The Benjamin Franklin International School Podcast: Changemaking in Action

In an effort to improve learning and student health, we've implemented the Yondr system to manage cell phone usage on campus for grades 6-11. This decision, influenced by legal changes and educational research, has received both support and skepticism from parents. However, feedback from other schools indicates positive outcomes after the initial adjustment period. Guest is Djamel Agaoua, a BFIS parent and veteran tech industry insider. Jamel, a French national and graduate of Santrale Supérlec, has held key roles in various tech startups and was the CEO of Rakuten Viber. During his tenure, he successfully grew Viber's global user base and introduced innovative features. Jamel is also involved in 'Tech for Good' projects and serves as president of BLOOM, a non-profit dedicated to ocean conservation. Additionally, he holds board positions at BodyGuard AI, which protects online communities from toxic content, and Brut, a global media company known for short-form video content.

Building robotics experiences has become a priority at BFIS and Renaissance College to equip students with essential skills in a technology-driven world. Benjamin has developed the Middle and High School Robotics program at BFIS, observing significant growth in students' learning and development over the past two years. Cora highlighted in a recent podcast with Tricia Friedman the debate around zero or low-tech in schools, emphasizing the need for balanced priorities between tech and non-tech learning environments. Technology plays a crucial role in enhancing experiences across various professional fields, including music, film, theater, and arts. This integration offers significant learning opportunities for students and unexpected interdisciplinary connections. To keep pace with technological advancements, ongoing teacher learning is essential. Positions like Benjamin and Cora's can bridge the gap, helping schools maximize staff potential in integrating technology effectively. Ethics in robotics and AI is a critical consideration, especially as applications range from military uses to assistive technologies for the blind. Educators must address these ethical issues in an accessible manner for students. The accessibility of robotics as an educational subject is broadening, with efforts to cast a wider net for new learners. Decisions on whether robotics should be taught within regular classes or as a separate curriculum component are ongoing, with discussions about the most effective integration methods.

In our captivating 9th episode of the BFIS podcast, we embark on a journey through the realm of entrepreneurship alongside the esteemed Roger Egan. Roger graciously shares insights into his remarkable path to entrepreneurship, illuminating the origins of his innovative ideas. Central to our discussion is Roger's latest venture, Nurture, a groundbreaking project dedicated to early childhood learning and development. Specifically tailored for 4 to 6-year-olds, Nurture aims to empower parents in nurturing their children's life skills through immersive play-based experiences. Join us as we uncover the vision and passion driving Roger's quest to revolutionize early education.

Episode 8 showcases BFIS's comprehensive efforts to support bilingual and multilingual learners (BMLs) through strategic planning, professional development, and community engagement. Led by Associate Head of School Lila Jorge,  joined by Liz Mahaffey, head of our homeschool support services, and Erica Johnson, K through 12, instructional coach and an English language acquisition teacher, they talk about the advantages of multilingualism and the school commitment to a three-year action plan for continuous improvement and BML support integration into the school's culture.

Andrea Cranshaw and BFIS Middle Years Programme (MYP) students sit down with Dinesh Thiru, an author and parent at BFIS, to discuss his latest Young Adult fantasy novel, 'Into the Sunken City.' They explore writing strategies and techniques as they delve into the creative process. Find out more about Dinesh at dineshthiru.com.

In episode 6 of our podcast, Rachel Hovington, BFIS Head of School, engages in a thought-provoking dialogue with Dan Furness, Head of Safeguarding and Well-Being at the Council of International Schools where he runs multiple workshops and leads advisory work with schools all over the world. One of the latest projects Dan was involved with is the worldwide launching of the International Safeguarding Toolkit, which schools can access to support their journey in safeguarding and child protection.  Together,  Rachel and Dan explore the landscape of safeguarding within international school environments. Delving into key topics such as cultural perspectives, identifying mental health concerns, the implementation of a well-being curriculum in international schools, and the crucial roles of parental engagement and student empowerment, this conversation offers invaluable insights into fostering a safe and supportive educational community. Additionally, Lila Jorge, Associate Head of School and Manager of Child Protection and Safeguarding at BFIS, sheds light on various initiatives and ongoing efforts undertaken by BFIS in this critical area.

This episode of the BFIS Podcast, introduced by Rachel Hovington, features BFIS University and Future Pathways Counselor Rhonda Leshman and Kyra Kellawan, Development Director in conversation with Prof Dr. Ger Graus OBE, a founding Global Education Director at KidZania and founding Chief Executive of the Children's University. A regular keynote speaker at educational conferences across the globe, Professor Graus is a seminal figure in futures education. He is now advocating for a ‘Futures Awareness’ campaign in partnership with the world of work to globally introduce careers education in elementary education. He frequently reminds us that children can only aspire to what they know exists and that there can be a poverty of experience that comes from both an affluent upbringing and one less so.   Both Kyra and Rhonda work closely with BFIS Alumni and have experience working with international independent school students who are thinking about their futures. As we think about children’s aspirations for becoming all that they can be, being readily able to reinvent that through their school career, lives and experiences, we hear about some of the developments and programming at BFIS that aligns us with best-in-class educational benchmarks in this arena.

In this episode, Rachel is joined by Martin Picard, a parent of BFIS. A graduate of Computer Science and Math from MIT and Harvard, he is a veteran technical software innovator, company founder, and CEO. He now owns Can Picard, a small family vineyard/farm just a 17-minute drive from Barcelona, and the site of the Alella Green Tech Charitable Foundation (AGT) a green tech R&D center, product showcase, and activities community center. Their mission is to help everyone, from school children to Ph.D. students and beyond, learn about nature and sustainable agriculture and investigate ideas about how technology can help us conserve resources and combat climate change. By fostering innovation, helping sustainable practices, and supporting learning, he hopes to make a difference - and he certainly has in our community, by partnering with us on teaching and learning in various ways that impact robotics, science, and sustainability education at BFIS. The work he does and the stories he tells fit perfectly with our Vision for Learning’s stated goal of nurturing our students to be collaborative individuals connected to the world around them who are empowered to design innovative solutions to complex problems to create a better world. Find out more at: https://alellagreentech.com/

This third episode of the BFIS podcast is student-focused, featuring senior Grade 12 students, Yuval, Greg and Miguel, the creators of the tutoring platform YouTutor. Their website helps to match senior students with younger students for specialist IB subject support. Here, they talk to Global Citizenships lead Scott Hemsey and Development Director Kyra Kellawan about the process of creating the platform, their inspiration to create such a project and their perspectives on why this kind of impactful project creation has been an integral part of their studies and on their wider lives. We finish by hearing a little about the students' past community and academic experiences at BFIS, their motivations for the future and plans after they graduate. Introduction by our BFIS Head of School, Rachel Hovington.

In this second episode of the BFIS podcast, host and Head of School Rachel Hovington meets Tricia Friedman, Director of Learning and Strategy at Shifting Schools. A seasoned podcaster herself, Tricia hosts the Unhinged Collaboration https://unhingedcollaboration.com/ with Kathleen Naglee, Head of School at the International School of Helsinki. Tricia is the founder of Allyed.org, the Be a Better Ally Podcast and the unhinged collaboration where she goes …"beyond just cracking the door open on education". She hosts conversations with leading thinkers and educators who inspire her and to rethink classroom practice, the use of technology , classroom libraries, and policies that enhance belonging and lift learning.  Tricia lives in Ottawa with her wife, and their dog who reminds her that every day deserves a really good walk. Show Notes provided by Tricia: Jen Chrstiansen Science Communicator episode Ears of East https://portfolios.uwcsea.edu.sg/theearsofeast/ BBIS SJC zines with Kristina Pernell Goetz supervisor  https://sites.google.com/bbis.de/bbis-social-justice-committee/zines?authuser=0 https://www.orben.group https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/26/dont-despair-if-your-child-is-glued-to-a-screen-it-may-be-keeping-them-sane “Going to the ocean” analogy from Dr Orben https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/science-weekly/id136697669?i=1000627554081 Women in Games International how do you launch a non-profit that is relevant and human centered? Swapna Krishna Interdisciplinary thinking–linking a passion for Star Trek to Stargazing to Mediation to more. She created a need for her own Wired column  The Body Electric series https://www.npr.org/series/1199526213/body-electric Seven Shifts resource–get experimental with it. Unstructured play (The GIft of Failure)

In this first episode of the new Benjamin Franklin International International School Podcast, our host and Head of School Rachel Hovington meets Head of School at the International School of Stuttgart, Tim Kelley. They sat down to discuss what international school leadership in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world context looks like, sharing some positive stories on how they are both working to build schools of the future. Some of their conversation topics include: What does a future-ready school look and feel like? What kind of intentional spaces on campus need to be curated in future-ready international schools (i.e. technology spaces, interdisciplinary spaces, performing arts sustainability-focused spaces, spaces for quiet rest, reflection, and community?) Research has shown that bringing a diverse array of speakers, artists, musicians, activists, industry mentors, and community members builds strong Social and Emotional competencies in K-12 students (Hall, Panarese, 2016).  Does the research  on intentionally building communities lead to you consider your school setup differently? Inclusive spaces and classrooms - how do you set the tone early on to ensure your school feels welcoming to all, and how do you communicate this effectively to your wider community The key questions here are: what makes an international school truly international? Special Thanks and a shout-out to our podcast jingle creator, BFIS Grade 12 Student Joakim Talling-Smith. He is available for DJ gigs and events of all kinds as well as music composition!