident and to chase our dreams no matter how hard it seems to be. The biggest challenge one faces in life is finding his/her purpose, as the saying goes, everyone on earth has a purpose to serve. Colette was lucky in this matter, for it did not take much time for her to find her passion; teaching excited her. However, the transformation from teacher to an educational influencer and leader was not easy; she took a rather circuitous route into teaching. Her uncertainty about her academic qualification did not stop her from seeking what she desired. “I didn’t know if I had the academic ability to do so. I left school with minimal qualifications, got a job and spent three years in night school to gain the

Colette Doughty Jebel Ali School

necessary qualiﬁcations to be in a position to apply,” asserts Colette. Colette Doughty lives by the words, “Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking.” Coming from a community where people did not go to universities or dropped out from schools and opted to work in the local community, Colette chose to beat the odds. Thus, her decision to join university was a milestone in her life, let alone, graduating. Her strong will to achieve her dream was all the motivation she needed to go ahead and achieve what she sought. Upon enrolling at the university there was no turning back. Colette

MAY 2019

first earned a degree in Chemistry, which was followed by PGCE, and a few years later, she earned a Master’s degree in Education. Completing her studies, which Colette had once thought was impossible, was the first step towards her glorious journey. On her quest to spread the gleam of knowledge, Colette kicked started her career by working as a teacher (trainee). Recalling her initial days of teaching, Colette says that she had never felt so satisfied. “I still remember my first ever lesson as a trainee teacher, the buzz, the interaction and coming out of that classroom, feeling like, I had arrived home,” recalls Colette. Today, Colette Doughty brings with her three decades of experience in teaching and her decision to enter into this profession had marked the era of a new beginning. Her service, dedication, and utmost passion towards the educational fraternity have earned her the mantle of an ‘educational leader’. Changing and influencing lives as she moves ahead, Colette has left an imprint in the minds of her students. “This was the career for me and I have never ever doubted it,” asserts Colette. Miraculous and Serving the Purpose Colette has dedicated her entire life to ensuring that students receive the education that they rightfully deserve. However, a dream this big and influential is not easy to achieve. Nevertheless, Colette’s devotion towards children and education is never-ending. Her biggest motivators are students. Walking through the corridors of the school and interacting with students is all the motivation that she needs. “Just walking around the school and talking to the students is enough to keep me motivated. They deserve the best

MAY 2019

education we can give them. Listening to their opinions, feedback and general ideas about all aspects of their life is a privilege, and it spurs you on,” asserted Colette. education we can give them. Listening to their opinions, feedback and general ideas about all aspects of their life is a privilege, and it spurs you on,” keep me motivated. They deserve the best asserted Colette.

fabulous reputation as a successful Primary and Secondary School. Sought out for its brilliant academic rigour, holistic and community approach to education, the school empowers its pupils to become resilient, responsible global citizens, and lifelong learners. This student-centric school turns all the tides into the student’s direction so that they are beneﬁtted and learn from any situation.

One can undoubtedly agree with the fact that teachers are the heart of any education system. Anyone who remembers their own education remembers their teachers, not methods or techniques. Colette Doughty is one such teacher who has left a long-lasting imprint in the minds of students. Students who have studied under the guidance of Colette have awakened their own expectations, talents, and potentials and successfully achieved beyond expected. “I would like to think I have had a positive inﬂuence on many of the students I taught. Maybe some went on to be teachers, or chemists, perhaps in some small way because of our interactions,” she adds.

A very good example of this is, when the school faced challenges while developing a new school in a new site, it considered all the plausible strategies and initiated step by step (year on year) growth of it. This approach followed by the excellent academic performance of the students has paved the way in creating the ethos of JAS; community and holistic education while maintaining very high academic standards and expectations. Growing together along with its students, the school now has developed a close relationship with every student. This in return has helped the school to align or mold the curriculum and personalize its approach. “Our mission of ‘Putting Students First’ is at the forefront of every decision we make and every action we take, and involving our parents in a true community-based school makes us stand out,” comments Colette.

About the School Aiming to nurture conﬁdent, reﬂective, and emotionally intelligent learners, JAS enjoys a

MAY 2019

When asked about her time at JAS she replied, “This is my 3rd year at Jebel Ali, I am enjoying the journey all over again. To eventually walk away from Dubai knowing I had a part to play in the creation of two great schools; JESS and JAS for students to enjoy their educational experience is quite an honor.” “Jebel Ali’s students are motivated, positive and full of energy to take on anything thrown at them; you can’t fail to be energized by them!” The ever-evolving trend of the educational sector has challenged many schools. However, Jebel Ali has managed to stay at par with the changes occurring in the educational sector. Following rigours strategies like attracting professional and highly motivated staﬀ, using their expertise and passion for speciﬁc areas of education further instigates the growth of Jebel Ali.

success after stumbling at failures and hardships, her persistence is what drove her to work harder and build her persona. Her advice to the students all over the world (especially students of UAE) is to “Make every day an opportunity to learn, to challenge yourself, and improve yourself in any way you can. So many young people don’t get the opportunities that our students in the UAE take as the norm, so don’t sit back, instead, roll up your sleeves and dive into learning and realize that failing is a successful part of learning too!” She encourages individuals to choose a job that excites them and makes them happy. Sketching her road ahead, she plans to grow together with the Secondary School and continue to work towards a better educational system.

Words of Wisdom There is no easy way to achieve your dreams, one has to work towards it, no matter how hard the path is and Colette Doughty’s journey justiﬁes it. Though Colette achieved

MAY 2019

Dr. Paul Lieblich Redening the Signicance of Excellence in Education

n life, we are constantly confronted with a series of occurrences, individuals, and other external factors that have a strong influence on us. There are some which define us; while there are others, which refine us into something more. The same happened with the protagonist of this story, Dr. Paul Lieblich, Executive Principal of Scholars International Group. As far as the educational journey goes, Dr. Lieblich has a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado. Prior to that, he attained a Master’s of Education in Diagnostic & Prescriptive Teaching from the College of William & Mary, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Bethany College. However, in this aforementioned simple journey, there were two seminal points in his life that molded him into what he is today. Let us, The Knowledge Review, present you with the story of an exceptional leader who turned his life towards the education sector to live a more rewarding life. The Turning Points Dr. Lieblich’s first seminal point in the educational journey was his graduation with a

Dr. Paul Lieblich, Executive Principal major in Economics and a minor in Biochemistry. This was the point when he realized that he would find a career in education a far more rewarding life path. Consequently, he applied to a new master’s program at the College of William Mary. The program was called a Non-Categorical Master’s Degree in Diagnostic and Prescriptive Teaching. The program’s aim was to challenge the narrative about how schools supported learning differences. It prepared educators to work with kids having special needs and to do so within the traditional classroom setting rather than the then common approach of self-contained pullout programs. The second significant turn came when he went to work in a typical public school with his new capacities. He began to

MAY 2019

work with children, who were ‘special’. He quickly recognized that most often, children with ‘problems’ were facing issues caused by an education system built around standardization and compliance. Just as importantly, he realized that this “one size ﬁts all approach” was actually harming all students as every child was unique and should be seen as such. With this realization in mind, he set his mind to exploring and ended up playing a noteworthy part in changing the system. The Contribution Till date, Dr. Lieblich has led US schools both in the private as well as the public sector. He has also led international schools and school groups in six countries. The US State Department, Oﬃce of Overseas Schools, has recognized Dr. Lieblich as a National Distinguished Principal. He has held Headship positions at several leading international schools since 1995, including Lyford Cay International School, Zurich International School, and the International School of Amsterdam. Moreover, he has worked and been recognized for his co-authorship of the IB Primary Years Program (PYP), including developing and running training programs for the International Baccalaureate Organization. He has also worked with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) in creating the Global Education Framework. For this, the United States Department of State awarded him with the aforementioned National Distinguished Principal Award. Currently, Dr. Lieblich is the Executive

MAY 2019

Principal of Scholars International Group. Additionally, he is leading their new Clarion School, where he is focusing on bringing a futureready approach to education in the Middle East. The school is guiding students to become independent, critical, thinkers and learners. He recalls his time and quotes, “It is basically the next step to the work I did with the IB PYP”. The Secret Mantra Dr. Lieblich reveals that the common thread in all his work that has kept him to sustain his interest and be excited about education is being a solid ‘learner’. “Learning makes me feel alive”. It does not matter what the subject matter is; sailing, carpentry, healthy living, helping children, or teaching, he is always curious and wants to explore more. He further asserts, “I can’t imagine that my students and fellow professionals will not feel the same excitement and motivation that I feel when they are provided the right educational experiences which ensure they develop the mindset, the skills, and the motivation to explore and learn more each day”. Clarion, the Leading K-12 American School in the Region The group’s latest school, Clarion, is a pioneering K-12 American school that is redeﬁning what education excellence means using a progressive and distinctive program that deeply involves kids

in profound and intentional learning. Its vision is to be the leading educational institution in the region, nurturing each students’ potential so that they take full advantage of life’s opportunities as collaborative, productive, and responsible members of a global community. Aligned to fulfilling the highest tier of U.S. standards, including the Common Core, Clarion School provides innovative, interactive, challenging, and intentional learning experiences facilitated by extremely skilled Master Educators. The school’s learning foundation was built with support from one of the leading U.S. Graduate Schools of Education and has extended the norms of what a high-quality education needs to deliver. Hence, the school has gone beyond the norms of a UK National Curriculum education or even the more holistic IB framework in order to deliver a program that is rich, rigorous, and relevant to supporting children to be ready for the future. According to Dr. Lieblich, the past several decades have transformed the education field drastically. Educational researchers have become very scientific and increasingly productive in teasing out the factors which makes for effective teaching and learning. Consequently, there is a better understanding of what works and what does not. A realization that many accepted practices actually have little or even negative effects on student outcomes, while other

MAY 2019

overlooked practices have been shown to have large and positive impacts on student outcomes. “Unfortunately, so much of what we have learned about these things is not understood by tbe general educational practitioner and is often ignored in running schools”. The group from its first school, Dubai Scholars, to the latest school, Clarion, has been focused on supporting learning using research-based practices which show a strong effect on improving student outcomes while eliminating those unsuitable practices that do not help students. Dr. Lieblich states, “For us that means ensuring an effective model of ongoing, continuous professional learning activity to support these practices”.

MAY 2019

Dr. Lieblich believes that in the UAE, the need for developing and adopting efficacious practices is no different than anywhere else. He also believes that the UAE has a much more forward-thinking and proactive educational authority and thus sees Clarion as being as a model from which other schools can learn to become more effective. When talking about the future, Dr. Lieblich unveiled that the group is keeping its keen eyes on the opportunities to be a part of a larger ecosystem, which is not limited only to the UAE. It is anxious to develop and spread its wings in Asia, particularly India and Vietnam.

Zeena Assam is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Creative Nest Nursery in Mizhar, Dubai. Opening its doors in September 2016, Creative Nest Nursery was born out of Zeena’s desire to build a preschool that nurtures positive early learning experiences in children, and a lifelong love of learning by doing. Creative Nest has since evolved into a source of enrichment for children, families and the wider community, providing a supportive learning environment for the students, and all those who love and care for them. Raised in Dubai, Zeena first qualified as a Civil Engineer, having gained her degree at McGill University in Canada. She later redirected her career towards a passion of hers – education. Today, Zeena is an established educator with more than 15 years of teaching experience gained in the UAE. In 2005, she gained an M.Ed Masters of Education from the University of Gloucestershire in the UK. She has also completed the UK’s NCFE CACHE Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services. Zeena has also been named as one of the UAE’s Educational Influencers 2018 by Which School Advisor. Bilingual in English and Arabic, Zeena is a mother to 4 children. She enjoys reading, keeping fit and staying up to date with the latest advancements in childcare and wellbeing.

MAY 2019

s someone who spent most of her schooling days in the UAE, I must say the education field has changed tremendously over the past 20 to 30 years. Back when I was a child at a very prestigious school in Abu Dhabi, there was a strong emphasis on academics with rote memorization and frequent testing. Students were expected to passively sit in classroom for traditional instructional methodology, in order to pass examinations. Teachers were seen was ‘transferrers of knowledge” with the belief that children were vessels to be filled with information. The UAE has made sweeping changes in the educational field in the past few decades. These changes encompass a more holistic approach that aims to develop the whole child and develop critical thinking skills that are necessary to succeed. Children are no longer seen as vessels waiting to be filled with knowledge; rather learning is an active and constructive process. Technology Technology has impacted almost every aspect of life today, and education is no exception. Tools like Google and Wikipedia have made it unnecessary for children to memorize facts like they did in the past. Children have access to a massive amount of information available at their fingertips. Tablets have started to replace books, and collaborate with learners around the globe. The walls of the classrooms are no longer a barrier as technology enables new ways of learning, communicating, and working collaboratively. There has been an emergence on online schooling as well; where students attend an online school to receive their formal education and high school diplomas. Parent Involvement Unfortunately, parent involvement has declined in the recent years. This may be to an increasingly hectic lifestyle for working parents, and especially for working mothers. Parent’s attendance in school meetings and school events have dropped and this has a negative impact on children’s attainment as well as on children’s well-being. Teaching Methodology Teaching methods have drastically changed in the past few decades. Classrooms in the past were focused on individual work, with desks arranged in rows. Traditional methods of teaching such as rote

MAY 2019

memorization was the norm. Classrooms are expected to be more collaborative in progressive schools, and desks are arranged in groups. Children are encouraged to effectively communicate and collaborate in their learning. The environment is more hands on and uses manipulatives and multiple teaching strategies to consolidate learning concepts. Children are expected to be researchers and reach knowledge on their own with scaffolding from the teacher. Children now have opportunities for individuality in the classroom, where they are typically learn through project-based concepts, to foster leadership qualities, with every learner contributing in their own way. The modern student has much more freedom in self-expression, which was not evident a few decades ago. Students are also given more responsibility in the school community. At my primary children’s school, higher primary and secondary students are seen supporting teachers in major events such as Sports Day and Performance days where they have different responsibilities such as monitoring the young children, taking scores on Sports Day, taking photos, and arranging the young children on stage for their performance. This type of involvement develops children to be more responsible and contributing to the community. I recently attended an awards ceremony for schools in the UAE. I was delighted when a winning school was represented by a senior high school student to receive the award for one of the categories. How impactful it was for the whole audience to watch the student receive the award, along with a member of the senior leadership team. This is what I call progressive education and involvement of students. Schools heavily invest in professional development for their teachers. This is a requirement to ensure that all teaching staff are kept up to date with

the latest teaching methodologies and best practices in education. Teachers are trained on how to incorporate ICT into their lessons, how to manage their classroom effectively, and are given opportunities to be active researchers in the classroom. Professional development is not a ‘one size fits all’; rather schools now provide individualized training to teachers based on their needs. Early Years Unlike other areas of education, early years or early childhood education laces strong emphasis on developing the whole child – attending to his or her social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs, to establish a solid foundation for long life learning. Parents in the UAE have an increased awareness of the benefits of early years education, and many parents are opting for nurseries rather than nannies in the years leading up to school. Due to the rise of incidents revolving around nannies and children, putting young children in a nursery gives modern parents the peace of mind that their children are safe and well cared for. Studies have also shown the numerous benefits of high quality nursery on children, which include improvement in the development of language, emotional skills, and cognitive skills. Early years curriculum has changed in many nurseries and kindergartens in the UAE. There is a strong focus on play based learning, after research and theorists have studied the impact of play on learning. There has also been a rise of different curricula and approached to early years education in the UAE such as the Reggio Emilia approach, which is adopted at Creative Nest Nursery, Waldorf approach, Creative Curriculum, Finnish curriculum, International Preschool Curriculum, High Scope and others. There are still some nurseries and kindergartens relying heavily on traditional teaching methods such as

worksheets and rote learning; however, I’m pleased to see that this is in decline. Education Policy Educational reforms, announced by the UAE Ministry of Education, have been put in place to meet the UAE National Agenda Goals 2021. Schools are now closely monitored and inspected by government bodies such as the KHDA, the Ministry of Education and ADEC. Smart learning programmes, new teachers’ codes, licensing and evaluations systems, as well as curriculum revision are all part of the strategy. A key area of focus has been to transform K-12 programmes, to ensure that students are fully prepared to attend universities around the world and compete in the global marketplace. Recent education policies have seen a more inclusive approach to special education needs, which was not present in previous decades. The UAE government has made big eﬀorts to include people of determination in mainstream education. Schools are now required to have special education needs divisions with qualiﬁed educators to meet the needs of the children. These are just some of the changes education in the UAE has seen in the past few decades. Robotics, STEM education, and wellness/mindfulness initiatives will further have an increasing role in UAE schools and universities. The UAE is constantly honing its educational strategy to ensure that the programs developed in its schools comply with international standards. This is certainly good news for UAE students.

MAY 2019

Kosta Lekanides A Reasonable Leader with a Gist of Providing Education to Students’ Core

“We are much, much stronger together where our collective expertise and experiences are shared for the betterment of all.” - Kosta Lekanides

eing mischievous, theatrical, and practical has many advantages in both our personal and professional lives. In fact, playful personalities are more skilled at managing difficult situations in all areas of life, when contrasted to the rest. We would like to introduce you with one such personality, who loves learning with an element of mischief mixed in, Kosta Lekanides, Deputy Head Teacher of Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS, Arabian Ranches). Kosta has been instrumental in bringing the best of an IB education and specifically with regards the Diploma programme to the school. He is an IB author and workshop leader, with over 19 years’ teaching experience in Australia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates. A Meant to be Journey Being passionate about learning, Kosta’s journey started at an early stage. He briefly remembers his inspirational teachers throughout high school in Greece and Australia. However, for him, real

Kosta Lekanides, Deputy Head Teacher conﬁrmation came when he met Professor Vrasidas Karalis at the University of Sydney. He was a tour de force of academic learning and had an infectious appetite for learning and teaching. Marching on this path, three degrees later (Bachelor of Arts with a triple major in English, History and Modern Greek and a minor in Politics, a Masters in Teaching with English/History specialization and a Masters in Arts – Historiography), Kosta was well on his way. For his second Masters, he was awarded Australia’s highest scholarship- the Australian Post-Graduate Award- for achieving a score of 98 percent. Subsequently, it aided him to pursue a Ph.D. in the ﬁeld of Australian Literature. But, at that time, his father’s declining health put an abrupt end to his work. Later on, Kosta went on to showcase his craft overseas and

MAY 2019

was selected by the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET), where he taught English in a technical college in Hamamatsu, Japan. Working there, he grew his contact with exceptional educators and he distinctively remembers one librarian, with whom he shared discussions regarding literature, history, and culture. Recalling the period in question, Kosta asserts, “It was a very formative period of growth for me and taught me the value of broadening one’s mind to diﬀerences in approach when faced with similar problems or situations. Understanding why people often do things the way they do or think the way they do is instrumental in solving problems we share”. After that, as an avid reader of Middle Eastern literature and history, he made his way to the UAE, which he has been calling it home for over a decade now. The core features of the IB schools in UAE was the right ﬁt for Kosta as it presented an extended writing piece, a critical course, and a creative service programme called CAS. He is most proud of the establishment of the UAE Association of IB schools - a volunteer group which he set up to bring schools together in a collegial and collaborative manner. 'Since those early days, I have been quite invested in all things IB’. About Jumeirah English Speaking School (Arabian Ranches) The school prides itself on its mixed ability cohort and highly aspirational techniques in its approach to teaching and learning. The students at JESS do exceptionally well in exams, with its IB average sitting well clear of 35 points now. The school promotes the use of disruptive technologies in the classroom and behind the

MAY 2019

scenes in educational administration including pioneering VR initiatives and STEM projects. Its mission is encapsulated in three short words “Making a Diﬀerence”, which the school aspires for all its students.

some of these issues. I am also quite a ﬁrm believer in openness and transparency and so have tried to keep all resources freely accessible and the support provisions oﬀered by the Association totally free of cost”.

To date, the school has oﬀered numerous CPD opportunities, shared resources, created networks of UAE school staﬀ to work together on common issues across all IB programmes and shared its expertise in terms of tech initiatives. It has organised and hosted the IB Higher Education Forum and has worked closely with the IB itself to bring the Global Conference to its part of the world. The school is also working closely with the UAE Ministry of Education whose team has been of invaluable assistance in supporting the schools and ensuring consistency of standards.

Personal Achievements

When discussing the Association Kosta says, “I believe fervently that all things are done better when done together. No school or teacher is an island. We are much, much stronger together where our collective expertise and experiences are shared for the betterment of all. It is obvious really but often people do not have time to invest in things beyond their immediate roles even if they sorely want to. This is where I have stepped in to address

On a personal level, Kosta has authored the Extended Essay Course Companion and co-authored the Theory of Knowledge Skills and Practice Book (both with Oxford University Press) and spoken at numerous events on topics ranging from restoring a sense of wonder to teaching and ways to engage in critical thinking. Kosta is also an IB workshop leader for TOK, EE, and International-Mindedness. For his efforts, Whichschooladvisor nominated him as one of their Key Influencers for 2017. Appropriate Teaching Methodologies Kosta is a voracious reader of things which he feels it what helps him find ways to motivate and inspire his students through the breadth of his learning. He likes to read everything, ranging from scientific discoveries, ethical debates in education, tech innovations, to the latest in video games

MAY 2019

developments. Kosta keeps himself in line with all type of developments. Consequently, he aspires to see students want to be more than people on the receiving end of information that has been prepared for them. He wants them to question, challenge, self-learn, and reframe the modes of thought that have governed his generation. He encourages them to think and not get nervous by failures or doubts. In addition, he firmly believes that the teachers need a bit of theatre in their teaching and an opportunity to play mischievously with the curriculum should be taken as students learn best when they are happy and presented with unorthodox approaches to learning. A Career Guide for the Students Kosta acknowledges the significance of technology and points out that it is obvious to suggest careers in the same. However, he has one strong counterpoint. He points out the tech is all well and good, but creativity is the needed solution to problems. This creativity and the ability to think imaginatively, whether it may be solving problems in theater class, or solving a national debt crisis, or epidemic, does tend to allow the solutions to become more evident. With a practical mindset, he says, “Creative subjects are generally fun, life-affirming experiences and thus of invaluable benefit to our ongoing development. You’re

MAY 2019

never too old for the Arts I’d argue”. Industry Trends and Future While talking about the current state of education in UAE, Kosta describes it to be aspirational in its goals. The UAE wants to be on the top of the educational league table (TIMSS and PISA). It wants its youth to gain tertiary qualiﬁcations and gain access to top tier educational institutes globally and it is committed to this mission. Further, it wants to keep a sense of local, social, and moral identity intact, which it is achieving through the Social Studies and Moral Education curriculums that schools now deliver. And talking about his future in his hallmark selfeﬀacing manner, Kosta asserts, “I want to see the school in hands more capable than mine hopefully. We are all here to be replaced after all. As for me, I would like to retire high in a mountain or near the sea with a couple of cats and time to re-read War & Peace”.

Joanne began her career working in a nursery as an assistant over eight-years ago, working her way up through the industry, becoming a Teacher, Coordinator, Admin Manager, Consultant, Manager and to the present day as a Group Manager at Kids Kingdom Learning Centre UAE & India. Joanne founded and devotes her spare time to managing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;EYFS Professionals UAE and Oman,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; a blossoming and extremely active online community of over 3000 Early Years teachers and professionals across the UAE and Oman.

MAY 2019

Foreseeing the Future

or the ever evolving education system, the future is looking brighter for those who are currently working in the Early Years throughout the UAE.

Over my last 12 years in the UAE, the development of Early Years Education has rapidly improved. We are now seeing many advances from governing bodies and their positive reinforcements throughout the sector to build a stronger foundation for children attending nursery and early learning centres in the UAE. Alongside this, parents are now developing a much stronger understanding of the importance of the first years of their children’s lives, and how Early Years education can support and mould their future schooling and life skills. Parents are approaching nurseries in the hope to develop their child’s social skills but are gaining much more. The carefully planned Early Years objectives and guidelines which staffs are using to ensure children in their care are supported developmentally, is helping many children across the UAE prepare for the rigorous school assessments which children as young as 2.6 years old are attending for the next academic year. However with this fast paced change, some nursery owners are struggling with the new regulations and costs behind running a successful and law abiding nursery here in the UAE. With costs rising and regulations adapting, small centres across the UAE are feeling the ‘pinch’ and closing their doors to hundreds of families and their children. Alongside this, nurseries have an on-going battle with some schools here in the UAE who are convincing parents to admit their child into FS1 at a young age through scaremongering tactics, giving parents the understanding that spaces are limited, and if they do not admit their child when asked, that they will miss their opportunity for a school space. Not only is this against a child–centred approach which gives priority to the child’s needs and interests in reality, the current situation is very different where there is now over 190 private schools in Dubai, some which are nowhere near capacity.

Being a fast-developing country, at times there are ‘missing gaps’ and centre owners/managers are bewildered with the conflicting (or lack of) information which spreads from person to person throughout the sector. So what improvements are we seeing here in the UAE? With the updated regulations, nurseries are now all shifting towards following similar guidelines in relation to their academics, with thorough inspections for academic planning and execution, the centres here are adapting positively to ensure their standard of education provided is of a higher quality. Not only this, due to the guidelines for staff qualifications, training and professional development their standard of safety and care is improving across the sector for all children, employees and visitors who enter their provision. The updated qualification requirements are seeing more centres providing training for their existing staff to boost their knowledge, or some are only employing experienced and qualified staff, adding to their value for paying parents and carers. But what does this mean for those who are starting off in the industry and are yet to qualify? Due to the nature of Early Years qualifications which require work experience; many nurseries are now taking on trainees as volunteers and not as paid staff members, which is making it harder for females in the industry to make money while they are studying. With the positive signs of development in the Early Years here in the UAE, many centres being at different stages of development, the guideline set out are yet to stabilize and become clear for us all, helping the industry grow and develop together. The UAEs 5 year Education plan (completing in 2020) developed to improve the way teachers teach and children learn, has swiftly progressed in many ways and now we are all awaiting set guidelines and policies to follow and direct us through operations, inspections, licensing and the many other avenues linked to running a successful centre. For sure, the countries Education system is improving, however there is still many more years of development to go before we meet the same standards as the western world.

Currently, the biggest disturbance from those in my Early Years network is the understanding of guidelines provided.

MAY 2019

Leaders

Teacher Leadership Rebirth of Pre-Existing Teachers

MAY 2019

Teacher Development

ship

eaders pave the path for others so that they can achieve exceptional outcomes. It can be said that, right from the early stages of education, teachers are the ones who shape a child’s path towards development. They are the ultimate mentors of an individual, who shape their future, ensuring overall growth. Adding leadership and management qualities in their character, will enhance their roles of being more than just teachers. Erstwhile, the aspect of leadership was only left to the Principals of an educational facility. Collectively, teachers’ responsibilities were only to educate the students with the set of curriculum designed by the institution. But with the changing world and incoming trends in the educational sector, more responsibilities are handed out to the teachers. With Student learning transforming into a collaborative initiative, it is the responsibility of the school to create circumstances where students and teachers engage in productive discussions. In the coming age, teachers will also play a crucial role in managing the school and its students all the while collaborating with the principals and other teachers to build a safe learning environment. Consequently, this will bring beneﬁts for everyone, including educators, who will ultimately be calling themselves as “Teacher Leaders”. Spheres of Competence By honing their leadership qualities, teachers can not only improve themselves but can also assist students to excel in academics and other related domains. Some of the useful techniques are:

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” – Jack Welch

MAY 2019

Resource and data provider- A lot of data is provided to teachers to drive classroom instructions. Various sources such as websites, instructional materials, readings, professional resources, articles, books, assessment tools, lessons, and unit plans are provided to the teachers so that they can enable others to improve their instruction-based learning. A teacher turned leaders’ role is to collect this

data and share it with their peers to help them understand the resources and how to utilize them with the students. Instructional and Curriculum Specialist- The curriculum specialists are the teachers, who apply the best of curriculum according to the success needs of the students as well as schools. These teacher leaders then lead other teachers to agree on this curriculum. They can further assist them in adopting and following it throughout the year. A curriculum specialist plays his/her role by helping their colleagues in implementing effective teaching strategies into classrooms. In partnership with their peers, they can plan lessons and instructions-based on different ideas. On research-based classroom strategies, the specialists can explore methodologies, which best suit them according to the curriculum. Classroom Supporter Learning Facilitator and Mentor Learner- Learning has no resemblance with age or personal boundaries. Each and every member of the society is eligible for learning. Even educated teachers need to learn according to changes in educational reforms in order have better understanding of the updated world. This also applies to the schools benefits. An educated teacher can help facilitate other teachers in learning new techniques and strategies, which they can implement in their classrooms. With co-learning, professional learning becomes more relevant in improving students’ learning and breaking the isolation norms. These supporters help other teachers with new ideas, often by demonstrating a lesson, observing and giving feedback Acting as a facilitator and supporter for experienced teachers also expand the roles of a person. It is the responsibility of the mentor to accept the new teachers in the school with a warm welcome. The mentor helps the new teachers in adjusting with the school’s environment, advising them about the, procedures, practices, curriculum, and instructions. It is a significant role to be played by the teacher leaders for the development of the new professionals.

School Leader- A teacher leader’s responsibilities not only lies to his/her domain but also lies with the others. They also act as a school leader, representing the school on a community or district level aligning with the goals of a school and district and sharing the responsibility of the school’s success as an integral. The Catalyst For Change- Even an established school is bound to changes according to the changing environment in the educational sector. So here, teacher leaders, acting as a catalyst are the visionaries who are always ﬂexible in implementing changes for good rather than being dormant. This role allows them to be conﬁdent in their work and have a strong commitment to improvement, by generating an analysis for student learning. Liaison For Parents, Community, And SchoolCollaborating with the Principal and other teachers is not the only responsibility of a teacher leader. They also need to cooperate and coordinate with families and the community. It is the responsibility of teacher leaders to engage parents and the community in the school. Acting as a liaison between the parents and students helps the school to have a more direct connection in students to growth academically as well as personally. Also, joining forces with the community will help them to bring in the resources required for the implementation of the new learning techniques such as internship programs. The role a teacher leader should be in collaboration with the Principal and other school administrators by catering to the improvement in instructions and implementing the strategic practices among other teachers to improve student learning. Generally, a teacher become the leader by being approachable, utilizing group skills, support collaborative team structures, and being continuous leaders all the while keeping respect for the Principal and other teachers. Developing the teacher’s role according to the changing environment and the need for the school will only help schools to achieve relevant goals but will also enhanced the teacher’s development as a whole person.

MAY 2019

Poonam Bhojani An Embodiment of Persistence

and Innovation in Education

Kindly brief us in short about you and your journey since the beginning of your career. Tell us about your academic and professional milestones. Let us know about the major achievements, accolades and recognitions that you have earned in your entire career so far. I got into the education sector in the early 2000s from a parent perspective as I wanted the very best for my two young sons. I felt they could be far more challenged and that their education could have a more international perspective. My two sons have been my inspiration in every way. At that point, much of the education in Dubai was either British, American or Indian. The international aspect of education was not so pronounced and that was what I felt was missing. With some research I discovered that the International Baccalaureate was oﬀering not just a Diploma Programme but also programmes for children from the age of 3 years. Innoventures Education was established in 2004 to provide world-class education to Dubai. At that stage, Dubai was opening up with new business models. While I may have had the passion to get into education, the credit for translating this into a viable business entity goes to our share-holders. We are truly

grateful to Mohamed Alabbar who showed conﬁdence in our vision and thus granted us our ﬁrst project in Dubai International Academy, Emirates Hills.

How do you describe yourself in one-word? Happy

Being a prominent education leader, what are the most signiﬁcant contributions you have made for the promotion of education in the society, upliftment of the educational structure in the country and development of your institution?

MAY 2019

I take pride in the fact that we work very hard to offer world class education measuring ourselves against the highest internationally recognised benchmark standards in not just academics but also in music, sports, arts, extra-curricular activities and we focus on inculcating values of global citizenship in our students. I believe that education should be holistic, international and rigorous, and empower students with 21st century skills preparing them for success in an ever changing world. I also believe that every child is gifted and the role of educators is to identify and enable the talents of all children. In 2014, Innoventures Education established Gift of Innoventures Education (GIVE) to mark its10 years journey. The GIVE initiative is committed to bringing our community together to provide ongoing support to specific causes identified by our students. At Innoventures Education the most important thing we do for our children is to help them develop values and skills that they can rely on throughout their lives. This includes contributing to international and local communities. The students of Innoventures Education have chosen the GIVE focus to be on providing education and have set up 3 schools in Nepal and are working on another school in Malawi.

of American education with a curriculum based on the American Common Core Standards, was launched in 2011. In 2018, Innoventures Education launched a second campus of Dubai International Academy in Al Barsha offering the IB Continuum of Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP) and Diploma programmes (DP). It will also opened Raffles Starters, an Early Years School offering Pre-KG, KG1 and KG2 based on the Montessori approach and feeding into its schools. Today over 7,200 pupils from over 100 countries, ranging in age from 12 months to 18 years, study in schools and nurseries managed by Innoventures Education, making it a significant stakeholder in the education sector in Dubai.

In short, tell us about your organization, its distinct academic solutions, achievements, and mission, vision and USP. Innoventures Education was established in 2004 with the vision of providing world-class education to Dubai. Dubai International Academy opened in 2005 and within a few years it has been established as one of the premier international schools in Dubai. In 2010, Innoventures Education took over the management of the Raffles Schools and Nurseries in Dubai and added nine Raffles nurseries to its portfolio. Collegiate American School, a premium international school that offers the best

MAY 2019

What were the major challenges that you have faced in your academic career and what are the diﬃculties you have faced while establishing the educational organization to promote literacy and cause educational development? A major shift for me was moving from a highﬂying career in banking technology to education. I got into it because I developed a passion for education. I was driven by the

desire to achieve the best possible outcomes for children. My strength is my ability to work very hard when I set my mind to any goal. I also think that I can work well with people from all walks of life and bring out the best in them. I have learnt that success is about enabling everyone around you to be successful. I believe that if you genuinely invest in the success of your people then everything works well. Also, I never give up. With grit and resilience even most challenging goals can be achieved. It may take time but the trick is to never give up.

How do you keep yourself motivated and how do you inspire your students to take an interesting career and be the nation’s next bright future building figures? What makes me proud is when I see a student recognize his or her talents and blossom into a fine citizen ready to take on the world in their chosen field. The fact that the education they received at our schools had a role to play in their achievements gladdens the hearts of not just their parents but all educators who have seen their metamorphosis and in some measure, have been a part of it. In the words of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “In the race for excellence,

there is no finish line”. I also believe that attitude determines altitude. Passion, persistence and attitude are irreplaceable attributes. With these anything can be achieved. I also believe that persistence always pays. What gives me great joy is seeing how education can transform lives. I will never forget one particular student — an extremely shy Iranian boy who could barely speak English when he enrolled in our school as he came from a totally different system in his home country. This boy went on to deliver the valedictorian speech two years later and is now a successful entrepreneur after being educated on a scholarship from a top university. There have been many other such true stories. The joy of seeing young minds blossom is infinite. Such moments make me feel that we have achieved something and it has all been worthwhile.

Being in the industry for a long time, enlighten us with the educational scenario of UAE and the ever-changing education sector. The UAE has a very stringent regulation framework that has been developed with focus on not only student attainment and progress but also student well-being and happiness. This has been clear guidance from the regulators aimed at raising educational standards across the country as the

MAY 2019

UAE moves towards attaining its goals in the international tests PISA and TIMSS. We are blessed to be in a country where the rulers see education as a tool to transform the world and the key to youth empowerment. I think that it is an excellent environment for quality education to thrive. Moreover, with schools of X curricula, the maximum in the world in one place, the UAE has established a model of leadership in the global education sector.

What message would you address to the student of the nation and the rest of the world? To believe in the power of their dreams and have the grit and determination to follow their dreams. Have the conviction to remain on the path to achieve dreams. Values of integrity, respect and responsibility are also key even more so than the development of skills.

is meaningful especially when we aspire to be the best we can.

How do you see yourself and your organization in the future ahead? We pride ourselves on being a student-centric organization focused on the quality of learning, of the interests and of the happiness and well-being of all our students. The advent of technology has a huge impact on the ways of learning as do increasing globalization and environmental concerns. Our goal will always be to empower students with the abilities and skills for success in an everchanging world.

What are the most prospering career options that you would like to suggest? I think that students need to follow their interests and passions in whatever they do. The world is changing rapidly. We cannot predict careers of the future. The role of education is to develop the love of learning in our young students. Equally important is the development of critical thinking skills and the application of knowledge to solving real world problems with creativity. Each and every career

MAY 2019

Rehana Mannan Shaping Successful Careers from Dusk to Dawn

escribing herself as a transformer, Rehana Mannan has built her career on the strong foundation of her dreams. Toiling of more than a decade in the business sales arena, she has jotted down all the key mantras of making it to the top. The rich experience that she does has sculpted her being personally and professionally teaching her life’s valuable lessons. “My passion is helping people to BREAKTHROUGH and taking their lives to the best level, I am on a mission to “Transform” the lives of millions of people by enabling them with all the resources and mindset they need to succeed in order to live the life of their dreams.” A Multi-faceted Persona Recalling her school time, she says “I have always been a good student, active in sports, and won many school competitions. I was the

captain of the School. I was my teacher’s favorite.” Being good at academics, she further decided to complete her MBA from the leading institute of Symbiosis. Later on, she started her career in the year 2004 as a customer service representative with HSBC and then into business sales with prominent companies like Dell, HP, Oracle, and Gartner. After working in the industry for a while, she decided to be her own boss and so she started on the journey of RMCA. Leading from the forefront was a dream which was not lived overnight, it was her experience that taught her to build key relationships at C-level and maintain it by understanding their

MAY 2019

mission, critical and business priorities, and selling the right solution to help them achieve their business goals. Along with being the Founder at RMCA, she is also an adept Life and Business Strategist, Executive Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Global Education Inﬂuencer in UAE. She has played several roles and has handled countless responsibilities in the longer run. Listed here are some of her achievements:·

Trainer of Neuro Linguistics Programming, Time Line Therapy®, and Hypnosis, Peak Performance Strategist

Member of “ABNLP (American Board of NLP), ABH (American Board of Hypnotherapy), TLTA (Time Line Therapy® Association)”

NLP Practitioner NLP Master Practitioner Life Coach Training Master Life Coach Training Hypnotist &

MAY 2019

A Beacon to Many Teaching the mind-body connection and the language to be used (“Say it the way you want it”)to generate the behavior and results they want, they always desired for. Rehana Mannan Coaching Academy (RMCA) is a Coaching, Mentoring, and Training Institute. Its education caters to all facets involving career, ﬁnancial, spiritual, physical, intellectual, family, and social to help people live a balanced and contented life. The purpose behind RMCA is Rehana’s curiosity to know why people behave the way they behave, which intrigued her about the ﬁeld of human behavior and sciences. “I have spent a lot of time advancing my knowledge and skills by studying the internationally best-selling authors and being trained by top-echelons of the industry”. Through her rigorous coaching, mentoring, and training, she has partnered with clients to help them live the life of their dreams, achieve worklife balance, get rid of negative emotions that hold them back. Helped them understand their true unlimited potential and transform their quality of life. Master Hypnotist Time Line Therapy® - Practitioner and Master Practitioner NLP In Business ·

Grow your business from 20 – 100 Plus% Sales Excellence Training – Results Oriented – Double Your Sales/Income Master Communicator in Business and Education – Develop Skills of Rapport Best Public Speaking Skills Enhancement Training – Presenting from the State of Excellence Leadership Training – Learn how to inﬂuence, inspire and empower others. Workshops Personal and Business.

Adding glory to the victory, she has recently been selected for the “The Incredible Lives of India! ‘THE LIONESS’ Global Campaign 2018 December” and nominated for “LinkedIn Wonder Woman” Global Campaign 2019.

The USB of RMCA is that here change happens in a moment, not days, months, or years, we help people find their “WHY” and then enable them with resources of “HOW” to get there. Growing up Rehana was always busy competing for education and not knowledge and this made her realize that this will never help in the longer run. Hence, she explored her own path overtime by her creative ideas and excellent skill set to reach the top of the pyramid. Motivating and Empowering Students The biggest challenge I faced was everyone wants to live the life of their dreams, but no one wants to change and I can only guide, partner, help people who truly want to change. Rehana motivation is her life itself, she is grateful, humble, visionary, and contented for everything that has been achieved and still awaits. There is a thin line of difference between getting influenced and getting

MAY 2019

inspired, for Rehana her goal is to inspire as the inspiration lasts longer. Hence, she states that her goal every day is to at least touch and inspire one life, which is more than a paycheck itself. Take on UAE Education UAE is one of the fastest growing countries because of its diversity and focuses on the upliftment of not just the nation but the people in it. The education sector’s main focus is shifting more towards creativity, innovation, personal skills, emotional intelligence, sharing of ideas, leadership rather than just textbooks, academics, scores, physical appearance, etc. This is a huge milestone in itself allowing the students, who really are aspiring to be something more than just grabbing a degree to make a living are being supported tremendously by opening up the doors to international collaboration. Exploring the Path Ahead Rehana believes in the ideologies of the two most powerful path-breaking leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X. Inspired by them, she wants to continue giving back to society in every way possible and meticulously provide them with the best of training, coaching, and mentoring skills. “My organization is truly becoming for the people, by the people and of the people, and this is my ultimate goal.” She states that individuals don’t fail because of knowledge, they fail because of ignorance and hence to shatter all the stereotypes and societal norms, she wants to educate people of “Why and How” they can recreate the life of their dreams from where ever they are.

MAY 2019

Shady Elkassas An Ingenious Personality with Profound Knowledge

The members of our school are members of UNESCO Associated Schools are the school itself is the oﬃcial organizer of TEDx and TEDed events.

he passionate individual that Shady Elkassas, Assistant Principal of Academics at Sharjah American International School is, he has constantly aimed towards making a career in the ﬁeld of education. A graduate of Science of Physics, he also holds a master’s degree in education leadership from the Walden University which shows his dedicated interest in teaching. His belief lies in making sure that the students at the end of their academic session are left empowered and inspired for their journey ahead. A Deft Personality with Ulterior Goals Shady Elkassas has a strong voice that calls out to his students with a visionary outlook while also making sure that when the students face any challenge, they are well prepared to tackle it to the best of their potential. Speaking of his long journey, he has said that it involved a lot of challenges. He states, “One of the major challenges I faced in my academic career is to engage students

Shady Elkassas Assistant Principal

in a meaningful learning experience where they can enjoy learning.” His educational journey comprises of certiﬁcates such as: Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Google Certified Educator Apple Certified Teacher Microsoft Innovative Educator Certified Business Professional- CBP in Leadership Certified UNESCO School Network Supervisor- ASP.net UAE National Science Teacher Association Member American Physics Teachers’ Association Member Planetary Society Member

For his constant eﬀorts and attempts to make education an interesting endeavour, he has earned many accolades such as: Ÿ

Khalifa Presidency Award for innovation in Science Education- 2017

MAY 2019

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

UAE UNESCO Schools’ Network Forum Award- 2018 The Middle East Education Inﬂuencer Award - 2018 Best STEM teacher Award - STEM best Practice Summit - 2017 Best Community Project Award 2016, 17, &18 UAE National Championship for robot VEX 2016 & 2017 Space Education Leadership Award – AYVF & UN 2016 & 17 GESS Education Award ﬁnalist 2016 & 2017

Creating Pathways of Brilliance for the Students Shady Elkassas is a big follower of Mahatma Gandhi’s – be the change you wish to see in the world, philosophy. This why he intends to convey the necessity to be an example to the learners and ones actions are constantly noticed. Students are especially very attentive while taking note of an adults actions and introducing positive ones are always the right way to go. This will make sure that the youngsters have an ideal benchmark to be achieved and it also acts as a good enough learning challenge. He thus does his best to lead and be an example to all the students in his school. This thought of brilliance has brought a school with just two members up grow to over 300 students in the robotics club. The school is such that provides them with diﬀerent courses such as robotics, programming and artiﬁcial intelligence. It also gives students the opportunity to

MAY 2019

take initiative and give them a chance to share the same with their fellow students and classmates. Youngsters who struggle with hardships in learning are also given extra attention along with an equal opportunity to learn via the SAIS Scientific Community Service Program. This has also earned the school the UAE National Award not just ones, but three years in a row. With his years of immersive educative journey, his idea of an ideal future career that the students could opt for belong to the field of data science, mechatronics, Artificial Intelligence, aeronautical and sustainable energy engineers. He also goes on to add that the streams of STEM along with 21st century skills are what can earn them these effective career options. It is also interesting to note that students who are academically weak aren’t given such tag, but are in fact known as Students of Determination. This shows Shady’s efforts of not needing to differentiate between two students who may just have a slight differentiation among them.

Additionally, SAIS is a TEDx and TEDed oﬃcial organizers. Furthermore, the group is an oﬃcial partner with VEX Robotics and REC Foundation (The Robotics Education and Competition Foundation). SAIS group collaborates with international STEM Education Leaders in UAE such as Prometheus Solutions and Horizon Educational. Sharjah American International School (SAIS) focuses on developing the personality of its students while giving equal importance to their academic performance. Here, the child develops not only academic skills but gain positive attitude towards learning. The reputation and global recognition of Sharjah American International School is hard earned. Belowmentioned are some of the awards earned by the school. Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

SAIS: Rethinking Education

Sharjah American International School (SAIS) is a group of schools founded in 1997 by Dr. Aysha Alsayar and Dr. Nawaf Fawaz, two education ﬁgures in UAE. Apart from oﬀering world-class education, SAIS group is a member of UNESCO Associated Schools.

UAE UNESCO Forum Award UAE National Commission of Education, Culture, and Science Award. Rakaez Forum Award from Sharjah Education Council. Best STEM Project Award in the UAE Artiﬁcial Intelligence National Competition. Best Contribution Award from Sharjah Education Council - Sharjah Robotics Festival. Best Contribution Award from Sharjah Education Council - Sharjah Artiﬁcial Intelligence Festival.

MAY 2019

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Best Scientiﬁc initiative Award from Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services. TEDx International License - for the third year. TEDed International License - TED Education. TED Global Participants - 17 schools globally. VEX Robotics Oﬃcial Partner. EGA Best Contribution Award in Engineering the Future STEM Program. AUS Environmental Day honorary Award.

Future Visions and Endeavors The future according to Shady needs to be impactful for both the students as well as educators which is in fact what every institute needs to focus on. It requires balance of large proportions while taking the form of bringing a transformation on the academic forefront. Traditional methods of teaching need to slowly start taking the backseat and give way to the gradual rise to research based strategies. It also gives the students the opportunity to engage in meaningful and challenging learning experiences.

meaningful and challenging learning experiences,” asserts Shady. Events to Supplement the Students’ Knowledge Base Shady knows the ﬁrst-hand beneﬁts of implementing practicality on the educational front and is ensuring that plenty of conferences are conducted. They are based on a plethora of topics and bring in the true essence of learning while also being involved in the activity. The various conferences conducted so far are listed below: Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

GESS-Dubai Speaker 2015,16,17, and 2018 STEM Best Practices Summit-Dubai 2018 MENA Teachers’ Summit-Dubai 2018 FATiH Education Summit Speaker – Turkey 2016

The famed organization TEDx also holds its own events to enlighten students in the various life skills and external topics. TEDx Speaker in TEDxYouth as Alouroba, KSA

“I really hope to have a great impact on both students and educators. This impact takes the form of transforming education and moving it from the traditional pedagogy into research-based strategies that target engaging students in

MAY 2019

TEDx Speaker in TEDxYouth at AIS, UAE TEDx Oﬃcial Organizer

Wayne Howsen Teaching the World with his Remarkable Insights

s a community school we work closely together, valuing happiness, and school connectedness, guiding families on how to help their children at home, to provide the very best education possible and ensuring that children love coming to school. Wayne was always intrigued with the teaching profession ever since he was a child. Being a child of 1970s, he was grateful to be educated at a progressive state school which provided a rich, creative and varied academic experience. The school was focused on creating a genuine love of learning. It was a child-centred school giving the children many opportunities to be creative, ﬂourishing in new dimensions, and this itself made Wayne pursue his passion for teaching. “Providing children with really engaging and relevant activities has always been central to my work throughout my career”, explains Wayne as his motive. A Journey to Remember After completing his education in London, Wayne was ready to start his career in the teaching profession. He recalls that his ﬁrst teaching post was at a tough urban school, which was challenging but it gave him the much-

Wayne Howsen, Principal The Aquila School

needed experience to be able to cope with all situations. This instilled the conﬁdence in him to try and face hurdles with each passing day. As the old adage says “that if you can teach somewhere like that then you can teach anywhere is true” and even today Wayne believes in this and advises the young teachers to follow a similar path. After successfully completing a few years at the school, his ambition and drive, led him to new leadership positions. He was soon appointed as the Deputy Head of school and subsequently the head of four diﬀerent schools in UK. “I have never wanted to work in an advisory/director of education type role so when an opportunity to take over headship of an established school in the UAE came up eight years ago, I jumped at it”, he adds.

MAY 2019

The Abu Dhabi school was graded as the first outstanding school in Abu Dhabi and the first school to be outstanding twice-making it the school of choice for families in Abu Dhabi. Leading from the front effectively for six years, it was time for Wayne to make a move. He decided to dock his boat at a new destination which was thrilling and exceptional and is honoured to be appointed as the founding principal of The Aquila School in Dubai land. “The owners of the school (International Schools Partnership) share my commitment to amazing learning and allow me as school leader to employ skilled practitioners who share my commitment in helping every child make as much progress as possible with their learning.” He believes that the school works with an inclusive approach of making a difference and preparing the children for the future, giving them a wide range of enjoyable and relevant experiences. Learning at The Aquila School under Wayne’s leadership is focused on what the children need to learn right now. The Momentous Strides in Education Being the leader of the school, Wayne tirelessly works to help the child learn and improve. Ably assisted with Ms. Kylie Cleworth, is head of primary who has worked alongside Wayne for eight years with a shared passion of providing amazing learning. He believes in the impact of CPD when it comes to learning, sharing his experiences with colleagues through the delivery of training and through taking part in local educational expert panel discussions helping them discover what he has learned over the years. Due to his extensive work experience in the field of teaching, he is a qualified school inspector and once a year relishes the privilege of visiting and learning from schools in other parts of the

MAY 2019

world. “In the UAE, my biggest accomplishment would be about achieving the highest possible ranking through the public inspection regime which shows we are providing the very best education for the children in our care”, concludes Wayne. A Comprehensive View about The Aquila School ‘Real Learning for a Real Future’ The Aquila School aims to be an inclusive school that has amazing learning at its heart. The children are independent, creative, caring, and resilient, able to make decisions and solve problems through inquiry. The highly qualified staff work tirelessly to ensure that every child makes as much progress as possible and that lessons are engaging, memorable, fun and relevant, underpinned by academic rigour. Educational Scenario of UAE and Future Steps of the School The UAE provides opportunities for children to study through a number of different curricular, so there are plenty of choices available to the global

community. The Aquila School is the ﬂagship school of London based International Schools partnership – an organization committed to providing amazing learning with 39 schools all over the world. The wise leadership of the country promotes such diversity and tolerance. With the everchanging dynamics of education, the school aims to be updated with the current trends and evolve with time. The school is continuing to grow and develop and its commitment to deliver ‘The Aquila promise’ of amazing learning is steadfast. The Aquila Promise ·

· ·

Your children will learn at levels that will amaze both them and you – we guarantee they will make as much progress as possible in all areas; Your children will love coming to our school; We will communicate with you about your child’s learning and all aspects of life in our busy school Our broad curriculum will inspire your children to be creative, independent and resilient thinkers, with lessons that have

MAY 2019

a real sense of purpose - underpinned by academic rigour; ·

Our school will be the heart of the community – with a shared sense of purpose that helps your child develop as broadly as possible.

Tackling Hurdles Effectively As a school leader Wayne is committed to the notion of accountability and ensures teachers are accountable for the progress of every child in their care. He recalls, “There have been times in my career, where external expectations conflicted with my belief in what is educationally right for the children.” One such particular example of this was in the UK when schools were spending a disproportionate amount of time preparing children for SATs tests and the schools were being judged not for the progress of the children or the richness of the curriculum on offer, but on their raw scores.

many catchphrases is- progress is king and therefore, he is proud to be one of the school leaders in the UK who boycotted SATs tests and these actions ultimately led to the introduction of a far fairer system of measuring school performance. “Words of Wisdom” Wayne addresses to the budding students of the world to persevere, be resilient and above all choose a career which they enjoy and love the most. As it was his dream to teach, he absolutely loves his job. “It is my absolute privilege to work alongside staﬀ that is committed to providing the best educational opportunities to the children to excel. I choose to work hard, but also have a sensible work-life balance to cherish life to its fullest,” asserts Wayne.

This was indeed challenging for Wayne to maintain the integrity of the school and stay attached to his principles. “Like many school leaders, I believe that such crude measures are unfair as they do not take into account the diﬀerent starting points that children have.” One of his

MAY 2019

Dr Zeenath Reza Khan An Incredible Mentor Going Beyond Boundaries

“There are no wrong turnings. Only path we had not known we were meant to walk” - Guy Gavriel Kay, Author

mong all the wonders we are blessed with, free will or choice is the most powerful thing we have. Clearly, our choices define us or who we are becoming. In fact, our lives are nothing but a collective result of all the decisions that we make. However, the choices that one must make is not always easy, and some end up taking the easy path from hard. Sadly, the hard choices include struggles and disagreements from others, nevertheless, it might be the righteous thing to do. Time and again, it has been proved that it is in such hard choices that great accomplishments lie. Portrayed below is the story of Dr Zeenath Reza Khan, Assistant Professor at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, who went against all odds and chose the path less travelled, the path that led her to greatness, to become a game changer. A Blend of Passion and Perfection Zeenath is not just an ordinary educational influencer and leader. ‘The lady of many firsts’, her story represents confidence, valour and persistence. Initially starting her career as a teacher, Zeenath is an author, motivational, tie-one speaker, Global Thinkers Mentor and Global Education Influencer.

Dr Zeenath Reza Khan, Assistant Professor

Growing up, she had never visualized herself as a teacher, in fact, she had intended to purse medicine. However, life’s turns saw her pursuing her higher studies in computer science. Completion of this course set in motion a chain of destined events that took her on a successful journey.“It was one of those things where we grew up thinking this was going to be my career, but there was a point when I realized medicine was really not for me, but I had really excelled in my math and computers in my O’ and A’ levels. And so that’s where I headed ultimately,” comments Zeenath. While the completion of the course from University of Wollongong (UOW) had kick-started Zeenath’s career, she bagged one of her ﬁrsts; she was one of the 15 students who had enrolled for the University’s ﬁrst batch of computer science

MAY 2019

programme back in 1997. UOW recognized the exceptional academic performance of Zeenath and appointed her as a teaching assistant in 2001, a week after her graduation. Same year, she won the Federal Sony Gulf Environment Award for undergraduate research on the Biodiversity of Dubai. While teaching, Zeenath also focused on expanding her education qualification, completing her master’s in international business with distinction from University of Wollongong. Armed with almost a decade long experience in teaching, Zeenath moved from teaching Mathematics and Computer Science to Ethics in Cyber Space and Responsible Business. Zeenath was endowed with the qualities of a teacher. “As for my career, I’m not just a lecturer or teacher, but a facilitator of learning and I believe teaching is in my blood. My grandparents were teachers, my parents were teachers too. So, this is the one profession that I foresee myself doing forever and ever because it’s an amazing rewarding experience, when you know you have actually made a difference and you have been able to successfully impart knowledge and make a difference; bring about change in a person’s way of thinking because of the knowledge that they have acquired from what you have taught,” she comments. “To me teaching isn’t limited to the subject matter I teach in a classroom. My open-door policy has brought me close to my students beyond classrooms, such that I am accessible to them anytime, anywhere. My students and alumni don’t just approach me for advice on course content, but too guidance on life, work, balance, career, family and so much more!” Having the expertise and the enriched experience in teaching, she fell in love with the career and everything it had to offer. “I have loved every moment

MAY 2019

of the last 18 years that I have spent teaching,” asserted Zeenath. Breaking Down Societal Fetters and Becoming a Game Changer Just like how some people are destined for greatness, Zeenath was engineered for greater accomplishments. First to successfully complete her PhD from UOW Australia at Dubai campus, after receiving full fee waiver scholarship, Zeenath’s PhD in Academic Integrity heralded a new dimension in her career and the events that unfolded later paved the way for a reformed educational fraternity. As one of the pioneering leading researchers, conducting studies on this topic since 2005, Zeenath is the first person to have done and recorded a PhD in UAE in the field academic integrity, a thesis that was commended by her examiner and nominated for the Emerald Doctoral Thesis Award. Having authored more than 40 publications, she is the regional expert who is being sought out by universities, colleges and schools to spread awareness about academic integrity. From organizing conferences to roadshows, to workshops, winning the UOWD Teaching Excellence to becoming the first Turnitin Global Innovation Award winner, to becoming the first faculty to bag the highest honour at UOW Australia – the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching & Learning, Zeenath’s perseverance to enhance her students’ learning experience and preparing them for the future has led to many recognitions and accolades. Zeenath believes that imparting knowledge with integrity and nurturing individuals into righteous adults is key to a happy, successful society. However, in order to make an impact in the education sector, Zeenath had to start from scratch, people around her were not comfortable to talk about academy integrity.

Remembering her struggles she comments, “A lot of people were not aware. They did not feel comfortable talking. They had the impression that if they talked about it, if they said that students had cheated in their schools or universities, it was somehow, some sort of an admission of guilt on their part. So, I even faced situations where I attended local conferences or events, and when it was my turn to talk, people would just get up and leave because they didn’t think my topic was important enough.” Yet, Zeenath’s determination to remain steadfast in the moments of greatest peril, helped in achieving the desired goal. She is one of the most sought out speakers and facilitators, invited as keynote speaker or to organize workshops for training teachers and students alike on academic integrity and writing. But, as easy as it sounds to read, instilling these values into students and teaching them about integrity in education is not easy. “It’s not just something we can stand up in front of a class and tell them: don’t cheat. That’s not good enough,” asserts Zeenath. While many believe that academic integrity is just about cheating in exams, she believes that it goes beyond that. Indirectly, the values of academic integrity shapes one’s attitude, character and ultimately the person they become. She comments, “So I believe I am preparing students for the future. They are the future leaders, the future policy makers, government oﬃcials, delegates, business owners. So you know, these values are what will determine how they will behave. And I believe that is where my greatest contribution has been from not just the

publications, but the fact that now we have a positive attitude around the topic, more schools and universities are open to talking about it, collaborating, recognizing and upholding integrity in their classrooms.” Leading by example is the strategic move that Zeenath adopted to instil these values in students. Rather than just talking about academic integrity, she made it a point to walk the talk. “We have to become the role models so we have to ensure that we are moulding our lives, lifestyles, the way we work, speak and carry ourselves, speak for the cause which is integrating integrity in education.” “Smooth sea never makes skilful sailors” Time and again it has been proved that one does not grow if the path is easy, it must be hard, ﬁlled with challenges. Today, Zeenath has earned the mantle of an exceptional leader whom people acquiescently follow. She adds, “If you ask a UOWD student, they will stand up and tell you exactly what academy integrity is and why it’s important. In fact, our alumni are constantly sending out the same message because they’ve got that message from us at the university, a campus that prizes integrity and prides in instilling this value in our students as graduate attribute, and I am honoured to have played a part in it.” Shattering or Equalizing Gender Indiﬀerences A woman of substance, the milestones achieved

MAY 2019

by Zeenath have tattered the conventional norms of society. Beating against all odds, Zeenath passionately promotes STEM education for girls. Coming from a strong science background, she has a first-hand knowledge of the opportunities and career growth a STEM based education offers. Pursuing STEM gives young girls a plethora of opportunities, Zeenath is working towards breaking the conventional thinking of girls getting into this stream. “Girls are bombarded with implicit bias that pushes them away from pursing STEM and I believe in bringing about more explicit action to counter such stereotypes and help open more windows of opportunities for girls,” commented Zeenath. To achieve the same goal and spread the knowledge among the masses, she has conceptualized and introduced a summer camp exclusively for girls. Yet again, society does not accept a change without questioning it or disagreeing with it. Zeenath too was answerable to certain questions, her initial struggles were to make people understand that through focusing on STEM education for girls she was not creating a reverse gender discrimination, but rather eliminating the indifferences, and providing a safe environment for girls to pursue their interests. For her efforts, she was nominated and become the only South Asian finalist for Academic of Excellence at the Leadership Excellence for Women Awards & Symposium (LEWAS), Bahrain.

MAY 2019

The mentor Zeenath is a game changer who has and continues to follow her passion to enhance students’ learning experience, not only through innovating blended teaching tools such as the ReBitVlogs (Responsible Business and IT Use Video Blogs), the Duelling Dilemma Deliverables or Mathalon – a simple math competition that she conceptualized to encourage her students to be interested in math, that turned into a national math Olympiad where hundreds of high school students participate every year to test their mettle across multiple syllabi and levels; but also through her mentorship skills, open-door policy and genuine care she takes in her approach to teaching and mentoring. Zeenath has mentored many student projects that have seen great success from winning national to international awards. Under Zeenath’s guidance, many students have blossomed from students to researchers, successful entrepreneurs and valuable members of the society. Her ability to go beyond classrooms to help students, women and society is a constant motivation for many. Zeenath’s achievements thus far are a testament to her eﬀort and her courage and truly make her one of the leading academics in the country.