Education Feb 2018

February 2018

DOHA COLLEGE

Excellence for All, Excellence from All

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oha College is one of the leading British curriculum schools in Qatar, offering an outstanding education to students between the ages of 3 and 18. Established in 1980, the college was opened to meet the demand for a British-style education. Today, it boasts over 1,900 students from Principal Dr Steffen Sommer 75 nationalities – a truly international community operating on a not-for-profit basis.

At the helm of the school is Principal Dr Steffen Sommer, an experienced educationalist with over 25 years’ experience, having led three successful British international schools across Europe. His vision has driven Doha College to achieve its best ever examination results in 2017, affirming its motto of ‘Excellence for All, Excellence from All’.

Doha College’s impressive state-of-the-art campus set to open in 2020

Digital learning is intergrated across teaching at Doha College

Primary and Secondary, as well as expansive indoor and outdoor sports facilities.

Doha College will continue to operate from two campus locations following its launch. The 4-form Primary School at its West Bay campus will remain in addition to a 6-form Primary School and a 10-form Secondary School at its Al Wajba site.

With impressive expansion plans, future generations of Doha College students will thrive and unlock their full potential in an environment which is fit for the learning needs of the 21st century.

Dana Alfardan, composer whose music flies the world over on-board Qatar Airways.

Most significantly, the Doha College legacy was vastly enriched by alumnus HH Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. n

A world-class education Doha College is the first school in Qatar to be accredited under the new Council of British International Schools (COBIS) Patron’s Accreditation and Compliance Scheme. n 2017 examinations saw two students achieve “best in the world”, three achieve “best in the Middle East” and another three attain “Best in Qatar” results for IGCSE. n The college offers a broad choice of courses to study, totalling 25 A-Level subjects and a BTEC Diploma in Sports Coaching. n At Doha College, digital learning is fully integrated in the curriculum; the school was recently shortlisted by the British International Schools Magazine Awards in the “Outstanding Digital Technology Initiative” category. n The college was the first school in Qatar to be awarded an Eco-Schools Green Flag from the Foundation for Environmental Education in 2016, following a rigorous inspection. Its work on environmental issues won the school the 2017 British International Schools Award in the “International Impact” category. n Its extensive extra-curricular programme offers over 170 activities to enrich learning. n

Vision for the future Construction of a new 90,000 meter sq. stateof-the-art campus in Al Wajba is set to begin and will open in September 2020, the year of the 40th anniversary of Doha College. With cutting-edge facilities and inspiring learning environments, the new development will feature dedicated zones for

Alumnus Jakub Hrinda, one of the youngest players in the European tour to compete in the Qatar Masters 2015 Doha College students received ‘Best in the World’ award for 2017 examinations

Graduates who make a difference Doha College alumni include Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, Harvard and Yale students. With over 90% accepting places at their first choice universities, all students strive to aim for the highest-ranking courses internationally. Some high profile alumni include: n Ainsley Jordan, who recently secured a role in British-American television drama series Outlander.

She has also performed lead in ‘The Snow Queen’ by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. n Hassan Al Thawadi, who is now leading Qatar’s sporting vision as Head of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Committee. n Jakub Hrinda, who became one of the youngest players in the European Tour to compete in the Qatar Masters 2015. n Nada Arakji, the first female athlete to represent Qatar at the 2012 Olympics in the 50m freestyle swim.

High-Performance Learning Doha College is one of only eight pioneering High Performance Learning (HPL) schools in the world. HPL is an advanced pedagogy that supports schools to become world-class through systematically developing superior cognitive performance in all students. When applied, its proven framework and methodology leads to increasingly strong academic results, well-motivated, engaged and life-ready students.

Doha College in the community The school is closely associated with prominent academies offering tuition in sports, music and drama, namely Evolution Sports Qatar, CrossFit Oryx, Musiqaa and Mockingbird Youth Theatre. It also hosts nationwide events that bring together hundreds of students from peer schools, such as the ‘Doha College Model United Nations’, the ‘Medical Review Schools Conference’ and ‘Qatar Primary School Choir of the Year’. The Doha College 5 and 10 km is also a well-established event in the sporting calendar of Qatar, lining up hundreds of runners each November.

EDUCATION 3

Latin proverb

Some Learning Benefits of Peer Tutoring A reduced pupil-teacher ratio that results in quicker feedbak and prompting. n More active learning with greater student ownership of the learning process. n Better application of knowlege and skills to new situations. n Greater self-disclosure and opportunities to respond may also result in less anxiety and fear of making errors. n

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eer tutoring is a system of using students to tutor other students. These programs can operate during normal class time as group activities or outside of class. Peer tutoring offers significantly more potential advantages than disadvantages, provided the tutors are well-prepared and monitored by the school.

Higher achievement Supporters of peer tutoring claim that these programs lead to higher levels of academic achievement. They insist that same-age peer tutors are as equally effective as non same-age tutors. Much of the claimed success of peer tutoring results from the fact that it offers substantially higher amounts of individual attention to learners than traditional classroom instruction. Peer tutoring provides a learning environment where learners can get immediate feedback on their progress.

Student confidence and comfort Students who receive peer tutoring feel more comfortable receiving instruction from fellow students than adult teachers, according to the Learning and Teaching Resource Centre. Feeling at ease with a peer tutor allows a student to concentrate better on the tasks of the lesson, which can then transfer into higher achievement. Peer tutoring also helps develop personal relationships between the tutor and the student. Each student improves his or her social skill set because unlike traditional instruction, peer tutoring occurs either in one-onone meetings or in small groups, which requires more focused communication between tutors and students.

Organization and training While peer tutoring can reduce the teacher’s burden of responsibility, it can also present a problem in terms of time. Peer tutoring programs require scheduling, and organization and peer tutors must be trained before being given assignments. All of these tasks can fall on the shoulders of the teacher or administration. Peer tutors need to be monitored and assessed, which takes more time and energy from teachers and the school.

Focus Publication team General Manager Mohd. Allam Ali

Director – Marketing & Communications James John

Supplement Editor

Learning by teaching The old saying goes like this: «to teach is to learn twice.» It suggests that teachers learn by teaching. A study conducted by K.J. Topping for the psychology department at The University of Dundee suggests that the adage is true; peer tutors enhance their own understanding of the material by teaching it to other students. Furthermore, when peer tutors provide tutoring, they are not simply learning the material better, they are also learning how to be teachers.

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EDUCATION

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Doha British School

Outstanding performance spanning two decades Doha British Schools (DBS) located in Ain Khaled and Wakra are recognized as amongst the most prestigious British Curriculum International Schools in Qatar and the wider Gulf region. We are proud of our very high standards of teaching and learning. Our core purpose is to ensure that every young person should gain as much as possible from our school. We base this on our fundamental belief that all young people can, need and want to learn.

Mr. Terry McGuire Principal

DBS is fully accredited by British Schools of the Middle East (BSME), Council of International Schools (CIS), Qatar National Schools Accreditation (QNSA) and British Schools Overseas (BSO). BSO is a hugely significant accreditation. The standards by which we are judged are based on UK Independent Schools Inspectorate criteria which are extensive and rigorous. We were first inspected by BSO in 2014. The results of their follow up inspection in June 2017 showed significant improvement in 3 years.

We were overwhelmed by their report. The school was deemed to be ‘Outstanding’ in 7 areas out of 8 and ‘Good’ in the 8th. This places us in the top echelon of all British curriculum international schools anywhere in the world. We could never have achieved this status without the dedication, commitment and energy of fantastic teachers, supportive parents and the most wonderful children one could ever wish to work with.

This year we celebrate 20 years of a first class environment of teaching and learning. We often talk about our determination to continuously improve. We have been relentless to that end for 20 years. The consequence of that being that DBS can rightly be considered to be one of the best English National Curriculum schools anywhere in the Gulf and probably much further afield.

Our determination is to ensure that the next 20 years are as fruitful as the first 20.

We are ambitious and determined in our pursuit of excellence. If you would like your child to be part of the DBS family, admissions are now open for both Primary schools (Ain Khaled and Wakra) and our Secondary school at Ain Khaled. Our Heads of Schools conduct tours at 10am every Thursday. You are welcome to join us.

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s the school population grows increasingly diverse, creating a link between home and school becomes more and more important.

All good teachers build a bridge between what students know and what they need to learn. Yet teaching that embraces students’ cultural backgrounds has largely been left out of current debates on what makes teachers effective. Culturally responsive teaching often requires confronting some of the most painful divides in life.

Demographic changes have made it increasingly likely that a teacher’s experiences don’t mirror those of her students. If you don’t know anything about the everyday lived experiences of your students — the cultural backgrounds, the dialects, the family, the home, the community — teachers tend to pull the examples for teaching from their own experiences.

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Culturally responsive pedagogy starts with the premise that race and class matter, and that some schools fail to send diverse students signals that they belong. To make sure all students feel valued, the theory goes, teachers need to be aware of their own biases, work deeply to understand their individual students, find ways to bring students’ heritage and community into the classroom, and hold all students to a high academic standard.

It’s a philosophy that makes intuitive sense, and that’s backed by a range of academic studies. But it requires subtlety.

Learning about students’ cultural backgrounds is an ongoing process that lasts a teacher’s entire career, beginning all over again each year with a new set of students. It’s really important to be really immersed in that local context to be able to culturally responsive. And I think that that’s messy work, and it’s really hard to quantify, but nevertheless vital.

Culturally responsive teaching doesn’t mean lowering standards. Take dialect, for example. Teachers need to help students speak and write in standard English, but they’ll be more successful in that effort if they begin by respecting the way a student and his family speak at home.

Creating a link between home and school can enrich all kinds of lessons. Teachers can ask their students to interview their communities and condense the information into a letter to the mayor. Parents can be invited into the classroom to talk about their work. Students can be asked to think critically about articles and texts, exploring them for signs of cultural bias.

AFG COLLEGE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN Nurturing business leaders of tomorrow‌

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FG College with the University of Aberdeen is a unique partnership between the Al Faleh Group for Educational and Academic Services (AFG) and the University of Aberdeen which opened its doors to undergraduate students in September 2017.

Thani, who identified the need for increased capacity within higher education to support the Qatar 2030 Vision and to contribute to the development of a stronger knowledge-based economy for the country.

Partnership Vision The vision is to deliver a firstrate UK higher education experience in Qatar with a strong emphasis on employability.

The institution will embrace social inclusion and allow access to university education beyond the academic elite.

The college offers a contemporary teaching and learning environment and provides Aberdeen University undergraduate degrees in Business Management and Accountancy & Finance.

The establishment of the institution is a significant achievement as AFG College with the University of Aberdeen has established the first UK University offering undergraduate management degrees within the State of Qatar.

This exciting university project has been developed under the leadership of Dr Sheikha Aisha bint Faleh Al

The university partnership will present the opportunity for those students living and working in Qatar to access UK degrees from one the leading international universities, currently ranked within the top 1% of global universities.

The vision includes the development of a regional research hub, drawing on the strengths of Aberdeen’s excellence in global academic research and working collaboratively with other Qatar-based educational and institutional partners to contribute to the wider knowledge based economy within the region.

Future Plans AFG College with the University of Aberdeen will be developed in two phases. Phase one will offer business degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with the planned introduction of the University of Aberdeen MBA and MSc in International Business Management from September 2018. Phase two is the establishment of a new larger university partnership campus offering engineering, medical and social science degrees. This new campus will be opening its doors in September 2020 with a student capacity of over 4,000.

The college currently has 136 undergraduate students now in their second semester of their Aberdeen degrees. With over 60% of students being Qatari nationals, both AFG and the university are extremely proud to be part of the growing higher educational community of Qatar.

By Hilary Wilce

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hat makes a child do well in school? When I ask parents that question, they always have lots of great answers: a high IQ, a terrific school, well-run lessons, skilled teachers, a creative curriculum and high expectations.

Although all these things help, the real secret of great learning lies elsewhere – inside children themselves. Increasingly, researchers are discovering that what children bring to the classroom matters every bit – and in many ways more – than what the classroom can offer them.

Children with the attitude and disposition that encourage good learning will flourish even in a mediocre school, while those who come with a mindset that hampers learning won›t be able to make much of even the best educational opportunities.

Numerous studies in the US and elsewhere show that test scores leap, often by more than 10 per cent, when children are encouraged to develop good attitudes towards themselves and their learning. As a result, schools around the world are starting to offer programmes to help their students develop key character strengths.

A recent “positive education” conference at Wellington College in Berkshire drew participants from America, Singapore and Australia to discuss how teachers can help students “grow” their inner cores.

But parents have been left out of this learning loop, and often don›t realise that there is far more to securing a good education for their children than simply bagging a place at the best school in the neighbourhood – schools and teachers can only turn

children into terrific learners if those children›s parents are laying down the foundations at home that will encourage pupils to step up to the challenges of the classroom.

There is growing evidence that character traits such as resilience, persistence, optimism and courage

actively contribute to improved academic grades.

And there are six key qualities that parents can foster in their children that will help them do their very best in school. These are:

1. Joie de vivre The ability to love and appreciate life might sound wishy-washy in the hard world of exam results, but love and security feed a host of qualities that great learners need. These include the ability to be open and receptive, to be willing and to feel connected.

Meanwhile, cultivating an attitude of appreciation means being able to enjoy the journey of learning, wonder at nature, relish a good story, feel good about achievements, and enjoy the companionship of the classroom. All of which, in turn, feed confidence, excitement and curiosity back into the learning loop.

2. Resilience For years, resilience has been known to be essential for great learning. Martin Seligman, the US psychology professor who has studied this extensively, has shown that it helps children think more flexibly and realistically, be more creative and ward off depression and anxiety.

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EDUCATION

Resilient children give things a try. They understand that learning has plenty of setbacks and that they can overcome them. Resilient children talk to themselves differently from non- resilient ones, and don›t turn mistakes into catastrophes (“I›ve failed my maths

test, it›s a disaster. I›ll never get maths!”). Instead, they look at a wider, more positive picture (“Ugh, that was a horrible test, and I screwed up, but I didn›t do enough work. Next time I›ll do more revision, and it›ll probably be a better paper as well”).

3. Self-discipline There are many famous pieces of research that show that children›s ability to control their impulses appears to lead to better health, wealth and mental happiness in later life. In school, self-discipline is central.

The pre-schooler who speaks up and asks what a word means in a story, rather than pretending to know, is already on the way to being a skilful learner.

Honesty allows children to build good links with teachers and mentors. It grows confidence, attracts goodwill, and gives children an infallible compass with which to steer their learning.

5. Courage Learning anything – piano, physics, tennis – is about approaching the unknown, and stepping up to new challenges. Great learners are just as frightened of this as others, but can overcome their fear and find focus.

Great learners need to listen, absorb and think. They need to keep going through difficult patches, stick at hard tasks, manage their time well and keep mental focus. Children who bounce about the classroom shouting the first answer that comes into their heads will never be great learners.

Of course, a joyless, overly controlled child will never be one either. Balance matters. All children need to develop a functioning “internal locus of control”.

They are able to try, fail, and try again. They can also navigate school life skilfully. Children need moral courage to turn away from distractions and to be willing to be seen as “a geek” if they want to study, while developing courage also helps them to stand their ground through the temptations of the teenage years.

4. Honesty

6. Kindness

Honesty matters for great learning because its opposites – deception and self-deception – hinder progress. Great learners don›t say “I’m brilliant at science” but, “I›m OK on photosynthesis, but not sure I›ve nailed atomic structure yet.” And this needs to start early.

Great learners are kind to themselves. They understand that learning is sometimes hard, and not always possible to get right, but keep a “good” voice going in their heads to encourage themselves on.

A kind disposition also draws other people to them and bolsters their learning through the help and

support of others, as well as allowing them to work productively in teams and groups. A kind disposition also feeds listening and empathy, which in turn foster deeper, more complex learning.

All these character qualities are great for learning – and also for life. Research shows that they help people build more confidence, face challenges better, earn more money, have more satisfying careers, build stronger relationships, and keep depression and anxiety at bay. Yet, sadly, figures also show that increasing numbers of children are growing up with less ability to control their moods, direct their actions, or show empathy and self-mastery, while many mental health problems, including eating disorders and self-harm, are on the rise.

Our children badly need us to help them develop stronger, more flexible backbones, and all the qualities that contribute to a strong inner core can be actively fostered and encouraged by parents (parents and schools working together is even better). Just as muscles grow stronger with regular exercise, so character traits are strengthened by thoughtful encouragement and reinforcement.

Courtesy: The Independent

EDUCATION 9

Educating citizens of the world…

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here are several elements that enable the Swiss International School of Qatar (SISQ) to provide a genuinely international education. Firstly, it models itself on one of the most international, open and multilingual countries in the world: Switzerland.

and achieve higher grades than students coming from national systems such as the A-Levels. Perhaps more importantly, over three quarters of IB graduates say that the programme made them more willing to understand and respect other cultures.

The role Switzerland has played as an agent of peace and dialogue between nations is a constant inspiration for the school. Multilingualism, for example, is probably what distinguishes SISQ from other schools in the region: all students learn English, French and Arabic from the age of three. While language programmes are often weak in primary schools, with one or two lessons a week, children study French every single day, which is making a huge difference to their progress.

Last, but not least, the school is truly international because of its population. SISQ is not another British, American or French school. It is proudly international and very careful not to let one culture overtake the others. The student body is composed of 50 nationalities and the children speak 28 languages, and they are taught by a very diverse group of teachers.

Many of the families come from multicultural backgrounds and appreciate the school’s efforts to foster their children’s multilingualism and international spirit.

Admissions for September 2018 are now open at the Swiss International School.

Interviews and assessments are being conducted from January to March.

In the words of Dr. Nancy Le Nezet, Director of Studies at the Swiss International School of Qatar Secondly, SISQ is an International Baccalaureate candidate school and offers the IB to all students in the Early Years, Primary and Secondary sections. The IB came from Switzerland and was designed to fit the needs of children moving from country to country. The IB purposefully promotes the qualities required to be a citizen of the world: open-mindedness, adaptability, exposure to a variety of cultures and perspectives.

In addition to being a rigorous academic programme, it focuses on key skills, character traits and attitudes that are more likely to make students successful on the world stage. In fact, research has shown that IB graduates are more likely to attend top universities

“When I was a philosophy student in France, I became interested in Diogenes, a Greek philosopher whose wisdom was passed down through anecdotes. In one of these, Diogenes is asked where he comes from and responds: “I am a citizen of the world”. In ancient Greece, where social status was entirely determined by a person’s place of birth, Diogenes’ answer was truly revolutionary.

The concept of “citizen of the world” made a huge impression on me. Although France was my home, I never felt fully “French”, and the phrase “citizen of the world” was a much better fit. When I finally got the chance to explore the world, however, I was shocked to see that not all expatriates were ready to leave their own culture behind in order to embrace new ones. In London, I discovered a whole world of unintegrated expats who seemed reluctant to change anything about their way of life. Sections of the French community were a prime example of this: they tended to live in South Kensington where they could buy French food, go to the French pharmacy and the French hair salon, send their children to the French Lycée, make French friends and attend French cultural events. I was baffled. If anything, South Kensington was less multicultural than the average French city.

I understood then that being a citizen of the world requires much more than simple relocation. It is a mindset, an openness, a willingness to listen and be transformed by the cultures around us. Becoming an international teacher gave me the chance to help children develop those qualities.

After years spent in various countries, arriving in Doha was a wonderful surprise: here was a real cosmopolitan city, incredibly rich in diversity and culture, the ideal place to set up a truly international school. Being part of the team founding the Swiss International School of Qatar (SISQ) has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career, largely because I feel we are on the right path to educate true citizens of the world.

Although I am no longer the slightly naive student who fell in love with Diogenes, I am so happy that I was able to follow in his footsteps to become a citizen of the world. But most of all, I am proud to be able to contribute to the education of new citizens of the world, in a truly international, multicultural and multilingual school.”

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Set up a play store As your child pretends to buy and sell groceries, toys, and so forth, he learns about counting, arithmetic, problem solving, and simple money concepts.

Pave new paths When your child plays in the sand, invite her to make roads for small cars. Then encourage her to talk about the paths she has made. These roads can be described geometrically (straight, curved, closed, and so on).

Encourage computer use Use computers wisely to “mathematize” situations.

Collect, classify, and sort things Encourage your child to sort his collections — rocks, marbles, pennies, shells, gummy bears, or anything. How many different shapes of leaves can he find? Can he sort apples by their color — green, red, or a little of both?

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hroughout the day, you can help your child connect her understandings to math by helping her represent her ideas. In other words, her intuitive ideas can become mathematical. Young children represent their ideas by talking, reading, writing, drawing, and playing.

For example, think about some common stories and their connections to math.

Most stories depend on logical ideas, such as classification and conditionals. To help your child connect her ideas through reading, encourage her to look carefully at the book itself and then discuss her ideas about the book’s meaning, noting the author and illustrator. Next, read the book aloud (with a sense of drama and humor, as appropriate) and straight through, without questions or comments from your child. While reading aloud in this way, sit so that she can see the illustrations. After you’re finished, help her connect the story with some of her own experiences. Ask open-ended questions and point out new vocabulary words. Then, develop related math ideas by re-reading parts of it and engaging in related activities.

Find shapes around you Look for shapes at home and outside (for example, street signs). Look for shapes inside of things, like windows and bricks in buildings, or triangles in bridges. Cut sandwiches into different shapes, and, before they eat them, invite children to arrange them to make as many shapes as they can.

Use counting motions If your child is in motion, perhaps going up stairs, help her count the steps or ask her to climb a certain number. Encourage her to hop on one foot seven times and to play games such as hopscotch that provide opportunities to work with numbers and patterning. Count how many times you can bounce a ball or skip rope without stopping.

Here are some other ways:

Ask your child to show numbers with her fingers Ask: “How old are you? How many pets do you have? How many cookies did you eat?” Ask her to show numbers in different ways — four can be three fingers on one hand and one finger on the other.

Measure everything

Provide blocks and open-ended materials Standard wooden blocks and Legos encourage children to build structures, learn about and combine shapes, compare sizes, and count. Playing with less structured materials, such as clay, sand, and water help children develop the foundations of measurement concepts. Encourage your child to use blocks and toys to act out and talk about his play scenarios, such as “these three cars are on the road to grandma’s house.” You could ask your child how many vehicles there are in all if he has three cars on the road to grandma’s house and two trucks on the highway to the factory.

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Count everything How many apples are in the basket? How many trees do you see outside your window? Count out food items during snack and meal times. Invite your child to set out enough snacks or cups for each family member, as it helps him see real meaning in that number.

Play games & solve puzzles Play games that involve counting, such as those with spinners, dice, or cards. Try “War” with a regular card deck, or play Uno. Puzzles, especially shape puzzles, build problem-solving skills, shape recognition, and spatial concepts.

Collect empty jars of various sizes and shapes and let your child explore and compare how much they hold by pouring water from one jar to another. Use a growth chart to mark your child’s height — mark your own, too. Count how many steps it takes to get from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Classify during clean up When it’s time to put away toys, books, or art supplies, encourage your child to classify things. Put all the blocks that are the same shape in the same box. This is also a good time to use spatial vocabulary, such as “next to,” “inside of,” or “on top of.”

Children are impressive problem solvers. They are beginning to learn the rules of the “reasoning game.”

Through problem-posing and problem-solving your child learns to express his inventiveness. He will build connections among mathematics, language, and creativity — the essence of learning to think.

child

By Colleen Davis Gardephe

two hours of quality programming a day. While some educational programs can be beneficial to kids, TV shows don’t interact with or respond to children, which are the two catalysts kids need to learn language. Computer games are interactive, but they aren’t responsive to a child’s ideas.

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arents play a critical role in a child’s language development. Studies have shown that children who are read to and spoken with a great deal during early childhood will have larger vocabularies and better grammar than those who aren’t. Here are some simple ways to nurture your baby’s language development.

1. Talk, talk, talk. Narrate the day as it evolves. Tell your child, for instance, “Now we’re going to take a bath. Can you feel the warm water on your belly?

When we dry off, we’ll get dressed and take a walk.”

3. Enjoy music together. Young children love music and movement. When they listen to lively songs, like “Old McDonald Had a Farm,” they learn about the world around them and the rhythm of language.

4. Tell stories. Make up elaborate stories with characters, conflict, adventure, and a happy ending. Be sure that the stories fit your child’s interests and aren’t too scary for her liking.

5. Follow your child’s lead. If your little one seems interested in a particular picture in a book, keep talking about it. If she seems intrigued by a boat, show her more boats and talk about them, too. Repeat her babbles back to her, ask questions, and interact with her. You can even try recording your child on a tape recorder and playing it back.

2. Read, read, read. It’s never too early to read to your baby. One good predictor of future reading success is the amount of time parents spend reading with their child. Parents can start with simple board books and graduate to picture books and longer stories as their child gets older. Story times at the local library or bookstore can also help a preschooler develop a love of books.

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6. Never criticize your child’s articulation or speech patterns. Instead, repeat his statements back to him with the correct pronunciation or word usage.

Give your child lots of praise for his efforts.

7. Use television and computers sparingly. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children younger than 2 not watch television at all, and that children 2 and older view no more than

8. Treat ear infections thoroughly. Children in group child-care situations are more prone to ear infections, which can put them at risk for hearing loss and, consequently, language delays. If your pediatrician prescribes an antibiotic to treat an infection, make sure your child takes the correct dosage each day and uses it for the full prescribed time. When your child finishes the prescription, schedule a follow-up visit with your pediatrician to make sure the infection has cleared.

9. Go on field trips. A trip to the zoo, the aquarium, or a children’s museum will open up a whole new world for your child. As an added bonus, she’ll want to learn the names of all those fascinating creatures and fun activities she experienced.

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nnovations in education technology have greatly changed every aspect of our lives in the last several years. Earlier, cell phones were seen more as a convenience than a necessity, students still lugged backpacks filled with fifty pounds of textbooks across campus, and the thought of cars driving themselves seemed absurd.

In just a short time, major innovations in technology and education-based learning have greatly changed our perspectives about how we teach learners of all grade levels.

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Technology in schools has been equally affected by innovation, both in the subject matter we teach, and the tools we use for learning. Here are 10 ways technology is re-shaping the way students learn, and what we can expect to come in the future...

Blackboard education software This education tool is already utilized in elementary, secondary, and university classrooms across the nation. Not only does this tech help students, teachers, and businesses utilize learning tools efficiently, schools can pull important data analytics that help improve student performance and curriculum. n

iPad programs Let’s start with the most obvious change in technology in the classroom.

Those heavy backpacks have become a lot lighter for most students thanks to the use of iPads by many schools to help students consolidate their learning materials in one place that weighs less than five pounds. iPads offer a place where all books can be sourced, as well as apps and additional online resources that make learning more efficient. n

Social media Think Facebook and Twitter are just for procrastinating your homework?

Think again. Classrooms across the nation are using both networks to engage learning, track coursework and help peers and students connect in ways that don’t make students roll their eyes. Plus, now that everyone’s parents have Facebook accounts, this gives them an opportunity to see what their kids are up to in the classroom. n

Coding in the classroom Did you ever think that the importance of learning cursive would be replaced by learning how to code? It’s happening right now. Coding has been coined the alphabet of the future by many education specialists.

Now, students as young as 5 and 6 are learning how to code and program computers. Courses that teach kids to code are increasingly common, and may be required in the near future. n

Wearable technology Physical education may no longer seem to have the importance in school systems that it used to. But with childhood obesity and Type 2 Diabetes becoming common in today’s youth, wearable tech, such as smart watches may help track and encourage physical education in young kids. Tracking steps, heart rate, and tying goals to incentives can help school districts stress the importance of health during busy school days. n

Foreign language learning Thanks to online tools, students can learn languages straight from natives of countries all over the world. Not only that, but they can connect with whole classrooms of learners in foreign countries for an interactive learning experience that helps students understand the importance of functioning in a world that is increasingly connected. Globalization is no longer a debate it’s just the way the world works in today’s tech-driven world. n

Storytelling through multimedia Sometimes the arts and storytelling get lost in the world of technology, which we typically attribute to math and science. But students can exercise their creative skills through multimedia storytelling while learning how to create and edit videos that present ideas through narrative devices. Music students can also benefit by using recording software, such as Garage Band. n

Virtual reality Remember when video screen conversations only took place in futuristic cartoons? Now we have Google hangouts, FaceTime, and other video tools for real-time engagement. Get ready for virtual reality devices created by companies, such as Google, that will make field trips to the Sahara and other foreign places a “reality” for students who can’t afford to leave their classrooms in US cities. These tools will also help students better comprehend complex subject matter that lectures, pictures, and chalkboards simply can’t convey. n

3-D printing Who would have ever thought you could print out 3-dimensional objects, such as tools, toys, medical devices, and anything else you can think of?

Now, it’s starting to happen, and this technology is only going to grow. Soon, students will be required to understand and use 3-D printers to function in their everyday lives. Look out for 3-D printers to appear in schools, and homes in the coming years. n

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Inspire Kindness Kindness is contagious. Even a simple smile can brigten someone’s day and get passed to the next person. Imagine a world where good deeds and smiles get passed to each person.... from mile to mile!

“In order for children to develop into happy, confident, well-rounded individuals, matters of the heart must be taken seriously and nurtured”

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ost people have heard the phrase ‘random acts of kindness’, which refers to a selfless act of giving resulting in the happiness of another person. Terms like this are increasing in popularity around the world, as more people identify a deficiency in their lives that can only be fulfilled by altruism. It seems we just can’t get enough of those addictive feel good emotions and with good reason.

Scientific studies have shown that kindness has a great number of physical and emotional benefits, and that children require a healthy dose of the warm and fuzzies in order to flourish as health, happy, wellrounded individuals.

When children are part of projects that help others less fortunate than themselves, it provides them with a real sense of perspective and helps them appreciate the good things in their own lives.

3. Increased peer acceptance Research on the subject has determined that kindness increases our ability to form meaningful connections with others. Studies show that kind, happy children enjoy greater peer acceptance because they are well-liked and that better than average mental health is reported in classrooms that practice more inclusive behaviour due to an even distribution of popularity.

A great number of benefits have been reported to support the theory of teaching kindness in schools:

2. Greater sense of belonging and improved self esteem Studies show that people experience a ‘helpers high’ when they do a good deed, a rush of endorphins that creates a lasting sense of pride, wellbeing and an enriched sense of belonging. Even small acts of kindness are reported to heighten our sense of wellbeing, increase energy and give a wonderful feeling of optimism and self worth.

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6. Better concentration & improved results Studies show that people experience a ‘helpers high’ when they do a good deed, a rush of endorphins that creates a lasting sense of pride, wellbeing and an enriched sense of belonging. Even small acts of kindness are reported to heighten our sense of wellbeing, increase energy and give a wonderful feeling of optimism and self worth.

7. Reduced depression

1. Happy children Science explains that the good feelings we experience when being kind are produced by endorphins that activate areas of the brain that are associated with pleasure, social connection and trust, and it’s proven that these feelings of joyfulness are contagious, encouraging more kind behaviour by the giver and recipient.

5. Increased feelings of gratitude

4. Improved health & less stress It’s widely documented that being kind can trigger a release of the hormone oxytocin which has a number of physical and mental health benefits as it can significantly increase a person’s level of happiness and reduce stress. More recently though, it’s been found it plays a significant role in the cardiovascular system, helping protect the heart by lowering blood pressure and reducing free radicals and inflammation, which incidentally speed up the ageing process.

Dr. Wayne Dyer, internationally renowned author and speaker, says research has discovered that an act of kindness increases levels of serotonin (a natural chemical responsible for improving mood) in the brain. It’s also found that serotonin levels are increased in both the giver and receiver of an act of kindness, as well as anyone who witnesses that kindness, making it a wonderful natural antidepressant.

We need to be prepared to teach kindness, because it can be delayed due to maltreatment early in life. It can be smothered under the weight of poverty, and it can be derailed by victimization later in life. Yet despite these and other travails, the receipt of kindness and the ability to show kindness through service are both growth enhancing and soul cleansing.

Kindness can be taught, and it is a defining aspect of civilized human life. It belongs in every home, school, neighborhood, and society.”

Qatar Academy Sidra Mission: Qatar Academy Sidra is a supportive community that engages and empowers all in the pursuit of learning through a student centered inquiry approach.

QAS is an international, co-eduational day school within the Qatar Foundation group of schools. Opened in 2011, QAS engages and empowers all in the pursuit of learning through student inquiry. Its vision is Leading Learning.

The school caters for students from Pre-3 to Grade 12 with the first graduating class in 2018. QAS is fully authorized by the International Baccalaureate (IB) as an IB World School. It is fully accredited by both the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Our academic year consists of two semesters that run from August to December and January to June.

The school’s faculty includes educators from Qatar and abroad with citizens of 23 different countries represented. Our school holds the values of unity, respect, integrity and kindness as central to its community, learning and teaching. These values are reflected in the rigorous academic programmes and the range of extra-curricula opportunities offered to our students. Students regularly participate in activities such as Model United Nations, Destination Imagination, World Scholar’s Cup, and the ROTA conference.

School community

QAS’s rigorous programme of study culminates in an American High School Diploma and/or IB Diploma.

In 2017-18, there are approximately 640 student enrolled from Pre-3 (age 3+) through grade 12(age 18) comprising 42 different nationalities in which 27% are Qatari citizens.

Curriculum QAS provides an international educational experience for our students through all three IB programmess: Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP) and the Diploma (DP). The IB Learner Profile is at the heart of the common framework and is at the heart of what is meant by “international mindedness”.

The school offers three tracks to graduation, all of which require students to complete twelve years of schooling and to achieve a minimum of 24 credits. Credits are required in: English, Mathematics, Humanities, Sciences, Arabic (or approved option), Physical Health Education, Qatar National studies, Islamic (or cultural studies) and Elective classes.

QAS’s current Grade DP students have applied to colleges all over the world, including Carnegie Mellon University – USA ; Qatar University – Qatar; Florida State University – USA; Ryerson University – Canada; St. Andrews – UK; University of Queensland – Australia; Universität der Künste – Germany.

By Elisabeth Lee

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here have been endless debates and studies on how much screen time is good for your child.

The American Academy Of Pediatrics (AAP) has for years stated that children aged two and under should have absolutely no screen time at all, and that parents should limit screen time for older children to just two hours a day.

But in a surprising move in 2015, the AAP changed its guidelines to reflect our changing awareness of how digital media is used. The AAP now defines screen time as time spent using digital media for entertainment. Other uses of digital media (such as for doing homework) don’t count as screen time. The academy now thinks that infants under the age of 18 months should not be exposed to any digital media at all, but that for children aged between two and five, screen time should be limited to one hour a day, and that limits for older children should be based on a parental assessment of needs and habits.

Another factor in terms of screen time and digital media use that most studies don’t take into account, is the quality of that time spent using technology.

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Here then are some ideas for how to introduce technology in a way that will help, rather than hinder your kids.

Set healthy limits You might want to base these on the AAP guidelines, or come up with your own, depending on your family needs and what works for your child.

Don’t forget to take regular breaks to avoid eyestrain.

A great way to set limits is also by modelling them – make sure that you practise what you preach and limit your own media use around your child!

Work together Sit down and actually use technology as a tool that lets you build bonds with your child.

Ask leading questions (What do you think we should do next?) or exploratory questions (Where does this go? What happens now?). This way, your child learns so much more than just the educational goals embedded within the app – you’re also developing social skills and communication.

Find a game you can play together Multiplayer games also facilitate bonding, while allowing you to demonstrate good sportsmanship.

Gaming together gives you a hobby that you can talk about, and can prompt interesting discussions.

Get involved Treat media like anything else your child does – get to know his world. Know what apps he is using, what sites he is visiting, and who his friends are, both online and off. Work with your child to come up with a media plan together.

However tech fits into your family’s life, don’t forget to keep face-to-face time intact. Keep areas of your house screenfree zones, such as bedrooms and the dining table, and don’t forget to reconnect regularly with your child.

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mart schools are trying out different teaching strategies to give a better learning experience for students. Despite the quality of the teaching you give, keeping them engaged throughout a classroom session is always challenging. The attention span of kids is very low than you can expect and so it is important to put in some serious effort to grab their attention.

Here are a few tips that might help you to keep the students engaged in your classroom that helps you have a quality teaching time: Warm up sessions: A good start can impact the way students grasp the lessons. It would be good to start it off with a warm up session. One of the commonly followed activities is writing some points related to what was taught in the previous class on the board. Students can actively find out the mistakes in it in a collaborative way.

So it is better to mix the teaching styles often and students would have a better learning experience.

Approach different subjects in a different way and consider the interests of the students too.

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Light movements: In order to improve their focus and attention, make them involve in light movements either in the beginning or in the middle of the lesson if you find them sleepy. The activities can be varied according to the class you are handling. It can be hand-clapping, rhythmic finger snapping, cross crawls or light march.

Gamification: This is one of the best ways to teach kids as they would always love to have ‘learn with fun’ experience. Games such as education bingo and bleep can be included to enhance their memory. Their vocabulary can be improved with vocabulary games such as ‘sentence race’.

Teachers can also bring in creativity games, team work activities and competition games to raise their spirit for learning.

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Quick writes: When you finish a particular topic, you can ask them to give a quick write of what you taught them. It can include important points covered in the topic and their judgement or conclusion regarding some tricky areas. This is a good way to keep students engaged with the lessons. This makes them focus more during the next classes.

Group works: Group learning is equally important as self learning as students can be trained to think in groups and improve their group decision making. Group assignments can be given once in a while when they can share their ideas and work out a project. They can bring out their exclusive ideas while accepting or considering others’ ideas too. This is another way to keep students engaged in the classroom.

Video sessions: Video sessions are a good option to grab student’s attention and focus.

The visual elements are processed faster by brain and this can make remarkable impact on their understanding of the topic. Variety can be made in this strategy too by including video presentations with beautiful slides or giving them video tutorials. Considering its importance, smart board options are gaining more importance in today’s classrooms.

Mix teaching styles: Following the same teaching style in every class creates boredom among students and they slowly start losing the interest.

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Education apps: Bringing in some technology to the classroom can take away the boredom and make the students engaging. With the wide use of mobiles, education apps are now becoming an inevitable tool in today’s classroom. With EDpuzzle, you can engage them with video sessions and Motion Math app lets you teach difficult mathematical problems through games.

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Quizzes and polls: Once a topic is covered, quizzes can be conducted by dividing class into groups. This activity is not only engaging but also one of the spontaneous ways to assess their understanding. Polls can also be conducted to get their feedback on the lessons, which is another option to pass the dead time.

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Encourage to and fro questions: Teachers should develop a habit of asking questions in between their lessons. And also give students an open platform to raise some questions or doubts regarding what was taught. This makes the classroom sessions more interactive. This also helps them to understand the lessons better. By framing questions and receiving answers, students can get a deeper view of the subject.

Activity learning: Making the students to sit stagnantly throughout the classroom sessions can be really boring for them. Teachers can utilize the classroom space and engage them in some activity learning to regain their interest. Jumping the line, mime or sports gallery can be tried once in a while to make students active and engaging.

This is the best way to make the afternoon learning sessions more productive.

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Connect with real life: Students would find it interesting if teachers can connect the subject that is being taught to incidents in real life. This also helps them to relate the subject better and gain a better understanding.

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Story telling: An interesting way to introduce a new subject is to start it with a story. Some teachers also bring stories in middle of lessons helping students to relate some facts in a better way. Kids would always love to hear stories and they crave for more. This is another way to engage them when handling tough subjects.

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Autonomy Support: Including students in the learning process is really important to gain their interest for the subject. Students should be given a platform to express their ideas or opinions during the activity. They should be given ample time to understand a particular subject and don’t rush to the next lesson.

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Flipped classroom: This is a credible learning technique which is being adopted in many smart classrooms. Students are asked to prepare the lessons in advance by referring some video tutorials. So when teacher discusses the lesson in the class, students would find the subject more engaging and interesting.

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Teacher-student relations: Maintaining good relation with students is important for a teacher to make the classes more positive. Students will have that freedom to express themselves whenever needed which gives them a sense of peace and happiness. Keeping up a pleasant classroom environment can impact the way they grasp the lessons.

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Take small breaks: Instead of having an hour long teaching sessions, take some small breaks in between to refresh the minds of students. You can talk or share something out of the syllabus and have a chit chat time with the students.

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Response cards: Students can be given response cards with options such as agree and disagree, multiple choices, yes/no or even emoticons.

During the class period, teacher can ask questions and students have to give response with these cards. This activity can make the classes interactive and engaging which kills the boredom of one way lectures.

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Dictation: For elementary classes, simple activities such as dictation can do the trick to pass the dead time. Once you cover a class, just give a simple dictation test to stimulate their memory and to make them comfortable with words and spelling.

It can be a mix of listen, repeat, read and write experience for kids.

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A to Z class summary: You may conclude a learning session with this activity to help them memorize or revise what they have learnt in the class. Students can write a summary of the class in sentences starting with all alphabets from A to

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By Mirza Ufaq Zehra

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o child flying a paper plane in the classroom is disinterested in learning. It is the flight of their plane making them inquisitive to think apart from the class.

A teacher always points out the mischief of a child but may not admire their learning to glide. Their quest of learning is to fly freely. In the classroom there are children with different mindsets, personalities, and attitudes. Usually a class categorizes its heterogeneous nature from high achievers to contrarians, class clowns to attention seekers, born leaders to day dreamers. The only one thing that brings them together under one banner head is learning, leaning to excel in life. However, we usually misinterpret this excel in life by only measuring it in terms of ‘best profession’ in future.

Unfortunately, some parents and teachers consider only a few professions as ‘best’ which actually is the first contempt for learning. Learning is not just limited to pursue the future goals, it has wider arena.

Learning skills and values are more important than just understanding a lesson. We need to understand that in each profession, people are well learnt. All professions are best when a person is best in it, no matter what it is. Students have their own interests, abilities and dreams which can lead them to acquire preferred knowledge and applications.

Z. This activity can be done in groups or as singles.

Teacher can evaluate to give a feedback and correct them if their understanding went wrong somewhere.

These are some of the commonly used ideas in smart classrooms to have a quality learning session. Teachers can wisely apply the teaching tips according to the age or the level of classroom that is being handled. Know their boundaries

when deciding on a new teaching strategy. It is important to maintain eye contact with the students and always give a space for them to come up with suggestions. Similarly praising and rewarding their works can really motivate them.

Using contemporary materials whenever possible and differentiation can actually work wonders in enhancing the student’s liking and interest for learning.

In a diverse classroom, organized students are considered as outstanding but the real beauty lies in the students with frivolous activities. Absent minds, doodling hands, twiddling fingers, flipping bottles, all are the signs of a beautiful mind. Let these beautiful minds explore their world of learning. These kids may be mischievous, notorious or introverts but they too deserve the same respect. Definitely there is indifference in the approach by parents as well as teachers towards these labeled low achievers. But, no student is a low achiever! They are low achievers on a particular set designed curriculum, which might not be appropriate for them. When a student is not satisfied or is facing difficulty in a set curriculum, is it justifiable to assess them on the same scale and then label them as a low achiever?

There is a huge difference in the abilities and calibre of students. Some students may not be interested in reading and writing they may get charmed by audio and visuals. Some may be good at painting, sports, singing, dancing etc. And these things are too to be learnt. Education doesn’t have one form.

A child learns the best practices and skills outside classroom more effectively which we call as ‘Beyond Classroom Learning’. Students can get education in numerous ways. We may consider certain courses best for their education. But no one can tell which course is best for a child unless there is a proper

research conducted on his behavior. It is the child himself who gives a clear idea and indication about his interests. If the child is not happy in the class, it means he needs some other stimulus. Instead of finding the best path for him we end up pressurizing him to study the same course in the same way.

Otherwise at best, teachers may slightly modify their way of teaching which is called as differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction is a process where a teacher tries to give different treatment to cater different types of learners in the same class.

Teacher reaches out to an individual or small group to vary his or her teaching as per child’s capacity in order to create the best learning experience.

However, it won’t be justified to speak about differentiated instruction unless it is not followed by differentiated assessment. Giving different treatment to specific students in the classroom and setting a same standard of examination at the end won’t be valid unless you set different standard of final assessment. Therefore, we should observe all the avenues before judging a student.

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5. Focus on the positives Students struggling with test anxiety are wrapped up in patterns of negative thinking when it comes to tests. They’re focusing on all of the mistakes they could make, everything that could go wrong, and how catastrophic a bad score could be. Shift their focus by helping them reflect on some positive past experiences. Ask them to tell you about a test that they did well on. Getting a student to stop and remember their own abilities can go a long way toward breaking the negativity cycle — and calm nerves in the process.

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ven as more emphasis is being placed on approaches like personalized learning, projectbased learning, and competency-based education, there’s no way around the reality that high-stakes testing remains a big deal. Teachers and students alike devote a lot of time and effort in the classroom and at home to preparing for exams every year because they know a lot is riding on them.

For some students, this causes their feelings about testing to morph from a willingness to try their best to all-out test anxiety.

Of course, no teacher or parent wants to see a student stressed out to this extent over any single test. So, what can educators do to help kids manage test anxiety, and take the fear out of testing day? Here are some tips:

confidence and peace of mind. Make sure you go in to testing season with a well-thought-out review plan to give your students plenty of chances to brush up on knowledge and skills they’ll be assessed on. It’s also very helpful to get your students comfortable with the type of test environment they’ll experience. If tests will be taken online, make sure your students are familiar with the kind of devices they’ll use and any technology-enhanced item typesthey’ll encounter. Consider offering extra review opportunities outside of class as well—bagel breakfasts, after-school snack sessions, or open office hours during prep periods are all low-pressure options that anxious students looking for some additional practice will appreciate.

1. Where their fear is coming from

Test taking is a skill in and of itself. Help calm anxious students’ nerves by making sure they are familiar with and have confidence in test-taking skills as well as the actual content they’re being tested on. Some of these best practices include reading questions completely before answering them (especially for tricky technology-enhanced item types), skipping over questions that students don’t know in order to manage time, and reviewing answers as time allows.

Having a better understanding of why a student is experiencing test anxiety can be hugely helpful in figuring out the best way to manage it. Some students will be able to articulate their feelings better than others, but regardless, asking the question will provide valuable clues as to what will help calm a student down.

2. Keep things in perspective In the grand scheme of things, no single test is going to define a student’s academic career, or have that significant of an impact on their future. After all, it’s just one test. As an adult, it’s probably much easier for you to understand this perspective than it is for your students — you’ve had more experience with both failure and success, realize they both happen, and know that no matter what, the world keeps turning.

Share this perspective with your students regularly, offering gentle reminders that every test is just a test, and no test defines how smart, successful, or worthy they are.

3. Prioritize classroom preparation efforts Studying and preparing beforehand are two things that students really do have control over when it comes to testing, and they can bring a lot of

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4. Teach effective test-taking strategies

6. Empower students with simple strategies For many students with test anxiety, the truly difficult moments don’t hit until they’ve sat down to take their test. Basic anxiety-reducing techniques can be a big help for these students. Encourage your learners to practice simple deep breathing exercises, use positive self-talk and mantras, or do seated stretches to release tension once the test is underway.

7. Help create a study schedule Some students who struggle with test anxiety spend countless hours studying, reviewing, and cramming in frantic efforts to get ready for exams.

While preparation is certainly key, it’s important to be intentional about how to go about it. Try helping your students create study schedules to follow at home.

Encourage them to block out reasonable blocks of time during their week, taking in to account other homework, extracurricular activities, and time for fun and relaxation. Having a schedule to follow can help kids manage stress, feel confident in their preparation efforts, and make more productive use of their study time.

Courtesy: edmentum

PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL – QATAR A SAFE HOME AWAY FROM HOME!

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he Philippine International School-Qatar (PISQ) is considered as a home away from home for children, thus the administrators/teachers would be their second parents. Every time these students are in school, teachers play an important role to each and every child who is entrusted to them.

Likewise, the Prefect of Discipline (POD) through its School Services Program (SSP) for all Junior High School students devoted an hour-long session to explain about bullying.

The first and second phase of this campaign was for students. The third and last phase was intended for the parents with the theme; ‘PISQ Rocks Out Bullies: Parents’ Guide to Help their Children Manage Bullying.’ It was a joint effort of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), headed by Mr. Wilson A. De Leon and Supreme Student Government (SSG) under the leadership of Ms. Beatrice Ysabela S. Hubalde. Parents were shown events that might happen to their children while they are in school and were also told ways to deal with bullying.

Since the school started its operation, school administrators make sure that all students would feel safe and secure while they are in the school. To highlight this goal, PISQ launched the anti-bullying campaign last November.

was conducted in every department to make sure that every student would be aware of the school’s program.

The module is the second phase of the campaign.

It was prepared by school’s Guidance Counselor, Ms. Neuwee M. Martinez. The module includes three topics; ‘Nature of Bullying, The Roles, and Preventive Strategies in Handling Bullying.’

‘PISQ Rocks Out Bullies’ is the school›s anti-bullying campaign. It is the school’s way of helping not only the victim but even the bully himself. This campaign involves three phases: 1 - Launching; 2 - Module; and 3 - Parent Orientation.

The anti-bullying campaign of the school started through awareness with the use of posters. The program

In order to make students feel safe and secure while in school, the administrators launched an anti-bullying campaign last November The modules were incorporated by the GMRC and ESP teachers into their lessons for all students to learn what is bullying and how to deal with it and whether one is a victim or a bully.

It is PISQ’s responsibility to keep the children safe and secure, but it will not succeed without the help of the community. Parents could play a big part in achieving the school’s goal of creating a child-friendly environment by proper intervention and good communication with their children and with the school personnel.

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roviding effective support for children’s emotional development starts with paying attention to their feelings and noticing how they manage them. By acknowledging children’s emotional responses and providing guidance, parents, carers and school staff can help children understand and accept feelings, and develop effective strategies for managing them.

Tune into children’s feelings & emotions Some emotions are easily identified, while others are less obvious.

Tuning into children’s emotions involves looking at their body language, listening to what they are saying and how they are saying it, and observing their behaviour. This allows you to respond more effectively to children’s needs and to offer more specific guidance to help children manage their emotions.

Be a role model Children learn about emotions and how to express them appropriately by watching others – especially parents, carers and school staff. Showing children the ways you understand and manage emotions helps children learn from your example. This includes examples of saying: “Sorry, I lost my temper” (because no parent is perfect!) and then showing how you might make amends.

When it comes to child development, feelings matter. Everyone feels overwhelmed at times but some children can react more strongly to everyday experiences than others. For this reason, it can be useful to understand how temperament affects feelings. Young children especially need adults to help them in developing coping skills for managing emotions. A great way to help children with their emotions is to role-model talking about emotions and being calm.

This can be especially helpful when supporting children around fear and worries. Everyone gets scared, and children can get scared for all sorts of reasons. Very young children are often afraid of imaginary things like monsters hiding under the bed. Older children usually fear real things that might happen, like being hurt. All children need reassurance and support so they can learn to cope with fear and worries on their own.

Older children can also benefit from understanding the relationship between coping with fears and helpful self-talk. Making sense of older children’s emotions requires tuning in, reflecting back to them what you’re noticing and asking open-ended questions. Helping children to manage feelings builds emotional self-awareness and can also help children to understand how thinking affects feelings.

Help children understand emotions Taking opportunities to talk with children and teach them about emotions helps children to become more aware of their own emotions as well as those of others. Encouraging children to feel comfortable with their emotions and providing them with practice in talking about their feelings helps children to further develop ways to manage their emotions.

Set limits on inappropriate expression of emotions It is very important for children to understand that it is okay to have a range of emotions and feelings, but that there are limits to the ways these should be expressed. While acknowledging children’s emotions, it is therefore very important to set limits on aggressive, unsafe or inappropriate behaviours.

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eading out to the bus stop with lunchboxes and backpacks in hand may be the traditional morning routine for school, but a growing number of students spend the day learning in the comforts of home. Cyber-school is a growing phenomenon that lets students learn online, taking the same classes as their public-school counterparts.

While it offers numerous advantages, including a variety of classes and lack of social distractions, educators and parents are concerned about its drawbacks.

Century Cyber Charter School, based in Exton, Pa., states that the flexibility of cyber-school results in a renewed curiosity and desire to learn. Being able to take responsibility for their own learning also helps students develop organizational skills necessary for success in high school and college.

Curriculum creativity Teachers in the traditional classroom often struggle with meeting the specific needs of individual students. Because classes are designed to accommodate all students, many students may find the pacing too fast or slow, resulting in frustration and boredom. Cyber-schooling allows you to customize your plan of study to fit your specific needs. For example, at the Lincoln Interactive Online Academy, sixth-grader Eric Carlson tailored his education to his strengths and weaknesses, taking third-grade English classes along with ninth-grade math classes. Cyberschool generally offers a wider range of courses, letting students explore personal areas of interest as well as required subjects.

Technology troubles Declaring independence Many second- and third-grade teachers have noticed a disturbing trend among their students: a lack of personal initiative. The American Psychological Association states that students who don’t feel they have choices in their education are less likely to put forth academic effort. The 21st

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cyber-schooling argue that giving students too much exposure to technology may backfire, resulting in more disturbances than in-depth learning.

While the Internet provides fertile ground for education, it is also fraught with distractions that could pose a threat to online students. In 2010, the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that the average student between the ages of 8 and 18 spends more than 7 1/2 hours per day using technology, including social networking, gaming, videos and music. The study also revealed a connection between heavy media use and poor grades, poor family relationships and impatience in social relationships. Opponents of

Intellectual isolation Although cyber-schooling eliminates social distractions like bullying, cliques and social hierarchies, the potential for isolation ignites concern for many parents and teachers. While removing these obstacles can enhance the quality of learning for some students, socialization in grades K through 12 can prepare students to handle difficult situations in college and future jobs. Other critics argue that in spite of access to online classrooms, chatrooms and message boards, these electronic interactions can’t replace the personal relationships, exchange of ideas and community of the traditional classroom.

Your future begins here

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tenden University of Applied Sciences – Qatar (SUAS-Q) is a campus of Stenden University of Applied Sciences which is based in the Netherlands. The Qatar campus is presently located at Al-Jeleait Street, Bin Omran. It is a joint venture between Al Faisal Holding and Stenden University of Applied Sciences.

The university aims to be a school of excellence and a premier provider of hospitality management, tourism management, and business management education in the region and internationally.

Gulf Times recently caught up with Mr. Faruk Azad, President of SUAS-Q Alumni Association.

Excerpts from an interview with him:

Stenden University of Applied Sciences - Qatar has now been here in Qatar for over a decade, how do you evaluate the progress of Qatar in the education sector?

Qatar has implemented fundamental changes in the past 10 years and improved standards considerably. A clear emphasis has fallen on the use of collaborative approach of peer review and mentoring, there is very clear support and direction provided by government agencies, with great institutional autonomy balanced by professional collaboration and a focus on inspirational leadership. Exercising creativity of education professionals in their respective field is encouraged and the teachers fully understand the reforms and their role within them.

Let us talk about the programmes at Stenden and how relevant are they to Qatar’s young generation?

Our Bachelor’s degree programmes, BBA – International Business and Management Studies, BBA – International Hospitality Management and BBA – Tourism Management are designed in a way that the personal and professional

development of our students are brought to the forefront by constantly challenging them to explore and expand their overall qualities and skills as well-rounded future working professionals.

These programmes aim to educate responsible, entrepreneurial and innovative young specialists who navigate with certainty in today›s challenging business and societal environments.

Do you have any student exchange programmes?

If any, how beneficial are those?

Our university has 5 locations worldwide, in the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia and Qatar. A student from any of the Stenden campuses can study up to one semester in any of the other locations, during their university years. It›s called the Grand Tour. It›s a great opportunity for not only cultural exchange but also to widen one›s perspective on how people in other countries face and solve challenges, think about solutions for our common problems differently. Every year, our Qatar campus receives students from the other Stenden campuses, an initiative that adds an extra dimension to the diversity and student experience at the campus.

The multicultural demography of Qatar must be reflecting on StendenQatar’s students as well, please talk about how the faculty deals with it.

Just like our students, the faculty

members also come from diverse cultural backgrounds. Thanks to the variety of nationalities represented among the faculty on campus and their previous multicultural personal and professional experiences, the faculty feel more than comfortable in such environments. I would say they thrive in such cultural diversity. This melting pot of cultures comes together on the campus to form a welcoming and hospitable environment for students.

Some of your facilities for extracurricular activities.

Stenden Qatar has a friendly and open environment where students not only study and learn, but also spend time together and organize activities, leisure and sports, have fun and relax, creating a network of close friends and future business associates in a family-like atmosphere.

Besides organizing special events that have a national and international focus, such as, Qatar National Day, Country events, or Charity Days, Stenden Qatar also has a great focus on sport activities. These bring staff and students together in a social context.

In line with the institution’s strategy, students at Stenden Qatar also engage in professional activities off-campus. This provides our students with a better overall development as they are exposed to the real world and creates awareness about the latest trends and policies in the industry. Stenden is regularly among the finalists of inter-

university challenges such as the International Case Competition.

Please leave a message for future candidates, and why they should opt for Stenden.

As our students are well equipped to start working in the real world immediately after graduation, they are highly sought--after by potential employers. We are proud of the high employability rates of our alumni within 6 months of graduation. We attribute such success to the balance between theory and practice offered by our three Bachelor of Business Administration degree programmes. The basis for our educational approach is what we call Problem Based Learning (PBL).

This is driven by challenging, openended problems whereby students work in small collaborative groups and teachers take on the role as facilitators of learning.

We ensure that both students and staff focus on the main objectives and strive to develop the whole person. With our Grand Tour, our exchange programme, a student can combine studying with travelling, to widen their cultural understanding of cross-national cooperation.

Stenden provides a flexible and broad-based professional education for the graduates to be welcomed worldwide, in all sectors of business and service management. A degree from Stenden University of Applied Sciences Qatar opens doors to an exciting future with varied career prospects and options.

Beyond the Classroom: CNA-Q students learn about themselves and others during international education trip

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recent week-long adventure trekking through Oman’s beautiful landscapes has forever changed a group of young students from College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q). The eight students, Khalid Al Mudahka, Yaghoob Azadi, Muhammad Ahsan, Ahmed Mahmaud, Zakaria Mohammad, Mohammed Khan, Abdulla El Makki, Abdulla Al Hemaidi, took part in an Outward Bound Oman trip. The students, along with college chaperons Kent Aitken and Greg Hiscock hiked, camped, cooked over open fires, learned how to navigate, and even how to make Bedouin bread.

“We had to be independent and eat, cook, and navigate through the desert by ourselves. The instructors were also amazing, I feel like I have two new best friends or even brothers,” said Khalid Al Mudahka, referring to Outward Bound employees Yusuf Al-kindi & Mohamed Al-Touqi.

Allison Furlong, Coordinator of International Education at CNA-Q, said the program was exactly what the College was looking for when it sought an international development opportunity for students.

“Outward Bound Oman provided CNA-Q students with a challenging but very rewarding learning opportunity,” she said. “By returning to a more traditional way of life lived by their forefathers – trekking through the desert, cooking over a fire

and navigating using points in the sky – they are preparing themselves to become Qatar’s next generation of leaders and visionaries. It’s a remarkable, full-circle leadership development opportunity that we are thrilled to be a part of.”

Students, who were off the grid (without mobile phones) for the duration of the program, hiked and used camels to explore the northeast side of Oman from Al Ashkharah to Al Kamil Wal Wafi, covering 50 kilometres in four days!

“This course is definitely going to help me with my future career, said Muhammad Ahsan. I now know how to work in teams and to help each other.”

Founded in 1941, Outward Bound is one of the world’s oldest and most far reaching human resource development organizations. Outward Bound Oman, uses the desert and mountains as an outdoor classroom to enable people to enter the workforce with the skills required to succeed.

“I gained a deeper appreciation of the students’ culture and work ethic,” said chaperone Kent Aitken. “It was interesting to watch natural leaders emerge from the group and see them come together as a cohesive team and form long lasting relationships.”

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Ideas that shape your world start here

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arnegie Mellon University attracts a certain type of student: motivated, inventive, and driven to make a difference. Students come to Carnegie Mellon to learn, create and innovate with the very best. They leave with the passion, connections, credentials and lifelong friends who will help them change the world.

Work that matters For more than a century, Carnegie Mellon University has challenged the curious and passionate to imagine and deliver work that matters. A private, global university, Carnegie Mellon stands among the world’s most renowned educational institutions, setting its own course with programs that inspire creativity and collaboration. Consistently top-ranked, Carnegie Mellon has more than 13,000 students and 100,000 alumni worldwide.

A world-class education in Qatar At the invitation of Qatar Foundation, Carnegie Mellon joined Education City in 2004 to deliver select programs that will support and contribute to the longterm development of Qatar. Today, Carnegie Mellon Qatar offers undergraduate programs in biological sciences, business administration, computational biology, computer science, and information systems.

Nearly 400 students from 35 countries call Carnegie Mellon Qatar home.

Programs of study CMU-Q offers undergraduate programs that are ahead of the curve, in fields at the forefront of technology, innovation, scientific discovery and economic growth. All undergraduate majors require four years of full-time study, after which students earn a bachelor of science degree.

Biological Sciences: The undergraduate degree in biological sciences uses interdisciplinary approaches to provide students with both intellectual breadth and depth of exposure to modern research biology.

Students enhance their undergraduate laboratory learning through discovery-based research. The research experience helps students apply the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they learn in the classroom.

Business Administration: The degree in business administration is based on the Carnegie Mellon model of management science, developed more than 50 years ago, that emphasizes analytical

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decision-making in complex business environments.

The program emphasizes a quantitative, analytical approach to the core areas of accounting, finance, economics, marketing, operations, management information systems and business communications.

Computational Biology: At the forefront of scientific discovery, computational biology is driving advances in biomedical imaging, genomics and proteomics.

Carnegie Mellon realized the potential early on, offering one of the first degree programs in the field.

A selective and rigorous program, the curriculum is grounded in the disciplines of biology and computer science, with a strong component of physical science and mathematics.

Computer Science: Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science is one of the world’s topranked programs; for decades, CMU graduates in computer science have been driving powerful advances in the field.

Throughout their education, students acquire skills that transcend technological trends.

The program provides the fundamental skills to develop new technologies: mathematical reasoning, algorithmic thinking and programming. A strong theoretical component provides the formal tools to remain current as technologies change.

Information Systems: From programming to project management to creating new ventures, the field of information systems uses technology to generate, process and distribute information. Information systems professionals work in a variety of settings to analyze how things connect and work together, whether virtual or real, from small processes to large organizations. They design new ways to address problems and challenges, and implement ideas that improve productivity and efficiency.

Learn by doing Students at Carnegie Mellon Qatar learn beyond the classroom through a slate of unique enrichment opportunities. Most students choose to study abroad during their four-year education, and many travel on academic trips that enhance classroom work.

Students who intern receive on-the-job experience, which adds an important dimension to their undergraduate education.

Research is part of the fabric of a Carnegie Mellon education. Students engage in a wide variety of research endeavors, such as independent studies, senior and honors theses, summer internships and funded projects as junior researchers.

Small campus, big spirit The CMU-Q student body is exceptionally diverse. Students form a busy and active community, participating in clubs, organizing large-scale events, traveling for service and academics, and competing in local and international contests. The low student-to-professor ratio means students receive unparalleled individual attention.

Graduates who make a difference Graduates from CMU-Q are highly sought-after: most choose careers in top organizations, while a significant number pursue graduate studies at international institutions. With ten graduating classes, the total number of alumni is nearly 700.

CMU-Q alumni are a growing influence, with most working in industry and government in Qatar and the region. You will find our alumni in organizations like Ooredoo, Qatar Airways, Qatar Shell, McKinsey and Company, KPMG Siemens and ExxonMobil.

In the budding entrepreneurial sector in Doha, CMU-Q alumni are a driving force, creating startups, mentoring current students and contributing to an emerging community of young innovators.

Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar Tutoring world-class physicians

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eill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) provides a world-class medical education that leads to a US-accredited Cornell University MD degree — the same degree awarded to graduates of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

The WCM-Q Six-Year Medical Program incorporates a two-year pre-medical curriculum and a four-year medical curriculum, both of which adhere to the extremely high standards of academic rigor and the pursuit of excellence for which Cornell University, an Ivy League institution, is renowned.

The two-year pre-medical curriculum teaches students the fundamentals of the basic sciences

modernization process, bringing it into line with the curriculum taught in New York. The result is a highly integrated medical curriculum that stands among the most innovative and progressive anywhere in the world, carefully designed to produce inquisitive, technically adept physicians equipped with the skills to thrive in the fast-paced world of 21st century medicine. The new curriculum integrates the teaching of the theoretical sciences, patient care and physicianship skills to an extremely high degree, giving students the chance to experience contact time with patients earlier and more frequently than ever before, under close supervision of trained faculty members.

The development of the new curriculum has been supported by a coordinated program of modernization and investment in WCM-Q’s facilities.

The college has expanded and enhanced its hi-tech Clinical Skills and Simulation Lab, investing in new and improved simulation-based learning teaching aids to allow students to learn crucial practical skills in a safe, controlled environment. When students begin their clinical rotations they are able to gain a diverse range of experiences at WCM-Q’s clinical affiliates: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, the Primary Health Care Corporation, the Feto Maternal Center, and Sidra Medicine. The new curriculum incorporates a four-month research experience in the fourth year to inculcate a passion for scientific inquiry among students, as well as an innovative ‘boot camp’ in the same year that coaches students in skills they will need to make a success of their residency programs after graduation.

of biology, chemistry and physics and introduces them to key themes in medicine, including human genetics, neuroscience, psychology and medical ethics. WCM-Q also offers a one-year Foundation Program designed to provide talented high school students with intensive coaching in math, English and basic sciences to prepare them for the exacting standards of the pre-medical curriculum. Students on all of WCM-Q’s programs benefit from the college’s extremely favorable student-to-faculty ratio, which provides many opportunities for small-group and one-to-one learning experiences. Teaching is by Cornell and Weill Cornell faculty, along with accomplished and experienced doctors from our affiliated organizations.

The four-year medical curriculum recently underwent a comprehensive revision and

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WCM-Q’s highly integrated medical curriculum is carefully designed to produce inquisitive, technically adept physicians equipped with the skills to thrive in the fast-paced world of 21st century medicine Graduates of WCM-Q go on to secure places on some of the world’s most sought-after medical residency training programs at elite institutions in the US, Qatar and all over the world, and thereafter have excellent job prospects thanks to Cornell’s reputation for academic achievement and excellence in medical education.

WCM-Q is committed to producing world-class, 21st century physicians and to date has graduated more than 301 doctors to serve their communities in Qatar and beyond.

Help students appreciate

history...

By Jenna Smith any young students aren’t big fans of history. Unlike reading and math, some students don’t see the point in studying historical events that happened in the past. They haven’t yet learned the saying “history repeats itself.”

Your students are the future leaders of the country. It’s critical that they know the country’s past in order to effectively lead it into the future. Getting kids to appreciate history is possible, but you may have to get creative in how you teach the lessons.

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1. See important pieces of history up close Reading about historical figures and their achievements can be interesting for some students. Others are more visual learners that prefer tangible teaching tools over reading. Regardless, all students will gain more appreciation for history when they see parts of it in person.

Trips to museums and libraries give students an opportunity to go beyond textbooks. For example, documents with presidential autographs help bring historical figures to life in a new way.

When students can actually see their handwriting it makes historical figures less mythological and more real.

Artifacts are a great way to elicit interest. Pieces of pottery found at an archeological site or even a piece of modern history, such as an old-fashioned toy or postcard can be a fun way to put personality to history.

When you rely on textbooks alone for teaching history, it can be hard for students to visualize what has happened.

However, when students see pieces of

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history up close it’s no longer something they just read about, but becomes more tangible.

2. Take field trips to historical sites Another way to bring history to life is to visit historical sites. Being in the very location where a major historical event happened can be extremely impactful.

This is often the case when students visit a place as significant as Civil War sites or locations closer to their home that play a part in their community’s history.

Keep an open mind as far as what you consider a historical site. National parks and public squares have historical meaning that can be of value to teachers that are getting students interested in past events.

3. Watch historical reenactments If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where groups do historical reenactments you’ll have another way to get students involved and interested.

Living history museums are another option. These museums are usually open-air locations with historical buildings and actors that embody people of the past. The actors are dressed in historical garb and explain what life was like in that area during a specific era.

Some museums even have hands-on exhibits that allow students to get a firsthand experience of what it was like to live in the past.

4. Invite guest speakers to share firsthand accounts Rather than leaving the classroom, you can bring a piece of history to your school. Inviting guest speakers who have a first-hand account of a historical event to talk to your class is an easy way to get students invested in learning.

The people who are part of a historical event have a unique perspective that your students will want to hear. They can bring the pages of American history to life and impart to students that history is relevant for life today. They’re living proof of the impact historical events can have in a single lifetime.

Finding such a person could be a simple as calling your local historical society, lodge or even asking families if there is someone who could come in and share with your class or school. Often, you will find there are grandparents, aunts or uncles who are willing to share their personal piece of history!

5. Get kids interested in history with art Art and history are intertwined.

Before written language was created, artwork was the best method people had for recording events. The Lascaux cave paintings, hieroglyphics in the Egyptian pyramids and renaissance murals all tell the story of human history. As such, art is a great tool for teaching history.

Rather than being passive observers, you can do class projects where the students are the artistic historians. For example, after studying the Lascaux cave paintings done by Ice Age CroMagnons you can have students do their own primitive “cave painting” that is symbolic of current events. You could also get students to bring in a piece of artwork that tells the history of their own family or city.

For tens of thousands of years humans have connected with each other through art. That connection is still just as strong today and can be a bridge to the past for young students.

HAMAD BIN KHALIFA UNIVERSITY Supporting the advancement of Qatar’s economy

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amad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development, was founded in 2010. The university began graduating students in 2014. It was named after Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir of Qatar. HBKU currently has more than 625 students, representing over 57 nationalities.

Master of Arts in Women, Society and Development Master of Arts in Digital Humanities and Societies

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College of Science and Engineering The College of Science and Engineering currently offers the largest selection of programs within the University. All of its programs involve collaboration with partners both inside the University, such as by utilizing the skills of expert scientists from HBKU’s prestigious research institutes, or working with external academic and industrial partners.

colleges as well as the specialists from the research institutes, who deliver courses as part of graduate programs. HBKU also boasts three national research institutes: Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), and Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI).

Executive Education Center The center aims to provide customized programs for the professional community of Qatar and the region that are in line with needs identified through the Qatar National Vision 2030.

HBKU Press HBKU Press is a cornerstone of Qatar’s knowledge-based economy by providing a unique local and international platform for literature, literacy, scholarship, discovery and learning. HBKU Press has published more than 90 books and houses QScience, an online research and academic resource.

HBKU offers 19 innovative multidisciplinary graduate degrees that are aligned to market needs and address future grand challenges. Its high quality academic programs are supported by strategic partnerships with well-established global institutions.

To provide the highest quality of education, HBKU faculty and researchers come from globally renowned institutions like MIT, USC, Pittsburg, Michigan, McGill, TAMU, Maryland, Northwestern, UPenn, UVA, HKUST and Imperial. They are leading scholars, members of renowned editorial board and thought-leaders working closely with industry and government.

College of Islamic Studies The College of Islamic Studies (CIS) provides a unique platform that contributes immensely to intellectual debates on Islam in a global context through its academic programs and distinguished research division, which include several research centers and clusters.

Programs on offer: n MA in Islamic Studies n MS in Islamic Finance

PhD in Computer Science and Engineering Master of Science in Sustainable Energy n PhD in Sustainable Energy n Master of Science in Sustainable Environment n PhD in Sustainable Environment n Master of Science in Cybersecurity n Master of Science in Data Science and Engineering n Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering n Executive Master in Energy and Resources n PhD in Genomics and Precision Medicine n Master of Science in Genomics and Precision Medicine n PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences n Master of Science in Biological and Biomedical Sciences n n

College of Law and Public Policy The College of Law and Public Policy is a worldclass provider of legal education with an international reputation for quality and innovation in teaching and research.

The Juris Doctor is the first-of-its-kind graduate law degree in the MENA region and has been developed in partnership with the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. The program focuses on the convergence of various legal systems in Qatar and their application in key Industries.

Research at HBKU Students can conduct research alongside experts in their field from the various centers under the

College of Humanities and Social Sciences The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) was established with a vision to enrich society in Qatar, the GCC and the wider world, by providing transformative educational experiences that bridge disciplinary boundaries, and by offering the academic community opportunities to engage in innovative research and collaboration.

Programs on offer: n Master of Arts in Translation Studies n Master of Arts in Audiovisual Translation

World-class campus The HBKU campus provides an endless array of opportunities. Students can enjoy world-class facilities, state-of-the-art labs, modern classrooms and two fully equipped libraries. HBKU Housing Complex is the largest collection of LEED-certified student housing facilities in the world, it is a space where students can engage in global leadership, sustainability and diversity.

Education City HBKU’s campus life combines the culture of its partner universities in Education City with its own culture and values. Education City is the home of eight branch campuses from top international universities. EC is also home to various centers that are preserving Qatar and the Arab world’s heritage, while promoting lifelong learning and creativity among both the Education City community and the general public:

Education City Student Center This is the “majlis” of Education City and serves as the hub for both formal and informal events and activities – from student-led discussion groups and art exhibitions to film screenings and sports tournaments. It also houses a range of shops and food outlets, and the offices of the HBKU Student Affairs team. Services include leadership training and employment opportunities.

HBKU regularly holds information sessions where faculty members are on hand to answer questions on curriculum and research opportunities. Students can also meet its admission team to discuss program application requirements and talk to current students and alumni about University life.

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NU-Q: Educating Future Leaders Think Big, Dream and Create at NU-Q

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or anyone interested in a career in journalism, strategic communication, production, screenwriting, or even law and business, studying at Northwestern University in Qatar will open up a world of possibilities.

Northwestern is recognized internationally for its educational programs, which are ranked among the top worldwide. The university is ranked 11th in the United States by U.S. News & World Report and in the top 20 universities worldwide by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

NU-Q offers bachelor’s degrees from Northwestern’s School of Communication and the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. NU-Q students enrolled in either the Journalism and Strategic Communication Program or the Communication Program also benefit from a variety of disciplines in the liberal arts from history and political science to literature and economics.

With a degree from NU-Q, our alumni have pursued careers as journalists, editors, strategic communicators, filmmakers, content creators, researchers, and lawyers. In addition, many of our graduates continue their academic careers at top international universities, including Oxford, Harvard, Northwestern, and Columbia.

For journalism and strategic communication students, getting out in the world and experiencing what it will be like to be a journalist or a professional public relations executive, begins with a 10-week residency program at major media organizations around the world. NU-Q students have worked at many of the leading news, media, and public relations firms in the world – including AJ+, National Geographic, VICE Media, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Financial Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Ogilvy & Mather, and many others.

and information so that students can transform their ideas into stories.

NU-Q is also a haven for aspiring documentary and filmmakers. Students have access to the latest technology to produce cinema-quality films, including production studios, a Foley studio, editing and mastering suites, and training from experts so that students can experiment and develop the skills needed to excel in all aspects of film production.

“Along with the knowledge acquired from NU-Q’s rigorous coursework students gain skills in analytic thinking and reasoning, creative problemsolving, speech, writing, logic, and leadership.”

NU-Q recently offered its first of a series of executive education programs in Sport Communications. The program – The Changing Business of Sport and Sport Communication – served as a link for professionals who want to begin or enhance a career in sport communication and included three masterclasses focused on sport media, marketing, and law. The programs were taught by faculty who have decades of experience in the industry of sport.

Students in the communication program, meanwhile, have the opportunity to send a semester at Northwestern’s home campus in the United States. The program allows the students to take classes and sample life at the home campus for one semester. Previously, NU-Q students used this opportunity to explore new areas of learning such as sculpting, music theory, 2D and 3D animation, and cinematography.

NU-Q will soon be home to the first university museum in the Arab world dedicated to exploring the content of media, journalism, and communication.

The digital museum – The Media Majlis at Northwestern University in Qatar – will explore and discuss with visitors to the museum the stories that challenge standard narratives as well as providing a 360° perspective on various subjects, questions, or events related to media and communication.

Northwestern’s Programs Students interested in news reporting, multimedia storytelling, and strategic communication enroll in NU-Q’s program in journalism and strategic communication. If their interest is more aligned with creative media - scriptwriting, cinematography, film production and animation – the program in communication offers the academic rigor, alongside the training in the technical components of those careers.

NU-Q students also benefit from a variety of disciplines in the liberal arts from history and political science to literature and economics. Along with the knowledge acquired from rigorous coursework students gain skills in analytic thinking and reasoning, creative problem-solving, speech, writing, logic, and leadership.

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Northwestern’s New Building Whether you are a student interested in television news and public affairs or in becoming a worldfamous documentary filmmaker – NU-Q’s new building has the equipment that will allow you to start experiencing those careers as an undergraduate.

The building has a newsroom with the most advanced technology, rivaling the TV sets of leading global news operations. With a news desk, an area for panel discussions, a social media screen, the stage is set for news production. In addition, live newswire feeds provide access to the latest news

Executive Education

The Media Majlis at Northwestern University in Qatar