With an aim of strengthening professional competencies, staff well-being, student safety, national identity awareness, and digital readiness among teachers, MES Indian School, Doha, organised a three-day Teachers’ Orientation Programme recently.
The session on the first day focused on safety, emotional well-being, academic enrichment, and national values. ‘Harmony Hour’, conducted by Ms. Jesna Siju and Ms. Cheryl Soans, highlighted the importance of mindfulness, inner harmony, emotional balance, and positive relationships in educational settings. An informative and hands-on session on Basic Life Support (BLS) and First Aid, organised by the Welfare Department, was conducted by Mr. Sulaiman Mohammed and Ms. Manjusha Suresh, Educators at UNIQ. The session equipped teachers with essential life-saving skills and first-aid knowledge to effectively handle medical emergencies within the school environment, emphasising timely response, preparedness, and confidence during emergencies.
A professional development session on Activities for Promoting Qatar National Identity (QNI) was conducted by Mr. Mohammed Ilias, Vice Principal and Head of Boys’ Section, focusing on nurturing national values among students in alignment with Qatar National Vision 2030. Teachers were encouraged to integrate cultural awareness, heritage appreciation, and responsible citizenship into classroom practices. The academic focus of the day continued with a session on Building Academic Vocabulary, conducted by Ms. Ramadevi, followed by Interactive Activities to Promote Communication Skills in Children, led by Ms. Safna and Ms. Hajeera, which provided practical strategies to enhance language development and classroom communication.
The second day began with energising physical wellness activities conducted by the Physical Education Department. These included aerobics, stretching, yoga, and recreational games, promoting fitness, stress relief, and team spirit among teachers. The programme also included a session on Cyber Security and the Smart Use of Artificial Intelligence in Education, conducted by Ms. Muhsina Parveen and Ms. Ingitha K.S. The session highlighted the responsible use of digital tools for research, content creation, and presentations, along with essential cyber hygiene practices. This was followed by an engaging session titled “From Chalk to Challenge: Making Quizzes Work
for You”, conducted by Mr. Davidson, which introduced innovative strategies to make classroom assessments more interactive, engaging, and effective.
The day also featured a Section Meeting, along with Fun Stress-Relief Activities for Teachers, conducted by Ms. Aswathy and Ms. Rashida, fostering relaxation, collaboration, and positive morale among staff members. The third day of the orientation programme was dedicated to Section Meetings, allowing teachers to engage in focused discussions on academic planning, student support strategies, curriculum alignment, and classroom management, ensuring preparedness for the upcoming academic term.
The evening shift of the school focused on strengthening teaching practices, classroom effectiveness, and professional growth. Mrs Sameena Ashfaque, Headmistress conducted a session on preparing productive split-ups, effective lessons, and meaningful assessments. Teachers’ Talk Series – 1 highlighted innovative teaching strategies for 21st-century learners. Sessions on Transforming Teaching with Technology by Ms Dharini and Ms Jyothi were followed by a Micro-Teaching Demo Session. Ms Santra led an enriching discussion on building positive parent–student relationships, and Ms Likhi conducted a session on the effective use of English in daily life for conflict-free communication. The day concluded with Teachers’ Talk Series – 2, focusing on effective classroom management techniques and developing critical thinking skills in students. On the final day of orientation programme, Mr. Shihabudeen Pulath, Senior Vice Principal, led an engaging and impactful session on differentiating teaching and assessment aligned with learning outcomes, equipping educators with practical strategies to address diverse learning needs. Mrs. Shadiya Rasheed, Mrs. Priya V. and Mr. Aboobacker introduced experiential learning through art and sports integration. The “Teachers’ Talk Series-3” addressed faculty well-being through sessions on stress management and life skills integration led by Mrs. Sahla, Ms. Sajeera and Ms. Sumayya.
The successful execution of the orientation programme was coordinated by the in-charge teachers of Orientation: Ms. Sibi Susan Thomas, Ms. Sini Seenath, Ms. Shiney Suresh, Ms. Seena Ramachandran, Ms. Resmi Ajith, Ms. Meghna Pashine, Ms. Farsha Ashraf, and Ms. Syeda Amina Fatima, Ms. Greeshma Chandran, Ms. Santra Jose and Ms. Akansha Garg.