Lebanon

TAMAM Lebanon Segment Summary

TAMAM is a research-and-development initiative based at the American University of Beirut (AUB), focusing on school-based improvement across the Arab world.

School-Based Reform Action Research Teacher Leadership

Reform as Interaction: Theory of Change

TAMAM views reform as a complex, non-linear process happening through the interaction of Practice, Research, and Policy.

“Policy gains legitimacy by being informed by practice.” — TAMAM pushes for coherence between bottom-up innovation in schools and top-down enabling policies.

Methodology: Action research is the backbone. Schools identify problems, review research, co-design initiatives, implement, and reflect.

Capacity Building & Impact (Jordan Case Study)

The program builds leadership capacity through job-embedded learning teams working on real improvement initiatives. It has impacted over 35,000 students across 9 Arab countries.

Jordan Case Study

A school redesigned its behaviour system to be more student-centred.

  • Teachers: Showed growth in competencies, participative leadership, and data use.
  • Students: Increased self-confidence, belonging, and emotional wellbeing.

Key Message

When teacher teams are empowered and supported over time, their learning “cascades” into improved climate and student outcomes.

Building Teacher Leadership

Teacher leaders are defined as classroom teachers who are also collaborators, facilitators, and systems thinkers.

Design Elements

  • Job-Embedded Learning: Learning in context facing real obstacles.
  • Stable Teams: Multi-disciplinary teams that stay together to build trust.
  • School Conditions: Explicit work on time allocation, structures, and leadership practices that support initiative.

Human-Centred Coaching Model

TAMAM’s coaching is context-sensitive and multi-dimensional, drawing on adult learning theory and mentoring.

1. Preparation
Understand culture, map skills, and build a customized plan.
2. Coaching Phase
Technical workshops plus adaptive practices (mediation, empathy, nurturing ownership).
3. Withdrawal
Handing responsibility back to ensure sustainability.

Recognition & Key Entities

TAMAM was awarded the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development (2021–2022). It is a home-grown Arab model of school reform supported by the Arab Thought Foundation.

TAMAM Project Official website.
tamamproject.org American University of Beirut (AUB) Host institution.
aub.edu.lb UNESCO-Hamdan Prize International recognition for teacher development.
unesco.org Arab Thought Foundation Project partner and supporter.
arabthought.org
🇱🇧-TAMAM-Project