I graduated from the American University of Beirut in June 2007 with a B.A. in Elementary Language Arts and Social Studies Education. I was part of the founding team of Wellspring Learning Community, a bilingual international school in Beirut and PYP-authorized IB World School. I began as a classroom teaching assistant in the preschool and eventually became a classroom teacher for both preschool and lower elementary classes and ultimately, a pedagogical coach. In the spring of 2010, I completed a Diploma in Educational Management and Leadership from AUB. ��This experience gave me the opportunity to be involved in various aspects of my school’s professional growth. I actively participated in official PYP training, as well as extensive internal PYP and Reggio-related professional development experiences, including peer observation and feedback, text analysis and discussions, collegial case-story sharing and reflection, and facilitating internal professional development workshops. I have been a member of the school’s internal “coaching group,” a group that has worked specifically on improving their coaching practices and leadership skills. These opportunities helped become more equipped with different skills and knowledge, as I took on the role of the Language Liaison for the Elementary levels. I also have experience facilitating workshops for teachers in school-sponsored outreach events, an annual regional conference for science and mathematics teachers, and an inquiry workshop for a start up PYP school in Turkey. In Fall 2014 I will begin a new IB-PYP journey with GEMS World Academy Dubai.
After working in an IB-PYP environment for almost 7 years now, I have no doubt that this transdisciplinary holistic programme is compatible with my own personal views on the best ways children learn. As a teacher and a pedagogical leader, I grew more confident that this programme equips students with the elements they need to become life-long learners, something that I feel strong about as an adult.
