Teaching Through Tension: How English Teachers in the Gulf Are Navigating the Iran War

As missile alerts and military tensions ripple across the Persian Gulf, expatriate teachers working in international and dedicated language schools and departments in universities and colleges are finding themselves teaching through a crisis. For many English-language educators across the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait, the ongoing conflict involving Iran has transformed both classroom conversations and everyday routines.

Since early 2026, the region has experienced waves of missile and drone attacks following escalating military strikes between Iran, Israel and the United States. Several Gulf countries have reported interceptions and debris damage, with the United Arab Emirates facing attempted drone and missile attacks during the escalation (overview of the 2026 Iranian strikes on the UAE). The conflict has disrupted flights, triggered emergency alerts and forced schools to quickly adapt to new safety measures.

Relief map showing Iran and the Gulf states surrounding the Persian Gulf. Terrain shading highlights the Zagros Mountains in Iran and the Arabian Peninsula desert plateau.

Education Ministries Move Schools Online

Across the Gulf, education authorities have emphasized that protecting students while maintaining academic continuity is the priority. Governments moved swiftly to shift learning online after security alerts were issued across multiple Gulf states.

The UAE’s Ministry of Education announced a nationwide switch to distance learning as a precaution. According to reporting by The Times of India, schools and universities across the country were instructed to move online temporarily while authorities assessed the evolving situation.

Officials stressed that the goal was to protect students without interrupting education. During a government briefing reported by Gulf News, authorities said the shift to remote learning would ensure that “students are safe and education never skips a beat.”

For teachers living in the region, the conflict has become part of daily life. Nate Bowling, an American educator based in Abu Dhabi, described hearing missile interceptions during the escalation.“We hear interceptions multiple times a day… there was an alert at like 3 o’clock in the morning.” Bowling shared his experience in an interview with CBS News.

Teachers Managing Personal Safety

Beyond teaching online, educators say personal safety has become a daily consideration. Many teachers now keep emergency alerts activated on their phones and monitor local government guidance closely.“Every night we check the government alerts before going to bed. If there’s any warning about possible strikes, we keep our phones nearby. We’ve created a WhatsApp group among teachers in our department. If anyone hears sirens or sees news updates first, they post it immediately.”

While technology has made it possible to continue teaching, educators say the emotional impact on students has been significant.

Julia Knight, an education consultant at Hawar International School in Bahrain, said teachers have had to dedicate time to reassuring anxious students.“The children are on high alert… we’ve had to do a lot of comforting.”  Her comments were reported by School Management Plus. “Within about 15 minutes we started to see drones flying overhead… the children were just completely shocked.”

Schools Respond Rapidly

For many schools, the sudden shift to remote learning happened within days. Shane Daly, head of humanities at Citizens School in Dubai, said staff had little warning about how quickly the situation would change. “We left school on Friday… and didn’t foresee any of this.”

Educators across the Gulf say maintaining routine has become a key strategy for helping students feel safe during uncertain times. “I’m amazed by the resilience of our students.” The comment from UK professor Eva Kipnis was reported by Poets & Quants.

Balancing Work and Daily Life

Teachers say maintaining normal routines outside work has also become important. Many have adopted habits designed to reduce stress while remaining prepared for emergencies. “We try to keep life as normal as possible,” said a teacher working in Kuwait. “I still plan lessons, exercise, and talk with colleagues online. But we’re all a bit more aware of what’s happening around us.”

Others say they limit how often they check the news.“If you watch the news constantly, it can become overwhelming,” one teacher in Abu Dhabi explained. “So I check reliable sources a few times a day and then focus on my students.”

Education Continuing Amid Uncertainty

For English teachers across the Gulf, lesson plans now coexist with emergency alerts and geopolitical tensions. Yet many educators say maintaining structure, discussion and routine has become one of the most important ways they can support students during a volatile moment.

As governments and schools continue to adapt to the evolving situation, classrooms — whether physical or virtual — remain one of the few places where stability can still be created.

TEFL Blog Index