Viviane Khoury Saab
Tell us a bit about yourself and how long have you worked at ACS?
I graduated from the University of Bahrain with a degree in Physics and Computer Science in 1988 then worked in the physics department as an instructor for two years. I came back to Lebanon in 1990 to pursue my master’s degree in physics at the American University of Beirut. While I was working on my thesis, one of my colleagues, who at that time was teaching at ACS, told me that they had a vacancy for a physics teacher. Teaching high school students was not a career I had originally planned on pursuing, but I eventually applied, thinking that it would be temporary as a part-timer. I have been a full-time physics teacher at ACS since September 1992. I guess I got hooked on being in a classroom, helping students understand complex concepts, and linking physics to real-life applications.
Did you begin as a high school teacher or did you start in another department?
I started teaching in high school grade 9 physical science and grade 11 regular physics, then Advanced Placement AP physics, and eventually IB physics starting in 1995. I taught grade 7 students in 2006 for one semester but I didn’t find myself connecting with that age group. Though it was interesting to teach the same students again in high school.
If you weren’t teaching science, what would you teach?
Teaching is not only about being knowledgeable in a certain subject, though it is definitely an important factor, but it is more about being able to convey this knowledge to students of different learning abilities and interests. It is a challenging job that requires a bundle of energy, but it is rewarding when you feel appreciated by your students. That’s what pays off and makes all the hard work worthwhile. I would only teach physics.
Is there a student that you will always remember? Or a certain class you would always remember?
I have respect for every student I taught at ACS and there are countless students that I will never forget and several classes that I will always remember. I do my best every year to attend the alumni reunion (Summer in the City) hosted in summer to reconnect with our former students in addition to being connected with several alumni through social media.
What do you do to motivate your students?
Students in a classroom need to feel respected and safe to share their ideas and opinions without being judged. I try to foster a safe environment in my class where everyone feels valued and respected. I try to provide constructive feedback and positive reinforcement to boost their self-confidence, as well as help them make connections between the concepts learned in class and real-life applications.
What are you currently learning?
I am trying to keep up with new advancements in education and technology. Learning about the proper application of AI and how it could be used in our classroom is at the top of my list.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
One of the good pieces of advice that we were given during one of the in-service days back in the 1990s was by Mrs. Bashour, which is to keep our personal life outside the classroom and stay focused on teaching and learning. That was one of the attitudes to professionalism.