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Session 4_ Developing your learning community .pptx

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Session 1 - 8:00am to 10:00am

Break - 10:00am to 10:15am

Session 2 - 10:15am to 12:15pm

Lunch - 12:15pm-1:15pm

Session 3 - 1:15pm-3:15pm

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Session 4 - 7:45am to 9:45am

Break - 9:45am to 10:00am

Session 5 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Lunch - 12:00pm-1:00pm

Session 6 - 1:00pm-3:00pm

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Session 7 - 7:45am to 9:45am

Break - 9:45am to 10:00am

Session 8 - 10:00am to 11:00am

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How might teachers, leaders and students co-create a learning community of risk-taking, open-mindedness and ongoing reflection in order to promote well-being, meaningful action-taking and collaborative relationships?

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The learning community recognizes that education is a social endeavour benefiting all its members individually and collectively. Discover how agency, action and international mindedness impact the learning and school environments.

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This workshop provides tools to help develop an inclusive learning community that celebrates diversity and empowers all members to engage in cycles of inquiry, action and reflection that lead to deeper understandings and a lifetime of learning.

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Hi, I am Jen. I am a Kindergarten teacher at Fraser Valley School. I am interested in learning about ways to authentically introduce and support student action in PYP.

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Session 6_ Developing your learning community .pptx

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Session 2_ Developing your learning community .pptx

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Five skills to develop international-mindedness

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Five skills to develop international-mindedness

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Proudly telling the world about our philosophy in our 50th anniversary year
"A school's effectiveness requires the development of international-mindedness"
Oscar Leyva is Principal of UPAEP Huamantla in Mexico who offer the IB Career-related Programme (CP) and a member of the IB Educator Network (IBEN). His greatest satisfaction is being able to interact with students and teachers every day and share with them his firm belief that it is possible to change the world through education.

When information on all topics explored by humanity to date is contained in the cloud, and in the palms of our students, we must ask ourselves about the role of schools and teachers, their relevance and effectiveness. Anyone who believes that schools and teachers will survive in the next decade by simply repeating the formulas that proved useful 20 years ago will have to re-evaluate their position. It is not enough to organize multinational fairs replete with flags and traditional dishes, or to promote the learning of multiple languages, nor is it enough to appreciate different styles of music and dress. To some extent, all of that merely exists on the periphery of the true development of international-mindedness, which has much more to do with the ability to listen to learn, to talk and to recognise common humanity, including in what is different.

Here are five key aspects that I believe are indispensable for developing international-mindedness. If your teachers explore these aspects in class (or outside class), you are in the right school.

1. Know yourself

Exploring the world begins with exploring your starting point. According to a Chinese proverb, if you want to change the world, first you must look around your own home three times. If you want to consume the world in slices, start with what is closest to you: your own history, tradition and values. Learn to appreciate all the constituent parts of your identity, your language, family, customs etc. You can only objectively appreciate what is different when you have established your point of reference. You will not understand others until you understand who you are.

2. Develop empathy

Your capacity for imagination is almost unlimited, but this does not mean you can embrace all perspectives at the same time without help from others Learn to listen to others and see things from their perspective. Remember that discussions are for learning, and the more you develop the ability to put yourselves in others' shoes, the greater your ability to understand the reasons behind the actions of others.

"Humans are not as good as we should be in our capacity to empathize with the feelings and thoughts of others. So maybe part of our formal education should be training in empathy. Imagine how different the world would be if, in fact, there were reading, writing, arithmetic, empathy"-Neil deGrasse Tyson

3. Be a champion of intellectual humility

Making mistakes is as natural to human beings as the fear of doing so. What a paradox. Nobody is immune to mistakes; we have to grapple with this idea. The best way of doing this is to always admit the possibility of being wrong. Once you welcome this possibility, those little stumbles will hurt less. However, this does not mean renouncing reason altogether; rather, it means renouncing the need to always be right, as if mistakes were not possible. Here's a tip: be prepared to be wrong, just as you're prepared to be right. Always research, consult, compare, reflect and put your assertions into practice. This is the best way to increase the chance of being right. But even then, when everything seems safe, always be ready to be wrong.

4. Learn languages

This is the first thing we think of when we talk about international-mindedness, but it is not the only ingredient. It is, however, an important ingredient. Those who learn several languages soon realise the inseparable link between thought and language. It is a fact that learning other languages gives us a more complete vision of reality, helps us think in different ways and provides solutions to the same problem from different perspectives. As if that were not enough, it comes in very handy when it's time to go on holiday.

5. Do not fear conflict, and learn to negotiate

Conflict is a part of life. Accept it. Do not run away from it; it's better to learn to face it head-on. But we must do this in ways that are respectful of each other as human beings: human relationships are not zero-sum games in which one of the parties loses everything and the other wins. In reality, all moderately intelligent negotiations start from the premise that nobody will get everything they want, nor lose everything they have. It's not easy, but this is precisely what negotiating means.
A longer version of this article was first published by UPAEP in their magazine Experiencia. As part of the IB Educator Network, Oscar has served as reviewer of applications, a translator, leader of visiting teams, teacher trainer and IB workshop leader.
School is not the only place where we can acquire these skills, but it is the perfect opportunity to learn in a controlled and safe environment. Nowadays, personal and professional success necessarily entail these skills, and only those who demonstrate an ability to master some or all of them will stand out as competent citizens who are up to the challenges of the 21st century.

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Five skills to develop international-mindedness

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Proudly telling the world about our philosophy in our 50th anniversary year "A school's effectiveness requires the development of international-mindedness" Oscar Leyva is Principal of UPAEP Huamantla in Mexico who offer the IB Career-related Programme (CP) and a member of the IB Educator Network (IBEN).

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Hello, I am a Grade 3 teacher at Meadowridge School in Maple Ridge. I live, work, and play on the ancestral and unceded territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, and Coast Salish Peoples. I hope to learn about the different cycles of inquiry, student agency, and reflections that will lead to deeper understandings. Thank you.

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Hi! I'm Natalie and I teach grade 1 at Fraser Valley School. I am hoping to learn more about ways I can promote student agency and action in my classroom.

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Distinctive Features of School Community 

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Distinctive Features of School Community 

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Fraser Valley - maintaining that sense of community and belonging among growth and the school across 2 campuses; distance and how it can impact relationships (those informal meet ups don't happen with everyone)

Meadowridge - strong mission statement that drives decision-making; pride in our school and it's aims/goals; valuing all members of a learning community; strong sense of community

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Removing barriers to learning: what does inclusion mean for the IB?

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Removing barriers to learning: what does inclusion mean for the IB?

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As the world and its people continue to change, it is increasingly crucial to embrace the diversity and differences that make each individual unique. Through its four programmes, the IB aims to offer opportunities for students to explore and affirm their identities and to allow for the personal growth of each student. By working with schools all around the world, the IB wants to support the development and structuring of inclusive education in a manner that will make sure every student is supported. The principles of an inclusive education are based on the fact that education for all is considered a human right, and that all learners deserve equal opportunities in accessing this education.

However, before delving into strategies to promote inclusion in the classroom, school, or assessments, it is important to take a step back to understand what inclusion, learning diversity, and barriers to learning mean to the four IB programmes.

Jayne Pletser, curriculum manager for inclusive education at the IB, explains that the IB's definition of inclusion as "an ongoing process to remove barriers to learning, with respect to all students. The IB acknowledges the changing histories of students - barriers to learning and assessment are not restricted to those with a 'statement of needs'". Inclusion is facilitated in a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, support and problem-solving involving the whole school community. Likewise, inclusion can be impeded when learning barriers are not identified and removed.

Part of the ongoing process of inclusion aims to increase access and engagement in learning for all students - something that is achievable when barriers are removed. Barriers to learning may be found in the way schools are organized and resourced, their cultures and policies, the approaches to teaching and learning, the physical aspects of buildings and the ways in which individuals within the school community interact daily.

The life of a student is constantly changing and sometimes these changes can come unexpectedly and suddenly - exam stress, breaking a bone, becoming a refugee, moving out of a house or country, learning challenges, changes in a family's environment or community, and much, much more. These are all examples of barriers that can hinder optimal learning.

How a school puts the definition of inclusion into practice will, naturally, be dependent upon the school context, culture, and national legislation, whilst also in keeping with IB principles and polices. No matter the situation, schools have the responsibility to foster social, emotional, and physical well-being of its students and teachers, as well as ensuring students are understanding of situations that are different from their own.

Additionally, community involvement when creating inclusion plans or promoting inclusion allows for a school to respond to the learning needs of the whole community, and to make sure the voices of all learners, their parents and caregivers, support staff, and non-teaching staff are heard.

In a world that is becoming increasingly globalized with students coming from all walks of life, inclusion in education is not just a suggestion but rather a necessity. The IB has always celebrated students' differences, and part of this celebration includes constantly identifying and removing barriers to learning.
This blog is the first of four parts focusing on inclusion and learning diversity in IB programmes. IB World School teachers and coordinators can read the IB Access and Inclusion policy on My IB.

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Removing barriers to learning: what does inclusion mean for the IB?

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As the world and its people continue to change, it is increasingly crucial to embrace the diversity and differences that make each individual unique. Through its four programmes, the IB aims to offer opportunities for students to explore and affirm their identities and to allow for the personal growth of each student.

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Learning Diversity and Inclusion in IB Programmes

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Meeting student diversity in the classroom

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Meeting student diversity in the classroom

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Designing learning environments in a primary setting

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Designing learning environments in a primary setting

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Session 7_ Developing your learning community .pptx

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[Inclusive Education in Canada] HOW WE DO SCHOOL B.C Ep1 : Bridging the Special Needs Divide

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Valuing the humanity of teachers and the teaching profession

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Valuing the humanity of teachers and the teaching profession

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Education involves the development of humanity. This requires valuing the humanity of teachers as people and professionals, and the importance of their complex work to teach learners and equip them to thrive in their lives. Below, we discuss our background paper submitted to the United Nation's High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession on the development of humanity as an imperative.

Definitions of humanity include "understanding and kindness towards other people," and "the qualities and characteristics of people." Humanity includes teacher wellbeing, which encompasses physical, mental, and emotional health, and is interrelated with the status of the teaching profession and the nature of teachers' work, and working conditions ( OECD, 2021; Viac & Fraser, 2020).

Worryingly, evidence indicates deteriorating teacher wellbeing globally, with widespread concerns about stressful working conditions, workload, and work intensification ( Schleicher, 2018; Thompson, 2021) and a decline in teachers' feeling of being valued and respected ( Singh, 2021). The impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, including school closures and shift to online teaching, further challenged teachers' work and wellbeing ( Education International, 2020).

Within this global concern, there are also variations. Who teachers are and where they work can affect their wellbeing. Teachers from marginalized groups such as women, the LGBTI+ community, people with disabilities, and those living in underprivileged contexts are often most impacted by structures of inequity and discrimination that impact wellbeing ( Day, 2008; Kraft & Papay, 2014; Singh, 2021).

Neglecting the humanity and wellbeing of teachers has negative consequences for teachers, learners, schools, and education systems ( UNESCO, 2020). For teachers, exhaustion, stress, and burnout can result in reduced motivation, changes in performance, illness, and leaving the profession. Crucially, teacher wellbeing also affects students' learning, wellbeing, and achievement ( OECD, 2021). The consequences are too pervasive to ignore. Urgent attention is needed.

In our paper, we propose five imperatives for advancing the humanity of teachers and the teaching profession.

Imperative 1: Improving the status, respect for, working conditions and work life balance for the teaching profession is vital.

Put succinctly: "The most successful education systems are those in countries where society values the teaching profession" (Schleicher, 2018, p. 91). Championing and improving the prestige of the teaching profession is important for encouraging people to enter teaching, as well as recruiting and retaining effective teachers. This involves ensuring appropriate pay and working conditions, work-life balance, and safety.

What we propose:

A global campaign championing the importance of teachers and teaching and educating policymakers and key stakeholders about the facts concerning teachers' work and wellbeing and students' learning, wellbeing and equity would be timely and important.

An appropriate work-life balance requires urgent attention, including addressing inequities for different groups of teachers.

The right to be emotionally and physically safe in school must be upheld globally.

Imperative 2: Developing human-centred educational improvement requires teacher agency and leadership.

Human-centred educational improvement places teachers' agency and leadership at the centre of educational decision-making ( Campbell & Harris, 2023). Thompson (2021) called for a new "intelligent professionalism", which requires a shift from professional agency and autonomy being conceived as the downloading of government mandates and linked work intensification for educators to an approach that "privileges the expertise in the profession itself" (Thompson, 2021, p. 5). The International Labour Organization has also called for ensuring a decent future of work.

What we propose:

The future of the teaching profession is dependent on approaches that embed human-centred educational improvement, intelligent professionalism, and decent future of work as a global priority.

Imperative 3: Prioritising the joy of teaching and love of learning by supporting teachers' enthusiasm and commitment.

As the United Nations called for in the Report on the 2022 Transforming Education Summit, "transformative teaching and learning based on experience, enquiry, curiosity and joy" (2023, p. 14) are vital. The motivation to enter the teaching profession often includes an enthusiasm for working with learners and making a difference. This commitment needs to be harnessed and supported throughout a teacher's career. The need to mitigate current policies and practices that undermine the joy of teaching and a love of learning is also vital.

What we propose:

The development of a global vision and linked actions to prioritise and centre the joy of teaching and love of learning as a defining purpose and outcome of education would be an important shift for current educational reform. This would require asking," how will these policies support the joy of teaching, love of learning and teachers' and students' wellbeing?"

A one-size fits all or prescriptive approach to prioritising the joy of teaching is totally inappropriate. What is needed is connecting with what motivates individual teachers.

Approaches to initial teacher education and to continuing professional learning which include attention to teachers' motivations are important.

Imperative 4: Supporting teachers' work and wellbeing through continuing professional learning and collaboration.

The Report on the 2022 Transforming Education Summit states that: "Teachers must be supported and empowered to transform themselves and become agents of change, knowledge producers, facilitators, and guides for understanding complex realities" (2023, p. 14). Effective professional learning is linked to teachers' identified priorities and differentiated for their needs, provides relevant quality content, supports inquiry, reflection, and collaborative learning, requires adequate resources, and support from leaders ( Campbell et al., 2022).

What we propose:

Access for all teachers to high quality effective professional development opportunities is essential.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, re-invigorating the confidence of the profession is necessary.

Ensuring teacher voice, agency and choice in their professional learning is vital.

Opportunities for teachers to collaborate meaningfully, authentically, purposefully and with impact matter.

Imperative 5: Attending to teacher wellbeing and preventing teacher illbeing are urgent.

Teaching is one of the most stressful occupations, and teacher stress and burnout are highly prevalent globally ( De Clercq et al., 2022; Schleicher, 2018; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2020). Workload, work pressures, and limited time to switch off and recharge are major contributors to exhaustion. While education systems are increasingly aware of wellbeing concerns, too often the supports that are available rely on the individual teacher seeking out advice rather than systemic approaches to preventing illbeing.

What we propose:

Teachers' working conditions require investment and attention.

A clear commitment to reasonable working hours and workload that can be managed within those working hours requires leadership globally.

Attention and support for both individual wellbeing and removal of systemic reasons for professional illbeing must be simultaneously advanced.

There is a need to bring together education, health and wellbeing experts, policymakers, and researchers to engage in a sustained high-profile campaign to end teacher illbeing with evidence of effective approaches required.

The urgency of action

Valuing the humanity of teachers is vital for supporting learners, the education profession, and high-quality education. The far-reaching negative consequences of neglecting the humanity and wellbeing of teachers are already being felt globally. We urge consideration and action on the five imperatives we have outlined. Valuing the humanity of teachers must be central to education, this is about the very essence of our collective future.

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Valuing the humanity of teachers and the teaching profession

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Education involves the development of humanity. This requires valuing the humanity of teachers as people and professionals, and the importance of their complex work to teach learners and equip them to thrive in their lives. Below, we discuss our background paper submitted to the United Nation's High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession on the development of humanity as an imperative.

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HOW WE DO SCHOOL FINLAND EP 3: A School Designed For All

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Professor Alma Harris, Distributed leadership

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Session 2 - Engaging Collaborative Communities

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Session 2 - Engaging Collaborative Communities

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Session 3 - Engaging Collaborative Communities 

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Session 3 - Engaging Collaborative Communities 

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Session 3 - Engaging Collaborative Communities.pptx

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Session 4 - Engaging Collaborative Communities

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Session 4 - Engaging Collaborative Communities

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Session 4 - Engaging Collaborative Communities.pptx

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How might teachers, leaders and students co-create a learning community of risk-taking, open-mindedness and ongoing reflection in order to promote well-being, meaningful action-taking and collaborative relationships?

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“I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations and I’m confident you can reach them”

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Developing your learning community is like riding the elevators at the Pinnacle because

it's always changing;

there's constant movement;

you meet so many people and new perspectives along the way;

sometimes you need to hit the alarm;

sometimes it's not where you are going, but who you are travelling with

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How do we co-create a learning community of the risk-taking, open-mindedness and ongoing reflection to promote wellbeing, action-taking and collaborative relationships?

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How do we co-create a learning community of the risk-taking, open-mindedness and ongoing reflection to promote wellbeing, action-taking and collaborative relationships?

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Move from...

Skills in isolation

Mission statements only created by leadership

Closed-ended questions

Expectations placed on students by the teachers

Giving grades

Students doing the things the way teachers want and when they want

Move towards...

Investing in committing to a teacher-led relevant professional learning community

Decision-making that explicitly aligns and supports the learning community's shared mission

Approaching problem-solving through a collaborative approach

Applying skills for meaning

Open-ended questions

Co-constructed essential agreements

Giving feedback to support learning

Giving learners many options for demonstrating their learning

Being explicit with expectations, multiple communication channels, varied timings