| From the Executive Director Welcome to the final issue of the EARCOS Journal for the 2024-2025 school year. No doubt this issue will land in your inbox and find you as busy as one can possibly be. I hope you will find time in the coming days and weeks to enjoy the rich collection of articles in this issue. Once again, the breadth of topics and the quality of the articles themselves is proof positive (as if any were needed) that this region is blessed with bright, dedicated and deeply committed educators.The one thing that strikes me each time we assemble a journal is just how many critical issues educators are being asked to face. As we are often reminded, ‘the only constant is change.’ It may bring some small sense of relief to know that that quote did not originate with a contemporary thinker, but is attributed (perhaps inaccurately) to Heraclitus, some 2,500 years ago. Still, despite the constancy of change across history, there can be no doubt that, today, the pace of change has accelerated. [Read more] Edward E. Greene Ph.D. Executive Director of EARCOS |
| Featured in this Issue |
| Leadership When Good Intentions Divide: Rethinking Leadership in a Fragmented World By Rami Madani This article is presented in two parts: Part 1 introduces the Context-Based Leadership Framework, and Part 2 provides a practical example of its application in a school setting. The Context-Based Leadership Framework, along with the related diagrams (including the Core–Neutral–Unaccepted Zones model and the dual identity concept), were developed by the author, Rami Madani, drawing on over two decades of leadership experience in international schools, as well as his work as a presenter and trainer with school leaders across diverse educational contexts. These tools are designed to help school leaders navigate complexity with clarity, adaptability, and values-driven decision-making. Educators are welcome to reference or adapt the framework with appropriate attribution. [read more] |
| Governance Growing and Sustaining a Highly Effective Board By Kristi Williams As we move into the final article in our series on effective governance at international schools, it’s essential to focus on the composition and sustainability of the board itself. While governance structures and roles provide a foundation for decision-making, the true strength of a board lies in its composition, diversity, and capacity for continuous improvement. In this article, we’ll explore how to build and sustain a highly effective board by evaluating its structure, ensuring diversity, implementing strong succession planning, and fostering a culture of accountability and professional development. These elements are critical for the board to lead the school towards long-term success. [read more] |
| Action Research Dr. Gianfranco Conti’s Extensive Processing Input Method & Vocabulary Acquisition By Leandro Venier Some years ago, after a long day at school in which my frustration as a teacher grew due to receiving endless yet much repeated questions about vocab from one of my IB Spanish B classes, I asked Chat GPT the following question: What is the best way that is scientifically-proven to be most effective to teach and learn vocabulary for a foreign language such as IB Spanish B at a high school context? The answer provided by Chat GPT included several suggestions that were “research-based strategies for teaching and learning Spanish vocabulary”1 . Out of the list of a total of 9 strategies, 4 of them caught my attention: these were spaced repetition, retrieval practice, contextual learning and interleaved and cumulative practice. In other words, vocabulary that is best learned through frequent “recycling” (hence retrieval and repetition) within a particular thematic option and practiced often in different scenarios to be “recycled” again further down the line. [read more] |
| Curriculum Building Thinking Classrooms – One Third Grade Classroom’s Transformative Experience By Haley Osbourne In a rapidly changing world where traditional education models struggle to keep up with societal and environmental shifts, a new approach is emerging: Regenerative Education. This vision for learning aligns with principles of sustainability, resilience, and holistic development. For educators and parents preparing students for a future filled with challenges and opportunities, understanding regenerative education is crucial. [read more] |
| Gamification Levelling Up Learning: The Power of Gamification at the 2025 EARCOS Teachers’ Conference By Megan Lockett The concept of gamification has gained attention in educational environments as more educators seek creative ways to enhance student engagement and relevant learning outcomes. With roots in the gaming industry, gamification involves incorporating game-design elements such as layers, levels, and choices into non-game contexts, such as education. The practical session “The Power of Gamification!” was run for over ninety attendees at the 2025 EARCOS Teachers’ Conference. The session centred on physical education, where attendees participated in activities such as Fitness Scrabble, Disco Uno, Dice Throwing & Catching Challenges, and Spin the Wheel. They were then given time to discuss how these games could be adapted for teaching across different subjects, fostering a transdisciplinary approach. This article examines some of the literature that supported the session, highlighting the strengths, challenges, and practical applications of gamification in education. [read more] |
| Art Abstract Thinking and Beneficence Revealed: Tales from the Visual Arts Studio By Nick Stonehouse, Juanita McGarrigle, Anqi Yang, Valentina Kranjec Rosenzweig, Susan Kim and Clyde Gaw When I began teaching internationally in the 1990s, one of my 4th-grade students was asked to leave the school due to reading and writing two grade levels below her peers. Coming from a country where federal law mandated education for all students, this administrative decision was deeply troubling to me. For decades, most international schools were inherently exclusive in their admissions practices, often prioritizing academic performance over inclusion. [read more] |