Pre-conference workshops

Building learning in our schools is at the heart of what we do as educators, and the goal of IB and NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) to support. IB & NEASC have created the Collaborative Learning Protocol (CLP) which aligns the process and benefits of evaluation and accreditation into one structure. Working with 50+ schools since 2021, CLP has now been updated to version 2.0. Join this workshop and you will explore the following: 

1. a) an introduction to the philosophical and procedural alignments between IB & NEASC - growth model
2. b) an overview of the updated and streamlined process for evaluation and accreditation - two for one
3. c) explore how this process could be used by your school to enhance and deepen conversations around learning - linked to future Programme Development Plans perhaps d) experience clarity of future directions focused specifically on growing quality learning.

Developing focused, practical, tailored, and continuous professional development that gives teachers agency over their own learning is an important factor in school improvement. Participants will explore through case studies how coaching draws on and models an inquiry based approach to professional learning, supporting teachers’ growth as pedagogical leaders and curriculum designers. Participants will acquire specific strategies for introducing research-informed, culturally responsive coaching practices in their own contexts, and see how these can be aligned with the implementation of the school’s programme development plans (PDP). The workshop will enable leaders to design a model and measure the effectiveness of coaching within their own cultural and institutional contexts. Participants will leave with a plan that uses coaching as a holistic approach to teacher development to transform practice while emphasising contextual relevance, cultural sensitivity, sustainable development, and the empowerment of teachers and leaders alike. 

Creating a clearly identifiable purpose for an international school can be challenging - as well as implementing values that drive development and growth. This workshop promotes a process that will allow participants to identify and develop school values in the context of IB philosophy. Participants will learn how to transfer their identified school values and IB philosophy into design parameters for a curriculum core in the middle years. This core will not only allow students to become active parts of school development, but also foster them in the development of their personal and cultural identities. 

Learning in this core permeates all subject teaching in an agentic framework. The workshop will provide opportunities for reflection and development so that participants can draft a curriculum core in the context of their own school environments. It will draw on theoretical and practical approaches from ethics, curriculum design, identity education and cultures of thinking. 

Taller diseñado para mejorar el plan de aprendizaje profesional de su colegio. Los educadores experimentarán que el aprendizaje va más allá de los días impuestos de desarrollo profesional y los talleres obligatorios del IB. Esta preconferencia invita a investigar qué constituye un aprendizaje profesional continuo y cómo un enfoque intencional para el crecimiento de los docentes, los equipos directivos y el colegio como organización es fundamental para un aprendizaje efectivo de los estudiantes. 

Se mostrarán distintas posibilidades de aprendizaje profesional y su potencial para impulsar el cambio y se sugerirán oportunidades de aprendizaje integradas, como estudios de libros, mentoría instructiva, enseñanza en equipo y caminatas de aprendizaje. Asimismo, se expondrán posibilidades para planes de aprendizaje profesional personalizados que desarrollen capacidades e impulsen un desarrollo estratégico para un aprendizaje profundo de los estudiantes. Por último, los educadores conectarán el aprendizaje profesional con los planes de desarrollo de los programas del IB. 

In this workshop, participants will actively engage in hands-on activities aimed at cultivating student agency and unlocking learners' full potential. Through a deep dive into the guiding principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) they will explore strategies to enhance student advocacy, agency, engagement, and achievement. Participants will discover that subtle adjustments to current practices will empower student voice, as UDL seamlessly aligns with existing practice with an emphasis on the explicit teaching of approaches to learning skills (ATL) to elevate student advocacy and agency. Catering to both IB and non-IB programs, the workshop offers strategies transcending program boundaries for holistic student development. Enriched with resources from global schools, the workshop provides a tool-box of real-world examples, valuable take-away resources, and practical strategies to create student-centered, inclusive, and effective learning environments. 

This pre-conference dives into the fundamentals of personalized learning, showcasing its importance in today's education landscape. Attendees will participate in discussions, learning experiences, and concrete practices that highlight various global strategies and technology for personalized learning. The aim is to provide educational leaders with practical knowledge to adapt education to individual learner needs and to deepen their understanding of personalized learning. Participants will gain fresh ideas and perspectives, enabling them to implement effective personalized learning in their own settings with their teachers and students. This pre-conference is an opportunity for international educators to engage with and share successful practices, tap into collective wisdom, and shape the future of education with personalized learning at its core. 

If possible, please bring a laptop to this workshop.

Join us for an interactive workshop designed to enhance your school’s professional learning journey. Educators will experience that professional learning goes beyond mandated professional development days and required IB workshops. This pre-conference invites participants to inquire into what constitutes continuous professional learning and how an intentional approach to growth of the individual teacher, leader and the learning organization is fundamental to student learning. We will navigate a variety of professional learning engagements and their potential for driving change. Embedded learning opportunities, such as book studies, instructional coaching, team teaching, and learning walks, are suggested as possibilities for personalized professional learning plans that can build capacity and drive strategic development for deeper student learning. Educators will connect professional learning to their current focus of IB programme development. 

Rejoignez-nous pour un atelier interactif conçu pour améliorer le parcours de formation professionnelle de votre établissement. Vous découvrirez que la formation professionnelle va au-delà des journées de développement professionnel et des ateliers obligatoires de l'IB. Cette pré-conférence vous invite à vous interroger sur ce qui constitue une formation professionnelle continue et sur la manière dont une approche intentionnelle du développement des enseignants, des leaders et de l'organisation apprenante est fondamentale pour l'apprentissage des élèves. Nous explorerons une variété d'engagements en formation professionnelle et leur rôle innovatif. Les opportunités d'apprentissage intégrées, comme les études de livres, le coaching pédagogique, l'enseignement en équipe et les promenades d'apprentissage, sont suggérées comme de possibles plans de formation professionnelle personnalisés pour renforcer les capacités et stimuler le développement stratégique en vue d'un apprentissage plus approfondi des élèves. Les éducateurs relieront la formation professionnelle et leurs objectifs actuels de développement des programmes de l'IB. 

This session will explore the essential elements of differentiated instruction, designed to meet the diverse needs of students. Participants will discover practical strategies and routines for creating an inclusive classroom environment. Through interactive activities, they will apply these strategies to cater to individual students' needs and reflect on their effectiveness. By the end of the workshop, participants will acquire a comprehensive toolkit of differentiated instructional strategies, empowering them to create engaging and inclusive learning environments.