Press Release >> Faith Academy announced an Unconference
There were a number of raised eyebrows from staff members when Faith Academy announced an Unconference! as part of its teacher in-service day on November 1. Follow up emails shed more light on the event by describing it as “a learning experience created and led by participants.” Everyone on staff—both teachers and support personnel— were asked to propose a topic which would examine a question or concern or else suggest a session where they would be the expert. The concept of an unconference came from the corporate world and has been more recently used with teachers in the Edcamp format.
development. For example, an opening brainstorming session was kept to just 30 minutes, and only two sessions were scheduled instead of the suggested four. To get things started, staff members wrote suggested topics on sticky notes and put them on a whiteboard. Two administrators then read and organized the topics by category. These were then posted on a master board that had two hour-long sessions with eight slots in each. Topics included things directly related to classroom practice such as discussion techniques, feedback strategies and technology in teaching. Other topics went further afield with options like stretching exercises and using a lathe. A few sessions were led by a self-designated “expert,” but most were an informal discussion of peers. Participants were invited to “vote with their feet” and leave any session that didn’t meet their need or interest. To help keep the learning going, the session schedule was posted in a Google Doc, and each topic title in the doc was linked to a notes sheet created during the session. The administration was pleased that there were more viable topics than time would allow, and these have been saved as discussion items for future staff meetings. A follow up survey of the staff indicated that most felt the unconference was helpful. Comments showed that people appreciated the freedom to choose and the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues. The school plans to do an unconference again with the goal of collaborating with the Edcamp organization. This would involve inviting other schools and using a larger format with more sessions and time slots. By Brian Foutz, Curriculum Director, Faith Academy Manila
Faith Academy used a modified version of an unconference in order to keep things simple for its first try at this type of professional
Press Release >> SSIS is Designated Prestigious Apple Distinguished School Award Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: We are pleased that Saigon South International School is the first school in Vietnam to be recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for our innovation, leadership, and educational excellence. This is a two-year award, renewable for continued leadership in educational design thinking. In 2014, we committed ourselves to a new path and a new understanding of technology. Building on the foundational work of colleagues before us, we began with an expanded definition of “literacy” which envisions students who are fluent in the traditional areas of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also as creators in the emerging areas of communication such as video, audio, software programming, design, and language. As part of the application process, SSIS created an engaging multi-touch book (SSIS - Leading the Way in Innovation) documenting our commitment to the five best practices of an Apple Distinguished School: visionary leadership, innovative learning and teaching, ongoing professional learning, compelling evidence of success, and a flexible learning environment. 42 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Being named an Apple Distinguished School will provide our teachers with enhanced opportunities for professional development and we can expect an increase of visitors from other schools to come see all the exciting things we are doing at SSIS. For more information on Apple Distinguished Schools and how SSIS achieved this honor please visit https://www.ssis.edu.vn/about/appledistinguished-school About SSIS: Saigon South International School is a college preparatory school committed to the intellectual and personal development of each student in preparation for a purposeful life as a global citizen.
