Episode 01: What are school leaders ‘getting right’ today?
Release Date: 11/09/2020
Episode 24: From Classroom to Boardroom: The Changing Face of School Leadership
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
A Quick Summary: This episode dives into the evolving role of international school heads, following up on previous research from Dr. Alan Morrison about the tenure and competencies of school leaders. The hosts reflect on board-head relationships, business and operational skills, and the unique challenges of leadership in international schools. Through comparing job descriptions and sharing stories, they highlight what it takes to thrive as a head of school—including bridging the gap between educational and business leadership, fostering trust, and navigating complex community dynamics. We...
info_outline
Episode 23: What factors affect the tenure of school leaders?
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
A Quick Summary: This episode of “Where’s Your Head At?” features Dr. Allan Morrison, an experienced educator and researcher, discussing his extensive research on the tenure and challenges of international school heads. We explore Dr. Morrison’s career path, including his teaching and leadership experiences in various countries. Dr. Morrison shares highlights from his doctoral research, revealing that the average tenure of international school heads is gradually increasing, with factors such as school type (not-for-profit vs. for-profit), location, board governance, and personal...
info_outline
Episode 22: Let's Talk About Succession - Not the Netflix Show
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
A Quick Summary In this episode of 'Where's Your Head at the International Education Podcast,' hosts Richard Henry, James Dalziel, and James McDonald explore the complexities of succession planning in international education. They discuss the significance of strategic succession to ensure the continuity of a school’s mission and vision amid rapid changes. The conversation highlights the importance of preparing internal candidates through professional development and the role of AI in modernizing education while emphasizing the ever-important human connection. They also touch on the...
info_outline
Episode 21: What We Thought We Knew and What We've Learned
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
“Leadership styles, strategic insights and operational challenges.” A Quick Summary In this episode of the 'Where's Your Head At' podcast, hosts Richard Henry, James Dalziel, and James McDonald discuss key leadership insights in the field of international education. They discuss the importance of people and relationships, the unpredictability of change, and the balance between operational effectiveness and strategic innovation. The conversation also touches on personal experiences, such as dealing with significant natural disasters, and the challenges of transitioning roles within...
info_outline
Episode 20: Making Schools More Relational
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
“Compliance-based approaches in education have not worked so we need a more relational focus.” A Quick Summary In this episode of 'Where's Your Head at?', hosts Richard Henry, James Dalziel, and James McDonald engage in a thought-provoking conversation with educational consultant, Sue Chandler. With over 30 years of experience, Sue discusses her pivotal career moments and the importance of integrating wellbeing into school systems. The discussion explores the challenges and benefits of moving from compliance-based approaches to a more relational focus in education, addressing both...
info_outline
Episode 19: One Big Question, What is Worth Learning? Education must co-evolve with AI.
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
“AI in traditional classroom settings won't transform education unless schools fundamentally change.” A Quick Summary This episode of the podcast 'Where's Your Head At?' featured a conversation with Dr. Yong Zhao, a distinguished professor in education. The hosts Richard Henry, James Dalziel, and James McDonald engaged in an insightful discussion about the future of international education and AI's role in transforming education. Dr. Zhao shared his unique educational journey, describing how he entered education because he was 'bad at farming' during China's Cultural Revolution. He...
info_outline
Episode 18: The Mental Health Crisis in Schools: A Call for Change
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
A Quick Summary In this podcast episode of "Where's Your Head At", Dr. Ellen Heyting, an experienced educator and researcher from Melbourne Metrics, discusses the critical challenges in international education, focusing on the need to transform assessment systems and prioritize student agency. She argues that current high-stakes examination models are restrictive, causing mental health issues and limiting students' potential, and advocates for a more holistic approach that recognizes broader competencies and empowers students as producers of their own learning. Currently, Ellen is spearheading...
info_outline
Episode 17: Navigating International Education: Insights from Adelaide to Ulaanbaatar
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
A Quick Summary In this episode of "Where's Your Head At" podcast, Deidre Fischer, an experienced educational leader and consultant, shares her profound insights into international education. The conversation explores her remarkable career journey, from a typing teacher to an international school leader and executive coach, while discussing critical challenges and opportunities in modern education. Deidre emphasizes the importance of preparing students for life beyond school, focusing on holistic learning, skills development, and challenging traditional metrics of success. We hope you...
info_outline
Episode 16: The Evolution of Literacy: Supporting Teachers Through Transitions
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
A Quick Summary In this episode of the "Where's Your Head At" podcast, Erin Kent, founder of Erin Kent Consulting, shares her extensive experience in international education and literacy consulting. With a background spanning from Teach for America to leading a global consulting group, Erin discusses the evolving landscape of international education, particularly focusing on literacy instruction, the unique opportunities in international schools, and the critical role of leadership in driving educational innovation. In this enlightening episode of the "Where's Your Head At" podcast, hosts sit...
info_outline
Episode 15: Exploring the Landscape of International Education
WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?
"my hope is that we will actually use the learning sciences, neuropsychology, cognitive science and psychology in service of this thing called schooling" A Quick Summary In this episode of Where's Your Head At, hosts Richard Henry, James Dalziel and James McDonald dive deep into the world of international education with the esteemed Bambi Betts. With over three decades of experience, Bambi has dedicated her career to fostering leadership and professional development within international schools. As the founder of the Principals' Training Center, she has influenced countless educators...
info_outlineJane Larsson
“The education community should have the courage to use our data and the experiences of other businesses to improve education”.
A Quick Summary
The “Where’s Your Head At” Team speak with Jane Larsson, the Executive Director of the Council of International Schools (CIS) as she talks about where we are going as a community of educators in international schools. Her work on Child Protection has been incredibly impactful on the international education community and Jane also speaks about the importance of student wellbeing in schools today. She also shares her thoughts on what leaders need to do.
Show notes
In this episode…
Intro from James MacDonald (1.40)
Intro from James Dalziel (2.15)
Intro from Richard Henry (3.15)
Why are the team doing this podcast? (4.35)
Introduction for Jane Larsson (6.15)
How did Jane get her start and what is she doing today? (7.30)
Who was the person Jane met that had a significant impact on her career? (11.17)
What is the important thing for international school leaders to get right? (14.46)
If you could start again in leadership, would you do anything differently? (17.20)
What ideas should leaders let go of in schools? (18.40)
What should (21.15)
What are people getting right in education today? (23.45)
Jane’s insights on Child Protection (26.00)
The strategic decisions around what you won’t do (30.05)
Jane’s take away for people who want to be a leader in education (33.25)
How to contact Jane (35.10)
Bio
Jane Larsson has led the Council of International Schools (CIS) as Executive Director since her appointment in 2010. Over the past 25 years, Jane has led the international education community with a focus on the development of collaborative partnerships to enable and support educational exchange and the development of international and intercultural perspective. Prior to her appointment at CIS, Jane was Director of International Partnerships with the Visiting International Faculty Program (VIF) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She began her career in international education as the Director of Educational Staffing and Publications for International Schools Services (ISS) providing recruitment services and resources to international schools.
She currently serves as Chair of the International Taskforce on Child Protection and on the Board of Directors of the International Commission Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA).
Links
- Council of International Schools
- Return on Your Luck
- Embracing Complexity
- The McKinsey Podcast
- Harvard Business Review Podcast
- Michael Porter, "What is strategy?." In: Harvard Business Review, November (1996)