The 10 Most Influential Educational Leaders in China 2019

VOL 8 AUGUST - 2019

T H E

MOST

ISSUE-6

INFLUENTIAL

EDUCATIONAL LEADERS IN CHINA 2019

Dr. Sherman Jen Founder

Maple Leaf International School - Dalian

Can Leadership be Taught?

H

umans are in constant search of ways to progress their life and in order to stay ahead of others, they always make choices or take decisions that are helpful to them as life progresses. Why is decision making important and more importantly why is it important that whenever we make a choice, the solution to a particular problem should fall in right? The results of this choices and decisions end them in either life changing events or all of it goes downhill.

But, does this quality define who he or she is going to become? Maybe, yes.

Over the past few years, education has changed tremendously and now education has moved away from classrooms lectures and homework. Students are exposed to real-life problems and issues, hence they are now mandated to find solutions to these problems. In return, they hone their problem solving skills which further escalates their logical, and practical thinking abilities.

The same happens to a college graduate, a professional or an entrepreneur. the more they are exposed to problems, chances of coming up with plausible solutions are very high. As they move ahead with life, they are always thrown ‘under the bus’ but it is up to that particular person to get right back and pull himself and others onto the safe side of the road. This person who has come up with a solution, we believe has the ability to lead. This leaves us to another question, are leaders made?

On one hand, some believe that leaders are born, which means they are naturally charismatic, influential and have an ability to motivate others. On the other hand, according to ‘Behavioral Theories’, people can become leaders by the process of learning, observing and teaching. It focuses on how leaders behave and assumes that they can be made. Though there are not actual tutorials for learning leadership skills, one can observe and learn from their surroundings, and practice soft skills.

Leadership is not a science, it is an art, and like any other job or task, it takes hard work to reach an unmatched mantle. The initial set of traits has to be refined and perfected over time with experience and education. A structured environment and with some formal training anyone can manage well and lead a team based on a set of given rules; the rules which can be mastered and even learned. But, leadership is a matter of choice, the willingness of one to take up challenges and rise from the multitude. T R

U Crescent C Crescent CU

Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Senior Editor Anish Miller Managing Editor Crescent CU Executive Editor Stella Andrew Contributing Editors Anand, Abhishaj Visualiser David King Art & Design Head Amol Kamble Art & Design Assistant Asha Bange Co-designer Paul Belin Art & Picture Editor Karan, Mayur Business Development Manager Phill Miller Marketing Manager Marry D’Souza Business Development Executive Helen, Sandra Sales Executives Amy, Frank, John, Amanda, Steve, Kevin Technical Head Assistant Technical Head Technical Consultants Digital Marketing Manager Assistant Digital Marketing Manager

Jacob Smile Swapnil Patil David, Robert Alina Sege Prashant Chevale

SME-SMO Executives Swati, Manoj, Gemson Research Analyst Eric Smith Circulation Manager Tanaji sales@insightssuccess.com

August, 2019

Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100,Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602-1754

Off. No. 22 & 510, Rainbow Plaza, Shivar Chowk, Pimple Saudagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411017 Phone - India: +91 7410079881/ 82/ 83/ 84/ 85

Copyright Š 2019 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd. The Knowledge Review is powered by Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd.

Cover Story

08

Dr. Sherman Jen

INNOVATIVE EDUCATOR WITH UNSTOPPABLE ZEAL

Educational Leader of the Month

ARTICLE

16 Dr. Mary Scott An Exemplary Leader with A Zeal to Serve

28 Self-Help

Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

C

O

N

T

E

N

Jan Wostyn

An Intriguing Personality Delivering Education with Global Perspective

24

20 Karrie Dietz

A Staunch Educationist focused on Student Development and Academic Excellence

Lu Wenyong Bringing Happiness to People by Positively Impacting their Lives with Business and Entrepreneur Mindset

34 Mr. Christopher Chadwick

Molding A Tradition of Excellence

40 Richard Bruford Advocating Comprehensive Education, Building Future Intellectuals

26 Marcel Gauthier

A Scholarly Pedagogue Focused on Attaining Educational Excellence

36 Ms. Julie Lawton Transforming Learning in China Through Innovation and Compassion

42

T

S

N

othing can beat the power that education possesses. It always has an impending effect on the journey of our lives. Learning from an institution that takes care of its students’ overall development is a gift in itself. The key personalities of such institutions are its driving force. They help to uphold the values and play an important role in developing an environment that will nurture its young minds. Few of them with their inimitable devotion for the education system stands out from the rest and make an impact that transforms the scholastic sphere.

The Knowledge Review is proud to present you with The 10 Most Influential Educational Leaders in China 2019. Dr. Sherman Jen, Founder of Maple Leaf International School – Dalian has been featureed on the cover. An educationalist and influencer, Dr. Sherman continuously strives to offer the finest educational experience for his students.

Another notaable educationalist featured in this issue is Dr. Mary Scott, titiled as the ‘Educational Leader of the Month’ she leaves no stones unturned in ensuring that her student’s holistic development progresses in an healthy environment.

Potrayed here is also the stories of Jan Wostyn, Ms. Julie Lawton, Ms. Karrie Dietz, Mr. Lu Wenyong, Mr. Jan Wostyn, Richard Bruford, Mr. Marcel Gauthier, and Mr. Christopher Chadwick, who are zealously serving the educational fraternity to better the academic experience. While flipping the page also make it a note to read the articles penned down by our in-house editors that would further enlighten your knowlwedge on a child’s mental growth.

Happy Reading!

T R

Dr. Sherman Jen

INNOVATIVE EDUCATOR WITH UNSTOPPABLE ZEAL

Dr. Sherman Jen Founder

T

“

he highest goal of education is to change more people, to make people understand and tolerate each other, and to bring people with different cultural backgrounds together and reduce conflicts. The world is full of conflicts because people don’t understand and tolerate each other. Nearly 10,000 Maple Leaf graduates have gone all over the world as advocates for that goal.” – from Sherman Jen’s speech at the convocation of Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada upon receiving his Honorary Doctorate of Laws, June 19, 2013.

The most fundamental and profound change in China during the past 40 years has been her active integration into the world and globalization in all aspects, while the most pronounced character of the continuous five thousand-year Chinese civilization is the emphasis on education.

Therefore, it is not surprising that China is now the Number One source country for international students, sending over 662,000 students of all ages overseas for further studies in 2018 alone. International schools in China, now numbering approximately 1,000 across the country and increasing rapidly, are prospering.

Of course, the number of students attending international schools only represents a very small portion of the over 250 million students in China, which means there is much room for growth, given the increasing affluence of Chinese middle-income families. Twenty-four years ago, I founded one of the very first international schools in China, Maple Leaf International School - Dalian, which has grown into the largest network of international schools in China, operating under China Maple Leaf Educational Systems.

We were the first that introduced the British Columbia, Canada curriculum to Chinese nationals and created the bilingual-dual diploma model. As of 2019, 21 grade 12 classes and over 16,000 MLES graduates have successfully completed our high school program and become a significant part of the wave of Chinese studying in post-secondary institutions abroad.

I was born and grew up in China. My first post-secondary degree was earned at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, where I became fluent in English. After completing my degree, I was assigned to the Hebei foreign trade department, where I negotiated with foreign businessmen in the daytime and taught English classes in the evenings. Three years later I moved to Hong Kong, where I built a successful clothing export business, but I lost interest and sold my business in order to emigrate to Canada.

Two events in Vancouver answered my restless longing to do something significant with my life and started me on the path to Maple Leaf. The first was an accident in which my one-year-old daughter fell and gashed her head open. My wife, who spoke no English, and was home alone with our daughter at the time, grabbed the bleeding child in her arms and ran out into the street. The first car to come down the road stopped and the man driving the car took the mother and daughter to the hospital, checked them in, and waited until they were looked after before leaving. When I was told the whole story, I meditated for a long while without speaking. In silence, I firmly made up my mind to do something valuable and significant to promote friendship between China and Canada to reciprocate the great kindness shown to my family by a complete stranger in this new country.

The second instigating factor was the education my children received in Canada. Their learning was so profound and so different from everything I knew of education in China. On the surface it looked very simple, and yet it was clear that they were being challenged to engage in their learning, to question and express their own opinions, to be very actively involved. I believed that this style of educating children was very important in preparing them for the future. I realized that children in China, in addition to the strength and richness of their traditional education, also needed the opportunity to experience this style of learning.

I immediately wrote to the Premier of British Columbia, Canada, and three months later the Government of British Columbia endorsed my plan to introduce the BC curriculum to students in China. I began to promote Canadian education to officials in various cities throughout China.

This led to the first international school license approval in China for Chinese students enrolled in a high school program. Maple Leaf International School opened in 1995 in Jinshitan Holiday Resort Zone in Dalian, China.

Chinese parents were initially very nervous that the dual Chinese-BC graduation certificate meant their children were forfeiting the possibility of entering a Chinese university, so I gave my personal guarantee to each of the parents of those original 14 students that I would find a place for their graduate in a Western university. This reluctance to experiment with a dual graduation certificate faded very quickly, as evidenced by the rapid growth of Maple Leaf schools.

Confucius said, “Filial piety is the basis of ethics. It is the origin of education.” If we can develop in our students an

appreciation and sense of responsibility for the beauty of our Chinese traditional culture which they have inherited, while simultaneously preparing them to take positions of leadership on the world stage, we will have fulfilled our ethical duty to the next generation.

Educating our children with a strong grounding in their own Chinese culture and identity is of primary importance, but augmenting that with a knowledge of the English language in which most trade is conducted globally, and teaching them to think critically and analytically in the style of Western cultures opens many doors in diplomatic and business relationships that would not be theirs if they were familiar only with Chinese ways. I believe my strongest contribution to education in China has been to give Chinese students an opportunity to be influential on the world stage, because the blending of the best of East and West in their education teaches them to see things from more than one perspective. The more Maple Leaf Educational Systems expands its operations, the more students will benefit from this unique opportunity.

elementary schools over the next six years.

With the expansion of the Maple Leaf Global Education System, high school students will be able to complete different semesters at Maple Leaf campuses in different countries, all as part of the same Maple Leaf Global School.

I want to prepare students thoroughly to be global leaders in the international world of tomorrow.

My message to students everywhere, and especially Maple Leaf students, is to think not about your own benefit, but about the benefit of your family, your friends, your community, your country, and your world. There are many critical problems in this world that need to be solved: environmental pollution, population expansion, energy resource depletion, food production, and many other pressing issues. Make up your mind to be part of the solution, rather than contributing to the problem. Set high goals and work persistently to achieve them. Set excellence before you and do not be satisfied with less. Chinese students - know where you are going; you are the future of China and the world.

In 24 years from 1995-2019, Maple Leaf Educational Systems has grown from one school of 14 students in Dalian, Liaoning, China to more than 90 schools with over 41,000 students in three countries. MLES offers a dual BC Dogwood Diploma and Chinese high school graduation diploma in 11 cities in China, including Dalian, Chongqing, Hainan, Henan, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wuhan, Xi'an, Yancheng and Zhenjiang. MLES schools in Ordos-Inner Mongolia, Pingdingshan, Jinzhou, Pinghu, Huzhou, Wifang, and Haikou offer the Chinese K-9 program with the BC Graduation Program in their future.

My goal is to establish the largest global school system in the world that blends the best aspects of Eastern education and culture with Western educational content and methodologies. I expect to be offering this unique Maple Leaf curriculum to 100,000+ students in 10 countries by 2025.

Recognitions of Achievement Dr. Sherman Jen’s journey has shaped him to be the leader he is today. His innovative educational leadership has been recognized by both Chinese and Canadian governments.

The below-mentioned awards and titles conferred on him attest to his superior achievements in this field.

Maple Leaf has completed its fifth Five-Year Plan as part of the organization’s strategic vision. My team and I are currently developing the sixth Five-Year Plan. Our goal for the next five years is to open more elementary and middle schools that will seamlessly integrate with high schools for a total student population of 100,000 students by the year 2025. This pyramid-shaped organizational structure will serve as the framework for expanding Maple Leaf Educational Systems to include approximately 25,000 high school students, 25,000 middle school students and 50,000

The continuous effort of Maple Leaf Educational Systems schools to educate children with world-class curricula that combine the best of East and West is resulting in graduates who are fully equipped to further their education in the world's top universities. Listed among the Forbes list of potential Chinese listed companies in 2017, and The 10 Best International Schools in China 2018, Maple Leaf schools are maintaining a reputation for providing a high quality education. T R

• Most Influential Figure of China Private Education (2004) – China Education Innovation and Development Forum • Outstanding Achievements Award (2008) – Government of British Columbia • China Times Top Ten News Figures in 2011 • Governor General’s Medallion (2013) – Governor General of Canada (Queen’s Representative) • Honorary Doctorate of Laws (2013) – Royal Roads University • Friendship Award (2014) – Chinese National Government

READ IT FIRST SUBSCRIBE TO SUCCESS

GLOBAL SUBSCRIPTION

Date :

Name : Address :

Telephone : Email :

City :

State :

Zip :

Country :

Check should be drawn in favor of : INSIGHTS SUCCESS MEDIA TECH LLC

CORPORATE OFFICE The Knowledge Review 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017,United States Contact No.: (614)-602-1754; (614)-472-4768 Email: info@theknowledgereview.com For Subscription: Visit www.theknowledgereview.com

Dr. Mary Scott An Exemplary Leader with A Zeal to Serve

Dr. Mary Scott

Head of School Concordia International School, Shanghai

16

August | 2019

Educational Leader of the Month

E

very teacher aims to foster his/her student with the best tutoring. They pour their hearts out for students as they see it as their utmost responsibility to inculcate values that will help them become the best at what their heart desires. Such teachers with their pre-eminent resilience, compassion, minds filled with creative ideas, and yearning to prepare their students for the unknown challenges in the society, set to make a difference in the world. These passionate people taking the leadership role are being admired by the world for their vivaciousness. One such leader who has nurtured her pupils throughout her life with her stupendous devotion is Dr. Mary Scott.

Dr. Mary Scott, Head of School at Concordia International School, Shanghai, is one of the most influential educational leaders in China. Dr. Scott has a stunning academic background that includes a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Concordia University Chicago, a Master’s degree in Athletic Administration from Adelphi University, and a Doctorate of Education in Institutional Management from Pepperdine University. She began her journey as a high school teacher and athletic coach, moving onto become a college professor while also serving in administration. She has also held a position as an Executive Vice President, Provost. And eventually found her way to Concordia Shanghai, a place she strives to make a home for her students and faculty. Dr. Scott’s diverse experience has been helping Concordia Shanghai to strengthen its values, develop an earnest interest of students in China, through academic exploration, educational travel, language studies, and service to the community.

August | 2019

Dedicated Leadership Dr. Scott’s most admirable trait has always been her ambition to serve. She finds her greatest accomplishment, in the achievements, accolades and recognitions in the lives of students, faculty, and staff that she serves.

In her own words, “Their growth and success have been my rewards.”

Such a dynamic personality has had a huge impact to boost the school’s overall learning experience. She inspires her students to be the nation’s future building figures and is being admired for it. Since becoming the Head of Concordia, she has taken steps that have transformed the institute to a greater extent. Her zeal for students' excellence, helping them to discover themselves, and creating a respect for community and the nation is remarkable. Throughout her expedition of spreading the gleam of knowledge, Mary has always strived to bring about positive change and improve the educational experience for students irrespective of how big or small that change is.

Her contribution to the Educational systems Being a teacher first, she loves to teach. She enjoys working with teachers and principals, discussing new ideas that can improve the student learning experience. To make sure that students understand properly, she continually encourages the Concordia faculty to further develop a curriculum that revolves around concepts of service and deeper learning. As a school leader, Mary strives for building a culture, constructing values, and morals, which can unequivocally impact the entire school community, creating a sense of security where

everyone (teachers, students, and families) can flourish.

About Concordia International Concordia International School Shanghai is situated in one of Shanghai’s largest expat communities.

It offers a comprehensive American curriculum and is recognized for its commitment towards academic excellence and for providing welldeveloped sports, art, service, and applied to learn programs.

The mission of Concordia reads as, “At Concordia, we view every student as a gift from God, entrusted to us by parents and are committed in Christian stewardship to educate students holistically in a nurturing environment that includes comprehensive and challenging opportunities in academic, creative arts, spirituality, athletics, co-curricular activities, and service.”

Over the past 20 years, the institution has educated over 5500 students from more than 50 countries. Concordia is honored to play a part in the strong global commitment that Shanghai has demonstrated to the world. With the location in Shanghai and the world at its fingertips, Concordia still places special focus on the host country, China. It believes that the high cultural context of China’s location enriches each student's daily life. The curriculum is designed in a way that allows students to go through intimate experiences and improved understanding of the host country.

At Concordia, applied learning is another point of focus and it has been integrated into all the areas of its curriculum, from science to visual arts and reaches all grade levels. These experiences for authentic application encourage academic vitality by

17

providing students with opportunities to build unique connections between academic studies and real-world endeavors. Concordia focuses on providing professional development opportunities to its teachers and to explore the world of education to help them continue to learn and grow. This, in turn, helps the teachers to deliver the most effective education to the students, who are challenged, encouraged, and supported as they

develop intellectually, socially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

By utilizing intentional communication and effective teaching and learning, the school aims to transform the lives of students and its community. E.g., a student goes home talking about “green initiatives” and the next day they are devising a plan for eliminating single-use containers throughout the school, or a student is taught to play a

musical instrument which fosters a love for music and performing, perhaps leading them to compose their own music. The handpicked faculties of Concordia pioneer educational, cultural, and service programs that inspire its students to pursue their passions.

Inspired by Children Being seen as one of the influential educational figures in China is both rewarding and tempting. When times are hard and challenges arise, Dr. Scott still finds time to get out of the office and head out with students. Listening to their cheerful voices, talking to them about their daily life in school, about their ongoing projects, what they want to become in their life, having fun with them, the joy that emanates on their faces is just energizing and encouraging to her. A little time spent with her pupils strengthens her and keeps her motivated.

Her love for education and students has made her cross borders. It encouraged her to come to a nation where her experience and knowledge can truly help to serve. Since, taking charge of Concordia, Dr. Scott has had time to explore China. She finds China to be a beautiful country filled with

18

August | 2019

tremendous history and yet undergoing exciting changes. In her exploration of the Chinese she has discovered that it provides a rich balance between the concept of history and change.

“The richness of tradition and formation are highlighted in the Chinese educational system.”

- Dr. Mary Scott.

Mary finds the balance concept of history and change to be a pillar that enables China to expand and grow its educational footprint with confidence.

Dr. Scott and Concordia find themselves to be blessed to take part in this new-fangled upsurge.

Future Prospects of Dr. Scott and her Esteemed Institution Dr. Scott is playing a compelling role in the overall educational environment of China. Her love for learning, education, teachers and students can be seen through her various actions at Concordia. Her every plan will comprise of the above-mentioned elements.

August | 2019

Concordia will strive to remain an outstanding educational institution committed to holistic education. It is on the lookout for more ways to serve people within the fascinating country of China. It embraces positive change and continually seeks out new and greater possibilities to transform lives.

“We want to be a global platform that welcomes people from around the world; a place of community and caring…A place that sends people into the world with an intention to serve and benefit others in so many ways.”

- Concordia International School Shanghai Dr. Scott and Concordia want to integrate the practice of deeper learning, a learning that goes beyond memorization and opens up the creative inquiry, curiosity, expression, and aptitude. It is learning that is measured in more than test scores and college acceptances but also in student passion, humility, and a burning desire towards the service of the community.

19

Jan Wostyn MD & Co-founder

JAN WOSTYN

An Intriguing Personality Delivering Education with Global Perspective

M

any people spend their whole lifetime discovering their passion. Some of them spent half and while others acquire it at a very young age. This last one happened with our story’s protagonist, Jan Wostyn, Managing Director and Co-founder of Hutong School.

It all happened when Jan was just 15 years old. His parents brought back a Chinese newspaper from Hong Kong, after visiting his uncle in the Philippines. Jan was completely mesmerized by the fact that there were more than a billion people out there on the other side on the world for whom reading such unintelligible newspapers was a common daily activity, that he made up his mind that one day he would be able to read such newspapers too!

After studying Economics from the University of Leuven (Belgium), Jan obtained a scholarship from the

20

Chinese government to study Chinese at Central China Normal University in Wuhan. After a full year of intensive Chinese language training, he returned to Belgium to take a one-year fasttrack bachelor’s degree in Chinese Studies at the University of Leuven.

There, he learned about diverse aspects of China, its history, culture, society, political system, religions, etc.

Following that year, he was again selected for a Chinese scholarship to continue his Chinese language and culture studies at Xiamen University and later also at the renowned Fudan University in Shanghai.

Following that, Jan took his Chinese language skills to the professional world and after an internship in Beijing, he co-founded the Hutong School with several like-minded foreign and Chinese partners. The goal of this School has always been to offer life-changing programs to people from all around the world to get their first hands-on experience in the Middle

Kingdom, either through Chinese language learning or internships.

About the Hutong School The school is a Chinese Language and internship provider offering various language immersion and professional development programs. Since 2005, the school has welcomed thousands of students from around the world to its four China locations. Leveraging fifteen years of teaching Chinese, the school has developed a unique 12-level teaching methodology that supports students in tracking their progress and quickly enhance their language skills.

Moreover, through the development of its textbook series, interactive mobile app, and global franchise program, it aims to help more and more people learn this increasingly important language no matter their location.

Over the years, for delivering exceptional teaching, the school has been bestowed with That’s Beijing

August | 2019

“Mandarin School of the Year”, iStudy “Educational Excellence”, and “Service Excellence” awards.

embark on this journey to discover what is arguably the oldest continuous civilization in the world”.

Promoting China and Chinese Education

Keeping Keen Eyes on Current Happenings

During the development stage of Hutong School, back in 2005, the only way for young foreigners to discover China was to go and study at a Chinese University. Valuable as those experiences are, they are not suitable for everyone, as many young foreigners are scared away by the thought of having to learn Chinese characters for four hours a day on a university campus. However, with its programs, the school has made access to China much easier by offering more flexible and tailored programs comprising both language learning and professional experience. Additionally, with the location in the heart of the city, the school focuses more on interactions with Chinese society.

Consequently, this enables thousands of eager foreigners to make their first steps in China, seeing China with their own eyes, rather than having to rely on often sensational and biased information on China in Western media.

Jan keeps himself updated on the current happenings in the Chinese educational sector. He knows that the government invests large sums of money into developing it and improving the education of its citizens across the country. With such a large population, the Chinese job market is extremely competitive, making parents evermore keen to help their children get a step ahead. This has led to the development of a huge private education sector, offering additional

tuition in everything from mathematics to English.

Keeping these industry scenarios in mind, the school has shifted from traditional classroom-based learning to hybrid learning. It believes that the development of technology allows for easy access to quality instruction from anywhere in the country. The school also cites that the trend of cultural emphasis on the importance of education will grow and further transform the Chinese education sector.

Further, it states, there is no doubt that the booming education sector in China will also bring about new insights and innovations that will spread across the world.

A Philosophical take on Education With ‘never stop learning’ attitude, Jan says, “Education is without any doubt the most rewarding field to be active in, which actually makes it very easy to stay motivated and inspire students from all over the world. Education is all about opening eyes and leading people into whole new worlds. It´s about developing potential and changing lives in a permanent way. It´s about planting seeds in barren lands and watering flowers to bloom to full glory. New curious foreigners arrive on a daily basis in China, ready to

August | 2019

21

Karrie Dietz Head of School

KARRIE DIETZ S

uccessful educational leaders are driven by a moral purpose. They are equipped with strong self-belief and possess a learning attitude. Such leaders continuously guide and support their colleagues and students for their growth and betterment. They are driven by the motive of refurbishing education and creating the champions of tomorrow.

One such exceptional and motivated change leader is Karrie Dietz, the Head of School at Stamford American School Hong Kong. After gathering more than 25 years of experience in teaching and school leadership from 5 different countries, she joined Stamford Hong Kong as a founding member of the school. Karrie received an Executive Certificate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Stanford University and a Certificate of International School Leadership from Principals’ Training Center. She completed her MA in Education from Hamline University. Karrie has also served as a Principal at Stamford

24

American International School in Singapore, where she was in charge of monitoring the growth of an elementary school division, which housed 450 to 800 students. In this role, she was instrumental in implementing digital literacy programs and managing the development of language programs, including Stamford’s Mandarin/English Bilingual Program. Right from the beginning, Karrie has been instrumental in building a caring community and strong relationship with the parents.

A Fervent Educator A dedicated and innovative leader, Karrie has gained vast experience, beyond that of her time in Singapore.

Previously, she had served as a Principal of Prem Tinsulanonda International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where she facilitated schoolwide curriculum development across four International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. This included the use of standards, benchmarks, and curriculum

A Staunch Educationist focused on Student Development and Academic Excellence

mapping software. Karrie was also the School-Wide Curriculum Coordinator and a Vice-Principal at the American International School in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Additionally, she had also offered her services as a teacher in Tashkent International School, Uzbekistan and in Minnesota, USA. Being a passionate educator, Karrie always pays attention towards collaborating with others with the objective of empowering children to reach their full potential and make a difference. She is an experienced International Baccalaureate workshop leader, who also serves on and leads the Council of International Schools accreditation team visits for schools in the Asia Pacific region. Karrie has also served as the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Backwoods Adventures Ltd, USA. Here, she coordinated and supervised week-long backing adventures in northern Minnesota and the Colorado Rocky Mountains for children ranging from 9-14 years with a focus on experiential learning.

August | 2019

A Maestro of Various Domains Karrie has attained Master of Arts in Education from Hamline University and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from St. Catherine University, both located in Minnesota. Additionally, she is an International School Leadership Certificate holder from the Principals’ Training Center in America and has also received an Executive Certificate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Stanford University. “I am absolutely delighted with the caring community we are creating at Stamford. We have a highly qualified team of faculty and staff who are committed to inspiring students and empowering them to succeed” she says.

About Stamford American School Hong Kong Established in 2017, Stamford American School Hong Kong offers quality education to students from Pre-primary to Grade 12. The school is driven by the purpose, An Inspiring World of Education: Building selfbelief and empowering individuals to succeed. By 2023, it aims to be recognized as a school with an innovative approach to nurturing children. Stamford lays emphasis on integrity, courage, innovation and compassion. It believes in care, character building, well-being, and also follows a global mindset. The school is also a reputed member of the Cognita Schools Group, a family of 70+ schools.

The Achievement Saga Under Karrie’s visionary leadership, Stamford has achieved the heights of success and prominence. Her prime focus has always been to create a caring and happy culture, wherein

August | 2019

children are inspired to achieve the best and learn throughout. She has led the school to attain student growth to 740 students during the first three years. She has also played an active part in the development of initial curriculum and programs and has played an essential role in the planning for CIS accreditation and IBDP authorization. Karrie’s dedicated leadership has assisted the school in earning Cognita’s Global CEO award for student growth results.

Inspiring the Future Leaders Karrie leads Stamford to provide authentic opportunities to the students so that they can connect with the local and global communities. Her prime motive is to make a difference in the students’ lives by empowering and inspiring them to achieve the best.

Under her leadership, the school connects with global mentors keeping in perspective the overall development of the students.

Opinions about the Education Sector

Follow your dreams and make a difference in the world

Karrie believes that the world is constantly evolving and education and technology need to stay abreast of the rapid changes in the world. “One thing has become more apparent that children are going to need transferable skills, in fact the World Economic Forum’s top skills are what would be considered ‘soft skills’ such as teamwork and collaboration etc. With the world changing rapidly I think no matter where our children live or where their journey will take them we need to prepare them with skills that allow them to face ever-changing challenges and opportunities”, she adds. While concluding, she advises the students to follow their dreams and make a difference in the world with their dedicated endeavors.

25

Lu Wenyong Founder & CEO

LU WENYONG T

he protagonist of today’s story is a business leader, entrepreneur, and a man who wants children to grow happily. We are talking about Lu Wenyong, the Founder and CEO of Kuaipeilian.

Rated as ‘Forbs 30 Under 30’, Lu was born in 1987 and attempted to begin his first company while still studying at University for his bachelor’s degree .

After graduating in 2010, he entered a group-buying company, and was eventually placed in charge of his marketing department. Though Lu has a strong passion for doing his own business, still, he choose to join Baidu, the Chinese Google, to obtain working experience in a big company. After two-year of intensive learning, he left Baidu and received an attractive offer from Rongchang Laundry, the largest chain laundry group in China, who eager to grab new business opportunities in the Internet era. Therefore, Lu joined this new business as the Co-Founder and CEO, and brought a new brand - eWash, which soon became China’s largest internet laundry business. The hardworking experience in Baidu and outstanding performance of eWash

26

brought assistance from two of the largest Chinese Internet giants, Tencent and Baidu, who liberally gave more than $120 million in funding. eWash was a great success in some way, however, Lu still had passion to do his “own business”. After leaving eWash in 2017, he developed a quality-oriented education brand called “Weilaicheng Education” with the concept to enable kids to develop happily living, offering them with a better way to have a life-long interest.

The above-given para merely summarizes the journey of Lu in becoming a world leader. Obviously, there were many hurdles in his life, which he overcame to reach where he is today. When he earned his name as a young and ambitious internet industry entrepreneur in 2017 and resigned as the CEO of eWash alongside deciding to pursue the educational sector, many misgivings and queries were raised.

Lu recalls to the past two decades when life was simple. In comparison, the Internet today has totally revamped many industries. Most benefit from such scenarios, but there will always be

Bringing Happiness to People by Positively Impacting their Lives with Business and Entrepreneur Mindset

persons and organizations failing on the other side. Hence, for Lu as an ‘outsider’, it was quite challenging as such personalities are not welcomed for traditional education industry practitioner. Another obstacle faced by Lu was not being a parent, which would give people an opportunity to judge his abilities and also lead to stereotyping by saying “LU doesn’t know about children education”. However, Lu did not keep such incidents at heart and always looked towards the positive side. As an outsider, he believed that his mind will not be limited by the old rules of this industry.

Consequently, he was able to provide new ideas and blood for the industry.

Before the first day of working as an educational company, Lu had spent remarkable efforts into studying, researching, and communicating with the teachers, professors, and practitioners.

“I’m doing this not just as a business, but for more kids to have a better education experience”.

Being a wise person, Lu also knows that earning trust and building relationship takes time and, in the end, it definitely carries a positive outcome. Under his

August | 2019

leadership, Kuaipeilian has made cooperation and received more and more endorsement from education industry KOLs. They even have fashioned a program called Kuaipeilian Music Academy (快陪练音乐课堂) where piano teachers can opt for online and offline classes. Till date, there are over 30 KOLs working with the school, with over 70,000 piano teachers studying on the platform.

Presenting the Key to Happiness According to Lu, most people born in the 80s were not able to develop their own interests from childhood. Some may have the opportunity to participate in various interest activities during college. But with China’s rapid growth, now time has changed and the current parents can provide more opportunities for their children to develop relevant interests.

Lu says that he was very passionate about art since college and had a lot of interests and hobbies to make himself happy. He comprehends that a happy person must always strive to improve his/her own quality and find his/her own point of interest and attain a steady sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. He thinks that this is the reason behind the citizens being pursuing quality education after they obtain basic test-oriented education. To conclude, Lu asserts, “I hope that students from all over the country can find their true interest which can bring long-term happiness to their life”.

About Kuaipeilian Lu cites that 30 years ago, there was a low percentage of kids learning piano.

There were two reasons behind this; first was the most common one i.e. financial issue. The second one is that learning and practicing piano is a rather lonely thing, especially for kids, who need to be accompanied and a lot of encouragement during the learning process. This situation still limits the development of piano learning till now, not only China but also worldwide. This is where Kuaipeilian comes in and imparts quality education whose core method advocates

August | 2019

happy learning and gets children to be truly interested in the piano. The school has a scientific curriculum system jointly with the psychology education experts and national well-known music education experts. These experts ensure that the children’s interests in practicing piano are scientifically and professionally aroused and guide them towards the practice of happy piano.

Kuaipeilian joins the quality-oriented education sector on the basis of bilateral activities. It currently offers skilled oneon-one online piano buddy classes for kids aged 4-16. Professional buddy educators will correct mistakes and provide interest-oriented guidance to assist pupils to finish faster piano learning after school in the piano teaching methods.

Kuaipeilian works around core values which are: fast, sincere, result-oriented, helpful to others, and all-in-all for user’s experience. The group believes that the product, efficiency, and organizing capacity are the lasting power of any business operation. Its vision is to pursue excellent teachers and service quality and become the best company in the field of quality-oriented education.

After a year of hard work, the group rapidly joined the online buddy category industry in 2018 and supplied people with high-quality online facilities.

Kuaipeilian has become a dark horse in the sector of quality education with excellent customer development and cash flow resources. Kuaipeilian announced in April that it has a $10 million Pre-A round funding on the online piano buddy class platform.

Kuaipeilian has a professional team of buddy players who are cautiously selected over the course of six robust exams. The scientific curriculum system is jointly developed by the children’s psychological education experts and the nationally renowned music education experts. The teachers have rich experiences in buddy teaching and they interact better with children and let them

enjoy and have the fun of practicing the piano with quality products and services, making piano practicing a happy activity.

Keeping Keen Eyes on Chinese Education China’s big population contributes to an enormous educational industry and wide prospective industry. At the national level, the country is prioritizing on optimizing the education methodologies and teaching contents alongside carrying out new and better education models under the digitalization era. All the elements of education are advancing and evolving in a stronger path. It is also considered that through the education industry’s top-down initiatives, institutions can provide a stronger teaching atmosphere for Chinese kids, stronger instructional assets, fairer teaching possibilities, and a stronger future.

Additionally, as a result of one-child policy over the previous centuries, families will devote as much energy as they can on education for children, which further raises the prospective educational industry. With more and more companies taking part in the competition, it has become increasingly intense.

Obviously, Lu doesn’t consider it as a bad thing and on the contrary perceives it as opportunities and challenges, which directly promote the establishment of the industry standards. Hereafter, educational institutions and educational practitioners have to have more sense of urgency and then promote the progress of the industry. He also says that those who truly have a social responsibility and capability will stand out no matter what.

Kuaipeilian in the same way, do not consider it a difficult problem as it is confident enough to understand its goals, direction, and constantly innovate, improve, conduct self-examination, and create breakthroughs. Consequently, this makes Kuaipeilian face any complications with ease and makes it a force to reckon with in the education sector.

27

in Leadership T

he term leadership has many definitions, it may also vary from one to another. However, it is a/the leader who sets the tone of an organization or a team. An organization is made up of people and wherever people are involved, emotions are bound to come to play. It won’t be fully right to claim that workplaces or organizations are all objective. Neither can we say that it is always no-emotion and only performance-packed room/space. No matter how much one wants to disagree on this fact, emotions motivates as well as demotivates an employee or a teammate. It is these emotions that govern the performance, efficiency and other work-related parameters in an employee. Leaders usually excel in the job or might have even mastered the art, but if they aren’t able to emotionally connect with their teammates or employees, the consequences would be rather far-reaching that being anticipated.

28

August | 2019

August | 2019

29

Self-Help

30

August | 2019

So, who is an emotionally intelligent leader? To begin with, let's start with the definition of emotional intelligence (EI). The ability to either understand or manage one’s own emotions and the entire employee’s or team member’s emotions can be defined as emotional intelligence. If we talk about the history of this concept, the world ‘emotional intelligence’ was coined in 1990,by researchers Peter Salovey and John Mayer.

However, it was because of the psychologist, Daniel Goleman that the word became popular. In one of his interviews with Harvard Business Review, he explains the /importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. He said that while IQ and technical skills are the essentials, and though it is an integral part in the entry-level, in the long run having emotional intelligence matters. Through the years, emotional intelligence has evolved as a musthave skill in leaders.

Important Components of EI Self-Awareness is the core of everything one does. Being self-aware helps one in understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses. However, the actual win lies in understanding own emotions and knowing what effect it has on your team’s performance. Tasha Eurich, an American author while talking about this topic, concluded that while 95 percent of people claim that they are self-aware of their surroundings and emotions, however, in reality, only 10 -15 percent of people are. Leaders often fall under the category of people who inspire others, hence the best way to bring out the best in others is by bringing out the best in self.

There is no definite pattern or method that one can use to analyze themselves and bring the best. However, there is an easy way to it, to be self-aware about your own emotion, you must complete a 360-degree feedback wherein, you can evaluate your own performance and match it with the opinion of your superiors, teammates and even subordinates. This simple process will help one gain more insights into one’s behavior and how he/she as a leader is being perceived in the workplace.

Achieving this does not happen overnight. It takes time, practice and patience. However, the first step to achieve self-awareness is by self- management. It is the ability to manage one’s emotions. This quality of controlling selfemotions and taking decisions or giving suggestions usually works best in stressful situations. Hence, a

August | 2019

successful leader builds an efficient and productive work environment by analyzing and controlling self emotions and talking appropriate decisions.

Here, let us discuss why it is sometimes difficult to have control over one’s own emotions. The reason why sometimes mentors or leaders are not emotionally intelligent or cannot manage their emotions is that they tend to react before thinking the mental state of the team members. But again, reacting to certain things is impulsive and automatic Along with managing own emotions, and controlling them, it is also important that one knows how to read the people sitting the room. This where the third component, social awareness is important. A leader or manager should be equally efficient in reading their team member’s thoughts. Few leaders who practice this component are empathetic. They try to understand their colleague’s’ perspective and feelings. Various studies have concluded that empathy is one of the most wanted skills in leaders and those who have mastered it have reportedly performed well.

This directly leads to another important component of EI, relationship management. It is the ability to coach, mentor, and influence others. While working in a group, conflicts are bound to arise due to differences in thoughts, emotional imbalance of team members, and other factors like ego and ignorance. So, a leader who has mastered all the above components can effectively address these conflicts. There is no escape from tough conversations, being a leader, you are being looked up to by many hence making the right, balanced and effective decision is your responsibility.

Patience, Practice, and Persistence Leaders in our society are looked/viewed as problem solvers, hence everyone working along with them always believes that they have a solution to all their problems and all these solutions would benefit them. Over the years, we all have read stories or even heard about such amazing leaders who have done right for everyone. Yet, what anyone must understand is that even leaders are humans and alike any other human, mistakes occur intentionally or unintentionally. However, it is important to overcome the trepidations and it does not happen overnight. It must be practiced with patience and persistence.

31

Marcel Gauthier Head of School

MARCEL GAUTHIER A Scholarly Pedagogue Focused on Attaining Educational Excellence

D

edicated educational leaders are self aware, resourceful, and hard working. They are driven by the zeal to learn, are confident, persistent, and possess the ability to inspire and lead by example. One such enthusiastic leader with the zeal to attain excellence in every activity undertaken is Marcel Gauthier, the Head of School at Shanghai American School (SAS). He believes that the primary objective of education is to provide students the knowledge and skills not only to participate in today’s world, but to thrive personally and professionally and shape it into a better place.

Marcel asserts that it is the role of every educator to impart excellent education to the students and nurture the uniqueness in them. “Every student can learn and grow, and it is our responsibility to offer an education that affirms the uniqueness of each child in our care, invites

34

them to engage challenges with courage, and expands their vision of what’s possible such that they are never content to merely settle for the staid and the mundane,” he adds.

The Educator’s Journey Marcel began his educational voyage as a teacher of literature and writing in American private schools. His rich experience of several years as a leader has allowed him to identify with those who deliver education to the students each day. He began his transition into leadership roles in the USA, serving in private schools. He took on the role of a high school principal at Spartanburg Day School in South Carolina, and then Assistant Head of School at The Waterford School in Salt Lake City, Utah.

These exposures reinforced in him several key points. Firstly, he realized that all education is local.

Says Marcel, “No matter how much we apply research and universal principals in education, we are always working in one place, with one community, at one moment in time, and we must take the time to understand the needs and biases that each community carries into the equation.” Secondly, he felt that education is never perfect—it is both art and science. “We apply science to our pedagogical practices, but we adapt with creativity and empathy to our students’ needs each day.”

Thirdly, Marcel believes that the mission of the institution matters. “It is the purpose within which we deliver an education each day that is crucial, not simply the knowledge and skills themselves.”

About Shanghai American School Established in 1912, Shanghai American School aims to deliver a rich American-style education to

August | 2019

children of foreign nationals in Shanghai. SAS’ story aligns with the growth and challenges of the city of Shanghai itself and is today the city’s most storied international school.

The institution now has two campuses – in Pudong and Puxi – and educates 2750 students annually.

It strives to balance a strong academic environment with a commitment to educational innovation and caring for the wellbeing of the students. In accordance with its Mission, SAS inspires in all students: • A lifelong passion for learning • A commitment to act with integrity and compassion • And the courage to lives their dreams

The school’s Innovation Institute at Puxi High School is a cohort of students and teachers engaged entirely in project-based learning, with each component of the curriculum driven by an inquiry project and culminating in a community presentation.

The Future Landscape Marcel feels that the environment is changing in Shanghai with more families interested in investing in an international education for their children. He believes that SAS will serve an ever-growing population of local students who will stay with the school from early childhood through

high school. “With these families, we will continue to strengthen our Chinese language program as well as our approach to English instruction. SAS will continue to balance a strong academic environment with a commitment to innovation, exploring new technologies, new pedagogies, and new partnerships here and abroad,” says Marcel. He concludes by saying, “We call ourselves a ‘community of continuous learning.’ We are restless by nature and always looking to embrace the next challenge while remaining true to our Mission.”

Upholding Educational Excellence Under the ardent leadership of Marcel, SAS offers both the IB Diploma Programme and a full array of Advanced Placement courses. It is the only school in Shanghai to offer both AP and IB for the students to choose from, based on their own interests and their aspirations. The school follows a traditional curriculum, with instruction in mathematics, literacy, world languages, history, science, technology, design, the visual and performing arts, and physical education. Marcel states, “SAS has made a commitment to bring interdisciplinary and project-based learning into every classroom at every grade. Our goal is to invite students into learning—not impose it on them—and have them see the opportunities to apply that learning and know its relevance and power.”

August | 2019

35

Christopher Chadwick, Principal

MR. CHRISTOPHER CHADWICK Molding A Tradition of Excellence

T

he story we are going to tell you today entails a Principal who is self-confident with the attitude ‘go with what you know’. He understands that the job of a Principal is often messy and unpredictable. This job can be best enclosed under the position that involves; raising standards and achievements; providing the highest quality in teaching and learning; a balanced curriculum of academics, athletics, and arts. Hence, one can say that this position carries a profoundly important responsibility.

We would like you to meet the abovedescribed personality who is well versed in his profession, Christopher Chadwick, Principal of Korean International School. Christopher has excellent management skills that allows him to take complete accountability in decision-making and to have the power to make hard choices when necessary. Further, he possesses great personal relationship skills and the capacity to be a successful negotiator. Encouraging others to do of their best, he has very

36

strong expectations of all his teachers and his students.

With Great Power comes Great Responsibility Christopher recognizes his duties and responsibilities at KIS and asserts, “I believe that I have not only one of the best, but one of the most important, jobs in the world Principal of the Korean International School Hong Kong HKSAR China”.

When he was first appointed as the Principal of KIS, he said to the Board of Governors that “I want to make our school an ‘oasis in the heart of Hong Kong’ that when you walk in you feel that this is a place where everyone cares, a happy school filled with smiles and laughter”. Christopher knows that when students are happy, then only they will learn and would come to the school. Therefore, he engages learners by following a well-structured fast paced UK curriculum, which the teachers and administrators can

monitor. This adopted curriculum is distinctive of today for the needs of tomorrow and is also tailored to the appropriate student requirements.

As Principal he understands that modern technologies will continue to offer increasingly marvelous educational opportunities to students but he believes that at the ‘heart’ of a great education will still lie the special interaction between student and teacher. As Principal, he understands that he has the authority to hire skilled, vibrant, and exemplary educators who are inspired to offer their utmost and are dedicated to enhancing the student’s teaching atmosphere.

Students should be prepared to learn long after they have left school and the initiator of this method is a challenging and interesting classroom curriculum.

This curriculum provides learners with the ability to continue studying, not only for their next stage of education but for their future. He concluded with saying, “The curriculum on its own doesn’t do anything it is the teachers

August | 2019

who make the difference it is the teachers that bring it alive. I believe all students can be successful no matter what their background or capabilities”.

About KIS Korean International School inaugurated in 1988 with the institution of Korean School, formally acknowledged and endorsed by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea to provide continuing education centered on Korean curriculum for Korean learners in HK. The school’ mission statement PAVIA states for; Mission find PASSION; foster VISION; encourage ACTION. KIS can be seen as two schools in one with each running it’s own curriculum: Korean Section follows Korean curriculum set by the Ministry of Education of Republic of Korea, with the Principal and teaching staff appointed by the Ministry; and International Section, which follows Cambridge International Programs, with internationally appointed Principal and teaching staff. Despite this duality, indeed embracing the difference, the school seeks to foster the same values in all its students and hopes to help students become happy, fulfilled adults, and contributing members of the global community.

year-olds who go to universities all over the globe while at the same moment welcoming fresh 4-year-olds who are about to embark on their learning journey through education.

These young learners beginning this academic year 2019-2020 will be the graduating class of 2033. So, what will the world be like then? How can we prepare these learners for the unknown? Christopher and KIS do not have the answers to these questions, but they will make sure that they teach them to be; cooperative, curious, critical thinkers, creative problemsolvers as well as good global citizens.

The students’ demands are what drives KIS, motivating them to do better. KIS is not just creating excellent scholars, but also creating good people to prepare today’s learners for tomorrow’s world.

The Road Ahead “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world” -Nelson Mandela With this quote, Christopher will lead KIS to create an ‘oasis in the heart of HK’, which could become a school of choice where they can shape the next generation.

KIS believes in shaping the next generation and is proud of its students’ accomplishments. It also feels pride on being willing to assist, nurture, and encourage learners. So, students make progress in many areas, be it academic, sporting, the arts are all crucial to the development to make a valid contribution as global citizens.

A Remarkable Vision Every year KIS say goodbye to 18-

August | 2019

37

Ms. Julie Lawton Head of School

MS. JULIE LAWTON Transforming Learning in China Through Innovation and Compassion

A

zealous leader who is working compassionately to bring in empowerment and inspiration to the educational society of China is Ms. Julie Lawton. Today, she is the Head of the School at Beijing City International School (BCIS).

BCIS admits students from China as it is a Chinese founded school with deep Chinese roots, and that reflects the best of the western and Chinese philosophies in the school. “It is important that all of our students, wherever they are from, learn about the world and importantly, learn about China – the history, the culture, the language, and the values. We believe that in this way, our students are truly able to live and learn without boundaries. They are truly ‘citizens of the world’, says Julie.

About an Intriguing Journey Julie’s career started in the UK when she qualified as a teacher and taught first in a local primary school, teaching 36 Grade 2 students. This was a

40

challenging start to her career which she always recollects. She always knew that she wanted to live overseas having studied German and Spanish at university and experienced some short periods abroad. Julie first traveled to Kuwait and taught Grade 3 for two years. She has worked at only two schools during the 23 years she has been in Beijing.

receive the ‘Great Wall Friendship Award’ which is awarded to foreigners who have made a significant contribution to China. “This was not an award simply for me as an individual, but an award for the outstanding contribution to Beijing and China that BCIS has made”, asserts Julie proudly.

At the first school, Julie taught Grades 3, 4, and 5 Homeroom, G1-5 ELL, was the PYP Coordinator, and the ES Principal. She then joined an exciting upcoming school in Beijing which was the BCIS. She joined as the founding ES Principal and held the role for the next thirteen years, along with being the interim Head of School on two occasions and the Deputy Head of School for several years. Starting from the school year, Julie proudly became the Head of School at BCIS and felt privileged to work at a school with such a strong community and academic reputation.

Julie believes that the major challenge in her career had also bought a major opportunity for her. Being a part of building a school community from the very beginning felt like a huge, and sometimes a daunting task. “However, when I look back 14 years later, I can see how it has been a fabulous journey of hard work, sharing, learning, reflecting, setting high standards, and reaching our goals.” Today, the challenge for her is to continue to improve by reflecting and listening to advice particularly from outside, such as with the regular accreditation cycles as it is extremely important to continue this process of reflection and improvement forever.

In March 2014, Julie was honoured to

Made her Way through Challenges

August | 2019

Staying Motivated Julie considers herself very fortunate to be a part of a nurturing, compassionate, and ambitious community such as BCIS which helps her to stay driven.

At BCIS, the core values include inspiration, challenge, empowerment, and compassion where she deeply experiences this on a daily basis within the community that includes students, staff, faculty, parents, and partners. She has a “can-do” attitude and believes that the students will take this attitude with them as they continue their contribution to their world. “ The key for our students is that they know they can be anything they want to be. If they live our BCIS mission, then we believe this is a true definition of success, and they will be excellent contributors to the world,” Julie says.

Baccalaureate Organization. BCIS is also accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

The program is implemented by the experienced faculty consisting of teachers from 20 different countries.

BCIS is licensed to offer a rigorous and respected international curriculum to both foreign and Chinese students.

Until now, BCIS alumni have been accepted into more than 260 universities around the world.

Words of Wisdom Julie says, “I would encourage students to follow their hearts and heads. It is necessary for them to feel inspired by

their learning and to understand themselves well. They want to make their parents proud, of course, and can do this in so many ways. However, they must also follow their own path to be a happy, contributing citizen of the world.”

She further adds, “Looking at BCIS’s mission, I would encourage anyone, whether at BCIS or elsewhere, to consider the importance of caring, compassion, empowerment, and inspiration, as well as think about how each and every one of us has a responsibility towards our world and its sustainability. If we can all do this and take the necessary action along with saying the words, then the present and the future will both be in safe hands.”

About BCIS The BCIS mission is to challenge and empower students to be compassionate and inspired people, who act for the good of all and for the sustainable development of the world.

BCIS is a non-profit private school.

With the approval of the Education Committee of Chaoyang District, Beijing, BCIS acts as a pilot school offering educational reform and innovation through international educational practices that incorporate 15 grades of schooling, from preschool to Grade 12. Learning is based on implementing the Chinese national curriculum by adapting both progressive Chinese and foreign educational philosophies, teaching pedagogies, management, and modern educational strategies. The school curriculum consists of Early Childhood, Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme, all accredited and authorized by the International

August | 2019

41

Richard Bruford Head of School

RICHARD BRUFORD Advocating Comprehensive Education, Building Future Intellectuals “We should be encouraging students to pursue their ambitions, developing the confidence to take on new challenges and ensure that they make a positive contribution to the world.”

T

he current landscape of education, with the evident and extensive inclusion of technology, is on a path to reformation.

This path demands from its travellers to be au fait with everything that’s required to leverage all the opportunities offered.

To be at the peak of this educational reformation, one is required to ceaselessly dedicate a major part of his/her life in uplifting and retaining the value of education. In this endeavor, one has to understand the gravity of the role wherein one would be titled as an educational leader. Pertaining to this, a prolific educator holds a pivotal position in students’ life and journey towards academic excellence.

42

With the motto of bringing into spotlight such eminent personalities who are on an endless strife to deliver quality education and subsequently attain educational zeniths, we at The Knowledge Review, bring to you the journey of an ardent educational leader, Richard Bruford, the Head of School at Suzhou Singapore International School.

prestigious private schools in Sydney and Adelaide. It was in Sydney where I was given the opportunity to work at one of Australia’s oldest International Baccalaureate (IB) schools and my passion for the IB mission and philosophy in making the world a better place through education, has continued to grow through having the privilege to work in IB schools for over 20 years.”

This is Richard’s story, in his own words.

“Working at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide, I was fortunate to be encouraged to study for a Masters’ Degree in Education Leadership and share my practice through writing articles for educational journals and presenting at workshops and conferences across Australia.”

“I originally started my education career in the UK as a Geography teacher. The first three years I had as a teacher, was a very positive experience and prepared me for challenges that would lie ahead in my career. Being part of a large department, I was able to see the importance of effective collaboration between teachers and their influence on student learning along with purposeful leadership that focused on developing strong relationships between leaders, teachers and students.”

“Moving to Australia, I worked at two

“I had considered working in international schools around the world for some time, though finding the right time to make the move had proven difficult. To be honest, I had never considered China as a country to work in but in exploring career opportunities I ended up choosing Suzhou over Beijing to further my career as Assistant Principal at SSIS, which has

August | 2019

since progressed to becoming Head of School in my eight years at the school.

Working internationally in China has been rewarding for me both professionally and personally, meanwhile working with students and parents from over 50 different countries and gaining an appreciation of Chinese culture and progress.”

A Benchmark in Itself “SSIS is an international school of nearly 1200 students and offers the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. The school is also successfully accredited by the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. SSIS is viewed by many as a model IB school in China and the Asia-Pacific region for its approach to teaching and learning.”

“Significant hallmarks of SSIS include its attention to student wellbeing and holistic education, being an inclusive school that achieves outstanding academic results, providing excellent professional learning programme for teachers and fostering an international community that embraces compassionate interaction. We very much see ourselves as Suzhou’s International School.”

Redefining Educational Leadership “Educational leaders have a responsibility to work with teachers by engaging, challenging and furthering their own learning, so that students directly benefit as a result. SSIS is well known for the professional learning that it provides for teachers and the part it plays in fostering professional networks.”

“SSIS has played an instrumental role in enabling teachers from different international schools in Jiangsu, Shanghai and China to come together to share their experience and expertise

August | 2019

with the sole intention of improving education for our students.”

“During my time at SSIS, I have become a Lead Educator for the International Baccalaureate Educator Network making a significant contribution to the growth of international education in the AsiaPacific region through delivering workshops for school leaders and teachers.

“I believe that educators have a responsibility to share and learn from each other not just in our own schools but between schools. In leading evaluation visits to other IB schools in the region, I am fortunate to be able to see examples of good practice that I am able to bring back and share with the SSIS learning community. In leading workshops and presenting at conferences, I hope to inspire others in embracing and overcoming the challenges we are faced with, in education.”

Acknowledging and Overcoming Challenges “The biggest challenge we have in schools today is that there is so much to do yet so little time. We need to tackle this in two ways. Firstly, we need to be as productive with our time as possible being both efficient and effective in our practices. Secondly, we need to work out what works best educationally for the students in our own schools’ context. No school is the same, each one has different needs and therefore a ’one size fits all approach’ to student learning must be avoided at all costs.”

“Good leaders are able to get their teachers to agree on what the priorities are and work collaboratively to implement the changes necessary to see improvements in student outcomes.

One challenge all schools need to embrace is the development of critical thinking and the ability to develop their

own opinions whilst being mindful of the difference between fact and fiction.

We should be encouraging students to pursue their ambitions, developing the confidence to take on new challenges and ensure that they make a positive contribution to the world.”

Personifying Persistence “To remain motivated in a profession that can exhaust the best of us, I enjoy professional conversation with teachers in listening to their ideas for improving our support of student wellbeing and the provision of new learning opportunities.”

“Connecting with students both in and out of the classroom, whether it be coaching a sports team, teaching a class, mentoring a student, or simply a corridor conversation, grounds me in our purpose as educators and gives me the energy to do the very best I can to encourage students to be the best they can be and strive to be responsible global citizens who are actively engaged with their community.”

“We should be encouraging students to pursue their ambitions, developing the confidence to take on new challenges and ensure that they make a positive contribution to the world in which they live.”

Bequeathing the Keys to Excellence “I am often asked about what message I’d give to school leaders, teachers and students. I remind school leaders to make sure that they under-promise and over-deliver to build trust and respect in their school community. I tell teachers to model the qualities that they wish our students to develop, and that lifelong learning needs to be modeled not just taught. For our students I remind them of a quote by Dwight Moody which states, if they look after their character, their reputation will take care of itself.”

43