At one of the largest teacher induction events of its kind in the country for K-12 schools, GEMS Education hosted over 1,700 teachers and administrative staff from around the world at the ‘GEMS Awareness Day & Teacher and Leader Excellence Conference’, to join its school network.
The GEMS Awareness Day also provided an opportunity for new teachers to meet members of GEMS Education’s senior management and education teams who shared best practices in teaching and leadership.
The event was organised in association with the TELLAL (Teacher Learning and Leadership for All) Institute which is the first licensed dedicated teacher training institute in the UAE. The institute provides a pioneering curriculum, including specialist routes in Early Years, Arabic and Special Educational Needs, for pre-service and in-service teachers in the UAE.
Sunny Varkey, Chairman and Founder of GEMS Education, encouraged all the new teachers to put their best foot forward as they begin their journey with the group. He said: “To realise the UAE’s vision of becoming a knowledge society, it is essential to develop a skilled, talented and career-ready workforce. The GEMS Awareness Day instills passion, vision and pride in our new staff so they can identify with the greater national vision without losing sight of what they have to individually achieve in their respective schools. We hope this sense of pride translates to delivering great commitment to excellent student outcomes, within the classroom and beyond.”
The Teacher and Leader Excellence Conference had the new members participating in a series of discussions and workshops providing them with insights into the wide network of corporate initiatives under the GEMS umbrella. These activities included TELL and SHOW, TELLSHOPS (Workshops), TELL ALL (Panel Discussions) and TELL TALKS (TEDx style talks). These were presented by 86 teachers, who were nominated from each school within the GEMS network, based on demonstrating excellence in their practice and contexts.
Dino Varkey, Managing Director and Board Member, GEMS Education, said: “By initiating active discussions and engagement programmes, we strive towards empowering our teachers to represent what we stand for and to provide quality education to pupils of all ages. GEMS Education’s commitment to the teaching profession was evident through all aspects of this event while we continue to seek to foster every child’s potential placed in our care. Our new teachers are very much a part of that mission.”
Tony Little, Group Chief Education Officer, GEMS Education, added: “Our key focus is in delivering value-driven education through which our students can create a positive impact within the societies they live in. GEMS Awareness Day is a great representation of the vision we have towards developing and sustaining the best talent from around the world.”
For teachers who arrived in the UAE for the first time, presentations and useful guidance on living and settling into the UAE were organised to help them integrate easily within their new environment. The discussions covered a wide range of topics including UAE Governance, cultural sensitivity, etiquette, and activities residents can be involved in their spare time.
In addition, an open Q&A session was held where attendees had the opportunity to interact with existing staff to learn about their individual experiences while settling into their new role within GEMS Education.
GEMS Awareness day is an annual event held in September every year to welcome new teachers into the GEMS Education community.
