MEPLI at Harvard Graduate School of Education

April showers bring May flowers 🌱

Following our MEPLI convenings and shared planning, it’s inspiring to see ideas already taking shape on the ground.

In collaboration with Wadi Al-Seer Educational Directorate, MEPLI Conveners facilitated a workshop at Um Al-Qura School on integrating 21st-century skills into English language teaching—focusing on critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and digital communication. 🎓

By the end of the workshop, teachers collaboratively developed short newsletters to share practical ideas and strategies with their peers—extending the impact beyond the session itself.

This is one example of the collective effort behind the scenes, turning ideas into practice and supporting educators with relevant, practical approaches. 🤝

Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing these ideas through a “From Teachers to Teachers” series, continuing the learning across our community ✨

We are proud to share that our MEPLI Fellows—Rana Fleihan (2018, Lebanon), Chirine Ajab (2022, Lebanon), and Ramsey Ata (2024, Palestine) — collaborated to write a research paper that has been published in the Journal of the Palestinian Educators Association for Literature, Educational and Psychological Studies (Issue 20, Volume 12), titled “Factors Affecting SEL Implementation: Teachers’ Perspectives from Lebanon and Palestine.”

This achievement reflects our community’s shared commitment to research, collaboration, and advancing educational practices. We extend our gratitude to our Fellows who have made this important contribution to the field. We encourage you to read their paper here: https://pal-ea.com/ojs/index.php/edu/article/view/300/577

Wishing calm, health, and renewal to our MEPLI Community members celebrating Easter this month. During this dark and uncertain time for many regionally, may the season’s promise of light and new beginnings strengthen our collective commitment to education and to fostering meaningful change through learning.

عيد مبارك 🌙 كل عام وأنتم بخير

Wishing a safe, healthy, and happy Eid al-Fitr with loved ones for all the members of our MEPLI Community who celebrate!

Conflict and crisis continue to make teaching and learning a challenge for many members of the MEPLI Community. In this article, originally published last year, MEPLI Fellows Rasha Halat (2023) and Tina Rafidi (2024) share 8 low-resource or no-resource activities to support students in building resilience and finding light in times of immense darkness.

Click to read: https://mepli.gse.harvard.edu/our-fellows-at-work/be-their-guiding-light-in-tough-times-creative-paths-to-resilience-for-you-and-your-students/

Ramadan Kareem to all in our MEPLI Community celebrating this month 🌙 Wishing you health, safety, joy, and time with loved ones!

Read this latest article by Rasha Halat (MEPLI 2023) for what to do when the new year excitement fades and the mid-year pressures arrive 📝 https://mepli.gse.harvard.edu/when-the-pressure-peaks-how-teachers-can-keep-going/

Fellow spotlight: Our 2024 MEPLI fellow, Ramsey Ata, recently participated in an educational and cultural program in the United Kingdom.

He explored Cheltenham, and especially enjoyed the historic Cheltenham College, which is known for its strong academic traditions. He also visited Tewkesbury, a charming town rich in medieval heritage, and Oxford, where he experienced the world-famous University of Oxford, a place that truly breathes knowledge, history, and academic excellence.

Throughout his trip, he gained valuable insights into the British educational system and networked with fellow educators, exchanging ideas and experiences that enriched his professional perspective. Always exciting to see our MEPLI Fellows explore the world and learn about new educational contexts! 🥳

📣Calling any teachers in Lebanon working with students aged 12-19 - we encourage you to explore this opportunity to engage with classrooms in the US through Project Zero's Open Canopy project.