Explore how school leaders can cultivate thriving cultures where every identity is honored, every voice matters, and wellbeing drives performance. Designed for educators in independent and international settings, IFSEL’s Executive Director Nick Haisman-Smith and Founding Head of Hiba Academy Bay Area Colette McWilliams as we dive into practical, relational strategies that make values visible and felt across your entire community.
Start with connection — using simple check-ins to lead with emotional awareness and authenticity.Build relationships first — because academic excellence follows human connection.Model SEL daily — creating shared language and systems before high-stakes moments arise.Pause and prioritize relationships — strengthening trust before diving into curriculum.Center student wellbeing as the foundation — not an add-on — to school success.We also explore what it truly means to lead in bilingual and multicultural environments:
Seeing multilingualism as multiple windows into the world.Leading with grace across cultural nuance.Normalizing curiosity and repair.Reflecting and revisiting when misunderstandings occur because trust grows through repair.Think of SEL like the staff room coffee machine: technically, school can run without it… but no one is at their best.
If you believe strong school cultures are built through connection, cultural humility, and whole-community leadership, this podcast is for you.
Check out IFSEL’s Whole Community SEL Audit to understand your school’s landscape: https://www.instituteforsel.net/what-we-offer/sel-audit
Download the Shownotes here: https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-culture-and-belonging-as-a-strategy-in-international-schools-with-colette-mcwilliams