Teach Middle East Podcast

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Leisa Grace sits down with Nathan Burns, “Mr Metacognition”, to clarify what metacognition really is and why it improves attainment when it is taught deliberately and embedded across school life. We explore how leaders can move beyond vague “thinking about thinking” to build independent, resilient learners through curriculum, routines and staff development. 
• Metacognition as plannin...

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We talk with Adrianna Rose about teaching in Dubai, building a life in the UAE, and how content creation can help other teachers make an informed move. We compare UK and UAE schools, unpack day-to-day routines and wellbeing, and share honest thoughts on moving during uncertain news cycles. 

• documenting UAE teacher life through content creation and why representation matters 
• Abu Dhabi versus ...

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Matthew and Leisa Grace explore what it means to truly see students as whole people, not just as attainment points on a dashboard. Matthew Savage helps us rethink data and assessment as relational knowledge that supports equity, belonging and wellbeing. 

• the equity problem behind performative data cultures 
• the Mona Lisa Effect as what personalised learning should feel like 
• how conform...

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We talk with Stephanie Holt about using AI in schools in ways that genuinely improve learning, from early years self-regulation to GCSE revision and teacher planning. We argue for purposeful screen use, better homework design, fairer assessment, and a school culture where curiosity and research are safe. 
• introducing AI early with supervised, age-appropriate routines 
• using tools like Alexa to su...

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We talk with Neal Oates, Principal of Star International School in Mirdif, Dubai, about leading with kindness while still holding the line on standards. 

We explore how resilient school teams are built long before a crisis, and why human connection matters more than any tool. 

• Neal’s route into education from industry and why fulfilment matters 
• Growing into leadership in the UAE through vi...

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We talk with Yasser Naveed about the growing AI divide between students and the adults meant to guide them, and why the real danger is not AI but ungoverned use. We share clear guardrails for home and school, so children gain the benefits of AI without losing trust, judgment, or independence.

• AI as a “Ferrari with no brakes” when there is no governance 
• hallucinations, false confidence and...

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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
• internationa...

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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
• make...

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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 i...

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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...

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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 curric...

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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.

• Jere...

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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 a...

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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&rsquo...

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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 liv...

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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: ...

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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 ...

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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 wa...

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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 n...