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Liwa International School in the United Arab Emirates Embraces Kagan

Liwa International School, a preK–12 school in Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, has made a commitment to implement Kagan Structures school-wide. Liwa School is in the process of becoming a Model School for Kagan in the United Arab Emirates and to become a hub for spreading Kagan's instructional methods broadly in the region.

Instructional Leaders' Reflections on Kagan

The Liwa Times newspaper recently featured articles on Kagan in the school. Heads of Departments and teachers reflect on their implementation of Kagan in the classroom:

"Kagan structures are very useful. They make all students engaged during the period. They also improve the social interaction among students. They add fun to the teaching and learning process".
—Mrs. Engy, Head of Chemistry Department

"I think implementing the 'Kagan Structures' will take cooperative learning to a more fruitful and interactive dimension. Kagan structures effectively engage students and enable them to practice and apply their knowledge. In short, Kagan Structures can be considered an extraordinary method of learning, teaching, and education as a whole."
—Mrs. Khayal, English Language Mentor

"Recently, most educators have agreed that cooperative learning does have positive effects on education. Through Kagan Structures, all students are engaged. It makes me happy when I see that each student is involved in his\her task, feeling that he\she has an important role to perform. The fruitful results we are getting in classes are the outcomes of the activities implemented as part of the structures."
—Mrs. Samah, English Teacher

Mrs. Hala elaborated on the social benefits of applying thee structures:
"In addition to their academic benefits, Kagan Structures lead to less disruption in the class. They help students show more responsibility and respect towards others. This will ensure a better classroom environment."
—Mrs. Hala, Head of Biology Department

"Kagan Structures will provide a unique learning experience not provided by traditional teaching methods where the emphasis is on academic content. The Structures are considered the best teaching tools to sound learning. They also help increase the students' motivation as they make them feel safer and more supported. Moreover, these Structures will help teachers build good rapport with students because they provide an immediate feedback to student performance. They will definitely promote quality learning across all grade levels."
—Mrs. Maha, Head of Math Department

"Cooperative learning gives students the opportunity for equal participation in class work instead of them working individually in competition with each other. This will help them achieve goals that they couldn't achieve individually, which will boost their self-confidence"
—Mr. Fayez, Head of Physics Department

Liwa's Journey with Kagan

Dr. Shereen Gobran, the Principal at Liwa School describes how she discovered Kagan:
"Last year, when we were looking for new useful ideas on cooperative learning, I thought of surfing the net. This is when I learned about Kagan Structures. I decided to visit their website and I was impressed with what they had to offer during their Summer Academy on Cooperative Learning. I attended the Academy held in the United States, along with five Lead teachers from the school. We really enjoyed the courses offered during the Academy, and thought it would be unfair not to give a chance for all Liwa teachers to learn about the Kagan structures. Therefore, I made an agreement with the Founder of Kagan, Dr. Spencer Kagan, based on which Mrs. Laurie Kagan will come to the school to train, coach, and evaluate our Staff on the basis of the requirements of each structure. This is how our school will turn into a Kagan school."

Laurie Kagan has conducted numerous professional development events with Liwa teachers. Laurie has been impressed with how quickly students and teachers alike have adopted Kagan Structures and at the fidelity with which teachers are implementing the structures, especially given the potential translation issues.

In attempt to improve and sustain Kagan implementation, Liwa School has brought Aleah Hearns on staff as a full-time Kagan instructional coach. Aleah is well-versed in Kagan Structures as she was a teacher at Berkley Elementary School, a long-time Kagan model school in Florida under the leadership of principal Randy Borland. Aleah will be responsible for all aspects of Kagan staff development including training, coaching, and running the Structure-A-Month Club.

In January, Laurie Kagan will be returning to Liwa school to offer a one-day workshop for local educators. Teachers in the United Arab Emirates will have the opportunity to learn about Kagan. The following day, Liwa school is hosting an open house where guest educators will witness the power of Kagan in action as Liwa teachers demonstrate Kagan Structures in their classrooms. Each hour, guests can select specific structures they choose to witness or can choose classes that match their own grade and curriculum.