AISC 2024

The world of safeguarding and child protection is ever-evolving. As school leaders, we must demand constant agility and humility in our thinking and our actions. Join Jaap Marsman, the Adviser for Safeguarding and Child Protection at the English Schools Foundation (ESF) for an interactive workshop exploring a range of tools and approaches used within ESF to support schools in their core responsibility to keep children safe.

We will discuss a range of tools and models used within ESF over the past few years to help keep students safe. One of the models discussed is an adapted version of the model on Contextual Safeguarding (Firmin, 2020), an approach to help explore a student's life from a range of perspectives.

As highlighted in a recent study by Mensing et al. (2024) the most important aspect to increase teacher efficacy in this area is knowledge. When we know what to look for and how to engage, all staff feel empowered to keep students safe. Join Jaap in this interactive session which blends the latest academic research with practical application to empower you and your school in keeping your students safe.

Disclaimer: this session will openly discuss all aspects of child abuse.

Expected Outcomes:
Participants will leave the session with an expanded understanding of the current academic developments in the field of safeguarding, particularly within the international school context. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own skillset, engage with peers, and explore a number of tools used within ESF which can be adapted to their own context.

Language is at the core of human identity. We inhabit our languages in neurological, biological, ecological, cognitive, psycho-social and socio-cultural spaces. Language is therefore one of our main ways of knowing and being. Our languages define who we are, internally and externally. When students navigate multiple languages in their teenage years, they are working through multiple ways of knowing, learning and expressing themselves.This occurs in high stakes, pre and post-16 programmes, alongside the pressures of academic performance.

An IB world school is a complex ecosystem for diverse, multilingual students. Schools become powerful learning environments when they are able to support learners with balancing their multilingual identities, to survive and thrive. The explicit teaching of academic language proficiency and translanguaging, supports students’ understanding of themselves and others. How might the language of emotional regulation strengthen resilience and engagement? How might we tempt students to engage positively with a world of climate crises and conflict? How might we preserve joy and hope? This presentation argues that students need social-emotional resilience, ethical frameworks and linguistic support for wellbeing and an affirmed identity. A multilingual identity that skilfully negotiates their place and purpose in a VUCA world: of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.

Expected Outcomes:
The presentation will be supported by data and examples from the IB Support Program at West Island School, Hong Kong.

Connect: What we already know about the IBO’s vision ( ‘to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect,’) to wellbeing and multilingual language development.
Extend: This understanding to multilingualism - the role of a student’s many languages for wellbeing, affirming identity and agency.
Challenge: The idea that remedial work is all that is required to enable students to achieve potential. Challenge our system to create time and expertise for the holistic and transformative experience that all students deserve in an IB Programme.

This presentation will explore the findings of a recent qualitative phenomenological study examining the basic psychological needs of international school teachers. Grounded in the Basic Psychological Needs Theory, the research highlights the unique challenges faced by educators living and working abroad, including job insecurity, cultural adaptation, and the complexities of balancing personal and professional lives.

Attendees will gain insights into the lived experiences of teachers, focusing on how their needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are being met—or unmet—within the international school context. The session will also discuss the implications of these findings for school counselors and administrators, offering practical recommendations such as establishing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), integrating mental health check-ins, and fostering a supportive community. By addressing these psychological needs, school counselors can play a critical role in enhancing teacher well-being, job satisfaction, and overall effectiveness within the school environment.

Expected Outcomes:
By the end of this presentation, participants will have an understanding of the Basic Psychological Needs Theory and its application to the well-being of international school teachers. They will be equipped with practical strategies for identifying and addressing the unique challenges faced by these educators, such as adapting to new cultural and educational environments. Participants will also gain insights into creating supportive school environments that prioritize the psychological needs of teachers, ultimately enhancing job satisfaction and retention. Additionally, the workshop will provide tools for implementing and evaluating support programs, enabling participants to take actionable steps towards fostering a positive and inclusive school culture. The expected outcome is that participants will leave with the confidence and knowledge to implement these strategies within their own institutions, thereby contributing to the overall well-being and effectiveness of their teaching staff.

Let’s end the ‘them vs. us’ mindset when it comes to wellbeing! This workshop is all about creating a united, schoolwide wellbeing culture where everyone—leaders, staff, and teachers—shares the responsibility.

Through real-life examples and actionable strategies, we’ll show you how to break down barriers, foster collaboration, and embed wellbeing in every part of your school. Forget the buzzwords—this is about making wellbeing work for everyone, from top leadership to the classroom.

Expected Outcomes:
●    Learn about how to move from strategy to reality when supporting staff wellbeing.
●    Learn about our journey from the creation of a centre-based staff wellbeing strategy to practical school-based implementation.
●    Gain an understanding of real-life examples, shared leadership, and the Appreciative Inquiry process.
●    Participants will explore how to engage staff, foster collaboration, and embed wellbeing across their school community.
●    Collaborate with fellow educators to exchange ideas and insights to further support your practice.

Assessment is arguably the most challenged educational area under GenAI’s influence, mostly in part due to increased risks of student cheating and the associated concerns around fairness and students’ learning attainment. Different stakeholders in education (e.g., students, teachers, school leaders, parents) are navigating a somewhat “uncharted assessment landscape” where there are many grey areas without well-established guidelines or consensus. Navigating this landscape entails risks – for example, students who acknowledge their use of GenAI in assessment may be implicitly penalised in the marking process; teachers who adopt innovative assessment could face backlash as traditional assessment methods (e.g. exams, essays) are often more well received by the public. For different education stakeholders to be open to taking these risks and to collaboratively explore this evolving AI landscape, building a culture of trust within our school/institution becomes crucial.

This talk will be guided by three related questions: (1) why is talking about trust important when we talk about leadership in the GenAI age; (2) how does GenAI affect the trust dynamics in our education, particularly through assessment policies and practices; and (3) how can we foster a culture of trust through school leadership in this GenAI age? To answer these questions, I will draw on three of my recent studies that shed light on the implications of GenAI on different aspects of trust dynamics in education. Real-life cases and other important studies in the field will also be shared in the talk to facilitate meaningful discussions. By the end of this talk, the participants will gain a more nuanced understanding of GenAI in education and be equipped with strategies to lead a culture of trust in a time of uncertainties.

In this provocation we will apply a speculative and imaginative approach to thinking and taking action called ‘utopia as method’ to a theme/challenge/idea that is pertinent to international schooling. We will work with a theme/challenge/idea of your choice, reflect on school values and principles and (re-)imagine how your school might implement alternatives, starting today. At the start of the session, we will also briefly look at the conceptual and theoretical background of utopia as method.

Expected outcomes:

• Developing a foundational understanding of utopia as method, which allows you to apply a basic version of the method in your own educational context;
• Re-imagining a theme/challenge/idea that is pertinent to international schooling in such a way that immediate action can be taken in your own school context.

The global COVID-19 pandemic and following financial turbulence and energy crisis prompted an increased focus on the urgent need for financial literacy education in national curricula. The OECD spearheaded the trend by promoting guidelines following the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and introducing PISA Financial Literacy Assessments for 15-year-old students. This presentation offers critical insights into why financial literacy is essential, whose interests it serves and how financial literacy curricula are constructed. Critical pedagogy lens helps examine definitions, purposes (both social and political), policy responses and teacher support for delivering financial literacy education in K-12 schools. The presentation reveals problematic aspects of teaching financial literacy including inadequate teaching resources and teachers' PD, lack of student agency, and the consumerist and conflicted outsourcing of financial literacy curricula and creation of teaching resources to for-profit financial organisations. The Ontario Financial Literacy Scope and Sequence of Expectations is an excellent example of a sophisticated, world-class, integrated curriculum. However, dominant neoliberal policies and marketisation of education influence heavily the implementation of such curricula. Educators suggest more investment and alignment among key stakeholders is necessary in co-creating and embedding financial literacy into K-12 curricula.

Key words: financial literacy, critical pedagogy, consumerism, hidden curriculum, teachers’ professional development

Expected Outcomes:
Participants of this presentation can expect to become familiar and empowered to discuss and evaluate the urgent need to incorporate financial literacy into K-12 curricula, but also become more critical while reflecting on the inherent conflict of interest embedded in the subject of financial literacy. Considering which financial institutions and organisations currently promote and create teaching materials and who benefits from financial literacy at schools challenges current status quo which uncritically assumes that financial literacy is important without considering whom it supposes to serve and to which ends. Teachers of all subjects can foster internal dialogues to embed financial literacy cross-curriculum in schools and consider the role of financial literacy to prepare the next generation to manage own financial wellbeing and financial inclusion in the era of AI, digital finance and disappearing money replaced by digital fiat currencies.

Teachers can also expect to learn more about critical pedagogy as an educational philosophy in promoting social justice and critically examining power and political structures in education systems. The works of Arendt, Bjorklund, Freire and Henderson empower today’s teachers to address learning gaps through the lens of citizenship education and empower students to ask “big why” questions.

Critical thinking in schools is largely based on a 'progress' model. It relies on us all saying that something in the past was 'NOT' a satisfactory way to conduct our lives, and that we need to correct our weaknesses. Karl Popper, Nassim Taleb and others lead this critical thinking paradigm.

My presentation recognises the strength in this position AND states that it is inadequate as a framework. The word 'AND' is also critical to learners. The words 'OR' and 'WITH' also matter.

Using the work of Michael Polanyi and Hans Georg Gadamer I argue that students lose a sense of meaning and purpose in themselves if the focus of critical pedagogy is only on identfying problems and correcting them.

I refer to three powerful metaphors: Education as an act of translation, education as a personal pilgrimmage and education as being like a tree - with many branches to traverse.

Expected Outcomes:
I wish to challenge the predominant framework in critical pedagogy. In one sense I wish to laud it and recognise its strengths, but also to help educators think beyond it.
I am hopeful for a more generous and open pedagogy that is based in human agency but not human autonomy.
Practically, such a pedagogy improves student well-being and creates better schools.
Our school is one example.

The presentation will showcase how a culture of respectful dialogue can be cultivated using the "Seven Norms of Collaboration" from Thinking Collaborative. These norms serve as a foundation to empower students and educators to have rich, thoughtful conversations and maintain respectful dialogue.

The key points covered in the presentation include:
-The Seven Norms of Collaboration provide a structured protocol to promote genuine inquiry, clarification of thinking, and expression of one's own ideas and perspectives.
-Implementing these norms helps raise awareness and understanding of different perspectives and experiences among students and educators.
-Through dialogue and discussion guided by the norms, students are able to delve into relevant, real-world issues, critically analyze actions and outcomes, and reflect on their own roles and responsibilities.
-Developing a culture of respectful dialogue using the Seven Norms of Collaboration enables students and educators to have meaningful, productive conversations on important topics.

The presentation aims to demonstrate how these collaboration norms can be effectively applied in educational settings to foster an environment conducive to open-minded, thoughtful exchange of ideas.

Expected Outcomes:
- Participants will leave with an understanding of how to promote a culture of thinking and develop a greater sense of community within in their learning environments. They outcomes will include:
- Increased Engagement and Participation:
Students feel more empowered to actively participate in discussions and share their perspectives.and develop
a willingness to explore different viewpoints.
- Improved Communication and Listening Skills:
Participants learn to listen more attentively and ask clarifying questions to better understand each other's
thinking.
- Greater Empathy and Perspective-Taking:
Participants gain a deeper appreciation and increased empathy for diverse backgrounds, experiences, and
perspectives.
- Enhanced Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving:
Students are able to delve into complex, real-world issues and analyze that lead to better-informed conclusions
and decisions.
- Stronger Collaborative Relationships:
Educators and students build more positive, trusting relationships based on mutual respect and open
communication.
- Increased Awareness of Personal Roles and Responsibilities:
Participants develop a stronger understanding of They are better equipped to reflect on their own roles and
responsibilities in addressing important issues and how their individual actions and choices impact others and
the larger community.

In today's global educational landscape, fostering effective collaboration among educators from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds is essential. This workshop addresses a critical challenge: how can educators from varied backgrounds work together to share and learn from their collective professional knowledge effectively? Drawing from my experience at the Education Development Institute (EDI) in Qatar, this session explores an intentionally disruptive learning design aimed at addressing epistemic injustice within professional learning teams.

Participants will delve into the framework of Collaborative Professionalism (Hargreaves & O'Conner, 2018) and engage in hands-on activities that highlight the principles of joint work and mutual dialogue. The session will showcase a bilingual professional learning program that encouraged inclusive practices and facilitated deeper understanding and genuine dialogue among team members. Attendees will share practical strategies for creating inclusive and equitable learning environments that honor and leverage linguistic and cultural diversity.

Join me for an interactive and thought-provoking session that not only challenges conventional leadership practices but also provides actionable insights to foster new transcultural discursive practices within your own educational contexts. This workshop is ideal for leaders and educators committed to enhancing critical pedagogy and fostering inclusive professional learning communities.

Expected Outcomes:
1.    Enhanced Understanding of Inclusive Collaborative Professionalism: Participants will gain an understanding of the tenets of Collaborative Professionalism (Hargreaves & O'Conner, 2018) and how these principles can be applied to foster joint work and mutual dialogue in diverse educational teams.
2.    Practical Strategies for Inclusive Practices: Attendees will share inclusive strategies such as bilingual agendas, intentional language shifts, and the use of visible thinking tools to facilitate equitable participation in professional learning.
3.    Building Transcultural Discursive Practices: Through discussions, participants will reflect on their current practices and develop plans to implement new strategies within their own educational contexts, promoting critical pedagogy and inclusive professional learning communities.