@simonjdprobert.bsky.social
International Educator - Interested in ways we adapt our curriculum and systems to international contexts alongside the broader evolution and growth of school culture.
A few thoughts on the flux of our school communities (and my own journey to new pastures in the next school year).
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
Transience - the Ends and Beginnings of our International Communities
'Don’t hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years, so you’re old by the time you reach the island' C P Cavafy, Ithaca
open.substack.com
May 19, 2025 at 11:58 PM
A few thoughts on the flux of our school communities (and my own journey to new pastures in the next school year).
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
I've been searching in my book project on British Schools in East Asia for an appropriate metaphor for how we build vibrant communities at the centre of our schools.
This is the best I've found.
simonjdprobert.substack.com/p/the-metaph...
This is the best I've found.
simonjdprobert.substack.com/p/the-metaph...
The Metaphor of the City
‘City of the world! (for all peoples are here; All the lands of the earth make contributions here)’ Walt Whitman
simonjdprobert.substack.com
April 12, 2025 at 5:26 AM
I've been searching in my book project on British Schools in East Asia for an appropriate metaphor for how we build vibrant communities at the centre of our schools.
This is the best I've found.
simonjdprobert.substack.com/p/the-metaph...
This is the best I've found.
simonjdprobert.substack.com/p/the-metaph...
Really enjoyed talking about some of my research around leadership in international schools with @21cl.bsky.social learning earlier this week. If you missed it you can catch the discussion here: www.21clconf.org/presentation...
Culturally Responsive Leadership in an East Asian Cultural Context - 21st Century Learning Conference
The notion of Cultural Responsive Pedagogy relates to ways both teachers and school leaders need to adopt a more dynamic relationship between home/community culture and school culture. Whilst from a p...
www.21clconf.org
February 19, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Really enjoyed talking about some of my research around leadership in international schools with @21cl.bsky.social learning earlier this week. If you missed it you can catch the discussion here: www.21clconf.org/presentation...
Reposted
What does the word ‘resonance’ mean to you?
@efraimlerner.bsky.social and I have been playing around with this word for a little while. And I just love this reflection from @simonjdprobert.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
@efraimlerner.bsky.social and I have been playing around with this word for a little while. And I just love this reflection from @simonjdprobert.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
'Resonance' - a word for the Year of the Snake
'Experiencing resonance transforms us, and it is precisely this transformation that makes us feel alive', Hartmut Rosa
open.substack.com
February 2, 2025 at 7:40 AM
What does the word ‘resonance’ mean to you?
@efraimlerner.bsky.social and I have been playing around with this word for a little while. And I just love this reflection from @simonjdprobert.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
@efraimlerner.bsky.social and I have been playing around with this word for a little while. And I just love this reflection from @simonjdprobert.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
I really enjoyed this episode of the infinite learners podcast with on all things school culture and the challenges of working in international schools. Also some useful perspectives on Bourdieu for anyone out there doing research into the sector.
www.buzzsprout.com/1161533/epis...
www.buzzsprout.com/1161533/epis...
#92 Bourdieu in Schools w/ Dr Alexander Gardener-McTaggart - The Infinite Learners Podcast
Dr Alexander Gardener-McTaggart simplifies the work of Pierre Bourdieu by discussing how educators can recognise, use and apply Bourdieu's concepts of 'habitus', 'field' and 'distinction' in our...
www.buzzsprout.com
January 20, 2025 at 3:31 AM
I really enjoyed this episode of the infinite learners podcast with on all things school culture and the challenges of working in international schools. Also some useful perspectives on Bourdieu for anyone out there doing research into the sector.
www.buzzsprout.com/1161533/epis...
www.buzzsprout.com/1161533/epis...
Great visual from @strickomaster.bsky.social Is Leadership a Race for reflecting on where we are as leaders and where we want to get to. Going straight into our leadership twilight for next week.
December 4, 2024 at 9:27 AM
Great visual from @strickomaster.bsky.social Is Leadership a Race for reflecting on where we are as leaders and where we want to get to. Going straight into our leadership twilight for next week.
Agreed - some great stuff on coaching. I think this may be the best post I have read on the broad (and at time nebulous) area of coaching: www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/blogs/carneg...
December 2, 2024 at 6:53 AM
Agreed - some great stuff on coaching. I think this may be the best post I have read on the broad (and at time nebulous) area of coaching: www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/blogs/carneg...
A few brief reflections on how we conceptualise internationalism through the many Fs (food, flags, festivals...) as International Schools.
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
Food, Flags, Festivals (and Fun..) – Reflections on how we articulate Internationalism as Schools
'Whilst the rituals may be the tip of the cultural iceberg, they cannot be the iceberg itself'
open.substack.com
December 1, 2024 at 5:40 AM
A few brief reflections on how we conceptualise internationalism through the many Fs (food, flags, festivals...) as International Schools.
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
First time speaking in Mandarin on an education panel at a Yuanbo event for internationally orientated schools (国际特色) in central Shanghai. Struck by an increasing emphasis on wellbeing and holistic education in the bilingual sector here.
November 24, 2024 at 1:23 AM
First time speaking in Mandarin on an education panel at a Yuanbo event for internationally orientated schools (国际特色) in central Shanghai. Struck by an increasing emphasis on wellbeing and holistic education in the bilingual sector here.
A few thoughts on a long standing area of reflection - ways we conceptualise and understand internationalism in International schools (do let me know what you think..) open.substack.com/pub/simonjdpro…
https://open.substack.com/pub/simonjdpro…
September 28, 2024 at 2:49 AM
A few thoughts on a long standing area of reflection - ways we conceptualise and understand internationalism in International schools (do let me know what you think..) open.substack.com/pub/simonjdpro…
Good few days on our group Aspiring Heads course. I'd recommend Steve Munby imperfect leadership - rule number one - Ask for help when you need it (!).
September 11, 2024 at 11:04 PM
Good few days on our group Aspiring Heads course. I'd recommend Steve Munby imperfect leadership - rule number one - Ask for help when you need it (!).
I think we need balance - it's not necessarily one size fits all but there are core principles which should inform our approaches to learning (particularly if we are to avoid the ever-present faddishness which is a feature of education)
This is why I struggle with the 'teaching is a science' thing. Evidence is useful but if your values are different it gets complicated. For instance imo it's very unhealthy for young children to be too static but this often seems to happen as a result of the push for phonics. 🤷♀️
September 10, 2024 at 6:50 AM
I think we need balance - it's not necessarily one size fits all but there are core principles which should inform our approaches to learning (particularly if we are to avoid the ever-present faddishness which is a feature of education)
A short post on Identity and Schools, inspired by Dennis Shirley and Andy Hargreaves excellent, 'The Age of Identity'.
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
'We Don't Really Drink Tea Do We?' - Identity through an International Lens
‘Who are We? What will become of Us?'(Shirley and Hargreaves, 2024)
open.substack.com
September 8, 2024 at 1:02 AM
A short post on Identity and Schools, inspired by Dennis Shirley and Andy Hargreaves excellent, 'The Age of Identity'.
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
open.substack.com/pub/simonjdp...
'Over the past two years some 36,200 working-age secondary-school teachers quit the profession, the highest rate since records began in 2010' I wonder how many moved to Int Schools www.economist.com/britain/2024...
English kids are back in school. What about the teachers?
The struggle to recruit and retain teaching staff
www.economist.com
September 6, 2024 at 8:47 AM
'Over the past two years some 36,200 working-age secondary-school teachers quit the profession, the highest rate since records began in 2010' I wonder how many moved to Int Schools www.economist.com/britain/2024...
As an aside on this very good response to an article (I also enjoyed) on oracy in International Schools this emphasis on identity and culture is even more important in Int Schools given ways oracy is a focus in both native language and English
work on 'the third turn' is an absolute game changer for teachers, I've found. They suddenly discover how to open up chains of thought across a classroom.
I'd also liked to have seen more on aspects of 'social justice' and oracy - how language is so strongly assoc with identity & culture...19/
I'd also liked to have seen more on aspects of 'social justice' and oracy - how language is so strongly assoc with identity & culture...19/
August 27, 2024 at 12:27 PM
As an aside on this very good response to an article (I also enjoyed) on oracy in International Schools this emphasis on identity and culture is even more important in Int Schools given ways oracy is a focus in both native language and English
Working in China where there is massive aspiration towards Maths education I think the key difference is a universal belief in the importance of Maths. 'some students might need persuading that abstract algebraic notions or the allure of prime numbers is actually useful' - on.ft.com/4fUyXBn via @FT
Maths education is failing UK students
To combat worrying GCSE trends, we must make the discipline relevant to young people
on.ft.com
August 24, 2024 at 1:18 AM
Working in China where there is massive aspiration towards Maths education I think the key difference is a universal belief in the importance of Maths. 'some students might need persuading that abstract algebraic notions or the allure of prime numbers is actually useful' - on.ft.com/4fUyXBn via @FT
I used Rob Coe's poor proxies for learning as a discussion point in my T+L inset this week. I particularly like number 4 and the the fact a well ordered classroom is not necessarily indicative of (any) learning taking place.
August 22, 2024 at 12:44 AM
I used Rob Coe's poor proxies for learning as a discussion point in my T+L inset this week. I particularly like number 4 and the the fact a well ordered classroom is not necessarily indicative of (any) learning taking place.
Last call on this one. A few thoughts from the start of the summer on reasons for the rise (and rise) of British international schools... www.schoolmanagementplus.com/admissions-m...
The 'Harry Potter-fication' of international schools | School Management Plus
Harry Potter had no small part to play in the popularity of British international schools abroad, writes Simon Probert
www.schoolmanagementplus.com
August 20, 2024 at 2:15 AM
Last call on this one. A few thoughts from the start of the summer on reasons for the rise (and rise) of British international schools... www.schoolmanagementplus.com/admissions-m...
We talked about playbooks and T+L frameworks in inset today. I wonder your go-to is as a school? (I always end up talking about TLAC..)
August 19, 2024 at 6:42 AM
We talked about playbooks and T+L frameworks in inset today. I wonder your go-to is as a school? (I always end up talking about TLAC..)
A few thoughts on global citizenship and seeing the global through the local for a Sunday afternoon.. shorturl.at/g90su
Moving beyond Global Citizenship - Reflections on meanings of Cosmopolitanism
'Are you really supposed to abjure all local allegiances and partialities in the name of this vast abstraction, humanity?' Kwame Anthony Appiah
shorturl.at
August 18, 2024 at 9:09 AM
A few thoughts on global citizenship and seeing the global through the local for a Sunday afternoon.. shorturl.at/g90su