Challenges Teachers Face in Abu Dhabi and How to Overcome Them
Human resources are one of the key resources for a nation as they have a direct impact on its economic growth. Being one of the most important assets, nations do their all to develop and uplift its people to secure the future. Abu Dhabi too understood the importance of this and has taken up the humongous task of raising a strong population of educated individuals. The Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 has identified the development and expansion of its education system as a key point. Thus, the emirate has been working tirelessly to increase the number of schools.
With an increase in the number of schools the demand for qualified teachers in Abu Dhabi has also gone up. The emirate is one of the most preferred job destinations among teaching professionals from around the globe. Abu Dhabi offers lucrative compensation packages, tax-free salaries, and a luxurious lifestyle. However, it is not all rosy for the teaching professionals and comes with its own set of challenges.
If you are looking forward to moving to Abu Dhabi and start your international teaching career, be prepared to face the following challenges:
- Different Teaching Style:
The teaching style and method followed is different in every emirate, even in the international schools. Although the curriculum followed may have similarities with the curriculum followed in your native country, however, a standard teaching style won’t take you anywhere in Abu Dhabi. You won’t be able to pick up the teaching methods as well as the way students and teachers interact in Abu Dhabi right away. It is best to have patience and take your time to observe how other teachers handle their students. You can even reach out to fellow colleagues to help you understand how things work in an Abu Dhabi school.
- Lack of Interest:
This is especially true for teachers who teach English as a foreign language. Most times students in Abu Dhabi are burdened with so many assignments and extracurricular activities that they don’t take their English lessons seriously. Also, even the schools where English is taught as an additional language don’t give due importance to its English tutors. Many times you may find that your class has been canceled to accommodate some other activity. However, don’t lose heart and explain the importance of your subject to the school authorities as well as the students. There will be some who will definitely understand that your point is valid and do something to change the general mindset of the students.
- Facing students from varied backgrounds:
The majority of the population living in Abu Dhabi consists of expats who have moved from different parts of the world. Therefore, the major challenge before a teaching professional is to face a multicultural student base. It takes some time to adapt to a new culture and understanding each student with varied backgrounds will take longer, but it will be worth it. Taking the long route will help you establish a solid bond with each of your students. They will trust you, treat you with respect and pay attention to the things you will teach during the class.
- Adapting to a new workplace culture:
Understanding a new workplace culture is another challenge you will face in Abu Dhabi. It affects those the most who reach the emirate without any prior preparation. A lot of time is wasted in recovering from the culture shock as well as finding people who can support during the initial days. To avoid this, it is best to reach the city fully aware and prepared for what awaits you. For that, you can reach out to people who are already teaching in Abu Dhabi via forums and ask them to share their experiences with you. It will give you a clear picture of how things work in an Abu Dhabi educational institution.
Most challenges you will face can be solved by openly communicating with your fellow teachers. Therefore, don’t be afraid to ask for help and you will be able to overcome all the hurdles that come your way.
All the best!
About Megha Raizada –
Megha Raizada is a professional writer working with the premium job portal Naukrigulf.com. She has a keen interest in the global job market but also loves to keep a track of everything interesting happening around the globe. You can reach her at Twitter and Google+.
