Pre-conference
Before the main Conference starts at 17:00 on Thursday, October 26, participants who register can attend our pre-conference sessions. The full day pre-conference sessions will take place on between 10:30 and 16:00 on Thursday, October 26, 2017, at the Conference venue, the World Forum in The Hague.
To read more about the speakers at our pre-conference sessions, please visit our dedicated speakers page.
The Hague Global Conference 2017 pre-conference sessions
The Role of a Mentor in Leadership Development
Speaker: Dr Glenn Odland
Session overview:
Leadership is increasingly valued as a key dimension of creating strong and inspiring learning communities. Both formally designated and informally committed leaders can contribute to the growth and development of their communities. This pre-conference session will introduce several key variables for sustainable leadership growth, and will emphasize one in particular: the importance of mentorship in strengthening leaders. As well as exploring strategies for finding a suitable mentor, participants will learn how they can become better leaders by offering mentorship to others. Expect a practical and highly participatory approach to addressing this topic.Great schools do things differently: school differentation for busy school leaders.
Speaker: James McDonald
Session overview:
Great schools, and organizations for that matter, do things differently. We also know that great classroom practice includes differentiation. So what does this mean at the level of the school organization? Shouldn’t we be differentiating our schools too? This workshop discusses ideas orginally developed in the business world and adapted to international school environment. Leaders will be provided with different examples of ‘mental models’ and practicial tools to make their school authentically stand out from other schools. As a leader, how can you provide an even better education for students and more stable financial future? How can you match your educational offerings, and the leader’s narrative around these offerings, to inspire your community? These questions and more will be addressed via the session. This workshop could be particularly useful for those going through a strategic planning process and for individuals interested in a fresh lens for viewing their school’s operations and wondering how their school can advance to the proverbial ‘next level’.Compassionate systems: A framework for international mindedness and effective action in a complex world
Speaker: Mette Miriam Böll
Session overview:
Find out about how the IB is working with leading experts to incorporate the latest thinking on compassion, systems and the needs of our world. The session will focus on developing an initial understanding of compassionate systems framework and how this related to international mindedness, our learner profile attributes and our mission. We'll consider new research and ideas in the field of systems thinking and compassion to enhance what you do What we wish for in our students is the ability not only to think compassionately but also to feel and live compassionately by virtue of an ever-unfolding awareness of our connectedness and interdependence. Since we can never see all of the systems within which our actions unfold, this spirit of genuine curiosity and openness is the real hallmark of a systems thinker, and the cultivated “experience of connectedness and interdependence” is the hallmark of a compassionate systems thinker and a foundation for international mindedness.Fad vs. Fact: Research Literacy for Educators [Full]
Speakers: Sarah Manlove, Edlyn Chao and Heike Schröder
Session overview:
Your work as an IB teacher, coordinator, or school leader involves critical thinking about topics like pedagogy and assessment. But what about education research? In this workshop, we will give you the tools to improve your critical thinking about research and data. For example, how can an educator know whether a particular innovation will work for his or her own students, or whether it’s worth the investment of time and effort? We will teach you just enough about research methodology and statistics to help you discern between fads and true innovations. Further, we will discuss the importance of evidence-based decision-making as an educator, sharing practical tools that both teachers and administrators can start using immediately.
The purposes of this workshop are twofold: to deepen your research literacy (with an emphasis on thinking critically in this domain), and to help you weave empirical self-reflection into every aspect of your work. In doing that, we aim to improve your discernment and decision-making as you face the rapid pace of educational innovation. Go beyond the classroom with us and learn specific strategies for boosting your impact as a research-savvy educator.