Teachers of Shantiniketan Indian School who attended the Qatar Foundation’s EDI Teaching Learning Forum 2017 education conference stated that they were highly benefited by the keynote sessions of Dr. Mae Jemison (Astronaut and NASA’s first Science Mission Specialist), Katherine K. Merseth (Faculty Director, Teacher Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education), Dr. Deborah Jewell Sherman (Director of the Urban Superintendents Program, Harvard Graduate School of Education) and Tom Schimmer (Education consultant from Vancouver).
Dr. Mae Jemison urged all educators and teachers to empower children to attain higher skills and to inspire them to dream big. Katherine K. Merseth stressed on the integration of Science, Maths and technology for developing the logical and critical thinking skills of children to love mathematics. Dr. Deborah Jewell Sherman discussed the different levels of leadership and how a teacher could get transformed to a leader of leaders and to ensure higher productivity of the institution or of the system. Mr. Dudley O’ Connor, SIS Vice-Principal, in a poster presentation elaborated the new 3Gs strategy of teaching and learning. The three Gs in the process are Genuine self-awareness, Generous hard work and Generative innovations. The poster was highly appreciated by many delegates. Among the conference delegates from SIS were Mr. K.C. Abdul Latheef (SIS President), Dr. Subhash B. Nair (Principal) Mr. Shihabudeen Pulath (Senior Vice-Principal), Mr. Dudley O’ Connor (Vice-Principal), Mrs. Mehjabeen Hasan (Senior Head Teacher), Mrs. Heena Imran (Head Teacher), Mr. Shakir Hussain (HOD. Social Science) and Mr. Mudassir Kirmani (HOD. Arabic).
Teachers carefully selected and attended paper presentations during the breakout sessions. The teaching learning forum gave teachers a wonderful professional development and opportunity for interaction with renowned educationists.
