CLOSING THE CULTURAL GAP: A STUDY OF SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION OF WESTERN TEACHERS INTO EMIRATI SCHOOL CULTURE

By

SANDRA VONDERLIND

A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

2015

© 2015 Sandra Vonderlind

Für meine Mami Du bist mein Vorbild. Danke, dass du immer für mich da bist auf der Reise meines Lebens.

For my mom You are my role model. Thank you for being with me through my journey in life.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would never have been able to finish my dissertation without the guidance and support of Pathikrit Banerjee. You are the smartest person I know, and you nudged me to believe that I can achieve whatever I aspire to be.

I would like to offer my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Alyson Adams, for her outstanding guidance, genuine interest, and for helping me to produce the best quality of academic work which took a few iterations to get right.

I would like to thank Dr. Don Pemberton for introducing me to the University of

Florida, for writing my recommendation letter, and for supporting me to pursue my academic work. I hope I have lived up to his expectations.

I would like to thank Mark Whitfield, who as a good friend was always willing to help and give his expert suggestions.

I thank Hind Bakri Ahmed Abdulrahim for her support with the translations.

Finally, I thank all my friends, who were patient and understanding, and who are still my friends in spite of my years of relative social negligence.

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS

page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... 4

LIST OF TABLES ...... 8

ABSTRACT ...... 9

CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY ...... 11

Background and Significance of the Problem ...... 13 Study Context ...... 16 Purpose of the Study ...... 16 Research Questions: ...... 19 Researcher Connection to the Context ...... 19 Significance of the Study ...... 21

2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE ...... 22

Expatriate Teacher Communities and High Teacher Mobility ...... 23 School Reform Challenges in Arab Schools ...... 25 Educational Reform in Abu Dhabi ...... 26 Cross-cultural Adjustment in the Local School Setting ...... 29 Fostering Cross-cultural Dialogue among Western and Emirati Teachers and Leaders ...... 30 Cross-cultural Competence as a Skill of Teachers and School Leaders ...... 32 Conclusion ...... 34

3 METHODOLOGY ...... 36

Context of the Study ...... 36 The UAE – A Developing International Context ...... 36 UAE School Structures ...... 37 The New School Model (NSM) ...... 39 School Context of a Cycle 2 Public Schools in Abu Dhabi ...... 40 Research Study Design ...... 41 Research Questions ...... 42 Data Sources ...... 42 Selection of School Site ...... 45 Selection of Participants ...... 47 Description of Participants ...... 48 Data Analysis ...... 54 Establishing Credibility/Trustworthiness...... 56 Researcher Subjectivity Statement ...... 57

5 4 FINDINGS ...... 59

Findings Related to Successful Integration ...... 62 Reform Aspect 1: The Emphasis on English Language Instruction ...... 63 Theme (English): Emirati Leaders Speak English Fluently and Successfully Manage a Bilingual Teaching and Learning Context...... 64 Strategy A (English): Emirati Leaders Value and Encourage Language Learning of Emirati Teachers...... 65 Strategy B (English): Emirati Teachers Make an Effort to Learn English...... 67 Reform Aspect 2: A Move Toward Student-Centered Pedagogical Approaches ...... 69 Theme (Pedagogy): Emirati Leaders and Teachers Embrace the Pedagogical Changes Identified in the NSM Reform...... 70 Strategy A (Pedagogy): Emirati Teachers Actively Seek Specific Support from Western Teachers When Implementing New Pedagogical Approaches...... 70 Strategy B (Pedagogy): Emirati Teachers Meet and Co-Plan with Western Teachers to Implement 21st Century Teaching and Learning Strategies...... 72 Reform Aspect 3: The Recruitment, Placement and Induction of Western Teachers ...... 74 Theme (Recruitment/Placement): Emirati Leaders Are Not Involved in the Recruitment, Placement & Induction of Western Teachers...... 76 Proposed Strategy A (Recruitment/Placement): Emirati Leaders Could Provide Input in Relation to Placement and Transfer Decisions for Western Teachers...... 77 Proposed Strategy B (Recruitment/Placement): Emirati Leaders Could Take More Responsibility for The Induction and Ongoing Support of the Western Teachers Placed in Their School...... 79 Findings Related to Managing Cultural Differences ...... 80 Emirati Leaders’ Role in Creating a School Culture of Integration ...... 82 Theme: Respect, Openness and Willingness to Overcome Cultural Differences ...... 84 A: Western teachers engage in cultural events at the school...... 84 B: Emirati and Western teachers engage in social activities outside of school time...... 85 C: Emirati and Western teachers collaborate in a shared language during PD sessions ...... 86 D: Emirati and Western teachers possess openness and willingness toward other cultures ...... 87

5 DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS ...... 90

Summary of Findings ...... 90 Discussion of Findings ...... 92 Cultural Difference within a Cross-Cultural School Setting ...... 93 Pedagogical Expertise of Western Teachers within the NSM...... 95 School Leaders as Catalysts for the NSM Reform ...... 96

6 Implications ...... 98 Implications for Policy Leaders (ADEC) ...... 98 Implications for School Based Leaders ...... 99 Implications for Emirati and Western Teachers ...... 100 Conclusion ...... 104

APPENDIX

A WESTERN NATION REPRESENTATION (ADEC DATA SET 2013-2014) ...... 106

B INFORMED CONSENT ...... 107

C INTERVIEW PROTOCOL FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS ...... 109

D SCHOOL SELECTION CRITERIA ...... 114

REFERENCES ...... 115

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ...... 121

7 LIST OF TABLES

Table page

3-1 Number of national/expatriate students per grade at the selected school site .... 41

3-2 Demographics of study participants ...... 53

4-1 Overview of Themes and Perceived Strategies within the ADEC Context ...... 61

4-2 Quotes from Theme (English)...... 65

4-3 Quotes from Strategy B (English) ...... 68

4-4 Quotes from Strategy A (Pedagogy) ...... 71

4-5 Quotes from Strategy B (Pedagogy) ...... 74

4-6 Quotes from Proposed Strategy A (Recruitment/Placement) ...... 79

4-7 Quotes from Proposed Strategy B (Recruitment/Placement) ...... 81

8 Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education

CLOSING THE CULTURAL GAP: A STUDY OF SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION OF WESTERN TEACHERS INTO EMIRATI SCHOOL CULTURE

By

Sandra Vonderlind

December 2015

Chair: Alyson Adams Major: Curriculum and Instruction

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), the equivalent of a school district administrator in the U.S. context, is in the middle of a transformative school reform process to change the quality of teaching and learning in the public schools in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The primary objectives of this long-term reform initiative are to develop dual language proficiency in both Arabic and English for Emirati students and to change the curriculum and instruction of teaching from a teacher-centered to a student- centered learning model. A key element in this reform is the recruitment of Western teachers to teach English, mathematics and science. While this reform is sincere in its mission and long-term objectives, its immediate implementation creates challenges regarding the assimilation of these newly introduced Western teachers into Emirati schools within an Arab culture.

To examine possible solutions to this challenge, I studied a school that had successfully integrated Western teachers to understand the perspectives of school personnel. The research questions guiding my study were: What are the perceptions of teachers and leaders about the successful integration of Western teachers into a cycle

9 2 school in Abu Dhabi? What factors do they believe support the successful integration of Western teachers into the Emirati school culture? How do Western and Emirati teachers report that they manage their cultural differences as they work closely together in a cycle 2 school?

I conducted interviews of six teachers and two leaders and took field notes at a professional development training session. Findings emphasized the importance of a school leader who actively focused on the integration of Western teachers into the

Emirati school culture. The leaders at the target school spoke English fluently and successfully managed a bilingual teaching and learning context. A shared understanding across all participant groups in relation to how Western teachers contributed to implementing the reform also seemed to be important. Western and

Emirati teachers managed their cultural differences through an attitude and philosophy of mutual respect, and Western teachers worked hard to understand the cross-cultural school context. Findings have implications for the success of other Abu Dhabi schools involved in similar reform.

10 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY

Today, in many parts of the world, everyday culture is swayed by international influences. Irving (2005) states that globalization, a continuously growing confluence of culture and economics, has led to many social and political implications, and culture has greatly been affected by this process. It can be hypothesized that globalization has created and is continuing to support the development of a middle class in many previously underdeveloped countries (Yergin, 2008). This development in the so-called emerging market countries is steadily improving the quality of life and having a profound influence on the socioeconomic fabric of these countries (Yergin, 2008). Education is an important component of this development as governments and individual families recognize the importance of high quality educational opportunities as an enabler of greater aspirations for the future generations (Godwin, 2007). The education systems of the advanced Western countries are frequently viewed as role models for reforming the often antiquated education systems in these emerging market countries, yet their implementation is a challenging task as local cultures and context differ greatly from the native cultures and context of the Western countries (Krieger, 2008).

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), an emerging market country, led by Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has experienced rapid development since the 1970s (Aswad, Vidican &

Samulewicz, 2011). Prior to the 1960s this region was largely underdeveloped with no apparent signs of modern civilization (El Mallakh, 1970). Today, Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE is estimated to be home of 10% of the world’s oil, worth as much as $3 trillion (Krieger, 2008). In order to achieve its ambitions, under the leadership of its first president, H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the country invested significant

11 portions of its newly discovered oil wealth to develop and modernize its economy and infrastructure (Aswad et al., 2011; Davidson, 2008; Godwin, 2007). Today the UAE is considered as an emerging and well diversified economy with modern buildings, tourism and large international trading and improving healthcare quality and education opportunities (Government of Abu Dhabi, 2008). More importantly, the UAE is now providing employment opportunities to a global workforce residing here (Fox & Wagie,

2006; Godwin, 2007). All this development has led to a situation where the native

Emirati people, who today make up less than 20 percent of the 4.5 million country’s population, are often expected to retain skills and academic proficiencies to keep up with their rapidly changing local economy and employment opportunities (Fox & Wagie,

2006; Jongsma & Jongsma, 2006; Raven, 2011). Cultural proficiency remains an integral part of teaching and learning in the 21st century. Within the Abu Dhabi context, the need for their youth to achieve competitive academic skill sets will continue to increase as they are driven to compete in a global, often transient workforce while simply residing in their native country (Aswad et al., 2011).

To drive the economic progress, in recent years, the public educational system is reforming in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the focus has shifted from rather traditional teaching approaches to enhancing the ability of students to achieve bilingual proficiency in both Arabic and English, combined with strong skills in mathematics and science (Fox & Wagie, 2006). But unlike buildings which can be built in a few years, the modernization of a legacy education system guided by the principles of instruction- based teaching and memorization takes decades to bear the desired results even if significant amounts of money are channeled towards the reform initiatives. The

12 government in general has a straightforward long-term goal for the Emirati people; they are building world-class infrastructure and globally competitive companies which they hope will provide sustainable career opportunities for the national population (Aswad et al., 2011). The government also recognizes that quality educational opportunities are the primary enabler towards quality workforce development and competitive standards of living (Fox & Wagie, 2006, Krieger, 2008).

By hiring Western teachers in the public education system, charged to teach the core subjects English, mathematics and science in English, the local school district administration, the Abu Dhabi Educational Council (ADEC), aims to provide improved opportunities for Emirati students to pursue higher education upon graduating from high school. Thus, Emirati teachers and Western teachers collaborate to ensure the improvement of their students’ academic achievement. It is a current reality in Abu

Dhabi that tensions arise at the school level between these two types of teachers from different cultures. Therefore, it should be ADEC’s overall goal to enhance the intercultural competencies of school leaders as well as all teaching personnel since it is expected that ADEC will continue to rely heavily on international expertise and Western expatriate teachers to drive public school reform in Abu Dhabi (ADEC, 2009).

Background and Significance of the Problem

Soon after the establishment of ADEC in 2005 as the principal educational authority responsible for oversight and policy making functions and the management and administration of the Emirate’s public schools, ADEC undertook a detailed exercise to understand the current state of academic learning achievements of students graduating from their public schools. The principal finding from this process was that, even though K-12 school is compulsory for all Emiratis, an overwhelming majority of

13 high school graduates from ADEC’s public schools did not have sufficient academic proficiencies to immediately enter post secondary education at the university level

(ADEC, 2009). Most of these students will require at least one year of foundational courses to bring their academic skills to the level necessary for successful enrollment and progress at higher education institutions of good academic standing.

Given ADEC’s mandate to improve education opportunities and standards at all levels they employed an international team of educational experts to undertake and commence a radical reform of the public school system in the Emirate. After several years of deliberations, in 2010, the Director General (DG) of ADEC announced a new approach to K-12 education, which is now compulsory for all Emirati citizens. A new teaching model was introduced that put emphasis on creating bi-literate students who would then be able to understand, speak, read and write in both English and Arabic.

Within this approach mathematics and science would be taught in the English language, while history and Islamic studies and other subjects would be taught in Arabic. The DG also stressed that Arabic language and heritage remain an important part of the public education system (Jongsma & Jongsma, 2006).

This new system was titled as the New School Model (NSM). The NSM is aligned with the ADEC 10-year strategic plan (2009-2018) and included the following key elements:

A) Arabic and English Proficiency: Developing students’ Arabic and English skills through the use of Arabic and English teachers jointly planning and teaching classes.

B) Learning Outcome Targets: Standardizing and rationalizing learning outcomes that are better aligned with Abu Dhabi’s long-term goals.

C) Classroom Resource Enhancements: Improving school infrastructure and provision of instructional materials across all areas of teaching and learning.

14 D) Teacher Professional Development: Providing teachers with improved curriculum guides, teaching resources and ongoing professional development (ADEC, 2009).

ADEC planned to introduce the NSM in stages beginning with kindergarten (KG) to grade 3 in the 2010/2011 academic year and completing with full migration in the

2015/2016 academic year across all grades.

One of the most visible and immediate effects of the NSM’s implementation was the introduction of Western English Medium Teachers (EMTs) at the KGs and primary schools in the fall of 2010. ADEC believed that the introduction of these Western expatriate teachers into the teaching workforce would eventually support the NSM’s key elements and ensure that students’ academic achievements would improve sufficiently where upon graduating from high school, those students would be better equipped to pursue quality higher education.

Driven by these international opportunities, many Western educators have relocated to work in Abu Dhabi’s public schools. Every year, large numbers of Western teachers are hired mainly through international hiring agencies and brought to the UAE from various Western native English speaking countries typically the USA, UK, Canada,

South Africa, or Australia (Appendix A). When compared to the UAE and ADEC’s public schools, all these countries and their education systems can broadly be classified as having reformed or are currently reforming into a more student-centered teaching and learning system, and their school cultures and leadership styles retain more homogeneous national and culturally identities. Hence, often for the first time in their professional careers, these Western teachers face the challenge of interacting and working with people from a culture very different from their own. Western teachers who are employed by ADEC require a minimum teaching experience of three years. These

15 teachers are hired to work in Abu Dhabi on short-term teaching contracts typically lasting two years, and they often face difficulties in their attempts to integrate into the

Emirati public school culture and its workings.

Study Context

Abu Dhabi is one of the seven emirates belonging to the country United Arab

Emirates. In recent years, this oil-rich nation, led by Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has undertaken immense efforts to build country infrastructure and to build the capacity of the nation for long-term sustainability and self-sufficiency (Fox & Wagie, 2006). While this is a good idea in principle, there is limited research about how this restructuring impacts the educational system and the change in the Emirati school culture at the individual school level. Cochran-Smith and Lytle (2009), state “To deal with the impact of globalization and rapid change, new ways of approaching learning seems to be required” (p. 51). In Abu Dhabi, one aspect of restructuring education is the implementation of the NSM and the hiring of Western teachers to teach the core subjects English, mathematics and science in English. The NSM has been implemented since 2010 and in the academic year 2013/2014 it was introduced to cycle 2 schools

(US grades 6-9).

Purpose of the Study

Modern international education professionals ideally will be equipped with intercultural competency skills in addition to their academic expertise, but many teachers worldwide lack cultural responsiveness in their classrooms and at their school sites (Cox, 2011; Jongsma & Jongsma, 2006). In general, as teachers decide to relocate and to teach abroad, their lack of cultural awareness of foreign cultures handicaps these teachers in their attempt to immerse in a culture different from their

16 own. In Abu Dhabi, the process of understanding and accepting new ideas brought in from the Western EMTs to the Abu Dhabi schools seems to be a challenging and time consuming exercise for the Emirati teachers and school leaders. To improve the situation at the individual school level, all the stakeholders involved in the reform process, the educational authorities, as well as school leaders and teaching staff need to acknowledge how multiple layers of social customs and teaching skills of the Emirati teachers contrast with the different cultural backgrounds and the range of teaching styles and strategies employed as best practice by the Western teachers.

Therefore, this study is designed as a qualitative study of one cycle 2 school in

Abu Dhabi that has been recognized by ADEC leaders as being more successful than other schools in its efforts to alleviate tensions emerging from cultural differences and towards incorporating diverse teacher groups to work together in productive ways, learning from and growing with each other, which is a key element of ADEC’s NSM. It is worth mentioning that ADEC did not nominate the focus school and was not involved in the decision making process of selecting the school site.

Just prior to this study, I had been working with educational providers hired by

ADEC to support their school reform process. One aspect of our charge was to provide professional development at schools to school administrators and teachers. Through my work at the school sites, I identified the primary research questions that guided this study because I believed that the particular challenge I identified had not improved significantly despite the ongoing work of the educational providers at the school sites. In order to have maximum impact on improving the quality of teaching at the school level, the challenge needed attention, or reforms such as the NSM reform were unlikely to

17 achieve the desired results. I was concerned that the majority of the Western teachers lacked cross-cultural competence because they were not culturally acclimatized prior to their work placement in Abu Dhabi and hence, due to the cultural mismatch, they faced significant academic and cultural challenges during their daily routines at the school site. Many Western teachers struggled to integrate themselves into the Emirati culture.

Because they found it challenging to manage the cultural divide between their home cultures and their host culture, they tended to leave Abu Dhabi within the first two years of arrival (ADEC, 2014). To ease this problem, this study focused on identifying and investigating successful strategies to integrate Western teachers into the local public school culture.

Tensions between various groups of teachers from different cultures existed at the school sites, for example, between teachers from other Arab speaking countries and the UAE or between Arab and Western EMTs. In this study I focused on the tensions caused when Western teachers entered the home culture of their Emirati colleagues. I hypothesized that cultural tensions between Western teachers and Emirati teachers were most significant as I observed how Western teachers often unconsciously intruded into the Emirati culture, which then caused cultural tensions and unique challenges at the school level.

At the time of this study, I had more than six years of experience living and working as an educational professional in the UAE. Yet, I still encountered situations where I did not completely understand the cultural nuances, and the Arabs readily interpreted my behavior as that expected of a typical Westerner. I believe that every education professional should make all efforts to thoroughly understand the culture of

18 their colleagues and students, especially if this culture is different from their own. It is my hope that findings and implications from this study will eventually result in better professional relationships and improved student achievement and will help create greater mutual understanding between Emirati teachers and Western English medium teachers working together at schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Research Questions:

The following questions will guide the study:

• What are the perceptions of teachers and leaders about the successful integration of Western teachers into a cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi?

o What factors do they believe support the successful integration of Western teachers into the Emirati school culture?

o How do Western and Emirati teachers report that they manage their cultural differences as they work closely together in a cycle 2 school?

Researcher Connection to the Context

I first visited Abu Dhabi in 2007 and taught summer classes to Emiratis interested in vocational education. After a number of initial visits, I relocated from Germany to Abu

Dhabi in the summer of 2008 to take up a challenging launch project that I was passionate about. I was part of a German team that planned to open a new vocational training institute in the town of Madinat Zayed, which is located in the middle of the Liwa desert about 170 km from the city of Abu Dhabi. I spent three years working as a member of the English faculty at this institute before my transition into professional development activities in ADEC public schools. The people I worked with in this time were rural Emiratis who did not fit the stereotypes of typical well-connected urban

Emiratis who are considered to be wealthy and are supported by their government in many ways. These rural Emirati students and their families still live in a society that

19 more closely resembles the structures of life in this region before the discovery of oil in the 1960s. The early experiences that I had with these students and their extended families form the cornerstone of my beliefs that cultural understanding or the lack thereof probably plays a critical role in the success or failure of Westerners involved in the field of education in an Arab society like Abu Dhabi.

My work helped me understand some of the challenges and areas of focus that could be crucial for more successful integration of Western structures of education and their contextually appropriate implementation into an Eastern culture. In recent years my views were further reinforced by what I experienced in the public schools of ADEC as a member of a professional development team supporting the NSM. I stress that my research questions were guided by my academic training and yet derived from my experiences in the educational setting of Abu Dhabi.

Definitions and Terms

Cross-Cultural Competence: Motivation, culturally appropriate behavior, and significant understating of a foreign culture and its detailed social characteristics are defined as the three critical components leading to cross-cultural competence over a period of time. Cross-cultural competence is developed gradually through experience and considered a lifelong process; there is no pinnacle at which someone becomes culturally competent (Deardorf, 2006; Spitzenberg, 2000).

Culture: “The holistic interrelationship of a group’s identity, beliefs, values, activities, rules, customs, communication patterns, and institutions…Culture bonds people together and identifies the uniqueness of the group of people; in sum, culture is something like a glue that holds people together” (Dodd, 1998, pp. 36-37).

20 Cycle 2 School: In the Abu Dhabi context, a Cycle 2 school is the equivalent of

US grades 6-9.

Successful Integration: In general, people are considered successfully integrated into a system when they have adapted to the appropriate communication tools (including cross-cultural competency in an international setting) and the vocational aptitude expectations of the system they have entered into. Western teachers in the

Abu Dhabi school context commence the process of integration primarily via their employment at an ADEC school. They then are expected to undergo a process of adaptation into the local school system, which after a period of time, hopefully leads to their successful integration into the Emirati school culture.

Significance of the Study

This study is of significance in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi because often Emirati and Western teachers face challenges to successfully manage their cultural differences at their work place. I hope to provide evidence to the educational authorities in Abu

Dhabi to recognize that there is a need to better support the successful integration of

Western teachers into Emirati school culture. I argue that neither Emirati nor Western teachers recognize that working in multi-cultural teams poses unique challenges for both groups of teachers. This study will provide insights into the successful strategies that school personnel at one cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi utilized to support successful integration of the Western teaching staff. It is my hope that this study will further increase awareness of the important roles of teachers and school leaders in approaching school transformation and educational change.

21 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Educators and employers alike are recognizing the importance of cross-cultural competence. Employers want their staff to be effective communicators in increasingly intercultural and international work settings (Irving, 2005; Sercu, 2004, 2006; Zhao,

2010). However, the concept of cross-cultural competence is dynamic and not the direct result of being educated and trained. Hammer, Bennet and Wiseman (2003) suggest cross-cultural competence is widely perceived as being crucial for effective and appropriate interaction between members of different cultures. Furthermore, cross- cultural competence is not inherent within people, nor is it accidentally absorbed while working and/or living in a foreign country; it is only gradually acquired over long durations of exposure to a foreign context (Bennet & Bennet, 2004; Deardorff, 2006).

This study was situated in an international context, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab

Emirates (UAE), and investigated how school leaders and teachers made progress in better understanding and integrating diverse teacher groups into the local school culture at one cycle 2 school in the Emirate. Understanding more about how to integrate

Western teachers should help other schools in this international context learn from one school’s success. The following questions guided the study: What are the perceptions of teachers and leaders about the successful integration of Western teachers into a cycle

2 school in Abu Dhabi? What factors support the successful integration of Western teachers into the Emirati school culture? How do Western and Emirati teachers manage their cultural differences as they work closely together in a cycle 2 school?

In the literature review that follows, I will first explore the research on expatriate teacher communities and high teacher mobility. I will then examine the literature on the

22 challenges encountered by schools in Arab cultures, such as the UAE, while implementing school reform. Next, I will explore literature on research fostering cross- cultural dialogue among Western and Emirati teachers and leaders. The chapter will close with a review of literature on cross-cultural competence as a skill of teachers and school leaders.

Expatriate Teacher Communities and High Teacher Mobility

The most predominant groups choosing to teach in international schools are from

English speaking Western nations, primarily the United Kingdom, Australia, New

Zealand, South Africa, the United States, and Canada (Merz & Shaklee, 2012; Khelifa,

2009). Research indicates that the challenge for expatriates teaching in international schools is their ability to step beyond their own culture and successfully communicate with individuals from linguistic and cultural backgrounds different from their own. (Cseh

& Rosenbush, 2012; Moloney, 2007; Morris & Robie, 2001; Zhao, 2010). Little research has been done, however, on these Western teachers’ ethnicity, educational background, exceptionalities, socio-economic status, or their language ability in languages other than English. Merz and Shaklee (2012) describe international teachers as risk-takers, who specifically target working in schools abroad, as they are adventurous, curious and eager to experience working and living in a different cultural environment. In general, these characteristics may be applied to Western English

Medium Teachers (EMTs) currently working in Abu Dhabi schools. Merz and Shaklee

(2012) further state that many of the teachers they encountered in their research lack prior training in cross-cultural communication skills and have little to no international experiences before relocating to a foreign country. In their research, the authors recognize that many Western teachers, hired to teach in public schools in an

23 international context encounter challenges and have deficiencies in their ability to naturally adjust to a foreign cultural climate.

Research indicates that teacher expertise is one of the most important factors in determining student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2000). In Abu Dhabi, minimum requirements for expatriate teachers teaching at ADEC schools include a bachelor’s degree along with qualifications to teach and some teaching experience in their home country. Yet there are cases where teachers have been offered employment contracts even when they have very limited prior experience or credentials in teaching (Merz &

Shaklee, 2012).

A limited exposure to unfamiliar cultures is another problem that Western teachers encounter. In their research study, Cseh and Rosenbush (2012) state that expatriate families cite the transition process from one culture to another and the adaptation to the new country and culture as the most prevalent concern. The number of expatriate teachers leaving for underdeveloped countries and then returning home before fulfilling their contractual obligations is as high as 70% (Graf & Harland, 2005;

Morris & Robie, 2001). Graf and Harland (2005) recommend mechanisms in their study to decrease turnover rates, particularly emphasizing factors such as levels of cross- cultural and interpersonal competence in addition to academic degrees and teaching experience. Establishing an effective school culture takes years in Abu Dhabi where, in an average school, over half of the teachers are non-native (ADEC, n. d.), making the challenges of establishing a shared culture enormous.

Researchers and policymakers often assume that teacher turnover harms student learning (Ronfeldt, Loeb & Wyckoff, 2012). An education system that deploys

24 expatriate teachers on short-term contracts will find that it is even harder to implement change. In Abu Dhabi each school site is constantly influenced with changing policies and processes from the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and school leaders, which has the potential to overwhelm the teaching staff and makes successful implementation of reform challenging.

School Reform Challenges in Arab Schools

Traditionally in the Arab culture, education has not served as a professional prerequisite or as reference to social status as it has in Western cultures (Lambert,

2008). For example, according to local folklore, social status is more related to familial and tribal position than with educational qualifications. Studies of Gulf Arabs concluded that most are clear-sighted and have prodigious memories in part because culture and the role of language and talk dominates desert society and illiteracy would be considered normal (Fox & Wagie, 2006; Williams, 2008). Furthermore, Lambert (2008) found that employment is generally not related to educational degrees but rather to family names, and the so called wosta, or influential contacts, which in the UAE is widely regarded as more important than diplomas or university degrees. Cunningham and Sarayrah (1994) define wosta as a strategy of using one's (or someone else's) reputation to achieve certain privileges or favors.

Mahrous and Ahmed (2010) describe the characteristics of the educational environment in Arab cultures where teachers tend to use direct lecturing to illustrate concepts and assessment relies almost entirely on examinations. In Abu Dhabi, the educational climate in 2014/2015 was still examination-oriented, even though teachers were expected to shift their practice towards teaching students to apply concepts rather than only memorizing facts (Emenyeonu, 2012). Derderian-Aghajanian and Cong Cong

25 (2012) describe how teaching and learning in the Arab region stands in sharp contrast with pedagogic and assessment systems in Western countries such as the United

States where more focus is placed on interactive education and assignments that require solving complex practical problems. In recent years, Abu Dhabi has been undergoing a process of transformation and as the New School Model (NSM) is introduced, it is expected that parents will develop a better understanding of learning in a modern classroom. Nevertheless, memorization is still encouraged by many Arab and

Emirati teachers over analytical or critical thinking and these teachers provide mainly auditory presentations instead of encouraging student discussion (Derderian-

Aghajanian & Cong Cong, 2012; Mahrous & Ahmed, 2010).

In their earnest desire for rapid implementation of a new education system,

ADEC often failed to recognize the need for indigenization of Western learning strategies in the Arab cultural setting (Korhonen, 2002). As recognized by Derderian-

Aghajanian and Cong Cong (2012), various cultural conflicts and mismatches occur when Western teaching and learning styles are applied by teachers in a Middle Eastern school setting without rigorous adaptation techniques to assure compatibility with the host culture. Recognizing the differences of educational cultural backgrounds and adapting educational approaches to different attitudes and learning behavior will most likely lead to successful interactions in cross-cultural teaching settings (Korhonen, 2002;

Rashed, 2013).

Educational Reform in Abu Dhabi

Education reform is necessary when schools do not achieve the goals of education, as understood by individuals or groups with the power to initiate reform

(Fullan, 2007; Horn, 2002). In the case of Abu Dhabi, ADEC believed change in the

26 education structure was needed in order for the Emirate to develop more educated and competent citizens who can better compete in a global setting. Cochran-Smith and Lytle

(2009) found that the impact of globalization and rapid change required new approaches to learning. Fullan (2007) stated that educational change is technically simple and socially complex because it is a learning experience for teachers, administrators, students, their parents, and the school communities.

Educational reform in Abu Dhabi requires a change in public school cultures, which may subsequently lead to a change in society. Fullan (2007) explains that in order to create real change, it needs to come from the top down and from the bottom up but in Abu Dhabi, most reform efforts are decided above the school level. Related research suggests that all large-scale change is implemented locally, and that the only way change happens is in schools through the effective daily actions of principals, teachers, parents, and students (Fullan & Miles, 1992).

As widely recognized, leaders have significant influence on their staff’s motivation, commitments, and beliefs regarding change (Fullan, 2007; Leithwood, Harris

& Hopkins, 2008). Due to historical practices, the political system, and the challenges of cultural change in an Arab context, Emirati school leaders and teachers find actively supporting reform particularly challenging due to their prior experiences with similar initiatives that did not bring successful change. Khelifa (2010) found that some local principals and Emirati teachers avoid change because they fear that their Islamic cultural values, as well as their distinctive customs and traditions, will disappear in future generations.

27 It is crucial that the school district leadership articulates a clear vision of what powerful change looks and feels like and that learning is the important job of everyone in the district - principals, teachers, students, and central office administrators (Dana,

Thomas & Boynton, 2011; Fullan, 2007). Khelifa (2009) explains that change can be achieved if teachers and leaders engage in a continuous reflective process and maintain an open dialogue with colleagues. As Cochran-Smith and Lytle (2009) suggested, the entire school community needs to work and learn together to take control and find the best ways to enhance young people’s learning. In Abu Dhabi, ADEC recently introduced the so called Journey of Discovery to encourage school leaders and teachers to embark on an ambitious journey to transform the K-12 public school system together with all stakeholders; part of this journey is the transformation of curriculum, student instruction, student learning achievement and environment, and the general quality of education for its citizens. ADEC’s goal is to produce future citizens who will be more competitive in the global workforce (Godwin, 2006; Rashed, 2013).

To attain these goals, the ADEC school system introduced student centered learning as part of the NSM in kindergarten and elementary school (ADEC, 2009). The plan is to progressively integrate the NSM into K-12 over several years. The entire public school system, including the cycle 2 school studied in this research, is currently undergoing school reform, which includes hiring Western EMTs who are charged to teach the core subjects English, mathematics, and science in English (ADEC, 2010).

This is a challenge for Western teachers who may not be aware of the history of educational change in the Emirate and may lack understanding of the cultural context of

Abu Dhabi schools.

28 Cross-cultural Adjustment in the Local School Setting

Reviewing cross-cultural challenges faced by Western-educated staff relocating to work in an Arab educational setting, Khelifa (2009) and Sonleitner and Khelifa (2005) identified challenges of these Western teachers, for example, differences in expectations about learning, differences in classroom interactions and behaviors, differences in classroom cultures, and differences in attitudes towards learning and knowledge. Western teachers, working in Abu Dhabi, a unique cross-cultural setting dependent upon expatriate teachers, need to fully understand and be willing to make cross-cultural adjustments (Khelifa, 2009; Rashed, 2013). Research on cross-cultural competence found that it was helpful when teachers understood their own cultural lens, and their colleagues’ cultural lens as well (Cseh & Rosenbush, 2012; Genc & Bada,

2005; Javidan 2008; Khelifa, 2009). In Abu Dhabi, Western-based educational approaches employed by EMTs increasingly affect education and classroom learning in local school settings (Al-Issa, 2005; Fox & Wagie, 2006; Khelifa, 2009; Levy, 2010).

Therefore, it is crucial for Western teachers and their Emirati colleagues and students to share knowledge about their own and the other’s culture (Khelifa, 2009, 2010). By doing this, both teachers and students will be better able to develop strategies for resolving potential ambiguity and frustration due to their intercultural context (Rashed, 2013). This process very often requires great efforts of reflection and cultural adjustment, adaptation, and change (Khelifa, 2009; Sercu, 2006). In this way, teachers and students will be able to learn tolerance and respect for one another and their respective cultural practices (Emenyeonu, 2012).

29 Fostering Cross-cultural Dialogue among Western and Emirati Teachers and Leaders

Cross-cultural adjustment is a multilayered construct and is addressed in many different fields (Cseh & Rosenbush, 2012). The field of teaching and learning provides a symbolic guide to culture; a culturally-responsive teacher must be both a mediator of a foreign culture and a catalyst of educational change (Albanus & Khalil, 2011).

Gudykunst and Nishida (2001) explain that there is a close relationship between uncertainty and the development of cross-cultural maturity and social integration.

Individuals are often unsure what specific culturally dictated interactions mean or how to respond in an appropriate manner. Therefore, some individuals may avoid interaction while others regard uncertainty as interesting and challenging and encourage interaction with other cultures (Baldwin & Hunt, 2002; Gudykunst & Nishida, 2001).

Individuals who avoid intercultural interactions may do so because they feel threatened

(Gudykunst, 1998).

Wise and Darling-Hammond (1995) indicate that teacher preparation and restructuring of the system improves teacher capacities and ensures the success of teachers in the twenty-first century. Therefore, knowledge of diversity in educational programs is vital and leads to solid achievements. In the UAE, Western teachers and their Emirati colleagues face challenges in successfully managing their cultural differences, a situation which often leads to frustration on both sides and is one of the causes for a high turnover rate among Western teaching staff (El Nemr, Kachelhoffer &

Macpherson, 2007). Another reason for this frustration stems from the lack of local community support for Western teachers in Abu Dhabi (Rashed, 2013). In many cases, parents and extended family members are not well educated and are unable to help

30 children with their school work (Khelifa, 2010). Many Emirati parents lack formal education, barely speak any English, and are culturally unaccustomed to significant personal interactions at the schools, especially when compared to the practices in

Western countries (Derderian-Aghajanian & Cong Cong, 2012; Khelifa, 2010).

While there is limited literature on the specific traits and living circumstances of

UAE K-12 students, it can be argued that most local students learning in Abu Dhabi public schools come from large, extended families (Lambert, 2008). They live in multi- storey homes with parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and many cousins.

This type of home environment can be chaotic and unstructured with constant distractions. With home life in a state of flux, students find it hard to concentrate on school tasks for extended intervals; in this context the school environment becomes a challenge and both Emirati and Western teachers face difficulties with classroom management and student self-restraint (Emenyeonu, 2012).

Due to recent school reform efforts in the UAE, the public school environment has been undergoing shifts that may feel insecure and inconsistent to both students and staff. Fullan (2007) explains that changes in beliefs, values, and understandings are the foundation of lasting reform, and often occur after changes are in place. Nguyen,

Terlouw and Pilot (2006) identify building trust and being culturally literate as two important teaching strategies especially in cross-cultural classroom settings. Due to the implementation of the NSM, many Emirati students now follow core subject curricula delivered in English by Western and Western educated teachers, and are heavily exposed to Western thought, ideals, values, and behaviors (Godwin, 2006). Once teachers gain the trust of their students and students understand the need for study

31 methods they were previously unfamiliar with, students are generally open to suggestions and willing to use the new methods (Khelifa, 2010).

Cross-cultural Competence as a Skill of Teachers and School Leaders

Scholars in the field consistently identify three primary building blocks as part of cross-cultural competence (Gudykunst, 1993; Goldstein & Kim, 2005; Spitzberg &

Changnon, 2009). Spitzberg (2000) refers to motivation, culturally appropriate behavior, and local knowledge as three critical components and is of the opinion that these competencies develop gradually through experience; therefore, cross-cultural competence is always an ongoing process. Albanus and Khalil (2011) undertook research on diversity and cross-cultural exchanges in teaching and learning at the

American University in Dubai. They emphasize the importance of educational institutions recognizing the processes that can undermine the transport of education practices and concepts from one nation to another. Related to the research of Albanus and Khalil (2011), Jongsma and Jongsma (2006) describe challenges they faced when training mathematics and science teachers in Abu Dhabi classrooms. The authors state that the most frustrating challenges were related to institutional or cultural issues.

In her research, Goodwin (2010) focuses on new norms that teachers will have to accept when teaching in 21st century classrooms and cross-cultural teaching settings in a global context. The author explains how student populations have become more diverse and that there is a need for curricula that are intellectually challenging, yet socially and culturally relevant. Goodwin (2010) further states that teachers can expect to work alongside colleagues who may not have been recruited locally; such is the case in Abu Dhabi where Western teachers currently working in public schools have responded to an international search to fill teaching positions.

32 Currently, the educational climate of Abu Dhabi and similar settings require teachers be equipped with knowledge of cross-cultural competence (Al-Issa, 2005;

Bada & Genc, 2005; Derderian-Aghajanian & Cong Cong, 2012; Irving, 2005). They are further asked to incorporate this knowledge in their daily teaching routines and to use culturally responsive teaching tools that significantly influence and support the learning process of all students (Albanus & Khalil, 2011). In her dissertation research, Moloney

(2007) examines teachers’ understanding of culture, pedagogy, and their perceptions of possible connections between their home cultures and their students’ cultures. Her research can be applied to the situation of Western teachers in Abu Dhabi who, despite their competencies at home, often are unable to transfer their teaching practice to the local school setting (Khelifa, 2009).

Bruner (1996) asserted that Western pedagogy does not focus on the understanding of various cultural components such as the student thought process and learning behavior. The author describes Western pedagogy as a one-way process in which the teachers pour their knowledge into the empty minds of the students, having no consideration for their learning needs or behaviors. He concludes from his research that this approach is ineffective and requires a transformation that includes cultural understanding (Bruner, 1996).

The major challenges expatriate teachers encounter in international school settings are uncertainty, prejudice, and bias (Albanus & Khalil, 2011). In some cross- cultural literature, researchers explain that the way people relate to each other depends on the beliefs and ideas that they hold about the groups or individuals who are different from them (Albanus & Khalil, 2011; Morries & Robie, 2001). Cross-cultural education is

33 viewed as a potential solution to ease the challenges mentioned above (Rashed, 2013).

Cross-cultural education is generally defined as an educational process designed to promote intercultural learning, where the acquisition of behavioral, cognitive, and affective competencies associated with effective interactions across cultures takes place (Morris & Robie, 2001; Rashed 2013). In their research, Merz and Shaklee (2012) recognize that implementation of programs such as cultural mentoring are imperative in supporting international teachers in developing an understanding of the respective host countries.

Conclusion

Managing diversity is an important prerequisite for teaching in an international setting, especially when the foreign culture is different from the home culture of the educator. A typical expatriate teacher often arrives in a foreign professional setting without the prerequisite contextual understanding of the local culture to be immediately effective in the school setting. Since teacher expertise is one of the most important factors for determining student achievement, expatriate teachers need to be skilled educators able to operate effectively in a specific foreign educational setting. The requirement for high quality teaching and learning under the purview of the expatriate teacher is even more critical when implementing school reform; however, teacher groups managing diversity at their school sites may be the missing link between success and limited achievements. As indicated in the literature review, in the Arab setting, significant differences between the culture of the Western expatriate teacher and the Emirati school setting drives a critical need for managing the cultural divide.

Given the radical education reform currently initiated by ADEC, the school district administration may not have been able to fully support the required proficiency in

34 managing increasing diversity for both the Emirati leaders and teachers and the expatriate teachers in the school setting since the administration has a wide range of priorities to implement concurrently.

This study recognized the limitations of the system-wide situation and highlighted the successful integration of Western teaching staff in one school setting. In the next chapter, I will describe the methodology used in my qualitative study that addressed my research questions.

35 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

The purpose of my study was to identify and investigate successful methods to integrate Western teachers into the local public school setting in the Emirate of Abu

Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I worked as a professional development (PD) specialist in selected Abu Dhabi public schools, and I had observed that Western teachers, who were hired to teach the core subjects English, mathematics, and science in the medium of English, appeared to be not well integrated into these school communities, especially when it came to their relationships with the local Emirati school leaders and teachers. At the time of my study, recruiting large numbers of these

Western teachers every year was a relatively new phenomenon related to the New

School Model (NSM) reform initiative in Abu Dhabi. My study was designed to investigate how one public cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi had immersed the Western staff into its school culture.

This chapter consists of several sections, and it provides an overview of the study design and rationale. First, I present an introduction of the context of the study including an overview of how schools are structured in the UAE. This is followed by a description of the research study design, the school and participant characteristics, and my role and background as an educator and researcher.

Context of the Study

The UAE – A Developing International Context

The UAE sits on the north-eastern area of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by

Saudi Arabia to the south and west and by Oman to the east and north. The country is made up of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujeirah, Ras Al

36 Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain (CIA, 2014). Abu Dhabi is by far the largest emirate, occupying 85% of the UAE landmass. The UAE is unique in the sense that the local native population is a minority. The country has a population of approximately 4.5 million people, of whom less than 20% are native Emiratis. The population is overwhelmingly made up of expatriates from the South Asia region choosing to live and work in this country for limited periods of time; approximately 8% of expatriates are

Westerners (CIA, 2014).

Unlike modern Western societies, which aim to be inclusive and non- discriminatory, the UAE is a segregated society where power is distributed unequally, with Emiratis at the top of the work hierarchy. Abu Dhabi is an emirate of distinct diversity, terrain, people, traditions and ambitions. It has a rich heritage governed by a deep-rooted respect for its past, which guides the present and is influencing its future.

The late leader Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was revered by his peers and adored by the people of this country. As UAE’s president for 33 years and ruler of Abu

Dhabi from 1966, Sheikh Zayed was responsible for unifying the disparate emirates and for the major economic and social advances both in Abu Dhabi and throughout the

UAE; his vision laid the foundation for today’s modern society.

UAE School Structures

The government of Abu Dhabi in general intends to provide its citizens with the appropriate skill sets to compete in the knowledge-based economy of the future. The

Abu Dhabi Educational Council (ADEC) aims to improve the development of Arabic and

English language abilities, critical thinking skills, mathematics, and science knowledge skills and cultural and national identity through the consistent use of rigorous learning outcomes and pedagogy. It is envisioned that, eventually, a standardized curriculum,

37 high-quality pedagogy, increased resources, and support across all ADEC public school types will help students to become better prepared for university level education programs of globally acceptable standards.

Abu Dhabi has two distinct education systems; the private sector mainly for expatriates and the public sector mainly for Emiratis. There are in excess of 185 private schools in Abu Dhabi and new schools are opening every year, yet, the demand driven by population growth for school places in the private sector is continuing to outstrip supply. The private schools range from low fee schools, serving expatriate Indian,

Pakistani and Filipino workers to high fee schools serving Western expatriates. There are also a number of private schools that serve the Arab and the local Emirati population. There are very few Emirati teachers working in the private sector. Private schools are owned and managed by a range of international and local providers, both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. The private schools are licensed and inspected by ADEC and, whilst the schools may work with a wide range of international curricula, the schools are all expected to meet ADEC’s requirements in curriculum content, particularly in relation to Arabic language and Islamic Studies. ADEC also controls the fee levels in schools and attempts to ensure that supply meets demand.

The focus of my study was the ADEC public school system. At the time of my study there were approximately 260 public schools in Abu Dhabi. Public schools were predominantly attended by Emirati students, and the leadership and management of these schools was mostly Emirati. Teachers in these schools were Emiratis, other Arab nationals or individuals from other countries from around the world, including Western expatriates. It should be noted that there were very few Emirati men teaching in the

38 schools in Abu Dhabi. The public schools did enroll students from the Arab Diaspora but there were ADEC rules that stated that a school must have a minimum of 80% Emirati students. The public schools were generally split into four phases, kindergarten (KG),

Cycle 1 (US grades 1-5), Cycle 2 (US grades 6-9) and Cycle 3 (US grades 10-12).

Some schools in less populated areas were described as ‘Common Cycle’ schools, where, due to the lower student numbers, the school would contain more than one cycle. Schools varied in size, depending on location and cycle; the largest schools had approximately 1,000 students.

The UAE remains a rather hierarchical society, and at the time of my study most change was decided above the school level and hence, school administrators and teaching staff did not have as much experience in raising their voices when compared to more inclusive school reform practices in some Western societies such as the US.

Establishing a sound school culture takes years, but in Abu Dhabi a high percentage of teachers was hired abroad and came to the UAE to work on short-term contracts. A certain percentage of expatriate teaching staff changed annually and therefore, one of the biggest challenges at the school level was the turnover in teaching staff. Many teachers in Abu Dhabi had developed an attitude of not supporting school-wide change, even when it indicated improved school practices and student learning because they did not believe that their individual efforts as teachers could remedy the challenges at the school sites.

The New School Model (NSM)

The NSM was introduced in 2010 in KG and cycle 1 public schools. It was then rolled out to cycle 2 public schools in 2013. The reform model, with implementation across all cycles by 2020, was considered to be rather ambitious; yet, at the time of my

39 study the NSM had driven some encouraging outcomes. Children entering grade 6 in

2014 were much better prepared, especially in English language skills and critical thinking skills than in the previous years (ADEC, n. d.). An extensive PD initiative for school leadership teams supported the NSM readiness in cycle 2 schools. Increased

English classroom hours and overall teaching hours in cycle 2 and cycle 3 further supported the change in medium of instruction from Arabic to English language in mathematics and science. By the time the reform is fully implemented, about 67,000 students are expected to be graduating from ADEC schools on an annual basis (ADEC,

2009).

School Context of a Cycle 2 Public Schools in Abu Dhabi

At the time of my study, being recognized as a cycle 2 public school in Abu Dhabi meant students were taught in a gender-segregated environment in grades 6-9. In the

Emirate of Abu Dhabi, girls and boys attend separate school buildings and were either taught by female teachers (at girls’ schools) or male teachers (at boys’ schools). A typical cycle 2 school site consisted of approximately 650-700 students who were taught by approximately 35 teachers (ADEC, n. d.). The student population at the focus school in previous years was slightly above as shown in the table below which states a total number of students as 723 in the school year 2011/2012 (ADEC, n.d.).

Each school site was typically led by an Emirati school principal and many cycle

2 schools had one to two vice principals who in most cases were Emiratis as well.

In previous years, ADEC had established various PD initiatives in the Emirate.

Teachers were educated to gain a more detailed understanding in assessment, curricula, and instructional methods. PD was important for Western EMTs because their different cultural and educational upbringing often affected their interactions with their

40 Emirati colleagues and their local students. At the time of my study, there were tensions between Western teachers and Emirati teachers working at public schools in Abu Dhabi because they came from different social, cultural and academic backgrounds.

Table 3-1. Number of national/expatriate students per grade at the selected school site Grade Gender National Expatriate Total 6 Female 118 10 128 7 Female 170 9 179 8 Female 142 12 154 9 Female 131 11 142 Total 667 56 723

The ability to speak English and a second language (such as Arabic) combined with strong skills in mathematics and science were seen as value added in relation to improved opportunities for Emirati students to pursue higher education, yet content and language teachers needed to collaborate to ensure the improvement of their students’ academic achievement. For example, commencing 2014-15, the Western EMTs received PD to increase their working knowledge and understanding of the role of culture in language development and academic achievement in an Arab classroom.

Further PD sessions were co-delivered by Emirati teacher leaders to Western EMTs to particularly provide 6th grade Western teachers working in cycle 2 schools with general knowledge relevant to support their students to realize greater academic achievements.

In spite of the challenges, there was optimism that the performance of school graduates would improve as a result of the NSM and the associated school reform process that was ongoing at the time of my study.

Research Study Design

In general, researchers conduct qualitative studies for the purpose of exploring, describing, or understanding a central phenomenon (Plano Clark & Creswell, 2010).

Qualitative research design was appropriate in this case because I aimed to address a

41 problem that called for an exploration and that relied on the views of the participants in my study. Because I studied a recent educational issue in a developing international context with little research at the time of my study, my goal was to explore, describe, analyze and try to understand why this problem occurred, and it made qualitative research ideal. I did not seek to generalize my findings to other contexts or populations; however, readers from other contexts may find aspects to apply to their own settings.

By interviewing school leaders and teachers at one cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi I believed I was able to develop a deep understanding of how school leaders and teachers had made progress in better understanding and integrating diverse teacher groups into the local school culture at one cycle 2 school in the Emirate.

Research Questions

The purpose of this study was to provide insights into how identified strategies can be utilized to support successful integration of the Western teaching staff in local school settings so that other schools in Abu Dhabi can learn from this school’s success.

I designed this qualitative study to explore perspectives of the people closest to this issue, which are teachers and school leaders. The following questions guided my study:

• What are the perceptions of teachers and leaders about the successful integration of Western teachers into a cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi?

o What factors do they believe support the successful integration of Western teachers into the Emirati school culture?

o How do Western and Emirati teachers report that they manage their cultural differences as they work closely together in a cycle 2 school?

Data Sources

I used three data sources to obtain evidence, which were (1) interviews with leaders and teachers, (2) a school improvement plan (SIP) document handed to me by

42 the school leaders and (3) observation notes from a professional development training that showed how leaders and teachers of the school interacted. All the submitted data sources led me to the finding that the focus school was a place where leaders and teachers as a team had managed to establish a school culture of successful integration of Western teachers.

Interviews. Interviews provide powerful data because they provide access to the thinking and perceptions of the participants (Dana & Yendol-Hoppey, 2009). All interviews were conducted between January and March 2015 and they were held at a place where the participants felt comfortable sharing their perceptions and opinions. I conducted one semi-structured interview per study participant using open-ended questions with a selected group of six female teachers, Emirati teachers and Western teachers, who worked full time at the focus school. I further interviewed two school leaders, the vice-principal and the head of the English department, of the same school to gain knowledge about their points of view on the problem that I described above. The interviews lasted approximately 45 minutes each, and were sometimes broken into two separate times to accommodate participants’ schedules or due to the intensity of an interview conducted through translation. All interviews were conducted in English. For non-native English speakers, I had an interpreter available to ensure that the participants felt comfortable with my questions and that they could clearly explain their responses. Capturing the words of the leaders and the teachers was crucial to gain insights into the challenges of their positions and their needs as leaders and teachers.

I developed three sets of semi-structured interview questions (one set for each participant group) which guided the interviews (Appendix C). The questions were

43 tailored to the three groups of interviewees: school leaders, Emirati teachers and

Western English medium teachers. At times, additional prompts were posed in response to the participants’ comments in order to elicit more detail and examples.

While conducting these interviews I engaged each participant in an in-depth discussion centered on perceptions of leaders and teachers about the successful integration of Western teachers at their school. I recorded the dialogues using Audacity software installed on my laptop and I saved the files in MP3 format. After I had finished transcribing the interview data, and had received the translations of words into English

(some of the interviews were partly held in Arabic) I deleted the audio files.

When I engaged in this research, I found it essential that I recognized the ethical dimension of my work. It should be noted that the interviewing of participants, especially interviewing female Muslim women, can pose challenges. For example, the women in my study were concerned about their voices being recorded. I was able to ease their concerns by committing to transcribing all the interview data myself and at times I was supported by my interpreter who was present during interviews where translations were necessary. For readability I had to massage participants’ words due to language differences and translation. I edited the quotes for grammatical clarity and I further changed all names to protect the participants’ identity.

Generally, it was important to ensure that the phrasing of the interview questions did not coerce participants to respond in particular ways. It was further important to minimize the unequal power dynamics between myself and the interviewees so that the participants were comfortable about expressing their perspectives (Creswell, 2013). My

44 doctoral committee provided me with feedback and suggestions on interview questions prior to the study being conducted.

Field notes during an observation. I attended one 90-minute professional development training session as an observer at the school site led by the school leader of the school. During this session I observed both teacher groups in their learning environment and their levels of interactions (e.g. social, spatial and professional) while they attended the training. I observed whether the leader used strategies to support both teacher groups (Western and Emirati teachers) in engaging with each other during the teaching and learning process. I took informal field notes which then allowed me to reflect on and connect the PD experiences to the perceptions of participants from the interviews. My observation notes of captured non-verbal cues during this session completed my data collection sources. These field notes were hand-written notes in an effort to capture non-verbal communications and expressions of affect. No names of any teachers or leaders were used in the informal notes. During the observation I looked for general impressions regarding the integration of the two teacher groups.

Triangulation of multiple sources of data can aid in trustworthiness. In my study, I used a variety of data sources, established multiple perspectives from different participants, and wrote detailed descriptions. I further used my observation notes taken during the training session as additional data source to provide triangulation to my main data source which were participant interviews. The triangulation of these sources aided me in drawing trustworthy conclusions.

Selection of School Site

I took a number of significant factors into consideration when selecting the school site for this study (Appendix D). I wanted to ensure that my choice would give me

45 a useful context within which to develop my research. I was also eager to ensure that I was working in a context where my work would be of greatest benefit to those who work in Abu Dhabi public schools.

I began the selection process by only considering schools in Abu Dhabi, not the surrounding areas. For reasons that relate to the cultural context within which I work, I decided to conduct my study in a female school. Public schools in Abu Dhabi are gender segregated and I decided that a female school would be the most appropriate context for my study. I assumed that because of gender segregation at the school sites, interviewing Emirati male leaders and teachers would have posed additional challenges, and I might have encountered greater resistance with male Emirati school leaders.

Secondly, I made the decision that a cycle 2 school with an Emirati leadership team would be most preferable. At the time of my study, school reform in Abu Dhabi was focused on cycle 2 schools, and I assumed that the issues related to successful integration of Western teachers were particularly relevant there. If my study was to be relevant and applicable in the Abu Dhabi public schools I believed cycle 2 schools were the most appropriate setting to situate my research.

It was very important to select a school where the leadership would understand my study, would welcome me, and also had a track record of positive induction of

Western teachers. To help me narrow down possibilities, I discussed cycle 2 female schools with fellow training specialists to gain their perspectives and experiences about the schools they had worked with. Initially, the selection process highlighted three potential schools. Of these, two demonstrated some potential to be open to my study

46 topic. Either one would have been appropriate as both had Emirati leadership and also had some evidence that the induction of Western teachers was taken seriously.

My final criteria related to access and approval. I needed to have access to the school leadership and teachers during the critical data gathering months, and I also required ADEC approval to work with the school. Access to one of my final two schools was a concern. When I approached the school leaders they stated that the Irtiqa'a school inspection (which is a formal regulatory inspection process to evaluate the quality of school education in Abu Dhabi) was scheduled for their school at the same time as I planned to conduct my interviews and PD observation. Both school leaders expressed their concern about potential distractions while being involved in my research and simultaneously being formally inspected. So by the process of logical elimination based on criteria explained above, I was left with one school. At the time of the study I did not have any personal or professional relationships with the leaders or the teaching staff of my selected school. It seemed to be a perfect fit for the purpose of my study, and it provided an interesting context to investigate how this school successfully managed to integrate Western teachers into their school culture.

Selection of Participants

Since the principal of the selected school site was on maternity leave, I contacted her via phone to explain my intention to carry out a study at her school site and to receive permission to schedule a meeting with the vice principal of the school, which she approved. During my meeting with the vice principal and the head of the English department was also present. I described my study and the focus on both Emirati teachers and Western teachers. Both the vice principal the English head agreed to participate in my study. The vice principal then provided me with a list of Emirati

47 teachers and Western teachers working at the selected school site at the time of my study. Based on the data I decided to invite 4 to 8 teachers to participate in the study.

All the respective staff were contacted and invited by the vice principal for a meeting where I described my study to these teachers. During the meeting I invited these Emirati teachers and Western teachers to volunteer their participation in my study at their sole discretion. All study participants were adults and did not receive any compensation for their participation efforts in the study, and they were assured by the leaders of the school that there were no consequences for not electing to participate in the study. I interviewed those six teachers and two leaders of the school who volunteered to participate in my study.

Description of Participants

The participants of this study were leaders and teachers of an ADEC cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi. At the time of my study, the entire public school system, including this school, underwent school reform which included hiring Western teachers who were charged to teach the core subjects in English rather than in the Arabic medium. The two school leaders and the six teachers, who were invited and agreed to participate in this study, came from either a native English speaking country or were Emirati teachers working full time at the focus school.

Following are descriptions of the participants. The presented profiles were created as a result of my in-depth interviews and the use of my observation notes taken during the professional development session.

Mona (Emirati leader) lived in Khalifa City, a suburb of Abu Dhabi city. Mona was married with five children; the eldest child was in university and the youngest was in kindergarten. Mona had been a teacher for 12 years before being promoted to her

48 school leadership position. At the time of my study she had been a school leader for 12 years. She had gained her leadership and teaching experience in various schools in

Abu Dhabi. She had been working in the focus school since it opened in 2004. Mona was a leader in the focus school when they received their first Western teachers in

2010.

Nadia (Emirati leader) lived in Mohammed bin Zayed City, a suburb of Abu Dhabi city. Nadia had five children, three boys and two girls, and at the time of my study all her children were of school going age. Nadia had been in education for a total of 14 years, and she had been a school leader since 2008. Nadia had worked at the focus school since it opened in 2004. Nadia had learned English from practicing English communications with her sister who, like Nadia, worked in education. In the past she attended English classes at the university level and also learned English from watching movies, reading magazines and attending workshops at the British Council Institute in

Abu Dhabi.

Salma (Western teacher) was a Cuban-American in her late fifties who had been a teacher for more than 20 years. Prior to arriving in Abu Dhabi, Salma taught all her life in the USA. Salma was fluent in both the English and the Spanish language. At the time of my study Salma was an English teacher, and she taught grade 6 girls. Salma taught

English in the USA, too but more specifically, she taught English to speakers of other languages. In Abu Dhabi she taught English as a subject. Salma had visited Jordan prior to her relocation to the Middle East but had never visited the UAE. Salma was a single woman and had been working in Abu Dhabi for three years. She lived on Abu

Dhabi’s main island in ADEC-provided teacher accommodations. The focus school was

49 her second school placement. Salma did not speak Arabic, though she was able to use a few words to be polite and cordial. Salma considered knowing Arabic to be important but not a necessity for survival.

Jamila (Western teacher) was an African-American United States citizen who was in her early forties. Jamila was a Muslim. Jamila was a pre-med student before she decided to join the field of education. She was a science teacher and had worked as a teacher for 12 years, of which she taught in an Islamic school in the USA for four years.

Jamila had three older sons who decided to continue living in the USA when Jamila relocated to Abu Dhabi with her husband and her 15 year old daughter. Jamila and her family lived on the Abu Dhabi’s main island in ADEC-provided teacher accommodations. At her placement school, Jamila taught science to grade 7 girls. She taught in English, and even though so far she had limited proficiency in other languages, she was highly motivated to learn the local language. Therefore, after her relocation to Abu Dhabi, she began taking Arabic classes. When I interviewed Jamila she had been in Abu Dhabi for less than a year and the focus school was her first school placement.

Saeeda (Emirati teacher) lived in Khalifa City, a suburb of Abu Dhabi city. She was married with one son and was in her mid-twenties. Saeeda was in her fifth year of teaching. She was employed by ADEC as an English medium teacher, and at the focus school she had taught grade 7 girls in English for two years. Saeeda was an Emirati and her elementary education was in English although she joined a government Arabic- medium school commencing 7th grade. Saeeda considered herself to be bilingual, yet she shared that her Arabic language proficiency was not at the expected level. Saeeda

50 had travelled overseas but had never travelled to a Western or English speaking country. Saeeda’s open minded attitude towards Western teachers has been shaped by her formative education and also her teacher training, which was with Western lecturers.

Samira (Emirati teacher) lived in Mohammed bin Zayed City, was married and with four children, two boys and two girls. Samira was in her late thirties. She shared that she wanted to be a teacher, like her sisters, and had been a teacher for 14 years out of which seven years were spent at the focus school. Samira taught Arabic language in grade 6 and had worked with Western teachers for several years. She stated that due to the impact and requirements of the NSM her interactions with her

Western colleagues had increased over the years. Samira’s own level of English was limited but she considered language competence in English to be important. Samira had travelled to the USA, UK and Germany.

Eman (Emirati teacher) lived in Khalifa City with her husband and five children, four boys and one girl. Eman was in her late thirties. She had been a teacher for 12 years and had taught Arabic to grade 6 girls for two years. The focus school was her third school placement where she had been professionally associated with Western teachers. At the time of my study, Eman’s English was limited, and she took language classes at the British Council Institute in Abu Dhabi where she studied for the IELTS examination. Even though Eman aspired to visit Western countries she so far had travelled extensively only to Asian countries.

Ayesha (Emirati teacher) lived in Mohammed bin Zayed City with her husband and six children, four girls and two boys. Ayesha was in her late thirties. Two of her

51 daughters attended the focus school and this gave Ayesha a unique perspective on the role of Western teachers. For Ayesha, becoming a teacher was a childhood dream since a number of her family members were also teachers. Another reason for Ayesha to become a teacher was that teaching in Abu Dhabi was a profession where she only interacted with other women. Ayesha taught English language to grade 7 girls. She had almost 20 years of experience as an educator, yet, she had only taught at the focus school for one year. Ayesha learned English at school but she aimed for improving her proficiency in English further through her love of English movies. Ayesha had travelled internationally but had never been to a Western or English speaking nation.

Throughout my interactions with the participants of my study, I felt it was crucial to tell a story that enabled readers to make a connection with these women working at this particular school site in Abu Dhabi. It was apparent to me that participants, each in her way, showed a strong sense of their character and unique personality. I believed that the stories of these leaders and teachers could help to challenge the stereotypes that accompany certain teacher groups who, at the time of my study, were involved in teaching within the NSM, which meant they were teaching within a cultural and educational setting that was defined by change. The profiles exclusively represented the stories of those educators who chose to participate in my study. All participants were holders of knowledge in the area that I intended to investigate and were willing to share their experiences and thoughts on questions related to my research topic.

Because there were multiple voices in this study from different roles and backgrounds, I have included a table summary of participant characteristics (Table 3-2 below).

52 Table 3-2. Demographics of study participants Participant Mona Nadia Salma Jamila Saeeda Samira Eman Ayesha Position at Leader Leader English Science English Arabic Arabic English school Participant’s Emirati Emirati Western Western Emirati Emirati Emirati Emirati Nationality (UAE) (UAE) (USA) (USA) (UAE) (UAE) (UAE) (UAE) Impacted by Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NSM Grade level N/A N/A 6 7 7 6 6 7 taught Work 12 2 20+ 12 5 14 12 20 experience: (teaching (teaching Total in yrs. and 12 and 12 (leading) (leading) Work 24 24 3 0.5 5 14 12 20 experience in the UAE: Total in yrs. Work 11 12 1 0.5 1.5 7 2 0.5 experience at the school site: Total in yrs. Numbers of 2 2 2 1 2 1 3 2 school placements in the UAE Religion Muslim Muslim Christian Muslim Muslim Muslim Muslim Muslim Marital status Married Married Single Married Married Married Married Married Children 5 5 0 3 3 4 5 6

Each participant’s leadership and/or teaching experience varied. Their years of work experience being educators ranged from five years to 24 years, with an average of

15 years. When interviewed, all teachers participating in the study were fully employed at the focus school. The majority of teachers taught subjects such as English, science and Arabic studies to female students in grades 6 or 7, where teachers were impacted by the New NSM reform either through the grade level or the subject they taught. The table reveals information about the participants’ work experience as teachers and as leaders. The table further points at some personal data in relation to religious beliefs and family commitments. Only one woman stated that she was single and lived by herself in ADEC accommodation which made her the exception to the rule amongst the

53 study participants. I consider these data to be important for the readers to better understand these women’s focus and commitments regarding their work as educators and their responsibilities as wives and mothers in a Muslim society.

Data Analysis

Thematic analysis in general defines the process of summarizing and reporting written data, the main contents of data and their messages. More specifically, it defines a strict and systematic set of procedures for the rigorous analysis, examination and verification of contents of written data (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2011). Thematic analysis can be undertaken with any written material, such as interview transcriptions.

Thematic analysis is used to analyze large quantities of text by using categorization as an essential feature in reducing these large quantities of data (Flick, 2009). Because my study was designed to examine the perspective of participants, my goal in data analysis was to uncover themes and concepts across participants related to the integration of

Western English medium teachers into the school culture.

I began my data analysis procedures by converting each interview from audiotape to transcribed text in order to get the exact (verbatim) words of participants.

Originally I had planned to engage an agency to support me with the transcribing of the audiotapes but on request of the Emirati interview participants, who were concerned about their voice being identified, I committed to transcribing all collected interview data myself. I engaged in data analysis methods to systematically analyze my data, drawing heavily on methods described by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014). I used three levels of data analysis, which were open coding, axial coding, and selective coding

(Plano Clark & Creswell, 2010). These three levels of data analysis helped me to systematically analyze the words of the participants of my study, and to further draw

54 conclusions both within each participant groups (leaders and teachers) and across groups. I utilized an open coding procedure for the identification of emergent themes.

As Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014) suggested, I first read the transcripts and coded phrases that seemed relevant and significant to my research questions.

Coding has been defined by Kerlinger (1970) as the translation of question responses and respondent information to specific categories for the purpose of analysis. Codes are astringent, pulling together a wealth of material into some order and structure (Cohen,

Manion & Morrison, 2011). I used the approach of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña

(2014) when engaging in coding the transcribed texts of the interviews because I found the authors’ approach applicable to my research study. Coding my interview data enabled me to identify patterns from the various interviews conducted. I applied coding and examined the codes to determine themes and, where necessary, I reassigned codes to ensure consistency of my coding across all transcribed texts.

I aimed to develop themes related to the research problem using the perceptions, experiences, and views of the interview participants. In order to examine each interviewee’s story as a member of a particular group, I first analyzed the data within each group of participants. I then reread the transcripts of the members of both teacher groups (Emirati teacher and Western teachers) individually, and coded those again.

Next, I looked for themes across these two groups to determine whether Emirati teachers and Western teachers shared any similar perspectives. I then looked across all three groups of interview participants (Emirati leaders, Emirati teachers, Western teachers) to determine if there were themes across all groups of educators. In particular

I looked for themes across the group of leaders compared to both groups of teachers to

55 understand whether their individual perspectives were related to their positions at school and/or their potential shared perspectives resulting from similar and/or different cultural and working experiences.

I assigned pseudonyms during the data analysis process and all efforts were made to protect the confidentiality of individual participants. I deleted any references made to third parties or their work to protect confidentiality.

Establishing Credibility/Trustworthiness

To enhance the credibility of my study I employed several strategies. I used triangulation among various data sources mentioned above in order to increase the credibility of my findings. When codes were discovered in more than one data source, I included these data in the final analysis stages. I also used peer debriefing in order to further validate and present my findings in an accurate way. I utilized one friend, who is an academic, to debrief my processes, and he further helped me balancing data sources, along with a general check for validity. I further reflected upon how my personal perspectives and views may interfere with the interpretation of participants’ data. Additionally, my advisor continuously asked questions and made me explain my reasoning for structuring my findings throughout the data analysis process and she ensured that I was thorough and did not impose my own biases. Although personal bias cannot be eliminated entirely, I stayed cognizant of the effect it can have on my results and worked to set these biases aside during the analysis process (Planko-Clark &

Creswell, 2010).

When I relocated to Abu Dhabi I dedicated myself to a cultural and professional acclimatization process in this Arab country, in order to gain the confidence and respect of my Emirati colleagues, students and friends. The people I worked with especially

56 during my first years living in this unique society were rural Emiratis who did not fit the stereotypes of typical well-connected urban Emiratis who are considered to be wealthy and are supported by their government in many ways. Throughout my years of living and working in Abu Dhabi as a Westerner, I have made a continuous effort to emerge into the Emirati culture and hence, I needed to gain knowledge of and insights into the local cultural norms, customs and traditions, which were very different from my own cultural upbringing. I explained my credibility for engaging in research in this context in more detail in the researcher subjectivity section.

Researcher Subjectivity Statement

As of the end of 2015, I will have more than eleven years of work experience in fields ranging from ELL instruction, cross-cultural communication, project management and PD for school-based staff. Further, I have been privileged with the opportunity to work and live on three continents through which I gained a detailed international perspective in the relevant fields of education and professional learning that I have been involved with in my career. One of the biggest challenges and learning experiences for me was to move from Germany to Abu Dhabi to work in a rural setting to teach ELL to often first-generation adult learners. I continue to draw on this early work experience in

Al Gharbia, Abu Dhabi to shape my outlook on the critical need for appropriate cross- cultural conditioning and collaboration with local staff for educational professionals who decide to work in cultures different than their own. While my experiences coalesced certain views I have utilized in this Ed.D. program, and I was conscious that as a practitioner scholar I needed to be aware of my academic responsibilities as a researcher, I analyzed and concluded data results associated with this qualitative study, accordingly.

57 I have been working with educational providers at cycle 2 schools in Abu Dhabi for several years as a professional training specialist. While working at the school sites,

I heard many stories related to the research problem identified in this study. Emirati school administrators and teachers in Abu Dhabi were concerned about how to improve the quality of teaching and learning while applying Western best practices and employing Western teachers at their schools. My work afforded me the opportunity to provide professional development focused on how to improve student achievement as well as how to implement tools and strategies to support Western and Emirati teachers in their efforts to improve collaboration despite their cultural divide. Based on my position at the school sites and my professional background, I was aware of the biases, values and experiences that I bring to this study. Therefore, while continuously reflecting on my thoughts, emotions and reactions, I needed to stay open-minded to the responses of the participants of the interviews.

In order to organize and document my moments of personal biases and idiosyncratic interpretations, I utilized a researcher journal to record my thoughts and any remedies to protect the authenticity of the data analysis and conclusion process.

The chronological entries in my journal were not used as data for this study and solely served as a mechanism to manage my non-academic and hence unqualified preconceptions related to the study, if any.

58 CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS

The purpose of this study was to examine the successful integration of Western teachers in schools in Abu Dhabi that were undergoing significant reform. This chapter presents my findings from participant interviews, my observations during a professional development training session, as well as documents provided by the leaders of the focus school as they relate to the research questions composed for this study. The research question and sub-questions driving the data collection and subsequent analysis are:

• What are the perceptions of teachers and leaders about the successful integration of Western teachers into a cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi?

o What factors do they believe support the successful integration of Western teachers into the Emirati school culture?

o How do Western and Emirati teachers report that they manage their cultural differences as they work closely together in a cycle 2 school?

In this chapter, I will address the themes that emerged from the data with quotes to highlight and personalize the findings related to the research question and the two sub-questions. Because there were multiple voices in this study from different roles and backgrounds, I have included a table summary of participant characteristics, listed in

Chapter 3 (Table 3-2).

As a quick summary of that chart, all teachers interviewed had at least five years of teaching experience and were impacted by the NSM reform either through the grade level or the subject they taught. The majority of teachers taught English or science, which are core subjects of the NSM. Two teachers out of the six taught Arabic in grade

6 and since the NSM was introduced to that grade level at the time of the study these teachers were also impacted by the NSM’s implementation.

59 What emerged from the interviews were three themes, and within each theme were strategies that participants identified as effective (table 4-1). Charting the themes and strategies helped me to make systematic sense of the data related to my desired outcome, namely a school culture of integration for Western teachers. The first two themes are related to strategies in place that helped the focus school achieve successful integration of Western teachers, but the third theme was focused on a strategy that participants wished was in place to enhance integration even more. The theme is included here even though it is not yet in place because participants spoke so strongly about the importance and benefit of the idea. Finally, the table also includes connections to the ADEC reform policies in place through the New School Model.

The next section will describe first the ADEC reform aspects to give the reader background information of the context, then I will present the themes as well as the perceived and proposed strategies reported by the participants of my study. To support each theme and strategies I will present the participants’ words to support the findings.

In addition, where appropriate, I will present additional brief quotes in charts to highlight the differences in perceptions between the Emirati leaders, the Emirati teachers and the

Western teachers. The quotes in the tables are intended to supplement the quotes in the narrative, but most importantly, to provide the reader with a quick glimpse at the differences in voices of each participant group.

As laid out in Table 4-1, the themes that emerged from the interviews were focused on the participants’ perceptions and related to particular aspects of the school reform model in place (ADEC reform aspects). Each theme represents an overall perception about the successful integration of Western teachers into the school, and

60 Table 4-1. Overview of Themes and Perceived Strategies within the ADEC Context Themes Perceived Strategies Reform Aspects as per ADEC Strategy & Policy English: Emirati leaders A: Emirati leaders value and The emphasis on English speak English fluently and encourage English language language instruction successfully manage a learning of Emirati teachers bilingual teaching and learning context B: Emirati teachers make an effort to learn English

Pedagogy: Emirati leaders A: Emirati teachers actively A move toward student- and teachers embrace the seek specific support from centered pedagogical pedagogical changes Western teachers when approaches identified in the NSM reform implementing new pedagogical approaches

B: Emirati teachers meet and co-plan with Western teachers to implement 21st century teaching and learning strategies

Recruitment/Placement: A: Emirati leaders could The recruitment, placement Emirati leaders are not provide input in relation to and induction of Western involved in the recruitment, placement and transfer teachers placement and induction of decisions for Western Western teachers teachers

B: Emirati leaders could take more responsibility for the induction and ongoing support of the Western teachers placed in their school participants were able to identify specific strategies to support that integration. The themes are presented as a general overview, with more details, examples, and quotes focused on the strategies and factors. The themes and strategies are written in present tense to indicate that they are abiding strategies the participants continue to employ on a daily basis, even though the research question was focused on reflecting on what worked to make integration happen. In other words, they were not strategies that were implemented once and then abandoned once integration of Western teacher

“happened”.

61 Findings Related to Successful Integration

Several years ago, to support their ambitious education reform (NSM reform) in

Abu Dhabi, ADEC made a rather proactive choice at a macro-system level that students should be taught within a dual language system. Additionally, the appropriate teachers should be native speakers of English to support those students’ language learning. At the same time, ADEC was also advocating new pedagogies that were student-centered, such as the gradual release model and 21st century learning. ADEC believed that changing the education structure was necessary for the Emirate to develop more educated and competent students who could better compete in a global educational climate.

To accomplish these changes, ADEC made the decision to hire Western teachers charged to teach the core subjects English, mathematics and science in

English at public schools in Abu Dhabi. Emirati teachers and Western teachers were expected to collaborate to ensure the improvement of their students’ academic achievement and tensions sometimes arose at the school level between these two types of teachers from different cultures. While it should be ADEC’s overall goal to enhance the intercultural competencies of school leaders as well as all teaching personnel, in my own experience, I have noticed that Western teachers often lacked formal support as they faced the challenge of interacting and working with the Emirati leaders and teachers who came from a culture very different from their own.

Additionally, the process of understanding and accepting new ideas brought in from these Western teachers to the Abu Dhabi schools seemed to be a challenging and time consuming exercise for their Emirati colleagues and school leaders. As a consequence,

62 many Western teachers left Abu Dhabi within the first two years of arrival, and this high turnover adversely impacted student achievement.

In relation to my first sub-question, what factors do they believe support the successful integration of Western teachers into the Emirati school culture, three themes emerged from my analysis of leaders’ and teachers’ perceptions. These themes aligned with three particular aspects of ADEC’s current education reform. These NSM reform aspects are: (1) the emphasis on English language instruction, (2) a move toward student-centered pedagogical approaches and (3) the recruitment, placement and induction of Western teachers.

Reform Aspect 1: The Emphasis on English Language Instruction

ADEC as an institution understands the importance of the medium of both the

Arabic and English language. The organization introduced professional standards which state that all school leaders need to be fluent in English in addition to their expert Arabic language proficiency (ADEC Professional Standards for Principals, 2010). Therefore, all newly appointed leaders are expected to undergo the IELTS test (International English

Testing Language System), which is an English language proficiency testing system.

Since the introduction of these professional standards, only candidates who manage to achieve an IELTS band of 6.5 or higher are now appointed as principals in ADEC schools. Previously appointed principals who do not fulfill this language proficiency requirement are encouraged by ADEC to take the IELTS test but currently, there are no sanctions if these principals decide not to take the test and/or fail to achieve the requested test score. A 6.5 score is considered a benchmark for the Emirati leaders but it is not a requirement for Emirati teachers, except when they aspire to be assigned as

English medium teachers in ADEC public schools.

63 As widely recognized, leaders have significant influence on their staff’s motivation, commitments, and beliefs regarding change (Fullan, 2007; Leithwood, Harris

& Hopkins, 2008). If a leader in Abu Dhabi at the school level does not actively support and demonstrate the vision of the dual language system with Emirati teachers and

Western teachers working closely together, a school culture of integration is less likely to be established, and carrying out ADEC’s school reform initiatives related to their vision will be less effective.

Theme (English): Emirati Leaders Speak English Fluently and Successfully Manage a Bilingual Teaching and Learning Context.

All teachers interviewed responded about how their school administration supported the process towards a culture of integration by actively using English to integrate Western teachers into school routines. When I interviewed one of the leaders, she shared how she considered knowing English as important because in the UAE people need to use English to get to know the world around them and to open what she called ‘the windows to the whole world’.

The voices in Table 4-2 below demonstrate how if an Emirati leader is fluent in

English and is happy to operate bilingually, it affects the well-being of both teacher groups. At the focus school, the leaders’ emphasis on using English as a means of communication was clearly welcomed by both teacher groups and has the potential to have a genuinely positive impact on NSM reform in Abu Dhabi.

During the interviews both Emirati and Western teachers shared their observations about how their principal in particular was able to communicate with the

Western teachers in their first language and was holding staff meetings with all teachers

64 in the same room using her bilingual language skills to unite all staff at the school.

During her interview, Mona, one of the Emirati leaders, explained:

Table 4-2. Quotes from Theme (English) Emirati Leader Emirati Teacher Western Teacher “We don’t see them as EMTs “The principal is going to speak “She [the principal] would explain and Arabs. No! They are all in English and then translates what the meeting was going to be teachers.” herself in Arabic.” about and she would do it in both languages.”

“People are appreciated by “The principal deals equally “There is not just my EMT staff; what they do, not by where they with all the teachers.” there is not just my AMT staff. come from.” We’re all together.” “A huge difference is that our administration has set the tone for the school.”

When we have meetings they all are coming together. We have to force ourselves to translate, rather than put Western teachers separate. We cannot separate them. They would think we are doing something bad. (Mona)

Data revealed that Western teachers seemed to appreciate the initiative of the administration to hold staff meetings as a team and considered this inclusive approach a positive impact on the school culture. The next sections describe two specific strategies employed by leaders and teachers in order to achieve success related to the emphasis on English.

Strategy A (English): Emirati Leaders Value and Encourage Language Learning of Emirati Teachers.

The leaders at the focus school continuously tried to encourage their Emirati teachers to improve their English language skills. One of the leaders, Mona, admitted challenges in the beginning and stated how they were keen on encouraging their local staff regarding learning English. She stated:

So, in the beginning when the problem [low level of English with Emirati teachers] happened, in the first years of change, I remember there were so many problems, but you have to discuss with them and, the principals

65 have to encourage them. Planning has to be in English, everything has to now be in English. (Mona)

According to their school improvement plan from the 2012-2013 academic year, the leaders of the focus school already considered improving the level of English among their staff as a priority and as a part of the school’s capacity building process. The document stated a target of improving the staff’s level of English by ten percent within eight months. In the document it was further stated that all staff were advised to take

English courses (if necessary), to communicate with the Western English teachers at the school, and to watch movies in English, read books in English, and to hold story sessions to read and discuss those books. As per the document, the leaders further requested the Western English teachers to support their colleagues and to establish and provide testing to enrich the Emirati teachers’ vocabulary in English. Furthermore, teachers, with the support of the Western English teachers were encouraged to undergo

IELTS testing. Additionally, several years ago, the school leadership committed to provide teachers with online computer programs to raise their English language level in listening, reading, writing and speaking. As per the SIP document, it was the hope of the leaders that their local teachers’ improvement in the English language would eventually lead to improvement of the quality of worksheets and other learning materials used during their daily practice.

During the interviews with the leaders of the school, both leaders explicitly stated their commitment towards the Emirati teachers learning English and improving their

English language skills. Mona shared:

Every year we put this one as a recommendation for each teacher whose level of English is very low for her improvement, for her development and improvement for the next year, if she was low in English. And now you can

66 see most of them are going for higher education. Most of them are trying to solve their problems. (Mona)

Nadia, the other leader, explained how she suggested to her local staff to observe how the students improved especially with learning English and how they cooperated with the Western teachers. She further described some of the Emirati teachers as using novel approaches like teaming up with their students and using them to translate where necessary. The leader added that some students would support their teachers in their efforts to practice English and to use the language more confidently.

According to the leaders, teachers’ self esteem increased in recent years, which was noticeable to me when I observed the Emirati teachers during the PD session. I observed Emirati teachers being encouraged by their principal to practice their English skills, and they tried to communicate in English particularly with their Western colleagues.

Strategy B (English): Emirati Teachers Make an Effort to Learn English.

During the professional development session, I observed how some Emirati teachers were rather enthusiastic to participate and present themselves as a whole team. Many Emirati teachers were clearly motivated to collaborate with and learn from the Western teachers and were able to express themselves in English, although at a rather basic level. Because most Western teachers lacked Arabic language skills and therefore were not able to communicate with their Emirati colleagues in the local language during the training session, some Emirati teachers either offered support as needed for translation to the leader or were asked by the leader to translate during group activities to include the Western teachers at all times.

67 During her interview one leader, Nadia, expressed that she observed some

Emirati teachers working hard to improve their English in order to communicate with their Western colleagues.

Even the teachers, who don’t know English, they try to speak in English. Whenever they want to say something, they are not thinking of how to say it in Arabic to [the Western teachers] but in English. They have to work hard to express themselves and this is what they are going to learn for their real life; this is what they are going to face. So having [the Western teachers] in school is something really useful. (Nadia)

The voices in Table 4-3 below reveal that in the focus school, the interviewed

Emirati teachers were positive about learning English. These teachers therefore engaged more readily with their Western colleagues. The interviews suggested that where Emirati teachers had better English skills, professional dialogue between both teacher groups was more likely.

Table 4-3. Quotes from Strategy B (English) Emirati Leader Emirati Teacher “We have emphasized everybody to go and “Since we were young, there has been interest in take courses in English for maybe more than the second language [English]. There are schools seven years now.” that teach Chinese and French. The UAE supports other languages.

“I think of English as part of our knowledge and “I’m a little bit good in English. I go there [British whatever leads to knowledge, the UAE is going Council] and I’m studying for IELTS.” forward to this path.”

“Being with the EMTs for us was really helpful “English is the second language in my country. It’s because we learnt from them.” nice to have more than one language.”

“They [AMTs] feel that they, if they don’t know “I improve by practicing and dealing with the foreign English, there is no space for them now in these teachers.” schools.”

The Emirati leaders clearly recognized the importance of learning English for their Emirati staff and seemed to see the Western teachers as a catalyst for the language improvement of Emirati teachers and students. Nevertheless, there was no data that suggested that the interviewed Western teachers saw a direct connection

68 between themselves and any responsibility to help their Emirati colleagues to improve in

English. I was therefore only able to link this strategy to the efforts of the interviewed

Emirati teachers.

Reform Aspect 2: A Move Toward Student-Centered Pedagogical Approaches

Mahrous and Ahmed (2010) described the characteristics of the educational environment in Arab cultures where teachers tended to use direct lecturing to illustrate concepts and assessment relied almost entirely on examinations. Derderian-Aghajanian and Cong Cong (2012) described how teaching and learning in the Arab region stood in sharp contrast with pedagogic and assessment systems in Western countries such as the United States where more focus was placed on interactive education and assignments that required solving complex practical problems. As recognized by

Derderian-Aghajanian and Cong Cong (2012), various cultural conflicts and mismatches occurred when Western teaching and learning styles were applied by teachers in a

Middle Eastern school setting without rigorous adaptation techniques to assure compatibility with the host culture. When ADEC introduced the NSM reform the organization expected the leaders to transform their schools and provided opportunities for both leaders and teachers to develop a better understanding of learning in a modern classroom.

ADEC approached the perceived knowledge gap of teachers through the provision of a standardized professional development initiative where training specialists in collaboration with school leaders provided on-site training sessions on pedagogical changes identified within the NSM reform (ADEC website, statement released 07/2013).

Through this significant investment in professional development ADEC demanded teachers to adjust the teaching and learning in their classrooms to rapidly implement the

69 changes in the NSM curriculum and the new assessment system which many leaders and teachers seemed to find challenging within the rather short time frame given by the organization.

Theme (Pedagogy): Emirati Leaders and Teachers Embrace the Pedagogical Changes Identified in the NSM Reform.

Interview data revealed that at the focus school, Western teachers were appreciated and included in the learning process, and leaders encouraged their local staff to collaborate with and learn from their Western colleagues’ teaching experience in their home countries. Ayesha, a forward thinking Emirati teacher, experienced effective collaboration and explained how she was willing to try new approaches to improve her teaching:

I started trying new things. Before, I always thought that this may not work, but this has totally changed. Now I have to try and then I decide whether it is working, or not. If it is not working, then I try something new. So I think everything will be getting better every year. We as teachers are trying to be better and better every year. (Ayesha)

When interviewing the leaders of the school, they explained how they continuously talked to and encouraged the Emirati teachers to think about the future of their country and how education had to improve at the same speed as other sectors in society.

Strategy A (Pedagogy): Emirati Teachers Actively Seek Specific Support from Western Teachers When Implementing New Pedagogical Approaches.

Emirati leaders and teachers alike confirmed the necessity of ADEC recruiting

Western teachers to support the NSM reform and to realize the shift from teacher- centered classrooms to student-centered classrooms. Mona, one of the interviewed leaders, stated how Emirati teachers sought support from their Western colleagues

70 recognizing that the Westerners supported the drive towards new pedagogical approaches.

Most of the Arabic teachers are good teachers working the same level and they are discussing important things. We can deal with the Western teachers, and we can implement the modern pedagogies. The benefit of the student is number one. (Mona)

All interviewed Emirati teachers stated that they were proactive in seeking support from Western teachers. Saeeda, the Emirati EMT teacher, recognized how she used ideas provided by her Western colleagues to improve her teaching.

If one of the EMTs has a great idea I will use it without thinking. I am a flexible person, I am adaptable, I love to learn, and if there is something new that the Western teachers can give me, I will take it. (Saeeda)

Supporting Mona’s and Saeeda’s perspective, Ayesha explained how she and some of her colleagues had already become comfortable with seeking support from their Western colleagues.

Our students are our priority. We are really cooperating around them. We will ask the Western teachers: What did you do? What is the best idea of teaching this to the students? (Ayesha)

Table 4-4. Quotes from Strategy A (Pedagogy) Emirati Leader Emirati Teacher Western Teacher “They [ADEC] put those “And the new system, the group “There is an expectation through [EMTs] here because they want system, is also helpful and I will ADEC to do more inquiry type of to build strong students and ask those [Western teachers] studies and that requires more become global citizens.” because they are native planning and it requires more speakers.” patience especially with students.”

“The biggest thing is that you can’t “They are working to correct “They know about their just do the whole teacher directed anything in the curriculum and experience also in their format. You can’t be up there and the way they teach.” country.” lecturing all the time.”

“They [AMTs] are trying to “With really understanding the implement some strategies for “We started by them giving me NSM, they [ADEC] want the students work in English or lots of resources which they students to move in this direction Arabic.” tried there.” [inquiry based projects].”

71 The voices in Table 4-4 reveal that there seems to be a shared understanding across all groups in relation to how Western teachers contributed to the implementation of the NSM reform. Emirati teachers seemed to be receptive to new teaching strategies and their voices suggested that they not only sought advice from their Western colleagues but that they were willing to put these new ideas into action. Western teachers seemed to have a clear understanding about ADEC’s vision in relation to the

NSM and were empathetic to the principles behind the school reform.

Strategy B (Pedagogy): Emirati Teachers Meet and Co-Plan with Western Teachers to Implement 21st Century Teaching and Learning Strategies.

All Emirati teachers interviewed shared how they were encouraged by their leaders to meet and co-plan with the Western teachers in relation to new approaches in teaching and learning and to be open-minded and not afraid to try out new pedagogical strategies in their classrooms.

When I observed the PD session, collaboration between both teacher groups was evident and they remained on task. Mona, one of the interviewed leaders, shared in relation to the collaboration of teacher teams within the different departments:

We have four groups here working together. All teachers are working together and they are in the same building and on the same floor. All the time they are collaborating and discussing what to do to teach. (Mona)

The leaders of the school seemed to have made strategic decisions for grade level teachers to engage in open dialogue and to collaborate with each other. They further established physical space for them to meet and co-plan in teams. Additionally,

Western teachers seemed to recognize and appreciate their leaders’ efforts and the fact that some of them had heard of other schools which seemed to have failed so far to

72 establish a culture of integration at their schools. Jamila, a Western teacher, shared what she had heard from friends who taught at other ADEC schools in Abu Dhabi.

I did hear from some colleagues at other schools that they really don’t have a community at their school between the two groups of teachers. There is a climate established by the administration at our school that we all work together as a team, that we all have different responsibilities but we are a team. (Jamila)

The data revealed various examples of how the leaders at the school had created opportunities for both teacher groups to meet and plan together. They established time schedules for Emirati and Western teachers of the same grade levels to regularly sit and discuss teaching related matters. When teachers were asked whether they could think of examples where the principal or the administration initiated activities or projects for teachers to collaborate there seemed to be a shared understanding across both teacher groups in relation to established school practice of meeting and co-planning. This understanding was reflected in the quotes below by

Samira (Emirati teacher) and Salma (Western teacher).

The plans that we put together, for example the plan of grade 6. Last year we had grade meetings for grade 6 teachers, EMTs and AMTs and another meeting with all grade 7 teachers. EMTs and AMTs all sat together. We discussed the behavioral challenges and what rules we need to put for students and we had the meetings bilingual in English and in Arabic. (Samira)

We have these impromptu meetings that include EMTs and AMTs of the same grade level. We have these meetings to work and discuss things that the administration would like us to do. I think [administration] encourages collaboration by putting out there all these tasks and things. (Salma)

The voices in Table 4-5 below speak as one in recognizing the benefits of meeting and co-planning while teachers acted as a team at the focus school. Even though the data indicated that not all teachers involved in the study initiated meeting

73 and co-planning with their colleagues none of the teachers were opposed to learning from each other. Jamila, a Western teacher, shared how collaboration between her and some of her local colleagues was stifled because some Emirati teachers still pushed their students to memorize content rather than approaching the tasks via analytical or critical thinking which was required as a central tenet of the NSM reform. Nevertheless, the quotes in the table show the commitment to collaboration of both teacher groups which seemed to be critical for radical changes in pedagogy to occur. Both leaders and teachers interviewed were hopeful that the willingness to engage with each other would increase in the coming years and Emirati staff declared that they were appreciative of the support of their Western colleagues in increasing the quality of teaching and learning in relation to the NSM reform.

Table 4-5. Quotes from Strategy B (Pedagogy) Emirati Leader Emirati Teacher Western Teacher “I really like working with EMTs “The school always says we “Sometimes, you know, our and learning from them and should work together but it collaboration goes in the opposite exchanging information.” depends on the people.” direction.”

“We mix them during PD, we “I have one Western colleague “They [leaders] want us to don’t separate them. that I am working with. As the collaborate to work in teams and Separations make problems.” same grade level teachers we to collaborate in their classroom work together, we design and to really getting us thinking lesson plans together and we outside of the box.” divide responsibilities.”

“We cannot separate those “Teamwork is much better than “We all work together as a team [EMTs]. They would think we working alone.” and we all have different are doing something bad.” responsibilities but we are a team.”

Reform Aspect 3: The Recruitment, Placement and Induction of Western Teachers

Because the NSM was designed to roll out incrementally, every academic year, there is an increasing need for native speakers of English and increasing numbers of

Western teachers are hired from abroad to support education reform in the Emirate.

74 Currently, hiring the Western teachers is entirely controlled and carried out by ADEC who contract recruitment companies, such as ‘Teach Anywhere’ to support this important activity. ADEC’s aspiration is to recruit Western teachers who have completed at least two years of teaching prior their appointment in Abu Dhabi (cited on teachanywhere website, retrieved 07/2015). However, this aspiration does not seem to be strictly enforced and there is anecdotal evidence that graduates with no prior teaching experience have been recruited by ADEC. When interviewed, Jamila, one of the Western teachers shared:

The EMT I am thinking about just got here and she is a brand new teacher. This is her first year of actually teaching with her license. So I’ve kind of become a little mentor teacher for her. (Jamila)

This non-compliance with ADEC recruitment policy was likely due to the high demand and permanent shortage of Western teachers supporting the NSM reform.

Once the Western teachers were employed and brought to Abu Dhabi, they were placed in schools through a central allocation system in order to meet ADEC’s perceived needs of schools in relation to subject and grade requirements with little or no reference to any more sophisticated understanding of the Western teacher or the placement school. Additionally, without prior notice, the central allocation team at ADEC

HQ would also redeploy Western teachers from their placement school to a different school during the academic year causing disruption and frustration for both the Western teacher and the schools involved. I directly observed this practice in the focus school where during the process of my data collection, one of the Western teachers whom I had interviewed was redeployed to another school without prior notice to either the leaders of the school or her. The re-deployment, which occurred immediately, caused significant disruption in the focus school. When I discussed the incident with the leaders

75 and teachers I interviewed they confirmed that short notice transfers of Western teachers had happened at the school site also prior to this incident.

In recent years, ADEC provided Western teachers with an organized induction program upon their arrival. At the beginning of the academic school year 2014/15, this effort consisted of a two-day workshop series where Western teachers were brought together and introduced to the NSM reform and their role in supporting the reform efforts. They also received materials about the culture and traditions of the UAE.

However, the reality was that Western teachers joined ADEC at various points throughout the school year and therefore many Western teachers missed the planned induction program. When placed at their school, Western teachers may or may not have received further induction (both professional and cultural) from their colleagues.

Nevertheless, this potential effort was not part of a formally structured induction program and its extent was likely to vary greatly from school to school.

Theme (Recruitment/Placement): Emirati Leaders Are Not Involved in the Recruitment, Placement & Induction of Western Teachers.

The interview data revealed that there seemed to be consensus across all groups that the quality of Western recruits and the appropriate placing of these teachers are of paramount importance to the NSM reform in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, all educators felt for their students who seemed to be negatively affected by ADEC’s placement and transfer practice of Western teachers at the time of this study.

The interview data implied that at the focus school, Emirati leaders were not involved in the recruitment, placement and induction of Western teachers placed at their school. Interview data highlighted that all groups interviewed registered their disquiet at a system where the school leaders did not have any input in who taught at their school.

76 Furthermore, the Emirati teachers interviewed questioned the general quality of some of the Western teachers appointed by ADEC. Ayesha, one Emirati teacher, shared:

Why bring people to us who are not teachers in their country? Why not bring those teachers who already have ideas about teaching and who have tried several things. Especially we need those who taught English in their country to non-native English speakers. It’s like asking me as a teacher to go and be a nurse at the hospital. (Ayesha)

The Western teachers in my study were qualified teachers, above the average regarding the years of teaching experience. Both of the interviewed Western teachers had spent all of their teaching careers in their home countries before they relocated to the UAE and one of them had never visited the Middle East before.

This theme and the resulting strategies differed from the other themes presented earlier in this chapter because they were not yet in place at the time of my study and therefore were not contributing to the successful integration of Western teachers at the focus school. However, despite the fact that both teachers and leaders shared concerns about the recruitment, placement, and induction policies in place, the participants interviewed felt strongly about this challenge and wanted to voice their ideas with hopes that changes could be made for the future.

Proposed Strategy A (Recruitment/Placement): Emirati Leaders Could Provide Input in Relation to Placement and Transfer Decisions for Western Teachers.

At the time of my study, there was no active involvement of school leaders in relation to the placement and ongoing deployment of suitable Western teachers at the focus school. The Emirati leaders commented on the shortage of Western teachers, yet, they felt that by establishing a positive work environment, all teachers were more willing to overcome this challenge at their school. Both leaders further stated that the lack of significant involvement in key decisions regarding the placement of Western teachers

77 led to challenges at their school, especially for students who suffered from instability due to ADEC’s practice. Leaders and teachers alike gave examples where Western teachers were transferred at short notice and the leaders in particular considered

ADEC’s practice rather frustrating, especially when transfers happened in the middle of the school year. Mona, a leader in the school, stated:

This is the fourth month for students to be used to this teacher and ADEC transferred her now. And she is saying to me: ‘Why? Did I do something wrong?’ I said: “No, it’s not like that, it is something related to the gap another school had.” Some EMTs were travelling and didn’t come back so they transferred her to that school. The students will suffer more because they don’t know who that new teacher is. And also the new teacher will need to investigate about who these students are and what are their needs. It’s like starting from the beginning again. (Mona)

Another common practice by ADEC seemed to be to transfer under-performing teachers to another school at the end of the school year. Ayesha, an Emirati teacher, expressed her concern about this procedure when she stated:

Transfer will happen at the end of the year, even if the teacher was not performing well. I am very sorry to say this but ADEC will move her to another school. If they move her it is crazy because she was a very boring teacher but they only move her to another school. What is going to happen there? (Ayesha)

The voices in Table 4-6 below demonstrate how every interview group disapproved of ADEC’s current practice. Additionally, every group of participants showed concerns about the negative impact on students who, due to ADEC’s transferring approach, lacked consistency and continuity in the way they were taught, which eventually led to challenges at an academic and personal level. Interestingly, there seemed to be an understanding among the Emirati leaders and teachers that undesirable transfer requests only applied to Western teachers and that such short notice decisions did not concern them as being Emirati citizens.

78 Table 4-6. Quotes from Proposed Strategy A (Recruitment/Placement) Emirati Leader Emirati Teacher Western Teacher “We are coming in the middle of “For me this [transfer without “I can’t choose the school. Most of the year and changing being asked] will never happen, the times, we can’t choose the teachers.” I am a local.” school that we work in.”

“What I don’t like for this “I would hate this, if I was a “I am hoping [ADEC] keeps me at [transferring Western teachers] mother and they moved my the same school. In that way I get is the effect of transferring and daughter’s teacher in the some stability.” changing teachers on the middle of the year. I would feel students.” that I would need to see the new teacher, talk to her and tell her about my daughter. It is not a good decision.” “Our students are teenagers. They are changing in their body; they have changes in their moods. Some of them have problems in the house and they are suffering from these problems. In the school they have the problem of transferring teachers. I think it is very frustrating for the students.”

Proposed Strategy B (Recruitment/Placement): Emirati Leaders Could Take More Responsibility for The Induction and Ongoing Support of the Western Teachers Placed in Their School.

The interview data revealed that there was recognition amongst the groups about

ADEC making some effort in recent years to induct newly arrived teachers. Mona, a leader in the school gave her support to ADEC’s current induction program as follows:

They [ADEC] take the EMTs out and pay for them and explain the culture for them. So we are happy about this point because they will know more about the culture and the behavior, the right and the wrong. (Mona)

However, the data further revealed that at the time of this study, Western teachers who came to teach in Abu Dhabi had to mainly support each other, and the interviewed Western teachers shared that they felt they were lacking formal support especially in the initial weeks after relocation. When I questioned the Western teachers

79 about their induction process, these teachers acknowledged the efforts made by ADEC, yet considered them insufficient. But they also stated that they felt welcome at their current school.

At the time of my study, there seemed to be no standardized induction process at the school level. During the interviews, Emirati leaders as well as both teacher groups commented on the need to extend efforts towards a more formal induction program.

Both Western teachers stated the reason why their transition process happened rather smoothly was that they prepared themselves prior to their arrival and that was their advice to any teacher who joined ADEC. Jamila explained:

A lot of information I’ve received from my friend about coming and working here was confirmed. Also my principal’s husband helped. He told me about how I should behave and how to be patient with doing different things here. (Jamila)

The voices in Table 4-7 below show that there seemed to be a mismatch in perception about the effectiveness of the induction program provided by ADEC at the time of my study. Western teachers stated how they wished for more official support while Emirati teachers explained how they were being professional colleagues and supported the integration of their Western colleagues and friends through their personal efforts. Furthermore, the Western teachers seemed to wish for more ongoing support at their individual school sites once they were placed there.

Findings Related to Managing Cultural Differences

In relation to my second sub-question, how do Western and Emirati teachers report that they manage their cultural differences as they work closely together in a cycle 2 school, one theme has emerged from my analysis of teachers’ and leaders’ perceptions. This theme related to Western and Emirati teachers managing their cultural

80 Table 4-7. Quotes from Proposed Strategy B (Recruitment/Placement) Emirati Leader Emirati Teacher Western Teacher “It’s nice that this year ADEC “One time, we had a meeting at “There was just one session within implemented a session about the end of the trimester with the the one day workshop that we’ve the culture at the beginning of EMTs and the meeting topic got and a handout that came in the year.” was: How are you going to our materials.” spend your holiday?”

“You need someone who “If she [Western teacher] asks “There really wasn’t anything at understands the backgrounds. me about a certain topic I would the school. I think it would Even the backgrounds of the probably be beneficial.” tell her: ‘No, in this culture this Emirati teachers and how they is forbidden.’ She always takes think.” whatever I say as I say it.”

“The first day I went to the school “I believe that when teachers find support and a good and the principal wasn’t there at environment where they can the time and I was teaching.” work positively, and everything is provided for them, even if “Invest time in reading and there are some shortages in researching before coming. No any part they can manage.” matter how much time, more is

better. Ask questions, preferably expats and be tactful! Be tactful!” differences through an attitude and philosophy of mutual respect and appreciation. The theme further related to both groups being open-minded and willing to engage in a positive manner with people of other cultures. During the interviews Emirati leaders and both teacher groups were asked their perceptions of how they managed cultural differences of teachers at the focus school. The interview data as well as data from my participation in a PD session (observation notes) identified four areas which indicated how both teacher groups through professional and personal efforts seemed to better manage their cultural differences at this particular school, which may not be a typical practice at other schools in Abu Dhabi.

When I analyzed the data in relation to this sub-question, it appeared that there were positive examples that could be linked to the emerging theme. While the sub- question made direct reference to the relationship between Western and Emirati

81 teachers, my analysis of the data made it clear that the Emirati school leaders played a significant role in establishing a positive culture and in creating opportunities for their staff to manage the cultural divide. Data revealed that the interviewed leaders saw themselves as the catalysts in the integration process while both teacher groups expressed their willingness to be proactive and overcome cultural challenges. In this context I believed it was crucial to first provide an overview of how the efforts of the leaders created a positive environment for Western and Emirati teachers to manage their cultural differences. During their interviews both leaders shared examples of how they had continuously increased the level of professional and social engagement of both teacher groups working at the school. Therefore, prior to presenting my results related to each of my identified areas, I will discuss the role of the leader as a central force in this context as it emerged from the different data sources.

Emirati Leaders’ Role in Creating a School Culture of Integration

Through my selection process of the school site it was assumed that in the focus school the school leaders had managed to establish a culture of integrating Western teachers better than at other schools in Abu Dhabi. Therefore, it was not surprising that the data revealed a general consensus among all interviewed teachers in relation to the positive attitude and philosophy of their school leaders regarding creating a school culture of integration and cultural understanding. All six teachers interviewed perceived their leaders as proponents of the integration process. One of the leaders shared in her interview that the school was engaged in a project initiated by the British Council to connect Emirati teachers with British teachers working in schools in the United Kingdom

(UK). The leader explained how, in recent years, there had been events where both UK based educators visited schools in Abu Dhabi and Emirati leaders and teachers went to

82 the UK to experience how schools were run there. During these visits the participating leaders and teachers met in order to plan the project activities and they further shared examples of what best classroom practice looked like in the UK and how teaching and learning was approached in the UAE. During her interview this leader explained:

Because we come from different backgrounds, this project actually teaches us about education in the global world and how to be involved in this world, how to be a global citizen, and how to be attached to other cultures and to respect these cultures. (Nadia)

Nadia further shared how, because of this project, participating Emirati teachers were exposed to other cultures and saw firsthand, for example, how UK teachers approached student-centered teaching and applied 21st century skills in their classrooms. The leader stated:

Emirati teachers have never been in a situation like teaching in a UK culture and the UAE culture is different. Understanding the UK culture and how to deal with other people from other cultures, even if they are here in the UAE, is important like how to talk to them, to understand what they are thinking and to be tolerant. (Nadia)

Data revealed that the teachers at the focus school appreciated their administrators’ role in establishing a positive teaching and learning environment to accomplish the goal that Western and Emirati teachers managed their cultural differences and worked closely together as a team. Nadia, one of the Emirati leaders, expressed her approach as follows:

We are listening to them [EMTs]. We are trying to help them. They are strangers here in this country. We are helping them. And of them, we appreciate their understanding and willingness to learn more about our country, our culture and how to deal with our students. So when we sit together, we laugh, we talk about our backgrounds, and what happened, some situation that happened to us. So we learn from each other. So it is like a family atmosphere in our school. (Nadia)

83 Furthermore, teachers stated that their principals undertook great professional and personal effort to construct opportunities for their staff to engage in collaborative learning and school events and activities as a team. Jamila, one Western teacher, shared her perspective:

I would like to say that encouragement to work together was actually done by our administration. It was kind of the good feeling that I’ve got when I first came to the school. As a teacher you are responsible for your class, but this is who you need to talk to if you need this and you need to consult with this person when you need help with that. So I think that is already a climate established by the administration at our school that we all work together as a team, that we all have different responsibilities but we are a team. (Jamila)

This quote demonstrated the importance of leaders in setting a positive school culture and tone related to integration of colleagues from different cultures.

Theme: Respect, Openness and Willingness to Overcome Cultural Differences

The theme of respect, openness and willingness to overcome cultural differences played out in four different ways at the focus school, each explained below.

A: Western teachers engage in cultural events at the school

Several of the interview participants mentioned how when there were cultural events at their school, the Western teachers engaged themselves in the activities. The data revealed that both Emirati leaders and teachers seemed to appreciate efforts of their Western colleagues to integrate themselves at the school. One of the leaders shared how the Western teachers on the occasion of celebrating UAE National Day at the school hired a woman who did henna in recognition of this cultural custom during celebrations in the UAE. Nadia explained:

The EMTs wanted to do something on National Day. So they brought a woman, who did henna for the students and for us. This is a traditional thing in the UAE that the Western teachers thought of, because they knew

84 that we love henna. So they took the initiative to bring this lady to school and she drew henna on our hands. (Nadia)

The leader further explained how in order to prepare for this cultural event the

Western teachers went to a tailor shop and got customized traditional dresses made.

They then sat together on the floor (like the Emirati teachers did), and they drank the traditional coffee and ate traditional food, and the leader shared how the Western teachers seemed to be happy to be included in the festivities. The leader further shared that she taught the Western teachers how to play a traditional game, and she stated that they ‘loved it’. The data revealed that in this leader’s point of view the Western teachers at the focus school never felt that they were strangers because they made an effort themselves, to become knowledgeable about the local customs, and because they took the initiative to be part of the cultural events at the school. Nadia concluded:

We deal with teachers from different countries. And according to the UAE vision, we are tolerant to all cultures and to all countries in the same way as our country leaders do. I believe in what our leaders are doing and I am willing to do whatever to make this educational system successful. (Nadia)

B: Emirati and Western teachers engage in social activities outside of school time

Data further revealed how leaders and teachers engaged in social activities after school to spend time together, for example one Western teacher initiated yoga classes at the school site.

After school we have sessions where we practice yoga we are encouraging the Emirati teachers to come with us, so some of them are coming. We do not see people as EMTs and Arabs, no, all are teachers. You cannot separate people by nationality here. No, you have to deal with the Western teachers as they are benefitting students. (Mona)

When I asked Saeeda, the Emirati English medium teacher, whether her relationship with her Western colleagues was purely professional or whether she would also consider them friends she stated the following:

85 We met once for dinner and sometimes if we do not have time to plan in school we meet in a cafe outside and plan together. So, yes, not only professionally, we also socially meet as friends. (Saeeda)

C: Emirati and Western teachers collaborate in a shared language during PD sessions

During the PD session I was able to observe how Emirati teachers offered support and willingly engaged with their Western colleagues at work. I observed how the Emirati teachers sat at tables together with their Western colleagues and, despite their cultural differences, engaged in professional dialogue with them utilizing both languages, Arabic and English. When I attended the training it looked like both teacher groups had a positive attitude and a general willingness towards receiving professional development. The Emirati teachers who attended the session told me that they felt encouraged by both their leaders and their Western colleagues to communicate more in

English. I heard how some of the Emirati teachers expressed themselves at a rather basic level of English and but they were supported by those Emirati teachers with more proficient English skills. I further observed how some Emirati teachers offered support for translation to the leader and during group activities to include the Western teachers in the training because these Western teachers seemed to lack Arabic language skills and therefore seemed not able to communicate with their colleagues in the local language. When I interviewed the Emirati teachers and leaders regarding their willingness to positively engage with their Western colleagues while utilizing the English language, Eman, one of the Emirati teachers, expressed her view on including English in her professional context.

English has become a global language in communication at the work environment. We embrace our language and we consider Arabic as our first language, but we learn English to have a language that will enable us to communicate with other people. (Eman)

86 While the idea of collaborating in English was similar to findings for sub-question one about the successful integration of Western teachers, it also related to how teachers managed cultural differences because of the use of a shared language.

D: Emirati and Western teachers possess openness and willingness toward other cultures

When Nadia told me that they in fact had a young Emirati teacher, Saeeda, who was recently hired by ADEC as an EMT and placed at the school, I decided to interview her and in this way give her a voice in my study. I felt that Saeeda’s example, as a recently qualified teacher and a young and contemporary thinking Emirati woman, may stand for a trend and a direction that ADEC would need to pursue in order to meet their aims in relation to emiratization, reducing the dependency on Western recruited teachers and in developing teachers towards becoming more open-minded in working with people from different cultures. During her interview, Saeeda shared her broad- minded philosophy in relation to working with teachers from different cultural backgrounds as follows.

I take support from teachers of any culture, from any country, from USA, from Egyptian teachers, local teachers, Saudi teachers or Kuwaitis, from any of these. If they have something that I really don’t know and I want to learn I am going to get support from them… I don’t mind if I we are all local teachers and I don’t mind if we have all teachers from many cultures. It depends on the person. If the person is a kind of person who is angry all the time I would not want to work with her. If she doesn’t want to talk with anyone, it would be very hard to communicate with her. Thank God, through my five years, I have never seen a teacher who wasn’t willing to work with me. (Saeeda)

When I further asked Saeeda about her opinion on how to overcome cultural differences between both teacher groups he responded that, in her point of view, not to be judgmental was important. She stated:

87 If I don’t judge people I won’t see anything wrong in them, but if I am just sitting and looking at them from one point of view then I am being judgmental. (Saeeda)

When I interviewed the other Emirati teachers participating in this study regarding their opinion on what a Western teacher should learn when they come to Abu Dhabi to teach, and to feel comfortable with the UAE culture, those Emirati teachers answered in similar ways as Samira, one Emirati teacher, and Nadia, one of the Emirati leaders, who stated below:

First of all and most importantly as she is a teacher, she is going to be a [role] model for the students and of course she has to commit to the traditional or the cultural outfit of her looks, her appearance, what she wears. (Samira)

I believe they are funny when you get to know them personally. Then you know that behind this look [clothing] there really is a good person. (Nadia)

Data revealed similar reactions from both the Western teachers when I interviewed them in relation to how they approached their students and colleagues in relation to their different cultural upbringings. When I interviewed Salma, one of the

Western teachers, she stated how in the United States she was exposed to a variety of cultures and languages but in a less restrictive way. Salma explained how she experienced life in the UAE as more restrictive and identified three approaches of how to deal with these restrictions in relation to the culture and the religion of the UAE.

These approaches were to be sensitive, respectful and engage in greater awareness.

Salma stated:

Sensitivity and respect in every aspect. Classroom, shopping, everything, in every aspect of my life, professionally and personally it is sensitivity, it is respect and it is a greater awareness. (Salma)

Data revealed that at the focus school Western and Emirati teachers seemed to manage their cultural differences through an attitude and philosophy of mutual respect.

88 The interviews confirmed that all three participant groups demonstrated attributes as stated in Salma’s quote (above) and that only due to the efforts made by the school leaders and teachers a culture of integration could be established at the school site.

Data further confirmed that at the focus school Emirati and Western teachers seemed to manage their cultural differences because they were open-minded towards cultural difference and willing to positively engage with people from other cultures.

89 CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Summary of Findings

The purpose of this dissertation was to study a school that had successfully integrated Western teachers to find out how school personnel perceived those teachers’ integration process. As proposed in chapter one, the following elements were examined: a) the factors that supported the successful integration of Western teachers into the Emirati school culture, and b) how Western and Emirati teachers managed their cultural differences as they worked closely together in a cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi.

After providing a short summary of my findings, in this chapter I will elucidate the connections between some of the results and the literature. I will then address implications and recommendations for policy and practice.

The data in my study revealed the potential benefit of a school leader who recognizes the importance of Western teachers being integrated into the Emirati school culture. At the focus school, both Emirati leaders clearly recognized the importance for their Emirati staff to learn English, and they encouraged them to use English as a means of communication when interacting with their Western colleagues. The school principal’s actions were clearly welcomed by both teacher groups and aligned well with the goals of the NSM reform in Abu Dhabi. The data further showed that at the focus school the leaders actively supported both Emirati teachers and Western teachers to manage their cultural differences, and created opportunities for them to work closely together. The inclusive approach of the two interviewed leaders seemed to have a positive impact on the school culture.

90 At the focus school, there was also a shared understanding across all groups in relation to how Western teachers contributed to the implementation of the NSM reform.

The Western teachers seemed to have a firm understanding of ADEC’s vision in relation to the NSM and were empathetic to the principles behind this school reform. Emirati teachers in this study seemed to be receptive to changes in their teaching practice towards student-centered pedagogical approaches and seemed to seek advice from their Western colleagues, if necessary.

ADEC’s current practice regarding recruitment, placement and induction of

Western teachers was found problematic by all participants of the study and did not support successful integration of Western teachers. Interviewees showed genuine concern about the impact on students who were facing challenges at an academic and personal level. Data indicated that perceptions differed about the effectiveness of currently provided induction programs for Western teachers. Western teachers wished for more official support from ADEC as well as ongoing support at the school site from their Emirati colleagues who generally seemed to be willing and supportive of their

Western colleagues’ needs.

It is important to note that these findings do not represent the views of all teachers in the school. I selected the school because it met my defined criteria as a site where Western teachers were successfully integrated. However, while the number of

Emirati teachers participating was appropriate, recruiting Western teachers with a willingness to participate in this study did not prove to be straightforward. At the time of my study, the focus school employed ten Western teachers, of these only two were willing to participate. I offered all teachers explicit assurance of confidentiality, and

91 provided them with a non-threatening context to engage but the Western teachers remained firm in their desire to avoid participation. Because it was not the purpose of this study to examine why people chose not to participate and the reasons for their refusal were not explored I cannot draw any conclusions as to why this was the case. I assumed that both teacher groups would wish to share their positive experiences since the school had a track record of successful integration of Western teachers into the

Emirati school culture but I found that whereas the Western teachers resisted participation, the Emirati teachers were willing to support my study. The resistance of the majority of the Western teachers was rather frustrating and was a concern for me as

I was keen to ensure my study was representative and I was aware that the limited engagement of this group could threaten the validity of my work. Yet, those two Western teachers who did choose to participate provided a rich source of data and information and, on reflection, I believe my study has not suffered from a lack of engagement perceived by me from other Western teachers being placed at the focus school.

However, my study may have been enriched had those who were reluctant to participate been willing to engage in this important work.

Discussion of Findings

This study differs from the studies in the literature so far because it studies a particular new school reform initiative that is new to the context. However, there are study findings that relate to previous literature, particularly in the areas of cultural difference within a cross-cultural school setting, pedagogical expertise of Western teachers within the NSM, and school leaders as catalysts for the NSM reform.

92 Cultural Difference within a Cross-Cultural School Setting

Western teachers, who come to work in Abu Dhabi, need to fully understand this unique cross-cultural setting and need to be willing to make cross-cultural adjustments when working in ADEC public schools. Bennet and Bennet (2004), and Deardorff (2006) recognized that cross-cultural competence is not a natural disposition but a skill set gained over time when people are exposed to a foreign culture. Cseh and Rosenbush

(2012), Moloney (2007), Morris and Robie (2001), and Zhao (2010) were consistent in their views that when Western teachers work in an international setting, they are often challenged by being away from their own home culture and by the need to engage with individuals from backgrounds different from their own. The Western teachers in my study confirmed the authors’ views but stated that their transition process had gone smoothly because they were aware of the cultural divide between their Emirati colleagues and themselves. Prior to arriving in Abu Dhabi both Salma and Jamila had engaged in extensive internet research and hence became well informed about the customs and traditions in Arab cultures. Data revealed that eventually they had earned respect from both their colleagues and their students because they were able to reflect on and embrace particularities unique to the Emirati culture.

Leaders and teachers in this study seemed to consider cross-cultural interaction as a positive aspect of their role. They embraced opportunities to learn about their respective cultures, which related to an approach identified by Baldwin and Hunt (2002), and Gudykunst and Nishida (2001). Nguyen, Terlouw and Pilot (2006) recognized developing trust and being culturally literate as important elements of cross-cultural school settings. The Western teachers in my study were willing to see matters at work through both their own cultural lenses and as well as from their Emirati colleagues’

93 points of view when discussing otherness and the impact on working and living in this context. Because of this willingness, these teachers did not find it difficult to make appropriate adjustments to the culture of their host country. Both Salma and Jamila were willing to approach and deal with their Emirati colleagues’ expectations about learning, the differences in classroom culture and teacher and student interactions while teaching in Abu Dhabi. Data confirmed research by Khelifa (2009, 2010) who suggested it to be beneficial for both teacher groups to be proactive in seeking to learn about each others’ cultures. All leaders and teachers in my study made a sincere effort to share their own culture and to embrace the culture of their colleagues, and in this way they found the cultural divide easier to manage. This is in contrast to the findings of Albanus and Khalil (2011) who suggested that teachers in international school settings were likely to face ambiguity, discrimination, and prejudice. Teachers from both teacher groups in my study had learned to tolerate and respect one another and their culturally- defined behaviors and teaching practices. Eventually, even though the Western teachers interviewed had not lived or worked abroad before and only one of them had visited an Arab country prior to moving to Abu Dhabi, they managed to successfully participate in daily routines and attend cultural events at their school site. Salma and

Jamila were willing to make cultural adjustments in order to successfully teach at their placement school.

Spitzberg (2000) stated motivation, culturally appropriate behavior, and local knowledge as three significant aspects of cross-cultural competence and recognized that these aspects could only develop over time. Suggesting that these aspects need a stable context in which to flourish, it seemed to be a real benefit to the focus school that

94 many of the teachers in my study, both Emirati and Western, had been working at the school for an extended period of time.

Pedagogical Expertise of Western Teachers within the NSM

Darling-Hammond (2000) suggested that the pedagogical expertise of the teacher is a key factor in supporting improved student outcomes. Merz and Shaklee

(2012) stated that Western teachers’ academic expertise is of paramount importance in driving forward school reform. The authors referenced occasions where expatriate teachers being employed in this context have limited experience abroad and questionable teaching credentials. My study partly confirmed findings by Merz and

Shaklee (2012) since both Western teachers in the focus school had appropriate teaching qualifications in the US, but they had no international teaching experiences before relocating to Abu Dhabi.

Results of my study further reinforced research of Khelifa (2009) who found that despite competencies that Western teachers may have enhanced in their home countries, they may be unable to transfer their teaching practice to the local school setting. Derderian-Aghajanian and Cong Cong (2010) recognized the challenge of implementing new pedagogies in the Arab world and suggested that cultural inconsistencies were likely when Western teachers tried to apply their established pedagogical knowledge in Arab classrooms without adapting and adjusting the content of their lesson for the new context. Mahrous and Ahmed (2010) referenced the typical teaching style in Arab cultures as being predominantly teacher-led and didactic, and

Derderian-Aghajanian and Cong Cong (2012) suggested that the teaching style of Arab teachers is in direct contrast to student-centered teaching approaches prevalent in

Western classrooms. My study confirmed the authors’ statements yet also revealed that

95 the situation in this context is more complex. My study highlighted how Emirati teachers underwent various pressures in their efforts to support the NSM reform in Abu Dhabi and one of their main challenges was the move towards student-centered pedagogical approaches. Emirati and Western teachers in my study confirmed that the shift from traditional to modern teaching and learning styles included choices at various levels and was not solely linked to pedagogical expertise but also cultural understanding of UAE classrooms. Even though the Western teachers in my study faced situations where they observed teacher-directed teaching there was also evidence that a shift had happened in the minds of the Emirati leaders and teachers that memorization should not be encouraged over analytical or critical thinking skills. Furthermore, the Emirati teachers in my study stated that they understood how student discussions, group work and project- based learning were part of modern teaching and learning strategies that they had to eventually incorporate into daily practice. It was interesting that although Emirati teachers in my study were willing to change their pedagogical practices, they did not seem to realize it was part of the Western teachers’ role to support them in their efforts.

The Emirati teachers tended to focus on their support in relation to English language not their role as pedagogical role models for the Emirati teachers in implementing the NSM reform.

School Leaders as Catalysts for the NSM Reform

Fullan and Miles (1992) suggested that major education reform and system change is only successful when implemented locally, and it is local leadership that affects this change. The leaders at the focus school were exceptionally supportive of change and their mind sets supported research by Khelifa (2009) who recognized that for change to happen leaders and their teachers needed to be reflective practitioners

96 who are open and willing to embrace new ways of working. Mona and Nadia encouraged and initiated change in teaching practice with all their staff but especially focused on supporting their Emirati colleagues in embracing 21st century teaching approaches. Therefore, the frustration levels of both Emirati and Western teachers in my study in relation to institutional and/or cultural issues seemed to be minimal. Results of my study showed that Emirati leaders were open to the pedagogical changes identified in the NSM reform.

Khelifa (2010) noted how Emirati principals may be change averse, mainly because of their worry that distinctive Islamic values, cultural norms and traditions may suffer from potential imposition of Western customs and principles. My study did not confirm research by Khelifa (2010) and even though the leaders at the focus school had experienced unsuccessful system change in previous years, they did not resist change and appeared to be ambitious change agents at the time of my study. One factor that had positive impact on the integration of Western teachers was the Emirati teachers’ earnest desire to learn English. I found that not only were the interviewed Emirati teachers encouraged by their school principal to study English, they proactively practiced their English skills when trying to communicate with their Western colleagues during staff meetings, when they engaged with them during professional development activities, or when they prepared and co-planned lessons together.

None of the leaders or teachers in my study openly resisted change, but they all mentioned that ADEC often failed to recognize the overwhelming challenge of rapid system transformation. In contrast to previous research by Khelifa, (2010) both Mona

97 and Nadia were willing to embrace change and led the school in a way that supported key elements of ADEC’ NSM reform in Abu Dhabi.

Implications

By understanding more about the insights of teachers and leaders in a school that successfully integrated Western teachers, we might learn more about how to structure policies and practices to schools beyond the focus school. It seems an ambitious goal by the Abu Dhabi educational authorities to attempt to successfully implement the NSM reform within the given time frame but it may be more likely if all stakeholders considered the implications pointed out in this section. I will address implications and recommendations for policy leaders, school-based leaders, and teachers while considering their roles in the transformation process of the Abu Dhabi public school system. I also present implications for future research.

Implications for Policy Leaders (ADEC)

Support program for Western teachers in the first year of placement. As part of their support, ADEC should consider providing a comprehensive induction program that would begin shortly after the teachers’ arrival in Abu Dhabi and would run throughout the teachers’ first year in the country. The support program should feature aspects like cross-cultural learning in the UAE context, teaching and learning in the

ADEC context, and a basic Arabic language learning course. Teachers should also be invited to participate in social and cultural events where they can learn more about the culture of their host country. I argue that by offering this level of support and development, newly recruited teachers will be better prepared to teach in Abu Dhabi public schools. Teachers who receive continuous support by ADEC will be more engaged in their own continuous professional development and therefore, they will be

98 better prepared to raise student achievement in Abu Dhabi public schools. This change might also impact retention and decrease the challenges of teacher turnover.

Start recruiting high quality teachers for high quality learning from Central

Europe. ADEC has focused on hiring Western teachers who are native English speakers. However, just because people speak English from birth does not mean they know how to teach English to non-native speakers. ADEC might do well to consider hiring teachers from other countries who speak English, but may have learned it as another language, or who have specialized in teaching English as a second language

(ESL). I suggest that those teachers have a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of teaching strategies associated with learners for whom English is a second language. Since it is expected that ADEC will continue to rely heavily on international expertise and expatriate teachers to drive pubic school reform, ADEC should consider expanding their selection criteria for Western teachers and should consider recruiting teachers who are proficient in speaking English as a second language. I argue that highly educated ESL teachers from central European countries will be able to make a significant contribution to the NSM reform while supporting

ADEC’s vision of raising student achievement in Abu Dhabi classrooms. However, further studies would be needed to assess the impact of this change in recruiting policy.

Future research should measure impact in relation to the value addition that these central European teachers could bring to Abu Dhabi classrooms and in supporting

Emirati students to pursue higher education upon graduating from high school.

Implications for School Based Leaders

Abu Dhabi school leaders need to recognize the important role of their Emirati staff in the transformation of schools and the integration process of Western staff at the

99 school sites. The leaders at the focus school made exceptional efforts to promote integration of their Western staff, and their management decisions engineered opportunities for positive cross-cultural interactions between Emirati and Western teachers. Leaders outside this particular school may learn from strategies utilized by these leaders, and they may consider initiating similar approaches at their own schools.

The leaders in my study recognized and valued the pedagogical expertise of their

Western staff, and they explicitly encouraged knowledge transfer between the Western and the Emirati teachers. In my recent experience, school leaders in Abu Dhabi seem to choose a rather passive approach in engaging with their Western staff. Based on the strong role of the leaders in my study, other school leaders might consider taking a more active role in supporting the NSM reform. Strategies might include expressing precise expectations and helping their Emirati staff learn new pedagogy from their

Western colleagues.

Implications for Emirati and Western Teachers

Emirati teachers. From this study emerged a new understanding of the level of engagement of the Emirati teachers who proactively integrated the Western teachers into the school culture. At the focus school, where both Western teachers stated that they did not speak Arabic when placed at the school, a critical element for their integration was the Emirati teachers’ efforts to learn English. Emirati teachers at the focus school contributed to the successful integration of their Western colleagues by including these teachers in cultural festivities and by teaching them about UAE traditions. More Emirati teachers may consider becoming formally involved in educating

Western teachers in local customs and traditions when they first start work at their placement schools. Strategies might include Emirati teachers being willing to share their

100 expectations of Western teachers in relation to the UAE cultural norms and to undertake ongoing roles as cultural advisors to support the Western teachers’ adjustment to this context.

Western teachers. Western teachers at the focus school contributed to their successful integration by engaging in high levels of research on the UAE prior to their arrival. In addition, the Western teachers in my study seemed to understand the importance of developing positive professional relationships with their Emirati colleagues, and they actively sought to deepen their understanding of the Emirati culture. Western teachers joining international schools should to be ready to embrace diversity and to demonstrate an inquisitive attitude towards the members of their host country. For Western teachers to be successful in their role and to make a positive contribution to the educational reform in Abu Dhabi it seems important to maintain a sense of wonder for the complexity of the context in which they work. Western teachers might be more successful in their new contexts if they were willing to respect the cultural norms and traditions of this unique society. Doing so would help them gain the respect of their hosts, and as a result they may find it easier to successfully integrate themselves into the Emirati school culture.

Implications for Future Research

This study was situated in a specific context and emphasized on integration of

Western teachers into the Emirati school culture and the factors that supported their successful integration. I also focused on how Western and Emirati teachers managed their cultural differences at the selected school site. While this study excluded other

Arab teachers and how they may contribute to the process, and I consider my study

101 successful in presenting results regarding the relationships of Western and Emirati teachers, it may be useful to broaden the range of participants in a further study. In particular, it would be interesting to include Arab teachers from other GCC countries working at ADEC schools in Abu Dhabi.

My study began to raise questions in relation to the role of the Emirati female teachers in the successful induction of their Western colleagues. It will be academically important to understand if other Arab teachers can also positively impact the integration process of Western teachers or whether the nationalistic will and determination of

Emirati women, who chose to become teachers, is the biggest driving force for the success. I believe that the degree of integration of Western teachers depends on the commitment of their Emirati colleagues working at the school sites and whether these women buy into their school leader’s and ADEC’s long term vision to transform the education system in the emirate. I further believe that if Emirati teachers were more involved in induction programs and took charge of supporting the newly placed teachers, particularly throughout their first year teaching in Abu Dhabi, successful integration at the school sites may become more common. A study to explore these concepts would be beneficial to ADEC and beyond.

An unexpected line of inquiry emanating from this study relates to the power of

Emirati women in the school context. The Western teachers are brought to Abu Dhabi to add value to the education system and my study provided evidence that they contribute significantly to education reform in the emirate. My study further showed that the Emirati women I interviewed were professionally motivated, passionate about being educators, willing to challenge the status quo, and that they saw themselves as change agents,

102 both at their work place and in the Emirati society. It will be fascinating to broaden the study to develop a deeper understanding of what motivates Emirati women, under the guidance of appropriate school leaders and within the educational leadership context, to overcome their traditional role in society and to become change agents towards belief systems that are more common for females in the Western world. I consider the Emirati leaders and teachers interviewed in this study to be exceptional women but I do wonder how other powerful females work at other schools in Abu Dhabi. An investigation into whether my selected school site was truly unique in its efforts to integrate their Western staff or whether Emirati women in other schools have similar views could become an important study in itself.

My study has revealed a new line of inquiry that has the potential to affirm Emirati women and challenge some of the cultural stereotypes that currently exist in the

Western world regarding their role as females in UAE society and also in relation to what personally motivates them to support or resist change. It could be intriguing to undertake a comparative study that explores the role of Emirati women as educators and how they deal with the mismatch of Western influences imposed on their profession and Emirati society, as well as their anxiety to lose their own values and norms associated with Emirati culture. To compare their change in behaviors with approaches, attitudes and belief systems of Western women could help to change colloquial perceptions about this region. It may be that a study of this nature would challenge existing stereotypes of women in a Muslim society. It is also possible that a study of this nature may lead to greater reciprocation between the Arab and Western culture and a context where Western teachers in their national context could learn from Emirati

103 teachers in relation to managing cultural differences, teacher motivation and the induction of new teachers.

Conclusion

This was a study of a school that successfully managed to integrate Western teachers into their school culture. I felt that my research problem could best be addressed by giving voice to both school administrators and teachers by telling their stories using the research design applied in this study. My study is of importance in the

Abu Dhabi context because it may address the problems ADEC faces at a system level when approaching school transformation and educational change in this emirate. When

I engaged with teachers and school leaders at various ADEC schools in Abu Dhabi prior to this study, it became obvious to me that some schools managed better than others to integrate Western teachers at their schools. Cultural understanding or the lack thereof seemed to play a critical role in the integration process of the Western teachers. That was why I studied one cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi that had successfully managed to integrate Western teachers at their school. By interviewing school personnel and by giving voice to teachers and school leaders, my study, in a scientific and systematic manner, identified factors and strategies utilized by the school personnel school to successfully integrate Western teachers at the focus school.

My study provides new insights into factors and successful strategies utilized by school personnel at one school site to integrate Western teachers at their work place in

Abu Dhabi. In relation to this context, my study further brings official awareness of the important roles of teachers and school leaders to the educational authorities who currently try to implement school transformation and educational change in the Abu

Dhabi emirate. My study is unique because it provides ADEC leaders with an

104 understanding of teachers’ and school leaders’ perceptions on how successful integration of Western teachers into the Emirati school culture can be achieved effectively.

Eventually, through wider dissemination, this study could provide ADEC with a road map for how to better integrate Western teachers into the ADEC school system.

Findings of my study challenge current teacher selection, recruitment, and retention policies in ADEC, providing suggestions from educators to improve the process.

Learning more about how to successfully integrate Western teachers into the Emirati school culture may also raise the level of teacher satisfaction leading to better teacher retention which has the potential to increase student achievement. I further sought to foster cross-cultural dialogue that might create the permitting circumstances for deeper personal and professional collaboration between Emirati teachers and their Western expatriate colleagues. Finally, the vision and actions of teachers and leaders in my study could have a positive impact on the successful implementation of the New School

Model reform in Abu Dhabi.

105 APPENDIX A WESTERN NATION REPRESENTATION (ADEC DATA SET 2013-2014)

1209 USA 223 Canada 205 UK 202 Ireland 136 South Africa 86 New Zealand 51 Australia 47 Finland 76 Other Western 2235 Total

106 APPENDIX B INFORMED CONSENT

Dear Abu Dhabi Education Council School Leader / Teacher: The purpose of this letter is to secure your consent for participation in my ADEC approved study regarding successful methods to incorporate Western teachers into an ADEC school setting. This study is designed as a qualitative study of one cycle 2 school in Abu Dhabi. I am grateful to you, as leaders and teachers of your school for allowing me to learn more about the way that your school aims to incorporate various teacher groups to work together in productive ways and to learn from and grow with each other, which is a key element of ADEC’s New School Model.

As part of this study I will be conducting interviews to discuss the integration of teachers from diverse cultural backgrounds at your school site. I will be conducting a maximum of two interviews lasting 30-45 minutes each. The interviews will be conducted in English. For non-native English speakers, I will have a translator available to ensure that you feel comfortable with my questions and that you can clearly explain your responses. Interviews will be recorded and transcribed. After the study, all interview tapes will be destroyed.

Your participation in this study is strictly voluntary. You will be assigned a pseudonym to ensure confidentiality and privacy. Only I will have access to the list of pseudonyms. Non-participation or denied consent to participate will not affect you in any way. In addition, you may request at any time that your data will not be included in this study. You will not be compensated for your participation in this study. Should you agree to participate, your confidentiality will be protected to the full extent as mandated by the university’s Institutional Review Board. There are no direct benefits or risks to you for participating in the study.

Please kindly sign and return a copy of this letter to me. A second copy is for your records. If you have any additional questions about the study or the procedures for data collection, please contact me +971-55-581-0806, [email protected] or the principal investigator (PI) at UF, Dr. Alyson Adams, [email protected]. If you have any questions about the rights of research participants, you can contact the University of Florida Institutional Review Board Office, P. O. Box 112250, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611.

Kind regards,

Sandra Vonderlind Doctoral Candidate, University of Florida, School of Teaching and Learning

107 I have read the procedure described above for the study of successful methods to incorporate Western teachers into an ADEC school setting. I agree to participate and I have received a copy of this description.

______Signature of participant Date

108 APPENDIX C INTERVIEW PROTOCOL FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS

1. Interview Emirati Leader

Salamaleikum? Ki-falek? (Hello, how are you?) Thank you again for agreeing to participate in this study.

• Where in Abu Dhabi do you live? • Do you have family (married with kids)?

• Why did you become a teacher? • How long have you been a teacher before becoming a leader? • How long have you been a leader in a school with Western English Medium Teachers? • How many years have you been a leader at this school?

• How did you learn English? • Are you currently taking an English language learning class? Why or why not? • Do you think it is important to speak English? Why or why not?

• Have you ever visited Europe or any English speaking countries? • Has working with Western EMTs has affected your attitudes towards people from Western cultures such as Australia, The United States, United Kingdom, etc.? Can you give an example? • Have you ever been to any of these countries? • Can you give an example of how you may have adapted your leading practices, social behavior, values, etc. since Western EMTs started working at your school?

• What advice would you give a newly arrived teacher coming to Abu Dhabi as an EMT in the context of understanding your local culture? • Can you give examples of things you wish these teachers knew prior to teaching in Abu Dhabi? • Can you think of a specific teaching related skill set that EMTs are currently missing when they arrive in Abu Dhabi?

• Think back to when EMTs first arrived here and began working in your school. Did the school and/or you in particular provide them with any support regarding teaching here in Abu Dhabi? Please explain and provide an example. • Did the school and/or you in particular provide Emirati teachers with any support in working with Western EMTs? Please explain and provide an example. o (Probe for various kinds of support such as instructional support, cultural support or procedural support.) • Who else provided support? • To what extent was this support helpful or effective? • Have these supports continued beyond the beginning of the year? Can you share examples? • Have (other) supports been added and/or removed since then? Can you share examples?

• Are Emirati teachers and Western EMTs expected to collaborate at your school? When do they collaborate? Could you explain how they then work together? • Do these teachers also work together during professional development sessions? In what ways? • Can you give me an example or two of how you support collaboration between your Emirati teachers and your Western EMTs?

• Tell me about the key social relationships you have established in your school? • Can you give an example where the cultural differences between your Emirati teachers and your

109 Western EMTs have affected their professional relationship? This may be positive and/or negative? • Can you give an example where the cultural differences between yourself and your Western EMTs have affected your professional relationship? This may be positive and/or negative? • Can you provide an example of where a Western EMT has shown interest in the Emirati culture? • How do you think you are perceived by your Western EMTs?

• Have you ever attempted the opportunity to engage with your Western EMTs in a social setting? o (If yes, probe for an example.)

Thank you for taking part in this interview. • Would you like to add any comments or explore any thoughts that you may have that relate to my research interest? • Do you have any further questions or need any further clarifications about my research topic and/or my study in general?

Schukran and Masalama. (Thank you and good-bye.)

2. Interview Emirati teacher

Salamaleikum? Ki-falek? (Hello, how are you?) Thank you again for agreeing to participate in this study.

• Where in Abu Dhabi do you live? • Do you have family (married with kids)?

• Why did you become a teacher? • How long have you been a teacher? • How long have you been teaching in a school with Western English Medium Teachers? • How many years have you been teaching at this school? • What grade levels/ subjects do you teach?

• How did you learn English? • Are you currently taking an English language learning class? Why or why not? • Do you think it is important to speak English? Why or why not?

• Have you ever visited Europe or any English speaking countries? • Has working with Western EMTs has affected your attitudes towards people from Western cultures such as Australia, The United States, United Kingdom, etc.? Can you give an example? • Have you ever been to any of these countries? • Can you give an example of how you may have adapted your teaching practices, social behavior, values, etc. since Western EMTs started working at your school?

• What advice would you give a newly arrived teacher coming to Abu Dhabi as an EMT in the context of understanding your local culture? • Can you give examples of things you wish these teachers knew prior to teaching in Abu Dhabi? • Can you think of a specific teaching related skill set that EMTs are currently missing when they arrive in Abu Dhabi?

• Think back to when EMTs first arrived here and began working in your school. Did the school provide them with any support regarding teaching here in Abu Dhabi? Please explain and provide an example. • Did the school provide Emirati teachers with any support in working with Western EMTs? Please explain and provide an example.

110 o (Probe for various kinds of support such as instructional support, cultural support or procedural support.) • Who provided the support? • To what extent was this support helpful or effective? • Have these supports continued beyond the beginning of the year? Can you share examples? • Have (other) supports been added and/or removed since then? Can you share examples?

• Name three people who you work most closely with (professional colleagues). Are these colleagues Emirati colleagues or Western EMTs? • Can you give me an example or two of how you collaborate with your Western colleagues? • Are you and your Western colleagues expected to collaborate at your school? When do you collaborate? Could you explain how you then work together? • Do you work together during professional development sessions? In what ways?

• Tell me about the key social relationships you have in the school? Who would you consider to be your friends? • How do you think you are perceived by your Western colleagues? • Can you provide an example of where a Western colleague has shown interest in the Emirati culture? • Can you give an example where the cultural differences between yourself and your Western colleagues have affected your professional relationship? This may be positive and/or negative?

• Have you ever had the opportunity to engage with your Western colleagues in a social setting? o (If yes, probe for an example.)

Thank you for taking part in this interview. • Would you like to add any comments or explore any thoughts that you may have that relate to my research interest? • Do you have any further questions or need any further clarifications about my research topic and/or my study in general?

Schukran and Masalama. (Thank you and good-bye.)

3. Interview Western EMT

Hello and thank you again for agreeing to participate in this study.

• What is your nationality? • Why did you become a teacher? • How long have you been a teacher? • How many years have you been teaching in your home country? • Before relocating to Abu Dhabi, have you had any prior international experience?

• Are you teaching the same grade levels/subjects in Abu Dhabi that you taught at home? • What grade levels/ subjects do you teach?

• How did you hear about teaching in public schools in Abu Dhabi as a career option? • Why did you choose Abu Dhabi? • Did you have other alternative opportunities, if so where? • Have you been to Abu Dhabi or the Middle East prior to relocating?

• Do you have family (married with kids)? • Did you move here with your family or did you come alone?

111 • How long have you been teaching in the U.A.E.? • Is this your first school teaching in Abu Dhabi? • If not, what other teaching experiences have you had here in Abu Dhabi?

• How much Arabic do you know? • Are you currently or have you ever taken any Arabic classes? Why or why not? • Do you think it is important to learn Arabic? Why or why not?

• What did you know of Arab or UAE culture before arriving on Abu Dhabi? • How has this pre-arrival understanding been challenged or confirmed? • Has working in this school affected your attitudes towards the Arab culture? Can you give an example? • Can you give an example of how you had to adapt your teaching practices, social behavior, values, etc.?

• What advice would you give a newly arrived teacher coming to Abu Dhabi as an EMT in the context of understanding the local culture? • Did you have to learn any lessons the hard way related to your professional experience in a cultural setting different than your home country? • Can you give examples of things you wish you had known prior to arriving/teaching in Abu Dhabi?

• Think back to when you first arrived here and began working in your school. • Did the school provide you any support so you could learn about teaching here in Abu Dhabi? Please explain and provide an example. o (Probe for various kinds of support such as instructional support, cultural support or procedural support.) • Who provided the support? • To what extent was this support helpful or effective? • Please provide another example of how you were supported as you began working here? • Have these supports continued beyond the beginning of the year? Can you share examples? • Have (other) supports been added and/or removed since then? Can you share examples? • Name three people who you work most closely with (professional colleagues). Are these colleagues Western English Medium teachers or Emirati colleagues? • Can you give me an example or two of how you collaborate with your Emirati colleagues? • Are you and your Emirati colleagues expected to collaborate at your school? When do you collaborate? Could you explain how you then work together? • Do you work together during professional development sessions? In what ways?

• Tell me about the key social relationships you have in the school? Who would you consider to be your friends? • Which of your colleagues have most influenced your integration into school life? • How do you think you are perceived by your local Emirati colleagues? • Can you provide an example of where a local colleague has shown interest in your cultural background? • Can you give an example where the cultural differences between yourself and your Emirati colleagues have affected your professional relationship? This may be positive and/or negative?

• Have you ever had the opportunity to engage with your Arab colleagues in a social setting? o (If yes, probe for an example.)

• How long do you currently plan to stay? • What are the greatest influences on this decision?

112 Thank you for taking part in this interview. • Would you like to add any comments or explore any thoughts that you may have that relate to my research interest? • Do you have any further questions or need any further clarifications about my research topic and/or my study in general?

Thank you and good-bye.

113 APPENDIX D SCHOOL SELECTION CRITERIA

114 REFERENCES

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120 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Sandra Vonderlind was born in Meiningen, Germany and graduated from the

Hennebergisches Gymnasium “Georg Ernst” in Schleusingen, Germany. She did her undergraduate studies at the Friedrich Schiller Universitaet in Jena, Germany, and during this time spent a semester abroad studying at Bloomsburg University in

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. In August 2004 she completed her M.A. in Intercultural

Communication and British and American Language Studies from the Technische

Universitaet Chemnitz in Chemnitz, Germany where her masters’ thesis was Case

Studies - Living in Intercultural Constellations.

Between 2004 and 2008 Sandra taught at various vocational education institutes and language training institutes, and she offered English language related trainings to private corporations and governmental institutions including the Bundeswehr (German

Army). In the fall of 2008, she moved to the emirate of Abu Dhabi as an ESL teacher at the Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute (ADVETI) in the remote western region of Al Gharbia. In July 2012 Sandra completed her M.A. in Teaching

English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of Newcastle

(online) in Newcastle, Australia.

At the time of applying for the professional practice doctoral program in

Curriculum, Teaching, and Teacher Education (CTTE) with the University of Florida,

Sandra had gained extensive international experience in the field of ELL teaching, ELL curricula and adjusting teaching methodologies to meet a specific local context.

Between 2012 and 2014 she was the Senior Project Specialist for the University of

Florida Lastinger Center for Learning’s project in Abu Dhabi. She worked as a Training

Specialist for Nord Anglia Education between 2014 and August 2015. Throughout most

121 of her academic studies at the University of Florida, Sandra worked as an educational professional in the school reform process in Abu Dhabi’s public schools. Currently,

Sandra is the Project Director for the University of Salford’s prestigious Abu Dhabi project with the UAE’s Ministry of Interior in the field of training for juvenile welfare center staff.

After completing her doctorate degree from the University of Florida, Sandra intends to engage in further research to identify factors and strategies to resolve cross- cultural conflicts across various engagement mediums. Sandra is also associated with a project in Kolkata, India, which is pioneering hands-on courses for young children based on science experiments.

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