How We Express Ourselves: Understanding and appreciating different cultures promotes international mindedness.

Our unit about exploring cultures and international mindedness came to a close with students creating a poster to share some elements of their culture and we created a definition as a class for what we understand international mindedness or global mindedness to be.

The ESL Program at Suzhou's International School

WIDA WORKSHOP

This November my school was generous to fly a WIDA Consultant out to work with our ESL team and other Elementary Homeroom teachers on a 2 day workshop about Differentiation for English Language Learners.

After the workshop, myself (being the ESL coordinator,) along with the Principal met to discuss the big question: NOW WHAT? For our programming.  I checked in with my team, and here is what we decided together:

We decided that we would change our leveling system to better reflect the WIDA levels (we have phase 1, phase 2 and phase 3 at the moment). Next year we will change to Level 1, 2, 3, 4. This simple change, will likely result in a big project for me, but I think it is a valuable change!

Instructional Coaching Certificate

I am looking forward to applying the strategies and learned I have come away with from taking this course!

Key ideas I learned about:

• Defining the Instructional Coach's Role

• The Characteristics of Effective Coaches

• Different ways to support teachers

• Teacher's are at different stages on the 'Continuum of Self Reflection' which effects what kind of coaching and coaching strategies to employ.

• Goal Setting

Leadership in EAL

The 2016-2017 school year brought with it a new and exciting opportunity for me to grow as an educator. I have the opportunity to develop my leadership skills as the EAL coordinator at Suzhou Singapore International School.  My job has involved leading and supporting the EAL department, leading staff meetings, parent sessions and PD for staff. Assessing new students and working with teachers in a support role to ensure that students are progressing and are in the correct EAL phase.


2016 was a good year for Leadership workshop opportunities at SSIS.

The first weekend workshop was the ACAMIS Leadership Training. Leading Collaborative Teams with Micheal Iannini. We learned a lot of  useful, hands on leadership strategies and ideas including new Ice breakers, creating Norms,  using protocols, and having difficult conversations.

The second workshop was a 2 day IB workshop. Pedagological Leadership (PYP Category 2) workshop. We learned even more about the changing role of leadership and were able to apply much of the learning to our school context.

Making the PYP Happen Workshop

I also took part in a 2nd 'Making the PYP happen' workshop in October 2015.  This one was run by Yoon-Ah Lee and Jay Brownrigg. I don't know where I have put the certificate though.