by Rob Stewart When I arrived in Wuxi, China, as a newly appointed executive principal, I thought I understood how to build relationships with government officials. After all, I had spent years navigating bureaucratic structures in Australia’s government school system. I invited the heads of police, immigration and the education bureau to my office for […]
The Currency of Respect Read More »
by Leanne Grundy From working in system level roles in the Middle East and China I’ve often observed that schools set up in collaboration with established international brands tend to presuppose a “plug and play” model – assuming that what works in one context will transfer seamlessly to another, without proper regard for the host
Beyond ‘Plug and Play’: Decoding Context for Successful Leadership Read More »
by Harparsh Saxena For educational leaders, assessment data often arrives as numbers, averages, grade distributions and attainment profiles that rarely explain why students performed as they did. Examination scripts tell a different story. Written responses reveal patterns of thinking, recurring misconceptions and the intellectual habits students have developed over years of learning. Viewed collectively, they
by Trisha Law Hi, my name is Trisha Law.”Patricia? Do you go by Pat?” “Wait, how do you spell that? Like Tricia?” “Hi Triksha, I hope this email finds you well.” “Lau? With a u? Are you Chinese?” Our name is the first thing we use to identify ourselves. It is what our government information
The Power of a Name: Culturally Responsive Leadership Read More »
by Glenn Moodie Earlier in my career, I remember sitting in Heads of Department meetings, or talking to fellow Heads of Department from other schools, and discovering they were doing things I wasn’t. No one had told me I should be doing them, but I immediately felt a powerful urge to add them to my
Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? Why Schools Need to Do Less Read More »
by Emma Louise Wheatley Often in education, we assume that if teachers know what to teach, good teaching will follow.* Experience tells us it is rarely that simple. But if a curriculum appears to prioritise content above all else, what message does that send? No matter how carefully crafted a school’s mission or values, it
by Dr Mari Simpson Building the Conditions for Students and Adults to Grow When we talk about learning-centered schools, the conversation often moves quickly to students. We speak about agency, inquiry, collaboration, voice, choice, and deeper learning. These are all important, but in my experience, a truly learning-centered environment does not begin with students alone.
Learning Centered Leadership Read More »
by Joshua Darryl Sussex There is a moment that most international school leaders recognise. You arrive in a new context, a new country, a new school, a new community, carrying approaches that worked well elsewhere. You have led staff meetings with those approaches. You have resolved the conflict with them. You have built cultures with
When the Leadership Playbook Doesn’t Work Anymore – Culturally Mediated Leadership (CML) Read More »
by Dr Ryan Persaud In international schools, safeguarding is often discussed through the lens of compliance: policies, background checks, annual training modules, and accreditation requirements. While these are all essential, I have increasingly come to believe that safeguarding is fundamentally about leadership culture. Policies matter, but culture determines whether those policies live or remain dormant
Safeguarding is A Leadership Resonsibility Read More »
by André Double I sat down with Nick Alchin, Head of College at UWC South East Asia, recently, at his home in Singapore. He leads one of the world’s largest international schools of 6,000 students, with two campuses in Singapore. A former IB Chief Assessor for TOK and textbook author. His new book, ‘Connection: A
Making Ourselves Available to the World – A Conversation with Nick Alchin Read More »