2016 ET Journal Spring Issue

The EARCOS Triannual JOURNAL A Link to Educational Excellence in East Asia

SPRING 2016

Featured in this Issue EARCOS Teachers’ Conference 2016 Theme: “Innovating Arts and Motion”

EARCOS Special Report Aligning Professional Development for Collaboration: Results of EARCOS Survey

The EARCOS JOURNAL The ET Journal is a triannual publication of the East Asia Regional Council of Schools(EARCOS), a nonprofit 501(C)3, incorporated in the state of Delaware, USA, with a regional office in Manila, Philippines. Membership in EARCOS is open to elementary and secondary schools in East Asia which offer an educational program using English as the primary language of instruction, and to other organizations, institutions, and individuals.

Objectives and Purposes * To promote intercultural understanding and international friendship through the activities of member schools. * To broaden the dimensions of education of all schools involved. in the Council in the interest of a total program of education. * To advance the professional growth and welfare of individuals belonging to the educational staff of member schools. * To facilitate communication and cooperative action between and among all associated schools. * To cooperate with other organizations and individuals pursuing the same objectives as the Council.

EARCOS BOARD OF TRUSTEES Margaret Alvarez, President (ISS International School) Tarek Razik, Treasurer (The International School of Beijing) Stephen Cathers, Secretary (Korea International School) Anna Marsden (International School Suva) Diane Lewthwaite (Fukuoka International School) Norman Hudson (International School Kuala Lumpur) David Toze, Past President (International School Manila) James McDonald (NIST International School) Stephen Dare (Hong Kong Academy) Andrew Davies (International School Bangkok) Office of Overseas Schools REO:

Dr. Larry Hobdell

EARCOS STAFF Executive Director: Richard Krajczar Assistant Director: Joe Petrone Consultant: Bill Oldread Vitz Baltero Ver Castro Robert Sonny Viray

Letter from the Executive Director Dear Colleagues: The end of the school year is near, and 2015-2016 is flying by. I hope everyone will have a smooth end of school. This is the time of year when so much is expected and workload is pushed to the limit. Breathe and try to stay relaxed during May madness!

The Spring Heads’ Institute in Siem Reap, Cambodia, will have more than 40 school leaders in attendance, which is one of the largest retreats to date! We have steadily increased participation over years and hope that next year will be even better. Jefferson Cann is the retreat facilitator, and he aims to tap into and develop inner resources and self-confidence. We look forward to working with him to increase our personal effectiveness.

The 2016 EARCOS Teachers’ Conference (ETC) had 830 registered delegates. Largest groups were the arts and physical education. The International School Manila proved to be a great venue for this year’s event. Our keynoters Michael Kuczala, Mark Jenkins, and Doug Goodkin were well received. We had a host of other excellent presenters including presentations from our own teachers. A total of 175 presentations! Please see the ETC conference write-up in this issue.

Our EARCOS staff of Joe Petrone, Elaine,Vitz,Ver, Robert, and Edzel should be thanked for their tremendous efforts in organizing thousands of details.

We hope you all have a great summer break (northern hemisphere) and enjoy time with family, friends, travel, and reflection. Our board and staff continue to work to make EARCOS a caring, supportive, and dynamic community of international schools. Please check out our website <http://www.earcos.org> to see all our sponsored events and read about my travels throughout the EARCOS region. Please visit E-Connect, the EARCOS blog, initiated by our own Bill Oldread.

Happy Holiday!

Dick Krajczar Executive Director Check out our updated website at www.earcos.org and read our E-Connect blog at earcos-connect.tumblr.com

Elaine Repatacodo Edzel Drilo Rod Catubig Jr.

Editor: Joe Petrone Associate Editor: Edzel Drilo

East Asia Regional Council of Schools Brentville Subdivision, Barangay Mamplasan Biñan, Laguna, 4024, Philippines PHONE: 63-02-697-9170 FAX: 63-49-511-4694 WEBSITE: www.earcos.org

L-R Rod Catubig, Edzel Drilo, Elaine Repatacodo, Dick Krajczar, Joe Petrone, Vitz Baltero, Robert Viray, and Ver Castro

In this Issue

contents

2

EARCOS Teachers’ Conference 2016 Theme: “Innovating Arts and Motion”

Front cover photo

6 7

High School GIN2016 - “Turn on the enGIN. Make it Work!”

Middle School GIN2016 - “EnGINeering Our Future”

By Arnel Hatulla

8

SENIA Conference - “United in Learning”

10

Leadership Program - Supporting Tomorrow’s East Asia International School Leaders

11

Press Release - Concordia Shanghai’s young entrepreneurs receive award for innovation

12

EARCOS Special Report - Aligning Professional Development for Collaboration: Results of EARCOS Survey

14

Service Learning - The Gift of Jave - A Scholar’s Journey to Success: Bernice Delos Reyes

16

Curriculum Innovation - ISB Students’ Creative Projects for Innovation Day

17

Community Relationship and Impact - Creating a Community Impact Statement: A Worthwhile Endeavor

18

Community Service - Korea Kent Foreign School Volunteer Club - Global Issues Network

22

Green & Sustainability - Sustainability and Systemic Change

23

Social Emotional Learning at Middle School - Exclusiveness in Middle School - “Shake it Off“

24

College Admissions - Turning the Tide: How US University Admissions Can Make Better World

25

Early Childhood - Let’em Play!

26

Campus Development - A Step towards Growth - Cebu I.S. Campus Renovations - New Campus To Impact Learning, Says UNIS Hanoi

28

Press Release - International Schools Moving Towards Inclusion

29

Elementary School Gallery

30

On the Road with Dr. K

Back cover: Approved EARCOS Weekend Workshops SY 2016-2017

San Isidro Pahiyas Festival

EARCOS and CIS - Institute On Higher Education Admission and Guidance

EARCOS and CIS are pleased to announce the 2nd INSTITUTE ON HIGHER EDUCATION ADMISSION AND GUIDANCE. Sept. 30 - October 1, 2016 Bangkok, Thailand, Shangri-La Hotel visit www.earcos.org

The EARCOS Action Research Grant

In an ongoing effort to implement the EARCOS Strategic Plan, specifically Strategy E, to conduct, communicate, and archive relevant data and research to identify and enhance exceptional educational practices, grants will be made available to encourage our teachers, administrators, and professional staff to conduct action research to improve educational practices for the purpose of enhancing student learning. Action research is a reflective process, conducted in the school setting, to solve a real problem, or to improve and enhance the instructional process.This research may be undertaken by an individual, or by several people collaboratively.

It is our belief that the results of such research will impact not only the researchers’ practices but also those of others with whom they share their findings.To that end, grantees will be expected to publish their findings, which will be made available to all EARCOS members on the website.

Some researchers may elect to present their work at a subsequent ETC, ELC, or publish it in the EARCOS Journal. Please visit the EARCOS website for more information. www.earcos.org

Contribute to the ET Journal

If you have something going on at your school in any of the following categories that you would like to see highlighted in the Fall issue please send it along to us: Faces of EARCOS - Promotions, retirements, honors, etc.

Service Learning Campus Development - New building plans, under construction, just

completed projects.

Curriculum - New and exciting curriculum adoptions.

Green and Sustainable - Related to campus development or to

curriculum efforts.

Community Service Student Art - We showcase outstanding student art in each edition.

Student Writing Press Releases Thank you for your help in allowing us to highlight the great things that are going on in EARCOS schools.

Spring 2016

Spring 2016 Issue 1

EARCOS Teachers’ Conference 2016

Over 700 delegates attended the first day of conference opening keynote of Mike Kuczala.

Manila is a place filled with wonderful people and a city on the move.

From the moment I got into the taxi and headed to the hotel it was clear that the people of Manila were inviting. Upon arrival at the International School of Manila campus, I found it beautiful and the staff again very inviting. It is rare to attend a conference where from the start an attendee gains a sense of community, learning and value.

Opening the conference Christopher Bill dazzled the audience with his own brand of music. Speaking for myself (and for the very excited band teacher sitting next to me) this was a treat. His fashion and style of music set the stage for a conference that would ask attendees to go beyond a typical classroom. Christopher Bill spurred us to tap our toes and shake our bodies.

It would be movement and learning that would follow as Mike Kuczala started us off with a rousing display of how even a library and tech guy like myself could better understand Math through movement. He went on to explain the means and manners which would ensure students brains would be engaged and actively learning. Further, he had an entire auditorium on their feet laughing and stimulating fresh thinking.

While I attended some amazing sessions on the first day it was the last session that really got me locked in on learning. There were Joba-Like sessions for every strand. In mine we discussed things that are happening everyday and how everyone is working these issues.

It was great networking as well as listening to unique approaches.

We ended that first day with a celebration in the middle of campus where we were able to network and share. Walking around the celebration, it was clear participants, rather than tired were electrified by the day’s sessions. Everyone was talking and mingling. All that stopped the conversation was an amazing cultural performance provided by The Bayanihan the National Folk Dance Company of the Philippines. It was the perfect cap to end the day.

It was off to the sessions then. There were tons of choices on the first day. The session spanned everything from counseling to create great peer programs from Scott Lassey to Brain Dance by Terry Goetz. The rooms were full. I attended a great session by Jefferson Lipsky that detailed the ‘nuts and bolts’ of film in schools.

Keynote speaker Mike Kuczala. Keynote Title: The Kinesthetic Classroom: Teaching and Learning through Movement.

2 EARCOS Triannual Journal

“Innovating Arts and Motion“ If the first day were any indicator, the second would be amazing. Dr. K. introduced Mark Jenkins, the keynote for day two, and he gave a talk that was truly inspiring. Mark spun the tail of his journey on assignment for National Geographic exploring what would be identified as the largest cave in the world. While the story of his journey was amazing in and of itself it was the images that truly inspired us to take chances, to extend our own learning and seek the latest information about quality teaching. In reflection, this presentation was an inspiration for teachers to struggle every day and stay the course while providing the best education for our students.

Keynote speaker Mark Jenkins.

Keynote title: Vietnam Underground: The Viet Cong, Spelunkers and the Biggest Cave on Earth It was the second day that it became evident that the contingent of physical education teachers was very large. Visiting a presentation

by Lien Indigne and Dave Ducharme where there wasn’t a seat left available as the room was full of PE teachers. Their session focused on new standards and the necessity of more than simply ‘grading’ student performance, it was clear that developing a strong understand of health coupled with sparking life long exercise was the most important work these teachers carry out on a daily basis.

Of special mention on day two was Alec Couros’ presentation on Digital Citizenship. He provided a positive outlook on a topic that engaged the full room of attendees. He provided information and suggestions to take back to school on Monday.

There were more physical education sessions focused on making sure student needs were more than met and that of paramount importance was the student’s life long health. Added to the physical education sessions were the arts sessions. It was very exciting to sit with a group of dance instructors at lunch. They recapped sessions where they explained that they hadn’t spent a moment ‘sitting and getting’. They discussed the importance of movement on a daily basis. While the artistic study was critical, the movement was what trumped all. On this day most of us finished the day with smiles on our faces. The smiles masked what many spoke of and that was that we were already starting to feel ‘full’ of information. Most of us made our way to High Street, which is a short walk from ISM, to eat, mingle and enjoy the wonderful evening temperatures of Manila.

On the final day Doug Goodkin opened for us. His talk was the culminating factor for our keynotes. On day one Mike spoke about linkages between the brain and learning, on day two Mark demonstrated life long learning and the importance of determination and finally Doug provided encouragement for all educators.

Keynote speaker Doug Goodkin.

Keynote title: The Humanitarian Mucian.

It is a rare occasion that I attend a conference where I truly wished I could have gone to every session. It made me wonder what I had missed. However it was the closing ceremony where it was clear others felt the same way as their discussions were electric. A final few words about the conference... it is clear that the Dr. K and his team strive to put on a conference that teachers leave ‘fully charged’ to return to the classroom and that they are carrying a new set of tools to make them better. In most cases we left with new friends and ideas to enhance our teaching. Thanks Dr. K and team for a wonderful learning experience.

By Christopher Bell, ETC Advisory Committee Member International School Bangkok Spring 2016 Issue 3

Announcements/Remarks by Colin Aitken(ISM), Skylie Bevear(HKIS), and Keith Allerton(JIS).

Delegates preparing for the first general session.

14th EARCOS Teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Conference 2016

Terry Goetz workshop on BrainDance: Collaborative Variations.

Sam Cook and Colin Aitken watching the performance of ISM Jazz Band.

Grace Hudkins workshop on Elementary Drama Integration.

Carolyn Temertzoglou workshop on Developing Confident, Competent Movers.This active session explores how to develop confident competent movers in a wide variety of activities

4 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Ted and Carolyn Temertzoglou. workshop on Making Connections Between Physical Literacy and Physical Fitness.

Ringo Dingrando and Matt Chadwick workshop on The Tools of Robolution.

Theme: Innovating Arts and Motion

Peter Boonshaft workshop on Teaching Music with Promise: 25 MORE Things You Can Do Tomorrow To Improve Your Ensemble.

Cameron McHale workshop on Action Research and Adventure Based Learning.

5KM Charity Fun Run for Operation Smile.

Teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; band rocking the night at the Open Mic closing party held at ISM middle school courtyard.

>>

More photos available at the ETC website http://earcos.org/etc2016/

Spring 2016 Issue 5

Conference

G

lobal warming, poverty, infectious disease, terrorism and illegal drugs are some of the serious issues that need global cooperation to be solved.

In his 2002 book “High Noon: Twenty Global Problems, Twenty Years to Solve Them”, Jean Francois Rischard highlighted these issues and the urgency for immediate action; this later became the inspiration to form the Global Issues Network (GIN).

Empowering schools to become the network’s foundation, GIN has grown rapidly from a small grassroots beginning in Luxembourg to more than 500 schools across Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, as well as South and Central America at present.

With the mission to encourage youths to collaborate in creating project-based sustainable solutions for global issues, this network of school communities organizes the annual GIN Conference at the regional level.

This year, Bali Island School (BIS) hosted a conference that gathered students and teachers from the East Asia Regional Council of Schools.

Taking place in Sanur last week, this two-day event, entitled “Turn on the enGIN. Make it work.”, brought together youth participants from East Asia for an exciting weekend of learning and action.

Alongside their peers, the students learned

“YOUTHS TAKE ACTION TO ADDRESS GLOBAL ISSUES”

WORDS DESY NURHAYATI PHOTOS ARIMBAWANDUD ESTMOVIE

HS GIN CONFERENCE 2016 2016 GIN CONFERENCE and created action projects that addressed 20 global issues, as well as learning from notable speakers.

Among these speakers was Silverius Oscar Unggul, who created a business model that empowers and provides economic incentives for forest dwelling communities to get involved in conservation efforts by helping them manage their own sustainable eco-labeled timber business.

Founder of Migrant Care, Anis Hidayah, a human rights warrior walking a lonely path, also shared her thoughts on the issues of international labor and migration.

Balinese artist Made Bayak was also one of the speakers at the event, inspiring the students with his projects, for which he utilized plastic trash and turned it into mesmerizing pieces of art.

There were also some foreign speakers, including Micah White, a lifelong social activist with a twenty-year record of innovative approaches to creating social change. He took the participants through his theories of mass

6

March 17, 2016

6 EARCOS Triannual Journal

movement that are destined to inspire and catalyze the next generation of global action.

Participating students also joined workshop sessions focused on issues varying from education, global warming and pollution, to biotechnology, trade and international labor, which were subdivided into sharing our humanity, sharing our planet and sharing our rule book.

“These issues encompass the values we live by on a daily basis in Indonesia and the rest of the world,” commented Sarah de Ruyter, GIN student leader.

“The event inspired each and every one of us to take our projects to a higher level.

It certainly takes innovation, action and collaboration to solve those problems and make both local and global impacts.”

Overall, the conference presented the participants with more challenges and fresh perspectives that will hopefully spark new ideas and plans to help address and solve growing issues in this ever-changing world.

MS GIN CONFERENCE 2016 EnGINeering Our Future: Middle School Global Issues Network Conference at Shanghai Community International School - Hongqiao Campus Seven months of planning was realized when more than two-hundred fifty Middle School students and their advisors from twentythree international schools across Asia arrived at the SCIS Hongqiao Campus ready to “enGINeer” their future. This diverse group of change makers gathered for the 2016 Middle School Global Issues Network (GIN) Conference. GIN is an international network of students whose mission is to empower young people to collaborate locally, regionally and globally to create sustainable solutions for global issues. The network is mostly based on Jean-Francois Rischard’s, novel High Noon: Twenty Global Problems, Twenty Years to Solve Them.

Our conference theme was “EnGINineering Our Future”.The aim of our student led and organized event was to provide a platform for like-minded middle schoolers to connect, to exchange knowledge and to learn tools for meaningful action through, peer workshops, hands-on sessions, social networking events and other fun activities.

Locally based inspirational keynote speakers challenged both students and teachers to go beyond the obvious, to be innovative, and to work together to understand and develop sustainable solutions for global issues both during and after the conference.

Prior to the conference, GIN teams engaged in global issues projects at their own schools. During the conference, each GIN team led a “Peer to Peer” workshop as experts sharing solutions to the issues their projects addressed. Students not only learned about different projects but also had opportunities to reflect on what they learned and ways they could apply their learning in the future projects.

One of the highlights of the weekend was our five-hour hands-on “EnGINeering” workshops. During these practical sessions, participants designed and constructed up-cycled fashion, aquaponics gardens, large scale bamboo play equipment, small scale energy efficient homes, and “viral” water awareness campaigns. While students par-

ticipated in different workshops, all students experienced the same design process which can be applied to all current and future projects.

As a part of the conference’s zero waste theme, Green Accommodation was offered to reduce transportation emissions. Students and chaperones stayed at school, immersing themselves in the experience and making new friends. Also, activities such as: Swap Shop, Tee4Tee, Sustainability Fair, teacher workshops and social networking events for both students and teachers, were offered. Throughout the weekend, stories about our passion for global issues and ideas for collaborative post-conference actions were shared.

Organizing this event was a tremendous undertaking. The experience infused our entire community with a collaborative spirit and challenged us to “walk the talk”. We were humbled by the commitment of everyone who made this event possible. Having more than three hundred students, teachers and volunteers together, connected by our belief in sustainable solutions for global issues, was one of the greatest moments. We understood that we can work together, do projects together, get help from each other, and most importantly, teach each other how to engineer our future together even if we were not in the same physical location. The weekend ended with everyone buzzing from the excitement of the conference and looking forward to putting their learning into practice in their communities.

By Lisa Chui, MYP Art Teacher/GIN Facilitator; Richard Forbes, MYP Humanities Teacher/GIN Facilitator; Hilda Meijer, MS student, GIN organizer; and Tina Santilli, MS Principal

Spring 2016 Issue 7

Bersatu, ‘United in Learning’ SENIA 2016 at ISKL! This article was written by Kathryn Balsamo, SENIA Board Member in collaboration with Rami Madani, ISKL Director of Teaching and Learning.

At the heart of SENIA’s mission is that of advocacy. The SENIA board was honored to award Tobin Zolkowski with the Student Award. As the only deaf student at Jakarta Intercultural School, Tobin’s perseverance and determination have allowed him to find avenues to make a difference. From addressing the student body on ways to communicate with the deaf to volunteering as an interpreter in the local community, Tobin’s advocacy has had an impact. The SENIA Advocate award winner, Dato’ Dr. Amir Singh spoke of Malaysia’s journey towards inclusion. As many international schools are on similar journeys, his words of encouragement and wisdom resonated with the crowd.

SENIA 2016 gave back. Personal touches made SENIA a memorable event.

This included allocating free tickets for local Malaysian school teachers, donating to specific charities in lieu of conference trinkets, supporting local organizations that employ young adults with disabilities, and providing opportunities for students with disabilities to showcase their talents.

Transformational, inspirational, and motivational were a few of the words used on the feedback surveys to describe the Special Education Network in Asia (SENIA) conference held at The International School of Kuala Lumpur in February, 2016. The conference, now in its 13th year, attracts classroom educators, related service providers, administrators and parents from schools and organizations in and around Asia. This year’s attendance of 450 delegates sends a clear message – SENIA has become the “go-to” conference to network and learn about best practices to support the learning differences of all students.

The SENIA pre conference started with the opportunity for educators to spend a full day immersed in learning around one of the conference strands – executive functioning, and social emotional well being. The ISKL planning team, under the direction of Rami Madani, Director of Teaching and Learning and Amy Diefendorf, elementary school counselor, recruited renowned and published speakers. Dr. Peg Dawson, author of Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents, and Smart but Scattered provided attendees with a clear definition of executive skills and valuable strategies to use in a variety of settings. Julia Cook, a highly entertaining speaker and author of over 50 picture books about social-emotional skills, helped attendees understand how to use books to address social skill deficits Dr. Stephen Shore took attendees inside the life of a person with autism. Sharing his journey from a young boy, told he could not attend school, to a college professor at Adelphi University in New York, Dr. Shore stressed the importance of reaching all students.

The SENIA conference kicked off with welcome messages from ISKL’s Head of School, Dr. Norma Hudson and long time SENIA supporter, EARCOS Director Dr. Dick Krajczer. Both encouraged the delegates to continue learning best practices that support all the children arriving at our schools doors. All weekend ISKL’s Melawati campus was abuzz with conversations, both professional and personal as educators reconnected or met for the first time and discussed their takeaways from the various dynamic and informative workshops. These conversations and the ability to network with like-minded professionals is one reason so many delegates look forward to SENIA each year!

8 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Bersatu! The participants at SENIA 2016 came together, showing their commitment to learning and engaged in rich conversations, both of which will have a direct impact on the children under their care.

ISKL Planning Team

SENIA Board Members (L) Karli Koning, Catherine Deen, Ericson Perez, Lori Boll, Kathryn Balsamo, Frederick Wagner, Tanya Farrol (Not in photo)

Accredited. College-Prep. Online.

Rigorous, college-prep courses and respected, accepted diploma. highschool.nebraska.edu/EARCOS

The University of Nebraska is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Leadership Program >>

Supporting Tomorrow’s East Asia International School Leaders: Context-Based Training and the Development of Support Networks practice can find themselves uncertain and tentative as they move into positions of leadership—especially in cases where they do not have a mentor to guide them. Despite participation in effective training programs and authentic internship opportunities the newly anointed administrators in our program spoke of missing their teacher colleagues with whom they had formed close relationships.

We quickly recognized the need to structure our weeklong seminars to create learning communities and support networks that would endure between seminars and after students’ graduation from the program. We began by structuring seminars around group and teamwork, and later added coaching and role-playing components. As candidates developed work products, e.g., model teacher evaluations, we provided opportunities for collegial feedback to inform their work. They co-developed documents and materials such as communication and crisis plans, protocols for dealing with challenging interpersonal confrontations, and other work products they could apply in their professional setting.

Students Prepare A Group Report We arrived in Bangkok in the spring of 2012 to teach our first group of principal candidates. We were pleased to join the International Leadership Program co-sponsored by the University of San Francisco and Washington State University.

As networks began to form organically, we were delighted to find that students sought out each other at social events, and scheduled evening meals so they could continue their conversations. As months and years have passed, we have noted that colleagues follow each other’s career paths, often connecting at EARCOS conferences or at other professional venues. They continued to seek assistance and advice from each other regarding personnel issues, policy and procedure development, and other needs.

As retired school superintendents from the United States, we knew that educational leadership is increasingly challenging and complex.

We quickly learned that this is especially true in East Asia, where many administrators work in relative isolation from each other.

While school leaders in the United States struggle to increase learning for all students, administrators in East Asian schools face the same challenge but must also contend with the additional challenge of working in “for profit” educational organizations.

Structured Group Work Results in Enduring Professional Networks We knew from experience that the transition from teacher to a formal leadership role is challenging. Teachers who have acquired a sense of efficacy and competence borne from years of successful 10 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Students prepare team reports.

Context-Based Instruction Results in Increased Levels of Learning and Coaching As we worked with these creative, courageous leaders we found that they loved learning about each other’s schools and work settings. They enthusiastically participated in activities where they were called upon to compare and contrast policies, procedures, and protocols at their respective schools. They welcomed a venue for brainstorming solutions to scenarios and applying assigned readings and materials to the realities of their own and each other’s professional settings.

Although we came to class with carefully crafted hypothetical scenarios designed to engage students in applying learning to a “real” context, at student request we repeatedly replaced our scenarios with their scenarios. Students made comments such as “I’d like to have the class work on my situation and give me suggestions.” We took our students’ lead and moved them from the hypothetical to the real.

struction and structured group work, candidates report developing knowledge and skills crafted for their leadership work in East Asian schools, and perhaps more importantly the development of a professional network that will provide ongoing support and assistance for their work.

By Glenys Hill, Ed.D, Washington State University and Roger Rada, Ph.D., University of San Francisco

Student coach each other on teacher evaluations.

Rather than course content imported by professors from the United States who have limited knowledge of the politics and realities of living and working in East Asia, the use of student-centered scenarios tailored our program to the needs of the future leaders of East Asia international schools. As a result, students reported high levels of practical learning and a readiness to apply their new skills in their work settings.

Conclusion EARCOS provides a rich, professional development opportunity for prospective educational leaders in East Asia international schools. USF and WSU have successfully partnered with EARCOS to provide an International Leadership Program that is unique in its approach and its outcomes. By embedding context-based in-

Press Release >>

Concordia Shanghai’s young entrepreneurs receive award for innovation

Yunnan and as a way to earn funds to continue the authentic work they have started.

The Social Entrepreneurship class is an applied learning course that motivates students through education and first hand business experience to become social entrepreneurs and agents of change. Students source coffee beans directly from farmers in Yunnan, China, roast them on campus, and sell the roasted coffee to the community to guarantee that the process is socially and environmentally sustainable, while at the same time advocating for conscientious consumer habits and connecting consumers to their supply chain.

Students in Concordia Shanghai’s Social Entrepreneurship class were recently awarded the ACAMIS Koerschen Award for Innovation in Schools. Students applied for the award in hopes of sharing with the international community the impact their social enterprise, Third Culture Coffee Roasters, has had on the lives of farmers in rural

The students will apply the money from the award towards a new coffee roaster to help scale their business and further benefit the farmers in Yunnan.

Spring 2016 Issue 11

EARCOS Special Report >>

Aligning Professional Development for Collaboration: Results of EARCOS Survey

As we noted in the most recent, Winter 2016 ET it is most important for EARCOS to understand the needs of our member schools. Twenty-nine of our members accepted our invitation to share particularly successful professional development initiatives in their schools and relevant processes that enhanced successful implementation. We extend our grateful appreciation to them for their responses and herein provide a short summary of what we learned.

Some will remember the Special Feature articles published in Winter 2016 ET, “EARCOS: Leading through Learning from its Members” and “Professional Development: Content, Context, and Process”. At that time, it was noted that successful initiatives leading to increased student learning results are characterized by mature school contexts, deliberate and planned professional development processes, ample resource capacity, and rich collaborative structures. Examples of these contexts and processes include, mature professional learning communities, planned time for peer observations/feedback, provisions for data dialogues to analyze student work/achievement, empowered action research groups, designated instructional coaches, and induction and orientation mentors. When such critical process elements are present and adequate resources are available, a chosen initiative has an elevated likelihood of success.

Armed with this understanding, we extended an invitation via a short survey to members regarding initiatives in their schools in which they are currently engaged, planning to launch or successfully implementing. Through the survey, we now have an increased knowledge of regional professional development pursuits that could allow us to serve as a collaboration clearinghouse. Also, the results help us understand the degree to which contexts and processes are in place to support particularly successful professional development initiatives identified by EARCOS members schools.

The survey identified the following successful initiatives. (In most cases, the initiatives were abbreviated.)

1. Creating observation and reflective discussion opportunities for teacher growth . . .

2. Expanding and developing mathematical curricular thinking . . .

3. Enhancements and refinements to teacher appraisal system . . .

12 EARCOS Triannual Journal

4. Standards based assessment and reporting . . .

5. Developing student problem solving skills using real problems . . .

6. Maths professional learning community.

7. Coherent vertical articulation.

8. Structured word inquiry.

9. Play-based learning.

10. Regular curriculum review process.

11. Increasing teacher capacity to implement innovation across the school.

12. Project-based learning.

13. ELL training for all teachers . . .

14. Project Voice spoken word poets . . .

15. Curriculum alignment . . .

16. Intern program.

17. Next Generation Science Standards.

18. Implementing Daily 5 Programmme . . .

19. Changed to new curriculum mapping system and rewrote all curriculum . . .

20. Piloting Google Classrooms . . .

21. Focus Groups for whole school strategic planning . . .

22. Development of Bespoke Middle Leadership training . . .

23. Introduction of Professional Development learning afternoons . . .

24. DRA Reading Assessment and Running Records . . .

25. Focusing on feedback to improve student learning.

26. Using assessments to guide instruction.

27. Implementation of Writers’ Workshop.

28. Data-driven instruction and differentiation . . .

29. Reading and Writing Project workshops – Columbia Teachers College.

As you can see, there were only a few common initiatives among the respondents. But, what was shared among those responding were the availability of “mature professional learning communities”, which was reported to exist in 75% of survey responses. Over half and nearly half, respectively, of school members completing the survey reported that they had “provisions for data dialogues to analyze student work and achievement records” (59%) “planned time for peer observation and follow-on non-evaluative feedback” (48%), and “employed instructional coaches” (48%). The remaining processes were reported to be less available, nonetheless noteworthy.

“Empowered action research groups” were reported to be present at a 28% level and “induction and orientation mentors” also present at 28% in member schools completing the survey.

The return rate for our survey represented nearly 20% of our membership and helps us better understand the variety of successful initiative in which our member schools participate. Most importantly, it might provide opportunities for member schools to collaborate.

Please let us know, if you see initiatives in which you are currently engaged or planning to launch and wish to be connected with those survey respondents, who have current/recent experience and a willingness to share. We will do our best to connect you. Thanks again to those completing the survey.

By Dr. Joe Petrone Assistant Director, EARCOS

Learn in greater detail Our in-depth, clearly structured education programmes prepare students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. Cambridge programmes follow four stages, each leading seamlessly from primary to secondary and pre-university years.

Learn more at: www.cie.org.uk

Image: detail of the epidermis of a jellyfish.

Service Learning >>

The Gift of Jave

By Dominique A. Joaquin, Grade 12 Brent International School Baguio

Over the course of the past 8 months, I have been working on a project that involves a teenager named Jave who is deaf. In 2008, a pastor referred Jave to Helping Hands Healing Hearts Ministries for educational assistance since there wasn’t any SPED school in the province where he came from. Jave needed to study, learn sign language and be loved and protected. He was only seven years old.

His mother didn’t know what to do for him as none of them knew sign language and they literally couldn’t communicate with him. The child was so frustrated and his parents didn’t know how to help.

Thankfully their pastor knew who could help them. Jave has been taken cared of since then by the Helping Hands Healing Hearts Ministries Philippines Inc., a Non-Government Organization for children in crisis situations. I chanced upon Jave when my dad brought me to HHM for a possible CAS project. We were considering doing a feeding program or free art lessons on weekends and towards the end of our conversations with the Center Head, we were shown a pencil sketch by Jave. One look at the artwork and my dad knew he was gifted. We arranged for a meeting with him the following Saturday and the rest was history.

As an International Baccalaureate program (IB) diploma candidate, it was necessary for me to initiate a project of my own, something doable and worthwhile. I didn’t want to do something that would end when I graduate from school. Teaching a young gifted lad how to paint made sense to me. I wanted to teach him the skills and leave him with something he could do by himself. Something that may enable him to fend for himself financially in the future, to take care of his needs and probably even help his family. I decided that I would train Jave to paint with watercolor and teach him basic art elements and principles. I wanted to help him develop his gift to fruition. In the Philippines, there are not many institutions to accommodate differently-abled students. If they are lucky enough to end up with an NGO for home and mainstream special education, they are left on their own to figure out what to do with themselves after high school. Tertiary education can be expensive, hence job opportunities are very competitive and harder for differently-abled high school graduates to land. Some find jobs in shopping malls as baking assistants or maintenance crew. These jobs are contractual and hardly ever stable. I wish for something better for Jave. I hope to help him develop his giftedness and eventually, God-willing make a painter, an artist of himself. Art would not only be a hobby for him to while away his time, it would be a way by which he could profit and hopefully support himself for life.

We began our watercolor sessions early in the rainy month of July 2015. Why watercolor? Well, despite the fact that watercolor is not in itself an easy medium, it is a medium that requires “less”. Less means that it requires less paint to create paintings and is therefore less costly. A brush, some water, a piece of paper stretched on a board and he is on! A set of small tubes of paint would last a watercolor painter quite a long time. Watercolor requires training. Which puts me in somewhat of an advantage as I myself had gone through the training during my ninth grade watercolor painting program that 14 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Jave Smith with friends from HHM during the Flora VIII opening.

Brent School has been running since 1998. With that year-long training, I was enabled to paint and am quite confident I could transfer what I know to help Jave develop some painting techniques with the medium.

For weeks, I would ride with my dad’s motorcycle every Saturday, rain or shine, to HHM for Jave’s lessons until the foundation decided to bring him over to our house instead. One of the first struggles I faced with teaching Jave was the fact that he was, indeed, deaf. I had never properly learned sign language and in the beginning it was a bit hard to get used to the fact that he could not hear me. Initially, we employed the assistance of one of his friends from HHM to translate between him and myself. Matthew, Jave’s best friend is an “regular” teenager who is able to do sign language, willingly he did the translation for his friend and myself for quite sometime even joining us in the painting sessions for a while. Jave proved to be a fast learner, I was surprised by the pace he progressed. Slowly, we began to converse somewhat through gestures and written notes.

My mom would usually prepare snacks or invite him to join us for dinner occasionally. Over meals and painting lessons, Jave was able to teach me the alphabet in sign language and although I’m not good at it, I learned to read his hand signs better since then.

In time, Jave moved on from the drills to actual painting, his emerging mastery of the medium manifested in his initial output. He never ceased to impress me and made me proud of his emerging facility with color-production and rendering. His first painting was a success met with only a bit of bumps along the way. As a challenge, his next painting was one that required more detailed work, steady hands, and a discerning eye for color. The biggest struggle for his second painting was certainly doing the minute details, the veins of the blue orchid that I chose for him to do. But in the end, Jave nailed it anyways. Most times, all I do was point out areas that are missing some details or areas that are in need of blending. At that point, it was clear to me that Jave had become fully capable of painting on his own.

It gives me great pride to announce that his works are currently on display at the Hotel Heritage Mansion as part of the Brent International School Baguio’s grade nine watercolor painting exhibit , Flora VIII. Jave and I are planning to move from flowers to people and paint a person. As the much-awaited February ‘Panagbenga Flower Festival’ of Baguio City ensues, my biggest hope is for his works to find an admirer, a patron who will buy them from the show. I wish for him to experience the last stage of the creative process, that is exhibition and probable sale of an artist’s works. That would mean a lot to him and to me.

Service Learning >>

A Scholar’s Journey to Success: Bernice Delos Reyes During the summer of 2014, Bernice was accepted into a program at Yale University called the Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) program. As she wrote in her article A Summer in Yale, she described her two-week experience as one that “opened new doors of opportunities for me, allowing me to explore possibilities and newfound interests that I can now build upon to define the kind of person I want to become.”

One of the achievements Bernice is most proud of during her time at ISM is an idea she had for service learning that was brought on by her passion to help people who are in need. During her freshman year, she initiated partnering up with child- based service learning partners like Social Physical Educational Cultural Spiritual - Foundation Inc. (SPECS) to bring children to amusement parks. It started with a trip to Enchanted Kingdom, which evolved each year to other trips like visits to Museo Pambata (Museum for Children) and Manila Ocean Park. Bernice eventually became the President of the Service Learning Council, a position she held since Junior year.

Now in her last year at ISM, Bernice opted for an Early Decision application to college. When she started her Senior year last August 2015, she already knew where she wanted to apply. Her role models, ISM alumnae and scholars, Kimi Rodriguez ’11 and Juliana Saubier ’12 both attended New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), and she wanted the same path for herself.

Bernice Delos Reyes with kids at a Service Learning Activity When asked how life changed with the education she received at International School Manila (ISM), Bernice Delos Reyes says “My perspective of the world has changed so much in a sense that I have more empathy and understanding of how the world works.”

Coming from a local Christian School, applying to ISM’s Philippine Scholarship Program was a life changing moment for Bernice. Being accepted to the scholarship enabled her to embark on an adventure without ever having to turn back. For this bright girl, her journey started when she entered eighth grade, and it certainly was just the beginning.

Her life before ISM was simple and she could not have imagined doing all the things that she has been able to do if it were not for the scholarship. From acting in theater to taking part in various service learning projects, she is thankful to ISM for sparking her interests and desires to seek more and do more. Without the education she received, speaking in front of large crowds would have been a terrifying thought, and she would not ever even considered doing summer classes abroad.

After weeks of working tirelessly on her essays, application and doing her best during an invitation to Candidate Weekend at NYUAD, all her hard work through the years paid off. Just like waiting for Christmas morning, Bernice could not sleep through the wee hours of December 16, 2015. At 6:00 am, she received an early present from Santa – a full scholarship to NYUAD. This full scholarship includes tuition, room and board, allowance and two flights back to Manila each year, amounting to approximately $290,000 in financial aid, for all four years in college. Without even thinking twice, Bernice accepted, continuing her journey to another new beginning.

From dreaming simple to dreaming big, Bernice is a true testament to how an education at ISM can make you reach more than you can possibly imagine.

By Anna Seipelt Goco International School Manila Deputy Director of Advancement International School Manila Class of 2003

Spring 2016 Issue 15

Curriculum Innovation>>

ISB Students’ Creative Projects for Innovation Day

The International School of Beijing (ISB) hosted its second annual Innovation Day on March 24, giving hundreds of middle school students the opportunity to showcase their creativity in the pursuit of their passions. Under the theme of “One Day, One Goal, One Project,” students brainstormed ideas to develop a project or product to exhibit to the ISB community.

Working individually or in groups, students were engaged in various projects including writing a children’s book, programming a computer game, writing and performing a song as well as creating an app.

Serena L and Ashley L, two students from Grade eight and Grade six respectively, worked together to create a song called 24-carat memories on that day.

“We want people to feel calm and nostalgic when they listen to our song,” Serena said.

Ashley added, “We feel like there aren’t a lot of songs that reflect the singer’s emotions or experience. We want to create something authentic and meaningful that will make people reflect on what we have to share.”

Fred Schafer, ISB middle school assistant principal, said, “Innovation Day is an opportunity for all our middle school students to develop their passions and find out what they really want to learn with teachers. We don’t tell kids what they learn that day; they get to choose.”

Grade six students Minjoo K and Suri S thought upcycling clothes would be a great way to raise awareness about a global issue.

They went to Shanghai for a middle school Global Issues Network (GIN) Conference on March 5 and 6 where they learned more about upcycling from Bunny Yan, founder of boutique upcycled fashion store The Squirrelz.

Suri said, “We have learned from her different ways to upcycle clothes. We can combine men’s shirts with denim to create a skirt.

We can utilize used zippers and sewing to create clothes or cut off sleeves and add patterns from another shirt to make an upcycled t-shirt.”

“As middle school students, we’re constantly growing and need new to buy new clothes regularly. We feel it is a good idea to reuse old clothes and send a message to the community that old clothes aren’t necessarily unfashionable. They can be new and pretty,” Minjoo said.

ISB middle school principal Jon Hill said, “Innovation Day allows students to explore their talents and interests outside their comfort zone in a fun, supportive environment, while also teaching them skills essential for success in the 21st century.”

16 EARCOS Triannual Journal

By Tom Fearon, International School of Beijing

Community Relationship and Impact >>

Creating a Community Impact Statement: A Worthwhile Endeavor er ways we support our hosts. These include taxes and levies paid to the government, average monthly spending by school families, expenditures by students and educators visiting Singapore for SAS events, and school contributions to Singapore’s academic, environmental, and social welfare efforts. We could also explain how SAS helps attract companies and employees to Singapore, and how our programs and families promote Singapore to the greater world. Our report even includes a list of local attractions and performances supported by SAS field trips!

After organizing the data, we added graphics and photos to make it visually engaging. It then became a prominent part of our public website (www.sas.edu.sg) as “Our Impact on Singapore” under About Us. Our weekly eNews promoted it to school parents and staff, and we are currently printing a limited number of hard copies.

Producing the report was a significant project, so our next challenge will be deciding how often to update it.

Early last year, I read about a significant public relations tool that we at Singapore American School had never considered: a community impact statement. Many U.S. colleges and some independent schools have produced such a report, a comprehensive picture of the institution’s relationship with the community outside its gates.

A community impact statement highlights the economic and social benefits of the school. It can educate and impress neighborhood groups, government officials, business partners, applicants, and potential donors. It also presents a narrative that school parents and staff may not know, and of which they can be very proud.

We have been very pleased with the response to the SAS Community Impact Statement. Our school community has gained a deeper understanding of our partnership with our host country. Non-SAS readers see that the school plays a vital role in the lives of many Singaporeans, whether employees, contractors, vendors, company executives, local teachers, or the many Singaporeans in schools, community groups, or care facilities who interact with our students through community service opportunities. Our Admissions and Advancement offices report that applicants’ parents and potential donors are impressed when we direct them to this document. We feel that this has been a very valuable exercise for us, and we believe that other international schools will gain significant benefits by developing their own community impact statements.

By William Scarborough Singapore American School Chief Financial Officer

Intrigued, we looked at examples online. We could find few from other international schools, but some impressive reports turned up from schools in the U.S. Impressed by the possibilities these demonstrated, we decided to create our own community impact statement. With a large and diverse enrollment, neighborhood housing abutting our campus, increasing emphasis on philanthropy to support our programs, and reliance on good relations with the Singapore government, we saw that making clear how much we “give back” to the community could be helpful in many ways.

We gathered information from individuals and teams throughout the school. As the extent of our impact on our host neighborhood, country, and region became clear, we were pleasantly surprised. In addition to obvious topics like job creation, school spending, and community service, we saw that the report could also describe othSpring 2016 Issue 17

Community Service >>

Korea Kent Foreign School Volunteer Club

18 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Summits Featuring Google for Education These high intensity two-day events focus on deploying, integrating, and using Google Apps for Education and other Google tools to promote student learning in K-12 and higher education. Learn more at: gafesummit.com

Google Apps Education Trainer Bootcamp This workshop serves three purposes: to raise awareness about how Google Apps can be used in education (with students and among colleagues), to prepare participants to pass the Google Apps for Education qualiďŹ cation tests, and to help trainers prepare for their certiďŹ cation application.

The bootcamp includes an interactive overview, top tips from the Google Apps for Education Training Center, hands-on activities, and inspiring ideas for how to use Google Apps for teaching, learning, and professional collaboration.

Custom Professional Development If your school is transitioning to digital learning or integrating technology, we provide experts to help you think through each element of the process. Our team works to understand local needs, helps in planning a road map to being future ready, and connects you with the right experts and resources to take the necessary next steps. Learn more about these opportunities at: edtechteam.com/pd

edtechteam.com/request Spring 2016 Issue 19

Community Service >>

Global Issues Network

The education of girls and women has, in recent years, received a lot of attention as a way forward for many problems in our world. At the American International School of Guangzhou this awareness has resulted in the creation of a wildly successful scholarship program to support young women in our area.

Soon after I joined the faculty of AISG I was invited to help support a project that sponsors sixty local Chinese girls to complete their high school education in a highly ranked boarding school. I spent the better part of a weekend traveling with a group of about a dozen committed students from our Global Issues Network (GIN), to the small town of Ren Hua in the Shao Guan area of Southern China.

My role, as it was explained to me, was to be a faculty chaperone and help support the relationship building between our students and the young women that attended the school we would be visiting. Actually, I did pretty much nothing. I stood back and watched as the GIN members facilitated a program that included things like games, English learning, visits to senior care homes, singing, and friendship. The students had also organized guest speakers, including young women who had been in the scholarship program and were now studying at university. In the end, the teachers really just watched and did the curfew calls back at the hotel in the evening.

Through the support of GIN and the Concordia Welfare Education Foundation (CWF), all sixty students have been successfully staying in school with the majority exceling in their studies. I caught up with this year’s president of GIN, So Yun Chang, to ask about the overwhelming success of the program. “Everything GIN does,” said Chang, ‘is supported by the school community and I’m very grateful for that. That’s purely shown in the statistics too: the majority of the donors are school faculty. Everyone in the community has been just so welcoming to the new events GIN has facilitated for the past two years, like Trivia Night or the Guangzhou visit (when the students come to AISG for three days of learning and touring universities here).”

Asked about why so many students have shown such a high level of commitment to this project Chang pointed to the fact that it is student driven: “I firmly believe that everyone in the group is there because they want to dedicate their time and passion to serving these Shao Guan girls. Members at GIN aren’t spending one and a half hours every Friday afternoon in Mr Little’s room just so they have something to put on their college application. Everyone understands the effect ‘Bridging Hearts Through Education’ program has had on the Shao Guan girls, and everyone has a clear, respectable incentive to be part of GIN.” The club’s faculty sponsor, Eric Little, says he agrees that this is an exceptionally student-driven project and attributes this to a number of factors. Little believes that students in past years were also motivated by attendance at GIN conferences that highlighted the issues of girl’s education and child labor. One of the students even received the prestigious EARCOS award as a result of the commitment she had poured into this project. Little also noted that the older students in the group make a concerted effort to mentor the freshmen students in the group. Looking at the members of this GIN group, I can only agree when Eric Little smiles broadly and says “You can’t believe what students can do if you just let them!”

By Julie Lindsay, High School Counselor, AISG

20 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Green & Sustainability >>

Sustainability and Systemic Change People often think sustainability is about planting trees and recycling. That is exactly what my classmates and I thought when we started a six-month course about sustainability. But soon, we started to realise that it is something very different.

Our teacher was incredibly passionate about sustainability, and after years of research, he had become an expert on the immense variety of concepts and models it includes.

One of the first tools he taught us was the Compass Model, a method of ensuring that all aspects of an issue are considered. It involves four lenses: Nature, Society, Environment and Wellbeing, which are represented by the four NSEW compass points. When trying to solve an issue, our solution must benefit all four aspects of the compass. This was one of the most radical concepts for us to grasp—sustainability isn’t a choice between the environment and the society, or between the economy and people’s wellbeing. It’s about finding a perfect solution—one that will benefit all the aspects, without causing any harm.

Next, we learnt about systems thinking, an extension of the compass model that can be used to find this perfect solution. Every

issue is a complex system including many interconnected ‘indicators’, which are parts or aspects of that system. For example, for the issue of air pollution, indicators may include ‘people’s health’, ‘fossil fuel industry’ or ‘global warming’. To truly understand how our system functions, we must consider a broad range of indicators, and to do this, we can use the compass model, giving each compass point a roughly equal number of indicators. Then, we must map out the system, drawing cause-and-effect arrows between the indicators. The more connections there are, the better, and doing research into the issue is often a useful way of getting more arrows.

Once a systems diagram is complete, with all its indicators and arrows, it can look very complex and intimidating. But we learnt to embrace this complexity, because once we do so, everything falls into place, and the solution becomes apparent. The ultimate aim of systems thinking is to find a ‘leverage point’—the indicator which, when modified, will have the greatest impact on the issue, without leading to any unintended consequences. By analysing the arrows in a systems diagram, we can draw conclusions about each indicator, such as how much influence

it has, how easily it can be changed, which indicators it will affect, and what second-degree impacts those indicators will have. This allows us to pinpoint exactly which indicator to target, so that we are able to solve the issue successfully.

Equipped with these skills, we each chose an issue, and practiced using the compass model, brainstorming indicators, and drawing systems diagrams. Our school’s service programme offers a variety of service opportunities, including at school, in the local community and globally.This makes it difficult for students to decide which programmes to participate in. Before learning about systems thinking, I would have immediately jumped to a straightforward solution, like raising awareness. However, when I mapped the system, an unexpected solution arose.

Almost every indicator relating to the issue seemed linked very closely with the fact that there were lots of similar service opportunities which students couldn’t distinguish between. This reduced the number of people that were signing up for each programme.

My solution was to create an online quiz that would suggest to students the services that would best fit them, based on questions they answered about their personality traits.

When a leverage point is found in this way, with all the indicators and connections being kept track of, the solution is almost guaranteed to work.

Our world can be thought of as a large system, containing lots of smaller, interconnected systems within it. Sustainability is the ability of this large system to continue functioning in balance. The issues we face today have arisen because we modified the system, without realising the full impact of our actions. To fix these issues, we must choose our leverage points carefully, and bring the system to a state of balance again; only then can we truly achieve sustainability.

By Nishant Kumar Singhal Grade 9 United World College South East Asia (East Campus)

22 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Social Emotional Learning at Middle School >>

Exclusiveness in Middle School “Shake it Off“ Not surprising, the social groups at our middle school can tend to be “clique-ish”. We address the issues of inclusiveness, exclusiveness, and relational aggression, through our Social Emotional Learning program. However, “you can’t sit here”, was being said in the cafeteria, and other examples of exclusiveness were observed.

Searching for a way to address this issue in a direct manner, we discovered the Teach Tolerance website, and the “Mix it Up Lunch” program. Using this as our framework, we adapted this to fit ASIJ Middle School.

After lunch, the students and advisors traveled to the MS Gym for the culminating activity. “Shake it Off ”, by Taylor Swift, blared over the sound system; each group performed 10 seconds of dance moves in a “popcorn/wave” manner around the gym. The Advisors flooded the center of the gym floor and students followed the lead of the teachers in Flash Mob style, the entire MS community united in one big mob of good vibes! With smiles, laughter, and a bounce in their steps, the students and advisors went back to class for the rest of the afternoon.

Through advisory groups we introduced this special “Mix it Up Lunch” event. Helping students become aware of patterns of exclusive behavior exhibited in the cafeteria and elsewhere was a main goal. Lunch groups were formed through a puzzle piece activity and crossed grade levels and social groups/cliques. Another goal was to help students develop the skill of empathy. By explicitly teaching our students to be more aware of other people’s feelings, the hope was that they would be less likely to exclude others.

Five SEL/Advisory lessons were used to prepare our students for Mix it Up Lunch. Students identified the differences between friendship groups and cliques, discussed whether cliques are positive or negative and how and why it can be important to make friends outside of a clique. Questions discussed were: What would happen if the groups at our school mixed it up; What might keep the groups from wanting to mix it up?

After weeks of preparation we celebrated the event. Conversation starters such as, “if you could only eat ice cream or chocolate for the rest of your life, which would you choose and why?” and “traveling to outer space or to the depths of the ocean - what would be your preference?”, helped generate friendly discussion at the tables.

Students embraced this opportunity to share ideas as they became more familiar with their new group members. Students came away with an understanding that forming connections with peers outside of friend groups is a real possibility.

Institute on Higher Education Admission & Guidance

Our aim was for the students to have fun, be engaged, and inspired to stretch themselves on their own, not just on a designated day.

Feedback from students and teachers was mixed, but mainly positive. The outcome was certainly met - students mixed it up and engaged in conversation and activity with students from diverse groups and grade levels. The best result of the day was summed up by one of the participants who remarked at the end of the event, “What a great day! So much positive energy!”

By Jackie Douglass & Steve Bennett Middle School Counselors American School in Japan

EARCOS-CIS is pleased to announce the 2nd EARCOS-CIS Institute on Higher Education Admission and Guidance which will be held on Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October 2016 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

The EARCOS-CIS Institute will present a perfect opportunity for admission officers from CIS member colleges and universities around the world to connect with guidance counsellors from CIS and EARCOS member schools throughout East Asia. Conference details and registration are both available in the EARCOS and CIS website. www.earcos.org | www.cois.org

Spring 2016 Issue 23

College Admissions >>

Turning the Tide: How US University Admissions Can Make Better World the founder of the UWC movement, and is at the heart of the IB mission, adopted by international schools around the world.

Something remarkable has happened.

But we must ask ourselves an important question. What is the good of even those higher and wider skills and qualities if all they mean is we have a few more collaborative friends in our narrow home?

Should not these skill sets enable us to dive deep into the waters around us, be they clear or murky, and share, generously and humanely? And should not that sharing, which will be a two-way process as we learn from those we engage with, be recognised not as tangential but central to the university admissions process? Should we not be developing students with excellent grades, but also with a broad portfolio of meaningful service, a deep understanding of and concern for social justice and the potential to be creative and effect change?

The Harvard Graduate School of Education has issued one of the most significant and potentially powerful reports I have read on the matter of university admissions. Entitled Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good through College Admissions, the report sets out recommendations for University Admissions processes that are intended to adjust the focus of young people (and their parents) away from individual achievement and towards contribution to the common good.

The report is signed by 80 key stakeholders in admissions from US universities (including the Ivy League universities). The following quotation from the Executive Summary encapsulates the position very clearly: Too often, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture sends young people messages that emphasize personal success rather than concern for others and the common good.

And too often the college admissions process â&#x20AC;Ś contributes to this problem. As a rite of passage for many students and a major focus for many parents, the college admissions process is powerfully positioned to send different messages that help young people become more generous and humane in ways that benefit not only society but students themselves...

Now my opening sentence used the word remarkable because this report does nothing less than redefine student achievement. It endorses an approach to education that has meaningful service and concern for the common good at its heart.

Those of us involved in preparing students for their next steps in life are inevitably concerned with preparing them for life at university and beyond. While we know that their academic achievement is important, we are also keen to emphasise the importance of the development of those qualities and skills that will develop them as engaged global citizens. This was central to the vision of Kurt Hahn, 24 EARCOS Triannual Journal

UWCSEA East extended essay day Grade 11 UWCSEA and other IB schools have long been focused on high IB Diploma scores and developing ethical students with a bias for action. But there is still much to be done. As pressures grow on students, schools and parents, we dare to hope that US universities may be about to help release the valve. Instead of a narrow understanding of education that is confined to academic achievement, in future success and achievement might be understood as deeply connected to acts of service to others and the world around us.

It seems that thinkers in Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top universities are telling us we are journeying on the right road. There is much comfort, hope and inspiration in that. We do not change direction: we quicken our step.

By Chris Edwards Head of College UWC South East Asia, Singapore

Early Childhood >>

Let’em Play!

Play is the foundation for all future learning. It is through play that children develop the many life skills that will make them successful in the future academically, socially, emotionally, physically, and professionally. It is through play that children’s creativity is inspired and risk-taking is encouraged. Additionally, children learn to self-regulate their behavior to participate in the play with their peers. Through interactive play the child uses language to express their wants and needs. As the play matures, the depth and sophistication of the language increases.

Play is a somewhat controversial topic in some schools in China, particularly in those with a parent clientele that is supportive of a more academic program with more teacher directed, academic activities. Concordia believes that we have the obligation to include play within our schedule to promote healthy development of the children in our care. It is the effective teacher’s responsibility to provide a stimulating environment, props, literacy materials, and substantial blocks of time for children to participate in socio-dramatic play, thus promoting the growth of the whole child in developmentally appropriate ways. In their 2010 article in the Early Childhood Education Journal, Rushton, Juola-Rushton, and Larkin wrote that “when children are exposed to caring, imaginative educators who accept the ‘whole child,’ and are encouraging of the natural progression of learning, children will feel confident about their abilities, trust their teacher, and in turn, will be more inclined to want to learn.”

It is imperative that we remember that young children learn in different ways than secondary students and both free play and playful

learning should command a central role in high-quality education for preschoolers.

In a developmentally appropriate preschool classroom teachers acknowledge the importance of students having some alphabet and phonological understanding as an indicator of future success in kindergarten and beyond. Much of this learning can take place through play or playful learning.

We believe the current trend in early childhood programs (birth to age eight) to a more academic curriculum is developmentally inappropriate. Research supports an increasing concern that an exclusive regime of instruction, drill, and testing leaves many preschoolers overstressed, under-exercised, and more likely to become anxious and overweight, and basically disinterested in any type of learning. At Concordia we value the creation of environments where children can “simply be” and not always getting ready for what’s next.

Reference Rushton, S., Juola-Rushton, A., & Larkin, E. (2010). Neuroscience, play and early childhood education: Connections, implications and assessment. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37, 351-361.

By Debbie Burns and Sylvia Bieniek Preschool 4 Teachers Concordia International School Shanghai.

Spring 2016 Issue 25

Campus Development >>

A Step towards Growth

Cebu International School Campus Renovations

School facilities play a crucial role in the overall education and wellbeing of the students in terms of safety, practicality, and convenience.

The new changes made to the Cebu International School (CIS) campus facilities enhanced the lives for students, teachers, parents, the staff, and the whole CIS community. As a junior who has been in CIS since 1st grade, I strongly believe that CIS has strived to efficiently maximize the available spaces within campus area in order to provide the utmost quality of academics and establish a robust sense of community by welcoming everyone. Extensive developments were made including: 1. New library (Resource center) The newly renovated resource center (library) was the biggest change introduced in school year 2016-2017. By utilizing the area previously dedicated for the hallway, IT lab, and the benches, CIS resource center provides a myriad of functions as it can accommodate a larger number of people. By locating the librarianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s area in between the elementary section and the middle high school section, students of all ages can efficiently and conveniently approach the librarians for help and guidance. Due to the increased size of the resource center, the number and scope of resources have also increased correspondingly.

Alongside the renovation came numerous additions into the resource center. Firstly, a segregated meeting room, that teachers, staff, and even students can reserve, has been added. Instead of using a wide-open area, in the case of our previous resource center, the meeting room provides privacy as well as intimacy, thus bringing the sense of collaboration and discussion to a higher level. When the meeting room is vacant, students (especially Juniors and Seniors) may reserve the room during study hall, or homerooms/classes may also utilize the meeting room for presentations or discussions. In order to prioritize the students undertaking the IB curriculum, there has been an addition of three study rooms, that can each accommodate 4 to 6 students. At the far side of the resource center, near 26 EARCOS Triannual Journal

the elementary section of the library, a parent room was established.

Parents or visitors may use this room when waiting for students or for a meeting. Since the new resource center combines both elementary and middle high school libraries, the previous elementary library located in ELC was removed. Moving on to the next facility change, this area was also renovated into a Common Collaborative Space.

2. Common Collaborative Space for the ELC (Elementary Learning Center) The Common Collaborative Space for the ELC encourages further teamwork and cooperation between students from different grade levels. By establishing a common room that students can easily access to look for their own relevant resources from books, newspapers, magazines, the internet, or through discussions, the Common Collaborative Space pushes the primary school studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; level of independence when looking for information, and aids them for the development of problem-solving skills. Additionally, the communication between teachers from different classes are enhanced due to a common area, where teachers can use to plan for future activities.

3. Repositioning of the Classrooms The repositioning of the classrooms was a highly reasonable and efficient change, due to the convenience provided for students, especially newcomers. Previously, classrooms in CIS were ordered in a random manner; thus it was challenging for new students to locate their assigned classes. As school year 2015-2016 started, CIS has decided to change the locations of the classrooms, in order to create a logical pattern in the placements.The ELC classrooms were arranged so that the youngest learners from Pre School 3 to Grade 2 are on the first floor, and Grades 3-5 on the second floor of the ELC building. The MHS (middle and high school) went through many changes, alongside the renovation of the resource center. This helps teachers and students close in age to access materials and work together. For middle and high school, CIS relocated the classroom

in the order of IB departments - Human Sciences, Natural Sciences, English, World Language, Mathematics, and Art. By doing so, communication between subject teachers of the same department became much more efficient due to the proximity of their classrooms.

4. Open Canteen (Field View)

By January 2016, the Open Canteen was fully constructed, providing extra space for students and staff during lunch times. Alongside the increasing number of students, creating an Open Canteen not only provided an additional space, but was an efficient usage of the area that was previously unused. Located by the field, parents and visitors may view the field activities, such as soccer and rugby practice, house sports day, tournaments, etc. This new facility invites parents to become part of the CIS community by dedicating a space for them.

5. First Floor Bathrooms Although many students perceive the change in the first floor bathrooms as a minor change, such change acknowledges the safety of students to a great extent. Despite the presence of guards and the addition of security cameras around the campus, bathrooms are

spaces of privacy, where intervention of problems are difficult due to the decreased amount of supervision. By segregating the bathrooms for students, staff, and visitors, it isn’t just a matter of increased convenience and improved facility, but it eliminates the chance of conflicts that may arise.The guards enforce strict rules for both students and visitors, telling them which bathrooms to use.

Changes to the CIS campus facilities do not stop here. CIS is dedicated to provide the best experience in learning; thus the pursuit of continuous development and improvement of school facilities is ceaseless. Constant relevant changes will eventually lead to enhanced education for not only students but for the whole CIS community, establishing an ideal community for individual growth as well as discovery of potential. As our school motto mentions, we are ‘responsible, respectful, and prepared’ in approaching our education and our Respect for Others, Community, and Self will not only educate our mind but also discipline our hearts. CIS ROCS!

By Shin Seung Heon Brian, (16sshin@cis.edu.ph)

Campus Development >>

New Campus To Impact Learning, Says UNIS Hanoi Commenting on the major development, Mr Len Archer, Director of Finance and Operations at UNIS Hanoi, said, “UNIS Hanoi was founded in 1988 and started life in rented facilities with just 12 students. The campus we currently enjoy came into being in 2004 and since then we have not re-modeled in any way, despite our student numbers steadily growing to 1,100 students and the landscape of education evolving. This campus redevelopment however is not intended to increase student enrollment, but it’s about contributing to the teaching and learning that takes place here in a dramatic way.”

STUDENTS and teachers at the United Nations International School Hanoi (UNIS Hanoi) are set to benefit from a $35 million campus revamp that’s designed to ‘dramatically and positively impact’ learning.

Unveiled recently to the School community by the Head of Schools, Dr. Chip Barder, the campus development plans feature a state-ofthe-art World Languages Centre, a testing centre and new track and field facilities. In addition, a UN Plaza will be constructed, on-campus security tightened and environmentally friendly centralised heating and cooling system installed.

The project, which has been in the pipeline for the past 5 years, will be carried out in four phases, starting this June. Designed by global architects, Perkins Eastman, the construction will be overseen by project management consultants MACE, working with a design team from Group GSA and engineering firm, Boydens. The projected deadline for completion is June 2019 and will include renovation works throughout the School.

The School this year launched a new five-year strategic plan with a goal of Excellent Learning front and centre including objectives to ensure learning spaces empower programmes.

Dr. Barder added, “As part of our plans, we have included some areas around the campus which can be used in a myriad of ways, to give us the flexibility as educators to innovate in these spaces in response to the educational programme.”

New Campus Features Include: * UN Plaza Welcome Centre * World Language Centre * Testing Centre * Activities Area in the Early Childhood Centre * Track and Field Facilities * Solar-panelled walkways * Wind Power technology * Food Science Section For more information on the campus development plans, please visit UNIS Hanoi’s website: www.unishanoi.org Spring 2016 Issue 27

Press Release >>

International Schools Moving Towards Inclusion An increasing number of international English-medium K-12 schools are embracing the opportunities and challenges of inclusion says a recent survey conducted by ISC Research and Next Frontier Inclusion.

students with learning differences are entirely qualified special educators. 21.5% said staff are mostly qualified, 39% said some are qualified, and 14% said they have no specialists to support children with learning differences.

The survey was conducted this January and asked over 8,000 international schools about their approaches to inclusion and their provision for children with learning differences. Responses were collected from 584 schools of varying sizes, based in all regions of the world.

Today’s international schools market responds to the learning needs of children from both expatriate and local families, and provision for students with special learning needs is no longer an exception.

As legislation supporting inclusion in schools is being implemented in such countries as the UK, US and Australia, so expatriate parents are expecting such provision from international schools. And local families, unable to access specialist support in their state schools, are increasingly turning to international schools for the solutions they need. It is as a result of these demands that a growing number of international schools are becoming more inclusive.

Of particular note was the fact that 84% of the international schools that responded to the survey said they enrol children with special gifts and talents, but only 35% of the schools said they are satisfied with their provision for this group of students. “There is a disconnect here,” says Bill Powell, Director of NFI. “Many times, school leaders use finances as a reason to exclude children with special educational needs.They’ll say: ‘we don’t have the programme for you, so it would be wrong for us to take you into our school’. But on the flip side of this, some of these schools are accepting children with high academic gifts and talents, even though they admit they are not happy with the provision they provide. That’s a significant ethical consideration that this survey has highlighted.”

The results of the survey by ISC Research and Next Frontier Inclusion (NFI) reflect this move towards inclusion. Although a third of the schools that responded classify themselves as selective (27% based on testing and previous school records and 6% as highly selective), the remaining schools consider themselves non-selective to varying degrees. 13% said they accept a managed number of students with mild learning differences and 28% said they accept a managed number of students with both mild and moderate learning differences. 9% said they accept a managed number of children with learning differences who include some with intensive needs. Often children with intensive needs follow a modified curriculum and may be placed in ‘a school within the school’, following an alternative pathway to graduation.

Integration within the mainstream classroom varies significantly. 35% of schools that participated in the survey said they follow an inclusive approach whenever they can; 25% said they use a learning specialist as a consultant and 10% said they use a learning specialist to co-plan, co-teach and co-assess alongside the mainstream teacher (known as a ‘push-in’ model). 44% said they use both push-in and pull-out (resource room) models. Only 5% of schools reported that the pull-out model was the main learning approach employed. However, NFI has found that there remains considerable confusion in international schools regarding the relative merits and weaknesses of different models of provision suggesting more understanding of appropriate provision needs to be developed.

What is evident from the survey is that most international schools are uncomfortable with an exclusionary attitude towards children with special learning needs. However, skilled staff are often lacking.

Only 33% of the schools in the study said that staff working with 28 EARCOS Triannual Journal

In response to this misalignment, NFI is putting together a task force to propose standards for meeting the needs of highly capable students in international schools.

Other conclusions from the survey suggest an attitudinal shift away from elitist and non-inclusionary language and policies although many schools indicate they are insecure about how to change. “There’s a greater willingness towards inclusion, but there’s also some scratching of heads about what to do, and a fear about getting it wrong,” says Ochan Powell, also a Director of NFI. The survey is the first of its kind amongst international schools and ISC Research intends to track the market on an annual basis to identify trends as they develop. “Anecdotal evidence suggests the market is moving towards being more inclusive,” says Richard Gaskell, Director for International Schools at ISC Research. “This focused research will help us to provide the data that international schools need in order to know how the market is actually responding to the needs of all students.”

A full report of the survey is available here or from ISC Research. <http://tinyurl.com/za62ccy> ISC Research is part of The International School Consultancy (ISC) and has been the leading provider of data and market intelligence on the world’s international schools market for over 20 years. Next Frontier Inclusion is a non-profit membership organisation supporting international schools on their journeys to becoming increasingly inclusive of children with special education needs.

By International School Consultancy

Elementary School Gallery Concordia International School Shanghai

Johnson Grade 2 Marker and Color Pencil

International Christian School

Brittney Grade 1 Tempera Paint and Oil Pastel

Nanjing International School Flower Still Life Eunice Na Grade 2 Medium:Â Tempera

Hong Kong Starry Night Michael Cheung Grade 1 Medium: Tempura

United World College of South East Asia

Brian Shao Grade 4

Malala Portrait Collaborative Work Grade 5 UWCSEA Dover

Inyeong Choi Grade 4

Student Art We will highlight HS art in Fall issue, MS art in Winter issue, and ES art in Spring issue.

Submit your art to Dr. Joe Petrone at jpetrone@earcos.org | Edzel Drilo at edrilo@earcos.org Spring 2016 Issue 29

On the Road with Dr. K >> State Department Office of Overseas Schools Regional Educational Officers Regional Executive Directors from around the world meet in Washington D.C. with Keith Miller and the State Department Office of Overseas Schools Regional Educational Officers.

AAIE Superintendent of the Year Tim Carr

Tim Carr head of the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) receives the AAIE Superintendent of the year at the annual conference in Atlanta on February 10th.

Visit to applying school Yew Chung International School Beijing Co Principals Noel Thomas and Christine Xu.

Mary Ann Haas â&#x20AC;&#x153;God Motherâ&#x20AC;? to many International School Leaders, Celebrated her 90th birthday in Princeton New Jersey on March 17th with friends and colleagues from around the world.

Tim Carr head of Jakarta Intercultural School and former EARCOS president together with Dick Krajczar EARCOS Executive Director.

30 EARCOS Triannual Journal

EARCOS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2016 OCTOBER 27-29, 2016 KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA The East Asia Regional Council of Schools is excited to invite you and your administrative staff as delegates at the 47th annual EARCOS Leadership Conference (ELC2016) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia scheduled for October 27-29, 2016. We have a host of excellent keynote speakers and workshop presenters. Our keynoters are: Ruby Payne and Sir John Jones.

We think the conference will prove to be professionally stimulating and will provide you with an opportunity for networking and building camaraderie. visit website: www.earcos.org/elc2016

Submit an Article >> The EARCOS Journal

We are currently planning the Fall issue with a submission deadline of September 15, 2016. As you can see from our previous issues, we have moved to more of a magazine format with regular features. We invite you to share the great things going on at your school with the other schools in the EARCOS region.

Deadline for the following ET Journal Issues Fall Issue - September 15, 2016 Winter Issue - December 1, 2016 Spring Issue - April 10, 2017

What can be contributed?

Here are some of the features in the Fall issue: Welcome New Member Schools, New School Heads, Principals and Associate members.

Faces of EARCOS – Promotions, retirements, honors, etc.

Community Service Projects Campus Development – New building plans, under construction, just

completed.

Curriculum Initiatives – New and exciting adoption efforts, and creative

teacher ideas.

Green and Sustainable – Related to campus development and/or

curriculum.

Student Art – We will highlight HS art in Fall issue, MS art in Winter issue,

and ES art in Spring issue.

Student Literary Work – Short stories, poetry, scholarly writing.

Action Research

Submit your article to

Dr. Joe Petrone at jpetrone@earcos.org Edzel Drilo at edrilo@earcos.org

Spring 2016 Issue 31

Partial List of Approved Weekend Workshops for SY 2016-2017 One of the services EARCOS provides to its member schools throughout the year is the sponsorship of two-day workshops and institutes for faculty and administration. The topics for these workshops are determined according to the needs of members. Workshops are hosted by EARCOS schools.

DATE NAME OF SCHOOL CONSULTANT TITLE SEPTEMBER Sept.

Brent International School Subic Jennifer Wathall Sept. 2-3 Concordia International School Hanoi Kasey Perry Sept. 3 Nagoya International School Margaret McLean Sept. 3-4 Cebu International School Virginia P. Rojas Sept. 3-4 Hong Kong Academy Peter Muir Sept. 9-10 Morrison Academy Steve Leinwand

Sept. 10-11 International School Eastern Seaboard (ISE) Scott Riley and Anne Marie Chow Sept. 10-11 Wells International School Hsin Yi Chen Sept. 16-17 Kaohsiung American School Eric Smith Sept. 16-17 Taipei American School Anthony Ives, Matthew Fagen, and

Leanne Rainbow Sept. 24-25 Hong Kong International School Wendy Smith Sept. 24-25 International School Manila Robyn Treyvaud Sept. 24-25 Suzhou Singapore International School Renee Rehfeldt and Richard Bruford Sept. 24-25 Xiamen International School Margaret Maclean OCTOBER Oct-Nov Oct. 1-2 Oct. 8-9 Oct. 15-16 Oct. 22-23 Oct. 29-30

Taipei American School United World College of South East Asia Busan International Foreign School Brent International School Manila United Nations International School - Hanoi International School Beijing

Strategies on Teaching and Learning Using Reading and Writing Workshop (TCRWP) to Improve Literacy Instruction Collaborative Skills and Practices to Enhance Student Learning Sore Spots & Hard Parts: Writing Instruction for English Learners Developing Opportunities for Action within the Curriculum Practical Strategies for Making Math Truly Work for All Students:A two-day workshop for teachers of mathematics in grades 4-8 “From Basics to Blastoff ” Getting started with Reader’s Workshop Compass Education for Sustainability ELL in the Mainstream Classroom Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Bringing Great Ideas From School to Life STEM Citizenship & Resilience in the Digital Age-A Common Sense Approach Literacy across the curriculum: Every Teacher is a Language Teacher Collaborative Skills and Practices to Enhance Student Learning

Hiep Nguyen Sarah Whyte James Stronge Carolyn Coil Dr. Fran Prolman Tania Lattanzio

Circle Painting - Putting the A in STEAM Emotional Intelligence in the Classroom Hiring the Best Teachers Solving the Assessment Puzzle: Making Assessment Understandable for All “Building students’ agency, self-advocacy and their ability to take responsibility for their own learning.”

Moving from Traditional Pedagogy to Inquiry

NOVEMBER Nov. 5-6 Bali Island School Nov. 5-6 Intercultural School of Bogor Nov. 7-8 Mont Kiara International School Nov. 12-13 International School Bangkok Nov. 12-13 International School Manila Nov. 26-27 The International School of Kuala Lumpur

Deidre Fischer Lynette Anderson Robert Pierce, Ph.D. Elizabeth Rossini Matt Glover Rob Whiting

Management 101 - A Practical Approach Making Sense of Spelling: An Orthographic Journey Teaching, Learning, and Assessing the Common Core Social Studies Nonfiction Literacy Standards Understanding by Design Reading and Writing Workshops in the Elementary and Middle School Tough Conversations. Managing Ourselves - Supporting Others

JANUARY Jan. 28-29 Ruamrudee International School Jan. 21-22 The International School Yangon

Sara Garrett Greg Duncan

Foundations in Math: Developing Mathematical Thinking and Conceptual Understanding in Grades Kg-5 Re-Envisioning Languages for 21st Century Learners

FEBRUARY Feb. 18-19 Feb. 25-26 Feb. 25-26 Feb. 25-26

Tom Guskey Penny Kittle Liang-Kuang Chen (Kevin) TBD

Making Better Assessments Engaging Adolescent Readers and Writers Teaching the i-Student at International Schools: Intergrating Media andTechnology into Chinese Classroom Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners

Seoul International School American International School of Guangzhou Thai-Chinese International School Bandung Independent School

MARCH Mar. 2-5 Chadwick International Bambi Betts, John Gierrell, and Caroline Rennie Mar. 3-4 Chiang Mai International School Tim Shanahan Mar. 4-5 Tokyo International School Kath Murdoch Mar. 11-12 Phuket International Academy Virginia Rojas Mar. 18-19 The International School Yangon Deron Marvin Mar. 25-26 Brent International School Manila Bambi Betts APRIL Apr 8-9 Canadian Academy, Kobe, Japan Apr. 21-22 Concordia International School Hanoi and UNIS TBA TBA TBA TBA

Ron Ritchart Virginia Rojas

Seisen International School Alec Couros Western Academy Beijing Thinking Collaborative ES Principal MS Leadership Conference

** More will be added and posted on the EARCOS website. (www.earcos.org)

Teacher Leadership in the 21st Century Disciplinary LIteracy 6-12/Phonological Awareness-Foundational Reading PK-5 Building Learning ‘Assets’ Through Inquiry’ Differentiation and Assessment Strategies for ESOL Learners within the Classroom from K-12.

Effective Strategies for the Instructional Leader Empowering Learners Through Assessment Cultures of Thinking (Harvard Project Zero) EAL Students and Blended Learning Developing a Culture of Digital Citizenship & Digital Resilience Adaptive Schools Training (Days 1-4) Canggu Community School