Teach Middle East Magazine Jan - Apr 2021 Issue 2 Volume 8 | Page 25

Featured School

Hybrid Learning Model

IPS-M ’ s mantra is ‘ Honouring our past , Living in the present and Leaping into the Future ’. While firmly grounded in the accomplishments of their great past , IPS hurtles into the present with a bold vision directed to their future . In light of the current pandemic , the present became the past , and the future became the present . Since March 2020 , their professional learning community was catapulted into a new era of teaching and learning . They developed an Action plan for their return to school in the Fall of the 2020-2021 academic year . With the guidelines and precautionary measures set by the KHDA and Ministry of Health , they prepared to embark upon an academic year that would be a Hybrid model of learning . A portion of their learners were at school and the other at home .

the society . Their learners are happy , engaged , and hopeful .

Rahhal Program at IPS Mamzar

After much research about tertiary education in the UAE , it was found that there was a significant portion of Emiratis who did not enrol in institutions of higher learning after graduation . Even though the school boasts a 100 % graduation , they knew there was a need in the greater community that had to be addressed . In addition , they reflected on some of their existing students and alumni and

recognised that many of them had special talents and skills that could have been further developed . Taking this into consideration , they introduced the Rahhal program to the IPS Mamzar family . This courageous step is a prime example of the school ’ s responsiveness to the community ’ s needs . In the Spring of 2020 , IPS Mamzar became the first predominantly Emirati school to participate in the KHDA Rahhal program , and this occurred in the midst of the pandemic .

Frequently Asked Questions about Rahhal can be found here ( https :// www . khda . gov . ae / en / rahhalfaqs )

Their teachers were prepared to be effective under these new circumstances . Their Heads of Department and Coordinators ensured that the teachers developed a viable curriculum with prioritised standards , valid and reliable common formative assessments , and the utilisation of evidence-based instructional practices . Executive meetings that were once held face to face became virtual meetings , parent coffee & conversations were conducted remotely , and students and teachers were upskilling themselves with the newest technologies . A huge shift occurred , and their team adjusted to ensure the continuity of learning . Through it all , they maintained their theme of re-imagining education , which serves as the driving force for their thought process and strategic planning .

Their courageous and talented team of leaders and teachers were tasked with envisaging the needs of the learners during and post a global pandemic . Their professional learning teams collaborated to envision what ’ s next best practice and what learning may look like next term , next academic year , and years to come . With the PLC process as the driving force , they were able to conceptualise the future challenges and solutions for their families , their communities and

Al Ittihad Private School Al Mamzar , Executive Team

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