Ghada Katbeh, Dina Jabary, and their
Students Create a Creativity Lab

Ghada Katbeh, Dina Jabary,
and their Students Create
a Creativity Lab

Ghada Katbeh, Dina Jabary, and their
Students Create a Creativity Lab

Teachers faced new challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to remote learning. As a result, Ghada Katbeh and Dina Jabary from Hebron Basic Girls’ School were keen to participate in Round I of the Acting As An Innovator Program to develop a developmental mindset. They were taught to see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than barriers in education. Throughout the program, they pinpointed a significant problem in the academic environment, which is students’ lack of motivation and disinterest in learning. This issue is often associated with the varied learning styles of students, which are commonly disregarded in conventional classrooms.
 
Believing in a student-centered approach, Ghada and Dina closely collaborated with their students to identify their most pressing needs through surveys and focus groups. Together with their students, who formed a team called “A Chance to Innovate,” Ghada and Dina conceptualized and established a space at their school where students can apply what they learn in classrooms. With the joint efforts of the teachers, students, and school administration, the “Creativity Lab” was developed by transforming an unused area in the school into a set of learning stations, each tailored to a specific learning style. The two teachers created activities and projects to support students in the classroom, fostering an unconventional and interactive learning environment that caters to various learning styles.
 
The creativity lab was a great example of collaboration among different groups. Ghada and Dina raised funds from teachers, the local community, and the Parents’ Council. They also used a portion of the school’s budget for their project. The Creativity Lab succeeded in increasing students’ motivation towards learning through STEAM approaches and prioritizing active learning that is adaptive to each student’s learning style.
 
The AAAI program aims to train 400 teachers from public, private, and UNRWA schools in the West Bank and Gaza over 3 years. The first round involved 24 teachers from different parts of Palestine. Forming 12 teams and supported by 8 mentors, the participants developed various creative projects under two main themes: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Integration and Application of STE(A)M Approach in Education.
 
For more information about Ghada and Dina’s project, please click here.

 
For more information about the AAAI program, please click here.