Educational Institutions - The Arab Culturalist

Cultural Openness is Formed by the Age of 9

December 13, 2018March 13, 2021debbieNo Comments

Diversity is a reality, especially in Dubai. But how do we promote cultural openness and understanding that lasts into adulthood? Children from a very young age develop preferences for just about everything from food to clothing color to attitudes towards individuality. We have born or innate tendencies towards our likes and dislikes, and we form a comfort zone based on our early experiences and how they are reinforced through to adulthood. For instance, when I asked students to where a pink shirt on Cancer Awareness Day some of the boys refused. “He said pink is for girls”. When they came to school the next day and some many of their… Read More

Culturally Responsive Classroom Management

October 18, 2018May 18, 2021debbieNo Comments

At a recent regional educational conference I overheard a conversation between seasoned teachers about teaching in the Middle East. “I don’t know why I struggle so much with classroom management! I feel exhausted at the end of the day, rather than a sense that my students have learned something. I’m not a recess monitor, I’m a teacher!” Acknowledging the problem is the first step in building a strategy that works towards creating caring, controlled, self-regulation classrooms that promote inclusion and successful learning outcomes. However, UNDERSTANDING the root of the problem is vital. The conversation continued, “I have always thought of myself as a successful teacher, able to meet the needs… Read More

Cultural Intelligence for Kids?

September 13, 2018March 13, 2021debbieNo Comments

Cultural Intelligence (soft skills) or CQ has fast forwarded into mainstream teaching at many top colleges and universities including Harvard and Cambridge. Why? Because the education needs of this generation of students are rapidly changing, and Cultural Intelligence is no longer a “nice to have” but a “need to know”. And, it is something best developed at a young age along with other skills like critical thinking. So, how can we incorporate CQ into our classrooms? Firstly, for those out there who are unfamiliar with the terminology, CQ or Cultural Quotient is the measure of our ability to thrive in multi-cultural environments. It’s our ability in many ways to feel… Read More