by Amulya Malaki Dear Aspiring Leader, If you are preparing to lead an international school today, you are not simply assuming the mantle of academic stewardship. You are stepping into a profoundly moral role – one that will quietly influence how young people decide what kinds of lives are worth living. While recently reading Dutch […]
What If We Inspire Our Students to Cultivate Moral Ambition? Read More »
by Cassandra Clark There is a moment in almost every school year when someone says, “We should really do something about wellbeing.” It usually comes after a difficult incident, a spike in behaviour data, a staff wellbeing survey, or a tired look exchanged in a leadership meeting. And it is almost always followed by the
Elevate Wellbeing Without Adding More Read More »
by Emmanuel N Barthalomew This reflective piece, as most of my writings tend to be, is a summary of my musings. Between teacher interviews across subjects, phases, and leadership posts, I’m also updating materials for our second Cambridge PDQ in Educational Leadership cohort. I reread Keith Grint’s “The Cuckoo Clock Syndrome” and found myself thinking about
Teacher Recruitment in International Schools: Tame, Critical, or Wicked? Read More »
by Lisa Thorpe With over 20 years in education, including a decade in senior leadership, I have cultivated a leadership style that is uniquely my own, rooted in heart, experience, and authenticity, rather than confined to a textbook definition. As an international school leader and facilitator in a global leadership program, I’ve had the privilege of
Head and Heart – A Balancing Act Read More »
by Rowena Minney Retention. The Real Measure of a Recruiter’s Success? This article has taken me a while to write, and I’m actually glad it has. Although not a complex topic, the many conversations I’ve had since with principals, HR professionals, and teachers have shaped what I’m about to share. The idea first sparked at
Recruitment vs Retention Read More »
by Dr Dan Gilfillen Working in bilingual and international schools around the world for the last 16 years, one area of leadership has become apparent to me as a crucial element of leadership: sustainable change management. While readers of the LYIS Principal’s Blog may be well versed in sustainability (a big term to unpack) related to curriculum,
Sustainable International School Change Management Read More »
by Ariane Baer-Harper My passion for speaking about cultural competence in school leadership started subtly over the years of working in international schools across several continents. It grew during moments with a colleague when I didn’t realize I had upset them, or in conversations where I felt I was missing nuances I thought I should
Cultural Quotient: The Most Important “Q” in International School Leadership Read More »
by Estelle Baroung Hughes I. Conceptualizing peace in international education Peace is a spiral of hope that starts at the level of self and spreads out towards others and the world. Because peace both grounds and de-centers us, it can be compared to a seed of beauty that grows within us and produces healing fruits
Peace Based Educational Leadership Read More »
by Simon Attwood I landed my dream job. Of course, one could argue that, just over two months in, it’s still the honeymoon period, but actually, I’m not convinced that there is a honeymoon period. A school is like a machine – it keeps moving and going, and it doesn’t care what you feel –
The Honeymoon Period Read More »
by Alexa Rose Pettinari As a woman working in sustainability leadership within international schools, I’ve had the privilege (and challenge) of guiding students, staff, and communities toward whole-school sustainability. While students often bring passion and curiosity, I’ve faced pushback ranging from limited resources to scepticism about the feasibility of ESG initiatives. Navigating these challenges has
Leading Sustainability: Women Who Make Change Happen Read More »