Inside the Staffroom
The benefits of educators
applying for awards
By Chassie Selouane
A
s educators, we encourage
our students to explore their
boundaries and expand their
horizons, all while developing
the skills needed to be productive
global citizens. We work tirelessly
to seek out, create or even develop
opportunities for students to showcase
their knowledge and skills to the world.
We often use these competitions as a
platform for our students to showcase
their talents.
There are many national and
international
level
competitions.
It is commonplace for students to
participate in school wide competitions
like, Science Fairs, Spelling Bees,
or Talent Shows. All of these build
students’ confidence, increase their
skills and in many cases provide them
with prizes and scholarship money.
The tangible prizes are not the only
benefits of participation. The skills
developed in the process of the
competition can provide a myriad of
opportunities and lead to successes
later in life.
competitions gives an educator the
chance to try out new instructional
techniques, theories or ideas and
gain valuable feedback from unbiased
peers, who are not invested in the
success or failure of the programme
being explored.
Competitions also give teachers a
chance to network with other education
industry professionals. Professional
development is often thought of
as in service classes, but in reality
it comes in a wide variety of forms.
Networking with fellow teachers and
simply initiating conversation about
best instructional practices can be a
valuable professional development
opportunity that can bring back
useful information to your classroom.
Becoming a finalist, or winning an
educational competition can generate
recognition for both you and your
school. It can build your personal CV
and enhance your reputation in the
educational community.
Educators who enter competitions can
use them as a chance to be model,
values of good sportsmanship to
their students. Teachers often repeat
to their students that winning isn’t
everything, and that it’s all about the
effort you put into the final project
and the personal satisfaction involved
in the competition. Regardless of
the outcome, your students will see
that you are practicing what you
preach, and striving to push the same
boundaries and horizons you have
urged them to push.
In short, perhaps the most important
benefit of teachers competing in
outside competitions is best put into
words by the Harold Cosell quote,
“The ultimate victory in competition
is derived from the inner satisfaction
of knowing that you have done your
best and that you have gotten the
most out of what you had to give” and
what a better example to set for your
students.
Interestingly, there are a number of
competitions that allow educators to
do just what we push our students to
do daily. It is ample time that we also
took advantage of the competitions
that are available to educators that
will also allow us to continue to grow
in our professional lives. A lot more
of us educators should consider
entering
academic
competitions
such as the Gulf Educational Awards,
Hamdan Bin Rashid Distinguished
Teacher Award or the Global Teacher
Prize.
Competitions like these
allow educators the opportunity to
showcase the hard work and creativity
you put into your classes.
As teachers in such a diverse
international setting as the UAE,
we push our students to be lifelong
learners with a focus on global
citizenship. Despite this, we often have
little interaction with others outside the
school walls. Educators who participate
in outside competitions have a chance
to share with those beyond the
confines of their school community the
wonderful and innovative things going
on in their classrooms. Participation in
Class Time
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