The annual ECIS conference is an high-caliber, professional association of international educators within the European region. Well-known keynote speakers inspire, encourage, and affirm our work as educators. In-depth, relevant and practical pre-conference institutes engage our minds and leave us with a clear vision of what to do next. A range of general conference sessions, organized …
Professional Development
Keelin Swalve presents at ECIS
Nearly every year there is at least one BFIS teacher or administrator who presents at the fall ECIS conference. This year, Keelin Swalve was part of a three-person team presenting during the pre-conference institutes before the general conference began.
ECIS 2011 Reflections – Kili Lay
I had the great opportunity to spend a full day in a Pre-Conference institute with Bambi Betts, the Executive Director of the Association of International School Heads (AISH) and Director of the Principal’s Training Center (PTC) for international educators. Most of my take-aways are from the conference on Effective Strategies for Subject Area and Team …
MAIS Conference 2011
International educators from around the Mediterranean region flocked to Barcelona by the hundreds to attend the 2011 Annual MAIS (Mediterranean Association of International Schools) Conference, co-hosted by BFIS. Interim Director, Tom Northrup, welcomed the congregation during the Opening Ceremony on Friday, November 11. BFIS sponsored five presentations at MAIS: Slam Poetry in the International Classroom …
Professional Learning Communities
Professional Learning Communities as Tools to Improve Teacher Practice and Student Learning – Professional Learning Communities are groups of teachers working together in a conscious effort to adapt their practice to the learning needs of students. The focus of a Learning community is STUDENT learning. Through the use of protocols, groups of teachers can effectively …
Slam Poetry in the International Classroom
The Spoken Word Revolution, as it has been called is upon us! Slam poetry and hip-hop are quickly becoming some of the main tools to teach poetry to kids. This movement, started in Chicago, is growing internationally, with slam scenes in Germany, the UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Sweden, Holland, and many more. Learn how to …
Social Media in Education
Social Media in Education: Creative Designs / New Forms – This session was designed for administrators to help them understand why their school needs to embrace social media. Even though social media is all the rage these days, ‘everybody is doing it’, many schools are in stalemate.In this session, we highlight simple steps a school …
Poverty Alleviation and Pathways for Social Entrepreneurship
Poverty Alleviation and Pathways for Social Entrepreneurship through Direct Student Involvement through Microfinance – The International Schools’ Microfinance Organization (ISMO) aims to incorporate high school students in social enterprise through direct involvement in microfinance. ISMO gives students the educational, legal, and technical infrastructure to establish a student chapter and rotating-loan fund at their schools. Involved …
Use your Library to Transform, Transcend and Transfix
A joint presentation between Kili Lay, Director of Curriculum and Staff Instruction, Benjamin Franklin International School and Douglas Steele, Principal, H2L2 Architects The Learning Commons, from Idea to Reality. This presentation focuses on the BFIS adaptation of trends in Learning Commons design to craft a one-of-a-kind educational environment that has motivated students and captivated the …
MAIS 2011 Reflections: Kili Lay
These were my personal reflections after attending the MAIS conference. Sometimes these were sparked by a conversation over coffee during break, when your mind is busy processing something intriguing you’ve just heard. Sometimes they were sparked by questions asked in a session. More often, though, they were ideas, realizations, and questions I generated in response …