Abdelrahim, Valentina, and their Students
Switch from Passive to Active Learning

Abdelrahim, Valentina, and
their Students Switch from
Passive to Active Learning

Abdelrahim, Valentina, and their Students
Switch from Passive to Active Learning

As teachers at Palestine Montessori School in Ramallah, Abdelrahim Yaeesh teaches mathematics, and Valentina Fawadleh teaches science to fifth, sixth, and seventh graders. Both Abdelrahim and Valentina participated in Round I of the Acting As An Innovator Program in 2022. They recognized the importance of adopting an innovative mindset to address learning challenges and improve student involvement in the learning process.
 
They benefited greatly from the program and decided to fulfill one of the main goals of the Acting as an Innovator (AAAI) program by actively becoming agents of change in their school. They utilized all the resources available to provide their students with a comprehensive and interactive learning experience. After over two years of remote learning as a result of COVID-19, students returned to their school campuses with a lot of pent-up energy from the time spent in quarantine. Abdelrahim and Valentina observed this energy in their math and science classes, where students were feeling irritable, bored, undisciplined, and hyperactive due to the passive learning approach that required them to remain seated and simply listen. This approach did not align well with the students’ high energy levels. Additionally, they had to tackle another challenge, which was the lack of motivation and engagement among students in the math and science classes.
 
With the involvement of 100 students in the “Team Focus” group, Abdelrahim and Valentina chose to develop an activity manual using active learning methods for various subjects. Their goal was to boost student motivation to learn. By utilizing resources like the smart board, local museums, and innovation labs within the school and community, the teachers successfully implemented engaging activities to directly involve students in their academic studies.
 
After a successful pilot phase, the teachers decided to test a number of activities with their students and compile them into a manual that employs STEAM approaches to facilitate teaching topics in science and math. The project effectively established a supportive teaching environment that encourages student-focused learning and enhances their social, leadership, and communication abilities, enabling them to play a more active part in their education.
 
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 Abdelrahim and Valentina’s project, please click here.
 
For more information about the AAAI program, please click here.