Opening message in Al Mada yearbook - Summer 2019
It has been a
very exciting academic year for all of us at Rawafid. Just when I thought we
could safely say that a professional learning community has been established at
our school, I realized there were more horizons for us to explore. That is
where our new learning takes place, and that is where the magic happens!
Looking back
at the past year, there is so much to celebrate. Our continuous growth and our success
stories, story after another, bring joy and a sense of pride to the teachers
and students alike and to the Rawafid community at large. This year was marked
by the integration of many principles in teaching. Creating a positive spirit
in the school, turning learning into a social event, individualizing
instruction, and trusting the learners are a few of the principles teachers and
coaches have diligently worked on implementing in their practices. This
implementation is evident for the observer in both the classroom and the
playground.
Adopting new
practices was always preceded by training. This was followed by reflecting
on practices in order to evaluate and refine them. Planning for action
came after reflecting, and all taking place in a cyclic process where each
cycle fed into another. This goes hand in hand with the theory of experiential
learning that we passionately believe in. Coaching rather than supervising was
a vital practice that facilitated the process and transformed Rawafid’s
students, teachers and administrators into a community of learners. One of the
outcomes of coaching is reflected in hearing teachers willingly inviting
colleagues to attend their classrooms to observe new activities being tried
out.
All in all, I
can’t but feel proud of how far we have come at Rawafid. Of course, there are
still many more horizons to seek which we will reach and explore with enthusiasm,
dedication, love to discover and willingness to surpass ourselves.
Thus, we,
staff and students, will continue to learn, grow, achieve, inspire,
and be inspired!
and be inspired!
