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Learners at the Centre: Opt-in Gradeless Prototype at the International School of Prague

Think back to when you were a student in school. Like most of us, you regularly received a grade on a test, homework assignment, participation, report card, you name it! Can you recall how it made you feel and if it helped or hindered your learning? A major challenge for many schools and a well researched obstacle to learning is grading. A number of years ago we at the International School of Prague, took on the challenge of changing ourRead more

Keep your eyes wide, the chance won’t come again

At the suggestion of my daughter, Emma, my address at this year’s ISP Graduation Ceremony for the class of 2018 went a bit more personal. This was apropos, as I was not only officiating as the director, but celebrating as a proud dad. My speech addressed two intertwined themes, the importance of living life with an open mind, using our experiences to shape our journey into the future, as well as the importance of taking the time to look  back on our livesRead more

Learning with Bonno!

Can you remember back to when you were in middle school? I seemed to have blocked much of it out of my own memory banks! But during my years as director of the International School of Prague (ISP), I have the opportunity to see life in school through the eyes of our students, especially when I take the day to shadow a student. Recently, members of the Leadership Team spent an entire school day shadowing and learning alongside an ISP student. ThisRead more
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Stretch Day @ the International School of Prague

One way we encourage deeper, experiential and authentic learning at ISP is through Stretch Days, where students have the opportunity focus on a particular area of learning unencumbered by the traditional bell schedule. By eliminating the usual rotation of classes, where students move from one subject to the next, stretch days allow for longer periods of flexible time for teachers to organize learning experiences which support students to go deeper and learn by doing, without the usual interruptions. As IRead more

“EMPOWERED LEARNERS” THE 28TH ANNUAL CEESA CONFERENCE IN PRAGUE MARCH 15-17, 2018

From the Director of the International School of Prague, Dr. Arnie Bieber Dear Friends and Colleagues, On behalf of the International School of Prague community, it is a pleasure to invite you to attend and participate in the 28th annual CEESA Conference this March in the beautiful city of Prague. Described in ancient texts as “The City of 100 spires” and “The Golden City”, Prague is a true jewel in the heart of Europe. Here, in this wondrous city, youRead more
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My Visit to China

While headquartered in London, ECIS is a global organization with over 400 member schools in over 90 countries on six continents. Last week in my capacity as Chair of ECIS Board of Trustees, I had the honor to help launch our new ECIS China office, in Beijing. It was an exciting time of visiting schools, meeting with ECIS China colleagues, Chinese educators and international school representatives from throughout the country and making new friends. It was my first visit to BeijingRead more

To Succeed in the 21st Century We Need To Learn, Unlearn and Re-learn

Below is my full interview with Czech Leaders Magazine appearing in the January – March 2017 issue. Imagine the atmosphere of a school where there is a palpable sense of creative thinking, where one can see the arts, choirs, music and film production, and at the same time a clear focus on scientific experimentation. Imagine life as a student being able to experiment, design and then print out your blueprint on a 3D printer or a laser cutter as part of theRead more

A Surprising Tranquility – My Day at PreKindergarten

One of the best ways for adults to really understand how a student experiences life and learning in school is by spending a full day shadowing a student. A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about my experience of shadowing grade 4 student, Maria: A day in the life – Shadow a Student Challenge. This year many of our leaders at ISP are shadowing students, including Tony McLaughlin, ISP Communications Manager. He tells his story called “A Surprising Tranquility” below: This week I took on the InternationalRead more

A day in the life – Shadow a Student Challenge

As part of the international Shadow a Student Challenge, last year I blogged about my experience of shadowing a grade 9 student, Grace, throughout her day at the International School of Prague. In a very positive sense, I got much more than I bargained for. This time it was Maria in grade 4 whom I had the pleasure of shadowing throughout her day of learning at ISP. I can truly say that while I was exhausted at the end of our day, IRead more