The International Schools Network

In this interview, we sit down with Sabina Mammadova to discuss her journey from Educator in her native Azerbaijan to Science Teacher at One World International School Singapore.

Key themes:

• Inspirations and aspirations. Training to be a teacher in Azerbaijan and first teaching experiences.
• Motivations to teach internationally, the financial inequity and opportunities available internationally.
• The challenges and successes of Sabina's transition to international teaching.
• Advice for local educators seeking international positions.

In this interview, we sit down with Matthew Burfield, Senior Vice President at GEMS Education, to explore the pivotal experiences and insights that have shaped his career and leadership journey.

Key Themes:

• Lasting impressesions from school, the impact of adverse childhood experiences.
• Fast progression into leadership, the successes and challenges.
• Recognising signs of burn-out, taking time and first steps into International Education.
• The experience of establishing GEMS Founders School Dubai.
• Advice for aspiring school leaders.

In this discussion, our experts explore various strategies to integrate phonics instruction for SEND learners and the benefits of this.

Key Themes:

1. Difficulties that many SEND learners can face when developing levels of literacy.
2. Specific strategies and adaptations that have been successful in teaching phonics/literacy to SEND students.
3. How DK's Catch-up readers can support educators and learners to achieve.
4. The role parents and caregivers play in supporting phonics/literacy development for SEND learners.
5. Examples of how you can differentiate phonics instruction within a mixed-ability classroom that includes SEND and EAL learners.
6. Recommendations for greater learning on this topic.

Guests:

Catherine McCluskey: Director of Whole School Learning Support - SEND and Inclusion at St Andrews International School, Bangkok.

Yasmine Aslam - Hashmi: DEIJ Leadership Development Cohort Co-Facilitator at the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS)

Asha Karam: Head of Inclusion at Dubai International Academy

Kim Avery: Primary School Vice Principal at Stockholm International School and CIS International Accreditation Evaluator.

Ann Sullivan: Special Education Consultant & Author of the Phonics for SEN and Pathway to Phonics programmes.

In this interview, Dr. Winnard shares experiences, challenges, and insights from his life, teaching in the UK and his time serving as Head of School in both Sudan and Brazil.

In this new series of interviews, we want to learn more about exceptional practitioners who have developed their passion for education from their formative experiences. Join us for a peek behind the curtain of some outstanding international educators and how they have achieved their success. Our next guest is Dr Nigel Winnard. Dr. Winnard has had an exceptional career with 19 years of experience as a head of school in Sudan and Brazil. A keynote speaker at our previous live CPD event on inclusion, we are delighted to have this opportunity to learn more.

Key Themes:

1. Growing up in Bolton in the north-west of the UK and what school was like.
2. Understanding motivations to teach from a young age.
3. The experience of setting up the first IB World School in Sudan, Khartoum International Community School. The successes and challenges faced by the Sudanese people in light of the current civil war.
4. The move to take on a headship of Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro and how a passion for implementing training and policy around DEIJ stands out as a clear thread throughout Dr Winnard's teaching and leadership journey and the reasons for this.
5. Challenges faced and lessons learned from an outstanding career in education, including advice for aspiring leaders.

This discussion, sponsored by our partner, the International Curriculum Association (ICA) explores the crucial topic of autonomy and agency for schools, their staff and students.

A focus on agency enables individuals to take ownership of their learning journey and professional roles. By fostering autonomy and agency, we not only cultivate a sense of responsibility and self-direction among students but also empower teachers to innovate and tailor their instructional approaches to meet diverse student needs. However, this approach doesn’t come without its challenges. In this discussion, our experts explore workable strategies and best practices that really develop a culture of agency and autonomy.

Key themes:

1. Strategies that empower students to take ownership of their learning.
2. Ways to support teachers to develop their own autonomy and agency within their professional roles.
3. Examples of successful initiatives and strategies that promote autonomy and agency amongst students.
4. How to measure the effectiveness of autonomy and agency initiatives.
5. Advice for schools looking to enhance autonomy and agency within their community.

Guests:

Ann Lautrette: Deputy Head - Taipei European School British Secondary and High School Thomas Holmes: Head of Primary at The British School Warsaw Patrick Renouf: Concept-Based Inquiry Educator Mathematics Coach Concept-Based Curriculum Instructor & Workshop Leader Richard Pratt: Principal, JPED / Beijing BISS International School

In this interview, we sit down with Mathematics coach Patrick Renouf to discuss accessible Mathematics Education, the motivations to teach and enacting greater change through international education.

Key themes:

1. Growing up in a small place, individual experiences school and discovering personal identity.
2. Inspirations to teach, the importance of acts of service.
3. Motivations to teach internationally and the idea of 'fixing the fence'.
4. Culumative learnings and inspirational educators.
5. Where to learn more!

If you would like to learn more about Patrick and how he can support your school reach out on LinkedIn or via email at [email protected]

References:

Tilson Crew - Vice Principal at United Word College of South East Asia Dr Jo Boaler - Professor, Mathematics Education, Stanford University, co-founder of youcubed.org, Struggly Nicole Tripp - K-G5 Educator/Leader Olivia White - Head Of Development at HENRY Jim Knight - Edtech NED, legislator, schools and education expert Elena Aguilar - Founder and CEO of Bright Morning Consulting | Providing world class professional development to educators across the globe Dr. Brené Brown - University of Houston + University of Texas at Austin | Researcher. Storyteller. Courage-builder.

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In this discussion, we consider the practical implementation and benefits of integrating AI and robotics in schools to enhance learning experiences.

Key themes:

• Ways in which AI can enhance the school curriculum, tools used by our experts and how to use them.
• Understanding emerging trends and developments in AI/Ed-tech that will likely have a significant impact on international education in the next five years.
• The impact of AI on assessments and feedback.
• The benefits and engagement from tools such as robotics.
• Recommendations for CPD for teachers to upskill their teaching through the use of AI.

Guests:

Laura Ligouri: Director of EducatorsAbroad, International Adviser and Lead Recruitment Adviser at Teacher Horizons, International Educator

Dr Melissa Butt: Chief Executive Officer. UK Skills in Education, Robotics & AI board member. UAE Schools AI Strategist. Future of education speaker. Non-profit education entrepreneur. Driving the international #DisruptEd movement.

Tonderai Mutasa: Secondary School Principal at Ascend International School

Clive Dawes: Experienced international school educator, Ed-Tech specialist, Accreditation Coordinator at Kajonkiet International School Phuket (KIS)

In this interview, Educational Leader Juan Jacobs Sheblak reflects on his experiences growing up in South Africa during apartheid and how this inspired his activism and advocacy for DEIJ in schools.

Key themes:

• Early childhood experiences of racism and discrimination, activism and resistance born from moral absolutism.
• A journey into education and making a wider impact.
• The importance of authentic representation in school leadership, not tokenism or gaining a leadership position through assimilation.
• A reflection on the role of morality and ethics in leadership.

In this conversation we speak to Matthew Barnsley, founder of outdoor education company, Polaris Outdoor. They offer schools and students incredible opportunities to build their leadership, personal, and teamwork skills in dynamic experiential learning environments around the world.

We’ll also learn about their young leader's program which is the culmination of 15 years' experience running student trips. You can download a free copy of this guide below - this will give you the initial framework to think about how you might develop a young leaders program in your own school setting.

We hope you enjoy this conversation and get some useful tips and ideas for your own school setting!

Guest - Matthew Barnsley, Director and Founder of Polaris Outdoor.

Key Themes

• How and why the young leaders programme was developed.
• The importance of developing leadership skills in students.
• The framework and key components of the young leaders booklet/program.
• Success stories and standout changes witnessed in students.

Head to the article on the ISN platform to download your own copy of the young leaders work-book. https://isn.education/articles/open/watch-how-do-you-develop-student-leadership-skills-and-why-is-this-important/

In collaboration with our partner, Making Stuff Better, we discuss what skills and competencies future leaders will need to succeed in the rapidly developing landscape of global education.

Key themes:

• The challenges facing international school leaders over the next 10-20 years.
• The critical skills and competencies future leaders will need to thrive in international schools.
• A reflection on how our senior leaders have had to adapt their leadership over their careers, including unforeseen changes.
• An exploration of connection economy, and the potential implications of this.
• The emergence of coaching in the international education sector and to what extent this skill will be important for future leaders.

Guests:

Michael Strachan - Head of Secondary, Arcadia School Dubai

Matt Hall - Director, Making Stuff Better

Tess St Clair-Ford - Principal at Oxford International College Brighton

Tor Del Federico - Principal at St Louis School of Milan