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PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Thursday, 1 May 2025
Five Important Lessons I Learned as a First-Time Middle Leader


Five Important Lessons I Learned as a First-Time Middle Leader
By Sara Refai
Mar 2025
As I reflect on my journey in middle leadership so far, I’ve identified five key lessons that have stood out and will remain in my toolbox..

Practical Strategies for Supporting Neurodiverse Learners


Practical Strategies for Supporting Neurodiverse Learners
By Dr. Bob Cantwell
Mar 2025
The SISA Learning Support event brought educators together to discuss strategies for creating inclusive learning environments...


+ 2025
By Danielle van Zijl
26-Feb-25
Shifting from traditional, one-size-fits-all professional development to a more personalized, reflective approach can empower educators... ..more
By Leticia Daza
29-Jan-25
The impact of investing in teachers goes far beyond the classroom—it shapes the future of our students and the communities they will lead… ..more
By Elizabeth Imende and Dr. Graham Carlini Watts
15-Jan-25
Together, we’re creating a space where everyone can come together, learn, and be part of something greater… ..more
+ 2024
By Dr. Christine Orkisz Lang
25-Sep-24
Leveraging the ZPD can elevate professional development, fostering a balance of challenge and support that leads to meaningful and sustainable growth… ..more
By Craig Randall
05-Jun-24
A case for transforming the teacher evaluation process… ..more
By Austin Farwell
13-Mar-24
To foster a culture of collaboration, schools can implement a framework that prioritizes communication, shared goals, and interdisciplinary initiatives… ..more
By Tina Fossgreen
14-Feb-24
This approach benefits teachers but also positively impacts students, underscoring the importance of teacher agency in shaping the future of education… ..more
By Art Charles
20-Nov-24
The International Teacher Exchange Consortium creates professional development opportunities by facilitating an educator exchange between schools… ..more
By Dr. Michael W. Adams
23-Oct-24
Exploring the power of purpose in education and the path forward for schools in Latin America… ..more
By Kim Cofino
09-Oct-24
We want to build a culture of coaching where educators choose to opt in to coaching experiences because it is seen as valuable, purposeful, and relevant… ..more
By John Mikton and Dan Taylor
09-Oct-24
Exploring TIE's rich history, its mission, and how it connects to international schools and educators... ..more
By Geoff Richman
27-Mar-24
International school athletic coaches in Europe came together to learn and grow from one another… ..more
+ 2023
By John Mikton
10-May-23
As AI becomes an integral part of our daily lives and its impact on education becomes more significant, we must stay up to date with resources and support... ..more
By Sue Easton
11-Oct-23
In the ever-evolving landscape of international education, the pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning is a fundamental goal... ..more
By Sue Easton
13-Sep-23
The successful 2023 June-July Institutes underscore the pivotal role PTC plays in shaping the leaders of tomorrow's international education landscape… ..more
+ 2022
By Nalini Cook
13-Jul-22
At the ISC Research Edruptors@School conference, discussion panels addressed the transformation of today’s international schools through a leadership lens... ..more
By Piotr Olczak
30-Mar-22
For data to be useful they should be collected and collated systematically and for a clearly identified purpose. The right data collection method can mean the difference between useful insights and time-wasting misdirection. ..more
By Jennifer Abrams
02-Feb-22
Our ability to collaborate and our willingness to engage respectfully with one another matters for the health of the school and the collective well-being of all within it. ..more
+ 2021
By Dr. Kristen MacConnell
15-Sep-21
As educators look forward to a new school year filled with many unknowns, learning continues to be at the heart of all conversations. ..more
By John Mikton and Dan Taylor
15-Sep-21
Kristen shares her experience pivoting the TTC courses to an online format. The learnings, opportunities, and pinch points of moving hundreds of educators to this new venue and approach. ..more
By Margaret Park
01-Sep-21
Seoul of a Leader is committed to leadership development and equipping others to become stronger leaders who would make positive change in their spaces. ..more
By Sherri Spelic
01-Sep-21
“What’s the preparation [we] need?” is the question too rarely posed before school communities make a visible push for equity. ..more
By Nancy Fairburn
01-Sep-21
When a problem presents itself, and it seems to be an ongoing problem, go upstream to consider what’s the bigger issue up there. ..more
Anne Keeling
04-Aug-21
What skillsets are essential to today’s international school teachers? These and many more questions were addressed at the Edruptors Conference which was hosted online by ISC Research in July. ..more
By Anuradha Monga
04-Aug-21
In this year’s retreat, CAMP and TAISI introduced mediation as an approach to resolving disputes. This was aimed to be part of a larger effort to steer international schools towards mediation. ..more
By Emily Meadows & Tamara Friedman
22-Jun-21
White international school educators are collaborating to cultivate antiracism accountability in our schools. We can only achieve racial equity and justice if we relentlessly hold one another accountable for collectively transferring our learning and commitments into action. ..more
By Marina Gijzen
08-Jun-21
At Lincoln Community School, elementary school teachers and leaders learned from their emergency online experience that there might be a more effective way to provide a student-centered approach to online learning. ..more
By Alistair Goold
25-May-21
In his Action Research Project, Alistair Goold examined the role that restorative justice practices can play for international families in transition, using his own family as a case study as they moved during the Covid-19 pandemic and faced a perfect storm of challenges. ..more
By Heather Cronk and Ben Fishman
13-Apr-21
In the interest of advocating for the rights for all children, supporting at-risk children, and sharing best practices for child protection, Heather Cronk led the effort to create a Child Protection Advocacy Network in Kenya. She shares the story to encourage others on this path. ..more
By Kristin Simmers
13-Apr-21
While today’s unprecedented levels of educational challenge may merit equally unprecedented levels of teacher support, it can be hard to know where to begin, or even who to trust. Educators need to critically evaluate educational claims and pedagogy. Here's a way forward. ..more
By Dr Karen L. Taylor
03-Mar-21
Thinking routines are pedagogical tools that promote the development of critical thinking skills. This doesn’t happen by accident. Classroom teachers work hard to create an environment in which such powerful learning experiences take place. ..more
By Will Richardson & Homa Tavangar
16-Feb-21
In their free ebook, BIG Questions Institute co-founders Will Richardson and Homa Tavangar offer practical steps to reflect on who we are now as individuals and institutions and to begin a process of reinvention to ensure our students can thrive in an increasingly uncertain future. ..more
By Adelina Holmes
03-Mar-21
Initially when leading trainings, Adelina Holmes was giving fast lectures and expecting participants to absorb the information she was "gifting" to them—a common mistake. Everything shifted when she started designing her workshops in the same way she planned a class. ..more
By Bambi Betts
27-Apr-21
Professional standards are a key to boosting the quality of teaching. We rely on these standards to define the essence of the work of the profession and to ensure integrity, keeping us grounded in the best of what research can offer. So how do we leverage them fully? ..more
By ACS Press Office
02-Feb-21
Open to all interested in building a better, more sustainable future, "The world needs global citizens" will be hosted by ACS International School Hillingdon on Tuesday 9 February and will feature a number of speakers who will share perspectives on the global challenges before us. ..more
By Ben Fishman and Josh Lange
19-Jan-21
Concordia International School Shanghai has forged a partnership that allows international school students and staff to work together with local Chinese in community development efforts, mainly through education and health projects in rural parts of the country ..more
By Anne Keeling, ISC Research
19-Jan-21
The International School Awards 2021 were live streamed Monday, 18 January to schools around the world. The International School of the Year 2021 was awarded to Branksome Hall Asia, South Korea. ..more
By Mick Amundson-Geisel
06-Jan-21
The Myanmar International School Counselors Association (MISCA) has allowed its members to stay connected professionally and offer mutual support. But it has also empowered students to pursue their personal and educational goals. ..more
+ 2020
By Dr. Joan Schumann
08-Dec-20
While many schools have recognized a Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) as a model of choice, collective understanding and further professional learning is required for effective implementation. The International MTSS Summit (IMS) aims to build school capacity. ..more
By Sherri Spelic
23-Dec-20
Drawing on observations from a vibrant life of learning through reading, writing, listening, and dialoging, Sherri Spelic asks us to rethink the world we are building for ourselves and our children in schools, in our communities, and in our societies. ..more
By Emily Meadows & Daniel Wickner
08-Dec-20
In an effort to improve antiracist practice, Emily Meadows and Daniel Wickner discuss intent in relation to impact and share a series of infographics that cover topics such as cultural appropriation, color blindness, microaggressions, white privilege, and more. ..more
By Graham Watts
08-Dec-20
With the rapid shift to online professional learning, the international school community experienced a plethora of new opportunities to innovate, engage, and learn at the annual conference of the Association of International Schools in Africa. ..more
By Michael Griffin
25-Nov-20
“Will this be fun?” students often want to know. Too much focus on instant gratification can be problematic for children’s development. Fun and enjoyment are not the same. Effortful experiences such as writing result in enjoyment while building self-esteem and self-growth. ..more
By Tory Potter, Eric Semler, Dawn De Koker, and Ben Fishman
25-Nov-20
Having a strong, positive partnership between school administrators and counselors is critical in supporting student success. Concordia International School Shanghai has taken intentional steps to strengthen this partnership and shares the key elements of its model here. ..more
By Scott B. Freiberger
11-Nov-20
This in-depth article provides six steps for instructional success at a time when fine-tuning online and blended learning environments is becoming paramount in international school settings. ..more
By Jon Nordmeyer, TIE columnist
24-Oct-20
Two things worth rethinking in international schools are how we refer to multilingual learners and how we serve them. Terminology matters, and how we refer to students and programs can impact both identity and learning. ..more
By Matt Harris
24-Oct-20
Protecting children is of paramount concern to all international schools worldwide. Hundreds of educators have given their time to initiatives that have resulted in standards of practice that are now widely applied. But training all members of a school community in this area is a complex proposition. ..more
By Eric Semler
14-Oct-20
What can you learn about leadership and leading during a crisis from the mud and mayhem of a reality show featuring incredibly dangerous roads? A lot, it turns out, if you've ever felt that leading a school can be a treacherous endeavor. ..more
By Adam Bradford
30-Sep-20
Students struggle to work independently on developing lab ideas and carrying them out. @Home Experiments are designed to complement the IB biology curriculum by giving them memorable, safe, practical experiments to try at home. ..more
By Anne Keeling, ISC Research
03-Sep-20
Technology played a vital role in supporting the continuation of student learning in schools during covid-19, according to a new report by ISC Research, focused on understanding the use of technology during campus closures and its impact on international schools. ..more
By Alysa Perreras
04-Jun-20
As educators, if we seek to be true accomplices in the work of dismantling injustice, our commitment must be intentional, urgent, and unapologetic. In the case of dismantling antiblackness within our schools, curriculums and classrooms, there is no time to waste. ..more
By Nicholas McKie
22-May-20
Teachers with less international experience and expertise are being chosen over their fully qualified international counterparts who teach in international settings on the basis that they have studied in the UK so will have QTS. Time for a rethink. ..more
The TEACH-NOW Graduate School of Education announced today the appointment of Dr. Kevin J Ruth as the Vice President of Strategy. Dr. Ruth is an expert in international education and is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS) ..more
By Robert van der Eyken
08-Apr-20
In this reflective piece, Robert van der Eyken invites the international education community to engage in more critical self-examination about how much our words for sustainability align with our actions. His message takes on new meaning in light of the global health crisis. ..more
By Adam Carter
08-Apr-20
Why do we lock students out of educational conferences when it’s their education we are discussing and planning behind closed doors? Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) and OWN Academy recently set out to create a new model that includes students in the conversation. ..more
By Meadow Dibble, TIE Editor
26-Mar-20
TIE Editor Meadow Dibble interviews Edward E. Greene, Executive Director of the East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS), who describes the impact of the coronavirus on international school communities throughout his region. ..more
By Forrest Broman
05-Mar-20
The founder of TIE and Director of Children of Haiti and Refugee Projects (COHRP) shares 14 lessons learned during his many years as a school head in at Walworth Barbour American International School in Israel and Escuela Campo Alegre in Venezuela. ..more
By Brittany Betts, TIE CEO
05-Feb-20
Rhythmic drumming and singing filled the halls of the Cape Town Convention Center on 21 November 2019 as more than 500 attendees flooded into the opening session to kick off the 50th anniversary conference of the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA). ..more
+ 2019
By Andrew Ranson
13-Nov-19
International schools everywhere are seeking ways to help their students live the core values of the mission statements that define school communities. Five years ago, in our work as coaches of the high school girls’ volleyball team, my colleague and I began an experiment. ..more
By Michael Griffin
17-Oct-19
Consistently, the quality of teaching is recognized as the most important factor in elevating student achievement. So what makes an effective teacher? What exactly is it that sets good teachers apart? ..more
By Carlos Minuesa Moya
22-May-19
American School of Valencia hosted a professional conference for marketing and communications coordinators in international education on May 4 and 5, 2019. The conference took place in Valencia with seven international schools attending. ..more
By Ngozi Max-Macarthy
10-May-19
The Educators’ Network was created seven years ago by a core group of Ghanaian teachers at Lincoln Community School with the goal of helping to improve student achievement by sharing their knowledge of international teaching best practices with their peers at local schools in Ghana. ..more
By Lindsey Kundel
15-Mar-19
Close to 9 percent of full-time TAS faculty have obtained a doctoral degree, defined by HR as either a PhD, JD, or EdD. This number will go up significantly in the next two academic years. A record number of full-time faculty are currently pursuing doctoral degrees in their spare time. ..more
By Kevin Bartlett
06-Feb-19
In 40 years of school leadership, I’ve learned a lot from reading the work of smart thinkers like Michael Fullan. He’d suggest that it is not so much that we run out of time, but more that we run out of energy. Schools have energy cycles. ..more
By Anne Keeling
06-Feb-19
“Pathways From English-medium International Schools to University” is a new, free report published by ISC Research that shares information about the university choices being made by students at the world’s international schools. ..more
By Xianxuan Xu
18-Jan-19
A solid body of empirical research documents that support and mentoring by veteran teachers has a positive effect on beginning teachers’ quality of instruction, job satisfaction, commitment, retention, and capacity to improve their students’ academic achievement. ..more
By Eyob Workineh
03-Jan-19
ICS Addis hosted a three-day PLC at Work Institute in October. The focus of the experience was building a learning culture in international schools through the strands of school culture, assessment, response to intervention, and personalized learning. ..more
By Deidre Fischer
03-Jan-19
I have learned from the mistakes I’ve made over the course of my own journey toward head of school, and I continue to learn even as I coach and mentor aspiring leaders as well as established heads. Here, I’ve summarized five key lessons learned along the way. ..more
By Mike Johnson
14-Feb-19
In the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas massacre, schools should consider both appropriate security hardware and technology solutions and commit to the important work of emergency planning management. ..more
By Brigitte Deussen
01-Feb-19
Bavarian International School recently held its third “BeInSp!red Innovation Summit.” Experts from innovation consulting, science, technology and design, together with 240 BIS students, developed ideas on the subject “Design your ideal school of the future!” using the creativity technique known as “Design Thinking.” ..more
By Freddie Oomkens
18-Jan-19
To increase the amount of highly skilled teachers around the world, the University of the People (UoPeople) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) have launched a tuition-free, online Master’s of Education (M.Ed.) program. ..more
Bambi Betts
06-Aug-19
It’s a firmly established fact. The single most influential factor on learning is the quality of teaching. And this begs the questions, what IS ‘quality teaching’, and what tools do we have to ensure every child in every international school gets access to quality teaching? ..more
+ 2018
By Meadow Hilley, TIE Editor
06-Dec-18
From 25–27 October, 2018, over 1,000 international educators gathered at the Shangri-La hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to attend the 50th-annual EARCOS Leadership Conference 2018, hosted by the East Asia Regional Council of Schools. ..more
By Ettie Zilber
28-Nov-18
Host-country staff is sometimes overlooked in planning orientation programs. HCS all play vital roles in the school and need training and orientation in order to make sense of their interactions with foreigners within the community. ..more
By Brandon Fisher
23-May-18
In the episode of Concordia International School Shanghai’s EdTech podcast, “Are You Ready to Be Amazed?” the EdTech team shares tips and resources teachers can use to help their students evaluate and interpret online news in order to best determine what information to trust. ..more
By Matt Harris
23-May-18
Technology tools differ in every school and the needs of students vary based on age and curriculum. There is no clear bifurcation between those who are and are not tech-savvy teachers. Instead, tech-savvy teaching encompasses a spectrum of skills across a range of categories. ..more
By Sally Richmond and Ming Jin
23-May-18
At Beijing City International School, we believe that we are all lifelong learners and can always learn, grow, and improve in our profession. Concretely, how can we maintain ongoing learning opportunities for teachers and teaching assistants that are conveniently offered onsite and that are both accessible and cost effective? Here are some of the ideas we've come up with to date. ..more
By Denry Machin
13-May-18
School leaders—international school leaders especially—must balance the aims of educational and financial effectiveness. How does the born and bred educationalist cope in such an environment? ..more
By Dick Moore
28-Nov-18
International Schools Services (ISS) and Lumo Education Ltd. (Lumo) signed a formal collaboration agreement to co-develop new schools on behalf of clients, using a blended Finnish-American model within an international framework to serve the K–12 community. ..more
By Leila Holmyard
11-Aug-18
Leila Holmyard considers Michael J. Thompson's A Guide to Establishing and Maintaining Quality International Schools the ideal summer read for school owners, board members, and educators new to the international school community. ..more
By Kristin Heglund and Kelley McKenna
11-Aug-18
Instructional coaching is a practice that is gaining popularity in schools all over the world, based on research into the most successful models for continuous adult professional development. "“No matter how well-trained people are," says Atul Gawande, "few can sustain their best performance on their own." ..more
By Tiffani Razavi, TIE Staff Writer
13-Apr-18
Collaborative problem solving, as assessed by PISA in 2015, is indicated by “the ability to maintain an awareness of group dynamics, ensure team members act in accordance with their agreed roles, and resolve disagreements and conflicts while identifying efficient pathways and monitoring progress towards a solution.” ..more
By Margriet Ruurs
28-Jul-18
Margriet Ruurs is a Canadian author who conducts visits to international schools. She has been sharing her reviews with TIE's readers for the past three years. Here are Margriet's summer picks. ..more
By Mike Simpson
04-Apr-18
“Sport is, to use the jargon of economics, a zero-sum game: if I win, you, by definition, lose.” But education operates on a different model altogether. It is a game where everyone can win simultaneously. ..more
By Freddie Oomkens
14-Oct-18
To increase the amount of highly skilled teachers across the world, the University of the People (UoPeople) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) have launched a tuition-free, online Master’s of Education (M.Ed.) programme. ..more
By John Mikton
20-Jun-18
For European international schools, due to the implementation of a new law called the General Data Protection Regulation, the personal data of all faculty members, parents, and students will need to be organized and protected in accordance with the new rules laid down by the GDPR. ..more
By Mike Simpson
07-Jun-18
Resilience, along with perseverance, diligence, self-discipline, positivity, and a love for learning, is a success skill that we are working hard at our school to develop in all of our children. I believe that the development of all of these success skills are dependent upon a child’s sense of capacity—the belief that they are capable of achievement. ..more
By Joy Jameson
13-Jan-18
With the frequent turnover in teaching and administrative staff at international schools, it is not uncommon to find situations lacking in organization and effectiveness. In an effort to bring things under control, administrators sometimes establish a micro-management system. ..more
By Geoff Richman
02-May-18
Two learning support teachers from The International School of Amsterdam (ISA) presented “The Differentiation Station,” a reclaimed bookshelfish piece of furniture with six compartments, each containing a specific tool students might use to find success in their classrooms. ..more
By Bonnie Billak
03-Jan-18
Three of the most common challenges among ESL programs worldwide are space, scheduling, and staffing. Let’s take a closer look at the characteristics of each challenge and explore some possible ways to approach its resolution. ..more
By Eddie Levisman
03-Jan-18
Every time I move to a new school—which, admittedly, seems to feel more often as you grow older—I face the early October dread: a new IB coordinator telling me that “at our school we have a policy of non-disclosure; please do not share the predicted grades with the students, thank you very much.” Rationale? None. ..more
By Chris Clark
19-Apr-18
Western Academy of Beijing’s (WAB) annual Global Issues Conference (GIC) aims to explore and raise awareness about challenges of our time. But this year was different. The focus was on inspiring action to make a difference in the world. ..more
By Anne Keeling
13-Apr-18
A report published by ISC Research shows the opportunities that English-medium international schools provide as a route to higher education. The study queried over 300 college counselors around the world to identify the higher education destination choices of Grade 12 international school students and what influenced their selection. ..more
By George Couros
11-Aug-18
In my opinion, the principal is probably the most important job in an educational organization. Though the following questions were developed for superintendents to ask principals, they are questions any educator, parent, or even student should be able to openly ask their principal. ..more
By Brett Snipes and Christine Xu
23-Mar-18
For the seventh year in row, YCIS Beijing was selected to host local teachers at our Honglingjin Park campus to observe classroom lessons and learn more about the unique learning communities and bilingual co-teaching model on offer for students. ..more
By Sara Griffith
11-Jul-18
A few months back, more than 140 educators representing 25 schools in northern Italy gathered at the American School of Milan to share teaching philosophies, stories, inspirations, and techniques. This unique PD conference is called MITA, the Milan International Teachers Association. ..more
By Anita Brady
20-Jun-18
For the second year in a row, Mont’Kiara International School liaised with Hils Learning to bring a world-renowned expert to M’KIS. This year, the honored guest was Professor Tony Attwood, who shared his expertise on Asperger’s Syndrome. ..more
By Chloe McMath
08-Mar-18
Over 1,300 delegates convened in Jordan on 3 and 4 March 2018, for the fourth annual Teacher Skills Forum to hear renowned international education experts discuss key trends in education under the theme of Growth beyond Grades. ..more






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