Leadership and Team Dynamics second summer session participants. (Photo source: Principals' Training Center)
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Over 700 participants, from 346 international schools, and 97 countries joined us for the 33rd summer of the Principals' Training Center’s (PTC) summer institute. It was a summer true to our mission, offering practicing and aspiring principals, teachers, teacher leaders and counselors from international schools worldwide the chance to gather, either virtually or in-person in Rome, Italy for research-driven, practical training. After two summers of limited virtual offerings, it was a joyous homecoming for returning PTCers and a warm welcome to the new members of our community. This summer we celebrated over 100 onsite PTC graduates, in addition to our Teacher Leader Institutes (TLI), Counselors Training Center (CTC), and English as an Additional Language (EAL) graduates throughout the year. The PTC approach of intense, focused in-person learning, and relaxed, job-embedded virtual learning continues to elevate international education.
Just like the international schools that we serve, PTC has reimagined learning since the pandemic. We have been better able to meet the learning preferences of our participants by offering virtual versions, both asynchronous and synchronous, of our courses, without losing the core learnings that have been foundational for so many of the international leaders in our schools today. Participants were as happy as we were to return to learning together, in both forms. One of our in-person participants in Rome wrote, “This course was like a sip of cool water in the desert of online learning as an educator and leader I have been strolling for the last two years. Well done!” An online participant said, “I feel professionally nourished, challenged, and empowered to enter into the next academic year with tangible ways of engaging in continual improvement for our learners.” It is with great pleasure that we have increased the ways for the international community to access the PTC curriculum and network.
As always, we have looked to address the current and future needs of our community, adding a CTC course on Wellbeing and Mental Health, and a greater focus on social justice, equity, and wellbeing within all of our courses. With the latest research and the highest calibre international educators as facilitators, the PTC continues to shine. We look forward to 2023 and enhancing our offerings even further!
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Sue Easton rejoined the PTC as director of Programs on September 1, 2022. She has recently completed her position as assistant head of wellbeing, service and global learning at Ridley College in Canada, an independent school with students from 61 countries. She was previously the director of the Teacher Training Center, and a long time PTC trainer. Sue spent 13 years working with international schools, including roles in Spain, Malaysia, and Brazil as a pedagogical leader, after a career in Canada as a teacher, administrator, and system-wide learning coordinator. She has a master’s in International Education Administration, Principals’ Qualifications from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, and certificates in Applied Positive Psychology, Positive Education, and Adult Education. She has a passion for learning, and a belief that positive leadership and school cultures focused on wellbeing are vital for student flourishing.
