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Q1. Can we start with a glimpse into your professional journey? Can you share a bit about your background and how you found your way to the ICA?

After completing my NQT year in Scotland, I was very fortunate to secure a position at the International School of Koje in South Korea (now Atherton International School). The school had just started to embed the International Curriculum in the year before I joined the team, and were already on their initial accreditation journey for both IPC and IMYC. This allowed me to get into the self-review reflective mindset almost immediately, going through ICA training courses to give myself better insight into how to get the most from my lessons. During the training courses, I read a lot about the needs of the adolescent brain and this part of the curriculum fascinated me because it helped me to understand why the International Curriculum is structured in the way it is and how this helps the developing brain.

In 2018, I became the IMYC Coordinator at ISK and this role allowed me to dig deeper into the collaborative approach of the curriculum, helping to support teachers to build and connect between each other’s subjects, and stressing the importance of supporting the developing brain. It was while in this role that I saw the potential of the International Curriculum and the impact it had on our school’s learners. The engagement and interest that was happening across all subjects allowed our learners to dig deeper into subjects due to a breeding of a culture of curiosity and support. 

This role led to me becoming a trainer for the ICA, a role that I still thoroughly enjoy to this day, as it allows me to support new schools in their journey with the International Curriculum and share my own experiences of its implementation. 

I joined Hope International Academy Okinawa in July of 2021 in the role of Curriculum Coordinator, and in this capacity, I have supported both IPC and IMYC teachers in their journeys with the implementation of the International Curriculum. My role’s main focus is to support the school’s self-review goals, including organizing and supporting Hope’s ICA Recognition and Accreditation visits in May 2022 and November 2023 respectively. I have been lucky to work with an excellent team at the school who have a real passion for developing our learners and celebrating their growth. 

Q2. In every journey there are challenges. Can you share with us some of the obstacles you have faced and how they might have shaped your professional growth?

I think the biggest obstacle in my initial years with the International Curriculum was finding the right systems and structures to put in place to ensure that Exit Point projects were meaningful, with learners being supported in the creation of these projects. Reflecting on how best to develop media skills, presentation skills, and how to probe learners to demonstrate a deeper understanding of their IMYC Big Ideas, also allowed me to get a deeper understanding of the value of Exit Points in the Middle Years space. Through over a year of reflection and collaborative discussion, I learned the importance of giving time to allow the learners to build up those all-important media skills, with appropriate feedback and support, and how to build this skill into conveying an overarching understanding of a Big Idea. 

Another big challenge, particularly in the Middle Years space where often there are different subject specialist teachers for all subjects, was ensuring that all important collaboration and consistent messaging for IMYC learners. One of my big lessons here was ensuring that time was provided for this collaboration, as the benefits became clear almost immediately in terms of getting more meaningful conversation for planning Entry Points, as well as giving teachers insights into each other’s subject lens, and how they can build this into their lessons. 

Overall, I think these challenges helped me to better understand what I am doing as a teacher, why I am doing it, and how I can support others who are also going through this process. The more everyone has a common understanding of the purpose of the structures like the Process to Facilitate Learning, and why it is designed in the way it is to support the brain, the more every teacher can get out of their lesson. The more teachers are aware of what is happening in other subjects, the more opportunity there is to build those key connections to the Big Idea. Time to ensure this can happen is essential, and by giving time and space for these collaborative discussions, a deeper style of learning can be achieved. 

This has driven all of my professional growth into a consistent reflective practice of how to get the best out of the International Curriculum. 

Q3. We’d love to know a bit more about you beyond your professional persona. What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I’m a big fan of professional wrestling! I’m lucky to currently live in Japan, where there is a rather big wrestling industry, with lots of local and national companies. This has allowed me to attend a lot of live shows over the last few years, either with companies coming to do shows in Okinawa, or traveling to Tokyo or Osaka to see bigger shows. Every year on the 4th of January, one of Japan’s biggest companies does a show at the Tokyo Dome. When travelling to go and see shows, it’s also a fun opportunity to explore new cities, I love to walk around and explore and even though I’ve been to cities like Tokyo or Osaka a lot, it always feels like there are new experiences and more to see. 

Q4. Looking ahead, what’s your vision for the future of international education and the role of the ICA?

We continue to learn more about how the brain works all the time, and how we can best support the challenges faced by ICA learners. As we further gain insight into how the research will impact teaching and learning, I feel that m

One of the big standouts to me in recent education conversations I’ve been involved with is a cultural shift in the mindset of how we view student achievement, moving away from year-group-based grading structures and instead putting the focus on the journey of the learner. Particularly in the sphere of international education, age-based expectations can vary from country to country, curriculum to curriculum and when schools have a range of learner backgrounds, insight into student’s growth feels like the most valuable information you can gain to support future planning, as well as school structures.  By celebrating the progress a learner has made from where they began, and highlighting the journey of growth they have gone through, more productive conversations can be had between learners, teachers, leaders, and the community. 

This is why I value the ICA thinking as the structure of assessment for the International Curriculum provides the opportunity to get conversations based around learner success and areas for development in a practical way that better informs the outside community of what each learner has truly achieved. The Assessment for Learning Toolkit, as well as resources like the Report Guide from the ICA support in getting this message across to the wider community. 

Q5. Morning person or night owl?

I think most people who have run into me first thing in the morning at work know that I probably lean more towards the night owl!

Q6. Coffee or tea…or?

When I started teaching, I was still a big tea drinker, but to support my lack of “morning person” skills, coffee has certainly been the go-to tool recently.

Q7. Dream travel destination?

I’m currently living in it, it was always a goal of mine to spend time in Japan, particularly given my hobby of watching professional wrestling, and I’m still exploring more of Japan all the time. 

Q8. Favourite type of cuisine?

Either Korean BBQ or Steak Sushi.

Q9. One thing on your bucket list?

I’m a big fan of rollercoasters and my friends in the USA have suggested a few theme parks that have a range of great rides. A tour through some of these parks and meeting my friends in these areas would be a great experience, I think. It’s also an opportunity to explore America, which I’ve never done. 

Q10. A recent book that you have read?

“Parsnips, Buttered” by Joe Lycett

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Q1. Can we start with a glimpse into your professional journey? Can you share a bit about your background and how you found your way to the ICA?

I hail from Canada, where I began my teaching journey in 1990 as a primary school teacher, teaching French, music, art, geography, and choir. I taught at both public and private schools in Ontario. My international education career started after I took my Master’s degree in Educational Science in Amsterdam in my early thirties, when I moved to the south of the Netherlands, to a city called Maastricht. There, I took a role leading a Dutch International Primary School in the transition to a new United World College. This was from 2005-2013. The IPC was a key factor in the professionalisation and growth of the new school which was doubling in size during the 8 years that I worked there. I was fortunate enough to work with Martin Skelton, a founder of the IPC,  who visited my school for professional development and also provided guidance for the development of the new UWC. He also led the Leader of Learning course in Greenwich, UK which I participated in one summer and where I helped to develop the ‘Looking for Learning Assessment Toolkit’. 

During those years, I studied at the doctoral level at Bath University where the leaders of the Education Department were big supporters and involved with the development of the IPC and IMYC.  That led to co-authoring a chapter in the book “Taking the IPC Forward” describing how the IPC supported and created the DNA of the school. My next move took me to southern Spain where I was a founding head of a small private school that implemented the IPC. In 2019, I moved to China where I worked in a large, private, IB World School school in Beijing, which when opening implemented the IPC in its primary division. Over the last decade, I have enjoyed doing conference presentations, webinars, and training teams implementing the IPC. More recently, I have been mentoring schools and working as an accreditation team member, which I am thoroughly enjoying!

Q2. In every journey there are challenges. Can you share with us some of the obstacles you have faced and how they might have shaped your professional growth?

I think the obstacles that I often faced and that troubled me were related to mindsets- closed mindsets more precisely. I became impassioned about international education and global education at a time when Europe was transforming with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. I became committed to wanting to change the perspectives of educators and communities towards ideals of global education, essentially becoming a changemaker and empowering others to become changemakers.

The work that I did in Maastricht really helped me learn how to navigate in a complex, hybrid, multinational environment and it’s where I learned the power of a strong mission and vision to lead school communities- and this still resonates with my accreditation work with the ICA today. Equally, developing service learning and global competencies was work that was in pioneering stages back then and I learned a lot when developing my mindset in tandem with the IPC Fieldwork and now the ICA. 

Q3. We’d love to know a bit more about you beyond your professional persona. What do you like to do when you’re not working?

Admittedly, I am a bit of a workaholic because I love what I do! When I am not working, I am often traveling, reading, cooking, writing, or researching. I enjoy forest walks and being at the lake when in Canada and beach walks and tapas when in Spain (I have been living between those two countries lately). I also love to be in the mountains or beside water. I am interested in art, antiques, galleries, museums, and gardens.

Q4. Looking ahead, what’s your vision for the future of international education and the role of the ICA?

On top of the excellent curricula developments, I am excited to see the ICA develop in areas of professional growth and accreditation, becoming an integral support to schools and educators worldwide. It’s amazing to experience how schools all over the world thrive when implementing the ICA curricula and I would love the ICA to have an even bigger impact in the field of global education. I have always felt that we need to move from international education to global education because it’s not just relevant for international schools- all students would benefit from developing international-mindedness and global competencies. I would also love to see the ICA become leaders in sustainability and greening schools and supporting climate action education in ICA services. 

Q5. Morning person or night owl? 

Night owl

Q6. Coffee or tea?

Coffee – Espresso Lattes in the morning – then green tea in the afternoon

Q7.Dream travel destination? 

Argentina

Q8.Favourite type of cuisine?

French

Q9.One thing on your bucket list?

See the cherry blossoms in Japan

Q10.A recent book that you have read?

Lifespan- Why We Age- and Why We Don’t Have To – David Sinclair, PhD (Harvard geneticist)

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I had the privilege of attending the International Curriculum Conference for 2023 (ICC23) in Ho Chi Minh City, organized by the International Curriculum Association. Despite the long journey from Zambia to Vietnam, the enriching experience made every mile worthwhile.

The conference united educators from around the globe, fostering a collaborative environment that encouraged the sharing of educational journeys. Informal networking sessions allowed for insightful discussions, motivating me to enhance my teaching practices. It was a platform where curriculum leaders, including myself, exchanged ideas and explored ways to optimize learning using ICA programs.

The keynote on Global Competency resonated with me, energizing my commitment to initiate projects at the International School of Lusaka. Additionally, leading a session on Learner Agency in the IMYC provided an opportunity to share insights and deepen my understanding of the topic.

The exceptional support from ICA staff during session preparation and execution was instrumental. Their encouragement empowers educators to share their expertise confidently. I was honored to contribute to a keynote alongside inspiring colleagues, thanks to the thoughtful session led by Sarah and the team.

Bringing home a wealth of knowledge, I am already sharing insights with my colleagues at the International School of Lusaka, where I’ve been teaching for thirteen years. Leading the IMYC for seven years, the conference has sparked fresh ideas to enhance learning experiences at ISL.

Celebrating sixty years of existence, ISL offers a diverse international education, embracing IB PYP, IMYC, IGCSE, and IB DP programs. With students and teachers from over 60 countries, ISL creates a rich intercultural learning environment. The school’s commitment to developing globally competent students aligns seamlessly with the philosophy of the ICA.

In conclusion, the ICC23 was a transformative experience, fostering collaboration and innovation in education. I am excited about the positive impact these insights will have on the learning journey at the International School of Lusaka.

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