The dynamic context of education has always been a source of wonderment for me. It is never static, never boring, and always excites me with the possibilities each unique scenario unfolds. The vision of children sitting under a tree learning from their teacher during the olden days (prevalent even now in some parts of the world) is as enthralling to me as children sitting in a fully equipped classroom in a shiny, state of the art educational facility being taught by a trained and qualified subject specialist.

A major part of my career has been spent observing learning in different contexts over the years while devoting numerous hours to preparing and poring over perfectly scripted policies and plans. I still find myself asking the basic questions, ‘What are the right ingredients of a lesson that spell magic in the classroom? Is there such a thing as a perfect lesson?’ Well, my self-determined, self-proclaimed answer is a ‘No’,

The outstanding learning that one witnesses in a classroom stems from the most important resource, the imperfect teacher. Yes, she is ‘imperfect’ because it is her imperfections that make learning such a humane process. Our expectations sometimes drive us to expect the impossible from a teacher calculating and planning her lesson to the last minute with impeccable precision and skill. However, were it not for the human touch, that precise perception and the heightened sense of awareness of the needs of her students during a lesson, that a teacher is able to do justice to the power she has in her hands of shaping young minds.

The underlying principle is simple: trusting and supportive relationships. The inherent demand of this secret ingredient never fails to impress me when I see it in action. This aspect has become more prominent now in the array of hybrid, face to face, virtual, you-name-it-and-we-have-it scenarios. I think and I wonder at the powers teachers are equipped with, when in the current situation, they manage to keep the love for learning alive through those slight in-the-moment adjustments to their strategies. 

That subtle change in question, that lame joke cracked to lighten the mood, those simulations hunted down for students to marvel at and learn from, the multi-tasking done while explaining a concept to ensure students apply their learning in those 50 minutes are things to wonder at every day. And if while doing so, all the criteria that make a perfect lesson are not ticked off, it is because in this imperfect teacher you find a super-responsive, super-adaptable, super-compassionate human being who will not be remembered for the knowledge she imparted but for the way she made her students feel in her classroom. That remains a constant in the ever-evolving world of education. 

Voice of Tasneem Usman

Head of Teaching & Learning/Head of Senior School

An educator, who draws her inspiration from the many lessons her colleagues and students have taught her ever since she stepped into the academic world since 2006. A believer of Ken Robinson’s philosophy of education, considers her area of leadership and management an ever expansive and humbling experience.

Not such a far-fetched idea you’d say, considering the changing world and the engagement of artificial intelligence and smart knowledge engineering. Robots are taking over the talking. A specified software to deliver the curriculum and the freedom to change your chatbot! Undoubtedly, Science and technology are tools integral to human development. And while Science explains the matter, technology is all about the experience, a digital transformation.

But before we measure our readiness to live in a world without teachers, we must pause and ask ourselves the following questions: Are we ready to hand over our fate to a faceless machine? Do we agree on forfeiting our human connections? Will technology support our ethics while allowing us to exercise our free will?

If you struggle with answering these questions, walk into a classroom today.

The teacher will be waiting for you, so do not be late. She has carved certain expectations because she believes in your abilities. You love craftwork, so she has added in some kinesthetic activities to customize your experience. She has jotted down a plan for the day but is ready to make modifications if you are experiencing a personal struggle. She can read your sorrow and will lend you an ear to drown all your pain. She knows that your academic performance isn’t just about your grade; your narrative also influences it, and where you stand in life. She will not judge you. Trust, conviction, expectation, persuasion, and hope will create a relationship that will place human happiness and well-being on top.

Your teacher will remind you of your talents when you’re feeling unsure. She will scan every stationery shop to buy the right tools for you to start polishing your skills. When you stand up to speak in front of the classroom, she will nod her head in agreement to get you started. She will filter all the negativity and replace it with assurance and optimism. Later, you will find a personalized note left at your table, praising you for displaying courage and confidence.

Yes, teachers deliver the curriculum, but they also nurture future generations. They hold strong ethics and are navigated by a sound moral compass. They transform learning into curiosity and exploration, not just of the subject, but of self. They recognize the rights of the children to express their free will, having opinions, contradicting ideas and perpetuating solutions. Teachers infuse patience for discussion, collaboration and a sense of acceptance for the incomplete and the unresolved.

So even though it is possible to imagine a world without teachers, just because we can, doesn’t mean we should!

A world without teachers will be a world without humanity.

Happy Teacher’s Day 2020!

I am Bella Morrisseau Whiskeyjack, I live in Sherwood Park Alberta, and I am 10 years old. I would like to tell you about education before and after COVID-19 on reserves in Western Canada.

Kids and teachers knew about the Coronavirus, and at first the kids made jokes about it, but they stopped once it got serious. Then, kids stopped making jokes and actually started talking about how people around the world were getting very sick from the virus and actually died from it.

Online school was difficult for me because I couldn’t see or hear my classmate’s opinions, but I got used to it and throughout each day it became easier to do my schoolwork. My classmates and I got very bored doing online school; there really wasn’t anywhere to go.

On some reserves, schools were shut down entirely; there was no online school. This was due to two problems: limited access to Internet and computer availability in their community.  

• Internet: Reserves did not get Internet because they were in isolation.
• Computer Availability: reserves didn’t have electronics because the nearest town is 4 hours away, plus there was no Internet.

I believe that those children deserved the education that they were supposed to get before the Coronavirus hit. When schools reopen, those kids will have to restart that school year.

Online school wasn’t all bad. At least some kids got an education that will allow them to move on to the next year, but I think we all should have gotten that education. Let’s give a huge thanks to the schools that did give us a proper education, and for all the workers around the world who keep us all safe.

Voice of Bella Morrisseau Whiskeyjack

Bella Morrisseau Whiskeyjack was born in Edmonton, Alberta and is a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. She lost her father at an early age, and is raised along with her brother by a loving Grandfather of the Grand Rapids Cree. Bella loves school and spending time with her family and friends. She has been recognized for her outstanding writing talents through school awards and wishes to be a writer in the future. She also is interested in veterinary sciences and construction.

Many a life lesson has been taught to me by the animals that I have been fortunate enough to work with in my 23- year career as a Marine Biologist.

Nowhere has this been more apparent than here in the U.A.E, where Jumeirah Group proudly supports and provides resources for the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project’s work with critically endangered stranded sea-turtles, requiring human intervention.  As an indicator species, their abundance, distribution, and health in the ecosystem are reflective of local environmental conditions. 

Every year we are in awe of the resilience of these amazing reptiles, that have been around for eons, for despite all that is being thrown at them, in the face of adversity, they continue to adapt to the increasing anthropogenic pressures cast upon them.  We also witness more and more youth partaking in and being vociferous in the need for all to subscribe to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and in our case, particularly SDG-14-Life below water. 

Now, more than ever, we need the Voice of Future Generations to be heard, as we grapple with important issues affecting not only the future of the turtles, but also our very own. 

As one of the cornerstones of our mission is to educate the youth about the plight of sea-turtles globally, we are fortunate to be in a position to regularly engage meaningfully with them here at the project. We eagerly look forward to reading inspiring stories of these magnificent, ancient, ocean-dwelling mariners and their fight for survival, as seen through the eyes of the next generation of ocean ambassadors!

Favourite childhood book? Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe. 

Favourite book right now? Voyage of the Turtle, Carl Safina.

Favourite lesson at school? Biology.

Favourite animal/lifeform? Too close to call between turtles and penguins.

Favourite hero/heroine? Ocean Elder, Dr. Sylvia Earle.

Gerhard Beukes, self-confessed Thalassophile, is the late director of the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project, based at Jumeirah’s Burj Al Arab hotel, in Dubai, where his team has successfully rehabilitated and released 1856 sea turtles since project inception.