Teachers’ Voices Season 4 Episode 9
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Join educational researcher Nina Alonso for this podcast series as she shares powerful stories from teachers around the world, talking in their own words about their own experiences.
What makes leadership and innovation critical in education during emergencies? How do local educators overcome challenges with limited resources? How can communities and technology help sustain learning in crisis contexts?
In this episode, Nina first speaks to Katy Noble, Head of Education in Emergencies at Teach For All, based in Palestine. Katy shares insights from 15 years working with crisis-affected communities, reflecting on how leadership in emergencies requires both adaptability and care. She believes in distributed, human-centered leadership. Katy says: “We need to question long held sector norms, like the obsession of focusing on access to education over quality learning outcomes, or this laser focus on student wellbeing at the expense of teacher wellbeing.”
Nina also hears from Atukunda Samuel, Head Teacher of Navikale Refugee Settlement Secondary School in Uganda. Samuel tells Nina about the daily realities of leading a school under extreme pressure, including limited resources, overcrowded classrooms, and the emotional toll on both students and teachers. He also talks about the strength of the community: “The entire community plays a role. The school principals look for ways to recruit additional teachers amongst the internally displaced populations.”
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Listen out for
- Reflective pauses for intentional leadership
- Creativity in resource-scarce classrooms
- Shared accountability versus command-and-control
- Community-driven solutions in crisis education
Find out more on BOLD
Helping children thrive through adversity – Innovative solutions for supporting early childhood development in crisis-affected areas (Heidi Rosbe, Acting Project Director, Ahlan Simsim, International Rescue Committee)
Can EdTech promote inclusion for conflict-affected children? – EdTech could reduce stigma and challenge stereotypes in communities experiencing conflict (Aisha Schnellmann, Editorial Team, BOLD)
Nurturing joyful lifelong learners in underprivileged communities – Closing the educational gap and digital divide for underserved children with EdTech (Nayla Zreik Fahed, Chief Executive Officer and Learning Officer, Lebanese Alternative Learning)
Guests and resources
Katy Noble: LinkedIn
Teach For All video: Education in Emergencies: Connecting across borders
Atukunda Samuel: LinkedIn
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