A school is a family where everyone knows everyone, says MiniPD coach Ali Ezzeddine.
Ali’s childhood teachers inspired in him a desire to change the world, and he always knew that that change begins at school. That’s why he went into teaching, with those early teachers acting as role models for the kind of quality education provider he wanted to be himself.
Originally working as a French PYP teacher in a private school in Lebanon in 2003, Ali found himself moving into work as the PYP Coordinator at the same institution and then at other schools in Dubai and Doha. Now freelance, he brings his nearly two decades of educational experience to his work – in Arabic, French and English – with start-up schools, offering training and consultation, and conducting author visits both in person and online.
His teaching career may have taken him all over the Middle East, but regardless of where he is, Ali’s belief in providing great learning experiences connected with real life remains resolute.
It was his love of sharing these experiences that drew Ali to become a MiniPD Coach, which he says will help him learn and grow as an educator as well as allowing him to network with others. Indeed, his journey in education has grown from his own need to seek the advice and support of experienced teachers over the years.
Now he’s the one with the experience, sharing what he’s learned from his career and from other passionate educators to help others grow and share their own experiences. From blog posts to workshops, and from jobs to teacher-teaching-teacher sessions, Ali’s enthusiasm for inspiring others knows no bounds.
Commenting on how rewarding it is to see some of the teachers he’s worked with now making a name for themselves as sought-after international workshop leaders, Ali says it’s all about joining forces to make a difference. “We are in a circle – the more we invite people to join us, the wider our circle will be and our impact will be more powerful,” he tells us.
So what would that impact look like for Ali, in an ideal world? Dreaming big, he believes it’s time for an overhaul of the whole school system, with flexibility taking centre stage. “Flexible timetables, flexible grouping and regrouping, more personalized experiences” – these are what Ali believes should be prioritised, along with the Arts and PE.
“We need schools to prepare for the future, not the past,” he concludes.
In the meantime, Ali’s mission as a MiniPD Coach is to inspire educators he works with to become lifelong learners – people who can inspire others and who can be the change we want to see.
And that’s what MiniPD is all about…
