Al Wagan Cycle One School

When I found out I was coming to Al Ain to be at Al Wagan, I looked it up on Google maps. The directions included "turn at the gate to the goat farm..." and "turn at the third sand dune." I laughed and thought "surely that isn't right!" But it was!
My drive is a little over an hour one way- or less if you are riding with someone who knows where the radar cameras are located! But you do turn at the above mentioned areas to get to the school, which is on the edge of the desert.

It is a two story school housing over 900 students in a very rural area. Many teachers only stay a few years as they get tired of the long drive to work. ADEC provides a ride-along bus for anyone who wants to ride it and not drive. But it adds up to an hour onto your ride so its not always a good deal. One bus picks up all the teachers, a thirty mile drive from end to end of Al Ain, then out to Al Wagan.

If it is rural, how do you have so many students, you ask....Well, some families have over a dozen children. Emirati men have as many as 4 wives, so it adds up!

The school has 4 wings and one annex. It houses grades K1 (pre-k) through fifth, with multiple sections of each grade. One half of the school is the boys side, the other side is for girls. Some schools have co-ed kindergarten but all other grades are separate. The Annex is for the K1 and kindergarteners.

Each grade has AMTs and EMTs. AMTs are Arabic medium teachers (mode of teaching not size! lol!). EMTs are....you guessed it, English medium....Students have classes in Arabic in the morning and English in the afternoon. The curricula is the same for both languages but they teach independently. Some classes have the AMTs in the classroom with the EMTs. At Al Wagan, we are blessed with wonderful teachers. The AMTs put as much effort in teaching as the EMTs, even though some of the philosophy is new to them. Discovery learning (inquiry-based) is a new concept but they are embracing it well.

Since some of the teachers only speak Arabic, when the admin has a faculty meeting, or need to talk to them, we have to get one of the bilingual teachers to translate what we say. You learn to speak in chopped paragraphs! It takes a few times to get the hang of it. You cant say too much at once or the poor translator cant remember it all.

The boys arrive half an hour before the girls as they cannot be bused together. Therefor they end earlier too. It is the culture. But it means that there are two trips made to the same home if there are both sons and daughters!

The students wear uniforms. I am not allowed to take pictures of the students but I will try to get a picture of an uniform to post later. The boys wear blue button up or polo shirts with the school logo, and either wind pants or dress slacks. No kandoras at school. Girls can wear the polo/slacks/wind pants combo or the shirt with a knee length or floor length dress.

Observing and evaluating an AMT is tricky! I was allowed to sit in on one at a school where I was shadowing another AVP in early February. You have to rely on what interaction you see with the teacher and students, do the students look engaged, and was the lesson interactive- not just teacher talking. It was very interesting.

There are two HoFs at my school. One HoF (Head of Faculty), Pat,  runs the Kg1 and Kg classes. A HoF works with the teachers directly to aid them when needed, to sub when needed, and to assist with evaluations. The other HoF, Lisa, works with me doing the same for grades 1-5.

My school is typical of UAE schools. Most are large as high schools in big cities in the states and arranged in the same fashion.

The school has an amazing auditorium but it was locked so I couldn't get pictures. Also there is a pool! I can swim every day after school. I love it!

My office, pretty sparce right now. You can see the Tabor area outside my window which is a plus. I can work til time to start. 

Tabor area. Tabor is the morning opening exercises. 

One of the four wings on the bottom floor. Upper mirrors it. Left side of school is the boys, right side for the girls. 

Outside seating/play area

View of another area

Teachers are required to post student work examples and keep them current

One of the many skylights

Hallway between girls and boys sides

View from one of the windows...

You can see camels grazing during the day. The building outside the school fence is a camel farm that is on the desert.

The wings have these round areas that see through to the lower floor

View of the Tabor area from upstairs

Doors leading to the boys side

Round observation to lower floor

Student work display

Buses ready to load!

Traditional seating area in the lobby

Entrance to the library. There is a large round prayer room on the other side. 

Reception area. Mr. Feyiz (special ed teacher) and one of the security guards. Schools are all very safe but they have them on staff to assist with many things, including unruly students! But we dont have any!

I love this bulletin board. It is a display of all the countries the teachers are from- 18 in all!

Mushi shway shway! Walk slowly!