#ISLECISLoft: Leading Learning Forward: Three Leaders, Three Perspectives: 11 February
#ISLECISLoft: Leading Learning Forward: Three Leaders, Three Perspectives: 11 February
16:00 UK time
Facilitated by: David Chadwell, Melanie Chambers, & Doline Ndorimana
TAKEAWAYS
- Gain practical ideas and approaches from two areas of teaching and learning leadership that they choose to explore.
- Ask questions and discuss how these ideas might apply within their own school or leadership context.
- Provide an opportunity to make connections, ask specific questions, and learn through conversation with both the session leaders and fellow participants.
SESSIONS
Prompting Data to Reveal Questions
Facilitator: David Chadwell
This session will show the impact of marrying student demographic data with currently collected assessment information, a very practical way to move beyond the average and overall status to illuminate possible trends or flags of different groups. Two platforms will be briefly demonstrated: Pivot Tables in Google Sheets and Data Studio Dashboard.
What if leadership learning began with inquiry, not a programme?
Facilitator: Melanie Chambers
At the British School of Brussels, through small rotating inquiry groups, critical friendship, Theory of Change thinking, reflective dialogue and collective sense-making, we have worked together as colleagues to explore a simple question: What does leadership mean in our context, and how do leaders learn to enact it in ways that strengthen learning, belonging and the future of our community?In this ECIS LOFT, we will explore how BSB has used inquiry to co-create a shared leadership language, principles, practices and emerging competencies. Particular attention will be given to the role of rotating inquiry groups, critical friendship, staff voice, and “passing the baton” between phases to sustain learning and widen participation. Participants will be invited to consider how leadership learning might be developed in their own context through inquiry, collaboration, and collective responsibility rather than through the adoption of a predefined leadership programme.
What if leadership learning began with inquiry, not a programme?
Facilitator: Doline Ndorimana
How do we move from a mission on paper to a coherent learning journey that shapes how students think, learn and grow?In this loft, we share the early stages of Zurich International School’s journey towards a cohesive Early Years–Grade 12 learning continuum. We explore how we are shifting from curriculum coverage to deeper learning by identifying power standards, auditing our curriculum and designing a Connected Learning Model that brings together disciplinary knowledge, conceptual understanding, critical thinking and transferable competencies. Central to our approach is the use of thought-provoking, knowledge-focused questions and subject-specific inquiry that teaches students not simply to find answers, but to question, investigate, evaluate evidence and construct understanding across disciplines. This is not a showcase of a finished model, but an invitation to learn from a journey in progress, share ideas and consider how we move students from achievers who seek the right answers to explorers who ask better questions, think critically and use their learning with purpose.
ABOUT THE FACILITATORS
David Chadwell is currently the Chief Learning Officer at FDR Colegio Roosevelt in Lima, Peru. He has 30 year’s experience within classrooms, leadership, and curriculum roles in public, private, government, consulting, and international educational structures. David is passionate about structuring data to prompt questions.
Melanie Chambers is Deputy Head and Whole School Leader for Professional Learning at the British School of Brussels in Belgium. With 27 years in education, including 26 years in leadership roles and 13 years leading professional learning, Melanie works across professional learning, leadership development, inquiry and organisational learning. She has helped develop BSB’s Professional Learning Community, Agentic Professional Learning model and Leadership Learning Inquiry, and regularly collaborates with international colleagues, researchers and critical friends to explore how schools can build cultures of learning, collective leadership and sustainable improvement.
Doline Ndorimana is an international educator and curriculum leader with 20 years of experience working with teachers and students across Europe, Africa and Australia. She is currently Director of Teaching and Learning at Zurich International School, where she leads schoolwide initiatives focused on mission-aligned curriculum design, instructional practices, assessment and student learning. Her work centres on supporting educators in designing meaningful, inclusive and competency-based learning experiences that empower students to thrive.