Coverage: Gabriela Neves
Photography: Mahmoud Mansi
What are the problems teachers, students and parents face nowadays in Egypt? To what educational level should the parent be involved with the son/daughter? What we see in most of schools today are parents that don’t know anything about what their children learn, teachers that don’t like to use technology in their own favor in classes or students who don’t pay attention in anything in school because it is a “boring class”. Because of this and other problems in education, it is necessary that teachers and other professionals come together to discuss and find a solution to improve the school environment, and therefore secure a better future for the next generation.
On the 3rd of December 2016 the “Innovation in Education 2” Conference took place in Mediterranean Azur Hotel in Alexandria. The conference was hosted by Notting Hill College. The School is known for the teaching’s training programs that improve teacher’s skills and intensify their knowledge. The conference was led by Notting Hill College School of Teachers Training Team in Egypt, and it contained 8 speakers and more than 100 delegates.
Since we live in digital era, a lot of things changed and transformed our life, including education. Consequently, it is necessary that teachers discuss these changes and what they can do in their classroom to make their students interested in learning. With this in mind, Notting Hill College organized this event with a team that talked about technology, leadership for both; teachers and students, Human Resources, creative writing, motivation, family engagement and so on.
All the lectures dialogued about points that are really important to be highlighted in these days. For Dr. Tamer Victor, for example, the technology must be used as a tool by the teachers, in a way that, they make many things with this tool that the class can be an entertainment for the students. The teacher needs to be creative with smartphones, tablets and laptops using in their own favor, not against this gadgets.
For Mr. Wael Hossam – GM of HR Company – who has experience in people development, spoke about how teachers need to be leaders and make their students develop their own leadership skills through all the years in the school.
Eng. Engy Abdalla – one of the delegates – is a teacher and a community development officer at Caritas, has a 3 years old daughter and said that she doesn’t believe in formal education anymore because it does not develop the self-confidence, teamwork and creativity. But with an event like ‘Innovation in Education 2’ she felt that things could change: “My heart is filled with hope when I attend such events I feel there is a positive movement to try to push the formal rigid system into a real interactive learning journey for children.”
The conference also highlighted the importance of Humans Resources in the school environment. The focus of HR in this context is team motivation to achieve goals, leadership search and parental engagement for reach excellence in teaching. As for Mr. Mahmoud Mansi, one of the speakers who has experience in HR and creative writing, spoke about how teach teacher is an HR person as they manage the class, motivate the students, enhance equality, measure their performance, and so on. He spoke about the importance of writing for giving voice to the students.
Some of the speakers were very happy with the excitement of the audience. “If only half of the ideas and enthusiasm that I felt, enjoyed and listened to during the conference were implemented by education policy makers in Egypt, our educational system, school management and teachers would be transformed and considered one of the reputable educational systems in the world.” – Ms. Rehab ElSokary, Managing Director of Colours Early Learning Centre.
Mr. Mohamed Morsi – an independent strategy, marketing and business development consultant – has spoken about consumer behavior and how parents choose schools for their children. He said that in Egypt most parents choose the schools based on the choice of their best friends so that the children can be together. He explained that is not a reasonable way of choosing because that’s their child’s future, “That’s why we need proper school branding in Egypt to help parents make the most suitable choice.”
As a Brazilian journalist, I assume that most of the problems discussed in the conference are problems not just in the Egyptian educational system, but is included in a lot of countries, including my own. We also need parents to get more involved, teachers who are also leaders and students interested in their classes. This kind of event is really important to give teachers support and its impact must be spread in a way that helps more and more people all over the world.
“Innovation for Education 2” Speakers:
Dr. Tamer Victor – Challenge and Change in Teaching; Digital Upheaval
Mr. Ebeid Atef Ebeid – Office 365
Ms. Rehab Aly ElSokary – Promote family engagement promote success
Mr. Mohamed Morsi – They demand, we brand
Mr. Mahmoud Mansi – Human resources management & Creative writing
Ms. Nesreen Bahgat El-Nesr – Leveling Up Learners’ Motivation by Gamifying Assessment
Mr. Wael Hossam – Alternative Teaching Methods
Mr. Said Hassan Ahmad – “تعلم النحو بطريقة “العواميد