KHDA School Inspector conducts workshop to instil positive environment in preschool

As part of its employee engagement framework British Orchard Nursery to hold a series of workshops for teachers 

The exercise aimed at instilling lasting positivity in children and help them develop an optimistic, confident and progressive outlook towards life

April 29, 2017; Dubai, UAE: With the aim to create a more positive environment among its teaching faculty and for the optimum development of pre-schoolers, British Orchard Nursery is conducting a series of workshops on promoting positive emotional climate. The first workshop was held at its DSO (Dubai Silicon Oasis) branch, helmed by Dr Wassim Labban, a school inspector at KHDA. The focus was on different ways to instil lasting positivity in children and help them develop an optimistic, confident and progressive outlook towards life. The teachings of the workshop were based on a survey submitted by the staff at British Orchard Nursery, DSO, intended to evaluate the emotional climate of the pre-school. 

Structured around thought-provoking questions, the workshop covered different ways to develop a range of emotions in children that will help them grow into more balanced individuals. Teachers also learned psychological skills to prompt children into settling down better in a school environment, drawing them out of their shell, encouraging them to mingle among peers and allowing them to enjoy school life to the maximum without breaking their spirit. They were also advised on ways to dispel anxiety and depression and replace these emotions with happier frames of mind. The exercise generated a very vocal discussion with active group involvement. 

Explaining the effect of positive and negative emotional climate in a school environment, Dr Labban commented: “Teachers form a significant pillar in a child’s development, and they create a lasting influence on their students. They develop and prepare children for the future, and it is imperative that they are equipped with the tools that will help them achieve this goal. Therefore, teachers need to constantly assess their performance and continue to improve it. This workshop was conducted to further enable the staff at British Orchard Nursery, DSO, to reach a healthier and more balanced overall emotional climate, and to better understand their role as professionals”. 

“A healthy environment where the staff is motivated to give their best is important for any workplace, especially schools. Teacher engagement is key to children’s happiness. We are proud to have been awarded at national and international levels for welfare practices,” added Ms Vandana Gandhi, Founder and CEO of British Orchard Nursery, “Children are particularly sensitive and as such disengaged staff can have an adverse effect on their learning, discouraging them from putting their best foot forward. This is why, at British Orchard we constantly help our staff reach the optimum level of motivation and create a balanced emotional climate that eliminates any kind of negativity. Such workshops also help teachers put things in the right perspective and get the best out of children in happy surroundings. I thank Dr Labban and KHDA for their contribution to well-being of both children and teachers through this interactive workshop”

The theory of emotional climate was first used in educational psychology to gauge the level of motivation, satisfaction, attitudes, expectations and behaviour in a classroom setting and is extremely effective in driving personal growth. It stimulates creativity, growth and professional development, and has proved to be a significant contributor to overall staff morale, performance and productivity.

British Orchard Nursery has been a forerunner in conducting workshops for teachers and parents alike. Through these workshop, the nursery has created a parent-child-teacher bond that is instrumental in holistic child development.