What is it like “going global” in an Africa-based international school and community? Educators are often intentional in choosing to live and work there. Could you be a good fit for an international school in Africa? 

Thankfully, we have a veteran international educator who led a school in Africa and now consults with schools across the continent to answer these questions and more! We sat down with Dr. Tim Stuart to draw on his experiences. 

Tim  is a Regional Education Officer with the US Department of State’s Office of Overseas Schools. He has been an international and cross-cultural educator and leader for 30 years, serving schools in Ethiopia, Turkey, Switzerland, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Navajo Nation in the United States.

Dr. Stuart’s research and writing reflect his passion for creating optimal school environments so all kids can learn and engage at the highest levels. He co-authored and edited six books, including: Personalized Learning in a PLC at Work: Student Agency through the Four Critical Questions, Global Perspectives: Professional Learning Communities at Work in International Schools,  Children At Promise and Raising Children At Promise.

A TCK himself, Tim was raised and educated in France and Germany. He holds an Ed.D. from Seattle Pacific University.

The guiding question was, “what are some of your experiences as an international educator working and living in an African nation?” 

A few of the topics covered were:

• The strong pull of community and being purposeful in moving to Africa. 
• Educators in Africa tend to be on their game!
• New leaders need to adopt the mantra  "I know nothing"!  
• Recruiting for schools like these often involves designing and championing a vision of who you are as a school and community.

This episode was recorded on August 29, 2023. 

Tim’s Contact Information: | [email protected] | LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
Tim’s books -- see biography.

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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.