School Talk: UAE
Welcome to "School Talk: UAE," your go-to podcast for all things education in the United Arab Emirates.
Join us as we sit down with teachers, experts, and parents to explore schools across the UAE.
Each episode provides valuable insights and perspectives from those directly involved in shaping the educational experience.
Whether you're a parent, an educator, or simply curious about the state of education in the UAE, "School Talk: UAE" is your window into the dynamic world of learning in this region.
School Talk: UAE
How Territory Mapping Transforms Education
What defines your territory? This profound question lies at the heart of Anthony Willoughby's transformative approach to personal development and education. Drawing from 41 years of experience working with indigenous communities, Willoughby shares how the concept of territory mapping emerged from a camel safari in Kenya where he observed the Maasai people's remarkable presence and confidence.
Territory mapping invites participants to visualise their personal landscape – the rivers of courage they need to cross, the mountains they must climb, and the swamps they're trying to escape. This deceptively simple exercise reveals our deepest motivations: what we're hunting, what we're protecting, and what we're growing. The remarkable discovery? Whether working with billionaires, homeless individuals, or schoolchildren, these fundamental human needs remain consistent across all demographics.
As artificial intelligence transforms education and the workforce, Willoughby argues that schools must shift focus from mere knowledge acquisition to developing confident, adaptable individuals who can forge human connections. "Knowledge is gone," he explains, as information becomes universally accessible. What remains uniquely human is our capacity for wisdom, curiosity, and personal courage.
Through his organisation Dupoto (meaning "wealth" in Maasai), Willoughby is bringing territory mapping to schools worldwide as a complement to traditional academics. By helping students visualize their ambitions, fears, and goals, the approach creates a framework for meaningful conversations between teachers, parents, and children about personal growth beyond test scores.
Ready to discover your territory? This conversation challenges our conventional understanding of education and success, offering a path toward greater self-awareness, purpose, and what Willoughby lovingly calls "gumption" – that essential human quality that helps us navigate life's rivers, mountains, and swamps with courage and clarity.