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Leisa Grace sits down with Nathan Burns, “Mr Metacognition”, to clarify what metacognition really is and why it improves attainment when it is taught deliberately and embedded across school life. We explore how leaders can move beyond vague “thinking about thinking” to build independent, resilient learners through curriculum, routines and staff development. 
• Metacognition as planning, monitoring and evaluating learning 
• Challenging information and checking ideas against prior knowledge 
• Why research support is worldwide and linked to attainment 
• Why teacher training and accountability can miss explicit metacognition 
• Avoiding bolt on approaches and making it part of modelling, questioning and feedback 
• What a metacognitive school looks like for all staff roles 
• Designing staff training that starts with what is already working 
• Evaluating impact at department or whole school level 
• Using Perkins’ levels, surveys and stakeholder feedback carefully 
• What gains schools see first in student resilience and better questions 
“Drop Mr. Metacognition into any good search engine or pop Nathan Burns into social media, especially LinkedIn, um, and you will find me there.” 

Purchase Nathan's Books here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Nathan-Burns/author/B0BQZ5N6FN?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

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Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

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We talk with Adrianna Rose about teaching in Dubai, building a life in the UAE, and how content creation can help other teachers make an informed move. We compare UK and UAE schools, unpack day-to-day routines and wellbeing, and share honest thoughts on moving during uncertain news cycles. 

• documenting UAE teacher life through content creation and why representation matters 
• Abu Dhabi versus Dubai for lifestyle, pace, and choosing the right area 
• settling in during COVID and how the first six months can feel 
• key differences between UK schools and UAE private schools, including scale and expectations 
• diversity in international schools and how it changes classroom experience 
• a realistic day-to-day routine in Dubai, including early starts and planning time 
• managing fear and pupil reassurance during regional conflict and shifts online 
• advice for teachers holding an offer letter and weighing up the move 
• Adriana’s book I Take Up Space Two and her long-term writing goals 
• hobbies, friendship groups, wellbeing activities, and travel opportunities from Dubai 

People, if you want to buy the book or connect with Adrianna, see below, 

 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thatexpatteacher?igsh=MTExdmV2N2I2MTl5eQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Link to Adrinna's book:

https://www.amazon.ae/I-Take-Up-Space-Too/dp/1917846819/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Support the show

Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmiddleeast/.

Hosted by Leisa Grace Wilson

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Matthew and Leisa Grace explore what it means to truly see students as whole people, not just as attainment points on a dashboard. Matthew Savage helps us rethink data and assessment as relational knowledge that supports equity, belonging and wellbeing. 

• the equity problem behind performative data cultures 
• the Mona Lisa Effect as what personalised learning should feel like 
• how conformity and “being weird” shapes students’ school experience 
• assessment as the process of getting to know another human being 
• making space for uncertainty and co-discovery with students 
• meeting regulatory demands without letting them drive school values 
• being held to account for inclusion, wellbeing and belonging 
• permission and courage as the conditions for real change 
• the “even if” clause as a test of priorities 
• practical liberating data use through observation, conversation and products 
• moving from deficit language to a strengths-based approach and student agency 
They reach out to me via LinkedIn or they send me an email or they contact me via my website and we have a an initial conversation 

Connect With Matthew Here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themonalisaeffect/

Support the show

Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmiddleeast/.

Hosted by Leisa Grace Wilson

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We talk with Stephanie Holt about using AI in schools in ways that genuinely improve learning, from early years self-regulation to GCSE revision and teacher planning. We argue for purposeful screen use, better homework design, fairer assessment, and a school culture where curiosity and research are safe. 
• introducing AI early with supervised, age-appropriate routines 
• using tools like Alexa to support self-regulation and emotional language 
• balancing school device use with unregulated screen time at home 
• challenging the idea of screen-free schools as a blanket solution 
• improving lesson planning and teacher development with AI-supported platforms 
• practical AI study workflows for older students, including rapid feedback 
• supporting creativity and student agency through multiple modes of production 
• redesigning homework around metacognition, choice, and reflection on prompts 
• questioning whether high-stakes exams measure what matters and who they disadvantage 
• moving beyond AI detection tools with drafts, dialogue, and targeted vivas 
• prioritising process skills, communication, and pivotability for the world of work 
• leadership creating time, resources, and psychological safety for research and change 
Visit our website, teachmiddleeast.com, and follow us on social media. The links are in the show notes. 

Get Stephanie's book at this link: Ebook: https://www.belgraviaeducation.co.uk/ai-for-learning-101-assessments

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/AI-Learning-Assessments-Unlocking-Mastery/dp/B0F3DH6KTP

Support the show

Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmiddleeast/.

Hosted by Leisa Grace Wilson

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We talk with Neal Oates, Principal of Star International School in Mirdif, Dubai, about leading with kindness while still holding the line on standards. 

We explore how resilient school teams are built long before a crisis, and why human connection matters more than any tool. 

• Neal’s route into education from industry and why fulfilment matters 
• Growing into leadership in the UAE through visibility, impact and persistence 
• Kindness as a non-negotiable leadership value 
• Trust as the foundation for high-performing teams 
• Accountability with kindness and why clear expectations reduce conflict 
• Staff resilience during uncertainty and what support actually helps 
• Cohesion in leadership teams and aligning around shared direction 
• Returning to school after disruption with wellbeing and emotional regulation 
• Pushback on overhyped edtech and concerns about data and motives 
• Protecting face-to-face learning and community as the core of schooling 
Visit our website, teachmiddleeast.com, and follow us on social media. The links are in the show notes.

Support the show

Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmiddleeast/.

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We talk with Yasser Naveed about the growing AI divide between students and the adults meant to guide them, and why the real danger is not AI but ungoverned use. We share clear guardrails for home and school, so children gain the benefits of AI without losing trust, judgment, or independence.

• AI as a “Ferrari with no brakes” when there is no governance 
• hallucinations, false confidence and the need to verify outputs 
• data privacy risks, scams and deepfakes hitting families 
• the new divide between teachers and students, plus parents and kids 
• “control without controlling” through co-learning and daily check-ins 
• classroom benefits like faster quizzes, differentiated materials and support with marking 
• avoiding brain shortcut dependence by keeping routines and principles 
• Why relationships matter when kids seek comfort from chatbots 
• the age question after Covid and why exposure is unavoidable 

Connect with Yasir Naveed Riaz on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasirnaveed/

Support the show

Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmiddleeast/.

Hosted by Leisa Grace Wilson

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We trace Mike Gilmour’s journey from Cape Town to Dubai, unpack how apartheid shaped his lens on inclusion, and dig into the daily mechanics of building a healthy school culture. We also explore AI’s pressure on old models and the human work that must endure.

• early life in South Africa and university lessons on diversity
• path from nonprofit sport to teaching and leadership
• international moves, Singapore to Dubai, and why each mattered
• What makes Dubai American Academy distinctive
• leadership strengths: communication, organisation, presence
• practical culture builders and boundary setting
• autonomy, fewer meetings, no after-hours email norm
• wellbeing habits, family life, and modelling balance
• AI’s coming shock to education and the human edge that remains

Support the show

Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmiddleeast/.

Hosted by Leisa Grace Wilson

Connect with Leisa Grace:

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We explore what a 2040 job market means for schools, teachers, and teens, and why AI will force a reinvention of curriculum, space, and pedagogy. Practical steps help educators shift from content delivery to coaching human judgment, collaboration, and focus.

• Why 2040 serves as a clear planning horizon
• AI ubiquity across roles and daily life
• gaps between industry needs and school delivery
• makerspaces over classrooms for hands-on work
• teacher role shifting to mentor and orchestrator
• jobs likely to fade and new roles emerging
• four habits for teens: reading, tech literacy, events, soft skills
• attention, wellbeing, and milestone-based motivation
• role modelling and personalised interventions
• how Lab of Future partners with schools and students

If you want to get in touch with Lab of Future , click this link: https://www.laboffuture.com/

Support the show

Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmiddleeast/.

Hosted by Leisa Grace Wilson

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We trace Alan’s path from rugby pitches and the Boys’ Brigade to classroom leadership and, later, stewarding one of the UAE’s fastest‑growing school groups. Along the way, we unpack Taaleem’s values, retention wins, Harrow’s authentic arrival in the UAE, and a balanced take on basics and AI.

• Sport as a gateway to confidence and academic lift
• relationships as the fourth R in teaching
• shift from military ambition to classroom service
• early career in languages and humanities
• move to the UAE and founding leadership at King’s
• Why multi‑curricula breadth led to Taaleem
• growth via PPPs, charter and Dubai Schools
• IPO with an education‑first mindset
• values of care, respect, and inspiration guiding strategy
• teacher retention, PD, and internal pathways
• Harrow partnership built on authentic DNA
• adapting heritage to UAE culture and policy
• balancing core literacy and numeracy with AI
• using technology to reduce teacher admin
• personal rituals that keep leadership grounded

Support the show

Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmiddleeast/.

Hosted by Leisa Grace Wilson

Connect with Leisa Grace:

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We unpack what actually drives learning, why engagement is a poor proxy for understanding, and how to align curriculum, instruction, and assessment for long-term memory. Carl Hendrick challenges fads, makes a case for explicit instruction and retrieval, and explores where AI can help without doubling the workload.

• Defining learning as change in long-term memory
• Why learning styles and similar fads fail
• Curriculum as the primary lever for improvement
• Explicit instruction before independent tasks
• retrieval practice that targets hinge knowledge
• Aligning curriculum, instruction, assessment
• Limits of lesson observations as evidence
• Instructional coaching over grading teachers
• Smart uses of AI for planning and feedback

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Carl will be in the UAE for our Middle East School Leadership Conference on January 29th in Dubai at Al Habtoor Grand Hotel and Resort. www.schoolleadersme.com.

Please do register at schoolleadersme.com

Support the show

Teach Middle East Magazine is the premier platform for educators and the entire education sector in the Middle East and beyond. Our vision is to equip educators with the materials and tools they need to function optimally in and out of the classroom. We provide a space for educators to connect and find inspiration, resources, and forums to enhance their teaching techniques, methodologies, and personal development. We connect education suppliers and service providers to the people who make the buying decisions in schools.

Visit our website https://linktr.ee/teachmiddleeast.

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/teachmiddleeast

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmiddleeast/.

Hosted by Leisa Grace Wilson

Connect with Leisa Grace:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/leisagrace

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leisagrace/