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Appreciating Teachers
“[Kids] don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.” ― Jim Henson, It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider To all of the teachers at the American School of Brasilia and around the world: Happy Teachers’ Week! Your work, dedication, and commitment to the development of others…
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Envisioning a True Leader
Kristie Da-Ngoc Nguyen, a friend and former colleague at the American School of Brasilia, published her deeply profound and moving personal story in the most recent edition of The International Educator (TIE) newspaper. Kristie’s article is shared below, with permission. Envisioning a True Leader By Kristie Da-Ngoc Nguyen 01/13/2016 “Together we inspire a love of learning, empowering all students…
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A Better Tomorrow
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. International news reports in recent weeks and months have been filled with disturbing reports of terror attacks, refugee migration, acts of aggression, and indescribable loss and suffering. Our hearts…
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Teachers’ Day
“One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.” ~ Carl Jung. Teachers’ Day is celebrated in Brazil on…
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Realistic Fiction
Last week’s blog post highlighted the Bold in Vision element of the American School of Brasilia’s (EAB) new mission statement – Learners inspiring learners to be inquisitive in life, principled in character, and bold in vision. As a follow-up to this post, one of our amazing teachers, Caira Franklin, shared the following story about…
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Inquisitive in Life
“There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.” ~Jiddu Krishnamurti This quote highlights the spirit of EAB’s educational philosophy and mission statement:…
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Success in School & Life
How would you answer the following question: What are the factors that most influence how children achieve success in school and life? Several EAB teachers are currently attending the annual AASSA teachers’ conference with a focus, in part, on answering this essential question. To that end, our teachers are spending three days engaging with professional…
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Teacher Recruitment
A common and defining characteristic associated with international schools is that of transience. The ephemeral nature of many our community members’ tenures in international schools necessitates the ongoing management of change processes. The positive features of this constant change are the rich opportunities for personal growth, renewal, enrichment, and development of new relationships. However, this…
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Relationships and Learning
One of my highlights each week is the eighty-minute Leadership Class I teach to high school students every second day. A pedagogical foundation that I always hope to include in the class is the application of theoretical constructs to practical situations through experiential learning opportunities. It was during a meeting with students this week, to…
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Creating Innovators
What does it mean to be an innovative school? This is a question we have been wrestling with in relation to both EAB’s mission statement reference to innovation and our responsibility to offer a consequential educational program that keeps pace with societal changes. The answer to this question will depend on the context of the…