Using Innovation and Leadership to Make a Difference in Education.

A conversation with three global leaders shaping a collaborative global diploma option designed around agency, meaning, and wellbeing.

Join us as we talk with Max Stauffer, Co-CEO of the Simon Institute (SI), about how international educators and schools can help students become future-ready and approach global challenges with a long-term view. SI’s mission to strengthen global cooperation and reduce major risks aligns closely with the goals of many international schools. Max explains how SI works with partners worldwide to address complex issues and shares important trends affecting educators today. We’ll explore practical strategies that educators and students can use to engage with themes like cooperation, responsible technology, and making a positive impact on society.

Former undercover police officer Jonathan Taylor shares his journey to becoming an online safety consultant

Join the conversation with Alka Townend as she delves into how educators can address grief and loss in the classroom. Learn about the ways in which grief might manifest in children and understand why it is crucial for every teacher to have some knowledge around loss in childhood. Discover practical strategies, including bibliotherapy, and book recommendations, to support students through difficult times like bereavement, divorce, or migration. Alka will share her insights linked to research and her training as a bereavement counsellor. She will highlight the significant role that school communities hold in nurturing a compassionate and inclusive classroom environment and how international educators and school leaders can facilitate this.

Let’s talk about death: All children in England should receive grief education at school | PolicyBristol | University of Bristol

Available as downloadable reports

Research into childhood bereavement and the British school system

Vol. 2 (2023): Bereavement: Journal of grief and responses to death | Bereavement

Recommended literature resources for the classroom:

Books and resources for bereaved children up to 11 years old | Child Bereavement UK

Best children's books - Bereavement, Grief & Loss

Grief and Loss (teen) | BookTrust

UK Charity Support: (useful open access resources)

Winston's Wish: Winston's Wish - giving hope to grieving children

CB UK: Child Bereavement UK

Cruse: Home - Cruse Bereavement Support

Grief Encounter: Home SUPPORTING BEREAVED CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE - Grief Encounter

Different Countries have all types of bereavement support - some sparse and some vast!  A quick google will guide your listeners.  But for starters, I have included the following outside of the UK. 

USA

NACG

History | Rainbows for All Children

Sweden

About grief - Efterlevandeguiden

Denmark

About us - Det Nationale Sorgcenter

John Mikton on Social Media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton

Web: beyonddigital.org

Dan Taylor on social media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt 

Web: www.appsevents.com

Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube

Join us for a conversation with Heather and Tim as we explore the intersection of digital skills and technology use at home and school, and how this dynamic impacts parents, educators, and students. With varying levels of comfort with technology, both parents and teachers face the challenge of adapting to constant updates and the growing influence of AI. How can schools support teachers at all stages of digital readiness to create purposeful learning experiences? And how can families and schools collaborate to turn these challenges into opportunities for growth? Heather and Tim share insights from their work in an international school setting.

Welcome back to The International Schools Podcast! In this special episode, hosts Dan Taylor and John Mikton share their reflections on 2025 and offer insights for the year ahead.

Join us for this conversation on the vital issue of Online Child Protection, spotlighting the leadership and efforts of key figures from the Council of International Schools (CIS). Jane Larson, Executive Director of CIS, alongside Dan Furness, Head of Safeguarding and Wellbeing at CIS, are at the forefront of this work, shaping policies and providing guidance to international schools. We also hear from Leila Holmyard, Global Safeguarding Consultant, researcher and current Safeguarding Lead at Frankfurt International School, who shares practical insights from her PhD research and experience. Together, they address the current challenges in safeguarding children online, tips for prevention and response, and how school leaders can create safer digital environments within their communities.

John Mikton on Social Media

A conversation with Merve from Common Sense Education sharing the important work they do in education, helping parents, schools, and educators with digital citizenship. Globally reaching over 90,000 schools and 1.2 million students. We get to learn about the organization’s history, its current focus and insights into the evolving digital landscape. Together we explore the context of international schools and the growing reliance on digital devices for both students and teachers. What are some of the observations, learnings, and strategies to consider and share with schools through the lens of Common Sense Education

We have a unique chance to speak with Kathleen and her digital twin, Katbot. Together, we’ll explore how Katbot was created and what it’s like to have a digital twin, including the lessons learned, challenges faced, and opportunities discovered. As chatbots become more common in our everyday lives, Kathleen and Katbot are the perfect guides to help us understand how humans and AI can work and learn together. What are the implications for educators and school in an international school context.