By John Joseph   Tue, Mar 24, 2009

What Orange Room emotions pre-empt behavior?

“There’s a fine line between pleasure and pain.” The line sung by the rock group Divinyls highlights how emotion is all about transition – amplification, sustainment or abatement. “Feelings of pain or pleasure or some quality in between are the bedrocks of our minds” (Damasio). Orange Room is the place where our early warning signs let us know whether all is well or not well when it comes to behavior in homes. It is the barometer of feelings as well as the throttle and brakes. When we feel uncomfortable in the Orange Room, a planned change of state enables us to remain in control whereas impulsive changes of state can generate trouble. Impulsive behavior is a little like fighting a war; it’s high risk; no one is certain of the outcome; conflict can easily escalate and the consequences can be dire. Table (1) highlights some opposite Orange Room emotions, feelings and states. Those on the pleasure-based side of the table represent conditions most conducive to a healthy and happy home life while those on the pain-based side represent conditions least conducive to a healthy and happy school life.

From a teaching perspective, when the emotional flavor of your classroom leans toward the pleasure-based continuum, there are little if any behavior issues, and school life is comforting and secure. However, a single incident can tip the scale toward the pain-based side of the continuum and such an incident typically draws the attention of the teacher and the inevitable threats or behavior management begins. Our instincts predispose us to deal with the behavior in order to maintain a pleasurebased classroom environment. However, there is nothing pleasurable about using threats and coercion to establish such an environment. Threats and pain are poor ways to inspire growth and change in children.

What incidents are likely to tip the scales from pleasure to pain?

The answer to that question is, “It depends.” All teachers have their values and beliefs. They form the basis of our Emotionally Powerful Concepts. When our kids over-step the line, we naturally feel pain-based emotions and typically take action to redress the situation so we can feel comfortable again. Many teachers try to change the behavior of their students rather than consider the underlying issue behind the behavior. In other words, we want the offending behavior to stop, with a minimum amount of teacher intervention – thus we tend to quickly escalate from asking, to telling to threatening. Table (2) lists a small selection of unpleasant incidents from kids that may generate painbased emotions in teachers. Which ones annoy you? Which ones are missing from these lists? What pain-based emotions do they incite, in you? What are your typical responses? How well do those responses work?

The point of this exercise is to highlight the enormous range of incidents that can spark conflict between teachers and students. Teachers must be on top of these incidents and deal with them in ways that lessen rather than escalate the situation.

The point of this exercise is to highlight the enormous range of incidents that can spark conflict between teachers  and students. Teachers must be on top of these incidents and deal with them in ways that lessen rather than escalate the situation.

Why does some behavior generate a pain-based emotional response while others do not?

Our arousal systems link the incoming with the existing in the Mixing Room – the combination of thoughts, emotions and feelings. Once a stimulus has strong emotion attached, subsequent exposure to the stimulus prompts the reconstruction of the associated existing emotion. By way of example: some teachers have a pain-based response to a student swearing (I’m one of those!). Such a response is learned, probably from the teacher’s own childhood where their parents viewed swearing as disrespectful. Therefore, when the teacher hears a student swearing, the stimulus (swearing) creates a mental image, replete with emotion (probably displeasure or disgust) and the teacher attempts to modify the world (say, seek an apology) to shift his or her emotions away from the pain-based state.

Most kids comply with this reasonable request and quickly learn the boundaries of what is right and what is wrong within their classrooms; it’s no big deal. However, for the child who wants to escalate the issue, swearing becomes a source of great power. By continually swearing, the child can now send the teacher into a state of frustration or anger. While some teachers have no issue with students swearing and some even appear to find it quite humorous, I’ve witnessed teachers screaming at their kids or taking a heavy hand to them over such matters. Is it worth it? To the teacher involved, probably yes. To the observer, probably not. There are better ways to handle the situation.

Our own experiences impose an interpretive landscape on the present and future.

Why do kids sometimes behave so poorly at school and so well at home – and vice-versa?

Society sets limits on behavior and imposes sanctions on those who refuse to comply. That is, of course, only if you are caught. Therefore, from the perspective of some young people, you only break the rules when nobody is watching. That sounds a little harsh but for some youngsters, it is the reality. No one is born with a set of defining behavior codes. We learn from our experiences and from the feedback from significant others, in particular, parents and teachers. Kids need a forum for learning about appropriate behavior and, like it or not, families and schools provide the forum. “Getting away with it,” is all part of the learning experience. At school, teachers have a different power base than parents at home. We use different sanctions and rarely “lose it” when compared to what happens with our own kids in our own homes. Students seem to intuitively know this, so pushing the envelope at school has fewer sanctions and weaker consequences than pushing the envelope at home. Besides, for some students, respect for teachers is rather low so they take delight in pushing teachers into pain-based states.

All kids behave in ways that annoy their parents at times. But not all kids behave in ways that annoy their teachers. Clearly, most young people know how to alter their behavior to suit the social situation they move into.

When it comes to behavior, parents draw the line in the sand and apply sanctions and consequences. Sometimes the sanctions are overly harsh, especially when kids push their parents into states of frustration or anger. At other times, parents are probably tolerant of behavior that would draw sanctions in wider society, especially in schools.

In classrooms, we need guiding principles. And we need some sanctions, including consequences to demonstrate where the limits of reasonable behavior extend and where it is not okay to go. We need replays and restitution when the boundaries are broken. And if we are really serious, the sanctions should apply equally to everyone within the classroom, including the adults. Yes, that means if it is not okay for kids to treat adults disrespectfully, the converse also stands.

But most of all, in classrooms, we need compassion and forgiveness. Children are not mini-adults with brains that think as adults think – they are kids. They learn from their mistakes and from how the adult world handles its own mistakes. What messages do you want your students to learn, from you?

Essentially the way that teachers deal with behavior issues is a statement about quality and values with steps such as sanctions and explanations to provide guidance to children.

The least I need to know

Some classrooms, albeit a few, are like war trenches where teachers and their kids take aim in battle. However, in this battle, kids must lose. Ultimately, they disqualify themselves from classrooms, and with that disqualification, their future looks increasingly bleak and they contribute to creating pain-based school environments. Parents are the first and most significant teachers when it comes to showing children how to behave and where to draw the limits. Teachers are the second strong influence. There exist countless opportunities for practice. The way we handle our emotional crisis, when the chips are down, will leave an indelible mark on the students we teach.

By Trae Stewart   Mon, Mar 23, 2009

How do I get started with creating a podcast?

1. Gather

The basic equipment needed to create a podcast includes a computer (either a PC or a Mac can be used), microphone (external microphones tend to deliver better quality recordings. If you already have an MP3 player, a microphone that connects directly to the player can also be used), speakers and software to record your voice. . . The soundrecording application can be a simple digital audio re¬corder or a podcasting software application that allows editing and the addition of music and sound effects. If using a Windows-based PC, the freeware program Audacity is recommended; Mac users can also use Audacity or Apple’s GarageBand. Numerous tutorials on using these applications are available on the Internet. For podcasting as a class, $5,000 would buy two MacBook laptop computers, four 30G iPods, f o u r microphones for the iPods, one good microphone for the classroom and one external hard drive for storing media files. For this amount of equipment and the lasting educational value it holds, $5,000 is a rather meager amount.

2. Listen

There are thousands of existing podcasts. Novice podcasters should listen to various examples to get ideas on how they might like to structure their own. In this process, teachers might also find podcasts relevant to their curriculum and which they can assign to their students to listen. While there are directories which host diverse podcasts, several websites specific to teaching and education also exist. Some examples include:
• Yahoo! Podcasts (podcasts.yahoo.com)
• iTunes Podcast Directory (apple.com/itunes/podcasts)
• ODEO (odeo.com)
• GarageBand Radio Network (garageband.com/htdb/feed/partners.html)
• Podcast Alley (podcastalley.com)
• Podfeed (podfeed.net)
• Podcast (podcast.com)
• Podcast Directory (podcastdirectory.com)
• Educational Podcast Network (epnweb.org)
• Teacher Tube (teachertube.com)
• RECAP (recap.ltd.uk/podcasting/channel-list.php)

3. Draft

A podcast is similar to a speech, and even the most relaxed, informal speeches require preparation. First, you have to decide on what your podcast will include. Naturally, the content of the podcast will correspond to its intent. For most classroom teachers, one podcast will routinely cover one lesson, but if the aim of the podcast is to provide feedback on student assignments or communicate with parents, the structure and tone of the podcast will change.

Second, basic podcasts only contain audio and do not have the same visual stimuli available to learners in the classroom, so good organization and clear communication will be paramount. Engaging text with an appropriate introduction, pauses and a conclusion will also help, while music will keep the listener engaged and can be used to signify certain directions, such as turning a page, starting and ending. When using music, podcasters should be careful not to violate copyright laws. Sources of “safe” MP3 music are available. Some sites include: Freesound (freesound.iua.upf.edu), Podsafe Music Network (music.podshow. c o m ) , Common Content (www.commoncontent.org/catalog/audio), and Sound Dogs (www.sounddogs.com)

Finally, teachers should keep in mind their learners’ attention spans. While they can pause a podcast and return to it whenever they wish, students might become confused when listening to content lessons that stretch over too long a period of time. Common advice is to limit podcast length to 15-45 minutes. Podcast length will also affect the size of the MP3 file itself. For students who connect to the Internet via a modem, downloading lengthy MP3 files can be slow. A 10MB file connecting through a 56 Kb modem may take up to 40 minutes to download.

4. Practice

It goes without saying that before recording a podcast, you should practice, and then practice some more. While podcasters regularly rely on notes during their recording sessions, reading directly from a script will sound detached and rigid. When you feel confident and the session flows naturally, then you can record. Remember that your podcast will be available to your students and anyone with whom they choose to share the file, including their friends and parents.

5. Record

Next, you are ready to record the podcast. This step is fairly straightforward if you have prepared well. If adding music and other sound effects, preparation times will be extended. It is important to choose software that generates an MP3 audio file so that it can be used on mobile devices as well as computers. The best advice is to follow the instructions that accompany the software and equipment that you are using. These documents will help you to add and mix text and place music and/or sound elements in your podcast file.

6. Review

Check your work same as you would when completing problems in mathematics. Since you know what the final podcast should sound like, you should be your harshest critic. Also consider sharing your podcast with another teacher or a friend. They can provide an unbiased perspective. If there are errors or malfunctions, the podcast can always be recorded again. The review stage is critically important when students are creating the podcast. They need to realize that their podcasts could be available to the public, other students, friends and parents. Such accountability typically results in more highly motivated students and final products beyond anyone’s expectations.

7. Share

Once the podcast is completed, it is time to share it. The easiest mechanism for novice podcasters is to email the MP3 file directly to the intended recipients. If you have a classroom website, you can also post the MP3 so that students can listen directly from the website. After you become more comfortable with podcasting, the next step will be to link the audio file to a website with an RSS feed (i.e., really simple syndication). Then, students will be able to subscribe to your feed using podcasting software such as iTunes or Juice Receiver, or RSS-enabled Internet browsers like Internet Explorer or Firefox through which new additions will be automatically downloaded to their computers or MP3 devices. Two free and easy-to-use podcast hosting sites are Podbean (www.podbean.com) and GCast (www.gcast.com). Although we have been using the term liberally here, an MP3 audio file that is not linked to an RSS feed technically is not a true podcast. Regardless of how you choose to share your MP3 files, students will be able to listen to and/or save the MP3 file for later. Final Thoughts Podcasting offers an easy, exciting and dynamic means by which to address the unique learning styles of today’s digital learners. While teachers might be wary of emerging out of their technological comfort zones, the learning curve for podcasting is short and relatively easy to navigate. Numerous resources are available through simple Internet searches for all computer operating systems. Through trialand- error, teachers can be podcasting within a day. And, if you find yourself lost in the process, you can always ask your tech-savvy students for assistance!

By Staff   Thu, Apr 16, 2009

Press release

GEMS Education launches Dance Academy

Dubai, April 16, 2009: GEMS Education, the educational provider with the largest network of schools in the UAE, has launched a dedicated GEMS Dance Academy, which encourages students from GEMS schools to identify and nurture their dancing skills. The initiative reinforces GEMS philosophy of providing students ample opportunities and avenues to develop their talents.

The GEMS Dance Academy is organising a series of after-school dance classes and workshops for students from different schools with a focus on various dance forms from ballet to contemporary and from hip hop to jazz. The Academy approaches dance as a skill-set for enhancing self-esteem and confidence in youngsters. GEMS Dance Academy is led by highly experienced internal and external dance specialists and instructors. GEMS Dance Academy also features advanced dance training facilities and equipment.  

The first of the workshops was held at GEMS World Academy and was attended by over 100 students from GEMS World Academy, Jumeirah College, Wellington International School, Westminster School and Cambridge International School. 

“The GEMS Dance Academy is one of the pioneering initiatives aimed at encouraging students to enhance their skills and confidence,” said John Taylor, Director of Visual and Performing Arts, GEMS Education. “With the Academy, we aim to give them the chance to explore their true potential and talent in dance. Researches have shown that such programmes can lead to improved academic performance, as well as better physical and mental health.”

About GEMS Education:

GEMS manages a growing network of nearly 100 high quality international schools around the world. GEMS network of schools provide a unique brand of holistic education to 100,000 students from over 124 countries, employing over 6,200 education professionals, specialists and staff from over 50 nationalities. Supported by a network of eminent international advisors in the field of education, GEMS global network of multi-skilled specialists and in-house experts provide invaluable support and guidance in all areas related to schools, delivering world class standards of education. ‘GEMS Education’ offers total school management solutions. From project inception and planning to ongoing operations of schools, GEMS offers a total solutions approach to the management of new school projects and existing schools.

By Staff   Wed, Apr 15, 2009

By Staff   Wed, Apr 15, 2009

Cambridge ESOL recently held a seminar for teachers of young learners of English in Dubai. ‘”Get Ready for YLE” was hosted by Al Sadiq Islamic English School and focused on familiarizing teachers with the Young Learners English Tests syllabus. Participants were introduced to teaching tips, classroom activities and lesson plans. Young Learners Tests of English are designed to get young children on the path to learning English. It is a reliable and consistent way to measure listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities. Cambridge ESOL organizes a series of seminars throughout the year for teachers in the Middle East region for English language teachers. This is part of their wider commitment to providing access to language assessment of the highest possible quality throughout the world.

By Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

China’s Education Ministry announced that hildren will study “ethnic unity” starting from primary school, as a year marred by violent riots in Tibet and unrest in the northwestern Muslim Xinjiang region came to a close. The new classes will run for the duration of a child’s academic life, with high-school students receiving up to 14 hours a year to help them “recognize the superiority” of China’s government and the Communist Party’s ethnic policies. Primary school children will be given “basic awareness of the vital nature of encouraging ethnic unity, protecting national unity and opposing ethnic separatism,” said a summary of the policy posted on the ministry’s website(www.moe.edu.cn).

By Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is earmarking $13 million to pay low-income college students to stay in school. The cash payments which range between $1,000 and $4,000 are aimed reverse the increasing drop-out rates for low-income students. The foundation will also examine the effectiveness of the “cash for grades” program

By Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Saudi authorities have begun a campaign to rid school libraries of books that contain extremist ideas in an effort aimed to protect the younger generation from terrorist ideologies. In a circular sent to all regional educational departments, the undersecretary at the Education Ministry, Saeed Al Melais, ordered the removal of specific books from the libraries of schools and educational-resource centers in regions across the kingdom. Authorities were also advised to remove any other books containing similar ideas.

By Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Key issues such as the role of education, the current status of teachers and reform in education were among the key topics discussed in Muscat, Oman, on November 2, 2008, during the 4th Meeting of the Ministers of Education in the Middle East and North Africa Region. A number of experts in education from the MENA region underlined the importance of providing teachers with training and professional development programs as well as reviewing their financial status. The need to develop the education system, curricula, school buildings and modern technology were also among the topics discussed. UAE Education Minister Hanif Hassan highlighted ministry plans which focus on the vital role played by teachers in conveying knowledge as well as facilitating and producing that knowledge, while Dr. Abdullah Al Amiri, adviser to the minister, indicated that teachers’ incentives occupied a large part of the discussions.

By Staff   Wed, Mar 25, 2009

Wii makes touch-screen technology affordable

Classrooms unable to afford an interactive Smart board that costs around $2,000 could get the technology for under $100. With a Nintendo Wii controller and an infrared pen. The Wii controller is an infrared camera. It identifies the light and relays it back to the console or a computer through Bluetooth. This inexpensive technology can save schools thousands of dollars. Now you know.

IBM’s Next Five in Five

Talk to the web

According to IBM’s Next Five in Five, which lists innovations likely to change the way we work over the next five years, we could be using our voices to find our way around the virtual sphere. Text and pictures could give way to vocal commands as a means to navigate the internet, and people will be able to access “voice sites,” websites that “speak” back.

Total recall

Recalling simple everyday details will no longer be a struggle, according to IBM. Devices known as “smart appliances” will take over our recollection duties by storing minutiae of our everyday lives, whether conversations on activities we take part in. This data will then be stores and retrieved at the appropriate time prompting us to remember conversations, incidents or chores.

Harness the Sun

Within the next five years, pavements, walls and windows could become repositories of energy. Thinfilm solar cells that are 100 times thinner than conventional silicon-wafer cells could replace the conspicuous, glassy rooftop affairs we know as solar panels. The inconspicuous cells could easily also be printed on the surfaces of everyday items such as mobile phones, laptops and cars.

Digital shopping aides

Shopping in the next five years could go digital, and we don’t mean online stores. Fitting rooms will soon contain digital shopping assistants, voice-activated touchscreen booths that can be used to select items that match an outfit or look for alternate sizes or colors. Live assistants can then be notified and dispatched to retrieve the items requested.

Get the jump on ailments

According to IBM, in the next five years genetic profiling will become more affordable, and based on their DNA, people will be able to find out which diseases and conditions they are most susceptible to for less than $200. That information can then help physicians recommend the most effective treatments and lifestyle changes to minimize the chances of developing the ailments, while pharmaceutical firms will be able to customengineer medication for individual patients.

Blackberry’s public face

Popular mobile smart phone producer Rim has partnered with a number of vendors to develop applications that can help public CIOs and public employees stay up-to-date on current information, assess business analytics, communicate wirelessly with officials, and deliver quick service to constituents. Although BlackBerrys offer music downloads, sports updates many game applications, the device is more than just a sleek toy for the digital age. Some thirdparty BlackBerry applications are geared toward public-sector spheres like higher education, where the software helps faculty, staff and students to stay connected, conduct research, update records and collaborate on projects, while Impatica ShowMate is a device that lets users project PowerPoint presentations from their BlackBerry without using a laptop, displaying all aspects of a presentation from text and images to animation and slide transition effects.

Wed, Mar 25, 2009

Keeping a Journal in the Classroom

My students each have their own “Classroom Journal.” Every morning for 10 minutes, I ask them to write about anything they want. They can write about what they have learned in class, what they want to learn, a personal experience, their thoughts – the list goes on and on. The reason I ask my students to do this is to make sure I am constantly connected to them. Also, when they write about something they want to learn or are curious about, I find a way to satisfy their curiosity during class. If they are having a hard time, I take it into consideration and try to help. If the story was a funny one, I ask them to share it with the class if they wish, and so on. In addition, my students won’t be just a group of kids whom I teach, but with time the class grows into a nurturing environment full of trust and comfort.

Sawsan, Lebanon

Let Students Take Care of their Second Home

Prepare a chart with the names of all the students as well as classroommaintenance “jobs” for them to do. Each week 10 or more students (depending on the number of tasks) will have a job to take care of in the classroom. For example, “Tom” can be the class “librarian” straightening books, “Stacey” can be the “ math director” during math and hand out papers or organize the material, “Fred” can be the “room inspector” and make sure the floor is clean at all times. The students will feel proud that they are helping take care of their “Second Home.”

Salam, Qatar

Get Caught … Being Good

Most teachers focus on how students misbehave during class, but what I do is reward those “being good.” I prepare slips of paper that say, “Got Caught Being Good,” with a blank space underneath. Whenever a student behaves well or does something good, I give them a slip of paper on which they write their names and place it in a jar. At the end of the day, I pick out a name from the jar and the student gets a little treat!

Aya, Lebanon

By Staff   Wed, Mar 25, 2009

Have you ever cheated on an exam in your childhood?
Actually, yes. I was a kid. I thought I was shrewd and believed I was taking a shortcut. My teacher later pulled me aside and explained why that wasn’t the smartest move. After all, what’s the point of cheating? Forget for a moment that it’s wrong, and getting caught comes with consequences. It’s actually a self-defeating purpose. We go to school in order to receive an education, and exams are not meant to judge but to determine whether we have grasped the lessons sufficiently to move on to higher levels. If we cheat in exams, and get away with it, all we’re doing is putting ourselves at a disadvantage when we face those more complex lessons. But keep in mind that while there is never an excuse for cheating, sometimes even students who’ve studied and understood the material draw a complete blank during exams or a variety of personal reasons or conditions.

What is your favorite book and movie?

Favorite book. That’s an easy one. I was 10 years old and we were required to read the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. It made such a great impression on me that I immediately read the Lord of the Rings trilogy. For a child, having a world of elves and dwarfs and evil orcs, and seemingly insignificant little people who overcome the greatest challenges, it was an amazing experience. To this day it still gives me this warm feeling whenever I read it again. The movie version was quite well done, but it’s nothing like reading it and seeing all those visuals in your mind’s eye as you interpret them. My favorite movie is “Scent of a Woman,” because the message it conveyed and the talents of the remarkable were quite memorable.

Do you have a favorite student?

Absolutely, every last one of them. I’m greedy when it comes to that, because they’re all my favorites. Every one of my students is my pride and joy. They all somehow manage to become near and dear to my heart, like my own children, and how can you favor one of your children over the others? Like their own parents, I strive to mold them into decent, independent and competent human beings, and just as I take delight in their joys, I also suffer when they’re in pain. They’re the children of my heart, and their achievements
are my own triumphs. There are leaders hidden beneath their struggles for independence and establishment of identity. Many students are very vulnerable yet they are often treated with as part of a class and do not receive attention as individuals to overcome their concerns, and this tends to push them toward negative and destructive behavior. But if given an ear and a push, they simply become wonders!

Have you seen a change in generations of children you have taught? Like what?

In some ways children never change. Some show resistance, others think I’m not watching, and some don’t care if I am. They study, they don’t study, they pay attention, or not. Some days they’re full of passion for learning, and other days they’re morose. Even the same excuses are still fielded decade after decade. There are so many different ways in which I see the same behavior repeatedly. However, in many other ways, they are changing. Take
their interests; they evolve so quickly I’m hard-pressed to keep up. Technology is a perfect example. Laptops, iPods, MP3s, MP4s, YouTube, it all makes my head spin, but I have to familiarize myself with these gadgets because they matter to my kids, and that means they matter to me. They get into music much sooner now, they know about movies of which I’ve never heard. My eight-graders travel everywhere – North America, South America, Europe, the Far East. When I was in the eighth grade I think I went to the zoo. But they also seem to grow up faster. They’re more aware of their social environment, more aware of politics, world crises. Sometimes I feel like I’m the student when I listen to them.

Do you remember your own favorite or worst teacher? Why? How different are you from them?

I remember them quite well. In fact, the ones who challenged me the most, and urged me to persevere even when was I was overwhelmed, the ones who treated me with respect and took my opinions seriously are the ones I remember fondly today. They made me feel like I mattered, like my thoughts had value and they contributed greatly to my development and selfesteem. These select teachers respected us, called us by our fist names because most of the rest used our family names. So I took that from them and made sure I knew so much more about my students than their grades and their names. As far as the worst teachers are concerned, yes I remembe  some bad teachers. Today, I realize they were good people but simply in the wrong profession. Clearly some teachers are more talented than others, but all people who are born to be teachers do quite well. Other people are simply better suited for other professions but for one reason or another end up in the teaching profession, and consequently fail to deliver the goods. I try to be like the ones that made a positive impression, and in that sense I am like them because I try to give my students the very values and attitudes that made my own teachers shine, but also I’m different because My own contribution to my students is a combination of each of their influences as well as my own personality and values.

Is being a teacher your passion? Why or why not?

Well, clearly because the pay is so enticing. Seriously though, I truly believe that knowledge is a tool that puts any dream within reach and makes anything possible, and nothing causes more joy than to know that you are providing countless children with that tool, equipping them with what they need to realize their own dreams and aspirations. It’s a long road, and comes with numerous challenges, but when you take it a day at a time, the delight you feel every time you see the eyes of a child light up with understanding due to your efforts, well, it’s unlike anything else. Knowing that your labors will make a positive difference in their lives, help them become their persons, how can you not want that?

If you were to be a minister of education, what would you be remembered for?

Easy. I’d eliminate rote learning. For decades schools and educators have been drilling material into children’s heads in the same manner. They go home, they memorize the lesson, they come to class and parrot out everything, and they pass the course. Then they forget everything because they never knew why it mattered. The meaning behind the lesson is never learned. Knowing the answer has become the achievement instead of knowing how the lesson impacts their lives, how it can help them and let them understand the world, life, values. They may know where the River Nile is, and can find it on a map, but how about the countless tales that go with it? In fact, I’d reform education altogether, introduce more contemporary practices that stimulate the mind and nurture initiative, encourage students to question the lesson and give them opportunities to identify the challenge on their own before they are asked to present a solution. Also, I’d probably have school start at 10 a.m. and become the best-loved education minister of all time.

Do you use technology in your classroom? If yes, like what?

Well like I said, I try to keep up with my students’ interests, and technology plays a large part in that. Take for example podcasts; my students find it convenient to have a lesson available as a digital document on their iPods that can be accessed at any time. It helps clarify points they missed in class, or which they needed to review again. In addition, it puts on the same page, and we have common ground on which we can interact. Obviously personal computers, laptops, also contribute to a great extent in facilitating the learning process. The Internet places a massive store of information at their fingertips, and this is something I encourage. They learn how to conduct research, and obviously the Internet can help improve their reading skills. In addition, there are countless website  which offer remarkable teaching tools.

Have you ever identified yourself with a student? If yes, did you treat them differently?

Like everyone else, I was a student, and I faced many of the same challenges that my own students face. Now that I know the difficulties I faced, despite the anguish they caused, were not as dire as they seemed when I was   student, I realize that to my students those same challenges seem equally insurmountable, and I obviously identify with them and their dilemmas. But I can put my own experience to good use by providing insight and encouragement when the world seems bleak, showing them that the clouds will part and the issues that are of concern to them will eventually no longer matter. Naturally, I identify with some students more than others, simply because their current circumstances mirror my own at that stage in life. Seeing a student struggling through family difficulties while trying to keep schoolwork under control, seeing them face difficulties in social interaction,
issues with low self-esteem and insecurities, these are all things many teachers like myself have also experienced as students, and naturally when you see your own students go through it, you feel that connection.

By Thomas El-Basha   Wed, Mar 25, 2009

Learning Support isn’t exactly something parents want associated with their children, and many still barrel down the road of parenthood playing ostrich as youngsters with learning needs are left straggling while their peers excel in school. However, those with the sense to shelve their egos, disregard social babble and put their children’s welfare before anything else have an avenue at their disposal with the potential to afford their kids a chance at a decent, self-sufficient life. Located in a tranquil, pine-covered spot in Jourit Al Ballout in the Metn district, Valley International School looks for all intents and purposes like your regular every-day school, and in fact in many way  it is. The vast majority of students enrolled at VIS follow either the Lebanese Baccalaureate or the American High School Program, and can expect to progress through all the standard stages of education. But where VIS departs from your typical school setup is that alongside, and running in parallel, to the normal curricula is a Learning Support Department that caters to the needs of children whose progress in education has been impeded by difficulties in the areas of learning, behavior, and/or social/emotional development. The students might have a variety of problems like attention or reading deficits, students who have had a gap in their educational life due to medical reasons, or as Hoda Wallace,

the Principal of VIS put it, the student might simply be a very introverted child. The secular school is one in a network of institutions that comprise the family of Learner’s World International School and include Adma International School, City International School, Universal School of Lebanon as well as VIS. While the schools operate independently, their main differentiating feature is individualized instruction and a learner-centered philosophy. All LW Schools provide inclusion services for students with special needs and individualized instructional programs for students who need that type of service, and utilize the services of School Development Consultants in providing specialized programs and training for staff.

Established in 1999 by SDC Director Shukri Husni, VIS was from the get-go, geared toward addressing a need that wasn’t being addressed in Lebanon. That goal was to offer students facing a variety of challenges the opportunity to reach their full potential, and all under the same roof with regular students. The key ingredient in this, like all LW schools, is that VIS is inclusive. Hyperactive children, those with Down syndrome, those with autism and regular kids all learn together, play together, and share everything together.

Depending on the student’s needs, the Learning Support Department offers a wide range of services in order to help the students in their academic and emotional development, including Individualized Learning Plans that set students an overall objective with specific sub-goals and a clear strategy of how to achieve those goals, individual counseling and advice, individual and small-group work both in class and in withdrawal sessions, Speech/Language/Occupational/Physical therapy and meetings for parents to engage in the development of their children.

On a tour of the school’s facilities, we had the chance to catch a glimpse of how the school put its “child-centered” philosophy into practice. In one classroom, regular students were mulling over multiple-choice questions for an exam, while in an adjoining room students with learning difficulties were chewing over the same set of questions. Although in seemingly identical scenarios, the latter students were afforded extra time and were also allowed to ask a certain number of questions. Once their particular needs were taken into consideration, those children were able to achieve as much as any of their peers.

Simply put, students whose learning abilities have been impeded by factors that can be remedied have some recourse. And with expert guidance and counseling, they can resume their normal academic journey instead of being shuffled off to technical school or even dumped into menial jobs because they were deemed incapable of learning. As one expert we met explained, if they can learn in a technical school, they can learn in a regular school, or conversely, they cannot learn in either arena. The real solution is to determine what is preventing the child from learning and then to resolve the problem.  

It is not uncommon for VIS school to receive students who are facing challenges in the traditional school system due to low levels of self-esteem. In these cases, a team of counselors, psychologists, educators and therapists, work to boost their self-esteem and raise their self-confidence so that they can get back on track with their studies.

However, where the school truly breaks the mold is in its vocational and life-skills program for students who encounter greater difficulties in the educational domain. The process was actually developed out of necessity, because once students hit the ages of 13 or 14, the school found itself unable to offer them anything more. Rather than wish them luck and send them on their way, VIS launched what they refer to as the “Fledgling Program,” which seeks to help challenged students lead independent lives at the personal, social as well as the economic levels.

The program begins when the student reaches the age of 14, and lasts for four years. In the early stages of the vocational program, students, working in groups, are slowly introduced to a variety of vocational fields. In the third and fourth years, after having had time to consider the students’ preferences, needs and capabilities, and in consultation with parents, the students, accompanied by teachers, try their hand in their chosen fields for a limited period of time.

The life-skills program focuses on aspects that most of us take for granted but nevertheless underpin the very fabric of everyday social interaction. Students are taught the basics of independent living such as how to count money, how to go shopping, how to cook, how to manage their appearance, how to conduct a conversation and so on. In addition to computers, photocopying machines, a computerized solving machine, musical equipment as well as resources needed for vocational training in arts and crafts that the school provides, a bus for the vocational program is also available on a permanent basis in order to transport students to different sites for training, including restaurants, supermarkets and other commercial enterprises. While we munched on cookies that some of the vocational department students had prepared, a teacher explained what a difference the program had made for a number of the students. Initially, those children had been in such dire straits that their parents could not conceive of letting them out of the house on their own. But over time, with the heightened confidence and autonomy sparked by the program, those very same children developed social circles and were perfectly capable of venturing out independently and socializing with their peers in locales such as malls and restaurants.

Although referred to as vocational, the program doesn’t neglect the students’ educational requirements. Included in the program is a Functional Academics curriculum that caters to the practical needs of the students and which includes English, maths, the sciences and social studies. The students also rejoin their peers for music classes, art, physical education and recreation. While VIS can comfortably accommodate and sustain as many as 250 students, the school currently hosts around 135 pupils. However, what it lacks in terms of student numbersit more than makes up with the teachers its employs – a whopping 50 of them and that doesn’t even include the ancillary staff.

According to Husni, most VIS teachers are qualified, and wield educational degrees, while several have been trained in special needs education from the American University of Beirut, the Lebanese American University, and Saint Joseph University.They also receive in-service training at school on an ongoing basis by specialists in thefield. The staff also includes clinical psychologists, educational psychologists,speech therapists and occupational therapists. Except for the last two kinds of therapists, which are employed on a parttime basis depending on the needs in that particular area, most teachers are employed on a full-time basis.

All this raised the inevitable question: how can tuitions fees from a mere 135 students cover the costs of a school that fields such a large number of trained specialists? It turns out Learning Support doesn’t come cheap. While the tuitions for regular students are equivalent to those at other private schools, the costs for LS, Wallace admits, are much higher. She puts this down to the highly personalized service the school offers, saying: “For every two students there is a teacher, and in some cases for every student there is one teacher.” And even in the case of regular students, the school’s child-centered philosophy follows a strict policy of keeping classroom sizes down to 15 pupils.

Tuition for regular students ranges from $2000 to $5000 per year. Depending on the services rendered, fees for special needs students add another $2000 to $5000 on top of the regular school fees, and for vocational students, the tuitions vary between a hefty $8000 and $10,000 per student. According to Husni, VIS, like other LW schools, also depends on the owners’ support to cover expenses and is attempting to network with non-governmental organizations in the field of special education to provide funding for the development of its services. As far as public perception is concerned, the administration admits that initially there had been a lot of resistance from teachers - and more importantly from parents - to Learning Support, which touched a sensitive spot. Ten years down the line, Wallace believes the topic has become far more open and that an increasing number of schools were viewing LS in a better light.

However, even with that progress, the school is still often slighted. Due to a lingering misperception and sometimes wary attitude toward Learning Support, and the relatively high proportion of LS students (about 20 percent), VIS is often perceived as being LSexclusive, a fact that can discourage some parents from enrolling their children into the regular division of the school’s program. Speaking to a number of experts in the field, we receive  the impression that parents of regular kids fear that enrolling their child in a school which also caters to special needs students implies the child suffers from learning disabilities. Furthermore, and greatly distressing, is the discovery that parents of some children with learning disabilities opt to forego LS because they feel the benefits do not justify the cost, even if they can afford it. Considering the amount of effort that goes into offering these children the attention and care that makes the difference between producing a well-adjusted, self-independent human being and one reliant on others for the most basic needs, we couldn’t help but feel admiration. But to see children from a spectrum of degrees of abilities functioning together in the same institution, and even in the same classes, that we found quite remarkable, and a breath of fresh air in a society that far too often chooses not to acknowledge reality. We hope in time that attitude changes, and children with needs get the opportunity to reach their potential.

By   Sun, Oct 09, 2011

ALHOSN University announces winners of stand design contest for 2011-2012 exhibitions

Best design to be used at Najah & GETEX

October 9, 2011

ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality and value-based education, has announced the winners of its annual ‘ALHOSN Exhibition Stand Competition’ which ran from mid-August to October 3, 2011. The best design will be used for all major events ALHOSN will participate in for the academic year 2011-2012, including Najah, a leading education training exhibition and career fair in the Middle East, and Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX), the largest education fair in the Middle East and Asia. 

The contest was open to all ALHOSN students, who were challenged to design creative and modern display spaces to represent the university.  Entries included the ALHOSN logo, audio visual presentations, a workstation, a display counter, and a brochure holder.

Rana Al Hussaini, the 1st Placer from the Architectural Engineering Department, won AED 2,000; Manal Constantin from the Interior Design Department was 1st runner-up and received AED 1,000; Adeelah Al Hassan from the Architectural Engineering Department was awarded AED 500 as 2nd runner-up.

“The 2010 winners of our stand design contest did an excellent job capturing the essence and values of ALHOSN in a unique and dynamic way. Competition was tighter this year as all of the previous awardees were from the Department of Architectural Engineering and so the other departments wanted to prove their designing skills as well. This is an excellent platform for us to showcase the talent, determination and creativity of our students to a regional and even global audience during the various exhibitions we attend each year,” said Dr. Raymond Tennant, Provost, ALHOSN University.

The ALHOSN University competition jury met on October 3, 2011, the deadline set for the submission of entries. The winners were named the following day at the Female Campus.

Named after Abu Dhabi’s historic ALHOSN Palace, ALHOSN University was founded in 2005 by the Abu Dhabi Holding Company in response to growing local demand for high-quality, value-based educational institutions. It currently offers 11 undergraduate and 7 graduate programs under the Faculties of Engineering and Applies Sciences, Business, and Arts and Social Sciences. ALHOSN accepts students of all nationalities and also accommodates youths with special needs. All its programs are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

By   Wed, Oct 05, 2011

GETEX Autumn 2011 will support efforts to diversify and strengthen the education infrastructure in the region

IDEAS introduced to support UAE Ministry’s student-centric strategy for 2010 to 2020

October 5, 2011

GETEX Autumn, the Middle East and Asia's leading education, training and professional development event, has been positioned to complement the exponential growth of the Dubai’s education sector, which now has more than 40,000 university students currently enrolled in the emirate and at least 52 higher education institutions from just a few universities 10 years ago. GETEX Autumn will be presenting multiple options of graduate and postgraduate degrees from leading academic institutions around the world, as the event has been strategically timed to assist students looking to enrol for courses starting early 2012.

GETEX Autumn 2011 will hold its first leg at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre from October 26 to 28, while the concluding leg will be held at the Gulf Hotel in Manama, Bahrain from October 31 to November 1. This year’s edition will focus on distinct areas of higher education, targeting a much wider range of students and young working adults who are keen to explore their study options or looking for specialized courses to keep abreast with the growing competition in the global job market.

Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E), organisers of the event, said: "GETEX Autumn 2011 provides an excellent platform to help higher secondary and undergraduate students explore their options for further studies or training. We are particularly excited to have launched the IDEAS forum this year. IDEAS which stands for ‘Innovation, Design & Engineering Arena’ is an active display of Occupational Education achievements intended to motivate aspiring Students into vocational trades.”

A diverse option of postgraduate courses that are now in great demand in the Arab World will be on offer at GETEX, including popular programs in engineering, medicine, HR, marketing & communications, humanities, natural resources, business, finance, research, accounting, languages and management. The more popular occupational course preferences such as architecture and interior design, aviation, fashion, graphic design, hospitality, photography, teaching and technical programs will also be available at GETEX Autumn.

By   Wed, Apr 20, 2011

By   Wed, Aug 18, 2010

The Kids National Geographic website offers tons of videos, games and other fun ways to show your students what goes on around the planet. Awaiting your kids just a mouse click away is a world of discovery, exploration and wonder. Now you never have to regret that you can’t show your students something you saw on the National Geographic channel, because it’s all here, and geared for kids!

http://www.kids.nationalgeographic.com/

By   Mon, May 24, 2010

We post this talk in tribute to the late Martin Gardner

By   Tue, Apr 27, 2010

By   Fri, Apr 09, 2010

By   Sat, Apr 03, 2010

By   Sat, Apr 03, 2010

By   Sat, Apr 03, 2010

By   Thu, Mar 25, 2010

www.twitter.com/meeducator

By   Wed, Mar 24, 2010

By   Tue, Mar 23, 2010

DAILY CARTOON click to enlarge

Cartoon by Andertoons