Pre-conference

By Peter Docker

(This session will be held in English)

During this four hour interactive session, Peter will share how the concept of ‘why’ – our higher purpose, cause or belief – can unlock often untapped energy within teams and organisations. 

Participants will have the opportunity to explore for themselves starting with what ‘why’ means and how it links to their passion for what they do.

Peter will introduce tools and techniques that enable our  ‘why’ to act as a springboard to accomplish more than we might think is possible, turn our approach to problem-solving on its head, and learn about the difference between being a leader and management.

The session will conclude with a video case study that will draw together all the ideas in a highly compelling, dramatic example.

This workshop is for those who want to reflect and reconnect to the passion for what they do and gain insight into how this can be used to overcome the business challenges they face.

About Peter Docker

Peter gets up every day inspired to enable others to be extraordinary in what they do. A partner of Simon Sinek and the Start With Why team, Peter believes in creating great performance by connecting people to a higher, common purpose –  ‘why’. This leads to places to work in which people feel more fulfilled, there is a high level of discretionary effort, innovation and empowerment thrives – and sustainable results follow. 

Peter's commercial and industry experience has been at the most senior levels in sectors including oil & gas, construction, mining, pharmaceuticals, banking, television, film, media, manufacturing and services – across 75 countries. His career has spanned from a professional Pilot; leading an aviation training and standards organisation to teaching post-graduates at an international college and running a multi-billion pound procurement project. A former Royal Air Force senior officer, he has been a Force Commander during combat flying operations and has seen service across the world. He is a seasoned crisis manager, a former International Negotiator for the UK Government, and executive coach.

By Gerard Calnin and Mark Waterson

(This session will be held in English)

About the presenters

Dr Gerard Calnin

Dr Gerard Calnin is a Senior Research Fellow in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. His research interests include the areas of school leadership, teacher evaluation and school effectiveness. He has recently consulted for the IB on the development of a leadership framework and is the Asia Pacific representative for the IB's Educator Certificates. Prior to working at the University, Gerard held leadership roles in p-12 schooling and at the system level; he was also an International Research Fellow in the USA and UK.

Mark Waterson

Mark Waterson became an Educational Consultant in 2010 in response to the growing interest in international education and international schooling from governmental, non-governmental, corporate and educational organisations throughout the world. Mark’s 25 years of experience as an international educator provides him with an extensive knowledge of the international education field. As a teacher, manager, and teacher educator he developed an acute awareness of the critical role that teachers and school leaders play in effective international schooling that enhances student learning. Mark decided to use his knowledge, skills and insights to support institutions to develop their international profiles and explore new opportunities.

By Sara Heinrich (Schools & Colleges Programme Manager, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation) and Colin Webster (Education Content Manager, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation)

(This session will be held in English) 

The economy is changing more than ever before and our future seems to be characterised by increasing VUCA (vulnerability, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity). As teachers and educators, we aim to prepare our students to solve problems we do not yet know will exist; to do jobs that have not yet been created. Our current economic development model is based on the exploitation of cheap and readily available materials and energy, but there are signs this system is beginning to falter. Attempts to resolve these issues tend to lack scale and a long-term vision, and, most crucially, fail to challenge the system itself. At the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, we argue that we need to adopt a systems thinking approach to tackle the problems inherent in our economy. We promote the idea of a circular economy: an economy that is regenerative and restorative by design and aims to keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value at all times. In this pre-conference workshop, we will explore key challenges of the current economy and discuss the circular economy as a positive vision for the future. We will investigate the skills that are needed for the future, including economic literacy, systems thinking and complexity, problem-based learning and student leadership. Throughout the workshop, we will introduce ways of engaging your students in a conversation about a positive future as well as concrete activities to build the necessary skills for the future economy, inside and beyond the classroom. 

About the presenters

Sara Heinrich

Sara leads embedding learning for a circular economy into schools’ and colleges’ curriculum worldwide. She works with schools, school networks, teacher training providers and curriculum boards to co-create ways of enriching students learning, and thereby their preparedness for the future, through a circular economy perspective and systems thinking. Collaborating in particular with the International Baccalaureate (IB) as well as United World Colleges (UWC), Sara also curates materials created in the process, making them openly accessible to all educators through the Ellen MacArthur Foundation websites.

Before joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Sara worked as an English teacher and completed Teach First’s Leadership Development Programme. She has also coordinated a range of international youth programmes, so-called UWC Short Courses, addressing international development, social justice and equality, and social entrepreneurship. Her work has taken her to Germany, Swaziland and Turkey. Sara holds a BA in Politics and Chinese from SOAS, University of London. 

Colin Webster

Colin joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2012. He has taken on a variety of roles within the education team, and now works predominantly on curating content for the Disruptive Innovation Festival (DIF), supporting the development of the Schmidt MacArthur Fellowship and creating educational resources in a variety of formats. Prior to joining the Foundation, Colin worked in a number of educational roles. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh in Geography and Economic and Social History, he completed his Master's in Education, and subsequently taught Geography in a high school in Scotland. Throughout university he worked as a youth work manager, and youth work was a sector he returned to prior to working with the Foundation.

Preparing students for MYP eAssessment: On-screen examinations 

By Robert Harrison and Gareth Hegarty

The best preparation for MYP on-screen examinations is high quality teaching and learning organized through robust unit planning. But how can schools use eAssessment to inform their practice in ways that ensure students are well-prepared? Which skills are important for success in a digital testing environment? What resources are available to help inform practice and shape teaching strategies? This pre-conference will explore digital literacy, familiarization, trials, tests, mocks and prep for on-screen examinations. Participants will consider how best to use specimen examinations, mark schemes, student work and subject reports to direct the impact of eAssessment in ways that positively influence classroom teaching and learning (as well as school policy and practice). Activities and learning engagements will focus on ways to maintain and strengthen alignment between assessment and the MYP curriculum framework. 

About the presenters

Robert Harrison

Robert Harrison is Head of MYP Development with the IB. Before joining the IB as Manager for Global Engagement, he worked as a special educator and teacher leader in US public schools. He led the 2012 review of the IB learner profile and implementation of the revised MYP curriculum framework. As part of the IB’s MYP: Next Chapter Board and MYP Assessment Steering Group, he leads the academic development of MYP eAssessment.

Gareth Hegarty

Gareth Hegarty is leading the new MYP Assessment team for the IB in Cardiff, UK as they develop  new assessment provisions for the MYP including the exciting on-screen examinations. Previously, Gareth led assessment in subjects: individuals and societies, the arts and the Core of the Diploma Programme and was the Subject Manager for chemistry. Gareth joined the IB after 10 years of teaching and leadership in schools in the UK, the Netherlands and Russia.

By Alan Wrafter, MaripeMenendez and Luis Rey Goñi

(This session will be held in Spanish)

This pre – conference relates to the Conference theme ‘Learning together’ by sharing the different approaches schools are taking to expand their IB offerings within diverse contexts such as Spain. The session runs a hands-on workshop to address how to create an efficient academic and leading structure for an effective development of an IB continuum school for students aged 3 to 19. The workshop will address how to organise departments and cross-disciplinary meetings, professional development for both teachers and leaders and curriculum alignment. There will be a special emphasis of how to implement the MYP in a local context with upscale results moving to competence acquisition from a memoristic approach.

About the presenters

Alan Wrafter            

Working in the School Services department at the IB, Alan serves the interests of the 800+ DP and 30 CP schools. Alan supports the work of numerous continuum schools in the AEM region.  He has worked in school leadership as Upper School Principal, DP Co-ordinator and Teacher in Spain for nine years.  He has also worked as coordinator with the British Council, and his career in international education includes postings in Australia, Indonesia and Ireland.

Maripé Menéndez

Maripé currently works as IB Regional Manager for Development & Recognition in Spain, Portugal and Andorra. In addition to her job in the IB, she is an Associate Professor of Marketing Research at IE Business School and IE University and a member of the Supranational Education Policy Research Group at Autónoma University of Madrid. Maripé has spent most of her career in the educational sector in Madrid, New York and Geneva. 

By Margareth Harris, Vedrana Pavletic, Fiona Clark, Katrin Fox, John Sauer and Roseline Muchiri

(This session will be held in English) 

Candidacy, authorization and evaluation points are essential components in the process of quality assuring a school’s implementation and development of an IB programme.

This pre-conference is aimed at school leaders and programme co-ordinators. It will provide a collaborative space and opportunities to work with different strategies and tools to prepare for authorization and evaluation, and to develop a school improvement plan.

Questions for reflection and for discussions, examples of documentation and evidence to prepare, strategies for supporting the school community to participate successfully in this process, will be shared and evaluated. 

About the presenters

Margareth Harris 

Before joining the School Services Division as MYP Manager, Margareth worked in the Global Academic Division of the IB as Curriculum and Assessment Manager for Languages and participated in the review and development of the 2014 MYP, from its first conversations to its final publication and implementation in schools. Margareth has worked in a wide range of school contexts as Primary Years Programme (PYP), MYP and DP teacher, MYP Coordinator, Moderator, Personal Project and Community Service Coordinator, school visitor and workshop leader.

Vedrana Pavletić

With a professional background in arts and humanities, for the last 10 years, Vedrana has taken a number of IB Educator roles across IB Africa, Europe and Middle East (AEM) and IB Asia Pacific, before joining the MYP School Services team in the AEM regional office. As of July 2016, Vedrana has taken up her new role as the Development and recognition manager for the AEM region. She has a good knowledge of the education systems of Central and East European countries and experience of a range of contexts in this region.

Katrin Fox

Fiona Clark

Fiona has been involved with the IB since 1995 when she started teaching chemistry for the DP at schools in Canada and Bermuda. She was a member of the IBEN acting as an Examiner, Workshop Leader, school visitor, Consultant and Reader. Fiona started working in the IB AEM Global Centre in 2010 as a Curriculum Manager for Group 4 subjects. Since 2013 she has been working as a part of the School Services DP team. Fiona has also worked on several publications related to both MYP and DP sciences.

Roseline Muchiri

Before joining the IB AEM as the PYP Associate Manager, Roseline Muchiri was involved with PYP in her capacity as a Teacher and Language Co-ordinator in an IB World School in Kenya. As a PYP practitioner, she has a wealth of experience in the implementation of the programme and plays various roles in supporting PYP schools in the region.   

John Sauer

John has held various positions at numerous international schools, ranging from Teacher to Head of School. He has taught in the PYP, MYP and DP and has extensive experience with these programmes. He joined the IB in 2011.   

By Stanley Burgoyne and Analourdes Herrera

(This session will be held in English, with 3 simultaneous webinars that will run in English, Spanish and French)

The purpose of this innovation lab session is to allow participants to explore the creativity and design that underpins IB Professional Development and to take away some practical applications for their own classroom or school-based practice. The innovation lab facilitators will encourage a hands-on approach to design thinking and rapid prototyping so that participants develop an understanding of blended learning approaches for Teachers, Heads of Schools and Co-ordinators.  The blended learning approaches will include a live webinar and a design mock-up of how we integrate online learning experiences.

About the presenters

Stanley Burgoyne

Stan has served as the Global Head of Professional Development for the Middle Years Programme since 2010 and works from the IB Americas Global Center.  As programme lead for strategy and business development for adult learning across three regions: Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Africa-Europe-the Middle East, he has been an architect of required and supplemental Professional Development (PD) including educational outreach projects in Poland, Romania, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia. He is excited to join online PD colleagues from The Hague to share the collaborative approach to process and product design and development that is a hallmark of IB global professional development.

Analourdes Herrera

Analourdes originally from San Diego, California, joined the IB in 2011. She holds a Master of Science (Msc) in Public Management and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in International Politics, Trade and Culture.  With more than 11 years working in the field of e-learning, blended learning and capacity building in international organizations, including the United Nations, Analourdes is passionate about innovation in learning design. Analourdes is the IB Online PD Learning Design Manager and is based in The Hague, Netherlands.

By Dominic Robeau, Chantell Wyten and Jon Halligan

(This session will be held in English)

The CP is the fourth and newest IB programme and is growing quickly around the world; the programme is now offered at 115 IB World Schools. Participants will explore approaches to teaching and learning that are delivered through the CP and will discuss a range of good teaching and learning methods from around the region. This session is designed for those new to the CP or wanting to learn more from sharing their practices with other CP educators. 

About the presenters

Dominic Robeau

Dominic Robeau is the Senior Curriculum Manager for the CP development. Dominic has many years of classroom and educational leadership experience in local and international schools in Australia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. A secondary English Literature teacher by training, he holds his Masters in English Literature and Communications from Murdoch University, Australia and a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management from Newcastle University, Australia. He is experienced in the MYP, DP and the CP.

Chantell Wyten

Chantell Wyten B.Ed (Hons) is a travelled educator whose motto of ‘meaningful progression with global consciousness' has led her to become the current CP Curriculum Manager. Prior to this she worked as a Head of Sixth Form and CP co-ordinator, in a UK school for five years, piloting the CP as a stand-alone qualification. Chantell has created online and face to face CP teacher workshops with a special interest in integrating DP subjects with career-related packages to broker pathways into leading universities and a range of competitive industries.

Jon Halligan

Jon Halligan is the Head of Development & Recognition for Africa, Europe and the Middle East. He works regionally with schools in developing CP packages and with industry and universities concerning CP recognition. Jon has worked with the IB since 2003, he has been a DP Coordinator, CP Coordinator, Vice Principal, Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) Coordinator, and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Teacher. Most of his time was spent in Dubai at Rashid School for Boys and Jumeirah English Speaking School, and latterly GEMS Wellington Academy. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA).

By Celina Garza

(This session will be held in English)

Building a culture of academic integrity goes beyond implementing an honesty policy. All parties involved in the education of IB learners must support students throughout the learning process so they understand not only the technicalities but also the merit of a genuine piece of work.

Through a “role-play” exercise, participants will understand the types of academic misconduct cases investigated by the IB and the penalties applied. A wider picture will then be shared through the analysis of the initial results of the IB’s academic honesty survey, and the analysis of exemplar academic honesty policies.

Workshop participants are expected to identify best practices to promote academic honesty at their schools. Further discussions of teaching and administration strategies should offer the tools to support not only students, but all school community members, to grasp that being “principled” (as described in the IB learner profile) is fundamental to all IB programmes.

About Celina Garza

Celina Garza is the Manager for Academic Honesty based at the IB Assessment Centre in Cardiff, UK and holds a doctorate in Agricultural Sciences. Prior to joining the IB in August 2010, Celina was the Diploma Programme (DP) Coordinator at an IB World School in Mexico. More recently, Celina is organizing the academic honesty competition inviting Middle Years Programme (MYP), DP and Career-related Programme (CP) students to create short films and posters; she is testing new software that allows the cross-reference of students’ work.