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A taste of life in Bahrain will help foster cultural understanding in the US by starting in the classroom, the organisers of an annual teaching initiative believe.
A group of 12 teachers from across America have gained a new perspective to add to their curriculums in the upcoming school year, after returning from Bahrain this week as part of the 4th Annual TEACH Fellowship (Teachers Educating Across Cultures in Harmony).
It is an initiative of the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce (BUSACC) and acts as a cross-cultural exchange programme between teachers from the US and the Arab world.
Each year, a dozen educators at elementary, middle, high school and collegiate levels are awarded the fellowship and travel to the region to gain first-hand experience they can bring back to their classrooms.
The 10-day trip to Bahrain and Qatar gave participants the chance to immerse themselves in Arab culture, meeting with business, academic and government leaders and reviewing best practices in education, teaching methodology and the classroom.
This year’s trip to Bahrain was sponsored by Bapco and GPIC, and focused on science, technology, engineering and maths. The teachers were able to take advantage of TEACH’s access to the energy sector by visiting a fertiliser and petrochemicals plant and an oil and gas refinery.
Aida Araissi, president of BUSACC said: “The maths and science teachers that make up the majority of educators in this year’s TEACH Fellowship will be able to foster a renewed interest in the hard sciences and engineering by applying their observations from Middle East educators to their classrooms.”
After returning, the teachers will participate in a series of lectures at university events and civic organisations, sharing stories of their experiences and their newfound impressions of the dynamics of US-Arab ties.
The aim of the presentations is to serve to advance cultural understanding of the Arab world, foster mutually beneficial initiatives and create a positive change in perception within both nations.
TEACH Fellowships are awarded based on applicant’s quality, objectivity and proposed plan for integrating the experience into their classroom curriculum.
This includes the development of practical learning assignment that enhances students’ understanding of diversity, as well as the prospective educator’s willingness and ability to share their experience with their school and community.
