Tag Archives: teachers

Lianne Dominguez

Helping Teachers Flourish: The Heart of School Leadership

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This summer, I had the privilege of teaching and learning alongside almost a hundred teachers and school leaders through two back-to-back courses on instructional supervision and evaluation.

They represented different schools, systems, countries, and stages of leadership. Yet despite their diverse contexts, I was struck by how quickly our conversations converged.

The questions they asked were not just about observations, evaluation rubrics, or instructional frameworks themselves. Instead, they revealed something much deeper.

How do we create schools where teachers continue to grow, so that every student has the opportunity to flourish?

That question stayed with me long after the courses ended because it challenged me to think more deeply about what it really means for a school community to flourish.

We often talk about student flourishing, but perhaps we don’t spend enough time reflecting on what flourishing really means.

To flourish is more than to achieve success.

It is to continue growing.

To be challenged while feeling supported.

To develop confidence through purposeful practice.

To find meaning in what we do.

To belong to a community that believes we can always become better than we were yesterday.

If this is what we hope for our students, shouldn’t it also be what we hope for our teachers?

Teachers do not and should not stop learning the day they enter the profession. Like every professional, they deserve opportunities to reflect on their practice, receive meaningful feedback, refine their craft, and continue growing throughout their careers.

Perhaps this is where our work as school leaders matters most.

Our influence on student learning is rarely direct; it is multiplied through the teachers we support every day.

Throughout the courses, these conversations surfaced again and again through questions like:

  • How do we make classroom observations meaningful?
  • How do we ensure feedback leads to growth rather than compliance?
  • How do we balance operational demands with instructional leadership?

As I reflected afterwards, I realised they were all pointing towards the same question:

What conditions help teachers grow?

Four conditions kept emerging.

  • Clarity – Leaders create clarity by establishing a shared understanding of excellent teaching.
  • Trust – Leaders create trust by making coaching the purpose of supervision.
  • Evidence – Leaders strengthen professional judgment by grounding feedback in evidence.
  • Time – Leaders create the possibility for growth by intentionally protecting time.

Each of these matters on its own, but together they create the conditions in which teachers can continue to learn, refine their practice, and flourish.

Clarity

Teachers deserve a shared understanding of what excellent teaching looks like – not as a checklist to comply with, but as a framework grounded in research and the science of learning. Shared standards create a common language for professional growth and ensure that our feedback is anchored in evidence rather than individual preference.

Trust

Professional growth happens when supervision becomes a coaching conversation rather than a performance exercise. Teachers are far more likely to reflect honestly, take instructional risks, and refine their practice when they know the purpose of feedback is growth, not judgment.

Evidence

Professional judgment should be informed by patterns of practice and their impact on student learning and not isolated observations or personal preference. Evidence collected over time allows us to make thoughtful decisions about how best to support each teacher’s continued growth.

Time

Perhaps this is the condition we talk about least, yet it may be the one that determines whether all the others are possible.

Time to be present in classrooms.

Time to notice.

Time to listen before we speak.

Time to ask questions that provoke reflection rather than simply provide answers.

Time to coach.

Time to celebrate growth.

Time to learn alongside our teachers.

As another school year begins, I find myself returning to one simple truth: leadership is measured not only by the people we help grow, but by what we intentionally make time for.

After all, our calendars are often the clearest reflection of what we truly value.

Perhaps flourishing schools do not begin with programmes, initiatives, or strategic plans.

Perhaps they begin with leaders who intentionally create the conditions in which teachers continue to flourish.

So, as I prepare for the year ahead, I find myself returning to one simple question: What will I intentionally protect this year so that my teachers have the greatest opportunity to flourish?

Lianne Dominguez

We Talk About Peace – But What Does It Actually Look Like in Classrooms?

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Article Series: Education, Identity, and Peace in Kazakhstan

What does it actually mean for education to contribute to peace?

Not peace as an abstract idea or something we reference in mission statements—but as something lived in the everyday interactions between students, teachers, and communities.

We are living in a time where uncertainty feels constant. Across countries, there are tensions—political, cultural, and social—that shape how people see the world and each other. Schools sit directly within this reality.

So the question becomes more immediate: How do we help young people not only to succeed, but to live alongside difference—with understanding, with respect, and with care?

Over the past two years living and working in Kazakhstan, I’ve started to notice that this question is not always named directly—but it is present.

I work in an international school, and many of our students come from different educational and cultural experiences. Some have grown up in systems shaped by the legacy of the Soviet era – structured, academically rigorous, and grounded in discipline. Others are part of a more modern Kazakhstan – globally connected, multilingual, and outward-looking.

What stands out is not the difference between these experiences, but how students learn to navigate them.I remember sitting in a classroom discussion where students were exploring a global issue. What struck me was not just the range of opinions, but the way students approached each other’s ideas. There was disagreement, but it was measured. Students listened, paused, responded carefully. Some shifted between languages to clarify meaning. Others adjusted their thinking as they heard new perspectives.

It wasn’t a lesson about peace.

But it felt like one.

And over time, I’ve started to realise that moments like this are not incidental – they are shaped by something deeper.

What I’ve also started to notice is that this way of interacting does not sit in isolation from the wider culture. Kazakhstan is often described as a country made up of many nationalities, languages, and traditions. There is a strong emphasis on unity – that people of different backgrounds are part of one shared community. This is reflected not just in formal narratives, but in everyday interactions and in how identity is held.

There is a clear respect for cultural and religious diversity, alongside a sense of belonging that does not require people to set aside who they are.

I noticed this most during national and school celebrations, where traditions are not treated as belonging to one group alone, but are acknowledged more broadly – shared, recognised, and valued across communities. It creates a sense that identity is not something that needs to be reduced in order to belong, but something that can be held with confidence alongside others.

At the same time, like any society, there are also layers of complexity. But perhaps that is also part of the point.

Students are not growing up in a perfectly resolved environment. They are growing up in one where difference exists—and where they begin to make sense of that difference, gradually finding their place within it.

Kazakhstan’s history is present in its classrooms. The post-Soviet legacy continues to shape values around discipline, respect for teachers, and the importance of education. These are not abstract ideas – you can feel them in the way students approach their learning and in the relationships within schools.

At the same time, the country is actively shaping a modern identity. Students are learning in multiple languages – Kazakh, Russian, and English – and engaging with ideas that extend beyond their immediate context. They are growing up connected to both local traditions and a wider world. These are not viewed as isolated experiences, but worlds students learn to hold at once.

Working within this context, I’ve become more aware of the role of teachers in shaping not just learning, but relationships.

One of the things I have come to appreciate most is the warmth and care that Kazakh teachers bring to their work. There is a strong sense of responsibility toward students, rooted in values that feel deeply embedded – respect, community, and a genuine commitment to supporting young people.

Students are expected to work hard, to persevere, and to take learning seriously. But this is often held within relationships that feel steady and human. There is a sense that education is not only about achievement, but about how students learn to exist with others.

This is where the idea of peace becomes tangible.

It is not something separate from the classroom.

It begins in classrooms where students learn to listen before responding, where they learn to hold more than one perspective at a time, and where they learn to navigate differences without losing themselves.

In that sense, what I am seeing in schools here feels significant.

Students are not being taught about complexity as a concept. They are living it everyday.

I am still early in my experience here, and I approach this thought with curiosity more than certainty.

But what I am beginning to see more clearly is that there is something important happening in places like this – contexts where history, culture, and change intersect in everyday learning.

This is why I’m starting this 3-part series.

To explore more deeply what it means to educate in a space where multiple worlds meet, and what that might offer to a broader global conversation.

Because perhaps the work of building a more peaceful world does not begin with just policy or strategy alone.

Perhaps it begins in classrooms like these –  where students learn, every day, how to live with difference, how to listen, and how to hold multiple perspectives at once.

This is the first in a three-part series exploring education, identity, and peace in Kazakhstan. In the next article, I take a closer look at what it means for students to live and learn between different educational worlds.

Lianne Dominguez

What’s Really Holding Your Team Back? The Confidence–Competence Gap No One Talks About

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There’s a look I’ve seen often — that pause after I introduce a new task.

Not resistance. Not laziness.

Just a subtle pause.

Sometimes it’s a look of “Are you sure I can do this?”

Other times it’s a confident “Yep!” — followed by an outcome that quietly says… maybe not.

It took me years (and a few humbling leadership stumbles) to realize that behind every reaction to a task is a quiet dance between confidence and competence. And here’s the kicker: that dance plays out not just in others, but in ourselves too.

We lead people.

We assign things.

We expect initiative.

And sometimes, we walk away from a task handover feeling like: Why didn’t that land the way I thought it would?

When you zoom out, it’s often not about the task. It’s about how people see themselves in relation to it.

Confidence and competence are two different muscles. Some have both. Some have one. Some have neither — yet.

Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory offers a timeless truth: effective leaders don’t lead the same way all the time — they adjust based on who they’re leading and what the task demands. Depending on a person’s readiness and skill, we’re called to direct, coach, support, or delegate.

That model has been a compass in my own leadership journey — but over the years, I found myself craving something even more grounded in the lived reality of schools. I started collecting observations — scribbled on post-its during meetings, noted in margins of agendas, shared over hallway check-ins. Real stories. Real reactions.

Over time, a pattern began to emerge. From those small but telling moments, I developed what I now call my Confidence–Competence Lens — a tool that builds on Blanchard’s work, but reflects the heartbeat of real school life. It’s the tool I turn to when deciding not just what needs doing, but how to support the person doing it.

Because leadership isn’t just about assigning tasks — it’s about noticing how people meet them, and knowing what to do next. Here’s how I use the lens to guide both leadership decisions and support strategies:

Competence & Confidence Lens in ActionHigh ConfidenceLow Confidence
High CompetenceEmpower & Trust 
✓ Let them lead key initiatives or mentor others. 
✓ Give stretch goals that build mastery and ownership. 
✓ Involve them in co-creating strategy or vision. 

Watch for: Overcommitment or burnout due to over-reliance.

Say: “I’d love for you to lead this — I trust your judgment and skill.”

Coach Quietly 
✓ Affirm their strengths privately and publicly. 
✓ Give them low-risk opportunities to lead. 
✓ Provide examples of their impact they may not see. 

Watch for: Impostor syndrome, reluctance to speak in groups. 

What people say: “I’m not ready”

Say: “You already have what it takes — let’s find a space where you can try it out without pressure.”
Low CompetenceMonitor Closely 
✓ Pair with a mentor or buddy. 
✓ Break tasks into steps with checkpoints. 
✓ Provide scripts, models, or exemplars. 

Watch for: Missed details, inconsistent follow-through. 

What people say: “Got it!” (but no follow-through)

Say: “Let’s work through the first part together — I’ll check in after Step 2 and help you course-correct if needed.”		Mentor Patiently 
✓ Teach explicitly. Model tasks. Role-play scenarios. 
✓ Normalize learning curve — give space to fail safely. 
✓ Celebrate growth, not just outcomes. 

Watch for: Avoidance, anxiety, or misdirected effort. 

Say: “This will take time — but you don’t have to do it alone. Let’s focus on progress, not perfection.”

Reflection Starts With Us

In the day-to-day pace of leadership, we’re often focused on how our team is reacting — who’s leaning in, who’s hesitant, who’s dragging their heels. But it’s just as important to pause and recognise where our own reactions as leaders show up most strongly.

Is it in our resistance to trying a new system?
Is it that voice in our head saying, “This won’t work for our context,” or “I’m too busy for this”?
Or that burst of enthusiasm for a new idea — followed by quiet procrastination?

We’re not immune to the same gaps we recognize in others. And asking ourselves why we hesitate can be just as important as noticing it in our teams.

Whether we’re assigning a task or facing one ourselves, the same lens applies. This isn’t about judging — it’s about being curious, and matching the right response to the human need, in others and in ourselves.in ourselves.

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers.

It’s about noticing what gets in the way, and doing something about it.

We’ve all been the confident beginner, the quiet expert, the reluctant participant, the over-eager new hire. We’ve all needed someone to say: “I see what you can do. Let me help you get there.”

So the next time a task falls flat or a team member pulls back — Pause.

Ask: “Is it confidence? Competence? Or both?” Then lead with what they need. Because when we grow both confidence and competence — in others and ourselves — we don’t just build better teams. We build braver ones.

Lianne Dominguez

From the (Virtual) Room: Instructional Supervision Trends We Can’t Ignore

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While most educators were taking a well-earned summer pause, a cohort of school leaders and instructional coaches from across the globe chose something different: to sit in a virtual room, for seven days, to confront the messy, emotional, and often misunderstood world of instructional supervision and evaluation.

I had the privilege of co-facilitating the Instructional Supervision and Evaluation course at the Principals’ Training Center this July, and something about this particular cohort stayed with me. It wasn’t just their commitment—it was the quiet clarity they brought. They didn’t come just to learn a framework. They came with thoughtful problems of practice, patterns they’d been noticing, and a genuine belief that the systems they were leading—or working within—could do better. And more importantly, they came ready to take action.

Common Themes that Emerged : What We’re Really Trying to Fix

One of the things I’ve always appreciated about PTC courses is the emphasis on application tasks—practical, school-based projects or change initiatives that participants design during the week to bring back and implement in their own contexts.

As I reviewed the change initiatives—the diversity of contexts was striking. But what was even more powerful were the common themes that kept showing up, regardless of country, role, or school size —clear signals that leaders across the world are wrestling with similar challenges and reaching toward a more human, meaningful version of instructional supervision.

With over 57 school leaders representing 54 schools across 48 countries, these patterns are more than just coincidence—they suggest emerging global trends in how we think about instructional supervision. In research terms, this may not be a formal sample, but it certainly reflects a meaningful, practitioner-led pulse across international schools.

Here’s what we’re seeing:

  • Humanizing the Process: Leaders are moving away from high-stakes, formal observations toward mini observations and peer feedback—making growth more regular, more relational, and less performative.
  • Trust as a Starting Point: Many named trust as the first thing they need to build—before any framework, rubric, or policy can take root.
  • Alignment to mission and values: More leaders are realizing that when supervision doesn’t reflect school values, student learning outcomes, or professional standards, it feels hollow. Coherence matters.
  • Empowering Teacher Voice: Supervision isn’t one-way. Educators are co-constructing rubrics, initiating peer learning walks, and asking for differentiated pathways to support their growth.
  • Using Data as a Mirror: Student learning data is being reframed—not as accountability pressure, but as a reflective tool to guide professional learning conversations.
  • Anchoring to Professional Standards of Practice: Schools are leaning into international standards of practice for teachers—not to control, but to create clarity, shared language, and purpose.

One participant asked: What if we made supervision feel like support instead of surveillance? That question lingered.

Mindsets That Need Rewriting

As an observer and guide throughout the week, I saw a shared readiness and a collective willingness to move beyond what’s always been done and lean into more intentional, human-centered leadership. The mindset shifts were clear—and they echoed across roles, schools, and regions. Here are a few that surfaced again and again:

  • From evaluator to learning partner: Supervisors are trying to sit beside teachers, not above them.
  • From collecting evidence to creating clarity: There’s growing recognition that teachers need to know what to aim for—not just what not to do.
  • From isolated walkthroughs to relational feedback loops: Supervision, when done right, strengthens the professional culture, not just instructional practice.
  • From telling to asking: More leaders are leaning into coaching, pausing, and listening. And that’s where real trust begins.
  • From pedagogy to learning impact: Supervisors are shifting their lens—not just asking what the teacher is doing, but how and what students are learning as a result. The focus is moving from activity to evidence of learning.
  • From single data points to multiple sources of evidence: Supervisors are moving beyond relying on just one observation or test score to determine teaching effectiveness. Instead, they’re drawing from a range of data—student work, learning conversations, peer feedback, and outcomes over time—to build a fuller, more accurate picture of impact.
  • From top-down control to shared responsibility: Schools are beginning to embed supervision into a distributed leadership model, where growth is not held by one person, but shared across teams. When teachers help shape the system, they’re more invested in the outcomes—and supervision becomes a collective commitment, not just a managerial task.

Patterns I’ll Be Taking With Me

In between toolkits, frameworks, and standards, what struck me most were the unspoken efforts behind each task: the courage to name what’s broken, the willingness to build something new, and the quiet acknowledgment that instructional supervision is emotional labor—both for the teacher and the leader.

Too often, supervision is mistaken for a tool to fix teachers. But what if its real purpose is to free them? Free them from ambiguity. Free them from fear. Free them from feedback that feels more like judgment than growth.

In that sense, every person in our cohort wasn’t just designing a new system. They were trying to write a new story for their school—one where professional growth is seen as a shared act of care.

The Responsibility of Facilitating This Work

Facilitating this course comes with responsibility. It means holding space for hard questions. It means not pushing a one-size-fits-all model, but helping leaders find what works in their context, for their teachers, in service of their students. And it means reminding all of us—myself included—that supervision is not just a checklist we tick off but it’s a culture we build.

Even in the heat of July, there are leaders out there choosing to rethink what growth can look like. Choosing learning. Choosing clarity. Choosing trust.

And honestly? That gives me hope.

What About You?

What will instructional supervision mean in your school next year?

What are you walking past—and what are you walking toward?

Matthew and Niamh

Selected Ramblings: Change in the World

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Follow our bicycle journey around the world at www.pedalgogy.net or on Facebook.

Click here for our Vietnam and Cambodia route maps.

The world has changed a lot since the year 2000. Touring the world in this day and age has been remarkably smooth in terms of freedom of movement, crossing borders with electronic visas and booking excursions and flights with just a few clicks (see previous post).

The more I compare my experiences from 18 years ago to now, the more I realise that everything is different. Access to cash is one thing that makes this lifestyle a whole lot easier. No more travellers cheques and wire transfers needed if you have a debit or credit card these days. Communicating with home and personal entertainment and photography has been made a whole lot easier and lighter –  no longer requiring half a backpack for music.

The weather is different. Now I am no expert on climate change but what I do know is that many places can no longer rely on distinct seasons and suffer from extremes. Crops fail, regions burn, wells dry up as rising tides begin to envelope communities. The land has changed too. Nation sized palm oil and soya plantations have caused the loss of habitat and species. Where is all this heading? I think that it is a demand-led problem for which there is a demand-led solution.

As we cycled across Vietnam and Cambodia I was constantly shocked by the images of branding. Especially of disposable goods and their packaging. Desires fulfilled by consumption and waste. Repeat. Where and when did the belief that consumption makes life better and makes us happier take hold in rural Mekong communities? Parts of which are now full of packaging and burning piles of inferior products, replaced by new and ‘better’ ones? Perhaps this behaviour builds ones status, but how and why?

I am sure that the profit incentives of producers in the free market drives awareness of products, and through advertising a desire. However, even in socialist states, symptoms of personal desires expressed through purchases are proudly displayed. Is hedonism human nature? Is it just a mammalian thing to show off?

Partly because of this consumerism, the world looks different. According to the World Trade Organisation, trade of all goods as services increased by around 40% in the first decade of this millennium (WTO, 2012).  The recession put a short hold on that but forecasts still put this decades growth at a similar figure. This means that since I first started travelling on my bike, the world’s output has nearly doubled. I can see it too. Increased trade, improved infrastructure and new technology have been the drivers of Globalisation. I think that these few generations worth of time will be coined as the ‘Age of Trade’ or the time when the worlds markets became a single entity. We live in interesting times which will never be forgotten.

It seems that our insatiable appetite for the consumption of manufactured goods and services is leading us to a tipping point. It is estimated that even now, the  goods we demand, the methods used to supply them and the way in which we choose to demand them, without consideration of the impact they have, means we are consuming more than our planet can currently produce. Some sources calculate that we will need to double output to meet demand by 2050 (UN, 2015). Others claim that this is an exaggeration, suggesting that with our slowing population growth and new processes this disequilibrium could be corrected by 2050 (BioScience). Other sources use eye-catching comparisons such as – “If everybody currently lived like an American then we would need 4.1 Earths. A French person 2.5 (De Chant, 2012).

One thing is for sure – Our current habits have to change. We find ourselves choking and exhausting our world. We must find new ways of production, but vitally, we as consumers must begin to think about the long-game. To demand that businesses then start listening to us by changing our purchasing behaviour. But I fear that without the support of uncorrupted government and military, the temptation of making a quick buck will overpower the needs of our planet.

Well there, I’ve said it, and this was supposed to be a bicycle touring post. I think my point is that there has been so much change in the last 20 years, that I think that in another 20 years, the world may be unrecognisable. I wonder whether travelling will be even easier, or less enjoyable? If the whole world will be more accessible or whether we are destroying adventure and paradise by the scars we are creating on our landscapes.

I say go and explore that last frontiers, feel the buzz of discovery and the spine-tingles by sheer delight at the sites that the world has waiting. Before it’s too late. Earlier I said that this age will be known for trade and Globalisation, I also think that it will be a time in history where the true spirit of travel and adventure was at it’s strongest. If you have any desire to marvel at the wonders of the world, go out and be part of this special time.

Click here for our Vietnam and Cambodia route maps.

Videos of our adventures can be found on our YouTube channel.

Matthew and Niamh

Biking Stuff: Rest Days in Saigon

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Follow our bicycle journey around the world at www.pedalgogy.net or on Facebook.

Our route only took us through a small section of Vietnam. We cycled from the Xa Mat border with Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh to catch a flight home for Christmas and then rode back into Cambodia at the Ha Tien border. We arrived in Ho Chi Minh a week too early for our flight so had plenty of rest days in this busy city. They say you should write what you know, so instead of a guide to bicycle touring in Vietnam- here’s a guide to rest days in Saigon.

Click here for an interactive map of this route.

Some ideas of ways to spend your days off the bike in this city:

Beer

Make good use of your time and check out the craft beer scene. We were surprised by just how many craft breweries and bars there were here. Pasteur St Brewery (try the award-winning Cyclo Imperial Chocolate Stout,) Heart of Darkness (try the Kurtz’s Insane IPA) and Bia Craft were our favourites. These choices are based on rigorous and repeated tasting. 🙂

Bike service

After plenty of beer drinking, a sensible thing to do is to give your bike some TLC. For thorough, professional and fast servicing head to Saigon Bike Shop where Van the Man will see to your bicycle’s every need. He also stocks good quality parts, water bottles etc if you need to stock up.

Food

Cyclists need plenty of fuel and these places certainly gave us that. Quan Ut Ut American Barbecue serves excellent meat with sides like corn bread, mac and cheese and buttered green beans. Not exactly healthy, but delicious. Heart of Darkness serves fancy pub food including burgers and tacos. They have great beer too -kill two birds with one stone! Q Mama Barbecue Buffet – get there early at 5pm. All-you-can-eat buffet with your own grill on the table. Includes cook-your-own crab and other seafood. All-you-can-drink beer, cider and soft drinks. Gets rowdy and competitive for food after about 7pm but you will have it almost all to yourself from 5-6pm. 199,000 dong per person (about 10 dollars).

Transport

Saigon is a big city so consider downloading the Uber app for cab rides. It’s cheaper than other taxis and walking is difficult in Ho Chi Minh. We stayed out in district 8 so we relied heavily on it. Prices vary at peak times but we generally paid about 5 dollars for a 40 minute ride.

Sights

We didn’t do a whole pile of sightseeing – they were “rest” days after all. A day trip to the Mekong Delta is worth a few hours but beware that it is very busy with other tourists. The Cu Chi Tunnels are set in a beautiful part of the countryside but have a dark history.

Some of the recommendations listed above are fairly pricey for a bike touring budget. We felt like rewarding ourselves for hitting 7000 km so we splashed out. There are plenty of cheaper options all over the city and the staples of iced sweet coffee and pho (noodle soup) are on every corner for a couple of dollars.

We definitely felt well rested, watered and fed by the time we got back on the bikes!

Bicycle touring Vietnam

Click here for an interactive map of this route.

Videos of our adventures can be found on our YouTube channel.

Matthew and Niamh

An Economist’s Take: Budgeting and Adventure

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Follow our bicycle journey around the world at www.pedalgogy.net or on Facebook.

This post is not just for any would-be bike tourer. It considers an issue we could all think about.

We have seen all sorts on this trip so far, literally from feast to famine. The extreme wealth of the flashy supercar-driving Chinese high-fliers, to the maimed and forgotten street beggars in some parts of south-east Asia.

This trip is a real lesson about economic development for an Economics teacher.

For years I have taught middle school Humanities through to first year degree level Economics courses. I try to deliver the topics of Inequality and the Distribution of Wealth in a thoughtful and pragmatic way inside the classroom, but rarely is it ever effectively applied to real life. How can it be, when many of the young minds in the room belong to people from privileged backgrounds? I can share my experiences and things I’ve seen, and maybe even offer some thoughts about how it can be and whether a positive change will ever happen, but it is often the case that students listen but cannot yet hear. We do however excitedly apply lovely abstract formula devised by Lorenz and Kuznets to the reality of human tragedy and ecstasy.

So, I have come to appreciate that the position we are in of having some savings to spend whilst cycling around the world is not a common one, and there certainly is only one way our cash flows these days, and that’s out. We had to be prepared for that. Our reality is that we are in a small minority; to put things into context I always like some cold, hard, sober, emotionless numbers:

71% of the world’s population lives on less than $10 a day (Few Research Center, 2015)

39% of the world’s population does not a bank account (World Bank, 2015).

22% of Brits & Americans have no savings (Telegraph, 2012, MarketWatch, 2015)

64% of Brits & Americans have less than £1000/$1300 in savings accounts (TIM, 2014).

62 people have the same wealth as 50% of humanity (Washington Post, 2016)

It would be easy to say then, that being able to tour the world for two years means we are lucky and blessed. Well, I’m not so sure it’s either of these. We have worked hard to establish our careers, providing reassurance that when we need to earn again, we should be able to find work.

We didn’t do anything personally to affect it, but maybe we were ‘lucky’ to be born in UK and Ireland into caring middle class families. From then on, I think we make our own luck. Are we blessed? Well, this suggests some kind of divine intervention, which doesn’t compute with me. Who is the one that decides if we can or can’t do something that we dream of? Personally, I believe it is us – only us.  Sure it takes some forward planning and self-belief. I prefer brave (maybe a little bit crazy), self-assured and assertive as ways to describe ourselves.

Also, people make excuses far too easily and frequently about why they can’t do things they’ve “Always wanted to do”. Sometime it seems people say it just to exonerate themselves. I don’t understand that. That “could’ve”, “would’ve”, “should’ve” tense. I believe that where there is a will, there’s a way. If ultimately it doesn’t live up to your expectations, well I’ve always thought that it’s better to regret something that you have done, rather than always wonder about how it might have been.

There is never a bad time to go and explore. We have met retired couples touring, single 70 year olds, read of friends who ride the world with their two kids in tow, or their dogs. Those who are battling with sickness, those who just don’t know what they want to do in life, so go out for a ride. I don’t think that you particularly have to have a reason or a cause either. I found out how much I love touring by just giving it a go a few times and have discovered that there is a beguiling beauty to the rhythm and excitement it brings.

Six months into our two year ride now, we have become acutely aware of, and are grateful for:

Freedom of movement – Having EU passports (although for me not much longer) enables us to roam. Sure, visa applications are a hassle, but there are many people in the world we know and love who cannot whimsically cross borders.

Western Privilege – Not really sure what this means, but we certainly have a life of relative comfort back in our home countries. Services that are provided to us as a matter of course are to some, always out of reach.

Health – We should never take this one for granted. Staying fit, eating well, not taking too many risks. Enjoy every day you feel good, and battle when you don’t.

Age – Am I middle-aged? I guess I am, but they are just numbers. Are we always too young for things until we are too old? Rubbish. Don’t be held back thinking about your age. If you can’t help it, then get a younger partner, they’ll keep you young!

So what does all this suggest? ‘Carpe Diem’, would be the obvious thing to conclude, but that’s one hell of a cliché. Perhaps we should all live frivolously? No, that would be irresponsible.

Budget? Yes, but don’t let it suffocate you.

 

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Videos of our adventures can be found on our YouTube channel.

 

 

Barry Déquanne

Appreciating Teachers

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“[Kids] don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”  ― Jim Henson, It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider

To all of the teachers at the American School of Brasilia and around the world: Happy Teachers’ Week! Your work, dedication, and commitment to the development of others are important and deeply appreciated. To that end, the following is a link to a previous post entitled, Why I Hated Meredith’s First Grade Teacher, which shares a moving story about the difference a teacher can make in a family’s life.

Like other schools, we are commemorating this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week with a variety of activities that include a morning breakfast, a relaxation room with professional massage therapists, the distribution of school t-shirts, an afterschool social event, and a parent and embassy sponsored evening celebration.

Given the unique honour and responsibility teachers are given to guide and support learning, these words from T.H. White are for you:

 “The best thing for being sad,” replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.”  ― T.H. White, The Once and Future King

Thank you, teachers, for supporting learning and making a real and positive difference in the lives of our students and greater communities.

Blog: www.barrydequanne.com

Twitter: @dequanne

EM PORTUGUÊS:

Agradecendo aos Professores

“[Crianças] não se lembram do que você tenta ensiná-las. Elas se lembram do que você é.” – Jim Henson, It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider

Desejamos a todos os professores da EAB e ao redor do mundo: Feliz Semana dos Professores! Seu trabalho, dedicação e comprometimento com o desenvolvimento das pessoas são muito importantes e profundamente apreciados. Para isso, o link a seguir é sobre uma postagem chamada Por que eu detestei a professora da Meredith do primeiro ano, que fala sobre uma história emocionante sobre a diferença que um professor pode fazer na vida de uma família.

Este ano estamos comemorando a Semana de Agradecimento aos Professores com uma série de atividades que incluem um café da manhã, uma sala de relaxamento com massoterapeutas profissionais, um evento social após a escola e uma noite de comemoração patrocinada pelos pais (Obrigado à Organização de Pais e Mestres da EAB!).

Dada a grande honra e a responsabilidade que os professores têm ao guiar e apoiar o aprendizado, essas palavras de T.H. White são para você:

“A melhor coisa em estar triste,” respondeu Merlin, é aprender alguma coisa. Essa é a única coisa que nunca falha. Você pode envelhecer e abalar a sua anatomia, também pode ficar acordado à noite ouvindo o distúrbio das suas veias, você pode sentir falta do seu único amor, pode ver o mundo ao seu redor devastado por lunáticos cruéis ou ter sua honra pisoteada nos esgotos de mentes baixas. Então só há uma coisa para isso – aprender. Aprender porque o mundo gira e o que o faz girar. Essa é a única coisa que a mente nunca pode perder, nunca alienar, nunca se torturar, nunca ter medo e não acreditar e nunca pensar em se arrepender. Aprender é a única coisa para você. “Olhe quantas coisas existem para aprender.” – T.H.White, The Once and Future King

Agradecemos aos professores por apoiar o aprendizado e fazer uma diferença real e positiva na vida dos nossos alunos e comunidade.

Blog: www.barrydequanne.com

Twitter: @dequanne

Featured image: cc licensed (CC BY 2.0) Flickr photo by Tony 
Hammond: When It Comes to Aboriginal Art, It Can Branch Out Into 
the Imagination! 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8525214@N06/32420843740/
Barry Déquanne

Teacher Recruitment

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A common and defining characteristic associated with international schools is that of transience. The ephemeral nature of many our community members’ tenures in international schools necessitates the ongoing management of change processes. The positive features of this constant change are the rich opportunities for personal growth, renewal, enrichment, and development of new relationships. However, this very same impermanence inevitably leads to our esteemed colleagues and beloved friends taking leave of our community as they seek to embrace new adventures and experiences. The reasons that some teachers take leave of our schools each year varies, from the need to return to their home country or the desire to work and live in a different part of the world, for example. While the inevitable departure of some colleagues will again be a reality at international schools around the world, we can take solace in the fact that personal and professional relationships will assuredly endure far beyond the end of this school year. Although there will be occasions to formally recognize those who will be leaving our schools, the focus of this note is on the present and the importance of appreciating and making the most of the time we have today and in the near future with our very special colleagues and friends. Teacher Recruitment Process:  The hiring of teachers is arguable the most important element of the work of a Head of School. To that end, one of the main focus areas during the month of October to February is the recruitment of teachers, which will include attendance at international recruitment fairs. In addition, it is not unusual for schools to receive over a thousand applications, in some cases, several thousand. I am often asked what we look for when hiring teachers at the American School of Brasilia. First and foremost, we are seeking to hire the best available teachers, regardless of nationality, who possess outstanding qualifications in their academic area, deep levels of relevant experience, leadership capacity, resilience, flexibility, and, of course, a passion for working with students and the learning process. An additional characteristic that is among the highest on our priority list is that of a positive disposition. The nature of effective teaching necessitates the ideal of teachers as eternal optimists, especially in terms of their belief that all students can reach their respective potentials. Furthermore, we owe it to our students to ensure a school setting that is comprised of people who are positive and optimistic, who see problems as opportunities, and who see the proverbial glass as always being half full. At the same, we cannot be Pollyannaish with respect to teaching and learning as teachers are challenged with directly addressing the inherent challenges associated with student growth and program development, in a professional, effective, and empathetic manner. Each year, our school continues to further articulate and refine EAB’s Teacher Profile, which is a document that outlines a set of guiding principles that are used to guide all hiring processes. In addition, EAB’s Leadership Team also examines the hiring, development, and retainment practices of highly successful organizations to determine what can be translated to a school setting. By way of example, we have closely studied Netflix’s human resource policy, called Freedom and Responsibility, which provides for engaging and reflective reading. Wishing everyone all the best with your respective search and hiring processes. _________________________________________________

Profile: I am currently working as the Head of School at the American School of Brasilia and publish a weekly blog at www.barrydequanne.com.

Featured image: cc licensed (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ) flickr photo by Dieter Drescher: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cosmosfan/14628522324

Barry Déquanne

We Teach Who We Are

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One of the many facets I appreciate about the education profession is the opportunity to begin each year afresh as part of a continuous cycle of renewal. The new relationships, new challenges, and new learning and growth opportunities offered during the school year bring us another step forward towards the self-actualization aspirations we set for ourselves, both as individuals and institutions. Serving a school community in this capacity in conjunction with the corresponding privilege of working with students is indeed a wondrous and meaningful experience for all involved.

To celebrate the return to the learning process and to frame our work for the year ahead, I shared the following quote with the American School of Brasilia’s faculty and staff:

jack

“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful, and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.” ~Jack Layton

The essential human qualities of love, hope, and optimism underscore the fundamental characteristics of what it means to be an educator, whether in the capacity of a teacher, family member, friend, or supporter. Students need role models who value deep and empowering relationships, who inspire hope for the future, and who are eternal optimists. Schools must be a place where students can achieve their potential in a safe and supportive learning environment that enables them to hope and dream.

In my humble and, albeit, biased opinion, I fully believe that the American School of Brasilia (EAB) is emblematic and embracing of Mr. Layton’s guiding principles. During the first week of school, I was reminded of how much our faculty members not only love their profession and the subject they teach, but also the deep level of care they exhibit for the wellbeing and the learning of our students. I was reminded of how much hope for the future is inspired by teachers, students, and parents, particularly through the positive energy exhibited through their relationships and mutual support. Finally, I was reminded that teaching and learning is an inherently optimistic endeavor. It is comforting to know that EAB’s faculty and staff are eternal optimists when it comes to teaching, learning, and the wondrous potential that can be achieved by all.

In his book The Courage to Teach, Parker Palmer highlights the complexities associated with teaching, which extend beyond curricula, philosophies, and teaching resources, through his statement, “[teachers] teach who they are.” If this is true, then our students are most fortunate to be members of a community filled with talented and passionate people who are, “loving, hopeful, and optimistic”, and fully committed, through education, to changing the world to make it a better place.

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Profile: I am currently working as the Head of School at the American School of Brasilia and publish a weekly blog at www.barrydequanne.com.

Image Credit: Patrick Corrigan


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