His Highness: "QUDWA" has established its
status as an international educational platform that attracts educational
experiences
Mohammed Bin Zayed: we are proud of all male and
female teachers and their gifts
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed
Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE
Armed Forces, confirmed that “QUDWA Forum” has established its status as an
international educational platform that
attracts the most prominent educational experiences, and the Forum's
discussions enriched teachers' interaction to adopt the best teaching practices.
This came on the official account of
H.E. Mohammed Bin Zayed's news on “Twitter”.
H.E. wrote: "to all male and
female teachers, you have a great charge and carry out a lofty message, your
mission is great and you are the role model and source of inspiration, we are
proud of you and your gifts".
The activities of the International
Teachers Forum “QUDWA 2017” were closed at the Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi.
The activities of the Closing Day
witnessed holding a number of 32 meetings and workshops, which varied on the
following 5 main themes: meeting with a role model, inspirational stories, a
panel with experts, teachers talk and teachers lab.
Session
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed
Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and
Chairman of the Council of Education and Human Resources, urged educational
institutions to encourage and support the arts as an essential part of the
curricula, stressing that the convergence of science and art within the
educational process makes a generation of outstanding leaders, who build
humanity future creatively, referring to Albert Einstein, who combined
scientific creativity with the skill to play the violin.
This came during the attendance of His
Highness to one of "panel with experts" sessions that hosted Dr.
Currie Mitchell, a theater arts teacher at the Northwest School of the United
States, within the activities of the second and closing day of the
International Teachers Forum “QUDWA 2017”, Which was held under the patronage
of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
This session discussed the importance
of the role of art students in a future based on technology and successful
methods to communicate with students through the strength of ideas and
emotions.
The session witnessed a great presence
and a remarkable interaction by teachers and other attendees, in a clear
indication of the importance of its topic in the establishment of an educated
generation, who has arts skills along with scientific competencies.
Dr. Currie Mitchell addressed teachers
and urged them to take care of the students and explore their talents, as well
as he invited them to be role models and highlight their talents to the world.
Dr.
Currie said that children are able to adapt to their surroundings, they are
ready to change for the better when they are convinced of the usefulness of
change, but their conflicting feelings towards the world make them vulnerable
to any moral or psychological damage, so we have to be careful in dealing with
them, and take into account their sensitivity, we should not underestimate the
value of their creative works of art regardless of its strangeness.
Dr.
Currie referred to Michael Jackson, who was once asked about the strange tunes
he was making from his mouth while recording his songs. Jackson answered that
they were sounds of a machine that had not yet been invented, but he could hear
its sounds in his head.
He
said: "intelligence that is not controlled and managed by emotions may
lead to very dangerous results, as educators and teachers, we need to help
children in school to see things from a human perspective, as well as teaching children
different types of arts and mix them with different sciences such as chemistry,
physics and others, in order to raise their creative, human and scientific
sense".
The
Forum witnessed a plenary session on how to achieve the fourth goal of the
United Nations sustainable development agenda: equal opportunities for
education.
The
session, moderated by Vikas Bota, Executive Director of Farkey in the United
Kingdom, was attended by H.E. Jameela Bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State
for Public Education, H.E. Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Head of Education and
Knowledge, Member of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and
Julia Gillard, Chairperson of Global Partnership for Education in
Australia.
Post-Oil
Era
H.E.
Al Muhairi said: "Education is one of the most fundamental rights of every
human being in the world, and the UAE is determined to share the world in
achieving the sustainable development goals, as two months ago, a committee
chaired by H.E. Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State for Higher Education, was
formed to follow up the state's contributions in achieving these goals".
Al-Muhairi
continued: "His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince
of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has directed
to set a national agenda derived from the sustainable development goals, which
aims at strengthening the partnership between all sectors of the state in
supporting development goals at the local and global levels".
Al-Muhairi
stressed that the goal of "building a generation to lead the post-oil era"
is the essence of our efforts to develop the education system and its methods
in the state. In this regard, she referred to the UAE Strategy of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution, which is based in its entirety on the development of
skills of UAE students and residents.
She
said: "we want the UAE to be at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial
Revolution, by focusing on science, knowledge and technology, which are the
elements of building the future we are seeking for".
Al
Muhairi also tackled the role of "Dubai Cares" and its services to
provide education around the world, a matter that benefited 16 million students
so far.
Al
Muhairi praised the initiative of "Translation Challenge" launched by
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime
Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which will provide an opportunity for
Arab students to access free and rich sources of knowledge and translated
sciences.
Three
Pillars of Education
Dr.
Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Head of Education and Knowledge, Member of the Executive
Council of Abu Dhabi, praised the vision and wisdom of His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme
Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, which included all elements of education,
from teacher to curriculum and then students. He said: "there are three
pillars of education: teacher, curriculum and students, and to achieve the
first pillar, His Highness launched the International Teachers Forum
"QUDWA", which provides important global experiences and experiments for
teachers, and helps decision-makers to set plans for the development of this
sector.
As
for the second pillar, the curriculum, His Highness has added the subject of
moral education as a fence that protects society and keeps its knowledge
achievements. While the third pillar is reflected in the initiative of His
Highness to launch the Future Generations Council, stemming from that the new
generation and youth are the leaders of the future".
Al-Naimi
stressed that education provides the least expensive and most effective
solutions to all challenges. He advised teachers to be proud of what they give
to the society, and not to wait for appreciation from anyone, but to seek to
take advantage of their achievements because they deserve it.
He
added: "teachers have to trust what they see as appropriate new methods of
education, and do not expect that such methods will be accepted by the society
in the beginning. I was a teacher who followed new teaching methods that were
rejected by some people, I knew but I did not care, because I believe that the
teacher is more stronger by his new ideas, and when he sees the results of his
work and effort embodied in successful students who are distinguished in their
work and lives, the teacher will feel proud and happiness that are not given by
any amount of money. Hence the teacher should not look at his profession
through its material profit, but through the social status stemming from his
essential role in building an intellectual, creative and ambitious
generation".
Challenges
of Funding
Julia
Gillard, Chairman of Global Education Partnership, former Prime Minister of
Australia, said: "there is a disparity between the needed skills of labor
market and what is provided in schools
and universities. This gap appears to be greater in the third world countries
and in the areas full of the people who are marginalized and deprived of
quality education".
Gillard
stressed the need to solve the challenge of funding to enhance the quality of
education through the participation of the world countries in providing
liquidity for this task. She explained that the main challenge for the world
today, in addition to funding, is to provide free and excellent education, to
achieve equality in education opportunities and knowledge access.
Gillard
added: "this is the right time to talk about empowering teachers, where
the education sector worldwide is witnessing varying crises from one place to
another".
The
path of my life
Ron
Clark, founder of the Ron Clark Academy in the United States, spoke at a plenary
session about the challenges he faced to create a school in a slum in America,
and how he was able to convince young people that he will build the most
wonderful school in the world for them, which is equipped with the latest
innovative teaching methods.
Clark
said: "my profession as a teacher has changes the path of my life, and as
you devoted your life to education, you have to think of new methods to
accelerate achieving what you are seeking".
He
explained that the Academy has become a source of inspiration for teachers, to
look differently at the changes in the nature of education, technological
development, and inspired them to pay attention to the development of human
ability to creativity and innovation.
"Skills
21"
During
the Forum of "QUDWA 2017", Arc Skills Foundation for Education
reviewed a unique program entitled "Skills 21" that seeks to promote
the personal abilities and skills in the 21st century, through
providing students with a comprehensive awareness of their unique abilities,
and helping them to acquire their desired careers by empowering them to succeed
in it.
According
to the statements of Methone Kamas,
Chief Executive of “Arc Skills”, during the sidelines of QUDWA Forum
2017, the program of "Skills 21" is represented in: "achievement & activity, analysis, cooperation,
communication, empathy, competition, consistency, courage, development,
discipline, focus, innovation, ability to integrate, influence, learn,
multitask, positive, innovative and strategic thinking".
Kamas
said: "students' acquisition of the necessary skills to meet the demands
and challenges of employment opportunities and higher education during the 21st
century has become a major topic at the discussion table in various
international forums and conferences such as QUDWA Forum. The skills of the 21st
century have become a social responsibility in the first place; as such skills will
generate a human wealth with enormous energies based on excellence, innovation
and creativity".
He
explained that the program follows the directions and visions of the wise UAE
leadership that seek for developing basic skills and refining the talents and
experiences of young people in the future. Through the program of "Skills
21", Arc Skills Foundation is committed to empowering young people and
preparing them to meet the challenges of the future in all industries and vital
sectors.
Kamas
explained the "Skills 21" provides children with the most important
skills that have become the most important requirements of the 21st
century, such as communication and cooperation skills, problem solving and
decision-making, through an enjoyable and attractive learning experience for
students, which will develop students' skills and competencies. The program
works, also, closely with teachers and parents, aiming at enhancing the unique
strengths inherent within each child, and give children confidence to succeed,
amidst a rapidly changing and evolving world.
As
for the goal of launching this program, he said that the world is rapidly
evolving and there is an increasing gap between content-based educational
systems and the essential skills of the 21st century based on
opportunities. Therefore, the "Skills 21" program was designed for
students from grade 7 to grade 12, as a special activity added to the
curriculum, in order to discover and develop the skills necessary for the 21st
century, which have become vital and influential for success both inside and
outside the school.
Discipline
in the classroom
The
session of "panel with experts" tackled the issue of discipline in
the classroom, and was presented by Elizabeth Green, Co-Founder, CEO and
Editor-in-Chief of Chalkbeat at the USA.
Green
discussed with a group of teachers, participating in this session, the nature
of discipline and its challenges in classrooms; moreover, teachers shared their
experiences with students in many schools around the world.
The
session tackled the common undisciplined behaviors among students and the
reasons of its spread in the schools. Green explained that students commit
behavioral errors as a result of three main reasons: the need to rebel or
resisting following instructions, ignorance of how to implement instructions,
and social and psychological problems.
She
referred to the most effective methods of dealing with students' behavioral
errors, explaining how to deal with undisciplined students.
Inspirational
stories
Within
the theme of "inspirational stories", the International Teachers
Forum "QUDWA 2017" hosted Hif Bannayan, the CEO of the Queen Rania
Academy for Teacher Training in Jordan, and Jane McGonigall, an American game
designer and author, in two separate sessions to highlight the world's leading
experiences in the development of education and the empowerment of teachers
worldwide.
“Teachers
talk”
The
various sessions of "teachers talk" dialogue sessions, organized in
cooperation with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD), held a special session, moderated by Pablo Fraser, educational policy analyst
for the Thales project in the OECD, entitled "education in the future: the
balance between knowledge and learning based on competence". The session
was attended by Nick Kavca, CEO of "Teach A Man to Fish" Foundation
in the United Kingdom, and Arman Dussie, teacher at River View High School,
Canada.
Nick
Kafka considered that the world has moved very quickly from a strong emphasis
on knowledge, to focus on efficiency in the classroom, especially with the
growing electronic platforms, which provides knowledge alternative to students,
and diverse content.
Kafka
pointed out that the culture of teacher evaluation has not been present in
recent years. He said: "we must make a concerted effort to educate
everyone about the culture of evaluation. It is not about placing a teacher in
the good or failing classroom, it is a matter of monitoring the strengths and
weaknesses, as well as to determine the mechanism and training programs to
improve performance, which will positively reflect the results of students".
QUDWA
Forum looks forward to empowering teachers, supporting their careers, and
appreciating their noble mission. The Forum brings together more than 900
participants, from teachers, experts and educators from the UAE and around the
world, to share experiences and insights that inspire future teachers and
advance education.
Academic
discipline
Ron
Clark, Founder of the Ron Clark Academy in the United States, focused on the
importance of creating an educational environment that focuses on academic
discipline while at the same time celebrating freedom of expression and
creativity, becoming a model for teachers to promote education.
Clark
concluded his experience in education, especially in the slums of Atlanta,
where he adopted an interactive model that helped students enhance their
self-confidence, improve their intellectual abilities, and explore their
surroundings as they were not eager to come to school. Clark noted that the
education system around the world needs elements that attract children's
attention, give them joy, and develop a spirit of innovation and creativity
from a young age.
Muhairi:
The teacher is the key to the future
H.E.
Jameela Bint Salem Musabah Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education,
affirmed that the teacher is the key to the future, praising the achievements
of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, of making education as one of
the State's top priorities, achieving equality between men and women in the
right to education and encouraging women to obtain it.
During
her participating in "meeting with a role model", one of QUDWA
Forum's sessions, H.E. noted that the wise leadership in the UAE is
complementing Zayed's approach and looking forward to the future, with an eye
on education.
She
noted the objectives of "UAE Centennial 2071", which requires all
sectors of the country to compete with time to achieve the UAE aspirations in
reaching to leadership in education sector. Al-Muhairi added that each person
has a special experience with education whether positive or negative, and this
experience is reflected in his personality.
Gillard:
Education decline is catastrophic
Julia
Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of the Board of Directors
of the Global Partnership for Education, confirmed that the decline in the
level of education has catastrophic consequences worldwide, noting that the
failure to face the decline in the level of education in developing countries
will have a very negative impact on society. Low-level education leads to a
decline in employment opportunities, an increase in illegal immigration, low
health care and high rates of early marriage.
In
the session of "meeting with a role model", within the activities of
the Forum, she stressed that the development of the education sector is a
pressing issue can't be postponed or overlooked; otherwise the results will be
disastrous.
And
called for the need for governments in developing countries to allocate budgets
to support education, in order to find effective solutions to the deterioration
of this sector in these countries, especially at the level of public schools.
09/10/2017