Since beginning our ISS small schools PLN, we have joined forces with the ECIS and AISA's small schools special interest groups. I have included links and information for these vital groups here and encourage you to become part of one or both of these groups to expand your network and connections.

Michelle Kuhns and I are available to support schools with curriculum development, implementation, resourcing and review through ISS's OPtimize Consulting Services. Please contact Tom Hawkins to schedule and secure our curriculum support - thawkins@iss.edu

Additionally, Kevin Bartlett and I are working to support curriculum resources and efforts with our BLISS project. More information about BLISS is also offered in this section of our 2024 Ed Leaders Conference Padlet. Cheers and best wishes!

For questions or connections, my email is lbenson@iss.edu

The BLISS Project is designed to respond to all those realities by offering a complete curricular support service.

Here’s what we can offer in support of intentionally small schools:

• A personalized support service in learning design

• A clear and shared definition of the learning process

• A well-defined Portrait of a Learner that describes your ‘graduates’ in tangible, authentic ways 

• Driven by the Portrait, a complete, coherent ‘scope and sequence’ of inquiry-based Learning Modules, embedded in one powerful Learning Matrix

• Support in selecting and implementing foundational programs in literacy and mathematical reasoning

• A set of Learning Principles and Teaching Practices, customizable for your school

• Regular, focused, on-line webinars

• Annual Professional Learning Events attached to major regional conferences

• Regular, innovative Parent Learning sessions to reimagine your parents as your Learning Allies

• Support with achieving Accredited Status

• Absolute affordability, with flexible options to bring great curriculum design rapidly within reach of everyone

In effect, our team can either support your curriculum leaders or serve as your virtual ‘curriculum coordinators’, saving you stress, time and expense.

ISS EDUrecruit^® works with international schools of all sizes and types, spanning the globe and filling thousands of job vacancies. Our deep mission-driven commitment to child protection and safeguarding, antiracism, and inclusion is at the forefront of everything we do.

We are passionate about making a positive impact in the world of education. Our reputation as an organization that makes a world of difference is built on our actions, not just our words. We take the time to get to know both candidates and schools, so we can make the perfect match that will help drive success for all involved.

ISS EDUrecruit^® works with international schools of all sizes and types, spanning the globe and filling thousands of job vacancies. Our deep mission-driven commitment to child protection and safeguarding, antiracism, and inclusion is at the forefront of everything we do.

We are passionate about making a positive impact in the world of education. Our reputation as an organization that makes a world of difference is built on our actions, not just our words. We take the time to get to know both candidates and schools, so we can make the perfect match that will help drive success for all involved.

ISS OPtimize Curriculum Support Services from Michelle Kuhns and Laura Benson

*Please contact Tom to schedule and secure our curriculum support - thawkins@iss.edu.

Together, we can support and/or help you lead your school's curriculum design, implementation, reviews and resourcing work.

Critical Importance of Building and Nurturing Community as Small Schools

• Relationships first

• Putting in and nurturing systems for leadership, learning together, living together…

• Social and emotional learning and mental health efforts: Proactively planning for fatigue from everyone wearing so many hats as small school leaders and educators (for this workshop - focus on curriculum “divide and conquer” advice along with encouraging participants to join the ECIS and/or AISA small school networks); isolation; crisis management; self-care for Heads of School (very lonely and hard job as HoS is often the only administrator in small schools or, at the very least, has a very small team and/or is located in a very remote region of the world)

Curriculum Leadership (specific to small schools)

Blessings and challenges of being a small school educator:

• Wearing many hats/size of faculty necessitates everyone doing multiple jobs

• Small or no leadership team - Head of School is often curriculum lead but also needed as the lead for every other focus/function for the school (business, learning, etc.)

• Curriculum development, especially with so few people and/or because teachers do not yet have experience, confidence and/or desire to develop curriculum; 

• Suitcase curriculum realities

• Huge asset of nurturing multilingualism…true inclusion for all members of the school community; Do we know how to support each child?...each language?...each and every culture?...have the learning resources we need in multiple languages/the language of our school community? 

• Relationships and trust with parents (One example - Small schools are often at the mercy of very involved Board or Board Members who may or may not understanding learning and teaching well…such as what is happening around the Science of Reading in many school schools right now)

• (Often, but not always) remote location and, thus, even more challenging access to worthy resources and/or expeditionary learning 

Curriculum Leadership Role/s Clarity and Communication

Clarity about who is leading curriculum efforts at your school (and sometimes not leaning on us enough for curriculum support);

Are teachers sure about who is leading curriculum efforts at your school? 

Are teachers part of your curriculum leaders team?  What about students? And parents? 

Curriculum Design, Archive and Communication Platforms/Tech

Solid platforms for development, implementation & archiving 

Archiving curriculum and ensuring that is easily and swiftly accessible to all/entire faculty

Cross-Grade Groupings/Classes

• Support of/Focus on Priority Standards…and then prioritizing your P.S. for multi-grade learning goals

• High need for responsive teaching: 

  • Differentiating instruction

  • Greater use of small group learning and teaching AND conferring (and effectively implementing these pedagogical practices to respond and honor each student’s and all students’ strengths, needs and curiosities)

  • Big Ideas/Overarching Themes and Questions…to honor the developmental continuum of our students/each classroom and meet each child where she/he is on her/his learning journey

    • Common learning goal/focus for all, Customized developmentally 

      • Need for teachers to really understand deeply what proficiency looks like and sounds like in students’ work and practice