Teach Middle East Magazine Nov-Dec 2017 Issue 2 Volume 5 | Page 28

Sharing Good Practice HOW TO CREATE A CULTURE OF INNOVATION IN YOUR SCHOOL BY GEORGE STOKES “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do”. This well known Steve Jobs quote is hung above my desk as a constant reminder to keep thinking differently. As educators, we should tell our students this every day. Innovation is a hot topic in the UAE 26 | Nov - Dec 2017 | | in recent years and is only getting bigger as Dubai gears up for the EXPO 2020. After two successful innovation weeks, February is set to become ‘Innovation Month’ in 2018. Believing that innovation is the future of human investment, the UAE Leadership emphasises its importance across all sectors through the UAE Vision 2021: “Innovation, research, science and technology will form the pillars of a Class Time knowledge-based, highly productive and competitive economy”. Simply put, the aim is for the UAE to be among the most innovative countries in the world. What does all of this mean for schools? In May, Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Director- general of KHDA said that “in a world that is no longer standing still, schools need to keep up, and focus should be