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Welcome to the Teach Middle East Podcast, the ultimate audio hub where educators find inspiration, share innovative ideas, and grow together! Brought to you by Moftah Publishing—the minds behind the premier Teach Middle East Magazine—this podcast is your gateway to the latest research-based practices, cutting-edge classroom strategies, and the heartwarming stories of educators from the Middle East and around the globe.
As the only podcast that interviews school leaders from across the Middle East and beyond, we offer unparalleled insights into the challenges and successes that shape educational landscapes in diverse settings. Join us as we dive deep into the fascinating world of education, where every episode promises a treasure trove of insights designed to connect, develop, and empower the brilliant minds shaping our future. Whether you’re seeking fresh perspectives, practical tips, or a dose of inspiration, the Teach Middle East Podcast is your must-listen resource. Tune in and transform the way you teach!
144 Episodes
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Send a text We trace Mike Gilmour’s journey from Cape Town to Dubai, unpack how apartheid shaped his lens on inclusion, and dig into the daily mechanics of building a healthy school culture. We also explore AI’s pressure on old models and the human work that must endure. • early life in South Africa and university lessons on diversity • path from nonprofit sport to teaching and leadership • international moves, Singapore to Dubai, and why each mattered • What makes Dubai American Academy dis...
Send a text We explore what a 2040 job market means for schools, teachers, and teens, and why AI will force a reinvention of curriculum, space, and pedagogy. Practical steps help educators shift from content delivery to coaching human judgment, collaboration, and focus. • Why 2040 serves as a clear planning horizon • AI ubiquity across roles and daily life • gaps between industry needs and school delivery • makerspaces over classrooms for hands-on work • teacher role shifting to mentor and o...
Send a text We trace Alan’s path from rugby pitches and the Boys’ Brigade to classroom leadership and, later, stewarding one of the UAE’s fastest‑growing school groups. Along the way, we unpack Taaleem’s values, retention wins, Harrow’s authentic arrival in the UAE, and a balanced take on basics and AI. • Sport as a gateway to confidence and academic lift • relationships as the fourth R in teaching • shift from military ambition to classroom service • early career in languages and humanities...
Send a text We unpack what actually drives learning, why engagement is a poor proxy for understanding, and how to align curriculum, instruction, and assessment for long-term memory. Carl Hendrick challenges fads, makes a case for explicit instruction and retrieval, and explores where AI can help without doubling the workload. • Defining learning as change in long-term memory • Why learning styles and similar fads fail • Curriculum as the primary lever for improvement • Explicit instruction b...
Send a text What happens when school moves from vague ideas about “reimagining” to the nuts and bolts of design? We sit down with Russell John Cailey, founder of Elham Studio and former, to map a practical path from traditional classrooms to living, place-based learning that actually works. From 90s Manchester to Hiroshima, Boston, and Botswana, Russell shares the hard-won lessons that turned curiosity into a curriculum architecture schools can implement now. We break down a simple but deman...
Send a text We talk with Jeremy Newton, director of schools at the British International School Riyadh, about leading seven campuses during Saudi Arabia’s rapid transformation and how a non-profit British model adapts to local needs and Vision 2030. We explore AI in the curriculum, enrichment that prepares students for an uncertain future, and the school’s unexpected cameo on the Riyadh Monopoly board. • Jeremy’s path from East London to Riyadh • Life and opportunity in Riyadh for families •...
Send a text We meet Richard Drew, principal of Jumeira Baccalaureate School, and trace his path from sporty Nottingham kid and clarinettist to long-serving IB headteacher in Dubai. He shares why character, inclusion, and patient culture-building stay at the heart of JBS. • shifting from football to rugby and the habits sport builds • why learning an instrument strengthens patience and focus • choosing a BEd in PE and finding purpose in teaching • early rugby career, injury and lessons in res...
Send a text We trace a candid journey from Wall Street to Riyadh, exploring how a family‑owned school group opened Saudi Arabia’s first international Reggio‑inspired preschool and a trilingual K‑12, while building bridges between global classrooms and responsible AI. Practical stories mix with philosophy, policy, and culture to show how human‑centred schools grow in a fast‑changing Kingdom. • why Saudi Arabia’s education landscape is changing fast • government support and the super licence p...
Send a text We explore how a flexible online and hybrid model supports anxious and neurodivergent learners, elite athletes, and mobile families, while helping schools expand subject options without new hires. Hugh Viney shares a student’s journey from school refusal to Oxford and outlines a GCC hub for trips, meetups, and community. • Why some students thrive outside traditional classrooms • Asynchronous and live teaching blend that boosts engagement • Mentoring, community, clubs, trips, and...
Send a text We sit down with Dubai College headmaster Tomas Duckling to explore how a top school stays kind, rigorous, and human. From Watford roots and boarding school leadership to distributed decision-making and no emails after hours, Tom shares how he protects culture while moving forward. • DC’s calm culture, high standards, and strict boundaries on after-hours email • From Brunei and Switzerland to Dubai: lessons from boarding and international schools • Reputation, demand for places, ...
Send a text Salma and Leisa explore how to build classrooms in the UAE where every student feels seen and valued, and where local culture is integrated alongside global learning. Practical steps, candid reflections on bias, and clear guidance on using AI as a co-creator make this a toolkit for real change. • agreeing on a shared definition of culturally responsive practice • recognising and reflecting on bias through confidential prompts • creating learner profiles to understand language, hi...
Send a text What does it take to rise from teaching assistant to Director of Education? In this candid conversation, Nikki Williams shares her remarkable journey through international education to her current role leading Taleem's educational vision across multiple schools and curricula. Born into a nomadic life across Southeast Asia and the Middle East due to her father's career in oil and gas, Williams confesses she was never a model student. "Frankly, I couldn't have imagined any professi...
Send a text Dan Fitzpatrick returns to discuss the rapid evolution of AI in education since our last conversation in 2023, exploring how generative AI has moved from simple text-based tools to diverse applications creating music, videos, software and more. We examine the complex balance between embracing AI's educational potential while addressing growing concerns about safety, screen time, and the future of work. • AI now speaks our language, making it more accessible than previous technolo...
Send a text Rosemary Campbell-Stevens, veteran educator and decolonisation advocate, shares her journey from the Investing in Diversity programme to her current work reimagining education systems worldwide through a decolonial lens. • How the "Investing in Diversity" programme transformed leadership for global majority educators from 2003-2011 • The powerful shift from identifying as "ethnic minority" to embracing "global majority" identity • Growing up in a "nationalistic Jamaican household...
Send a text Nick Hart, Principal of Horizon English School in Dubai, shares his journey from aspiring footballer to educational leader and unpacks how school leadership must evolve beyond industrial models to embrace complexity and meaningful interactions. • Nick's unconventional path to education began with a sports science degree and a semi-professional football career • Horizon English School ranks among Dubai's top schools with exceptional academic achievement combined with happy childre...
Send a text Barry Cooper, founding principal of The Global College in Madrid, explores what educators should prioritise in the new academic year, with particular focus on navigating AI challenges and fostering critical thinking. • Barry's journey from considering priesthood to banking to finding his true calling in education • The Global College's vision of internationalism with at least 50% overseas students • Their innovative entrepreneurship program in partnership with IE University • Why...
Send a text Artificial intelligence is reshaping education, but are school leaders ready to guide this transformation? Veteran educator Ann Palmer, with over 35 years of leadership experience, shares her journey from headteacher to AI advocate, revealing a striking contrast between the UK's cautious approach and the Middle East's enthusiastic embrace of educational technology. After recognising how time-strapped administrators struggle with strategic tech integration, Palmer wrote her b...
Send a text Bloom World Academy in Dubai has implemented a pioneering AI qualification program, reflecting their innovative approach to education while maintaining a balance between technology and traditional values. • School starts at 9 AM rather than earlier, respecting students' sleep needs and family time • Offers flexible schedules (8 AM-5 PM) with optional enrichment activities • Creates a family-first environment with spaces for parents to work and socialise • Uses Learning Achievemen...
Send a text What shapes resilient educational leaders? Sue Aspinall's remarkable journey reveals how personal challenges can forge professional strength. Growing up in northern England, Sue watched her widowed mother raise four children with unwavering determination, a powerful example that instilled independence and resilience from an early age. This foundation propelled Sue to become the first woman in her family to pursue higher education, choosing teaching as a career path that promised s...
Send a text Akansha, founder and CEO of yourdailyreset.com, shares her journey from political journalism to championing teacher well-being in the UAE, drawing inspiration from growing up with educator parents and experiencing burnout firsthand in her media career. • Growing up with educator parents who encouraged critical thinking and supported her early interest in journalism • Pursuing journalism through education in Canada and the US before joining CNN and Vice News • Experiencing severe ...
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