IN THIS ISSUE   
Level 1 vs. Level 2            
Water Educational Exchange Registration
2007 International College/University Fair         
Application Available for Fellows Programs   
International Classroom              
IB Orientation

Level 1 or Level 2 Workshops? Why Choose?

As CASIE, along with other IBNA Workshop Providers, strives to deliver quality IB information and teaching strategies, it has become necessary for us to further define the choices of Level I, II and III Workshops.  Each year new challenges arise with these definitions as we try to follow them during the registration process. 

Historically, IB workshops offered “Teacher Training Workshops”, which delivered the IB curriculum with little regard for levels of learning for the participants.  We received comments which ranged from “What is the IB Hexagon?” to “Not that hexagon again!”  When participants returned to their schools, they reflected “We only covered information we got last year” or “All the teachers in our class already knew the information and we were lost”, much to the dismay of the school districts.

By separating the learning levels of the participants, the workshop leaders can modify the level of content delivery and samples of teaching strategies to maximize the effectiveness of the workshop.  Therefore, it is imperative that all participants be registered for the appropriate level. This ensures that participants receive the most effective benefit for the status of the authorized or prospective IB World School in order to maintain a workshop class of equity and not just for availability.  As many of you go through the workshop enrollment process, we ask that you keep this and the following in mind. 

Level I participants are expected to spend one half day of training in discussing the application and/or design their curriculum to deliver the course.  These workshops are designed for:

• participants new to IB teaching
• those who have not taught in an IB programme or school
• those in an IB Candidate or Applicant prospective IB school

Level II participants are familiar with the IB for DP, MYP, or PYP, work in an established IB school, or have taken Level I workshops. Completion of a Level 1 course or one full year’s experience teaching IB in this subject, (including an examination cycle for DP workshops) is a prerequisite for attending a Level 2 workshop. 

Level III’s are “subject specific” and address topics of interest. They are  extensions which add to the knowledge base of the school faculty and offer opportunities to advance the scope of the programmes.

To see more about the various workshop levels and what will be covered, visit the links below:

• PYP Levels
• MYP Levels
• DP Levels
• IBNA Recommendations

Water Educational Exchange Registration Open

Registration for the October 8, 2007, Water Educational Exchange  is now available.  The event is a day-long interactive learning session designed for grades 4-7 students and their teacher-sponsors on the relevant, socio-economic and life-sustaining issue of water. This is an exciting opportunity that combines a cross-disciplinary approach to learning, project-based learning and collaboration on a local and international level for a real life application to an issue that is and will be of great importance to the world community.

Helpful links about the event:
Georgia Performance Standards Correlations
Informational Flyer
Registration Form
General Information

2007 International College Fair Dates Announced

Following the success of the 2006 International College and University Fair, CASIE is pleased to announce dates for the 2007 event. The Council of International Schools Fair, which is hosted by CASIE, in cooperation with International Baccalaureate North America, will be on September 21 & 22, 2007, at Atlanta International School.

The fair aims to bring together students (and their parents) studying in International Baccalaureate programmes in schools throughout the southeastern United States with colleges and universities in the USA and other English-speaking countries which are particularly interested in recruiting IB candidates. In 2006, over 35 colleges and universities were on-site to meet with students. An even larger turnout is expected in 2007. 

Research Fellowship Applications Available

CASIE is accepting applications for its fellowship programs.  Graduate students who are interested in conducting research on international education can now apply for two types of fellowships:  Resource Bank Fellows and Research Fellows.  The programs give fellowship participants an opportunity to work one on one with CASIE staff, board members and members of CASIE’s extended academic community while fostering research on international education and policy.  For more information on the Fellowship Program or to download the applications, visit http://www.casieonline.org/Programs/Fellowships.html.

4th Graders at Awty International School Study Community and Migration
Part of the International Classroom Series, showing international education in practice.
By Mary Herendeen

Fourth grade students at The Awty International School recently completed two interactive units that encouraged them to explore concepts of community and migration.  Awty, which is located in Houston, Texas, has successfully used International Primary Curriculum (IPC) in its Science and Social Studies curriculum for the past five years.  The thematic units act as a springboard for many “hands-on”, interactive activities that promote the learning goals, personal goals and international goals of the IPC.

The recent unit on Community involved the class being divided into three groups representing the imaginary Bruff Community:  Farmer Bruffs, Stone Bruffs, and Water Bruffs.   This activity was the Entry Point, which serves as an exciting and unusual introduction to the unit.  Each group wanted the community to be located next to its own resource; however, the goal was to establish a community that would honor and respect the strengths and weaknesses of each group.  Qualities such as resourcefulness, resiliency and cooperation rose to the forefront as the different groups created a community acceptable to all.  The groups finally came to a consensus on the design and location of their homes along the rivers, in the mountains, and in the fertile farmland.

Another exciting IPC unit taught at Awty was Migration.  The Fourth Grade students were asked to choose 5 items they would take with them if they were to immigrate to a new land.  These items had to be ones that were very special to them and included pictures of family members, teddy bears, a favorite piece of jewelry, or a lucky charm.  The students then took a journey to another part of the school, pretending that they were traveling on an overcrowded ship to Ellis Island in New York City.  There they hoped to start a new life.  The Exit Point of the unit was a collage of pictures of immigrants on Ellis Island glued to a foamcore shape of the Statue of Liberty. This art project incorporated the intercurricular learning that the IPC showcases while also embracing the feeling of internationalism.

Want to Know More About the IB?

If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about the International Baccalaureate Programme, sign up for the Orientation Workshop on April 6, 2007. The one-day workshop is an informational forum for school officials and teachers considering the implementation of IB Programmes in their schools. It includes panel discussions, breakout groups and details on What is IB?, Teaching Internationalism, and IB Application & Authorization Procedures. For more information, visit CASIE’s website: http://www.casieonline.org/index.cfm

PAST ISSUES          Dec '06 - Feb '07          Sept-Nov '06

Notes from Alex

Welcome to the first 2007 edition of CASIE Connections!  This promises to be a further exciting year in the world of international education, and CASIE is poised to participate to the full in developments as they unfold.

We will, of course, be hosting our usual array of IB training workshops in June, July and October, as well as an IB Orientation seminar in April.  I encourage you to explore our website for details of those programs.

In addition, we are continuing with our consulting work in a wide range of international and language education projects.  With several years of experience under our belt, and with an ever-growing team of experts, we are well equipped to provide consulting services to individual schools (public or independent) and to school districts.  During the past year or so, most of our work has been with public school districts who are seeking ways to introduce programs which will serve better the needs of students and their families. 

On the one hand this is pragmatic – school districts are driven (unfortunately too much so) by test scores, and schools with IB and/or dual-language programs have consistently been shown to outscore those with regular programs.  However, I prefer to concentrate on the intrinsic values of international programs, in that this is the one way in which we can really help prepare future generations for the realities of the 21st century.

If you have not already seen it, I thoroughly recommend that you acquire a copy of the 2006 report from the Committee for Economic Development (a Washington, DC think-tank) entitled Education For Global Leadership.  The report can be downloaded from their website (www.ced.org), following links to publications by subject.  The report spells out in a most succinct manner the challenges to the United States, and makes several extremely interesting recommendations.  Even for non-US readers the report should be highly stimulating and will generate good discussion.

It is clear that those responsible for major educational policy decisions are finally beginning to realize the importance of what we have been saying for many years, and are coming to grips with the realization that traditional approaches to education are losing their validity.  If education is to be relevant in the interdependent global community of the future, then it is imperative that we play our part in preparing young people for that world.  This means that we should continually be looking for educational approaches that will help foster the skills and attitudes which are so important.  The International Baccalaureate Organization, by promoting its “Learner Profile” is making major strides in that direction. 

With my very best wishes to everyone for a successful and happy year!

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