The International Schools Podcast

Global Voices, Shared Challenges, Real Support About Aimee Skidmore Aimée is an international educator, teaching and learning coach, and obsessive tinkerer of better ways to teach and lead. She’s built and runs a coaching program at an international school, and works with teachers and leaders who want students to step up and share responsibility for learning.  A big believer in co-designing learning with students, she helps teachers move from doing most of the work to creating spaces where students think, engage, and take ownership.  Right now, she’s in a deep dive on AI in the classroom, figuring out how to make tech work for teachers instead of overwhelming them.  When she’s not coaching or experimenting with new ways to make learning more meaningful for her students, she’s podcasting about the messy, exciting world of international education. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimeeskidmoreeducator/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC6ZRi  About Jacob Rosch Jacob Rosch is the Director of Education Technology at Collège du Léman International School, Experienced Head of Educational Technology with a demonstrated history of leading pedagogical initiatives in primary/secondary education. Skilled in Blended Learning, Instructional Design, Learning Management Systems and Professional Development delivery. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-rosch-14929886/  Resources

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-teacher-staffroom/id1782209965 
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) from CAST - https://udlguidelines.cast.org/
• https://www.oneusefulthing.org/
• https://www.litpartners.ai/
• https://ditchthattextbook.com/competencies/
• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-teacher-staffroom/id1782209965 

John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents  Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt  Web: www.appsevents.com Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial

Empowering women in education to lead with confidence, challenge barriers, and drive change. Liz Free  CEO International School Rheitnal Co-Strategic Lead Europe WomenEd Vivienne Porritt OBE Co-founder Global Strategic Leader #WomenEd Nancy Squicciarini Head of the Middle Leader Certificate for ECIS  Co-Strategic Lead Europe WomenEd About Liz Free Liz Free is a co-founder of #WomenEd Nederlands and Strategic Leader for #WomenEd Europe. Liz has been a teacher and head teacher in some of the world’s leading schools and is now a globally recognised leader of education talent, continuing professional development and learning. Liz was the founding Director of the International Leadership Academy, the British School in the Netherlands and is now CEO and Director of the International School Rheintal in Switzerland.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-free/  About Vivienne Porritt  Vivienne Porritt OBE is Co-founder, Trustee and Global Strategic Leader of #WomenEd, a global charity which empowers aspiring and existing women leaders in education. Vivienne supports school and trust leaders with vision, strategy, professional learning and development, impact evaluation and DEIJ.  She is a former Vice President of the Chartered College of Teaching and holds several governance roles. Vivienne is a former secondary headteacher and Director for School Partnerships at University College London Institute of Education. She is a coach and writes for practitioner and academic journals and is co-editor.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivienne-porritt-obe-frsa-fcct/  About Nancy Squicciarini Nancy is Head of the Middle Leader Certificate for the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS). With over 35 years of experience as an international school educator, she has held several leadership roles. Nancy is a member of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF), which is a worldwide community promoting excellence in facilitation practices. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-lhoest-squicciarini-64563838/  Resources

• https://womened.com/
• https://www.isr.ch/
• 10%Braver: Inspiring Women to Lead Education (Sage, 2019) Being 10%Braver (Corwin, 2021) 
• Disruptive Women: A WomenEd Guide to Equitable Action in Education. (Corwin, 2024)/ 
• https://ecis.org/middle-leader/ 

John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents  Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt  Web: www.appsevents.com Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial

Making the invisible visible. About Ryan Tannenbaum Ryan Tannenbaum is an educational consultant who specializes in data, data-driven culture, and pedagogically grounded technical implementations for schools. He began his career teaching in international schools throughout Asia. Over more than a decade working as a teacher, principal, and IT director, he founded For.Education—a company that provides schools with data and AI solutions. Currently, Ryan is critically evaluating generative AI technology—exploring how it can safely enhance learning and pedagogical practices in schools while also interrogating the challenges it introduces. Driven by the core philosophy that we can either lead technology forward in our organizations or be led by it, he works to foster a deeper understanding of these technologies, how they work, and where they are most appropriately applied. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-tannenbaum-a64840207/  Resources https://for.education/  John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents  Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt  Web: www.appsevents.com Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial

About Leon Furze Leon Furze is an international consultant, author, and speaker with over fifteen years of experience in secondary and tertiary education and leadership. Leon is studying his PhD in the implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence on writing instruction and education. Leon has held roles at multiple levels of school and board leadership, including Director of Teaching and Learning, Head of English, and eLearning. Leon is a Non-Executive Director on the board of Young Change Agents and Reframing Autism, and a member of Council for the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English.  Leon completed his Master of Education at the University of Melbourne in 2016 with a focus on student wellbeing, leading schools through change, and linking education systems and communities. He has published dozens of books, articles and courses, with his most recent publications, Practical Reading Strategies and Practical Writing Strategies reaching an international audience. Leon presents at state and national conferences and runs online and face to face professional learning for schools, individuals and businesses. Through consultancy and advisory work, Leon helps educators from K-12 to tertiary to understand the implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence in education. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonfurze/ Resources https://leonfurze.com/  https://aiassessmentscale.com https://leonfurze.com/blog  https://practicalaistrategies.com/ 40% discount code to the main Practical AI Strategies course for your listeners: ISP2025 at checkout for this course: https://practicalaistrategies.com/p/practical-ai-strateg John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents  Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt  Web: www.appsevents.com Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial

A conversation with Patrycja Gryciuk on the challenges and opportunities of being an international school educator and romance novel author. About Patrycja Gryciuk Patrycja Gryciuk is an author and educator originally from Legnica, Poland. Since childhood, she has dreamed of becoming a writer. She currently resides in France and teaches French as a foreign language at Ecolint, an international school in Geneva. With a strong background in education and a deep passion for literature, she balances her professional career with her creative pursuits. An advocate for sustainability and the slow-life philosophy, she integrates these values into her writing. She made her literary debut with Plan, a novel that combines elements of romance and suspense. Her second novel, 450 Pages, further showcases her storytelling craft. Her latest book is Three Hours of Silence, a book that not only gained recognition from literary critics, but also received awards in several literary competitions in Poland and Europe.  In 2024 she published a new novel in two parts : Plan. Wybierz mnie and Plan. Zostań ze mną. The first part became a bestseller in one of the biggest audiobooks platforms in Poland.  Patrycja Gryciuk on Social Media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrycjagryciuk/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrycjagryciukautor  John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents  Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt  Web: www.appsevents.com Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial

Transforming Teams, Learning, and Leadership with Playful Principles. About Liam Isaac Liam Isaac Director Of Learning And Innovation @ Seriouswork Liam Isaac is a champion of purposeful play and its transformative power at every level. As the Director of Learning and Innovation at SERIOUSWORK, Liam designs meaningful, engaging, and joyful experiences using innovative tools like LEGO® Serious Play®. With expertise in learning experience design and systems thinking, he collaborates with clients to create bespoke workshops and training programs tailored to unique needs. A professional facilitator with over 15 years of teaching experience at prestigious institutions, Liam helps teams gain clarity, spark creativity, and supercharge collaboration. Outside of work, he embraces the playful chaos of life with his two kids, crafting cardboard robots, flipping pancakes (badly), and living the role of pirate extraordinaire. Liam Issac on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-isaac/ Resources https://serious.global/  John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org  Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents  Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt   Web: www.appsevents.com  Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube  Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial

Exploring the mindsets and strategies schools and parents use to navigate screentime challenges. About Patrick Green Patrick Green is first and foremost a dad to a teenager. He is also a digital wellness educator, keynote speaker, and consultant who helps families and schools navigate the complexities of technology in daily life. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and education technology leader in international schools, Patrick now works with parents, educators, and students to build healthy digital habits and foster meaningful connections online and offline. A former Middle School teacher and Education Technology Coordinator, Patrick led initiatives on technology integration, digital citizenship, and online learning while partnering with students, parents, and teachers to leverage technology for deep, purposeful learning. Now, Patrick’s work centers on empowering families with practical, research-backed strategies for managing screen time and digital habits. Through his workshops, webinars, and upcoming book, he provides actionable guidance for caregivers seeking to mentor children toward responsible technology use. Patrick is an Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Certified Innovator, and YouTube Star Teacher. He is the author of Classroom Management in the Digital Age and 50 Ways to Use YouTube in the Classroom, with a new book on winning screen-time strategies for caregivers launching soon. Learn more at WinningScreentime.com. Patrick Green on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgreensoup/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/pgreensoup  Resources https://www.winningscreentime.com/ http://cmdigitalage.com/ http://youtubeclassroom.com/ John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents  Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt  Web: www.appsevents.com Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial

In this episode of The International Schools Podcast, we delve into the world of international school recruiting. Join us as we speak with Pauline O'Brien, Director of Global Recruitment Strategy & Leadership, to explore the evolution and enduring aspects of recruiting for international schools. We discuss what has changed and what remains the same for both school leaders and educators navigating this unique landscape. About Pauline O'Brien Pauline O'Brien is the Director of Global Recruitment Strategy & Leadership at International Schools Services. An education industry expert, Pauline is passionate about global recruitment, leadership development, and fostering inclusive environments. Known for innovative hiring strategies and skills-based recruitment, she has helped schools worldwide find top talent and build diverse teams. As a coach and workshop leader, Pauline supports school leaders and teachers in advancing their careers while championing women in leadership. Dedicated to improving child protection and safe recruitment practices, she sets high standards across the industry. With expertise in change management and delivering inspiring presentations, Pauline helps schools navigate transitions and create thriving, culturally rich communities. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulineobrien/   Resources https://eduplatform.iss.edu/s/iss-services  John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents  Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt  Web: www.appsevents.com Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial

Using Innovation and Leadership to Make a Difference in Education. About Francis Q. Hoan Francis Q. Hoang is a veteran, entrepreneur, and technology innovator who has been a founding team member of companies generating over $600 million in combined sales and employing more than 1,200 professionals across AI, law, aerospace, defense, and government services. With over a decade of expertise in building and integrating innovative technologies, Francis has enabled teams across industries to harness the transformative potential of AI and frontier tech. With 20+ years of national security experience, Francis has served in every branch of the U.S. Government. He was appointed by President George W. Bush as Associate White House Counsel and Special Assistant to the President and later deployed as the Executive Officer of a U.S. Army Special Forces Company during combat operations in Southeast Afghanistan. His distinguished career includes serving as Deputy Chief of Police and SWAT Commander at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and clerking for Judge Thomas Griffith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. A graduate of West Point (top 1% of his class), Washburn University (Master’s in Criminal Justice), and Georgetown University Law Center (magna cum laude), Francis has also completed Ranger School and passed the CPA exam. His leadership extends to chairing the board of Allied Airlift 21 and co-organizing the Afghanistan Departure Group, which facilitated the first U.S. private charter evacuation flight from Afghanistan after the military withdrawal. Francis has served on numerous boards, including MAG Aerospace, Marymount University, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, and his insights have been featured in the Wall Street Journal. Proudly hailing from Tumwater, Washington, Francis speaks regularly on innovation, leadership, and service. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franceqhoang/  Resources https://boodlebox.ai/  John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents  Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt  Web: www.appsevents.com Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial