Exploring issues of student agency, equity, assessment, teaching, management, teacher leadership, and use of technology, this book provides strategies, tips, and guidance for enacting innovative change in today‘s schools. Drawing from unique and creative approaches at international schools, real practitioners share their stories and best-practices. Chapters contain engaging snapshots of the innovative practices currently happening in international schools, translate those practices into leadership actions, and show how those innovations are played out in localized contexts. This exciting book is for every school and district leader keen to think outside the box, reassess their schools’ strengths, and improve the purposes and means by which they educate students.

Are you preparing a new generation of innovators? Activate your students’ creativity and problem-solving potential with breakthrough learning projects. Across all grades and content areas, student-driven, collaborative projects will teach students how to generate innovative ideas and then put them into action. You’ll take learning to new heights and help students master core content.

Innovation is an essential skill 21st century learners must develop for future success. In Bringing Innovation to School: Empowering Students to Thrive in a Changing World educators will learn how to use innovation in the classroom to foster students' thinking and doing. Author Suzie Boss weaves together real-life examples from schools, businesses, and social entrepreneurs to show educators that incorporating innovation in the classroom is not only possible but it's already being done across North America. Incorporating innovation in teaching and learning excites students' creativity and allows students to generate and execute ideas. Readers will see examples across grade levels and subject areas that demonstrate innovation through such diverse methods as engineering, creative arts, and simply tinkering with ideas. This book is organized in three sections. Part I explains why innovation is important and introduces common definitions and qualities of innovation. Part II examines how educators can borrow ideas from businesses, organizations, and individuals to incorporate innovation into the curriculum in world-changing ways. Spotlight Strategies for each chapter in Part II highlight the diverse ways innovation is already being used. Finally, Part III offers tips and strategies to help educators use networks to begin innovating in their own schools and classrooms. Specifically, in chapter 1, Bringing Innovation to School helps readers clarify their definition of innovation and understand why it's an essential 21st century skill. Chapter 2 details why educators must be innovators in order to help their students embrace innovation. Readers will consider their innovation profile examining whether they're action oriented, willing to take risks, utilizing their networks, and so on. Chapter 3 provides strategies to start introducing innovation in the classroom using authentic questions and effective teamwork. Chapters 4 and 5 explore the ideas of growing innovative ideas from within the school and integrating design thinking throughout the curriculum. In chapter 6, Boss explains why educators must make room in both the schedule and the physical space of the classroom to encourage innovation. Chapter 7 provides tips on how to take advantage of technology, specifically within the realm of engineering, at all grade levels. Chapter 8 helps educators incorporate gaming into problem-solving techniques. Chapters 9 and 10 provide steps for creating networks to share good ideas and taking action. The book ends with three appendices. Appendix A includes a list of additional online resources educators can tap to grow their innovation networks. Appendix B provides an innovation rubric for assessing specific innovation skills based on the Framework for 21st Century Skills by Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Appendix C presents a discussion guide offering reflective questions for each chapter.

What does it take to prepare students, teachers, and school staff to shape a just and sustainable future? In Trailblazers for Whole School Sustainability, you will meet educators and school leaders who are on the front lines of re-imagining school through the lens of sustainability. This book features inspiring stories from around the country, from urban and rural schools and districts, that highlight best practices and lessons learned from teachers, administrators, and students as they transformed their school communities for a just and sustainable future. These stories are structured around a practical framework that demonstrates how this work allows schools and districts to work smarter, not harder, by integrating sustainability and systems thinking into leadership; curriculum and instruction; culture and climate; and facilities and operations. While each school and district’s story in this book is different, the passion that drives each one to embrace sustainability in everything they do, from operations to curriculum, remains the same. Trailblazers for Whole School Sustainability shows what is possible when educators resolve to blaze a trail to re-imagine K-12 education for a just and sustainable future.

This resource elucidates and helps teachers navigate the international school recruitment world. Designed for current or aspiring international school educators, this practical resource explores current issues that are relevant to the unique needs of teachers when they transition to the international school sector. Full of experience-based tips, insights, and stories from principals, curriculum coordinators, directors, school counselors, department heads, support specialists, advisors, and classroom teachers, this book explores the topics of wanderlust, English language teaching, identity and belonging, curricular standards, inclusion, diversity, and equity. Whether you are a student or novice teacher plotting career options, a new international school hire, or an experienced educator looking for a rewarding change, this valuable resource will help you prepare as you embark on what is often considered "the best kept secret" in education.

This one-of-a-kind collection of chapters takes the reader on a tour to explore innovative practices from classrooms, schools, districts, communities, and faraway places in the world. Each of the chapters-organized under six headings-tells an authentic, compelling story of a pioneering and successful initiative that breaks the traditional mold of instructional delivery and time-honored school organization. Breaking the Mold of School Instruction and Organization guides readers through examples of education initiatives which go beyond traditional classroom restraints to achieve surprising success.

This practical guide for educational leaders explores how you can transform your school or district into a vibrant center of learning and socio-ecological responsibility with only three manageable actions: taking students outside, bringing nature inside, and cultivating a mindset of awareness, responsibility, and empathy. This book is rich in practical, attainable approaches and stories of real actions taken by leaders, teachers, parents, and community partners to design, lead, and manage a vibrant, flourishing, sustainable learning community. Authors Uline and Kensler take you on an inspirational journey through nine key leadership strategies for you to begin or expand your work towards whole school sustainability.