Leadership – Barry Dequanne

Better Together

Reflecting on the state of world affairs and the challenges we have been facing, from a worldwide pandemic to historical political events to social injustice, among other critical issues, it would be easy to understand the impulse to have consigned 2020 to the local Ökihof (Swiss recycling centre) for recycling and become a distant memory. However, as difficult as the past year has been, and without diminishing in any way the immeasurable losses experienced by so many of our community members, 2020 has also taught us many lessons and forced us to learn more about ourselves, our work, and our communities. As 2021 is continuing to unfold, and many of the same challenges remain, I am hopeful that the experiences from both 2020 and 2021 to date will serve to provide a constructive and insightful pathway forward for our time ahead.

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s book, The Fellowship of the Ring (a personal favourite), there is a lament from the main character wishing the challenges they were facing did not happen during their time. Gandalf replies, “So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us”.

What our community of international schools has done with this time has led to so many inspiring stories about innovation, reinvention, and the learning of new skills. The importance of community, relationships, health, and well-being, and our ability to be present have all come to the forefront. We have been moved and buoyed by the kindness, compassion, and empathy extended by friends and strangers alike. There is no longer any doubt (if there ever was any) that learning is a social endeavour, and through our need to connect, we are reminded that our diversity and differences are among our greatest strengths.

Perhaps the most enduring response during these challenging times has been the collective bolstering of our international community’s esprit de corps, from which we have emerged more aligned and unified. Borrowing from the wisdom young children often convey to adults, my three-year-old’s recent declaration may best summarise what has buoyed us: “We are better together”. I feel a profound sense of gratitude to be part of our International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL) community and our larger collection of international schools and organizations as we work through challenges, seek positives, and embrace the new opportunities that have emerged from these difficult times.

These are not pollyannish declarations; the pandemic has reminded us of how central schools can be towards uniting communities, achieving more together, supporting our collective well-being, and realizing our potential. It is also during these times when our schools’ missions are perhaps most relevant. In our context here at ISZL, I am grateful to be serving at a school with a mission in which we are committed to being a “community of learners determined to make the world – or our corner of it – a better, kinder place.” And, similar to schools around the globe, it is this very commitment that leads to the realization of our vision to help every student turn their learning into action, creating opportunities to stretch themselves further and achieve more than they believe possible.

Featured Photo Credit: ISZL Communications Team

Photo Below: Me, a cellphone, and a fortunate moment

Our three-year-old reminding me that we are all “better together”

Journeys and Transitions

While the very nature of an international community is one of transience, it is important not to diminish the challenges and opportunities associated with the transitions themselves. As the departure of valued colleagues and dear friends are accompanied by the arrival of new families and the promise of new friendships, we also find ourselves managing pandemic-induced vicissitudes. But, with every challenge, we also seek to learn from our experience and embrace new opportunities.

Could anyone have imagined last semester that campuses around the world would be closed from one day to the next, that over one billion students would spend several months learning from home and connecting with teachers online? As we know, this is exactly what happened. It was remarkable to see how quickly our community transitioned to a new reality and incorporated creative, and, in several cases, better ways of doing things. It was also affirming to witness what can be accomplished when real or perceived barriers are removed.

Our life journeys will include the need to face adversity, when our character and values are tested, when we are transformed for the better. We know that real growth comes from overcoming setbacks and challenges. We tend to learn much more from our failures than our successes. We face our crucibles, learn from those experiences, and emerge transformed in a fundamental way, though transitioning through these stages is not always easy. The author, William Bridges, makes a key distinction between the impact of change and transition on our lives:

“…change is situational. Transition, on the other hand, is psychological. It is not those events, but rather the inner reorientation and self-redefinition that you have to go through in order to incorporate any of those changes into your life. Without a transition, a change is just a rearrangement of the furniture. Unless transition happens, the change won’t work, because it doesn’t ‘take’”.

The pandemic has challenged us in ways we could not have previously imagined. And, while it has not always been easy, our families, teachers, and staff have all inspired and emboldened us. Our students have been heroic throughout this journey, showing us how to flourish with grace, class, and good humour during a time of uncertainty and change.

Looking ahead, we will continue to prepare and plan for a school year using design principles that are adaptable and flexible in nature. We are committed to embracing transitions, learning from our experiences, incorporating new opportunities, and advancing a learning programme designed to help every student turn their learning into action, and stretch themselves further and achieve more than they believe possible [ISZL Vision].

Photo Credit: Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash

Learning Into Action

What is your mission or purpose in life? What is your vision for your personal future?

While we may not ask ourselves these questions very often, the ensuing reflections are often helpful in clarifying our values, articulating what is important to us, guiding our decisions, and determining how we focus our energy and time. As these questions are also of paramount importance to any organisation, ISZL has recently undergone an extensive community-wide process to re-articulate our school’s guiding statements.

OUR MISSION
We are a community of learners determined to make the world – or our corner of it – a better, kinder place. We reflect our values in everything we do so that we make the most of the opportunities and challenges in a spirit of enthusiastic inquiry.

The mission statement is about our school’s purpose with a focus on today and what we do to realise these aims. The words, “we are a community of learners” signify that ISZL is not just a school, but rather a community working together to positively impact the lives of others.

During Professor Yong Zhao’s recent visit to our school, his words further emphasised this key facet of our mission: We don’t just learn from others, we learn for others as well. ISZL students embody these ideals every day through our many service programmes and the recent Youth Forum Switzerland event, for example. By creating something of value, there is purpose in learning, which enhances passion, creativity, and the development of an entrepreneurial mindset.

OUR VISION
We help every student turn their learning into action, creating the opportunity to stretch themselves further and achieve more than they believe possible.

A vision is designed to be bold and aspirational. It is a belief and an ethos that drives us forward to realise the school we want to become. The mission represents a constant purpose that transcends time. In contrast, the vision is what we seek for our future selves. When we begin to actually achieve our vision, then it will be time to set a new and bolder aspiration for our future.

While our mission is about what we collectively do as a community, the vision is exclusively focused on our students and how we help every student turn their learning into action, stretching themselves further and achieving more than they believe possible. This vision can only be fully achieved through the aligned efforts of all community members.

The next step in this journey is to map out how we will advance our mission and vision to achieve our goals. The critical work to establish an articulated strategy and associated projects is currently in process and will be shared out in an upcoming edition of the ISZL Bulletin.

In the meantime, I would like to again thank you for your feedback and ideas during this journey. Your contributions, particularly from the Design Lab process, have played a critical role, not only in the development of ISZL’s guiding statements, but also towards the development of strategic priorities.

Photo Credit: ISZL Communications and Public Relations Team

New Year, New Beginnings

As we embark on the new year and decade ahead, and in the spirit of new beginnings, it is with a sense of excitement, pride, and honour that we launch ISZL’s new guiding statements.

We would like to extend our deep levels of appreciation for our community’s involvement in the development of our new mission, vision, and values. The year-long process that led to this moment involved embracing a design principles approach. We engaged with hundreds of community members to explore the existential questions associated with our school’s purpose and direction.

The outcome of this work is a mission that commits not only students, but all adults in our community, to a culture of learning and a determination to make a positive difference. The new vision, in turn, speaks to our paramount focus on ensuring students realise their full potential and are able to turn their learning into action.

Our community-wide process also resulted in the adoption of ISZL’s past mission-related words – respect, motivate, and achieve – as our school’s values. They have been transformed into action statements to further hold us accountable to realising these ideals. These values serve to celebrate ISZL’s history and recognise the efforts of those past community members, whose ‘shoulders we are now standing on’, who are enabling us to envisage the next steps for our school’s future.

We hope you take some time to engage with the complete set of new ISZL Guiding Statements. The statements include a reference to the school’s identity in addition to a newly introduced and critically important set of learning principles designed to guide teaching and learning at ISZL.

To that end, it is with great excitement and belief in our future that we share ISZL’s new mission, vision, and value statements:

OUR MISSION
We are a community of learners determined to make the world – or our corner of it – a better, kinder place. We reflect our values in everything we do so that we make the most of the opportunities and challenges in a spirit of enthusiastic inquiry.

OUR VISION
We help every student turn learning into action, creating opportunities for students to stretch themselves further and achieve more than they believe possible.

OUR VALUES

We respect. We show empathy and are inclusive and thoughtful in our interactions with others. Every person is valued and valuable.
We motivate. We inspire each other and grow by building on everyone’s individual and collective passions.
We achieve. We create an exceptional learning environment focused on academic achievement and holistic development.

Looking ahead, these new statements must be much more than simply ‘words on paper’. Our collective commitment is to turn these ideals into action and to ensure our guiding statements come alive every day to guide our work, decisions, and strategy. Over the next year, we will bring you stories of how our statements guide the advancement of our culture, school development, and approaches to teaching and learning. We encourage you to follow ISZL on social media to stay up-to-date with our progress: ISZL Facebook, ISZL Instagram, ISZL Twitter and ISZL Linkedin.

In terms of next steps, we are currently working through the thousands of feedback data points submitted by our community during the design process. This will assist us in establishing a strategic framework and corresponding objectives to realise ISZL’s new mission and vision. We expect this work to be completed in the next few months.

It is thrilling to start the year with a renewed sense of clarity about who we are and who we want to become. We are thankful to be on this journey with you and look forward to everything our community can achieve together in 2020 and beyond!

Barry Dequanne (twitter: @dequanne)

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

Civic Responsibilities

One of the many things I appreciate and admire about Switzerland is the collective commitment to civic responsibility. The pragmatic Swiss approach to the establishment of community norms in combination with both an individual and societal belief in supporting and adhering to these agreements have resulted in a country that runs incredibly well.

ISZL‘s commitment to these ideals was evident during last week’s road safety training. Our Kindergarten students had the opportunity to learn from a local police officer about traffic rules and, more precisely, how to navigate pedestrian crossings. The fact that young children in Switzerland take public transportation and make their way to school unaccompanied by an adult does not happen by accident. The effectiveness with which the local police partner with schools to educate young children about their civic responsibilities is clearly by design.

The police officer who met with our students demonstrated the highest levels of professionalism and impressive pedagogical skills. The traffic safety lesson, conducted in partnership with ISZL’s teachers, involved differentiated and personalised instruction, focused on building relationships, and provided students with an opportunity to develop their German language skills.

The resulting demonstration of learning involved each student individually stopping traffic with a hand wave, looking both ways to ensure their safety, and then crossing the street at the designated crosswalk. Of course, the students were also encouraged to give a wave of thanks as they passed in front of the cars. For those students who were initially reluctant to cross the road, the police officer and teachers gently helped them to develop the understanding, skills, and confidence needed. It was exemplary teaching at every level!

ISZL’s vision is to help every student turn learning into action, creating opportunities for students to stretch themselves further and achieve more than they believe possible. The realisation of this vision will look different at every level of the school. At the Kindergarten level, our students were able to turn their learning into something they may not have thought possible – to cross a busy street alone.

Thank you to ISZL’s teachers and the Zuger Polizei for their important work to ensure our students continue to learn about their civic responsibilities and turn their learning into responsible action.

Featured Image by Ryoji Iwata on Unsplash

Inclusion & Community

‘We are all ISZL’ are the words that best capture our recent work in the area of inclusion. For the past year, ISZL staff and representative groups of students and parents have been engaging in professional development sessions, workshops, and discussions focused on inclusion and what we value as a community.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) plays a vital role in supporting this effort. The IB’s mission is “to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect”. As an IB School, ISZL has been embracing inclusion and acceptance of different perspectives and people for years. It is a priority to ensure that every member of our community feels safe and has a sense of belonging. Our commitment towards realising this goal is achieved, in part, through the adoption of the IB’s learning principles and learner profile, in addition to engaging and fostering a welcoming international community. The IB’s mission statement serves as an important additional reference as we further articulate ISZL’s values and beliefs, foundational documents, and associated policies.

In order to further advance awareness associated with inclusion, a group of teachers, leadership team members, and counsellors partnered with Educate and Celebrate, an organisation from the United Kingdom that supports schools as they work to ensure environments that prioritise inclusion. From this partnership, ECCO (Educate and Celebrate Coordinators) was formed to identify and implement 31 action items over the next two years. One of the most critical action items was to update the ISZL Inclusion policy:

ISZL agrees to support, respect and seek inclusion with regards to the safety and care of all community members. This includes but is not limited to: age; disabilities; ethnicity; gender; gender expression; gender identity; health needs; languages spoken; marital status; mental health; national origin; political affiliation; race; religion; sex; sexual orientation, and any additional characteristic protected under Swiss law.

ISZL endeavours to understand and protect the civil and human rights of all individuals within the community, striving to maintain a high level of multicultural awareness and knowledge about all applicable laws and statutes related to non-discrimination and inclusion. This policy relates to all decisions and advocacy regarding staffing, recruitment, student care, suitability of external organisation partnerships, and curriculum. ISZL will review this policy, as well as practices and procedures, periodically.

The policy was then transformed into a poster that shares the essence of the updated inclusion policy and the sentiment that ‘We Are All ISZL’. You can see this poster below.

If you are interested in learning more or getting involved in supporting the work of this group, please contact our Counsellor Stephany Herzog. I look forward to sharing more developments in this important area throughout the coming year.

“We Are ISZL Photo” by ISZL’s fabulous publications and communications team.

Feature Photo by Timon Studler on Unsplash

Reflections on the Future of Learning

Consider the future for our current kindergarten students and what the world will be like when they graduate in the year 2031. Given the technological advances we are witnessing today, any description of our near future that does not resemble something out of a science fiction story may likely represent an underestimation of the changes that will impact our lives. It is within this context of accelerating change that we are tasked with the challenge to reimagine school and learning. If one word could be used to describe the current educational landscape, it would indeed be change. Three factors associated with driving this change are arguably the areas of social and emotional development, personalised learning, and emerging technologies.

Social and Emotional Development

While the discussion surrounding social and emotional skills is not new, there is an ever-increasing importance placed on this area. The developmental abilities of empathy, initiative, curiosity, resilience, and adaptability will be vital in preparing our students for the rapid changes in society we are experiencing. How do schools ensure that students are ready to communicate effectively, engage with others in meaningful and authentic ways, and embrace the inherent beauty of human nature?

Thomas Friedman argues in his book, Thank You for Being Late, that our students are growing up in an age of acceleration in which technological change is outpacing human adaptability, as per Eric Teller’s graph.

If it is correct to assume that technology and globalisation will not slow down, then our focus must be on improving human adaptability by ensuring a population that is more agile, creative, and adaptable.

Schools also have a responsibility to reconsider what is now commonly viewed as our outdated and misaligned systems and metrics of success, which are associated with rising rates of mental illness. The narratives related to achievement and personal realisation are considered to be contributing to the adverse health outcomes found in society. How can schools and society support our students in redefining measures of success that include balance, health, and well-being? Several collaborative groups are seeking to answer this very question, which is exemplified by the Mastery Transcript Consortium and the work of universities and K-12 schools to redefine student transcripts.

Personalised Learning

In the recent KnowledgeWorks, The Future of Learning Report, the authors describe the future of learning as one where, “flexible configurations of human educators and mentors, along with digital learning coaches and companions, will be coordinated seamlessly to support learners’ short- and long- term needs and help all students reach their goals.” Personal growth of this nature is requiring the development of customised learning relationships and connections with an expanding range of learning partners. Our current school structures do not necessarily always lend themselves well to this system of learning, particularly when considering an expanded view of what constitutes mentors and learning coaches.

Schools are experimenting with systematic changes, such as flexible scheduling, blended learning opportunities involving both face-to-face and online opportunities, the redesign of campus learning spaces, and alternative credentialing, including a complete redefinition of report cards and transcripts. Technology is, of course, also challenging schools in many ways as learning continues to be more and more personalised due, in part, to a push towards 1:1 computing environments and an increase in adaptive software systems.

Emerging Technologies

Many of us have already experienced adaptive learning in which a program analyses our performance in real time and then modifies the teaching methods and curriculum focus. The use of an adaptive program or app to learn a new language is now commonplace. The field of education will undoubtedly continue to be revolutionised as machine learning becomes more prevalent. As computer systems use data and statistical techniques to “learn” on their own and continue to improve performance without a human explicitly programming the computer, schools will need to continue to adapt to this new reality. Teachers can increasingly use learning and predictive analytics to connect millions of data points to arrive at conclusions and predict future performance based on past data. One of the key outcomes we see today is an increase in personalised opportunities and students guiding and pacing their learning.

What we are experiencing now is considered to be the third educational revolution, following the high school movement and education for life in the early 1900s and then the support for higher education at around the midpoint of the last century. As the Future of Learning report highlights, schools are now becoming more fluid in that we are moving from a fixed structure driven by administrative convenience to one that is a fluid network of relationship-based formats that reflect a learners’ needs, interests, and goals. Algorithms and artificial intelligence are providing personalised learning opportunities and educators who best match each learner’s needs. We are also increasingly seeing a demand for flexible and customised learning environments which many of our current administrative structures act as constraints.

While there is much work ahead of us, the International School of Zug and Luzern’s (ISZL) foundations of an adaptive and evolutionary mindset provide our community with an effective basis to embrace the changes in the educational landscape we are experiencing today and will continue to do so in the future. Learning at ISZL is guided by an inquiry-based and transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary program that values play, experiential and project-based learning, and hands-on experiences, which are supported by a relationship-based and connected community. It is these set of values, philosophical approaches, and sense of community that will both empower and enable ISZL to adapt and thrive in an environment that requires critical building blocks for a digital economy while not allowing technology to outpace our humanity.

Reference:

KnowledgeWorks. 2018. Navigating the Future of Learning Forecast 5.0. Retrieved from https://knowledgeworks.org/resources/forecast-5/

Featured image: Photo by Myles Tan on Unsplash

Begin with the End in Mind

As we embark on the new school year ahead, I find it helpful to reflect on the past year to learn from our successes, challenges, and what we could do better. To that end, senior graduation represents a particularly important reference point given the culminating nature of the event that has involved the collective efforts of students, the support of their families, and the work of teachers and staff from all grade levels and areas of the school. It is hoped that graduation, among other goals, represents a time to celebrate student achievement, communicate what makes a school special, and highlight the ideals and values that challenge us both as individuals and a community to be our best selves.

It is without question that student speeches and performances are the most inspiring moments of a graduation ceremony. This may be the reason why school directors are usually asked to speak at the start of the ceremony! I am always grateful for the opportunity to speak with students and, in my role as Director, hope to use the moment to again articulate who we are and the ideals and values that guide our learning. The exercise is helpful in serving as a reminder of what frames our professional work and how we can best support students. Looking to the year ahead and in the spirit of beginning with the end in mind, I am including the following speech, prepared for the International School of Zug and Luzern’s (ISZL) graduation, as part of my reflections for the year ahead.

Graduation Address:

Guten abend mit einande. Good afternoon honoured guests: Board of Directors, teachers, families, and friends, and, of course, our “graduands”. I called you graduands because it is the official term used to describe someone who is a candidate for a diploma. The related word, “graduation” is the actual act of receiving a diploma, which will then make you a graduate, a person who has earned the diploma. So, graduands, if all goes well today, you will soon all be graduates!

Continuing the theme of examining words and in the spirit of celebrating our wonderful host country, I would like to also highlight a few Swiss German words that have provided for windows into Swiss culture (my apologies in advance for pronunciation errors).

Most people appreciate Znüni, the nine am morning break to eat Gipfeli, which may be stored in a kitchen cupboard, which is apparently one of the most difficult words to pronounce: Chuchichäschtli.

And then there is a word that some of you may have used to describe Mr. Wexler or me at some point: Bünzli is the word for those boring people who follow all the rules and make sure everyone else does too!

There are of course the foods, Raclette, Birchermüesli, and Rösti.

Words and culture are important. While this may be a lighthearted approach to reflecting on a country’s identity, I hope it also serves as a reminder of the influence language can have on a special place like ISZL and our school’s culture, which is framed by three key words: Respect, Motivate, and Achieve.

Class of 2018, you have lived up to and exceeded the expectations associated with the school’s mission. Your self-motivation and impressive achievements have inspired our community to further realize our collective potentials. And, perhaps most importantly, you have always acted with the highest levels of respect for yourself and all those who have had the good fortunate to enter the narrative of your classes’ learning journey.

Perhaps it is this focus on respect that has led to the prevailing sentiment that ISZL is much more than just a school. In many ways, it is the shared experiences with special people that make ISZL such an extraordinary place. In the introduction to the yearbook, I borrowed a quote from the French novella titled The Little Prince, which may best explain what makes ISZL special: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” These words are apropos to ISZL’s context in the sense that the school and this 2018 graduating class may only be fully understood by looking beyond what is readily visible.

While you cannot necessarily see the sense of belonging, the supportive environment, and the feeling of safety, there is a palpable awareness of their presence. The same is true about optimism, positive energy, and a sense of promise. There is a discernible feeling on campus that anything is possible, the future is bright, and there is an opportunity to be part of something special while contributing to making a positive difference. There is a serious and disciplined commitment to academic learning but also a sense of enjoyment and play. This is evident as students and teachers prepare to engage with the seemingly endless list of activities, clubs, charities, trips, and sports that exemplify the ISZL learning experience. The culture of learning is a ubiquitous presence on campus.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we can see that relationships are the foundation of what makes ISZL special. What is not necessarily easy to see is how profound and respectful the relationships between the Class of 2018, staff, and parents are at the school, and how this commitment to others represents the fundamental factor that contributes to making ISZL and this graduation class so unique and special

Class of 2018, thank you for being such impressive ambassadors of ISZL’s values and culture. We are deeply grateful for how you have represented and personified ISZL’s culture, values, and the words Respect, Motivation, and Achievement. Congratulations on your well-deserved graduation today. Thank you.

Transitions

“Light precedes every transition. Whether at the end of a tunnel, through a crack in the door or the flash of an idea, it is always there, heralding a new beginning.” — Teresa Tsalaky

I have been thinking a lot about transitions lately. We recently hosted the incoming Head of School for a one-week transition visit. I am also preparing to transition to Switzerland and the exciting changes associated with working at a new school and living in a new country. Like other international schools, we are preparing to say goodbye to beloved teachers, students, and families as they transition to other parts of the world, while also looking ahead and confirming the details for new teacher and family orientations. It can sometimes feel that life in an international school setting is one of constant transition where change in the norm and not the exception. While this seemingly perpetual state of transition is inherently filled with challenges, the opportunities for growth and new experiences are significant when we are able to effectively manage our transitions.

When a thoughtful colleague, David Chojnacki, heard that I would be transitioning to another school, he recommended I read William Bridges’ book, Transitions. I am grateful for this reference as Bridges’ book is a must read because, in some form or another, we are all going through a transition! The book’s main message is that all of life’s transitions embody a similar pattern and, by recognizing and accepting these patterns, the tough times associated with a transition will not only make sense but will be more bearable. To that end, it is important to differentiate between “change”, which is what happens to us, and “transition”, which is how we manage our feelings while we work through these changes throughout our life journey.

Transition is an internal, emotional, and psychological process. In contrast, change is external, situational, and does not require those affected to transition. Transitions are longer processes that require those affected to gradually accept the new situations that result from the changes. Bridges’ frames all transitions in terms of a three-phase process involving an Ending, a Neutral Zone, and a New Beginning.

An Ending recognizes that a transition begins with letting go of the pre-change reality. In international schools, a significant number of teachers, students, and parents begin the process of letting go each semester as they prepare to move on to new endeavors. Depending on each individual, Endings are usually characterized by emotions such as denial, shock, anger, frustration, and stress. Emphatic listening and open communication for all involved are important strategies for getting through and supporting those who are experiencing an Ending. Recognizing that an Ending is about letting go is an important step towards what the author calls the Neutral Zone.

The Neutral Zone represents the bridge between the old and new in which we can still be attached to the past but also looking ahead to the future. The Neutral Zone is a place of uncertainty where people wonder about how they will adapt to the change they are currently experiencing. It is during this time that we can experience feelings of self-doubt, fear, anxiety, and skepticism. In contrast, the Neutral Zone can be a time of real growth and represent an incredibly rich time in our lives, as is beautifully illustrated through Danaan Parry’s trapeze metaphor.

The New Beginning phase is one where new understandings, values, attitudes, and identities are established. It is during this time that we emotionally and psychologically commit to the new reality that has been created through the change process. This commitment is usually accompanied by feelings of acceptance, importance, hope, and enthusiasm. This is also a good time to recognize and celebrate the third phase of the transition process.

William Bridges’ writings remind us to recognize that life’s transitions follow a similar pattern and to embrace our endings, neutral zones, and new beginnings. As we look ahead and begin to prepare for the end of another semester, I would like to wish everyone and all of our schools the very best as we embrace the positive changes and transitions that are such an integral part of international communities.

Reference:

Bridges, W. (2004). Transitions: Making sense of life’s changes. Da Capo Press.

Portuguese / Português

Transição

“A luz precede toda transição. Seja a luz no fim do túnel, pelas frestas nas portas ou no brilho de uma ideia, ela está sempre lá, anunciando um novo começo.” – Teresa Tsalaky

Ultimamente, eu tenho pensado muito sobre transições. Recentemente, recebemos o próximo diretor geral da EAB, Allan Bredy para uma visita de transição. Eu também estou me preparando para mudar para a Suiça e para as mudanças animadoras associadas ao trabalho em uma nova escola e a mudança para um novo país. Como em outras escolas internacionais, estamos nos preparando para dizer adeus aos nossos amados professores, alunos e famílias que também irão se mudar para outras partes do mundo, mas também nos preparando para a orientação de novos professores e famílias. É comum sentirmos que a vida em uma escola internacional é uma constante transição onde a mudança é algo normal e não exceção. Embora este estado, aparentemente perpétuo, de transição seja cheio de desafios, as oportunidades de crescimento e novas experiências são significativas quando somos capazes de gerenciar de forma efetiva nossas transições.

Um colega atencioso, David Chojnacki, soube que eu estaria me mudando para outra escola e me recomendou a leitura do livro de William Bridges, Transitions.Sou grato por esta referência, já que o livro de Bridges é um dos tipos obrigatórios de leitura, porque de alguma forma estamos todos passando por algum tipo de transição! A principal mensagem do livro é que todas as transições da vida incorporam um padrão semelhante e, reconhecendo e aceitando esses padrões, os tempos difíceis associados a uma transição não só farão sentido, mas serão mais suportáveis. Para isso, é importante sabermos a diferença entre “mudança”, que é o que acontece conosco, e “transição”, que é a forma como gerenciamos nossos sentimentos enquanto percorremos essas mudanças ao longo da nossa jornada de vida.

A transição é um processo interno, emocional e psicológico. Já a mudança é externa, situacional e não necessariamente ligada à transição. As transições são processos mais longos que exigem que os afetados aceitem gradualmente as novas situações resultantes das mudanças. Bridges enquadra todas as transições em um processo de três fases: Final, Zona Neutra e um Novo Começo.

O Final reconhece que uma transição começa com o abandono da realidade de uma pré-mudança. Nas escolas internacionais, um número significativo de professores, alunos e pais começam o processo de abandono do semestre ao se prepararem para ingressar em novos empreendimentos. Dependendo de cada indivíduo, o término de algo geralmente é caracterizado por emoções como negação, choque, raiva, frustração e estresse. Ouvir ativamente e uma comunicação aberta com todos os envolvidos são estratégias importantes para obter e apoiar aqueles que estão experimentando um Final. Reconhecer um Final é abrir mão, um passo importante em direção ao que o autor chama de Zona Neutra.

A Zona Neutra representa a ponte entre o antigo e o novo, no qual ainda podemos estar ligados ao passado, mas também olhar para o futuro. A Zona Neutra é um lugar de incerteza onde as pessoas se perguntam sobre como se adaptarão à mudança que estão experimentando atualmente. É durante este tempo que podemos experimentar sentimentos de auto-dúvida, medo, ansiedade e ceticismo. Em contraste, a Zona Neutra pode ser um tempo de crescimento real e representar um tempo incrivelmente rico em nossas vidas, como é lindamente ilustrado através da metáfora do trapézio de Danaan Parry.

A fase do Novo Começo é aquela onde novos entendimentos, valores, atitudes e identidades são estabelecidos. É durante esse período que nos comprometemos emocionalmente e psicologicamente com a nova realidade que foi criada através do processo de mudança. Este compromisso é geralmente acompanhado por sentimentos de aceitação, importância, esperança e entusiasmo. Este também é um bom momento para reconhecer e celebrar a terceira fase do processo de transição.

Os escritos de William Bridges nos lembram de reconhecer que as transições da vida seguem um padrão semelhante e abraçam nossos fins, zonas neutras e novos começos. À medida que olhamos para frente e começamos a nos preparar para o final de outro semestre, eu gostaria de desejar a todos e a todas as nossas escolas o melhor, ao abraçarmos as mudanças e transições positivas que são parte integrante das comunidades internacionais.

Featured image: cc licensed (CC BY 2.0) flickr photo Hernán Piñera: Niebla / Fog https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/6554394361/in/photostream/

Stronger Together

Versão em portuguêsVersão em português

“We are stronger not despite our differences, but because of them.” ~Prime Minister Trudeau

The recent horrific and tragic attack at the mosque in Quebec and the subsequent categorical response from Canadians and concerned citizens around the world is a poignant reminder of one of our primary purposes as educators. As learning institutions, we must model and live by the highest standards associated with tolerance, empathy, and understanding while categorically rejecting all acts of hate, bigotry, and discrimination. The unique opportunity to serve as an educator includes an unwavering commitment to model and stand up for the values we hold dear in our schools.

While it is not the role of a teacher to promote and impose personal political views and beliefs, it is a teacher’s responsibility to denounce, without exception, all comments and actions that are not in full adherence with the school’s focus on valuing plurality, difference, understanding, respect, and tolerance. As intolerance is usually a result of fear and fear is often generated from a lack of understanding, the focus on learning in schools plays an ever-important role toward deeper understandings. The hope is that the suspicions and uncertainty that result from a lack of understanding or knowledge will be replaced with curiosity, support, and appreciation.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s response to the shooting was a call to action and the coming together as a nation: “We will not stand for hatred and bigotry. Together we will ride from this darkness stronger and more unified than ever before. That is who we are… love, always love, instead of hate.” It is also heartening and inspiring to witness the commitment of our education colleagues and the focus of so many schools and organizations to take a stand against all that divides us. The message is clear in that if one of us suffers, we all suffer. By way of example, Asger Leth’s video, Three Beautiful Human Minutes, is a moving testimonial conveying the message that there is more that brings us together than we think. Teachers are also regularly seeking ways to embrace and learn from our differences. Alison Schofield recently posted a helpful article entitled, “How Teachers can Honor and Nurture all Students’ Languages and Cultures within an International School.” The University of Minnesota, where I am currently engaged in graduate studies, just launched a “We All Belong Here” campaign, with five key messages: 1. Our differences drive our greatness, 2. Respect everyone every day, 3. Rise above intolerance, 4. Stand up to injustice, 5. Strive to be inclusive.

This work is not easy, though it is of paramount importance. The studies of a colleague at the American School of Brasilia, Gavin Hornbuckle, highlights one of these challenges. Gavin conducted extensive doctoral research in the area of intercultural competencies. The results of his study and others indicate that “while teachers often believe that they possess the intercultural skill-set required to [help students to develop intercultural competence], in reality, this may not be the case” (Horbuckel, 2013). The research also stresses that the majority of educators have more of a monocultural mindset, while our students show evidence of being more sophisticated in their intercultural development” (Cushner, 2012). It is a fact that intercultural competence does not come naturally and is an area that we, as educators, need to continually work at, particularly as we seek to understand, embrace, and celebrate our differences.

Returning to Prime Minister Trudeau, one of his recent statements may serve as a guiding principle for our schools: “If we allow individuals and organizations to succeed by scaring people, then we do not actually end up any safer. Fear does not make us stronger, it makes us weaker. We are bound by one, unwavering, unshakable truth: we are stronger not despite our differences, but because of them”.

References:

Cushner, K. (2012). Planting seeds for peace: Are they growing in the right direction? International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 36(2), 161-168.

Hornbuckle, G. C. (2013). Teachers’ views regarding ways in which the intercultural competence of students is developed at an international school in Southeast Asia: a mixed methods study. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

Featured image: cc licensed (CC BY-NC 2.0) Flickr photo by Roel Wijnants (Painting): https://www.flickr.com/photos/cosmosfan/14628522324

Versão em Português

“Nós somos mais fortes por causa das nossas diferenças e não apesar delas” ~ Primeiro- Ministro Trudeau

O recente, horrível e trágico ataque que ocorreu na mesquita no Quebec e a resposta subsequente dos canadenses e cidadãos preocupados ao redor do mundo é um lembrete pungente de um dos nossos principais propósitos como educadores. Como instituições de aprendizagem, devemos modelar e viver segundo os mais altos padrões associados à tolerância, à empatia e ao entendimento e assim rejeitarmos categoricamente todos os atos de ódio, intolerância e discriminação. A oportunidade única de servir como educador inclui um compromisso inabalável para modelar e defender os valores que prezamos nas nossas escolas.

Embora não seja papel do professor promover e impor pontos de vista pessoais políticos, éticos e morais é responsabilidade dele denunciar, sem exceção, todos os comentários e ações que não estão em total adesão ao foco da escola na valorização da pluralidade, diferença, compreensão, respeito e tolerância. Como a intolerância é, geralmente, resultado do medo e o medo é, muitas vezes, gerado a partir da falta de compreensão, o foco na aprendizagem nas escolas desempenha um papel cada vez mais importante para entendimentos mais profundos. A esperança é que as suspeitas e incertezas que resultam de uma falta de compreensão ou conhecimento serão substituídas por curiosidade, apoio e apreciação.

A resposta do primeiro-ministro Justin Trudeau ao tiroteio foi um apelo à ação e à união como nação: “Não iremos defender o ódio e o fanatismo. Juntos, vamos cavalgar a partir desta escuridão, mais fortes e mais unidos do que nunca. Isso é o que somos…amor, sempre amor, em vez de ódio.” É também animador e inspirador testemunhar o compromisso de nossos colegas de educação e o foco de tantas escolas e organizações em tomar uma posição contra tudo o que nos divide. A mensagem é clara, se um de nós sofre todos sofremos. Como exemplo, o vídeo de Asger Leth,Three Beautiful Human Minutes, é um emocionante depoimento que transmite a mensagem de que há mais coisas que nos unem do que pensamos. Os professores também estão regularmente buscando maneiras de abraçar e aprender com nossas diferenças. Alison Schofield publicou recentemente um artigo (article) útil intitulado “Como professores podem honrar e nutrir todos os idiomas e culturas dos alunos dentro de uma escola internacional.” A Universidade de Minnesota, onde estou atualmente envolvido em estudos de pós-graduação, acaba de lançar uma campanha “We All Belong Here”, com cinco pontos-chave:

Nossas diferenças impulsionam nossa grandeza;
Respeite a todos, todos os dias;
Eleve-se acima da intolerância;
Posicione-se contra a injustiça;
Esforce-se para ser inclusivo.

Embora seja de suma importância, esse trabalho não é fácil. Os estudos de um colega da Escola Americana de Brasília, Gavin Hornbuckle, destacam um desses desafios. Gavin conduziu uma extensa pesquisa de doutorado na área de competências interculturais. Os resultados de seu estudo (study) e outros indicam que “embora os professores muitas vezes acreditem possuir um conjunto de habilidades interculturais necessárias para [ajudar os alunos a desenvolver a competência intercultural], na realidade, isso pode não ser o caso” (Hornbuckle,2013). A pesquisa também ressalta que a maioria dos educadores tem mais uma mentalidade monocultural, enquanto nossos alunos mostram evidências de serem mais sofisticados em seu desenvolvimento intercultural (Cushner,2012). É fato que a competência interucltural não vem naturalmente e é uma área em que nós, como educadores, precisamos trabalhar continuamente, particularmente enquanto procuramos compreender, abraçar e celebrar nossas diferenças.

Voltando ao Primeiro-Ministro Trudeau, uma de suas recentes declarações pode servir como princípio orientador para nossas escolas: “Se permitirmos que indivíduos e organizações tenham sucesso ao amedrontar as pessoas, não estaremos mais seguros. O medo não nos torna mais fortes, porém mais fracos. Somos ligados por uma verdade inabalável, sólida: Somos mais fortes por causa das nossas diferenças e não apesar delas”.