How Covid is Changing the Way Lessons Look
With social distancing now a must in UAE schools, teachers have had to rapidly change how their classrooms look and lessons are implemented. No longer can children sit side by side to work through a task or take part in physical activities which involve close contact. Much as we all hope that these measures will be for the short term only, necessity has always been the mother of invention and UAE teachers have worked hard to ensure that right from the get-go lessons are just as effective and engaging as they always were. Here we share with you some of our favourite classroom innovations...
Sporting Life
If ever an area of school life was going to change under the current restrictions, it was sport and PE. We were therefore delighted to see that teachers at Fairgreen International School have been delivering exciting PE lessons from week 1. Here, students take part in a orienteering lesson right from their school gymnasium...
At Kent College Dubai, 5 and 6 year old Year 1 students were able to maintain social distancing from their teacher from and each other during this fun looking lesson...
At Dunecrest American School, students of all ages have been challenged to climb the height of the Burj Khalifa in order to stay fit and active.
Performing Arts
Keeping the energy and creativity going in Performing Arts lessons was always going to be a challenge, however it's clear that the teachers at JESS Arabian Ranches have thought of ways to make sure their students can express themselves and develop their acting skills. In our cover photo and below, Year 13 students at JESS Arabian Ranches convey the emotions of conflict with incredible power, even while remaining distant from one another.
Dunecrest American School has seen the arrival of a significant number of new students this terms. Music lessons have therefore become a fun way of getting to know each other. Below, Music teacher Mari-Carmen uses a “body percussion game” for students of all ages to get learn new classmates’ names. Students follow a steady beat and a gesture pattern- e.g. pat twice, clap, snap and say “I’m Michael, what’s your name?”
Staying Social
Probably the most missed aspect of school life during the school closures, just being social and hanging out with friends is so very vital to the well-being of students of all ages. Back at Dunecrest American School, the staff have come up with ways to theme break times to keep things feeling fresh and exciting. From “campfire-style” bubble breaks to an open mic lunches and crazy cardboard cutaways (modelled by below by Director Bill Debrugge!), there is a lot going on in the school.
Being social isn't just about interacting with students, of course, and at JESS Arabian Ranches online assemblies have ensured that all new teachers are introduced to the student body.
Early Years
Young school students are kept in 'stable groups of 10' (or less) in all schools. In the photo below, we see these groups (or bubbles) work together while apart.
We would love to see more exciting classroom innovations. Send your best photos to [email protected] and we will share them in this feature.
