SPOTLIGHT: Lead Teacher at Aga Khan Early Learning Centre nominated for the Practitioner of the Year Award 2017
Staff, parents and children of Aga Khan Early Learning Centre (AKELC) in Dubai are celebrating after Fazilat Notta, a Lead Teacher was nominated by the U.K. National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) for the Practitioner of the Year Award 2017.
Fazilat has been selected out of nearly 200 applicants from across the UK and Internationally.
Fazilat has been a member of the AKELC community since 2012. In her work, Fazilat understands that the best time to get children excited about learning is when they are just starting. As a result, she is a well-loved teacher who excels in meeting the needs of all children and parents in her class. Scores of parents wrote glowing testimonials to secure the nomination for Fazilat to eventually become a finalist. Ms. Saraf said: "Ms. Fazilat is a phenomenal teacher. I've seen children transform beautifully with her. When you hear her speak, you know she has the child's best interest in mind and that she really cares for each and every one of them."
Kelli Allen, Head of Nursery and Preschool of AKELC, said: "We are delighted to be singled out for this award and are really proud that our parents have voted for us in such numbers. This is a great boost for the staff, parents and children here."
Outside of her regular teaching, Fazilat mentors children in a community centre on the weekends. She is the first one to volunteer when an assignment is given and always makes an extra effort to ensure success. Furthermore, she provides Parent Education training and has gained regional expertise in the "Ages and Stages" questionnaire used for making assessments about young children's development. She shares her knowledge with staff in developing countries as part of her work with the Aga Khan Education Services. Fazilat is a model educator and mentor, demonstrating true commitment to the field of Early Childhood Education.
The Aga Khan Early Learning Centre (AKELC), as part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), is a non-profit model and demonstration nursery for training and piloting high quality, best international practices in early childhood education. Practitioners at AKELC use observation in understanding children’s needs and developing classroom activities, and in assisting parents in screening and supporting their child’s development. Inclusion and valuing diversity and differences are embedded in practice.
AKELC is the only U.K. NDNA Level 3 accredited nursery in the U.A.E. AKELC has also been awarded the Edarabia Parents’ Choice Award 2017 and has been designated as a 5-star nursery by the Jawda Quality Improvement Program.
