A Moment with

Ahmed, was born in Egypt. However, between 1980 and 1990, he was educated in Kuwait. With over 15 years of experience in education and training, he has held various positions such as; Head of Department, Principal, and Administrative Director. He is the founder of SchoolGamed, an education change initiative. Ahmed is also the administrator of Resources 4 Educators, which is a Facebook group with more than 1,000 members worldwide.

Ahmed received his M. Ed. in International Education from AIC( Springfield, MA, USA). In addition to a B. Sc. from the High Institute for Tourism and Hotels( Cairo), he currently holds Postgraduate Diplomas in Education and Islamic Studies, a Cambridge International Diploma in Teaching with ICT and several additional certifications. Ahmed lives in 6 October City, Giza, Egypt. A regular tester of new educational innovations, Ahmed is currently enrolled in a US-based, start-up Executive MBA program. Below Ahmed provides us with some valuable insights into how he keeps his passion for education going every day.

Who was your favourite teacher? Why?

My favourite teacher, was my Social Studies teacher, at Abdullah Assalem Secondary School, Mr. Mohammed Hegazy. He was supportive of my learning and other activities outside the classroom. He provided useful advise to me and my colleagues. I considered him to be more than just a teacher, he was more like an older brother.

What inspires you most?

Macedonian Conductor Von Karajan puts it“ I discovered that my two hands were not enough.” I feel that the work that needs to be done in education is bigger than just me, it will take everyone working together.

Share two major challenges that you faced. How did you overcome them?

The challenges I face in executing my duties on a daily basis are many. One major challenge I face is that of trying to develop leadership in my school. It is difficult to find and train the right people for each position, as well as delegate responsibilities to them. I encourage them to make decisions, while supporting them remotely, when needed. Another challenge is, providing the educators with the professional development they need, in order to help them become better in their current roles, as well as for their career progression.

What are some key qualities that every leader should possess and why?

In my opinion, leaders need to be connected to their teams and to the outer community, to be able to influence both circles. They should be able to provide sincere kindness to everyone around them, and make informed and courageous decisions, regardless of the opposition that they may face.

Share the ways in which the work that you are currently doing positively impacts young people.

My colleagues and I, help educators discover their inner hidden skills and meet professional development goals. We help them achieve selfgovernance, which ultimately leads to improving students’ attainment and progress.

What is one of your proudest achievements to date?

Introducing the idea of SchoolGamed initiative to schools, is one of my proudest achievements to date. SchoolGamed is an initiative which is seeking to change the K-12 education landscape. The concept of K-12 education has not changed since the Prussians started compulsory education in 1763. Every enhancement was done within the frame of school and classrooms. No major change of the whole system has been implemented. Therefore, my concept is to use several technologies to change K-12 education. The main technology or device is Microsoft HoloLens, which will be the method of delivering the curriculum. This technology uses computer embedded in glasses to deliver a holographic experience mixed with real life( Mixed reality).

Another concept in changing the curriculum, is centered around games which are designed to simulate students, allowing them to advance according to performance and not age, while being automatically positioned by the system into a field which they excel at. I am also working to change the education environment in which teaching and learning typically takes place, the classroom, and replace it with social and green indoor and outdoor spaces, using bean bags, couches, gardens, playgrounds, and lounges. In addition to this, I am also trialling, a new technology called Hypercells, which can be used to automatically create, shape shifting social spaces, that can be programmed to design and create the desired learning environment on its own.

What are three fun activities that you do to relax and take your mind off work?

In my free time, I promote educational professional development and reform. In addition, I like genealogy, listening to music, reading about history and technology, watching documentaries, and investing in crypto currencies

After The Bell | | Jan- Feb 2018 | 41