“Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity”.
Aristotle
Welcome to the summer edition of Teach Middle East Magazine. It is mid-April 2020, the summer term, but instead of being in school and picking up a copy of Teach Middle East Magazine in your staff room, you might be reading this publication from the comfort of your own home via our website www.teachmiddleeastmag.com or via the Teach Middle East free app which is available on all major app stores.
The world as we know it has been turned upside down by the Covid-19 global pandemic and we suspect things may never be the same again. If you are reading this issue much later and things have gone back to “normal” We are sure there are many lessons that were learned and many adversities that were overcome.
As this message is being typed, millions of children are out of school, with a few fortunate ones learning via distance learning platforms. Many parents are working from home and several countries are experiencing complete lockdown. Globally, we are being bombarded, on the news, with pictures of doom and gloom. The world economies are in free fall, health care systems are being stretched to their limits as never before and governments are scrambling to keep their countries afloat. But as its said, “every cloud has a silver lining”, we hope that this issue will be part of that silver lining for you, in a world that is currently filled with gloom, so sit back relax and enjoy turning the pages of your favourite education magazine.
We have been overwhelmed by the kindness that education companies have been showing during the covid-19 pandemic. Many companies have opened their online platforms to offer complimentary usage during the crisis. Authors have made audio versions of their books available so that students could continue to enjoy reading and listening to their favourite books, teachers and education consultants have donated hours of free courses and webinars online, all in a bid to ensure that learning continues. We salute you all.
In this issue of Teach Middle East Magazine we want to take your mind off all that is happening and bring you hope for a brighter future in education. We bring you helpful hints and techniques on how to make the most out of distance learning. We also look at what educators can do to balance on screen and off screen time. Keep turning the pages to meet the educators who are also content creators and make sure to check out their blogs, YouTube channels and podcasts.
We also chat with Henry Platten, the co-founder of GoBubble, the first social media platform for children, to find out what inspired him to launch such a platform and what his hopes are for young people going forward. Don’t forget to check out the ‘After The Bell’ section of the magazine, where we bring you articles to enhance your personal lives and wellbeing.
Later in the year we will be hosting the Middle East School Leadership Conference and the GESS EdTech Summit in Dubai on October 6-7, 2020. Keep checking www.schoolleadersme.com for more details.
Remember that the best conversations take place online with like-minded, connected educators, so connect with us on twitter @teachmiddleeast and on LinkedIn and Facebook @Teach Middle East Magazine, as well as on Instagram @teachmiddleeast. Download the free Teach Middle East App on all major app stores.
We are stronger together!
