PREPAREDNESS LEADERSHIP BY GREGORY J. MONCADA
T
he COVID-19 pandemic acted as a crucible for educational practices across the world and at Qatar Academy for Science and Technology (QAST), the pressure to rapidly transform and respond to the needs of our students, teachers, and community was no different. We felt we were current and QAST’s initial steps went smoothly. Within days, however, it was clear that our way of thinking about what was effective learning was inadequate. Despite our best efforts, advanced planning, professional development, and open lines of communication, our way of thinking about distance learning was shaped by our in-school ideas. Thankfully, we had a preparedness mindset and this allowed us to make a quick succession of changes that led to improved student learning and well-being. 64 |