EARCOS Mission, Vision, & Strategic Plan

EARCOS Mission

EARCOS inspires adult and student learning through its leadership and service and fosters intercultural understanding, global citizenship, and exceptional educational practices within our learning community.

EARCOS Vision

To support the EARCOS mission we will:

- Provide targeted and differentiated professional development opportunities for member communities. - Engage adults and students in learning activities across the region that will promote friendship, understanding, and global citizenship. - Develop collaborative educational partnerships within the region as well as worldwide to foster greater access to expertise. - Connect schools, communities, and individuals through the use of technology to promote collaboration, communication, intercultural understanding, and access to broader educational opportunities. - Conduct and communicate research and archive relevant data to identify and enhance exceptional educational practices.

In accomplishing its mission and vision, EARCOS will play a prominent leadership role throughout the global educational community.

STRATEgIES AND LIST OF RESULTS

STRATEGY A Provide specific targeted and differentiated professional development opportunities for various member communities.

1. List serves/web page resources facilitate inter-school communication regarding issues relevant to specific disciplines or job categories. 2. Subject-specific conferences meet the professional development needs in selected disciplines or job categories both at the major conference site and at separate “stand-alone” conferences at different locations and times. 3. Consortiums of schools, based on professional development interests and needs, collaboratively identify and support the best practices. 4. Faculty in EARCOS schools share expertise to support targeted professional development needs at the school site. 5. A cohort of trained, affordable facilitators is available to work with boards and trustees throughout the region. 6. EARCOS facilitates a mentor program for new school heads and new principals. 7. EARCOS, through its aspiring leadership programs, encourages its members to pursue leadership positions. 8. Offering a greater choice of breadth and/or depth at the major annual conferences, EARCOS develops new and varied formats for conferences.

STRATEGY B Engage students and adults in learning activities across the region that will foster friendship, understanding, and global citizenship.

1. EARCOS sponsors an annual student leadership conference. 2. Student service projects are recognized and supported by global Citizen Awards and grant program for students and adults. 3. EARCOS facilitates virtual education projects that support student learning, foster friendship, understanding, leadership, and intellectual challenge. STRATEGY C Develop collaborative educational partnerships within the region as well as worldwide to foster access to expertise.

- EARCOS develops collaborative relationships with external organizations that support the needs of EARCOS member schools.

STRATEgY D Connect schools, communities, and individuals through the use of effective latest technologies to promote collaboration, intercultural understanding, and access to broader educational opportunities.

- EARCOS schools use a range of technologies that support collaborative efforts and staff development. - In collaboration with EARCOS, universities provide e-learning opportunities that allow for staff development and credentialing opportunities. - The EARCOS website is a valuable tool offering a broad range of collaborative services enhancing staff and student development and a resource for educational opportunities within EARCOS. - EARCOS supports data driven decision-making through the use of electronic survey instruments.

STRATEGY E Conduct relevant research and communicate resulting data to identify and enhance exceptional educational practices.

- EARCOS sponsored grant process financially supports action research by and for EARCOS members pertinent to the educational process in Asia.

Core Values

EARCOS believes: - All individuals have intrinsic worth; their dignity and value are enhanced when they are honored and nourished. - Diverse and inclusive communities nurture the well-being and growth of individuals and organizations. - Learning is continuous and essential for individual growth and the advancement of society. - Individuals and communities have the need and capacity to learn and grow. - Individuals and communities are responsible for helping, supporting, and serving others. - Individuals and communities are responsible for stewardship of the natural environment. - Individuals and communities are responsible for the choices they make. - Integrity, honesty, and striving for excellence are essential to our purpose.

Goals

All member schools use EARCOS as their primary resource for the professional development of their learning community.

EARCOS activities positively impact intercultural understanding.

1 Welcome Message from the Executive Director 2 EARCOS Mission, Vision, & Strategic Plan 4 Meeting & Banquets Floor Plan 6 Preconferences 10 First Day of Conference at a Glance 11 Conference Opening: Keynote Speaker - Cathy Davidson 12 SESSION 1 14 Job-a-Like Session 16 SESSION 2 20 SESSION 3 21 CRAFT FAIR/BAZAAR 21 WELCOME RECEPTION & CULTURAL NIgHT 22 Second Day of Conference at a Glance 23 Keynote Speaker - Steven Layne 24 SESSION 4 26 SESSION 5 30 SESSION 6 32 SESSION 7 34 Third Day of Conference at a Glance 35 Keynote Speaker - Jason Ohler 36 SESSION 8 38 SESSION 9 42 SESSION 10 43 gALA DINNER 44 EARCOS Members Respond to Thailand Disaster 46 Workshop Presenters 52 Teacher Workshop Presenters 61 Delegate List

** Cover photo by John Dalkin

Conference at a Glance

EARCOS REGISTRATION DESK HOURS Tuesday, March 27 14:00-20:00 Wednesday, March 28 07:00-22:00 Thursday, March 29 06:30-17:00 Friday, March 30 07:00-17:00 Saturday, March 31 07:00-17:00

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS University of San Francisco / Washington State University Time: 8:30-16:30 Room: Chairman’s Room

Thursday, 29 March 2012 Friday, 30 March 2012 Saturday, 31 March 2012 Sunday, 01 April 2012

Monday, March 26, 2012 - P R E C O N F E R E N C E S 16:00 Environmental Studies / Sustainability

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 - P R E C O N F E R E N C E S 08:30-16:30 Environmental Studies / Sustainability AP Calculus AP English

10:00-10:30 Coffee Break

12:30-13:30 Lunch at the Next 2 Cafe

14:30-15:00 Afternoon Coffee Break

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 08:30-16:30 PRECONFERENCES 10:00-10:30 12:30-13:30 14:30-15:00 17:00-18:00 18:00-18:30 Morning Coffee Break Lunch at the Ballroom Coffee Break Meeting for Teacher Representatives Reception for Teacher Representatives 07:30-16:45 08:00-08:15 08:15-08:30 08:30-09:30

09:30-10:00

10:00-11:30 11:30-12:30 12:30-13:30 13:45-14:45 14:45-15:15

15:15-16:45 16:30-21:00 19:30-21:00 Exhibits Open Opening Remarks Student Choir, International School Bangkok Keynote Speaker: CATHY DAVIDSON Title: “Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn” Sponsored by INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS SERVICES Coffee Break Sponsored by University of San Francisco / Washington State University S E S S I O N 1 LUNCH Job-a-Like Sessions S E S S I O N 2 (Teacher Workshops) Coffee Break Sponsored by DYMO/Mimio Interactive Teaching Technologies S E S S I O N 3 Crafts Fair / Bazaar Welcome Reception & Cultural Night Sponsored by TieCare International

Friday, 30 March 2012 - SECOND DAY OF CONFERENCE

07:30-17:00 08:00-08:15 08:15-08:30 08:30-09:30

09:30-10:00 10:00-11:30 11:30-12:30 12:30-13:45 13:45-15:15 15:15-15:45 15:45-17:00 Exhibits Open Opening Remarks Performance: The NIST Marimba Ensemble Keynote Speaker: STEVEN LAYNE Title: Title: Balcony People: Teachers Make the Difference Sponsored by Buffalo State, SUNY Coffee Break Sponsored by FOLLETT INTERNATIONAL S E S S I O N 4 S E S S I O N 5 (Teacher Workshops) LUNCH S E S S I O N 6 Coffee Break Sponsored by FAST TRAIN PROGRAM S E S S I O N 7

Saturday, 31 March 2012 - THIRD DAY OF CONFERENCE

07:30-15:00 08:00-08:15 08:15-08:30 08:30-09:30

09:30-10:00

10:00-11:30 11:30-12:15 12:15-13:15 13:30-15:00 17:15-18:15 18:30-21:00 Exhibits Open Opening Remarks EARCOS Asia Student Film Festival - 2 Film Shorts Keynote Speaker: JASON OHLER Title: New Media, New Literacies – Educational Transformation through Digital Creativity Sponsored by Taylor’s Education Sdn Bhd (School Division) Coffee Break Sponsored by Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) S E S S I O N 8 Heavy Coffee Break S E S S I O N 9 (Teacher Workshops) S E S S I O N 10 Reception for the Exhibitors (by Invitation) GALA Dinner sponsored by TieCare International

This is a ‘NO BAG CONFERENCE’. For several years delegates have been telling us not to provide a conference bag, so this year we have responded. In lieu of bags, EARCOS will donate $1500 dollars to the AFTER THE WAVE FOUNDATION, here in Thailand, dedicated to improving the lives of children still suffering the effects of the deadly Tsunami.