International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
Mariam also described a visit from a female Emirati Cluster Manager, stating that she was a “model from the
field to our class.” Two participants, Mariam and Khawla, explicitly referenced the opportunity to express
themselves as an empowering element of the program. Khawla said:
I found myself in this program, really … I never had the opportunity to be allowed to talk,
only in like, in [my] master’s [degree program] … to be addressed, you know, recognized I
think I just found myself there. I found that I have abilities there because these people they
encourage a lot.
All four participants referenced discussions and collaboration as essential to the success of the program, as
exemplified by a statement from Hessa, who said, “We were discussing all the time, calling each other, trying to
solve things, …Alhamdulillah we managed and it was not that difficult, it was proper and achievable, we can do
it.”
Although the program lasted for only a few weeks, participants referenced its structure and content as
providing them with a great deal of benefit.
Hessa, Fatima, and Mariam all believed the program was highly contextualized and appropriate to the culture;
however, Khawla suggested that further attention to contextualization would strengthen the program. Hessa said
that the program “contained everything which ADEC represents. It’s nothing from outside or not linked to our
culture, it represents ADEC … really it was suitable.” Fatima concurred, stating, “We were very lucky to work
with… [these] teachers, or doctors these people, yes. … They know exactly what we will go through when we
become vice-principal.” Mariam said:
They [the program leaders] considered our identity, they considered our culture, everything,
everything. Even when we welcome some males, some lecturers, they respect everything.
Even, I am wearing Niqab [a face-covering veil] outside and they respect everything.… They
know, I think they know about our culture and understand everything.”
However, Khawla offered some advice for ensuring that program materials are appropriately adjusted to the
culture:
Okay, I understand that the person who put this program maybe he is Westerner but maybe
there are not like people, professional people in that field like Emirati. I feel that some people
want to Westernize things so in order to put our cultural aspect in it it’s like a challenge or
difficult. …I think the program should be put by or reviewed by people who understand the
culture and think how it can be more applicable, can be more effective when it is applied in
our system.
Overall, most participants believed that it would be better to change the timing of the program and release the
teachers from teaching duties before the commencement of the program. Despite some suggestions for
improvement, most participants expressed generally positive feelings toward the program, especially concerning
the knowledge and dedication of the program faculty.
Upon completion of the six-week program, the participants presented a showcase event to Dr. Mugheer and
to other dignitaries from ADEC. During the ceremony, Khawla told Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili, Director General of
ADEC, “thank you for that [program], because you gave us an opportunity. It is like empowering women.” After
her first year as a vice-principal, Khawla reflected on her statements to Dr. Mugheer after the initial intensive
program; she said:
We realize that we learned … the theoretical part of it but in practice it would be different, we
realized that. But it was so different, so harsh, but I think this is life. It is not as like what is in
the book, you read the book okay but when you go into the reality it is something different,
different.
Experience as a First-year Vice-principal—Hessa
Hessa and Khawla both experienced a unique difficulty in their initial experience as vice-principals because
they were assigned to schools that were not yet built, with principals who had not yet arrived from overseas.
Hessa described her situation, stating, “The difficulty, the difficult thing was when we graduated we thought that
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