In this episode I’m speaking with Julie Stern. Julie is a four-time, best selling author with titles that include: Learning that Transfers, Visible Learning for Social Studies, The On-Your-Feet Guide to Learning Transfer and Tools for Teaching Conceptual Understanding. 

She is an advocate for sustainability, equity and well being in education and has spoken internationally to help facilitate this in many schools around the world. 

We discuss: 

1. How conceptual learning and transfer compliment each other

2. How teachers or schools can accurately assess that transfer has taken place

3. Julie’s stratification of different kinds of concepts and how this might apply to English 

4.  David Perkin's book, Future Wise, and where his 'lifeworthy knowledge' would they fit in this conceptual stratification

5. Whether Julie thinks the current paradigm of dividing schools up into: Math, Social Studies, English etc is an appropriate model looking into the future

6. When designing the closest thing to a perfect assessment, what she thinks it should entail for students

7. And lastly - when, if ever, is a good time to do project based learning with a class?

Thanks so much to Julie for being a passionate and engaging voice on the topic of conceptual learning and offering a framework that better allows IB educators and beyond to crystallize their teaching approaches. 

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk

In this episode, I’m speaking to Ben Walker. Ben is an English and TOK teacher here in Hong Kong as well as the current CAS coordinator. Next year he will be taking up the Head of Secondary English role at his current school.

We discuss:

1. The best book he’s ever read, taught or been taught

2. The advantages and disadvantages of running the 5 year MYP course all the way up to the DP

3. His perspective on inquiry and authentic assessment and whether they look different in Year 7 v.s. Year 11 

4. How much Ben’s current school implement the element of service within the curriculum and the directions he’s considering moving forward

5. The feasibility of CAS playing a part in the academic curriculum

6. And finally, a somewhat insular one but HK v.s. Singapore. What's the difference and what's Ben’s advice if considering a move from one to the other

Thanks again to Ben for his eloquence and insights across the CAS and English curriculum. 

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk

Links:

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Go Went Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck

At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop

Black Boy by Richard Wright

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

In this episode I’m talking with Cathryn Berger Kaye. Cathy is president of CBK Associates, ABCD Books and travels globally to provide professional development on the likes of service learning, 21st century competencies and environmental sustainability.

She is the author of 'The Complete Guide to Service Learning', 'Going Blue' and 'Make a Splash!', which are student guides to Protecting Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands. In addition she has also authored a range of books for the ‘How to Take Action’ series, which is aimed at guiding students through the issues of hunger, homelessness and climate change to name but a few.

We discuss:

1. How Cathy reflects in her own practice and to what extent can we expect students to follow our example when it comes to reflecting well

2. The MISO method and elements of it which younger students typically need more guidance

3. How and why to combine units and work towards a service goal at some stage within the curriculum

4. Direct, indirect, research and advocacy service styles and the advice Cathy would give in terms of the practicalities of establishing direct opportunities for service

5. The dangers of 'voluntourism' and how to develop an asset based mindset in students doing service

6. Whether schools need to see the way they interact with local service and international service on a sliding scale in terms of age or experience

7. And finally, what advice Cathy would give educators who aren't sure where to start when it comes to adapting the curriculum to integrate service

Thanks again to Cathy who is nothing short of a legend in this field for speaking to me today. I was overjoyed to have some time to pose the questions, which you may pick up on through my sometimes overzealous phrasing of the questions. All of Cathy’s books mentioned will of course be linked in the show notes and I’d strongly encourage you to consider these first when developing your knowledge of service in the curriculum.

Find out more about the online course "Getting Started: Service Learning and Global Citizenship Foundations" here. Designed by Cathy and two of her associates, Shei Ascencio and LeeAnne Lavender, this is a dynamic way to advance your understanding and turn ideas into action!

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk

Links:

Cathy’s email

Cathy’s books

The Purpose and Process of Reflection: Helping students write meaningful CAS reflections (article)

In this episode, I’m talking to Benita Chick. Benita is the CEO and Founder of Encompass, a social enterprise in Hong Kong, which supports different social causes and NGOs financially as well as advocating for how Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be better implemented in businesses and schools. Benita is also a Board Member at KELY Support Group and Youth Arch Foundation, Education Director of Pink Alliance, Mentor for HKUST HeadStart Fellows and a mentor at the RESOLVE Foundation, here in Hong Kong. 

I was lucky enough to hear Benita speak earlier this year and was overjoyed to gain a conversation with her in light of the constant desire to make MYP English as authentic as possible, by integrating and exploring the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

We discuss:

1. The extent to which Hong Kong people are aware or unaware of the SDGs

2. Benita’s opinion regarding whether there is a hierarchy in the city in terms of which SDGs need to be addressed more often or immediately

3. How schools can go about reviewing or auditing the way in which they are engaging with the SDGs

4. Any lesser known but pressing issues that the city is facing in relation to a few of the SDGs that schools might be able to highlight in their curriculum

5. Routes young people can take to become involved in service that aids some of the SDGs 

6. And finally, after the 2030 deadline set by the UN, where do Benita feels the world will go from there

This was a succinct and in-depth discussion for someone like me who is on talking terms with the SDGs but would really benefit from speaking to those who work with or advise on the SDG targets on a regular basis. Thank you to Benita providing just as well as plenty of resources or extra reading that I will link to in the show notes. 

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk

Links:

Encompass, Hong Kong

SDSN Hong Kong Commissions Youth Survey on SDGs

The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings

Hong Kong is diverse, but far from inclusive; here’s how we can change that

Learning to transform the world: key competencies in education for sustainable development (p43)

Kids for Kids (Hong Kong)

Become A Young Leader for the SDGs Fellowship (International)

In this episode I’m speaking with Nadia Abdallah. Nadia is a former Head of Department for English, Director of Teaching and Learning and MYP Principal in Jordan. She has also worked as a workshop leader for the IB and is currently Chief Education and Development Officer for Junior Achievement Worldwide, a nonprofit organisation providing hands on learning in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship skills

I wanted to speak to Nadia about the IB’s MYP and more specifically the Inter Disciplinary Unit that is expected in each year of the course. Nadia recently ran an excellent 2 day training seminar that I attended and was kind enough to share more of her time discussing it for the podcast.

We discuss:

- A quick introduction to her career to date

- Some of the common misconceptions or mistakes teachers make in respect of the IDU and what the most important things to remember as a school attempting to implement it  are

- How and when Nadia sees the assessment criteria of evaluation, synthesis and reflection actually taking place in a unit 

- Examples of the ways in which different subjects can come together to form an IDU

- Advice on the mechanics of actually timetabling IDUs

- What constitutes action or service in an IDU and examples from Nadia’s own practice

- And final advice for Heads of faculty, coordinators and teachers in respective departments embarking on their first forays into an IDU

Thanks again to Nadia for an extensive and firsthand account of considerations that are needed when approaching the Interdisciplinary Unit. Despite the time, resources and collaboration required, it is an undertaking that can massively benefit students and their appreciation of the respective subjects. 

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk

In this episode I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. Eoin is a Head of Department in Bangkok, teaching the IGCSE and IBDP. He is an active participant on Twitter and can be relied upon to ignite, continue and support conversation for international teachers. 

We discuss:

- The best text he’s ever read, taught or been taught

- A quick introduction to his career to date

- What he has seen or read in the last 12 months that has had the biggest impact on his practice

- The significant challenges he is working on with an IGCSE / IB English department

- One area of his department's routine or approach that he’s most satisfied with

- What his department do in the Key Stage 3 years in terms of curriculum 

- And finally, Eoin’s perception on why improving teaching and learning can be a challenge in the international sector

Thanks again to Eoin who can always be relied upon to maintain the healthy culture of debate, sharing and discussion on Twitter as well as the time he took to talk to me today. 

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk

Links:

Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov

Walkthrus by Tom Sherrngton and Oliver Caviglioli

Teaching and Learning Playbook By Michael Feely and Ben Karlin

Tips for Teachers by Craig Barton

In this episode I am talking to Amber Rhinehart. Amber is an MYP Coordinator in an international school in Accra, an MYP Workshop Leader, an IB Site Visitor, MYP Personal Project Examiner and teaches Language and Literature as well as individuals and Societies. I was really keen to speak to someone as experienced and knowledgable as Amber owing to the many valuable but demanding aspects that the MYP framework has to offer.

We discuss:

- A short introduction to Amber’s career to date

- Whether Amber recommends combining the likes of analytical and producing texts strands from the outset of MYP or waiting until these respective skills have been developed and therefore consolidated

- How to marry GRASPS with the assessment strands when aiming for valid and reliable assessments

- How teachers can ensure they are covering global contexts in the same depth as they would the related or disciplinary concepts

- My school’s recent struggles with Criterion Biii and the need to assess formatting and/or referencing twice a year in the curriculum.

- And finally, what Amber thinks is the best approach to implementing ATLs in individual units and the curriculum holistically

Thank you again to Amber who speaks with a fantastic degree of balance, nuance and passion about the curriculum as well as her ongoing contribution to IB’s online community of teachers.

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk

In this episode I’m talking with Tanay Naik. Tanay is Secondary School Deputy Principal for Teaching and Learning at United Nations International School of Hanoi. He has recently co-authored an article in The International Educator and is a  contributor and advocate for the Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color.

In the show we discuss:

- A quick introduction to Tanay’s career in education to date

- As a school, why and how UNIS Hanoi recently decided to gather staff demographic data

- What unconscious bias training is and what Tanay took away from it personally

- What a UNIS Hanoi interview looks and sounds like

- The most common advice Tanay had for people who wanted to join the school but weren’t yet suitable

- And finally, advice Tanay would give to teachers or Heads of Department that want to move into whole school teaching and learning roles in the future

Thank you again to Tanay for sharing some excellent best practice, plenty of management insight and his school’s ongoing commitment to DEIJ approaches. 

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk

Links:

Tanay’s co-authored article for The International Educator

Tanay’s presentation on behalf of AIELOC

Overview of common hiring biases

In this episode, I’m talking with Dr Daniel Rosen. Dan is currently Head of Secondary at St George's Düsseldorf. He also writes a brilliant blog entitled Musings of a Dr and more recently hosted the International version of TeachMeet Icons. Over the course of the conversation, we discuss:

• A quick introduction to Dan’s career in teaching
• How recruitment for schools in Germany has been affected by the pandemic and Brexit
• The extent to which international schools struggle to keep pace with teaching and learning improvement seen in the UK state sector
• What granting teachers more autonomy means in practical terms
• What schools need to establish in order to be ready to roll learning communities out as an initiative
• Good and bad proxies for promotion when appointing new members of middle or senior leadership
• And finally, advice Dan would give to teachers or Heads of Department that want to move into whole school teaching and learning roles in the future

Thanks again to Dan for giving up part of his weekend to elaborate on some of his excellent blog posts that I’ll link to in the show notes as well as practical advice on how to approach  any ambitions people may have about accessing middle or senior management.

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk

Links:

Dan’s blog - musingsofadr

TeachMeet International Icons recording

Drive by Daniel Pink

Nick Hart’s blog

In the episode I’m talking with Dr Rick Smith. Rick is a former teacher and now provides individual counselling for students working with stress and anxiety. He specialises in ADHD and attention-related disorders and has helped a great many students from his practice in Hong Kong and beyond.

The conversation with Rick came about due to watching him in a fantastic seminar he did earlier this year and also a longstanding sense that despite my efforts, I may never have been doing enough to support some students who struggle to adapt to the demands of school.

We discuss:

1. A quick introduction to Rick’s career in education 

2. Whether there is a recurring need or concern that families often bring to his practice regarding school and schoolwork

3. How teachers can prepare for a new academic year with regard to implementing: regular breaks, written instructions or task checklists for some students.

4. How to manage the balance between tailoring lessons for a student and not alienating them through different treatment

5. How a form tutor and/or teacher should deal with the likes of unfinished homework or incomplete class work 

6. And finally, the role that the rest of the class play in accommodating students with certain learning needs

I found this conversation and Rick’s advice to be revelatory. Some of what is said goes against what I have been taught to believe about certain students in my classes and yet reflecting on my experience and reference to research, I found myself nodding to everything that Rick had to offer. Thanks again to him for giving up some of his valuable time to make this information more readily available.

If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk