2020-2021 School year reflection

When COVID-19, or as we called it at the time, “the coronavirus” began we started to realize that this virus wasn’t going anywhere, and we had to adapt to the “new normal” of hybrid and online learning. The focus of programs and services during the pandemic was to increase access to essential items, notably the necessary technology for learning. 

In Al -Hekma International school in Bahrain we offered three fully different approaches to meet the needs and requests of different students and families. We provided ongoing, transparent communication to explain processes, highlight the latest updates, news, and educational advice that formed and shaped our dynamic plan. We guided learning during a crisis in providing teachers immediate resources. Offered a full range of content including hands-on STEAM and provided a mix of project based learning. We continued to focus on 21st century skills and worked on improving student’s public speaking , presentations skills , creativity and confidence by holding virtual activities like BYE (Bahrain Young Entrepreneurs) and Shark Tank. We are certainly grateful for health and well being of our whole school community and grateful for the patience and understanding as we all jumped into new learning methods.

Returning to school for the 2021-2022 AY will be a time to focus on:

• Supporting the wellbeing, including the mental health, of students and staff and encouraging meaningful connections.
• Keeping learning coherent, focusing on the highest priorities for each grade level and content area, and moving forward, whether learning is occurring in person, remotely, or is a hybrid of the two.
• Meeting the needs of each student, including those most vulnerable, and addressing unfinished learning across remote and in-person contexts.
• Provide social-emotional stability for students, and stress on improving the student-teacher relationships.
• Aligning teaching roles, responsibilities, and structures to the new reality of teaching and learning and  designing schedules that accommodate this new reality, including structures for continuing learning and ensuring equity in remote environments. Schools will have to explicitly prioritize equity for all learners.
• Planning for a flexible approach that will enable the school to respond effectively to any changes in circumstances. This flexible plan ensures to have the ability to deliver more blended learning, or indeed move fully online if needed, whilst helping to meet the learning outcomes required by the course of study.