AISA Members’ Circular October 2015 I Vol . 6 No 3
In this Issue:
From the Desk of the Executive Director AISA GISS - Funguka: Are You Ready? Is your school ‘closure proof’? AISA Service Learning Working Group Update Reminders & Opportunities
From the Desk of the Executive Director Normally around this time of year (October) we would all be gearing up to travel to the AISA Educators Conference (AEC). But this year we are only organizing the AISA Leadership Conference (ALC) in March 2016 (full details can be found later in this circular). For 2015/16 there is no AISA Regional Educators Conference. We’ll start the new format AEC again in October 2016 in Johannesburg. It may be worth reminding our members why the AISA Board took this decision. Well - in short – it was your idea. Following the Pathways Evaluation we undertook in 2013/14, our members requested that we offer more in depth opportunities for you to learn AND that these opportunities should be much more targeted and much more differentiated. Your request is bolstered by research that suggests that ‘teachers typically need substantial professional development in a given area (close to 50 hours) to improve their skills and their students’ learning.’ So AISA is changing the way we offer our Professional Learning both at our AEC and ALC conferences and during our Professional Learning Institutes (PLIs). These PLIs are a series of targeted, differentiated, deep-dive (+/- 18 hour) learning events exploring all sorts of relevant topics that are being held over weekends at AISA host schools across the continent. In addition, at our annual ALC and AEC conferences you can now expect to actively participate in longer format deep dive sessions on a single topic that will help improve your skills and understanding with the primary goal of improving your students’ learning.
“teachers typically need substantial professional development in a given area (close to 50 hours) to improve their skills and their students’ learning.” Professional Learning in the Learning Profession, Stanford University, 2009
We believe that the way we learn as professionals has changed with the expansion of online opportunities. You don’t need us to fly out expensive keynote speakers for an hour to hear a new idea. These opportunities are widely available to you on YouTube and elsewhere. Soon AISA will start to flag some of the best of these to guide your viewing. We would rather spend our limited resources creating opportunities for deeper learning that will extend your thinking rather than a series of short, shallow exposés that, while interesting, will not change what you do in the classroom. If we fly in top quality people – we think we should strive to get the most from them so you can actively challenge and clarify your thinking around a topic and reflect together on your practice - rather than passively sit and osmote! We also believe that one of the most valuable resources we have as educators is each other – so AISA now promotes opportunities for you to connect with each other in professional learning communities. Some of these opportunities are within online communities, others are during the PLIs and conferences where cohorts of educators will be given time and space during our unconference sessions to connect with each other, acknowledge their concerns, present their ideas, and share good practice. I would value your thoughts on AISA’s more progressive approach to Professional Learning. Why not write to me with your ideas, concerns and suggestions. Dr Peter Bateman Executive Director
FUNGUKA: ARE YOU READY? AISA Global Issues Service Summit @ International School of Tanganyika, March 12-14, 2016
The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Funguka’. Funguka is a Kiswahili word that means 'to open up', 'stand up', 'advocate'. A global citizen who embodies 'Funguka' is one that is open to new ideas, embraces different perspectives, speaks out and recognizes that positive change and responsible action starts from within. Preparations for the upcoming conference are in full swing. IST’s student leadership team is busy preparing a forum for students to enquire about global issues and learn alongside other delegates and changemakers from across Africa. Student delegates from around the world will spend time presenting, learning, sharing and discussing important issues during the summit, followed by a hands-on service learning day in the local community. GISS provides participants with opportunities to strategize solutions to global issues, meaningful sessions and stories about positive change happening here in Africa, and the support for taking action and engagement in their own communities. And we have an exciting announcement to make: Ishmael Beah will be joining us for the conference! Ishmael Beah is a human rights spokesperson, bestselling author, and UNICEF ambassador for children affected by war. He is also the vice-chair of an exciting project called Narrative 4 that fosters empathy by breaking down barriers and shattering stereotypes through the exchange of stories across the world. Ishmael Beah is the embodiment of Funguka!
Throughout the conference we will be hearing many stories of change. These stories are the motivation for participants to connect and advocate as they strive to tackle pressing global issues of our times. Funguka - Are You Ready?
“We must live in the radiance of tomorrow as our ancestors have suggested in their tales. For what is yet to come tomorrow has possibilities, and we must think of it, the simplest glimpse of that possibility of goodness. That will be our strength. That has always been our strength.” Ishmael Beah Registrations are now open. To find out more about AISA-GISS 2016 FUNGUKA and to register visit the AISA GISS web site TODAY! To find out more about AISA-GISS 2016 and how your school can get involved, contact Rebecca Gillman at IST at: rgillman@istaftica.com
Is Your School ‘Closure Proof’? AISA SchooLink Might Just be the Solution Many things can disrupt learning in schools worldwide. In northern climates, snow days often come unexpectedly. In the tropics, rain cancellations are not uncommon, and in Africa, many countries are subject to political disruptions, such as the recent coup d'etat in Burkina Faso.
“Our goal was consistent: help the kids access their important schoolwork through any disruptions that might arise.”
When these disruptions arise, it is important to have systems in place to enable student learning to continue. According to Sean Goudie, the Head at the International School of Ouagadougou (ISO), he received a wake-up call a few years back when there was a closure in nearby Mali and he saw that they were able to continue with their instruction time online. He realized that ISO needed something similar, so with the assistance and support of AISA, ISO set up a dedicated satellite link, joined AISA SchooLink (Moodle platform) and began the process of teacher training
Sean Goudie, ISO Head Teacher
Sean's insight was well placed...last year the school was forced to close for a popular uprising and moved seamlessly to an online environment (AISA SchooLink) after just a few planned days of preparation. With this year's coup, ISO was forced to close for seven contact days, but with SchooLink already established they could successfully overcome obstacles and keep their virtual doors open. Just one of the many challenges created by the coup was that the rebel forces destroyed the ADSL connections incountry. But students could still access the Moodle site Is your school ‘closure proof’? To find through their phone 3G networks. Through all of this, ISO out how AISA can support your school teachers continued to create lessons and upload activities, to establish SchooLink, contact: but tailored the expected pace of work to accommodate Santha Kumar , ICT Director, Int School students who were trying to find dependable internet acof Tanganyika, Dar es Salaam at cess. Our goal was consistent: help the kids access their skumar@istafrica.com important schoolwork through any disruptions that might arise.
AISA Service Learning Working Group Update from Nairobi Over September 10th and 11th, the Service Learning Working Group met in Nairobi to move forward their three year action plan, integrating the results from the survey that went out to all AISA schools at the end of the last academic year. The main focus of the meeting was to develop our first ever professional learning module for Service Learning 101. We are excited by the outcome and look forward to teaching the module in March alongside GISS in Tanzania. We also prepared additional resources on service learning and reviewed the Service Learning Handbook. These will be available shortly on the AISA web site, so watch this space! If your school would like to find our more about how you can implement a quality service learning program in your school, contact me, Tara Barton: tbarton@aisj-jhb.com
The AISA Service Learning Working Group: Gabriel Limaverde, Rebecca Gilman, Kathleen Chromicz, Tara Barton (SLC), Misha Lotta and Chris McBride
REMINDERS AND OPPORTUNITIES AISA Art Challenge Are your art student’s working on their AISA Art Challenge? Don’t forget that students have the chance to win and Apple iPod mini, so get their entries to us by no later than 27th November, 2015. Let’s make the 2016 AISA Calendar the best ever!
Margaret Sanders International Scholarship It’s once again tie to invite schools to consider applicants for the annual Margaret Sanders International Scholarship. The scholarship is open to all graduating high school students from an AISA Full Member school. Go to the AISA web site to find out more information about this opportunity and to download the application pack.
New AISA Web Site Have you had a chance to check out our new look AISA web site? We are excited that the new site is now live, so take some time to look through AISA learning opportunities and service that are provided to meet the needs of your school. We’d really like to hear your feedback, so please take some time to fill out our online survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZRSNW9T
Want to Share Your School News with the AISA Community? Is your school celebrating a milestone, implementing an innovative programme, being recognised for excellence, or reaching a school goal? We want to share your achievements, learning's and unique perspective with the rest of the AISA community, so send us your story, with a photo, and we’ll include it in the next issue of ConneXions.
Are You are Teacher of Math, Science or Technology? AISA is keen to get the view of science, math, technology and engineering teachers to help us shape our learning programme for the next school year (2016/17). We are planning a specialist STEM Conference for subject specialists to engage in some focused, deep learning in their subject areas and want your views to shape what we offer and how the event is structured. If you are yet to complete the survey, please take just 5 minutes to do so now! Go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YM7J8GQ
2016 AISA Leadership Conference (ALC) 4-6 March, 2016—Cape Town, South Africa The team at AISA is inviting all school senior, middle and emerging leaders to what will be an exiting and innovative leadership event. The ALC web site is now live, so get online and check out why this event is not to be missed. Register Here today.
You are receiving this circular as a valued member of the AISA community. Visit www.aisa.or.ke for more information or contact info@aisa.or.ke. © 2015 Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA). All rights reserved.