Gi

THE EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATIVE

FOR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
WWW.ECIS.ORG

GLOBAL INSIGHTS
FRESH INSIGHTS ON ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE
TO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

04/20

REGIONAL PROFILE

SOUTHEAST ASIA
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2
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CONTENTS
03 | REAL WORLD MOTIVATION
RACHAEL THRASH & ELLEN HEYTING

06 | HATS OFF TO ACCREDITATION

ANNETTE BOHLING

09 | LEARNING ECOSYSTEMS
SANDY MACKENZIE

12 | IN NUMBERS: SOUTHEASTERN ASIA

ECIS / ISC RESEARCH

13 | SOUTHEASTERN ASIA 34 | CLINICAL SUPERVISION

WILL BEDFORD SETH A. ROBERTS

16 | ORCHESTRATING CLASSROOM SUCCESS 38 | AT-RISK AFFLUENCE

MARK STEVEN REARDON DR. TARA R. CAMPBELL

19 | INTENTION TO IMPACT LEADERSHIP 41 | ASCENDING COGNITION

KIM CULLEN KEVIN JENNINGS

22 | LEADING UNCERTAINTY 44 | SCARED OF DIGITAL DRAMA?

SUE ASPINALL ALLISON OCHS

26 | SCHOOL SNAPSHOT 47 | LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

THE BRITISH SCHOOL OF THE NETHERLANDS TUNJI DAVID LEES

27 | HELPING STUDENTS FIND THEIR GPS 50 | HEAD FUEL & HEART COMPASS
JADE VIDLER LAURA BENSON

31 | PRINCIPAL POINTS 53 | IS YOUR SCHOOL DIFFERENT?

JAK KEARNEY MARCIA DE WOLF

56 | 2020 YOUTH WRITES AWARDS

Gi
EDWARD GIRARDET

60 | IMPORTANCE OF SPACIAL DATA

ANNE ROBERTSON & JANET ROBERTS
24 Greville Street
London
EC1N 8SS Cover image: Tan Kaninthanond
+44 (0)20 7824 7040 Contents page image: Gateway College, Sri Lanka
www.ecis.org
ecis@ecis.org

Copyright 2020
www.ecis.org | Twitter: @ecischools
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A THANK YOU FROM US ALL.

To all the contributors who have worked so hard to help make this issue what it is, we thank
you very much for your fresh ideas, innovative thoughts, and more than anything, your
pedagogical passion!

We know these are not easy times for anyone right now, but we hope the articles in this issue
will at least give you some inspiration for better days ahead.

Wishing you and your loved ones good health during this challenging time.

Your ECIS team.

01
MAKING A WORLD
OF DIFFERENCE

See where ISS can take you and your school.

Whether developing and managing world-class international schools, staffing schools, ordering equipment
and supplies, performing accounting functions, or supporting best-in-class teaching and learning approaches,
International Schools Services (ISS), provides the full range of services necessary for your school to thrive
and deliver an outstanding global education to your students. Learn more at ISS.edu

Be part of a virtual ISS-Schrole Advantage job fair: #ISSedu

iFair® • April 16, 2020
REAL WORLD
MOTIVATION:
Harnessing Authentic Audience
to Transform Assessment
for All Students.

Rachael Thrash
The International School of Helsinki

Ellen Heyting
The International School of Helsinki
& Monash University

T oday’s K-12 educators are diligently moving away

from the traditional lecture and note taking methods
of teaching towards constructivist views. In daily
lessons, we strive to put the learner at the centre
of educational experiences. Yet, when it comes to
assessment, we are dragging our feet. If we accept the
value in these constructivist pedagogies, then surely
we must acknowledge that it is time to challenge our
traditional notions of assessment as well?

03
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T
he hallmark of traditional school work is the
essay. Its ultimate audience, the teacher, assesses
the level understanding a student demonstrates.
This approach puts students and teaches in a transactional
relationship. And, not surprisingly, students who feel
prepared to perform in this way may find this process
satisfying. Their efforts yield positive recognition from
the authority. But what about the other learners? How
does this model strike them? And even for those ready to
show their learning in this format, how does it encourage
personalisation, risk taking, and empowerment? By
limiting the students’ audience to their teachers, we
establish a primarily hierarchical relationship between
teachers and students. Worse, we miss the opportunity to
encourage all of our students to find their voices.
THE INSPIRATION OF AN AUTHENTIC
AUDIENCE
In contrast to a student who has just completed an essay,
picture Ayla, a 10th grader who faces attention and language
based learning challenges. Recently, Ayla acted as a docent
at a local restaurant where student shared their work in a
resistance art installation, “Question The Narrative: Young
Artists Challenge Norms That Promote Injustice.” Ayla’s
piece exposed Nestle’s abuse of child labourers, including
a call to action for consumers. Watching a visitor view her
work, she exclaimed, “I have goosebumps! I can’t believe
someone actually cares!”
Yolanda, a highly precocious student also grappled with
the challenge of creating a meaningful resistance piece
for the installation. She pursued ideas and ultimately
decided to expose society’s unhealthy version of success.
She symbolically re-purposed a photo of Justin Bieber on
the cover of Forbes, questioning societal values and role
models. Her work was both personal and impactful. She
explored her own concerns about success and shared them
with an audience. The restaurant staff marvelled at the
customer discussions her piece sparked.
ASSESSMENT CONSTRUCTED TO SUPPORT
STUDENTS CONNECTING WITH AN AUDIENCE
These students and their diverse classmates responded to a
complex unit digging into hegemonies and resistance. They
worked to expose unjust power structures to an audience
beyond the teacher assessing them. Alongside this
performance challenge, students developed their abilities
by analysing resistance texts and researching hegemonic
structures. Assessment on this work became an important
04
feedback mechanism. Created with intention and student
growth in mind, it broke down the process of creating
a meaningful resistance piece into manageable steps;
students practiced disciplinary skills until they developed
confidence.
TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT VS. AUTHENTIC
ASSESSMENT
Problems with assessment arise when the work is an
exercise with a foregone conclusion. The same students
always succeed while the students who don’t know the
answer or feel unsure of their abilities lose motivation.
If a student’s goal is only to show that they can identify
symbolism in a resistance text, knowing that the teacher
has a particular definition of symbolism, where is their
sense of agency? How can they feel empowered?
It is easy to find the shortcomings of traditional essay-
based assessments: Tests are based on ‘unseen’ questions,
whereas in authentic assessments, as much as possible
is known about the task ahead of time, and students
have had a chance to practice, get feedback and prepare.
Authentic assessments are iterative by nature, involving
students and teachers working together to co-construct
new understandings of the world. Traditional assessments
simply take a ‘snapshot’ of a students’ performance at one
point in time. While traditional assessments ask students
to reproduce a correct answer, authentic assessments are
open-ended and allow for student agency and voice.
Traditional methods of assessing offer the illusion of
learning in our students. But ask students to take what
they’ve learned and transfer it to a new situation and they
may lack the deeper understanding or flexibility. Gardner
(1993) argues that authentic assessment tasks must ask
students to solve a real world problem or create a product
with someone else’s needs in mind, and have value beyond
the classroom walls.
VALUE OF SUPPORTING AUTHENTIC
LEARNING THROUGH AUDIENCE
When we talk about real world experiences, we are showing
young thinkers that their opinions matter. They have
value outside their achieved grade. Students seek teacher
feedback when they know they will share work with a larger
audience. The teacher’s role moves from success arbiter to
coach. Mistakes become opportunities for improvement
rather than reasons to justify a lower grade. Students trust
the teacher to help them find their voice.
 Gi

Consider this range of opportunities for students to share ABOUT THE AUTHORS
their work:

• Class magazine
• Interviews with community members
• Teaching the parent community
• Raising awareness for a local organisation
• Helping other students
• Displaying work in a public space

DOES THE EXTRA EFFORT YIELD RESULTS?

Rachael is a teacher and social justice advocate who
We don’t claim to have all the answers to these complex has worked in schools in Poland, the United States, and
questions. But we have seen the transformation they Finland. She is passionate about inclusive education and
can bring about in our students. Our 10th graders are its capacity to empower every student to make positive
visibly enthusiastic to identify concepts they developed change.
in the resistance unit as they read Harlem Renaissance
Poetry. Even better, they willingly share their voice in a
poetry slam. They have taken ownership of their learning
experiences and find value in the process.

Yes, authentic assessments are not perfect, they are risky

and messy, but we’re getting better at them. The more
educators and schools that move towards this type of
pedagogy and assessment, the more we will all learn how
to deal with the ambiguities and execute them better.
One could argue using authentic assessments is in fact an Ellen is a teacher and educational researcher who has
authentic assessment of our own teaching. If we are willing worked in schools in Melbourne, Beijing, Singapore and
to take risks in the real world, we model the perseverance Helsinki and who believes education can be a force to
and creativity we hope to inspire in our students. unite people, nations and cultures for an equitable and
sustainable future.
WIGGINS’ (1998) CHARACTERISTICS THAT
MAKES ASSESSMENT AUTHENTIC: BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. The assessment is realistic; it mirrors how this knowledge Gardner, H. (1993). Frames of Mind (2nd ed.). New York:
or skill would be used in the real world. Basic Books.
2. The assessment requires judgment and innovation; the
task is open-ended and has more than one right answer. Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative Assessment: Designing
3. The assessment incorporates skills that are required in Assessments to Inform and Improve Student Performance.
the discipline being studied. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
4. The assessment is done in contexts as close to the real
world as possible
5. The assessment involves a range of skills and deals with
a complex problem that requires some degree of informed
judgement or choice from the student.
6. The assessment is iterative and allows for feedback,
practice, and redos.

05
 HATS OFF TO
ACCREDITATION
Helping educators address blind spots,
assures parents that schools are of high
quality, and gives students access to
colleges across the globe.

Annette Bohling
Chief Certification Officer
Chief of Global Operations, Cognia

06
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T he Chief Certification Officer for the world’s
largest accrediting body explains what schools
learn from accreditation and how it helps schools
continuously improve.
F
or international school leaders, accreditation is an
independent seal of approval that gives credibility
to students’ transcripts and diplomas which allows
students to attend universities anywhere in the world. The
process assures parents that schools’ programs, processes,
and instruction have been evaluated against high
standards, and measured by an independent agency that
they can trust to determine the level of overall quality. It
tells parents that international schools are truly distinctive
and are the premier institutions they claim to be. In
many cases, ministries of education rely on accreditors to
ensure that schools meet numerous additional criteria of
importance to them.
But accreditation also provides leaders of international
schools with a framework to clearly assess the quality of
the institution they lead and better meet the needs of every
student. School leaders and staff engage with review teams
and receive a wealth of information that they would not be
able to identify on their own. By making all of the realities
of schooling visible and shining a light on weak areas
and unexpected strengths, accreditation shows educators
where their schools stand and what they can do to move
forward.
My organisation—Cognia (formerly AdvancED)—is the
world’s largest accrediting body, providing reviews of
school quality in 36,000 schools in 85 countries across
the globe. This vantage point gives us a front-row seat to
ascertain what schools most need to do to improve, and
deep insight into how various aspects of school leadership,
resource allocation, and instruction make a difference to
student and school success.
CULTURE DRIVES PERFORMANCE
We have learned that the ways schools shape their written
(and unwritten) rules influence every aspect of how
a school functions. In research based on engagement
reviews conducted by Cognia, schools where the entire
learning community is actively engaged, empowered, and
supportive score significantly higher in overall quality—
nearly 10 percent higher on our measures of instructional
quality than those with lower culture ratings.
07
Culture does not just apply to adults. The more
opportunities students have to be owners of their learning,
collaborate with peers, and engage in activities that require
movement, voice, and thinking, the higher the school’s
overall rating tends to be. Additionally, schools where
parents are engaged and active also tend to be higher
performing overall.
Many schools have sought to create new types of learning
environments that help students become more engaged and
actively involved with learning. But surveys of more than
400,000 students and nearly100,000 teachers worldwide
made available from accreditation reviews indicate that
there is a profound disconnect between what teachers say
students do and what students say they spend most of their
time working on in class. These insights transcend national
boundaries and can help school leaders improve teaching
and learning in a wide range of educational settings.
The data from Cognia show that while the majority of
teachers believe students are deeply engaged in active
learning, most middle and high school students say that
they spend a great deal of time listening to teachers and
completing worksheets. Students also say that teachers
are neither challenging them nor encouraging them to
complete long projects or work regularly with their peers.
THE TECHNOLOGY DISCONNECT
Similarly, in our observation of 250,000 classrooms
worldwide, we have found that educators often lack a clear
picture of how technology is being used in learning. While
sophisticated technology and digital learning tools are
becoming more commonplace in schools, these technologies
are not being used to change how students learn on a daily
basis. In fact, the data indicate that in a majority of all
classes, there is little evidence of students using technology
to gather, evaluate, and/or use information for learning. In
an even more significant percentage of classrooms there is
little evidence of technology being used to conduct research,
solve problems, create original works, or communicate and
work collaboratively for learning.
The lack of effective use appears to be less about school
access to broadband or wireless or student access to digital
tools (tablets, laptops, and smartphones) and more about
lack of training to put them to work. Educators often believe
that technology tools are useful only in certain contexts
for certain students, or that they can be inappropriately
used and are an off-task distraction to learning. In fact,
schools across the globe score only 1.8 on a 4-point scale
 Gi

in how students use technology for actual learning. We ABOUT THE AUTHOR
typically find that even the best schools can do more to
improve their overall effectiveness. Every school ought to
commit to a journey of continuous improvement. Changes
in technology, staff, curriculum, enrolment, and demands
from college and work require that schools adjust and
rethink the policies and practices that may have worked
well in the past.

Moreover, school quality shouldn’t be viewed as an all-

or-nothing proposition. In past decades, accreditors gave
schools and districts a simple thumbs-up or down, either Annette Bohling is Chief Certification Officer and Chief
recommending or denying accreditation. But we have of Global Operations for Cognia, formerly AdvancED l
learned that this does not give schools a clear enough sense Measured Progress. Cognia is the world’s largest accreditor
of where they stand, nor does it create an incentive for and offers accreditation and certification, assessment,
schools to go beyond “good enough.” It fails to point a path professional learning, and improvement services to
forward to reaching a higher standard. institutions and other education providers, serving over 80
countries and 36,000 institutions. The organisation serves
The accreditation process can be a major step toward and supports nearly 25 million students and five million
helping schools continuously improve. Our work helps educators every day. Cognia serves as a trusted partner in
schools develop actionable plans based on clear evidence advancing learning for all. Find out more at cognia.org.
and data to identify what they need to do next. For school
leaders and educators, one of the greatest advantages of
accreditation is the window we provide into other schools.
Accreditors encourage schools to participate in peer
review of other schools by serving on accreditation teams,
which educators often say are among the most valuable
experiences they can have in understanding what quality
looks like in other schools.

Virtually every school is a work in progress. Engaging

school leaders and educators in an accreditation process
focused on continuous improvement – not compliance –
represents one of the best ways to shift a school’s culture to
reflect our changing world.

08
LEARNING
ECOSYSTEMS

Sandy Mackenzie
Director
Copenhagen International School

09
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T
he concept of a learning ecosystem has never been
so relevant as it is today in 2020. In countries across
our inter-connected world, the delicate nature
of a healthy ecosystem has been brought into stark focus
through the spread of a global pandemic. International
schools are resilient beings that have withstood many tests
of disease, natural disaster and man-made catastrophes.
Never before has such a single, tiny entity had such far-
reaching implications - as well as creating a threat to health
worldwide, making us question our modus operandi in all
aspects of society.

In our globally mobile profession, we all have friends and

former colleagues working in China. Therefore, we had all
heard about corona virus, that schools had to close their
doors and provide remote and online learning in February.
Somehow, in Europe we became apocryphal King Canutes
and believed that it would not happen here and so were in
varying states of readiness when it was time to write a risk
assessment matrix and a remote learning plan.

Across Europe, in late February and early March strategic

thinkers and planners made calm arrangements for
procedures in the event of a case of the virus entering
our communities. The speed of the spread of this threat
quickly overtook the pace of the careful, thoughtful leaders.
Countries swiftly brought in restrictions and closed schools
to halt the impact, and brought new terms to our lexicon
such as “flattening the curve” and “social distancing”.
Social media became the super-spreader of information
and mis-information, from which Donne’s “no man is an
island” is even more relevant than it was 400 years ago.
International schools often describe themselves as a bubble
within an environment, floating in the ecosystem they
inhabit. COVID-19 pierced that bubble and illuminated
the symbiotic relationship between a school and its
surroundings and its neighbours. Moreover, the success of
the school to respond to the challenge of remote learning
and campus closure is largely dependent on four main
factors:
• Human adaptability and preparedness for change
• Consistency of availability of tools required for remote
learning
• Clarity of expectation in the local and national
environment
• Leadership and communication
Presence of all four conditions is required for a sustainable,
successful remote learning solution during this uncertain
time. Without able, caring, dedicated, versatile teachers any
effort to alter the nature of learning so radically virtually
overnight would fail. Software solutions and technological
tools are fantastic aids to distance learning; for them to
be employed equitably and usefully, all students need
access to them. We know that stressed and anxious people
rarely make good students - those governing the local
community and the nation need to provide clear guidelines
for operating within restrictions. Otherwise, toilet paper
runs out and sane, upstanding members of society become
headless chickens caught between two stools!
As well as clear societal guidelines, a calm and reasonable
set of expectations for all community members in the
face of a dynamic, shifting environment is needed. School
leaders set the tone for the response to this novel situation
- optimism and confidence are key. In our school, Arthur
Ashe’s famous words “Start where you are, use what
you have, do what you can” provided a guide star for
approaching the challenge of shifting learning to a blend of
online and offline activity delivered through synchronous
and asynchronous methods. While we may not have had
a glossy (digital) brochure describing our remote learning
provision with virtual bells and whistles attached, we were
fortunate to have the four bullet points above.

10
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The subtitle to the ECIS Leadership Conference due to take
place in Madrid 2020 was “leading school communities
that thrive”. In this new normal of remote learning,
how do school leaders ensure that their community
continues to not only survive but to also thrive? At these
moments of uncertainty, leaders display empathy and
provide reassurance; they communicate thoughtfully and
appreciatively. Moreover, they look for opportunities for
new learning, not merely a pale imitation of on-campus
learning. It is quickly apparent that teaching volleyball
or developing skills in using 3D printers and laser cutters
are not possible in a home learning environment. Well
supported, adaptable teachers make proverbial lemonade
from those lemons - PE teachers creating podcasts for a
modern sex education programme, Design students taking
photos and measuring the height of their tower made of
household packaging that needs to support a carrot on
top, video challenges that involve the entire family and
encourage social interaction, home cooking and human
connection.
Colleagues from China with experience of many weeks of
remote learning tell us that students, and their teachers,
focus less on the content of learning as time passes; instead
they crave the social interaction, collaboration and human
connection that school provides in their daily lives. That
is evident in week three of our enforced remote learning
experiment. Reflecting on the different things we can do,
on the things we can do differently and the aspects that
we can live without is making educators question what
is important. How many conferences have you attended
where the keynote speaker expounds a powerful message
that it is about time we changed school education, that in
the 21st century our content-based, teacher as fount of all
knowledge paradigm needs a significant shift? In the age
of the answer being immediately available on a screen,
is it not time that we asked different questions? Many of
us leave those conferences with great ideas in our mental
briefcase, brimming with confidence and good intentions
to bring in a new initiative only to find that days later, we
are back in a familiar groove.
The retrospective inertia that exists in all schools (also
known as the “this is how we have always done it”
syndrome) can slow or stifle change. Could it be that the
necessary catalyst for disrupting the status quo is this global
pandemic of COVID-19 and the international response to
lock down countries, restricting movement and enforcing
working and learning from home?
11
Across the world, in every type of international school,
educators are asking what are the important skills for
students to gain. Teachers are utilising creativity and
employing ingenuity to design experiences that engage
students, both in real time and in asynchronous, offline
tasks. They are engaging in a different manner with
their environment; they are adapting the ecosystem to
ensure that communities remain strong. As they do so,
even larger questions come into focus that may require a
re-examination of the axioms of school education. If the
International Baccalaureate and other bodies can cancel
all exams, and universities are able to make good decisions
about admission, in 2020, are written, timed examinations
still fit for purpose? If we truly value collaboration, research
skills and project-based learning, do we need to redefine
the concept of academic honesty? What is the true purpose
of the teacher, and what skills and attributes are necessary
to be an inspirational educator in the 21st century?
As we hear about some of the horrific immediate effects
of COVID-19 ravaging countries, our thoughts are with
families and communities losing loved ones. The next
phase of concern will be the resultant economic changes for
organisations and societies. For many of us, the medium
term impact may be deep with educators examining the core
of how we define school as part of a global, interconnected
learning ecosystem.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sandy Mackenzie is Director of Copenhagen
International School and has over 20 years of experience
supporting the education of young people in many parts
of the world, including China, Denmark, Scotland, and the
United States. Sandy has taught Mathematics, co-authored
a textbook and held senior leadership positions in four
schools. Empowering and supporting teams to provide
an outstanding education to young people that positively
contributes to their academic, personal, social-emotional,
and inter-cultural well-being, learning and growth is his
true passion.
 SCHOO
Gi LSTATS

LEADING COUNTRIES IN
SOUTH-EASTERN ASIA
FOR ENGLISH-MEDIUM kuala lu
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K-12 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS MALAYSI

data: S C HO O
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STATS LS
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S TA F F 1 0 8 ,6 0 0
FEBRUARY 2020 AV E R A G
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FEES ARE IN USD. ING S *

THAILAND
08

SCHOOL
STATS
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BAL
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SOUTH
EASTERN
ASIA:
More international schools,
more diversity.

Will Bedford
Senior Manager, Schools Division
ISC Research

13
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S
outh-Eastern Asia is now one of the leading
subregions in the world for international education.
According to ISC Research data from January
2020, which takes into consideration new school openings
and school enrolments for the current academic year, the
subregion has 1,516 English-medium international schools
with over half a million (557,000) students currently
enrolled. This makes South-Eastern Asia the third largest
subregion in the world for the number of international
schools (behind Western Asia and Eastern Asia), and the
fourth largest subregion in the world for the number of
students attending the schools.
ENROLMENT DIVERSITY
In several countries within the subregion, the local
population is seeking out international schooling more
than ever before; Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam
and Cambodia particularly so. In all of these countries,
local children have become a significant demographic, and
demand from local families continues to rise as economies
improve. This can an admissions challenge for international
schools that could fill all of their available places with local
children. A healthy demographic mix is, nevertheless,
vital for a good international school; in both its student
population and its teachers, and strategic admissions and
recruitment is a priority for many international school
leaders today.
When it comes to demand for school places from expatriate
families, an increasingly broad demographic is emerging,
many now originating from elsewhere in Asia. Market
analysis from ISC Research shows that international
schools in the global cities of Singapore, Bangkok and
Kuala Lumpur are experiencing growing demand from
Chinese, Japanese and South Korean families seeking the
international schooling that is less restrictive, or more
readily accessible than in their home countries. This
is prompting some families to relocate in search of the
education they want for their children. There has also been
notable movement, in recent months, of families from
Hong Kong due to challenges within the country.
A growing expatriate demographic throughout South-
Eastern Asia is the Southern Asian professional who
is increasingly being hired by multinationals based in
South-Eastern Asia in preference to very costly Western
expatriates. As a result, Indian children are an emerging
demographic in many international schools. For example,
Indian children are the leading student nationality in
Singapore’s international schools making up 12.4% of all
14
students. For the Western expatriates who are being hired
today, fewer receive the generous relocation packages that,
20 years ago, enticed them overseas. Some are offered a
contribution towards international school fees for their
dependants, but others receive no benefit at all resulting in
more cost-conscious school selection.
This broadening demographic, away from the traditional
Western expatriate model, is driving a demand for a wider
variety of international schools, including those with fees
that are more manageable within a parents salary. As a
result, a new sector of mid-priced international schools has
emerged in recent years.
EMERGING SCHOOL TYPES
The different models of international school vary in their
demographic of students, staff and facilities, all of which
are impacted to a significant extent by the school’s fee
levels. An example of the nationality differences in these
two school types can be seen from the data for Thailand.
According to analysis conducted in November 2019
by ISC Research for its Market Intelligence Report of
international schools in Thailand, 49.9% of the 34,000
children currently enrolled in the country’s 76 premium
international schools (those schools charging the highest
school fees, which are more likely to be accredited and a
member of at least one well-regarded school association)
are Thai. 5.3% of the students are American, 4.9% are
British, 2.6% are Japanese, 2.1% are Chinese, 1% are South
Korean and 0.9% are Indian. Russian, Singaporean and
Australian children are also within the top ten nationalities
at Thailand’s premium international schools. At the mid-
market priced international schools in Thailand, at which
21,000 children are currently enrolled, the demographics
are similar, but the percentages differ; 41.5% of the students
are Thai, 5.1% are South Korean, and 3.9% are Chinese.
 Gi

American, Japanese, Indian and British students are all ABOUT THE AUTHOR
within the top ten nationalities at these schools along with
Taiwanese, British, Russian and French children.

The demographics of teachers varies between the different

international school types too. The ISC Research Market
Intelligence Report of international schools in Malaysia
identifies the most predominant nationality of teachers
at Malaysia’s premium international schools as British
(42.6%), 24.1% are Malaysian, 13.9% are from North
America and 9.1% are from Australia or New Zealand. Will Bedford is Senior Manager of the Schools Division at
In the mid-priced schools, over half of all teachers are ISC Research. You can reach him directly at will.bedford@
Malaysian (54.7%) with 26% UK teachers and the rest iscresearch.com or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.
coming from a range of other countries. The higher fees of com/in/william-bedford-1a203226/
the premium international schools reflect the higher cost
of recruiting the best teachers. They typically pay higher
salaries and offer competitive remuneration packages. A
blend of staff demographics is just as important for a good
international school as the blend of students; this includes
local teachers who bring a cultural understanding that is
increasingly recognised as vital for any good international
school.

INFORMING THE MARKET

ISC Research continues to work closely with many ECIS

member schools, as well as many other international
schools around the world to collect data and understand
market changes. As the international schools market
becomes increasingly competitive, so knowing emerging
demographics, changing demands, and market trends
are essential for school admissions strategy, staffing
and recruitment planning including setting salaries and
benefits, growth planning, and new campus investment.
Data, intelligence and different reports, specifically
prepared to inform all stages of school development are
available from ISC Research at www.iscresearch.com

15
ORCHESTRATING
CLASSROOM
SUCCESS

Mark Steven Reardon

Lead Learning Consultant
Quantum Learning

I saw first-hand,
100% Commitment from all faculty
Feedback, effort and practice
Joy and pride in the results

I SAW IT AND THOUGHT, ‘WHY NOT IN EVERY CLASSROOM?’

Imagine wandering down a school hallway, a palpable buzz emanating down the corridor of classrooms. Not an audible
buzz, a sensation, a feeling that heightens your curiosity. Peering into the small window in one classroom door, you see
what’s generating the buzz and it draws you into the room. Students with partners, some with puzzled looks, others with
smiles, huddle over their work. Two students gather around the teacher speaking of their work and defending their choices
as the teacher probes for deeper thinking. Soft, melodic sounds seep into the energy of voices. A student’s gesture toward the
wall directs your focus to a colourful icon, and the whiteboard displays a digital clock counting down from ten. There’s an
orderliness throughout the classroom—everything in its place—as if to invite students toward resources and supplies.

16
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W
ithin moments, a chime sounds and students
respond quickly in silence. “It’s time to look
critically at your work. There are three
questions you’ll use to do so. Let’s read them together.”
The students, in one voice join in. Followed by, “Now, take
about a minute to answer the questions to yourself, and
when you have answered them, turn back in this direction
and be ready when I call on you to share your answers.
Please begin your analysis.”

THE QUANTUM LEARNING SYSTEM

Orchestrated by the teacher, it’s a system of four core

components that when artfully orchestrated, create a shift
in what the teacher thinks is possible and what students
believe about themselves.

1. A strong Foundation where everyone knows what is
expected and how to interact with one another.
2. An empowering Atmosphere where everyone feels safe
and supported, that they belong and are valued.
3. A supportive  Environment  that uses the physical space
to enhance learning.
4. A purposeful  Design & Delivery  that ignites creativity,
critical thinking, and reflection.
It’s almost too good to be true. How can students be
this engaged, focused, communicative and interested?
What’s happening behind the scenes that creates such
attentiveness and evokes such respect? You think this must
be an exceptional class with an exceptional teacher. Surely,
not all classrooms here are like this.
You wander down the hall. Classroom after classroom, each
teacher unique in style, and students engaged in various
learning activities—writing, viewing videos, reading,
noting, peering into microscopes, researching, listening to
another student speak. A few classrooms reveal students
arranged in a lecture format, in other classrooms, students
stand at stations tucked up against the walls.
HOW DO THEY DO THIS, AND WHY NOT IN
EVERY CLASSROOM?
Entering the teacher’s lounge, you find women and men,
spanning a range of years and experience, discussing
freely what’s working and seeking solutions for what’s
not. An occasional remark about another’s quirky style
and outlandish instructional activities bring a round of
laughter.
You stick around to attend the after-school professional
development workshop facilitated by five of the school’s
teachers. You arrive as 120 on-time teachers and
administrators take their seats at tables arranged for four.
Within a few minutes and right at the scheduled time, a
member of the Lead Learners team greets everyone as they
show their respect with applause.
“Welcome to this third session in our series of workshops
on effective teaching and learning. The team and I have
prepared, based on your feedback, an eventful, and
practical experience from which you’ll better understand
the why and the how behind strategies that maximise
learning.”
After a brief set of instructions, teachers and administrators,
heads leaning toward the centre of the table, grab markers
to create their metaphor for today’s topic. These creations
soon adorn the side walls while they talk with colleagues at
their tables about their successes of the day.
Four other teammates scurry to stations decorated to
support their respective topics. At the signal, everyone
darts to their assigned station and settles into an intensively
focused conversation about how to maximise learning.
Soon a bell sounds and everyone goes back to their original
tables to share what they learned and make applications to
their next day’s lesson. “Is this typical PD at this school?”
you ask the gentleman next to you. The principal remarks
without hesitation and without breaking his attentiveness,
“Yes. In my 30 years in education, this is the finest PD I’ve
experienced.”

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UTOPIA?
What is this place? Utopia? Wishful thinking? Could this
even be possible?
When everything is done with intentionality, singularity
of focus, and the belief that students and teachers can
achieve, schools become places where everyone succeeds,
where everyone experiences joy and purpose.
This is a description of what’s happening in two schools
in Malaysia. As I witnessed first-hand, these two schools
have fully embraced a teaching and learning system that
has transformed the professional culture, enhanced lesson
design, elevated the delivery and facilitation of learning,
and increased the effectiveness of leadership. Two schools
where teachers and administrators are creating the school
they’ve always dreamed of—a place where students and
learning come first.
WHAT’S MISSING? THE “HOW”
In far too many schools around the world, the description
above is far from reality. Far too many teachers and leaders
feel stuck, drained by initiatives and mandated expectations,
policies and an ever-shifting focus of what’s important.
They know what to do (teach the content, manage the
initiatives) and the outcome toward which they’re aiming
(effective learning, achievement, graduation.) Is it possible
they simply do not know HOW?
While most professionals are clear on the WHAT, they may
lack the skills and understanding of how to accomplish the
task.
What if there was a HOW that capitalised on the brain’s
natural learning systems—a HOW that released teachers’
passion and creativity and unleashed students’ potential to
create, find solutions and articulate those ideas?
QUANTUM LEARNING IS THE HOW
It’s not that the schools in Malaysia face fewer demands,
have higher quality teachers, better trained leaders, more
respectful students, or more resources. It’s that these
two particular schools have embraced a HOW, a system.
A system built on accessing the brain’s natural learning
systems and employing strategies grounded in the neuro-
and cognitive sciences.
The Quantum Learning System integrates with content
standards and initiatives providing a philosophy, models,
18
and strategies that amplify teachers’ ability to teach and
students’ ability to master those standards. It transcends
grade levels, ethnic and cultural nuances, and teacher and
leadership styles. The Quantum Learning System increases
teachers’ and leaders’ efficacy while providing the WHY
behind what’s effective.
 Most likely, if you are reading this, you entered education to
make a difference. So did we. Each of us desires to express
our passion with joy and work our magic with students.
Our students with unlimited potential and possibility are
not just our future. They are our present. They deserve the
best we’ve got— the what and the HOW that ignites joyful,
meaningful, and challenging learning.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Reardon has nearly 20 years of experience
at Quantum Learning, and is co-author of Quantum
Teaching: Orchestrating Student Success. Founder & CEO
of Centrepointe Leadership, his four-decades in education
spans roles as an elementary and middle school teacher,
middle and high school principal, trainer, consultant,
speaker and author. He has dedicated his professional life
to discovering and articulating what works best in teaching,
leading, and learning.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
For Studies & Results + Professional Development
workshops CLICK HERE
To hear how international schools use Quantum Learning
CLICK HERE
The World of Quantum Learning • Bermuda, Central &
Latin America, Singapore Case Histories: CLICK HERE
INTENTION TO
IMPACT
LEADERSHIP
A manifesto for new
and aspiring leaders.

Kim Cullen
M.A., M.S., B.A. Upper School Director,
The American School of Madrid

19
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B
enjamin Franklin is credited with the saying “Well
done is better than well said”. At the American
School of Madrid, one of our school-wide goals this
year has been to determine what concrete steps each of us
can take to transform words into action.

There is a considerable difference between intention and

impact. Most of the time, our intentions are honourable.
We are a community of caring, generous people: we mean
well. It takes more than meaning well, however, and we
sometimes shield ourselves behind intention when things
didn’t go completely as we had hoped. “I didn’t mean it
that way” or “It was just a joke” is something I often hear
students and teachers say.

In leadership, we must recognise that intention is a

powerful motivator, and we need to help our community
members think more specifically about impact. This means
we need to walk the walk and talk the talk. We must ask
ourselves What is the impact my words will have? What is
the impact I want to have? Related to this are questions like
What do I want to be known for, remembered for? What
The impressive library at the American School of Madrid.
legacy do I want to leave? As a school administrator, my
daily challenge is to move from the what to the how. It is
BE AUTHENTIC. AND BE VULNERABLE.
in the how that I will define the impact I have on others.

There is no magic leadership formula - be true to yourself.

As I reflect on the leadership lessons I have learned over
Identify your strengths and don’t be afraid to leverage them.
my twenty-three years in education, below are some of
Also, be honest about your shortcomings and commit
my personal highlights - a manifesto, if you will, on how
to working on them. Knowing yourself and allowing for
to transform my own best intentions to real impact. For
both authenticity and vulnerability are fundamental so
new and aspiring leaders, developing one’s own manifesto
successful leadership.
for intention to impact leadership can be a powerful way to
define the role one wants to play in the lives and growth of
BE COMPASSIONATE.
the communities one serves.

Everyone has a story - a lifetime of experiences, beliefs,

BE COMMITTED TO GROWTH.
and history that defines who they are. Don’t be quick
to draw conclusions about others, and remember that
Every experience in life is an opportunity to learn and grow.
understanding people’s context is critical in building
One actually CAN teach old dogs new tricks. Just because
strong, trusting relationships. It is important to note
someone might refuse to change doesn’t mean they can’t
that compassion is different from empathy. Empathy is
or won’t. Commit to learning new things, seeking out new
the intellectual awareness and appreciation of someone’s
challenges, and helping others do the same. Learn to learn.
circumstances. Compassion takes it a step further and
involves a desire to make a difference. In short, compassion
FEAR IS HEALTHY.
is caring.

Fear means we care, we want to do well. But we fear, and we

EVERYTHING IS A GIFT, EVEN IF YOU WORKED
stay in our comfort zones, thus limiting our opportunities
HARD FOR IT.
for growth. Rather than perceiving fear as a force of evil,
learn to embrace fear as a driving force for doing your best.
If your baseline is that everything in life is a gift, even if you
Don’t be afraid to say yes.
worked hard for it, you will be less inclined to hold onto

20
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that sense of entitlement that sometimes creeps in despite
our best intentions. Gratitude means you will be less likely
to get upset when things don’t go the way you planned or
expected. Gratitude gives you the ability to give situations
only the attention they deserve. It also gives you the ability
to move on when it’s time.
BALANCE YOUR APPROACH.
Know the difference between reacting and responding and
which one is most appropriate under what circumstances.
Reaction is quick, usually involves emotion, is often
uninformed and sometimes misguided. Response takes
time and requires thoughtfulness, getting to the bottom of
something, considering all the options and all sides. Find
your balance between instinct, insight, and improvisation.
Act in accordance with YOU.
Live into your values with confidence and integrity. Identify
your beliefs and wear them on your sleeve. Don’t sacrifice
your values. Boundaries are important; learn how to set
them. Know when to say no. Integrity leads to reliability
and trust.
LEAN ON OTHERS.
No one succeeds alone, no one knows everything, no one
can do everything. Lean on others. Seek out allies. Find a
thought partner. Listen more than you speak. Offer help
along the way. Be someone’s mentor.
CELEBRATE OTHERS.
Recognise the contributions of others as much as you can.
Everyone needs and deserves validation. No one can work
at their best when they feel unsupported, underutilised,
unappreciated or underpaid. Celebration is fundamental
to emotional and professional well-being and, ultimately,
growth.
21
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kim is a thoughtful and committed educator with twenty
three years of experience in international education.
As a American citizen born in Brazil and raised in Texas
and Spain, Kim is an adult TCK (*third culture kid) who
understands the unique benefits and opportunities that
come from having cross-cultural experiences during
the developmental years. Kim cares deeply about young
people and how they learn and she has devoted her entire
professional career to fostering supportive, impactful and
relevant learning for both students and educators. Having
served school communities in a variety of capacities, Kim’s
professional profile is comprehensive with experiences in
visioning, strategic planning, relationships, team-building
and compassionate leadership. Along her journey in
education -- from behind the scenes in fundraising and
community relations, through teaching and counseling,
and almost a decade in leadership laying the groundwork
for systemic change – Kim has to come to firmly believe
that if educators are thoughtful, open-minded and willing,
they have the ability to create powerful educational
experiences that will transform the future for our
children, our society, and our planet. Kim is the founder
of i2i Education Consulting, helping forward-thinking
education leaders create meaningful learning for students
(www.i2iedconsulting.com). She also publishes insights
and learnings on life on her personal blog, ebb and flow,
www.kmcullen.com.
 BEING
COMFORTABLE
WITH LEADING
UNCERTAINTY
Sue Aspinall
Executive Leadership Team | Head of Junior School Vlaskamp
The British School in The Netherlands

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PLEASE FIRST DOWNLOAD THIS

SUPPORTING PDF

LEADING ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE We have found that this approach makes a significant
FROM WITHIN impact to the quality of teaching practice, and ultimately,

A
s a growing multi-campus international school,
the British School in the Netherlands (BSN) prides
itself on being a dynamic centre of excellence for
both students and staff. In this article, I will be sharing
the ways we are intentionally building alignment around
our whole school improvement priorities across the five
campuses whilst also enabling staff teams to follow their
own lines of enquiries, so that new ideas for improving
teaching practice emerge. I will be suggesting that the
carefully balanced leadership of both of these intentional
and emergent approaches is necessary to enable the BSN
to sustain success over the long term.
THE INTENTIONALLY CONSTRUCTED
STRATEGY
It is important in any school to have clear priorities for
improvement which are informed by a range of evidence,
including students’ progress and attainment data. Across
the three BSN Junior Schools, these priorities are agreed
and clearly articulated annually along with the intended
impact by the end of the academic year.
the equity in the quality of learning for all BSN Junior
School students. There is clarity to everyone’s role and
professional dialogue can be focussed around a common
topic. With the three BSN Junior Schools working together
for the same outcome, the opportunities for sharing
learning and extending professional dialogues are tripled.
EVIDENCING IMPACT OF TEACHING ON
STUDENT OUTCOMES
This academic year, the maths leads across the Junior
Schools have been leading the strategy. The overall
intended impact at the end of this academic year is to
enable:
All students to be able to explain their mathematical
understanding using the correct consistent mathematical
language in full sentences.

The intentionally constructed strategy for implementing

the change to teaching practice is cyclical and ongoing.
In each academic year there is a key priority, e.g. to raise
student progress and attainment in logic and reasoning
through a mastery approach to mathematical learning.

The key priority for improvement is the focus of the weekly

one hour staff professional development sessions and all
other on-campus professional learning opportunities.
Hence time is spent intentionally, providing teaching
staff with the pedagogical knowledge and teaching skills
required to make the changes. These opportunities are
mapped out across the academic year, which provides
opportunities for teachers to trial and evaluate the impact
of the changes they are making to their practice over time.
Where necessary, lead teachers are available to plan,
model and team teach in order to support the acquisition
of new areas of learning. In this way, there is a collective
endeavour to make a difference. Every staff member
is involved in professional learning and the impact is
evaluated on an ongoing basis. The focus is re-calibrated
and the implementation strategy re-designed as progress
is responded to throughout the year.
Progress being made towards this is evaluated in many
ways; such as through progress and attainment feedback
sessions from year group leaders, book looks and student
conferencing.
Half termly evaluations of student progress data and
teacher assessment indicate that most student are on
track to meet their age related expectations. Importantly,
there is consistent evidence that students are accessing
manipulatives to explain their learning, demonstrating
logical thinking and reasoning and building a fluency in
their use of mathematical language.

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EMERGENCE WITHIN THE COLLABORATIVE

ENQUIRY MODEL

The BSN values the importance of building professional

collaboration and enabling teams to create their own
improvement work within their specific field of expertise.
A model that enables new avenues of professional enquiry
to take place is being trialled at one of the Junior Schools
by each year group team, each subject specific team and
the inclusion teams. Based on examples cited by Weston,
D and Clay, B. (2018), this model enables the teaching staff
to identify a very specific question regarding their teaching
practice and its impact on student outcomes. The staff
agree upon the most useful evidence that will be collected
and build a programme for this to be collated.

The resulting collaborative discussion, built around the

evidence collected, provides the opportunity to unpick very
specific ‘tweaks’ that can be made to teaching practice and
FINDING THE BALANCE AND LEADING
classroom management to make a difference to student
THE PROCESS
outcomes. These ‘tweaks’ are built into the practice of
teams incrementally throughout the year as the model
In the best cases, teams have been able to integrate
is repeated. This cyclical process is slowly building team
the collaborative enquiry approach and the strategic
ownership and localised attention to school improvement.
improvement priority. The respective teams have then
dived deeper into their understanding of the impact of
EVIDENCING IMPACT OF TEACHING ON their practice e.g. the impact of the bar modelling strategy
STUDENT OUTCOMES on Y5 students’ ability to explain their mathematical
reasoning clearly. Equally, the emerging learning from
During the collaborative discussion, emerging themes and
the collaborative enquiry has often been able to inform
questions are unpicked and future actions are agreed.
the impact of the whole school improvement work, and
where appropriate, has enabled these ideas to be adopted
Feedback from staff has been positive. They have welcomed
by different year groups.
the team ownership of the process, the range of evidence
that is used to inform the collaborative discussion, and the
The success of all of this work is dependent on its leadership,
immersive presence of the Senior Leader, who leads the
staff engagement and commitment. Leadership of the
enquiry alongside the year leader.
school improvement approaches requires an understanding
of their intentionality, so that collaborative enquiries stay
“This approach is far better than a one-off lesson
within their parameters and inform the improvement
observation. Each class teacher in the year group is
priorities of the whole school. A shared accountability for
focussing on the same enquiry and we are continually
outcomes and a sustained commitment to find a balance
talking about our findings. There is much more
between the approaches is becoming established.
professional discussion with a purpose”

TEAM EMPOWERMENT AND LEADERSHIP

“I like having Lucy and Miffy involved throughout
CAPACITY BUILDING
the duration of the week rather than a one-off lesson
observation. I think they get a better understanding of
The BSN provides opportunities for team leaders to
what learning is like for our students in the Year Group
enhance their leadership skills, knowledge and attributes
and their feedback is very objective and wide ranging.”
by enrolling on programmes such as the international
Professional Qualifications in Middle Leadership
(iNPQML) and international Professional Qualifications

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in Senior Leadership (iNPQSL) delivered through the ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BSN International Leadership Academy (ILA). These
programmes enable team leaders to learn about research
and theoretical models that inform their leadership
in practice. They also learn practical techniques to
help them facilitate team meetings, design collective
enquiries, critical analyse evidence and hold honest
conversations. Their roles as leaders of intentional
strategy and/or collaborative enquiries are all supported
by the requirement to embed their learning from the
face-to-face modules into their leadership projects. By
integrating their requirements for the iNPQ assessment
with their contribution to the school improvement Over the last twenty years, Sue Aspinall has been leading
priorities, the BSN is building informed collective schools through significant change, intent on raising the
leadership capacity within the organisation, and more quality of learning and teaching available to their students.
broadly, within the international education community. Having been both a Head of an inner London state school
and three British international schools based in different
NEXT STEPS FOR THE BSN countries, Sue knows how it is to live a global life and
transition between cultures and across countries. She has
Creating this balanced approach requires class teachers to the ability to build diverse teams and motivate staff around
be continually observing the impact of their teaching on common goals. She empowers staff to lead from within
student learning. It is an incremental approach to school and coaches them to reach their highest aspirations. An
improvement that is responsive and adaptive; it requires experienced facilitator, Sue provides an impactful learning
flexibility, open-mindedness and a commitment to experience for leaders who want to make a difference.
continuous learning and development. This is the ultimate
challenge for us as school leaders: are we comfortable
with leading this level of uncertainty within our school BIBLIOGRAPHY
improvement work? Are we flexible and adaptable enough
to intentionally construct a strategy and then to re- Datnow, A., and Park, V. (2019) Professional Collaboration
calibrate and re-design it, as new learning emerges from with Purpose. New York: Routledge
the collaborative enquiries? Hargreaves, A., and O’Connor, M. (2018) Collaborative
Professionalism. London: Sage
I believe we need to be if we are going to build leadership Seel, R. (2006) “Emergence in Organisations”,
capacity across our international schools, and equip staff http://www.new-paradigm.co.uk/
with the pedagogical knowledge and teaching skills to Weston, D., and Clay, B. (2018) Unleashing Great Teaching.
meet the needs of our students. We need to be comfortable Oxon: Routledge
with the uncertainty of what will emerge when teams are Woods, P., and Roberts, A. (2018) Collaborative School
empowered to take their own lines of enquiries to improve Leadership. London: Sage
their teaching practice. As Woods and Roberts (2018)
summarise, “leading this way is not only challenging but
also a creative, inspiring and feasible way of advancing
learning in its best and fullest way”.

25
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M E M B E R
SCHOOL
snapshot
THE BRITISH SCHOOL IN THE NETHERLANDS
www.britishschool.nl | @BSNetherlands
OUR SCHOOL IN FOUR WORDS...
“Aspirational, inclusive, thriving, enriching.”
WE’RE PROUD OF...
...being five campuses, three Junior and two Senior
schools, each with their own unique character and
strengths. This allows us to offer a degree of choice
to our students and parents as to which environment
and location suits their needs best, as well as a range of
academic pathways.
Our 800+ staff work together in cross campus teams,
sharing expertise and innovation. In this way we are
a strong, adaptable and dynamic staff team aligned
around our core vision, mission and values. Together
we strive to provide equity and excellence for all our
students.
...of our International Leadership Academy and BSN
Language Centre, which provide the highest quality of
Professional Learning and Development to our staff
and those in other international schools across Europe.
WE BELIEVE...
• In building on the best of British practice within an
international setting
• In making each member of our community of more
than 90 nationalities feel welcome
• In delivering academic excellence within a broad
and contextually relevant curriculum
• In creating high aspiration and challenge for all our
students
• In nurturing the development of the whole
individual; ‘head, hand and heart’
26
WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
USING SCHOOL CLOSURE AS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO:
• Redesign learning for all
• Galvanise staff expertise to provide high quality
remote learning
• Strengthen the sense of belonging within the BSN
community
• Explore the exciting possibilities offered by
Education Technology
5 YEARS FROM NOW?
The first cohort of students will graduate from Senior
School Leidschenveen in Year 13. They will have been
the pioneers of the 3-18 learning continuum across two
of our campuses, proving that a seamless continuity
of learning is possible between the Junior and Senior
sectors. Our campuses will be aligned around a
common curriculum, assessment and pedagogy,
enabling students to move smoothly between year
groups, phases and campuses. Our staff will be working
in cross-school teams, sharing professional learning and
knowledge freely; ensuring that students are provided
with the best possible learning opportunities.
The BSN will be known throughout Europe and
internationally as a research-based centre of excellence
for students and adult learning. It will be recognised
for its investment in the professional learning and
development of its staff, which ultimately contributes
to the success of its students.
The BSN will proudly hold its place as the largest world-
class international school in Europe; one united school
incorporating five unique campuses.
 HELPING
STUDENTS
FIND THEIR
GPS
Gifts, passions, &
a sense of service.

Jade Vidler
Deputy Housemistress
Sotogrande International School

27
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I
n September 2019 we were reminded of the power
of children and young people as millions of students
forgave their education, using their voices to stand up
against climate change. One student, Greta Thunburg, led
this specific movement using her own GPS. This is a strong
reminder that students already are agents of positive change
and their capabilities should not be underestimated.
Helping pupils find their gifts, passions and sense of service
is arguably the most important thing a school can do.
Encouraging students to uncover what they are passionate
about; what they care about and ultimately how they want
to shape their lives leads to well-rounded individuals
who are equipped with direction for life post-education.
However, these factors have to be nurtured; there needs to
be time and space for these gifts and passions to emerge,
and students need to feel empowered.
When students realise that their agency is entirely within
their own power and not something they are born with or
without, and they start to explore it and feel passionate and
empowered by it, then the magic can really be unleashed.
Poon (2018) in Education Reimagined explained student
agency as having four components: 1) setting advantageous
goals; 2) initiating action towards these goals; 3) reflecting
on and regulating progress towards these goals and 4) a
belief in self-efficacy. The fourth element is recognised
as underpinning the first three and demonstrates the
importance of students’ sense of self belief. This can be
facilitated largely by educators as we provide tools for
students and prove to them that they can do things and
that their actions can make a difference.
and sustainable. For our students, it’s all about experiential
learning. In line with our partners’ needs, students come up
with ideas, projects, inventions and products which help to
address social or environmental issues. We then provide
the platform for these dreams to become reality through
our framework of student entrepreneurship. To deepen
the learning and social impact, we offer students the
opportunity to make direct connections by participating
on incredible expeditions to our partners spanning over 4
continents.
WHAT DOES THIS REALLY LOOK LIKE?
We facilitate the majority of this learning and many of
these experiences through the KP Club. This is an after
school club that runs three times a week and currently
engages over 70 students. Through structured but flexible
and creative systems, students take the lead on all aspects
of the projects from the initial ideas, to the running of an
event or development of a product. The students have
complete control, coupled with careful guidance, and
what they produce is truly outstanding. An example of
one project is the Little Suns project, started by Max G
(pictured), aged 15.
Through curricular connections, Max understood that the
community of one of our partners in Nabugabo, Uganda,
struggle to carry out daily tasks after sunset without
electricity. He had the idea to provide solar lamps to
the people of Nabugabo. He researched, fundraised and

THE FOUNDING OF THE KINDRED PROJECT

At Sotogrande International School we strive to empower

student agency. In 2010, through a deep process of
reflection, we questioned the impact of the funds raised
through events and in turn, the learning processes provided
for our students. We looked into models that would
enhance our social impact, but what intrigued us most was,
how this would look if it were completely student-lead?
This inspired the birth of The Kindred Project, or ‘KP’ - our
student-lead NGO. It has been designed as a guarantor
that student-led action has a real positive impact in the
communities we work with, creating win-win situations
for all involved. KP achieves this by using tried and tested
models implemented by international development
organisations, which allow for the monitoring of activities
and funds, as well as evaluation. This enables action that,
as a response to a genuine need, is mindful, appropriate,

28
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sourced 60 Little Suns solar lamps which he had delivered on this journey. I have learned that when you take action
to our school, ready to be taken on our next expedition by following what you love doing, you really develop a
to Uganda. These solar lamps were distributed amongst life-long passion.”
the community. Seeing the huge impact his project had
on people’s lives, Max was inspired to continue raising These are just some examples of how students have been
funds for more lamps and applied to take part in the next personally impacted after finding their GPS through
expedition to see it first-hand. experiential learning on one of our expeditions. Flora
S, aged 17, reflects on her work with KP as she prepares
His reaction on the ground in Uganda was profound and to move on to higher education and summarises the
life shaping. However, KP also goes further than KP Club. importance of giving students opportunities to find their
The values, morals and passion of KP are also sewn into GPS’s. “What I have learnt, and what I continue to learn,
the curriculum at Sotogrande International School. Class can be taken with me wherever I go; it is a gift that I
projects begin in our youngest years and continue up didn’t even realise I was being handed as I embarked on
through the school, with many students focusing their all those years of challenges and adventures. And it is one
community and personal projects on addressing social and/ I will cherish for life.”
or environmental issues, giving back to the community and
cultural exchanges. AND HOW CAN YOU REPLICATE THIS IN
YOUR SCHOOL?
Expeditions are an essential part of KP as they provide
the rawest, realest experiential learning possible. They
accommodate the opportunity for experiences of human
connection and personal realisation, as well as skill
development and inter-cultural understanding. The
expeditions include working with our partners in Spain,
Morocco, Uganda and Ecuador, and this summer saw our
first expedition to the Himalayas. All of these trips are
unique, with an individual sense of purpose that provide
life shaping opportunities for our students, as well as the
communities we work with.

WHAT DOES STUDENTS FINDING THEIR OWN

GPS LOOK LIKE?

For most students, experiential learning is what they

remember. It’s most likely through experiential learning
that they have their ´light-bulb moment´. It causes them
to understand what is important to them, and that alone,
can be life shaping. One example of a student experiencing
this is Enola G, aged 16, who tells us “Through hands-on
work in the community of Nabugabo, I realised that I am
driven by helping others, and suddenly my career path
became very clear. The day I came back from the trip, I
was confident about studying politics and international
relations at university, with the intention of making a
difference for those who need it the most.”
Another student, Nele W, aged 17, reflects, “This expedition
was completely different to anything I have ever
experienced before. Following this trip I have come to the
conclusion that anyone can make a difference. Over the
coming months and years I will always continue to reflect
There are three main factors in replicating this model
within a school; passionate people, human connections
and space for student agency. There are passionate people
in every school, and bringing them together will help create
the right environment for this type of model to flourish.
This includes both staff and students.
Another key factor in making this model sustainable is the
human element. Human connection is what really fuels
these projects and programs to run successfully. Making
the programs real through relationships is invaluable.
If this cannot be achieved through partnerships, human
connections between staff and students can also evoke
emotion.

29
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The key emotion to awaken through these projects is ABOUT THE AUTHOR
empowerment. Once the students feel empowered, their
investment in the projects climbs, as does their self-esteem.
Facilitating space for student agency is also imperative.
Having a ‘yes’ culture, which is followed up with assistance,
guidance and reflection is where the key lies. Letting them
direct the project, event or idea is an essential factor in the
development of their sense of agency. Being open-minded
and allowing the roles to be reversed to some extent from
student to teacher helps the opening up of projects and
allows the model to run. The thing to remember above all
else is that our youth are not the leaders of tomorrow, they Jade has worked in Boarding schools for a number of years
are the change-makers of today. and developed a passion for giving students real-world
experiences and helping them to navigate their path in
life. She is currently Deputy Housemistress at Sotogrande
International School and combines this with working as
an Educational Specialist at The Kindred Project. Having
been on leadership teams on expeditions to Uganda and
Ecuador, and through running the KP Club, she has seen
first hand the life-shaping impacts discussed in this article.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Poon, J. (2018). Part 1: What Do You Mean When You Say

“Student Agency”? [online] Education Reimagined https://
education-reimagined.org/what-do-you-mean-when-you-
say-student-agency/ [Accessed 14th March 2020]

30
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PPOINTS
RINCIPAL
WITH LEADERS OF ECIS MEMBER SCHOOLS
JAMES “JAK” KEARNEY
HEAD / CEO
SOTOGRANDE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL | SPAIN
Jak Kearney is the Head and CEO of Sotogrande
International School in Spain. Jak joined Sotogrande
International School as the Head of Maths in September
2010 and was the chair of the steering committee for
the CIS evaluation in 2013. He became Head in May
2014 and CEO in January 2018. Previously he has
worked as a Deputy Head in the UK, an Advanced Skills
teacher of maths in the UK and a Key Stage Leader in
the Philippines.
With over 20 years’ experience teaching and leading
in schools around the world, Jak has found a home
at Sotogrande, where he has been able to work as
part of a team to lead an incredible IB World day and
boarding school, which offers extraordinary educational
experiences, provides a wide range of opportunities for
students to explore their curiosities and passions and
uses education as a force for good in the world.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT HOW YOU
CAME TO BE IN SPAIN?
Honestly this move was all down to my wife! I loved
International Education and, when we started our family,
we decided it would be great to be closer to ‘home’. We
moved back to the UK from South East Asia. However, we
felt uncertain about where we wanted our own children to
be educated. One cold day in the UK, my wife sent me a
text saying bring back a bottle of Champers, I have found
us a job abroad! I was delighted and what sealed it for us,
was the visit to the school. We met a community of staff,
who shared a similar vision about education as us. We met
the graduating class, who were well grounded, confident,
knowledgeable, polite and able to challenge. This is what
we wanted both as parents and as professionals. Honestly
we have not looked back. I guess you know home when you
find it.
31
YOU HAVE 3 POST-IT NOTES TO WRITE DOWN
ONE GOAL ON EACH FOR THE YEAR AHEAD,
WHAT WOULD YOURS SAY?
This is funny as it could be answered using several different
hats. I will answer as a school leader for my school.
Goal 1: To continue to invest in, listen to and develop the
School Leadership Team. Leadership for me is not a one
man show. It is about the team, we are the ones who make
decisions, guide our school, set the direction, listen to the
needs, wants and desires of the community and ensure we
balance our mission and margin. The great work we have
done at Sotogrande is due to the team, therefore investment
in them remains the key for me.
Goal 2: To consistently employ the strategy of raising
achievement for all, aka RAFA! This goal is not about
developing language, improving maths, increasing IB
results, etc.. It pushes further than this. It shouts and
sings about knowledgeable child centred education. If we
as teachers really know our students, then we can help
every student at every level become better, reflect on their
learning, understand their strengths and weaknesses and
become better, more in-tune learners.
Goal 3: To enhance and increase our provision to create
opportunities for students. Schools for me are about
opportunity. Everyone is great and brilliant at something,
some people are great and brilliant at more than one
thing. My desire is for every child to feel special. To know
that they have tried lots of different things out and found
something that they love, enjoy, and are great at. This is the
sweet spot. Our role as teachers and leaders is to create
these opportunities in art, drama, dance, music, science,
technology, maths, engineering, sports and public speaking.
You name it, we should do our utmost to provide an
opportunity for students to explore, alongside passionate,
inspirational educators. If you want to see this in action -
come to Sotogrande!
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IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONE PRESSING ISSUE
FACING INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS...
I feel one of the pressing issues faced is the lack of the “We”
focus in international education. This is the education of
others, of connectedness and togetherness. Often education
focuses on “me”, the development of self, the movement
forward of you. However, society is lacking social cohesion
because we are forgetting others. Developing a sense
of others is critical as we help student’s transition into a
connected society. At Sotogrande International School, we
have a student led NGO called the Kindred Project.
This is our tool to enable the education of ‘we’. At SIS, we call
this the journey from ME to WE. I would like this model to be
shared by other schools, so that CAS is not just something
that is done at school, but something that students learn
to live and breathe at home, during holidays and in their
future.
THINKING LONGER-TERM, IS THERE ANYTHING
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS COULD DO BETTER?
I would love to find better ways to test student knowledge.
The final exam! There is so much resting on one day
following 2 or more years of work. It feels like such a tough
rite of passage. This is not the way the world functions.
We apply our knowledge to solve problems that we don’t
know the answers to. We don’t prep and prepare in the
same way that students have to pass an exam. I like the IB
because it has made headway into this phenomenon, with
the extended essay, TOK, CAS, Personal Project, Community
Project, etc. These are examples of real life issues, areas
of personal interest, etc. that enable students to research,
apply their learning to a variety of situations and get
feedback. Imagine a business “exam” where the problem
posed is…
32
“You are part of a team of people who need to bring about
swift and rapid change to increase revenue in a failing
business. You have one week to strategically map out your
solution. You will be assessed on your team work, delegation
abilities, presentation skills, technical know how, research
skills, problem solving ability, conflict management and
more.”
This would not only be a real test for the real world, but
it would be fun! For students, it would more fairly allow
them to demonstrate their knowledge, teamwork, grit,
determination, creativity, etc. For staff, it would mean that
the “skills based education”, which we all know is critical, is
assessed. For parents, it would take the endless “revision”
out of the grind and hopefully reduce stress for all.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT HOW YOUR SCHOOL IS
DEALING WITH COVID-19 AND THE EFFECT THIS IS
HAVING ON YOUR STAFF AND STUDENTS
The spread of COVID-19 has really allowed us to pull
together as a community. Initially, we sent letters to parents
about how to remain safe, how to alert the school about
travel, and actions on the back of this. We returned after
February half term to temperature checks, instructed self-
isolation, stopped visitors and parents coming on-site and
finally moved to total shut-down from March 16th. We run
a boarding school and we safely expatriated 100 boarders
over a 2 day period. These transition points were at times
scary for both staff and students, however, we knew they
were necessary. The feedback from parents, students
and staff at every step of the way was overwhelmingly
supportive.
We are now operating as a virtual school. I am so proud of
my dedicated staff, who have really risen to the challenge
of going virtual. They have been on the learning journey
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that students experience daily. The frustrations, the need
for resilience, the need to seek help, experience successes,
joys and the desire to share these. It is an amazing journey
and the need to be a lifelong learner has never been
clearer. The IT team has been critical in facilitating this
development, identifying problems, supporting growth and
development, listening, pro-actively addressing issues. They
have been an amazing support pre and during our virtual
school.
AND FINALLY, THE BEST LESSON YOU HAVE
LEARNED AS A SENIOR LEADER?
Wow, what a great and tough question. I would say I have
2 lessons. Firstly, listen more than you speak. Secondly,
don’t stress / worry over things outside of your control and
influence.
Our thanks to Jak for his insights.

Our students have also embraced the change in the way Would you like to be interviewed in a future issue?
we have taught them to, with open hearts and minds. They Contact:globalinsights@ecis.org
have not let COVID-19 stop their education. They remain
committed, thirsty and patient. Empathy has played such
a critical part in going virtual, being there for students and
staff, understanding how people are feeling, dealing with
isolation, seeing the joy of actually having a conversation
with others. These experiences have spurred our staff to do
more and create better, more engaging activities.

We have all successfully transitioned through a time of

change in the past. We used this experience to do it again,
as we have always done, as a community, as a team of
dedicated, caring and creative staff, who live and breathe
the best for students. COVID-19 has made us better. A better
community, a better set of teachers and learners, a better
group of leaders, better parents, better students, because
all barriers can be seen as opportunities. It just depends on
the way you see the world.

33
IMPLEMENTING CLINICAL
SUPERVISION IN A
TAIWANESE NATIONAL
BILINGUAL SCHOOL

Seth A. Roberts
International Bilingual School of Hsinchu
Director of Teaching and Learning

34
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O
ne of the most intimidating tasks of an educational
leader is to give feedback to other educators
about their instruction. When I arrived at the
International Bilingual School of Hsinchu (IBSH), the
school was preparing for a WASC accreditation visit, and
it became clear that there was no program in place to give
teachers regular feedback about their practices. I took on
the daunting task of designing and implementing a clinical
supervision model for the school. I expected many veteran
teachers, some of whom had taught for 30+ years without
ever being formally observed, to greet this new process
with cynicism, reluctance, and fear; I was very mistaken.
The enthusiastic embracing of this new program by local
Taiwanese and Western teachers alike (IBSH is staffed
by 2/3 local teachers and 1/3 Western teachers) -- their
downright hunger for meaningful feedback and advice on
how to develop their practices -- was a welcome surprise
that I had not anticipated. The anecdotal evidence as the
observations began seemed to show enthusiasm for the
process and trust that I would help them improve their
instruction. In fact, when we surveyed the teachers at the
end of the year, it was clear that they found the experience
useful as seen in the graph below.
When one considers that 5 was “strongly agree” and 4 was
“agree”, it’s clear that teachers felt that the process was
helpful. But why did they feel that way? What was done to
build such strong buy-in and a feeling of relevance for the
clinical supervision model we used? It seems that the way
IBSH went about introducing a clinical supervision model
to the staff, and the fact that it was provided as instructional
support rather than as a part of an evaluation system, were
significant factors in garnering the approval from staff for a
meaningful and detailed clinical supervision model.
We began by creating a Danielson Framework evaluation
tool that was shared with the entire staff for a review period.
Faculty was invited to give input on both the observation
forms and the process. We dedicated multiple faculty
meetings to examining the feedback tools and the clinical
supervision processes and refining them. I believe that
35
another important reason for the warm reception from the
staff was that the entire process was clearly broken down
into smaller, more digestible pieces with expectations for
each step defined concisely. This process was discussed
with the staff as a whole and then reviewed at the start of
each pre-observation conference.
In the end, it was decided that the model would include two
observations (one per semester) with a pre-conference,
observation, write-up, post-observation conference, and
a co-created action plan for the teacher after the first
observation. The support from the staff was further
bolstered when the WASC Coordinator (who is also
the science department chair and a veteran IBSH local
teacher with over 30 years teaching) offered to share his
completed observation form with the entire staff. Having
a local teacher (and well-liked, highly regarded one, at
that) volunteer to be a guinea pig greatly helped reduce
teacher anxiety, as did providing them with a concrete
example to help them anchor their ideas on instruction and
assessment.
The big surprise began when the WASC Coordinator had
his first debrief and we created an action plan together. He
was very open to de-privatising his practices and was truly
excited to get feedback that he could use to improve his
instruction. That set the tone for the entire staff. The clear
explanation of the process helped them see the relevance
and importance of the clinical supervision process. It
was also apparent that the listening skills of the observer
allowed significant differentiation of the experience and
increased the comfort of the observed teacher. The survey
also supports these insights:
(1 = Strongly Disagree and 5 = Strongly Agree)
 Gi
Though the administration was initially apprehensive
about implementing clinical supervision out of concern
about how teachers would react, the end result was that
teachers undertook the process with zeal and seriousness
that had not been predicted. The deep and sometimes
“courageous” conversations that teachers engaged in with
me were above and beyond all expectations. After having
performed over 1,000 observations in 26 public schools in
America, the first 120 observations of IBSH staff felt more
welcomed than in any previous school. The anecdotal and
survey results backed that up. On the survey side, two
questions support this best, as seen in the graphs below.
While the second graph, summarising responses to
question number 13, illustrates a strong staff belief that the
process improved teaching, the fact that all respondents
believed that their lessons and teaching were well explained
in the observation report further underscores the point
that teachers saw the process as valuable and supportive
of growth. The level of gratitude that I experienced from
local and Western teachers alike was unprecedented. Their
positive feedback on my feedback in meetings and through
surveys made me feel as if the work had an impact on
36
teaching and positive morale. This was further expressed
in survey comments, including the following:
“Mr. Roberts stayed in my class [the] whole
period, and his anecdotal record listed what happened ...
every 5 minutes. He carefully watched how I interacted
with students and [how] students responded to me after
my instruction. This is my first time [I] receive[d] such ...
detailed record of a classroom observation. The official
report given at the post-observation meeting looks very
professional. It follows the pre-set indicators to give
his [reflections], which reflect [a] real class situation of
teaching and learning. The manner [in which] he talked to
me makes me feel he respects me, as a science instructor. I
thank him for all the effort and time he dedicated to me.”
“I found some specific areas in which I need
to improve and part of my summer fun will be pursuing
information on improv[ing] [my] questioning process. I
am constantly trying to improve on my strong points but
the clinical observation showed me some things I was
neglecting, to the detriment of my students. This is a good
program and should continue.”
“I do believe that this observation was one of the
more useful things that I have done at IBSH.”
This experience, that began with a recognised need, has
evolved into an ongoing practice that the staff agrees is
improving the school. I’m proud to say that teachers
have truly embraced the clinical supervision practice and
have begun to brag about exceeding their action plans in
faculty meetings. The cautious and deliberate way that the
program was proposed to the staff and rolled out accounts,
in part, for the supportive teacher response, but there’s
something else at play here. It became clear that the IBSH
local teachers were actually craving useful feedback on
their teaching practices that the national system was not
providing.
The conversations in pre- and post-observation
conferences, as well as the survey feedback, made this
clear. That so many teachers were genuinely grateful to
have an administrator stay an entire period to watch
them ply their craft and give feedback was surprising to
this somewhat jaded American educator. Clearly, local
Taiwanese teachers welcome meaningful staff supervision
if it is perceived as fair, useful, and relevant. This program
that started with me intimidated to give feedback to
professional veteran teachers turned out to be one of the
most rewarding experiences of my 22 years as an educator.
 Gi

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seth A. Roberts is a fourth-generation educator whose

pursuits include: Economics, philosophy, my family, disc
golf, the Washington Redskins, playing cards of almost any
kind, and the Golden State Warriors. He graduated West
Chester University in 1998 with a Secondary Social Studies
Education degree and received a master’s in Community
and Economic Development from Penn State in 2007.
Seth is a very passionate educator who loves teaching and
curriculum equally.

Seth began teaching at Urbana High in Frederick County

where he taught AP Economics, AP European History, AP
World History, IB History and IB Theory of Knowledge. He
was also an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland
at Baltimore and Frederick Community College, and has
coached World Scholar’s Cup, and the Fed Challenge very
successfully.

Seth became the Secondary Social Studies Teacher

Specialist for Frederick County in 2007 but missed teaching
and sought an adventure so he returned to the classroom
for three years in Surabaya, Indonesia. After a brief stint
at Linganore High School, Seth moved to the International
Bilingual School of Hsinchu (IBSH) in Taiwan in August
of 2016 where he has been the Director of Teaching &
Learning and the AP Economics teacher. Seth has been
asked to serve as the head of school for a small school in
Taiwan for 2020-2023.

37
AT-RISK AFFLUENCE
& SCHOOL CULTURE

Dr. Tara R. Campbell

Senior Manager
Jostens

38
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“Extracurricular activities aren’t fun anymore;
it’s just something that we do to get into college.”
That statement was shared with my husband and colleague
by a high-achieving high school student. Hearing this
articulation repeated multiple times from multiple
students in multiple countries elicited a journey into
understanding how the pressure placed on adolescents
affects the culture and climate in schools. Perhaps the most
surprising realisation from these investigations is that
affluent students are now considered ‘at-risk’, a term no
longer reserved only for students living in abject poverty.
First, it’s important to understand that ‘at-risk’ does not
mean an inability to achieve academic success, but instead
signifies a student is less equipped to be successful which
can result from a myriad of factors. In a recent report, The
Robert Wood Foundation positioned adolescent wellness
as not the absence of problems, but as having voice,
thriving, and being socially aware and self-accepting.
The report went on to name the top environmental
conditions harming adolescent wellness – included in the
list alongside poverty, trauma, and discrimination was
an excessive pressure to succeed mostly tied to affluence
(Geisz & Nakashian, 2018).
Once we drop the preconceived notion that an abundance
of material wealth brings forth wellbeing, it is easy to see
how affluent students can be ill-equipped to thrive socially
and emotionally. Affluence can bring about isolation,
stress, and skewed competitiveness (Osherson, 2017).
Affluent students in environments placing importance
on academic excellence experience a lack of connectivity
that results in higher rates of mental health and emotional
problems (Wallace, 2019).
The intense expectation to perform and to be the best
creates a pressurised environment where students are
driven to out-compete their classmates, leading to a school
culture ripe with peer envy, anxiety, and depression. The
social isolation and self-comparison epidemic bolstered by
the prevalence of social media only confounds the problem.
Add in other issues present in international and privately-
funded schools for affluent children -- such as parents
who either blatantly or subtly use their wealth to influence
school policy, disciplinary reactions, or teacher autonomy;
the frequency of student mobility making it difficult for
students to forge and maintain lasting and supportive
relationships; and the lack of organically grown resilience
and self-reliance resulting from exposure to ‘problems’
that cannot be fixed by familial wealth and influence – one
39
can see how school culture could easily become toxic.
School culture is the shared behaviours, beliefs, and norms
within a school or organisation. Because school culture
shapes the relationships between and among all school
stakeholder groups and can affect learning and student
wellbeing, school culture is not something that should be
dismissed (Johnson et al, 2015; La Salle et al, 2014)
When thinking about school culture, it is important to
first assess the current climate on campus. What do your
school norms express as valued on your school’s campus?
Is that fostering a sense of wellbeing in your students?
Numerous studies on school climate have revealed a
positive correlation between healthy and supportive school
cultures to student motivation, feelings of connectedness,
and student self-esteem (Hopson et al, 2014; Hoge et al,
1990).
In order to foster a supportive and connected school
culture, systems should be created that allow for dialogue
among students, among faculty, and between students
and faculty. Each of these stakeholder groups need to
feel as if they have an avenue to express their emotions,
concerns, life events, and be able to share coping strategies
and dialogue about what affects them. To help maintain a
sense of balance and buffer against stress in high pressure
environments, social down time should be built into school
operations and schedules (Wallace, 2019).
To equalise the pressure placed on academic excellence,
schools should create formalised systems for recognition
and reward for non-academic values such as citizenship,
grit, compassion, leadership, advocacy, etc. Additionally,
things such as how people are welcomed onto campus,
how new faculty and students are embraced into the school
community, and how support personnel are treated and
respected by school stakeholders, all contribute to the
overall sense of connectivity and wellbeing on campus,
thereby setting an undertone to the school’s culture.
Creating and sustaining a positive school culture can
seem daunting, but assistance is available. The Educator
Services division of Jostens has dedicated the past 36
years to creating resources proven to improve school
culture through their Renaissance program. Jostens
offers its schools access to over 168 episodes of character
education and social emotional video series, titled The
Harbor™. Through the Jostens Renaissance Leadership
Curriculum, Jostens offers schools more than two years’
worth of classroom leadership curriculum that ties
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leadership principles to overall school culture and school
stakeholder connectivity. Through Jostens’ scientifically
validated Pulse survey, schools can capture stakeholder
perceptions of student recognition. To assist schools with
the professional learning offerings for faculties, The Green
Room Professional Learning Series by Jostens provides
school administration with professional development
content that leads to more connected school cultures.
Finally, through Jostens’ Idea Exchange, schools can
access a database of best practices for building strong
campus cultures, all submitted by other schools from
multiple countries. Jostens makes these and other school
culture resources available to its partner schools. Schools
can contact their Jostens sales representative for access to
these complimentary culture building resources.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Tara R. Campbell is a veteran educator. She started
her career as a high school teacher and has since served
the field of education as a professional learning and
development coordinator, a curriculum designer, an At-
Risk Prevention Specialist, and a Career and Technical
Education program manager for the Tennessee Department
of Education in the United States. Dr. Campbell currently
serves as Senior Manager of the Educator Services division
of Jostens where she and her team create school culture
and climate resources. She is the co-author of the book
“Make It Reign: A Collection of Proven Ideas to Fund
Renaissance in Your School.”
www.jostens.com
40
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Geisz, MB & Nakashian M. (2018). Adolescent Wellness:
Current Perspectives and Future Opportunities in
Research, Policy, and Practice – A Learning Report. The
Robert Wood Foundation.
Hoge, D. R., Smit, E.K., & Hanson, S.L. (1190). School
experiences predicting changes in self-esteem of sixth
and seventh-grade students. Journal of Educational
Psychology, 82, 117-127.
Hopson, L.M., Schiller, K.S., & Lawson, H.A. (2014).
Exploring linkages between school climate, behavioral
norms, social supports, and academic success. Social Work
Research, 38(4), 197-209.
Johnson, S.L., Pas, E., & Bradshaw, C. P. (2015).
Understanding the association between school climate and
future orientation. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. DOI
10.107/s10964-015-0321-1.
La Salle, T. P.L., Meyers, J., Varjas, K., & Roach, A. (2015).
A cultural-ecological model of school climate. International
Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 3(3), 157-166.
Osherson, Sam (2017). The Influence of Affluence.
Independent School, Fall 2017. National Association
of Independent Schools. http://nais.org/magazine/
independent-school/fall-2017/the-influence-of-affluence-
in-independent-schools/
Wallace, J B (2019). Students in high-achieving schools are
now named an ‘at-risk’ group, study says. The Washington
Post, September 26, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.
com/lifestyle/2019/09/26/students-high-achieving-
schools-are-now-named-an-at-risk-group/
THE ASCENDING
COGNITION
PRINCIPLE
Kevin Jennings, M. Ed.
World History Teacher
Leysin American School

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I
n my 10 years in education I’ve had the good fortune of
teaching on three different continents, with colleagues
from all over the world, and students from over 30
countries. In that time, I have found a few challenges to be
both universal and recurring.
These problems include:
I) How do we create a classroom environment that
promotes higher-level thinking without overwhelming
students?
II) How do we make sure one class period, one week of
classes, a 5-week unit aligns meaningfully with the next?
III) How do we create a classroom environment that
promotes student leadership and independence?
IV) How do we make sure we practice the skills and develop
the understandings that are necessary for success?
Through trial and error, and through conversations with
colleagues, I created a standardised unit outline that helps
to address the problems mentioned above. I call it The
Ascending Cognition Principle.
AN EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLE
Think of skill development in the classroom in terms of the
proverbs “you must learn to crawl before you can walk”
and “you don’t need shoes to run, but it helps.” While
developing units, It’s important to target specific skills
necessary for student development. The first few units may
require students to focus on the mastery of lower level,
less cognitively demanding skills that are necessary for
success, e.g. Cornell Notes, extracting information from
a text, comparing and contrasting resources, etc. These
foundational skills are our proverbial “shoes”, preparing
students for their next challenge.
42
In the beginning of the school year, a class may be asked
to practice skills such as Cornell notes, summarise, and
compare and contrast, in order to set a foundation of skills
to build off in the lessons and units to come. As a student,
a group, or a class is able to master these skills, they will
then “graduate” to more cognitively demanding skills such
as classify, predict, interpret, solve, analyse, cause and
effect. Of course, these skills are made easier by the use
and implementation of earlier, foundational skills.
As the year progresses, lower-level skills and activities will
take less time to complete, allowing more time for higher-
level, more cognitively demanding skills to be targeted.
For example, while we may take 2 weeks to master Cornell
notes in the beginning of the year, writing these notes
will (hopefully) become second nature into the latter half
of the school year, allowing more time for new exciting
and challenging skills. In our case, the next two levels of
thinking skills are Application and Analysis.
These two levels allow for students to solve problems,
building prototypes, investigate, defend reasoning, develop
a thesis with conclusion, etc. The mixture of interesting and
challenging material with constant practice and feedback
will allow even these difficult skills to become natural as
the school year progresses.
As mentioned in the initial problems,
the ultimate goal of my class is for
students to be able to handle higher-
level thinking tasks and skills, while
becoming more independent and
self-reliant. The ascent to the highest
level thinking skills, Synthesise and
Evaluate, encourage such behaviour
as they are meant to help students
develop something new, or justify a
position. Some students or classes
may be ready to ascend quicker than their peers. In which
case, it would be beneficial for educators to allow these
students to embrace more cognitively demanding tasks
and activities. Students, who are ready, will benefit from
more challenging material as well as more opportunities
for creative expression e.g. developing a song, creating
a historical fiction, creating a political cartoon or meme,
solving problems, etc.
A unit lasts as long as time allows, or as you (or your school)
see fit. The following unit will then build off the foundation
of skills you have just developed in order to embrace
more challenging material. The ascending complexity of
 Gi

tasks and activities over the course of the school year is that fall under “Synthesis” or “Evaluation”, the highest
represented by the gradual change from red to purple in levels of the Bloom’s scale, will only be practiced once that
the figure below. individual, group, or class, is ready for the challenge, which
may not be until the latter months into the school year.

Once we know which

skills we would
like our students
to master, and we
know where in the
unit the skill will
fall, it’s now time
to create activities
allow students to
master these skills.
For example, if I
want my students
to learn how to take
Cornell Notes, it’s
up to the teacher
PREPARING FOR A SUCCESSFUL UNIT to come up with an effective way for students to learn
this process. This large task will be infinitely easier if the
In order to figure out which activities are less or more teacher has the ability to collaborate with other teachers of
cognitively demanding, you may want to use Bloom’s similar grades or subjects.
Taxonomy Teacher Planning Kit (Google it) as a guide,
then use and/or add what makes sense for your classroom. CYCLING THROUGH THE UNITS

As you move from left to right on the Bloom’s scale
(click here to see the full chart) from “Knowledge” to
“Evaluate” the keywords, actions, and skills will become
ever more complex and cognitively demanding, as seen on
the figure above.
TARGETING SPECIFIC SKILLS
As we prepare for a successful unit, one thing we should
be cognisant of is the skills that you would like your
students to practice and eventually master. If you are using
The Bloom’s Taxonomy Planning Kit, these skills and
command terms are located in the “keywords”, “actions”
and “outcomes” section, and if they are not there, add
your desired skills to the appropriate section of the unit.
Click here to see the full chart.
While the goal of a school year may be for students to
master all of the skills necessary for their next year,
teachers will also benefit from having a classroom which
is (among other things) predictable, flows seamlessly from
one lesson to the next, has a clear purpose, offers creative
outlets for students, and guides students to higher-level
thinking activities. The Ascending Cognition Principle was
developed to allow teachers to produce units that do just
that.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The location of the skills along the Bloom’s scale (e.g.

under “Knowledge” or “Comprehension” etc.) determines
when in the unit the skill will be practiced. For example,
any desired skill that appears under “Knowledge” or
“Comprehension”, which are the first two levels of Bloom’s,
will likely be targeted earlier in the unit, while any skills
Kevin Jennings is a social studies teacher and resident
scholar at Leysin American School in Switzerland. He is a
native of the Washington DC area and is currently in his
10th year of teaching.

43
 SCARED OF
DIGITAL DRAMA?
Help everyone,
tel l a story.

Allison Ochs
Author, Lecturer, Consultant
Switzerland

There are many schools where I work on a regular basis. When

I go back into a class after a year and ask students what they
remember from my workshop the year before, they all remember
my stories. They can retell them with near perfection. I have
their attention yet again, as they lean in, faces eager, and I hear
those words that are music to my ears, “Miss, will you tell us
another story?”

Today I intend to do just that; tell you a story.

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N
ot long ago, a mother I know explained, “I trust
my child to do the right thing. I need to give her
freedom as a teen. I respect what you do, but
I don’t believe in checking her online space.” I remained
polite, somewhat silent, and smiled.

A week or so later, I was in the main foyer of the school

chatting with another mother. The hustle and bustle of the
morning had stopped, all children were snuggled safely
into their classrooms. On this morning, the foyer was
mostly deserted.

Suddenly, we heard someone briskly entering the building.

It was the woman I mentioned earlier, looking like she was
on a mission. I know that look as a mother: distraught,
tired, and ready to launch into battle. I glanced up and
watched as she stormed past us. I instantly felt sorry for
the teacher or administrator she would encounter. My
friend and I looked at each other and said in unison, “She is
headed to the office!”
Yes, it was that obvious, and yes, I too am guilty of having
been on similar missions in the past. I have also been on
the receiving end when I worked at a school. Her fists were
slightly clenched, and the look of sheer determination on
her face was recognisable. She was heading into the school
to launch what I call an “I’ll huff and I’ll puff” mode of
attack for her child.
This particular mother is active on the PTA, engaged, and
educated. Listening to her chat at various events, I have
come to realise that she is like many parents, eager to
march in, throwing tantrums, and completely ignoring
her child’s part in whatever drama might have happened.
She is the same mother who does not need help, the same
mother who trusts her child.
I know a bit about the child mentioned above. I have
even seen screenshots of things and heard tales of her
online posts. Sexting was definitely part of the Snapchat
history. The words “privacy” and “trust” that the mother
mentioned? Well, privacy doesn’t exist online and trust
is complex because a teen isn’t always ready to deal with
the adult world they encounter online. A teen’s brain is
still developing and they might make some fast choices
they regret without thinking through the consequences.
I am not against trusting teens. However, they do have
developing prefrontal cortexes and need adult guidance,
also in their online space. Neglecting to see this is an error.
It is clear that this mother loves her daughter. She has
carefully chosen her schooling, helped craft her friend
groups by encouraging particular friendships and inviting
others over to cocktails and dinners. She tries to manage
her daughter’s issues for her by demanding this and that
from the school and is an avid Instagram and Facebook
promoter for her children’s accomplishments. A true
poster mom. I respect her, yet this mother fails in one
area; her daughter’s online world remains “private to her.”
Remember, she trusts her daughter.
The irony is that this mother, who wants to do the right
thing, is uninformed in the name of trust. How many of us
have trusted someone to find out later just how misinformed
we were? The word “trust” is tricky when it comes to the
online space; It eludes us. We want to trust our children
with this magical tool; a tool that tricks us into overlooking
the dangerous side, the distracting toy side. Unfortunately,
it is not that straight-forward. We have all rushed to use the
tool without thinking of the consequences.
Schools use tech, and love these nifty tools. Parents I listen
to tell a different tale:
“I feel undermined by the school. I might make an effort to
do everything right but my child was given an iPad on a
rainy day instead of going out for recess. He came across
inappropriate content. You know he is eight years old. I
am so outraged.”
“I can’t tell when they are playing or working. Can’t they
have non-digital homework?”

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So, how can we learn, come together, and educate on all
levels?
When working with parents and teens, I have found one
method works better than any other. It is so simple that we
sometimes forget it exists. Tell a story.
How do you tell a compelling story about our digital
world? For starters, tell a beautiful full-blown story with
a beginning, middle, and end. When you are done with the
story, ask some open-ended questions, encourage dialogue,
and then listen without judgment.
When confronted with an online drama, the loving mother
in my story yelled at another mother. She rallied other
parents behind her, spreading rumours. It was a mess! In
the end, there were consequences for many others. This
mother gave an example of what we often do in a crisis but
shouldn’t. She was scared, crazy, and clueless. I have seen
administrators, board members, and staff members be
scared, crazy, and clueless.
This is rather obviously not the way to tackle problems.
I always tell educators and parents they need to be
accessible, informed, calm, and realistic when approaching
online drama. Realistic means there is no way you will
avoid drama, but you will need to do some prevention,
manage conflicts and be open-minded, possibly making
some changes in your policies and the way you do things as
our online space evolves.
This might sound all too familiar. I want to ask you a hard
question and an important one to ponder. Are you always
approachable and calm? I most certainly have made
mistakes and have not always been composed and ready to
listen. I think approaching this messy space open-minded
and ready to receive help is beneficial. Owning up to our
mistakes and slowing it down a notch will also help.
SOME EASY AND NOT EXPENSIVE THINGS
WHICH MIGHT HELP:
• Write personal and informative messages to parents on
the subject and imbed a story;
• Share your own struggles with students. Let them
know how you manage your time online. Be honest and
vulnerable (students are smart and know we are guilty of
imperfection too);
• If you are a director, meet annually with the parent groups
of the different years. Use a story to talk to parents about
issues and then listen to them to find out what stories are
needed next;
46
• Give students time in home room classes to discuss
stories. They will appreciate having the time and space to
discuss relevant issues. Remember to let them take the
lead.
The mother in my story said she didn’t need help. I didn’t
react but I knew she did. We all do. This is not a matter to
tackle alone, and no parent or school should even attempt
to.
The more stories I tell, the better the workshops are and the
more learning takes place. The more I listen to the stories
the better I get at understanding others, finding solutions
to problems and creating new stories.
When I was fifteen, I was mesmerised watching Karen
Blixen tell a story by candlelight in the film Out of Africa. I
walked out of the movie theatre with the desire and dream
of becoming a storyteller. It is strange to remember that day,
realising that I now spend most of my time telling stories to
teens, some of them the same sweet age I was when I fell in
love with storytelling. Good stories make us think and feel.
Telling stories to our communities of students, staff and
parents will help everyone think, feel and learn. Let’s get
back to the basics, go back to the campfire and candlelight,
and tell some great stories.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Allison Ochs is an American/Swiss social worker,
lecturer, teacher, and consultant. She has volunteered in
an Orphanage in Mexico, at the University Hospital in
Kiel, in a teen transition home and has both taught and
held leadership positions in public and private schools in
Switzerland. She is currently the owner and president of
EDIT Change Management Sàrl, member of the Board of
Trustees at the International School of Amsterdam, and
author of “Would I have sexted back in the 80s?” A modern
guide on raising digital teens derived from lessons of the
past; it will be published in January 2019 by Amsterdam
University Press.
LEARNING
BEYOND
THE
CLASSROOM

Tunji David Lees

Head of Student Development
Swiss Leadership Camp & Academy

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A
s Head of Student Development at the Swiss
Leadership Camp & Academy, Tunji David Lees
is responsible for the development of student
leadership modules designed together with international
schools around the world. With a background in Outdoor
Education, he has extensive experience designing and
implementing experiential learning programs at schools
around the world and is keen to share some best practices.

HELPING STUDENTS GET THE BEST OUT OF

THEMSELVES

As educators, we want our students to do well academically

and help them towards having successful lives and careers.
According to a report by the World Economic Forum
however, it is estimated that a majority of children entering
primary school today will ultimately end up working in
completely new job types that don’t yet exist. In a world
that is changing exponentially, we have to ask ourselves;
how do we prepare our students for drastically different job
markets and future technological innovation in a world we
don’t yet know? Let us explore several important factors
that will help students get the best out of themselves in any
possible future.
INTERNATIONALISM
Studies have shown that children growing up in an
international environment will have an expanded world
view, greater cultural intelligence, strong interpersonal
sensitivity, increased multilingual ability and a high level
of general adjustment. A quality international education
will reinforce this, helping students to develop into well-
rounded global citizens. As the world becomes increasingly
globalised, we expect international education to become
more and more important alongside it. This means it’s now
more important than ever to be comfortable in different
cultural environments, to be adaptable to other ways of
doing things, and understanding of others and their way
of life.
LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Does your school offer a truly well-rounded education? Let’s
look beyond academics here. The IB includes Creativity,
Action, Service (CAS) as a core component of their diploma
programme, whereby students should have two CAS
activities for each category in which they participate on a
weekly basis. Around 80% of IB graduates say that as a
result of participating in CAS they have developed better
interpersonal skills, self-awareness, empathy, planning
skills, and have learned to persevere and take on new
challenges. These so-called “soft skills” are all important
elements of personal development.
There are similar components of non-formal learning in
other curricula, with many schools placing an increasing
emphasis on learning beyond the classroom through extra-
curricular activities and industry related experiences such
as STEM programmes.
STEM EDUCATION
STEM or STEAM Education is an interdisciplinary
approach to the teaching of science, technology,
engineering, arts, and mathematics which is becoming
increasingly popular in international schools. For good
reason: it is estimated that 2.4 million STEM jobs in the
United States went unfilled in 2018, and that this demand
will increase by 13% over the next 10 years. Anticipating
these factors, many schools are responding by developing
their own STEM or STEAM programmes. The selling point
to parents is usually about opening students to a world of
possibilities and preparing them for a world of tomorrow.
The long-term benefits of such school programmes
however as of yet unclear. It is our view that there is
something of even greater importance which most schools

48
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are not yet focusing on; student leadership and well-

being. To us leadership means learning how to get the
best out of yourself and others. This starts with learning
to understand yourself, and then moving on to understand
and collaborate with others.

WELL BEING AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL

LEARNING

As of yet, the Kingdom of Bhutan is the only country in

the world to make Well Being a fully integrated part of the
national school curriculum. This was implemented on a
systematic basis with the help of the Positive Psychology
centre at the University of Pennsylvania, forerunners in the
field. Statistical reports into the effects have not only shown BIBLIOGRAPHY
a marked increase in student well being, but improved
academic performance as well. World Economic Forum. The Future of Jobs and Skills.
https://reports.weforum.org/future-of-jobs-2016/
There is still much progress to be made internationally chapter-1-the-future-of-jobs-and-skills/#view/fn-1
on the implementation of these kind of programmes, but
more and more schools are beginning to see the benefits. University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology centre. Dr.
Martin E.P. Seligman’s Positive Psychology Research.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/research/positive-psychology-
research
Since the first forms of organised education in the time of
ancient philosophers and scholars, knowledge was only University of Bath. The Impact of Creativity, Action, Service
reserved to a small minority of the population. It took (CAS) on students and communities. https://www.ibo.
till the 19th century for the value of mass education to org/contentassets/d1c0accb5b804676ae9e782b78c8bc1c/
became recognised in the Western world, and for nation cas-finalreport-2017-en.pdf
states to begin national education programmes focusing on
educating children in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Education Commission of the States. STEM Demand.
http://vitalsigns.ecs.org/state/united-states/demand
Education has come a long way since then, with
international schooling often leading the way when it Smithsonian Science Education centre. The STEM
comes to curriculum innovation. We would argue that Imperative.
schools should dedicate even more time to facilitating
the acquirement of life skills. Only the development of
the whole child -including well being, social-emotional
learning, and leadership skills- helps to fully prepare them
for the world of tomorrow, whatever it will bring.

Tunji David Lees

Head of Student Development
Swiss Leadership Camp & Academy
tunji@swissleadershipcamp.com
www.swissleadershipcamp.com

49
HEAD FUEL
& HEART COMPASS
A reading love letter.

Laura Benson
ISS Director of Curriculum
& Professional Development

Books and reading teach us that we are not alone. We go into ourselves when reading. But there we find another self – our
reader self. The internal dialogues we have with the words of the author and ourselves are part awakening and part fellowship.
It’s hard to feel entirely alone as a reader.

Lately, I have learned about some additional gifts of reading. New studies have identified very good news for readers,
especially life-long readers. Individuals with high lifetime levels of cognitive activity show slower decline, despite the presence
of underlying pathology (Jacobs, 2017). “Habitual participation in cognitively stimulating pursuits over a lifetime might
substantially increase the efficiency of some cognitive systems,” writes a research team led by neuropsychologist Robert
Wilson of Chicago’s Rush University Medical Centre. This efficiency apparently counteracts the often-devastating effects of
nervous system diseases. “Asking ourselves, can we do anything to slow down late-life cognitive decline, the results suggest
yes—read more books, write more, and do activities that keep your brain busy, irrespective of your age.”

50
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K
nowing the essential vitality and utility of reading
in our lives, here are a few of the essential
experiences children need to flourish as readers:

LET CHILDREN READ.

Engage the children you shepherd – whether as teacher,

administrator, or parent – in daily doses of reading with
you and on their own. This helps reading become something
they own and look forward to each day. It becomes part
of them and helps shape their identities, fuelling their
passions and also soothing the rough parts of life.

It all begins with books in hands, and this is where it grows

over time. From my forty years as an educator, especially
as a literacy specialist, I have witnessed many reading wars
and engaged passionately to champion what I know as
truth: We learn to read by reading.

LET CHILDREN SEE YOU READ.

Children imitate what they see us giving time to in our own

lives. By reading in front of growing readers, our actions
will speak louder than our admonishments. Seeing the
adults they love engage in reading acts as an invitation
to children. When I began teaching, parent education
workshops were part of each year’s teaching work. One of
the insights gained from these collaborations was that since
we were engaged in our reading after the children went to
bed (or, in my case, outside of the classroom), the kids were
not seeing us read. We realised that this was a mistake. It
left children out of what was vital to so many of us.
reader are some of the best and most “Ah, ha!” provoking
WEAVE READING INTO YOUR CLASSROOM moments you will share together. Listen to how you talk
LIFE AND FAMILY LIFE. to yourself before, during, and after reading. These words
are your authentic reading scripts you can share with your
By reading to and with children, you are giving them a quiet children or students to nudge their own understanding and
place and a part of yourself no other activity can replicate or work as a reader.
match. The shared thinking, laughter, awe, bewilderment,
and sorrow; these common experiences deepen your REVEAL WHY YOU READ.
relationship and connection to one another. It’s one of
the very best things we can do to nurture children’s hearts Share why you turn to texts. It can take a budding reader
and it absolutely widens the mind. Reading should not years to find her or his identity as a reader. Reading is
be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be hard work and some children do take (and need) time to
offered to them as a precious gift. identify themselves as readers; reading will not always be
your child’s or students’ first draft pick for their free time
SHARE HOW YOU READ. activities. Sharing openly and passionately why you read is
vital for the growing readers in your life.
Children of all ages mistakenly think that adults read
perfectly and without effort. Sharing the hard work of From these few do’s, here are a few cautions for nurturing
your reading and your own problem-solving skills as a the literacy of growing readers:

51
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DON’T ASK YOUR STUDENT OR CHILD TO DO
ANYTHING AS A READER THAT YOU DON’T
DO AS A READER.
After reading a great book, I often tell a friend about the book
and encourage others to read it. I don’t write a book report.
I do read and enjoy book reviews. So, with my students
and my own son, I encouraged book recommendations
and sharing which occasionally turned into book reviews.
But I never asked my kids to write a book report, create
a diorama of their reading, or write about everything they
read. These clerical tasks quickly turn children off reading.
Let them read as you and I do – read for pleasure, read for
information, read to edify.
DON’T POLICE YOUR STUDENTS’ OR
CHILDREN’S CHOICES IN READING.
Rather, encourage and respect each child’s choices in
reading. Choice is the greater energiser of literacy. Think
about your nightstand table reading and those texts you
choose to read on an airplane. We often read texts which, in
fact, are at our easy, comfortable level. We love a good piece
in The New York Times, yummy recipes, or riveting sports
articles. Pouring over the rich photography essays and
design portraits in decorating magazines is a huge passion
of mine. Are these cognitively rigorous or demanding
for me? Probably not, but they fuel my creativity and
sense of possibilities in creating my own home and office
environments. In other words, they are pure fun and joy for
me. Why not encourage all children to bring this kind of joy
reading into their own lives? Whether they choose to read
graphic novels, science fiction from an unknown author,
fifteen books about horses, action-packed comics, or art
books full of rich photography, honor children’s choices as
readers.
Many years ago, I heard Frank Smith say that a truly
literate person is a person who not only can read but
chooses to read, too. To help our children choose to bring
reading into their lives, honor their voices and choices as
readers. Model authentically your ways, joys, and struggles
as a reader. Surround the children you love with so many
books that they stumble over them. For my family, this
means we have books in every room of our home and in our
cars, too. Trust that by living literate lives as a family or in
your classroom, your growing readers will turn to reading
and embrace it as essential oxygen in their lives. Happy
reading, connections, and sharing your reading with all the
children in your world!
52
This piece has been adapted from original publication; for
the full-length edition, please visit
www.iss.edu/blog/importance-of-reading
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura Benson helps ISS school educators develop and
refine their curriculum and engage in deeper understandings
of best-practice pedagogy. A well-cited scholar and
researcher, Laura has published numerous articles in
professional journals and is the co-author of Standards and
Assessment: The Core of Quality Instruction and Bearing
Witness. Laura earned degrees from Trinity University
and University of Denver, and furthered her studies
at Harvard University, Columbia University Teachers
College, and Cambridge University. Follow her work at
twitter.com/LBopenbook
ABOUT ISS
International Schools Services (ISS) is a leading non-profit
with more than 60 years of experience in international
education. Whether developing and managing world-class
international schools, staffing schools, ordering equipment
and supplies, performing accounting functions, or
supporting best-in-class teaching and learning approaches,
ISS provides the full range of services necessary for schools
to thrive and deliver an outstanding global education to
their students. Learn more at ISS.edu
ONLINE REFERENCE
Jacobs, T. (June, 14, 2017). Lifetime of Reading Slows
Cognitive Decline. Pacific Standard.
https://psmag.com/economics/lifetime-of-reading-slows-
cognitive-decline-61800
IS YOUR
SCHOOL
DIFFERENT?
Marcia De Wolf
Director
Quisite Consulting

Your school is a wonderful institution that provides

an excellent education to its students and is a
place where students, teachers and parents feel
at home. You know it and everyone in your school
community knows it too.

If yours is a typical international school, then

many of your families move to their next posting
after about 3 years, except for the locals and long-
term expats who have settled in your country. The
teaching staff is a mix of young, ambitious teachers
who leave after two or three years to explore the
next country, and longer term staff members who
feel they have found a working environment they
wish to remain in. Sounds about right?

53
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S
o why do families come to your school? Why did
they choose it over other schools in the area? What
do they enjoy most about it? Why do teachers apply
to work at your school? Do you know?
If I ask you why new families should come to your school,
would you be able to tell me? Would you feel comfortable
with your answer and confident that this is something new
families or staff are looking for? What do you offer that “the
school across town” does not? What makes your school
unique? You will probably tell me that they should pick
your school since it is obvious that you are the best school
in the region! Is it obvious though, to people not yet in your
community? And how are you the best, exactly? And if you
are indeed the best, how can you prove that?
In the ever-changing landscape of international schools,
few schools have the luxury of waiting lists. If anything,
there is more competition than ever and beating other
schools in attracting new families is essential to reach your
enrolment numbers.
In addition, with the Coronavirus crisis, there could be a
drop in families moving to your country and perhaps you
will see a higher number of current families departing. If so
your conversion rate of those that do move to your country
would have to increase to reach your enrolment goals. The
other schools in your region will likely set up their efforts
to convince these families to apply to their school. Your
chances of conversion will be best if you can successfully
differentiate your school from all the others and effectively
showcase why your school will fit the family best.
When you are ‘on the inside’, you often assume your school’s
unique features are obvious to those looking at your school
for the first time. The experience for those ‘on the outside’,
however, can be quite different than you imagine.
Prospective parents want to find a school that resonates
with them, that they feel will be a good fit for their children
as they move to this new country, where they will need to
find new friends and learn a new language. They will likely
skip past your school, even if it shows up first in the results
on Google, if you have the same standard language as any
other school. To get a family’s attention and have a chance
to be contacted for a visit, you must find a way to connect
with these parents to make them notice your school and
consider it for their children. You need to provide a solution
to their concerns as they start the relocation process.
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LOOK AT IT FROM THE FAMILY’S
PERSPECTIVE:
Let’s say a family has just been informed they will be
moving to your country on their first expat posting.
Very exciting but daunting at the same time, moving to
a country they have never been to and where they speak
a different language. They have two children (9 and 14
years old), who do not speak much English and need basic
learning support. Where do they start? They make a list:
learn about the country and city, find a house, a school, a
moving company, get transcripts from the current school,
and so on.
They will do a Google search to see what international
schools come up for that city. They find some options
and continue to the various websites, perhaps checking
the schools’ social media channels. What do they find?
Very similar information on the websites, happy faces on
the social media channels, mostly of classroom or extra-
curricular activities. To them, the schools all seem alike
and offer a very similar experience.
I picked a random big city in Europe and checked the
websites of three quality international schools. Here is
what their sites want me to know:
School 1: “we offer an American education, international
community, and exceptional results”
School 2: “we prepare our students to engage with and
succeed in a complex world”
School 3: “we are the oldest international school in x,
have a rich history of inclusion and diversity, and offer a
warm welcome to children.”
 Gi
These are by no means differentiators. In fact, most
international schools in the world claim to:
• offer a great education and excellent results.
• provide a learning environment in which students thrive.
• have a diverse and welcoming international community.
If these are the reasons your school uses to attract new
families and expect prospective families to come rushing
through the door, you may wish to reconsider as it does
not differentiate you from any other international school
on the globe.
Do you feel your website, for a first-time visitor who knows
nothing about your school, effectively tells your story? Does
it convey the features that make your school so special? The
many elements that you and everyone already at the school
know, but a prospective parent doing a search does not?
Prospective parents do not care if you have a flashy website,
with fancy features. They want to see that you are a good
fit for their children and get the sense that you understand
their needs.
I suggest you take an objective look at your school’s
website, but from the perspective of an expat family that
does not know your school, your country or international
schools. Review your website, especially the home page,
and consider whether this is the information you should
see if you are a prospective family.
For most expats, school is home away from home, the
support network that needs to take the place of family and
friends. It must fill a big chunk of a new family’s life, so
the choice is of huge importance to any family starting the
relocation process. Look at it from their perspective, what
do you want them to feel and what do you absolutely want
them to know when they visit your website for the first
time?
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Have you already considered and identified differentiating
factors for your school? Great! See if they pass the test:
are they true, can you prove them, are they relevant and
are they well communicated? Have you not yet considered
what makes your school special or feel you may not be
communicating it effectively? No problem, you now have
an excellent opportunity to increase the number of new
student inquiries by looking at differentiating your school
now! If you would like to discuss further and/or be guided
through the process, please e-mail mdewolf@quisite.org.
In the meantime, keep up the great work and don’t
underestimate all the seemingly small things your school
does that can make it special and very appealing to new
families!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marcia has been involved in branding and marketing
activities for 26 years, both in North America and Europe.
She started her career at CNN Headquarters in the Public
Relations department for five years, before working in
strategic communications at two leading PR agencies,
Ketchum and GCI, guiding clients such as IBM, Nokia,
Dell, and Sony.
She started her own consultancy in 2018 to focus on
providing strategic services in marketing and branding.
Her clients include the Justine Henin Tennis Academy,
Bugatti, FIFA and UEFA. She also runs events for the
Belgian national men’s soccer team, ranked number 1 in
the world and manages a group of Belgian female sports
legends, such as Tia Hellebaut, Kim Gevaert, Ann Wauters
and other Olympic and world medalists.
A frequent speaker and workshop leader at ECIS
conferences, Marcia has successfully advised many schools
in the area of effective marketing and branding over the
past 15 years.
THE GLOBAL GENEVA
2020 YOUTH WRITES
AWARDS
A call for stories by High School
students worldwide.

Edward Girardet
Editor
Global Geneva

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T
o the chagrin of both parents and teachers,
high school graduates are increasingly entering
university and even grad schools unable to write
properly. Business leaders are voicing similar complaints. A
group of veteran foreign correspondents based in different
parts of the world last year launched ‘Youth Writes’ in a bid
to help young people not only improve their writing skills,
but to counter cyber abuse by becoming more discerning
about what is credible – and what is not – in social media.

They are now seeking entries for the 2020 Youth Writes
Awards from high school students worldwide. Its director,
Edward Girardet, an award-winning journalist and author,
explores why good writing is so important for young people
as a critical tool for life, but also why the Coronavirus crisis
could provide some positive learning opportunities this
summer.

Years ago, as an aspiring writer just out of university, I

received my first job as a cub reporter working for United
“Well,” I began. “What I’m trying to say is…”
Press International, a U.S. news agency. I quickly learned
that the luxuries of procrastination no longer existed. You
He did not let me finish. Instead, he scrawled with his
had to get the story out and within minutes rather than
pencil in large threatening letters at the bottom of the page.
hours. On my first day on the job in Brussels, I found a curt
“THEN SAY IT!”
note splayed across my typewriter. “Go cover European
communist party conference. If you fail, you’re fired!”
WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW – AND WHAT YOUR
For the next three days, I turned up diligently at the
READERS NEED TO KNOW
conference to report. There was no other journalist
This was my first lesson in practical journalism – and
present. It was only during the final hours that the British,
writing. Don’t just write what you know, but what you think
American and other international ‘hacks’ rolled in, pulling
readers need to know. While this particular editor proved a
out their notebooks and questioning me – and few French
despicable ogre to many in the newsroom, he was a godsend
or Italian party officials - about what had transpired. And
as an on-the-job writing teacher. All his comments were to
then, before retreating to a nearby bar, they called in their
the point and relevant. I not only learned how to report
stories by phone with a deftness and sense of authority that
and observe, but also to write to deadline – and anywhere.
could only stupefy me. Somehow, they had pulled together
Today, I have no problem sitting down in the middle of
all the relevant points configured in stories that not only
a traffic jam or in a trench with mortars falling nearby,
read well but incorporated an element of insight which
and then write as if locked away in a Tibetan monastery.
would probably serve historians for years to come.
Nothing distracts me except my need to tell a story.

As for me, I returned glumly to my office. For the next two

The point is that anyone can learn to write. And everyone,
hours, I struggled to pull together a couple of paragraphs
no matter whether lawyer, engineer, scientist, civil servant,
summing up what I had so assiduously covered. But I
teacher, entrepreneur or high school student, needs to
simply couldn’t write. My journalism career was a failure
know how to write clearly and persuasively; in other words,
before I had even begun. Finally, my editor sauntered over.
to tell a story. It does not matter whether you are putting
He ripped out my story from the typewriter with a searing
together a legal assessment, business or NGO project
glare of contempt.
proposal, background paper, government policy brief or a
school essay. If you can’t put across your ‘story’ in a manner
“What the hell are you writing?” he asked, holding up my
that is accessible, then no one will be bothered. You will
paper between his thumb and forefinger as if just removed
have lost your audience, and maybe even your job.
from the loo.

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THE 2020 YOUTH WRITES AWARDS:
RESPONDING TO A NEED TO ENGAGE HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS
This is where the Youth Writes initiative comes in. High
school is precisely the place where young people need to
start honing their writing (and reading) skills, a process
that may often seem a desperate challenge at first, but one
that can prove satisfying, even enjoyable. And given the
current Coronavirus situation with so many young people
stuck at home, what better way to spend one’s time writing
an article or short story for the 2020 Youth Writes Awards?
The rules are simple. Fact or fiction, each piece cannot be
no more than 1,000 words. It also and needs to focus in
one way or another on any of the Sustainable Development
Goals or a an “international Geneva” theme, such as human
rights, climate change, refugees, migrants, health, world
trade, conservation and environment…Open to high school
students worldwide, this not only offers the chance to win
a travel grant worth 1,200, 750 or 500 CHF/USD, but also
to get published alongside professional writers in Global
Geneva magazine. (Closing date: 15 June, 2020)
THE YOUTH WRITES SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS
AWARD
We have also created a special Coronavirus Award (500
CHF/USD) for the best personal story on coping with
Covid-19. Depending on quality, we will be publishing
58
the best of these on an ongoing basis in our online Youth
Writes section, but the award itself will be announced
in fall, 2020. Recommended length: 700-1000 words.
(Closing date: 15 September, 2020). We will be publishing
(and paying100 CHF/USD) for any good quality youth
story that we publish over the next five or six months.
Students can offer their own perspectives, such as a story
based on one’s own experience, but we want originality
and will be looking at how credible their information is.
We want them to do the appropriate research to learn more
about their subjects. We have no problem with students
sharing their drafts with teachers and parents, but the story
should remain their own. A jury of editors and journalists
from around the world will judge the entries.
From our point of view, it is important to ‘read’ – and
publish - the voices of young people, particularly at a time
when so many crucial planetary issues can – and will -
affect their futures: climate change, pandemics, wars,
impact of Brexit on cross-border studying or jobs, refugees,
migration… The list is long.
For an aspiring writer, there is nothing more exhilarating
than to see one’s piece in print. My own first (very short)
published story on local island snakes while living in the
Bahamas at the age of 12 appeared in Animals, a London-
based magazine which featured articles by some of the
world’s top wildlife specialists. I was elated. Later, I edited
and wrote for school magazines. Eventually, at 19, I won
second prize in a British student journalism competition
with my piece about a full moon feast in Nepal published
by a British weekly. Such achievements are not only great
for the creative soul, but for one’s CV.
Depending on how many quality entries we receive, we
also plan to publish a special Global Geneva print and
e-edition. Just imagine an array of 20-25 imaginative if
not unique stories written by high school students from
Liberia to Singapore and Mexico! Depending on funding,
we would then seek to distribute complimentary copies to
all participating schools. Several sponsors, for example, are
already interested in helping to make copies available to
international schools in Thailand and Singapore.
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
So this is where we can help. As part of a global network
of over 2,000 editors, reporters, cartoonists, film-makers
and media specialists, we would like to share some of the
 Gi

“tricks of the trade”. This includes not only helping young ABOUT THE AUTHOR
people dare to write stories that can make a difference, but
to better understand the need for quality reporting in the
public interest. If properly supported, good journalism can
stand out as one of the most effective means for countering
cyber abuse, false news and deliberation disinformation,
now considered by The Economist, World Economic Forum
and other leading international analytical institutions
to be one of the world’s gravest threats. Now more than
ever, young people need to learn how to discern what is a
credible – and what is not – in social media.

As a non-profit initiative, Youth Writes was first launched
in early 2019 only in Switzerland with a focus primarily
on international schools. Despite only receiving just over
40 entries for the 2019 Youth Writes Awards, their quality
proved exceptional. Furthermore, the publishing of the
top three in Global Geneva magazine coupled with the
presentation of the awards at the Morges Book Festival
overlooking Lake Geneva last September has provoked
considerable interest. We are now receiving queries by
students, parents and schools from different parts of the
world.
Edward Girardet is a foreign correspondent and
author who has reported humanitarian crises, wars and
development issues across the globe for nearly 40 years.
Based between Geneva and Bangkok, he is the author/
editor of at least half a dozen books, including Killing the
Cranes – A Reporter’s Journey through Three Decades
of War in Afghanistan. He is editor of Global Geneva, a
Dublin-incorporated magazine, and director of Youth
Writes, a Geneva-based non-profit journalism-cum-
educational initiative. www.global-geneva.com

While the Coronavirus situation has disrupted plans for

the development of journalism and writing workshops in
locations such as Basel, Brussels, Nairobi and Bangkok,
it has also prompted more out-of-the-box thinking. We
are now in the process of developing a series of online
initiatives, including short videos introducing students
to different aspects of story-telling. We are also looking
into the possibility of an interactive writing project as part
of an online ‘summer camp’ for students. Finally, we are
working with an Edinburgh-based company for a Youth
Writes component that will help put both high school and
university students in touch with UN agencies, NGOs,
companies and other institutions willing to offer paid or
unpaid internships and volunteerships. If funded, some
of our own writing projects this year will involve the
participation of high school and university students as
reporting interns.

For more information, please go to the Global Geneva

www.global-geneva.com

59
 Delivering to the UN Sustainability
Development Goals:

WHY INTERPRETING
THE ‘WHERE’ OF
SPATIAL DATA HAS
NEVER BEEN MORE
IMPORTANT.
Anne Robertson
Head of Services
EDINA

Janet Roberts
Director
EDINA

60
 Gi
D
elivering to the UN Sustainability Development
Goals: Why interpreting the ‘where’ of spatial
data has never been more important.
Given the ubiquitous nature of google maps, the ease of
looking at maps and data presented spatially, has probably
never seemed easier.
However, the pace and combination of technology changes
– the speed to send large amounts of data that has hugely
increased, as has the amount of data that an individual can
store and use on a laptop, combined with the advances
of cube satellites and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors,
that can deliver near earth observation data at a fraction
of the previous cost, means that these data - that we can
now access much more easily, have the potential to make
possible, some amazing differences to all our lives.
Of course, we have had these data and have been
understanding our world through them for many years,
however, this interpretation has primarily been in the
control of governments, space agencies and research
bodies.
The changes that we are seeing now, mean that an increasing
number of organisations, public bodies, communities
and individuals in the very close future, should be able
to access and interpret near real-time data, and through
understanding that effect, have more control over change
on their society:
Communities will be able to become citizen scientists,
complementing any “static” data record with near real
time data from sensors and satellites, adding data on
biodiversity, vegetation, air pollution etc. to better
understand, respond and manage changes in their locality.
When war or climate change causes the displacement of
people or communities from rural to urban areas, satellite
data to track population movement, will enable aid agencies
to efficiently deliver the supply of all kinds of resources -
from water to vaccines, to the right place at the right time,
in order to support and sustain lives.
When school children capture data with sensors in their
playground and map and compare them, they will be able
to understand the local impact of choices they and their
parents and governments are making e.g. monitoring
nitrogen dioxide levels at school gates may encourage
parents to stop car engine idling or even consider
alternative sustainable transport options.
61
Indeed, we are already building our smart cities – with
rubbish trucks being efficiently routed to only the full
bins, saving on fuel and costs for public authorities. Green
infrastructure mapping of areas is a powerful approach to
understanding the biodiversity scoring of neighbourhoods
providing quantifiable evidence of a community’s access
to green space, recognised as being critical for ensuring
positive societal mental health outcomes.
The success with which we are able to realise these changes
will, to an extent depend on our ability to train and educate
all of our societies in the use and interpretation of spatial
data. This means that geospatial data analysis can not only
be in the domain of the geographer – but must be taught
across all our disciplines.
The importance of teaching children as young as five
how to understand and interpret data spatial has been a
mission for EDINA for over a decade, as it has developed
its Digimap for Schools service: a simple intuitive tool
that any user can start to look at data and add their own
to understand it better through seeing its location - and in
doing so think more critically about what they see is telling
them. Our passion is to ensure that these are not exclusive
skills and we work hard to make sure that any teacher or
student – whatever, their skill level will be able to easily use
the service, providing CPD training and learning resources
to enhance the service.
In addition, we recognise that the complement to managing
the data is to have the coding skills to interrogate it. With
this in mind we are developing a computational notebook
service that will also support learners- whatever their skill
set, to develop coding skills to manipulate and visualise
geospatial data.
 Gi

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Digimap for Schools delivers an engaging, fun
interface for learners to interact with real world
data. It is free for schools to access until the 31st
July 2020: www.digimapforschools.edina.ac.uk

ABOUT EDINA

EDINA is a centre of excellence at the University of

Edinburgh, with a mission to contribute to education – in
the UK and Internationally, to enable the widest possible
Anne Robertson BA and MSc GIS, Head of Services,
access to learning through technology, providing students
EDINA. Anne has worked in geospatial consultancy and
with the 21st century IT skills they need to be successful in
geospatial policy in Australia, and designed and led on the
their studies, their careers and their lives. Fundamental
service creation of Digimap for Schools.
to this is our emphasis on widening access and inclusion:
ensuring that everyone, whatever their background, or
location, has access to the skills, technology and services
they need, in order to learn.

Janet Roberts BA Hons. MBA. Director of EDINA. Janet

previously worked in overseas development with Oxfam
GB, as well as in finance, conservation and education
before joining EDINA as Director.

62
 Gi

THE EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATIVE

FOR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

24 Greville Street
London
EC1N 8SS
+44 (0)20 7824 7040
www.ecis.org
ecis@ecis.org
The Educational Collaborative for International Schools. ECI Schools t/a ECIS is a Company Limited by Guarantee in
England (No. 08109626), and a Registered Charity in England and Wales (No. 1150171). VAT Number GB 160 9238 11.
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