A MOMENT WITH EVO HANNA
A MOMENT WITH
EVO HANNAN
BY : LEISA GRACE WILSON
Evo was born in the northwest of England and grew up on Merseyside , where he attended primary and secondary school . His parents emigrated from Bangladesh to the UK and started a family when they arrived in the 1970s . When he was younger , his father taught him to seek opportunities continually , be bold and take risks , a philosophy that motivates him to this day . If you have been an educator in the Middle East for any period of time , the chances are that you might have heard of Evo .
Evo is very active in the regional education scene . He is a passionate Design and Innovation Leader at an IB World School in Dubai . His 20 years in education has inspired a number of projects that promote student agency and the UN SDGs . He is also a TEDx speaker and the host of Ed Talks Live on YouTube , a talk show which engages with educators and thought leaders from across the globe .
In this instalment of ‘ A Moment With ’, we invite you to get to know more about this passionate educator .
What are your fondest memories of school ?
The time I spent with my family and friends is definitely my fondest memory of my time in school . I went to primary school with my sister and three brothers , and it was a lot of fun . I was also fortunate to have made some excellent friends during my primary school years . Our friendship continued into secondary school , and we are still friends to this day .
Who was your favourite teacher and why ?
My favourite teacher was called Mr
Yarrington . He was my Design and Technology teacher at the secondary school that I attended , Mosslands School on the Wirral . He had an uncanny ability to communicate ideas in very simple ways , making everything connect and have meaning . He also inspired me to always think big and without limits .
What led you to your current career in education ?
After developing a passion for design in school , I was intrigued to see how much further I could develop creativity . I applied to study Product Design and Development at the University of Salford . After graduating , I visited Mr Yarrington to share my news . The conversation came up about being a Design and Technology teacher , and the next week I applied for a PGCE in Design and Technology at Liverpool John Moores , eventually leading me to start my teaching career .
What has been one of the biggest lessons you have learned as an educator ?
One of the biggest lessons I have learned as an educator is to always maintain a healthy work / life balance . It ’ s easy to dedicate most , if not all , of your free time to planning units and assessing work . By doing this , I found I was running out of energy and slowly feeling the dreaded teacher burnout before half term . I ’ d advise all teachers to make well-being a priority .
You have been in UAE education for over a decade ; what are some changes you have observed over this period in the education sector ?
I remember arriving in Dubai in September 2007 and chatting with all the new teachers . Most had an idea of staying 3 or 4 years . Fourteen years on , and I ’ m still here . During that time , education and the UAE have both changed dramatically . I ’ ve witnessed a significant rise in the use of technology in classrooms . I ’ ve also seen a greater focus on well-being . The most impactful change happened when the National Agenda was introduced , and the KHDA highlighted the importance of innovation in education . I instantly understood the importance being placed on innovation , and this became a priority both professionally and personally .
You are about to move on from the UAE and the classroom , what are your plans for the future ?
Unfortunately , my Dubai adventure is coming to an end . I will be relocating back to the UK this summer , and I ’ m looking at making a career change . I ’ m one of these people who come up with a hundred ideas a week but doesn ’ t know what to do with them . I ’ ve been lucky to have experienced some freelancing , and this , mixed with my passion for ideas , had led me to take a step out of the classroom after 20 wonderful years to start my own enterprise . They say if you want something and you cannot find it , then you must create it . My passion is to connect the global education community , so I am about to create a platform that connects innovation , education , creativity , and freelancing together . Watch this space …
There has been a rise in education influencers and content creators ; In what ways can these educators develop their platforms ?
It ’ s great to see the creativity of
46 Term 3 Apr - Jun 2021 After the Bell