Georgetown University: School of Foreign Service in Qatar

On March 25, 2009, 49 teachers from over 20 schools in Doha participated in a morning of workshops based on the theme: "Social Studies in your Classroom, School, and Beyond.” The event was the second in a series of professional development forums for teachers to be hosted by the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar.

“We have seen the fruits of the hard work of the Social Studies teachers in this country, and it’s important for us to meet our partners and thank them for their hard work and the students they send us,” said Victoria Pedrick, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Pedrick welcomed the teachers in an opening session by saying that both Georgetown and the local schools in Qatar were “committed to creating a love of world cultures” amongst students.

Workshops were led by faculty and staff of SFS-Qatar and the American School of Doha and covered a range of topics on social studies curriculum design and instruction in the classroom. The workshops included sessions on the use of media in schools and guides for teaching religion.

Teachers were also given the opportunity to preview extra-curricular activities and local resources for making social studies relevant to students. SFS-Qatar Director of Admissions Liz Kepferle said, "It is refreshing to see the level of interest on the part of these teachers in sharing and improving their already good strategies for increasing students' interest in social studies generally, and international affairs particularly. Right now, as Georgetown is reviewing applications from high school seniors to begin studying here in Fall 2009, we are seeing some excellent students who have benefited from a strong foundation in primary, preparatory and secondary social studies."

Plans for future discussion groups and workshops for teachers and students are underway and will be facilitated by SFS-Qatar’s Office of Educational Enrichment. International relations programming for high school and middle school-aged youth will continue into the summer with two different programs. Middle school and high school students will have the chance to participate in two summer camps, focusing on geography and culture, called Planet Georgetown. Each of the Planet Georgetown summer camps will run for two-weeks and have separate focuses on peace studies and worldwide environmental conservation efforts.

The Office of Admissions at Georgetown’s Qatar campus will also host a Summer College Preview Program in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. The pre-college program will be a four-week course for students who wish to prepare themselves for university life. Students will take classes in math, English and test preparation. “The program will give interested students a chance to sample many of the different areas of study available at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar, from economics, to international politics, to world religions and cultures,” said Kepferle. “It will also give them a chance to practice and improve their public speaking, analytical, and research skills, through Model United Nations-type activities and simulations of international crises.”