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64. Transitions Happen! Audrey and Mark Forgeron, Veteran International Educators, Share Their Tips26 Oct 202401:16:37

Transitions are a given when you are an international educator.

We did a different style show here with David asking all the questions as he interviewed Audrey and Mark Forgeron about their recent return and transition to international teaching.  

Audrey Forgeron is a 30-year, nine-country international teaching veteran. She has taught Health and PE, French, Information Technology, and Film. She has recently transitioned from teaching to life coaching. 

Mark Forgeron has spent 40 years as a teacher, with 38 years teaching internationally. Nepal is now his 10th country, and he has always been a middle-level math teacher. Mark has enjoyed teaching in all regions of the world, always looking for a new and non-lateral location. He has served  as a math teacher and math coordinator, a middle school coordinator, and a coach of middle school, high school, and community sports, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and track & field. 

Our Guiding Question was, “What are some tried-and-true ways to prepare to transition to a new school and country?” 

Here are some of the topics covered: 

  • Finances both in one’s home country and new country
  • Documentation to do’s
  • Packing - what goes and what stays
  • Social Factors
  • Emotional Experiences
  • Orientation - School provided and doing one’s own

Audrey’s Contact Information: educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com, LinkedIn.com/in/aforgeron


The show was recorded on October 18, 2024. 

Categories: Transitions | School Life | Wellness



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

63. Future Proofing Education: Words of Wisdom from Michael Nachbar of GOA11 Oct 202400:59:10

We so enjoyed our first chat with Michael Nachbar, Executive Director of the Global Online Academy (GOA) that we asked him to come back for a second interview! Just as before, Michael tackled our questions with vigor and showed an incredible depth of knowledge. 

We are curious about the concept of “future-proofing” education, so it made sense to consider Michael’s take as a future-focused thinker. With that in mind, our guiding question was: “What does online learning look like going forward, especially given the rapid growth of AI?” 

Here are some of the topics covered: 

  • How GOA has adapted to recent changes in the education sector.
  • Preparing for the possibility of school closure.
  • Getting buy-in from stakeholders for virtual learning.
  • The efforts of the GOA community to harness AI for education.
  • Advice from author Daniel Pink on innovation in schools and his daughter Sophia’s version of hybrid learning at HKIS. 
  • Strategies to support teachers and students in learning to use AI for education.
  • Michael reflected on his GOA Insights Blog post, “Seven Predictions for Education in 2024.”
  • A few future-proofing strategies and guiding principles for schools.

Michael spearheads a global network of schools and educators dedicated to transforming education. His expertise lies in integrating foundational teaching principles with cutting-edge technologies and innovative pedagogies.

Michael regularly presents at conferences on topics including leadership and innovation trends. His thought leadership is widely recognized and respected across the educational community. He is also a Lakeside School trustee and has served on the boards of the NAIS, the Mastery Transcript Consortium, Summer Search, the ISAnet, and JUMP! Foundation.

Michael holds an M.A. in Education Leadership from Columbia. He began with Teach For America, laying a strong foundation for his ongoing commitment to educational excellence, innovation, and equity.

Resources Mentioned: 

Michael’s Blog Post “Seven Predictions for Education in 2024.”
Sophia Pink interviews on the Ed Tech Co-Op Podcast: Interviews 1 and 2

Michael’s Contact Information: LinkedIn | Global Online Academy (scroll down for contact info)

The show



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

54. Where are They Now? Updates From No-Longer Newbies Mel & Cole, Tonya and Jessica07 Jun 202401:01:49

This was a special episode as we caught up with some of our previous guests who are finishing either their first or second year of international teaching. As expected, they had many lessons and tips to share! Tonya Busse joined us from Kingston, Jamaica. Jessica Simmons connected from Abuja, Nigeria. And Mel Idema and Cole Savage dialed in from Abu Dhabi. 

You can listen to their individual interviews if you missed them. Mel & Cole, a married couple in their second year were on for Episode 13, Tonya Busse, a single teacher in her first year was our guest for Episode 29, and Jessica Simpson, a married teacher with a trailing spouse husband, joined us for Episode 31 

Our Guiding Question was, “Based on the past school year, how is your experience of international teaching going?” 

To help answer this question, our no-longer “newbies” answered the following subquestions: 

  • What were one or two high points from the past school year?
  • Do you have a low point to share?
  • What are the next steps for you?
  • Do you have any sage advice for aspiring international teachers on: 

    • Recruiting
    • Interviewing
    • Transition Prep
    • Doing your own version of orientation

The show was recorded on May 11, 2024. 

Contact Information:

Tonya - Instagram @tonya_busse

Jessica - Jessica writes about her adventures on Medium. Here is a direct link  to her account. 

Mel and Cole - Their blogs: ​The Global Traveler’s Wife and ​The Wandering Learner


Categories: School Life | Recruiting | Transitions | Travel | Wellness




Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

53. Mr. Data (But With a Human Touch!) - Meet Chris Smith and Learn to Embrace Educational Data24 May 202400:43:12

"Mr. Data, make it so" 

For the non-Trekkies out there, meet Chris Smith, academic data analyst.

Chris joined us to speak about the importance of using data to improve multiple aspects of our schools. 

 Through his 25 years in international education, Chris noticed schools and educators collecting data but seeming overwhelmed by it or needing help knowing what to do with it.  So, he began coaching, teaching, and consulting with schools and educators to help them discover what data they needed and how they could turn it into information that led to useful insights and informed decision-making. Chris has engaged with school districts in the United States and international schools worldwide through this work. Chris is passionate about helping educators and school leaders save time and make sense of their data.

Here are a few of the topics covered in this episode: 

  • Defining the term “data” in education
  • Instead of data-driven decision-making using the term data informed decision-making
  • The big areas and some lesser-known ones that data can be drawn from in our schools
  • Gathering data in the classroom to inform instruction and further assessments
  • Data Visualization
  • Drawing data from qualitative and experiential learning experiences, including concept-based learning experiences
  • Where international schools stand now regarding their use of technology and information processing in teaching and learning including roles and job titles in this field
  • Digital citizenship and digital wellness
  • GenAI in schools
  • Recruiting and important skill sets regarding technology, information use and data gathering and interpretation – which connects to data literacy for educators

Our Guiding Question was, “Why is data gathering and analysis so important in our schools? Second, how are technology and information processing integral to teaching and learning in our schools?”

The show was recorded on March 27, 2024.

Chris’ Contact Information: LinkedIn

Categories: School Life | Data | Instruction
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

ISTE Standards
Information and Communication Literacies (ICL)
Smith Visualizations



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

52. Longing for Belonging? Let Douglas Beam Help Point the Way!10 May 202401:20:09

We all -- students and teachers alike -- long to belong. 

Douglas Beam from Global Online Academy joined us to share his insights on the importance of working to build a sense of belonging for students in our schools. He also discussed his doctoral work on gender and sexual minorities in international schools. 

Douglas has been a teacher and leader in schools in Europe, Asia, and North America and currently works at GOA as the Associate Director of Member School Engagement. He has taught or coordinated programs in elementary, middle, and high school and at the graduate level. As a school leader, he has had several roles, including head of the department, grade level coordinator, IB Middle Years Programme coordinator, and GOA site director. His leadership has focused on collaborative program building, curriculum development, school policy, and pastoral care. Douglas is passionate about making schools where all students feel a sense of belonging. He earned a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) from the University of New England, where his dissertation focused on a sense of belonging in international schools for gender and sexual minority students. Douglas lives in Ohio with his husband and their twin boys.

Our Guiding Question was, “What does it mean to experience a sense of belonging in an international school environment, and how can we, as teachers, best support our students in developing theirs?” 

Here are some of the topics covered: 

  • A definition of belonging
  • Factors that nurture belonging
  • Ways students in elementary, middle, and high school would describe their sense of belonging.
  • How an identity as an international student differs from an identity as a student in a person’s home country.
  • The positive and negative “forces” affecting international students as they develop their identities. 
  • School leaders and teachers can implement programs and strategies to improve the environments inside as well as outside the classroom to support student well-being in terms of feeling supported and connected to others. 
  • And we heard a few highlights from Douglas’ dissertation on gender and sexual minorities in our schools. 

The show was recorded on February 16, 2024. 

Douglas’ Contact Information: LinkedIn Douglas Beam

Categories: School Life | Transitions

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Douglas’ Doctoral Thesis on Belonging in International Schools 

The Global Online Academy (GOA) 



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

51. When Kids are Part of the Equation: Recruiting as a Family, With Claire and Jamel26 Apr 202401:03:15

It is such a treat to reconnect with a former student and to discover where their life has led them. In this episode, we reconnected with Claire Gaul, a student from our Saudi days. Claire and her husband, Jamel, teach at their third international post, a school in China.  They shared so many great insights that you might have to listen to the episode twice to take them all in!

Claire is originally from California, and Jamel was raised in Alsace in a Tunisian/Algerian family. They enjoy traveling, grilling, and being outdoors. They have 9-year-old twins (Luke and Leia) who are in 4th grade. Luke loves animals, electronics, mixed tapes, and researching how to be prepared for worst-case scenarios. Leia loves reading, cats, macaroons, and drawing comics.

The guiding question for this episode was, “What are some common experiences for international teaching families?” 

Jamel and Claire covered many topics, including: 

  • Teachers should be ready for their preconceptions and generalizations regarding host countries to be mistaken. 
  • Consider healthcare and how well the school can support your children, especially if there are special needs. 
  • Infrastructure, including transportation, government services, and ease of travel should also be considered. 
  • Benefits for kids include smaller classes, the potential for more individualized support, co-curricular programming, diversity of friends, exposure to new languages, and growing social and geopolitical awareness. 
  • Benefits for parents include working with teachers from other cultures and connecting with other expats, who may also be parents. 
  • Struggles can come from language barriers, differences in cultural understanding, feelings of loss with respect to the previous location. 
  • Part of what makes the new school and community work comes from parental modeling of positive attitudes and commitment to personal growth. 
  • Claire and Jamel offered recruiting strategies for couples with children. 
  • One recommendation is to balance career opportunities with schools that meet your children’s needs while keeping your options wide open. Also, be prepared for some schools on your wish list not to be the best fit for your family.

This episode was recorded on December 9, 2023.

Contact Information: Claire on LinkedIn and Jamel on LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned in the Episode: IB Diploma Programme Design Technology Teachers Facebook Group

Categories: School Life | Recruiting | Transitions | Financ



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

50. Embodying Your Values: Meet Kam Chohan, Executive Director of ECIS12 Apr 202400:42:57

Can you feel the energy in the air? This was a zinger of an episode!

Kam Chohan, the Executive Director of the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS), joined us for this episode. 

With a background in education and leadership, Kam Chohan is a learning leader who brings insight, wisdom, and compassion to the role. She demonstrates the ability to build meaningful, lasting relationships that contribute to personal and organizational development and improvement.

Kam is a passionate educator and has enjoyed lecturing in mathematics and business in previous roles. As an example of her commitment to student learning, Kam worked with the UK Government’s Behaviour Insights Team to apply the Nudge Theory to improve student outcomes on a national level. This highlights her innovative approach to education and her commitment to making a positive impact.

Kam received the 1885 NEASC Award for Exemplary Service to Education in December 2022. This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of education, further confirming Kam’s dedication and excellence in her work.

Kam is committed to social justice and equity through diversity, inclusion, and intercultural understanding in international education.


Our Guiding Question was, “What does the ECIS organization do, and how can educators access its services?”

Kam covered many topics, including: 

  • ECIS started off by supporting schools in Europe but has now expanded to schools around the world
  • ECIS’s professional learning opportunities and outreach have grown tenfold in the past four years
  • Inclusion is at the core of Kam’s work, working with “thought partners” to support learning
  • Special interest groups (e.g., PE, math, library) connect to share best practices
  • The mission is to make the world a better place while preparing tomorrow’s leaders to do the same
  • Child Protection and DEIJ are key PD programs 
  • ECIS has Middle Leader training offerings
  • ECIS aims to approach recruiting with new eyes, questioning previous practices by bringing in more diversity of hires, including local educators
  • ECIS seeks to bring in student voices
  • Some trends Kam sees include: helping school communities with well-being and balance; the growth of AI and how to bring in ethics in approaching it; ongoing work with curriculum.  


The show was recorded on January 9, 2024. 


Kam’s Contact Information: LinkedIn


Categories: School Life | Recruiting | Professional Learning | DEIJ | Child Protection



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

49. Starting With the Man in the Mirror: Examining Our Practice With an Eye to Improving DEIJ - A Rich Conversation with Ken Shelton29 Mar 202401:24:05

Warning: Show contains critical amounts of meaty information! 

Ken Shelton joined us to discuss how schools can effectively design and implement new programs. He used DEIJ as a case study for managing the change process. 

Ken Shelton is an award-winning educator and international keynote speaker addressing critical issues from multimedia literacy to cultural intelligences to Artificial Intelligence. Ken has over two decades of experience and an MEd specializing in Ed Tech and New Media Design and Production. 

An Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Certified Innovator, and Microsoft Innovative Educator, Ken has also served on California's Education Technology Task Force. His accolades, including the Digital Equity Professional Learning Network Excellence Award, Computer Using Educators Platinum Disc Award,  ISTE's Making IT Happen Award, and EdTech Magazine's top influencer, underscore his commitment to enhancing digital learning while addressing the challenges of digital equity. 

Our Guiding Question was, “What tools do school leaders need in their change management toolkits as they work to design and implement policies and programs to grow awareness and understanding of the principles of DEIJ within their communities?” 

Here are some topics Ken unpacked: 

  • The value of using Habits of Mind, understanding of cognitive biases, and cultural norms to assist schools in program development.
  • Formative and summative measurements aimed at accountability are important to ensure goals are met and programs are sustainable. 
  • We looked at various avenues for professional learning.
  • Ken provided a snapshot of DEIJ learning services for individuals, groups, or whole staff. 
  • We talked about how Generative AI fits into looking at DEIJ. 
  • Ken shared some high points and struggles working with international schools to grow their DEIJ awareness.

The show was recorded on March 1, 2024. 

Ken’s Website

Resources Mentioned:

CASEL
Clear Thinking by Shane Parrish



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

48. Shedding "Light" on What Keeps Heads Up at Night - A Second Conversation With Laura Light15 Mar 202400:44:30

What keeps international school heads awake at night? What all-important areas of decision-making currently occupy their thoughts? What trends in international education are they focused on? To find out, we again reached out to the very well-connected Laura Light, Executive Director of the Association for the Advancement of International Education. 

Laura joined AAIE in 2021, bringing in years of experience working alongside school heads and senior leadership, supporting the critical task of recruiting teachers and administrative talent.  

Before joining AAIE, Laura served as the Director of Global Recruitment at International Schools Services (ISS). Before joining ISS in 2007, Laura was an international educator for many years, working in Kuwait, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Singapore, and London, as well as the United States. Her knowledge of international schools is deeply rooted in her upbringing as she is also a Third Culture Kid.

Laura has served on the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children Educational Board and is a member of the Diversity Collaborative. She understands the challenges faced and is a natural community builder and an assertive advocate for quality leadership in our international schools worldwide.  

Laura greatly enjoys her work supporting international school leaders and values the interactions and experiences she encounters while traveling, which is her biggest joy. When not on the road, she resides in New Jersey with her partner.

The guiding question for the episode was, “What are international school leaders and directors of regional organizations currently talking about?”

We covered several topics, including: 

  • Wellness around collective care and action
  • Adaptive change
  • Generative AI
  • Professional Learning
  • Regional Organizations
  • DEIJ
  • Local and global concerns of school leaders
  • Schools helping other schools during crisis situations

This episode was recorded on September 25, 2023. 

Laura’s Contact Information: LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
AAIE and Podcast and the New School Project
Global Online Academy
Avenues Online School 

Several regional organizations were mentioned, so go to our Resource Library for their links. 



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

47. Consulting the Consultant: Updates from Jacqueline Mallais of JPMint Consulting29 Feb 202400:59:34

International teacher consultant Jacqueline Mallais joined us once again from Guadalajara, Mexico, for this episode. 

Jacqueline is a former international teacher and school leader with over 20 years of experience in six countries on four continents. Since heading overseas in 1996, she has helped numerous teachers secure amazing opportunities abroad. Originally from Ottawa, Canada, and now living in beautiful Guadalajara, Mexico, Jacqueline offers her consulting services to teachers looking for personal help and guidance on their job search journey. 

Our Guiding Question was, “What lessons were learned last year in your role as an international teacher consultant? What is recruiting looking like now?” 

This was Jacqueline’s fourth interview with us; as always, we had many helpful takeaways. Our main interests were in finding out how things were going with her consulting business and the state of recruiting for the coming year. Jacqueline didn’t disappoint, providing detailed information that anyone in the recruiting arena would do well to take on board. 

  • Lessons learned in her business: namely, that she loves her job, which is really more of a “calling” for her, and that she gets a lot of referrals through the International Teacher Podcast 
  • Takeaways from the past year:  such as the fact that recruiting is now a full-year proposition and also that she feels that her consulting provides “good value for her clients’ money”.
  • Trends she sees this year: there are many job postings out there, and at the same time, schools are now doing a lot of early hiring to “lock in” solid candidates.
  • Words of wisdom she shared, such as: Teachers might be tempted to write resumes and cover letters using AI – it might help with the process but it can’t replace the human touch, as well as “apply for everything” and “recruiting can be a big expense and a stressful time, but it’s worth it in the end if you find a school that is your perfect match” – and at the same time, resist the temptation to grab that first contract just to be done with the process.


The show was recorded on November 21, 2023. 


Jacqueline’s Contact Information: Her website is JPMint Consulting

She also can be followed on: 

  • FB: jpmintconsulting
  • IG: jpmintconsulting
  • LinkedIn: Jacqueline Mallais
  • Twitter: jpmintconsult
  • YouTube: jpmintconsulting


Categories: Recruiting | Transitions | Finance 



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

46. Meet a Recruiting Phenom: Pauline O'Brien from International Schools Services16 Feb 202401:15:28

Who is the go-to resource for the lowdown on the current state of international school recruiting? Thanks to an introduction from super-connector Laura Light, we were fortunate enough to connect with one of the best-placed people for answers to our recruiting questions. Pauline O'Brien is the Global Recruitment Business Strategy Development Director at International School Services (ISS). 

We peppered Pauline with questions to help our listeners deepen their understanding of where things stand concerning recruiting and other trends in international education. 

Pauline has 20+ years of experience in professional recruiting, client service, and school board relations in international education. She has designed multi-faceted learning opportunities for international schools, which include competency-based recruiting strategies, skills-based interviewing methods, and STAR application profiles. 

Pauline has served on the International Task Force for Child Protection and has been a board member of Women’s Business Initiative International and ACCESS in the Netherlands. 

Originally from Ireland, Pauline resides with her family in the Netherlands, where she studied international business in Dutch.

The guiding question was, "What are recent changes and trends in international school recruiting?"

Here are some of the many topics that Pauline spoke to: 

  • Pauline's background in the corporate world brings new perspectives to how international schools approach their work. 
  • Child safeguarding continues to be a key trend. 
  • Recruiting should be about evaluating candidates' skills and aptitudes.
  • Pauline mentioned some of the services that ISS offers,  including learning materials to help with recruiting. Listen to the interview with Nadine Richards and Dana Specker Watts for more on this.
  • We compared virtual fairs during the COVID lockdown with in-person recruitment fairs. 
  • The recruiting "season" is now year-round. 
  • ISS is working with schools to diversify their recruiting outreach. 
  • ISS offers orientation activities for first-time applicants at its fairs . 
  • Be ready with targeted, relevant questions during interviews. Our profiling tool can help with this.
  • Veterans: avoid being overconfident - so much in recruiting has changed recently. 
  • Many international educators left China during the COVID lockdown; some are now returning.  
  • We discussed the nature of so-called “hardship pos



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

45. Want a Better CV? Better See V! A Conversation With Job Search Coach Valeria Laitinen02 Feb 202400:51:15

Are you going recruiting? Is your résumé up to date? Are you prepared for your interviews? If not, maybe you’d better see V! Yes; that’s the tagline for Valeria Laitinen, an international school principal who moonlights as a consultant helping educators prepare for the international recruiting process. She can help with all aspects of the job-seeking endeavor, from A to Z. 

We covered several topics in this episode, including: 

  • Valeria’s experiences as part of a diplomatic family (we are linking below, an interview she did for another podcast that goes more deeply into this topic). The process of becoming a recruiting coach
  • Lots of advice for first-timers and for veterans preparing to recruit 
  • The research process to learn about schools
  • Recruiting fairs and making direct contact with schools
  • Transitions
  • Preparing for and moving into leadership roles
  • Valeria’s services offered through her consultancy efforts

Valeria Laitinen is an international educator and administrator who has taught, worked, and lived in nine countries. In addition to working in schools, Valeria recently established a CV, cover letter, and job search consulting business called Better See V and has been supporting teachers, administrators, and job seekers outside of education to polish their application materials and find their next job. Valeria is married to a US diplomat, and they have two children in college in the US. Valeria is a third culture kid herself, as she was born in Italy to an Italian mother and American father and attended an international school in Milan through middle school before moving to the US for high school.

Our guiding question was, “How can international educators make the most of the recruiting process?”. 

This episode was recorded on October 11, 2023.


Contact Information: Valeria’s Better See V website; LinkedIn


Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

George Mason University Teaching the International Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate 

Tales from a Small Planet City Reports and School Reports

TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program

US State Department Office of Overseas Schools Fact Sheets

Valeria being



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

62. Shhhh! We're Here With Greg Lemoine to Reveal "The Best-kept Secret" in Education.27 Sep 202400:52:21

Who is growing a media empire based on international teaching? Who loves going to recruiting conferences? And who writes entire books in a weekend? The answer, of course, is our fellow podcasting buddy Greg Lemoine. 

Greg wrote a follow-up to his award-winning (we awarded it a gold star) first book, “Finding the Right Fit: Your Professional Guide for International Educator Recruiting Fairs and Amazing Stories of a Teacher Living Overseas.” His second book is “International Teaching: The Best-kept Secret in Education”. In this episode, we took a peek at some of those secrets. Greg also publishes the International Teacher Podcast with his partners, rounding out the offerings of his content creation empire.  

The Guiding Question for this episode was: What tips, strategies, and takeaways can you share from your new book, International Teaching: The Best-kept Secret in Education? 

Here are a few of the topics Greg addressed in this episode: 

  • Choosing the title of the book
  • What going digital means for international educators
  • Partnering with recruiting agencies and attending their fairs
  • Making connections
  • Dodging pitfalls and dragon fire in international classrooms with grace and good humor

Greg’s Contact Information: The International Teacher podcast is available on all podcasting platforms. Contact Greg and his podcasting partners at internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:


The show was reco



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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

44. Tools to Help Make the Process of Choosing a School/City/Country More Objective19 Jan 202400:41:21

Audrey and David dive into the blog post “Profiling Schools, Cities, and Countries” to bring listeners’ attention to the importance of planning for their next move. The post provides criteria for comparing and ranking schools, cities, and countries to help you be more objective when 1 - planning which schools to apply to and then 2 - comparing job offers when they come in. 

These tools should prove to be super helpful as you go through the processes of setting your priorities, researching schools, interviewing and then making that final decision.

We strongly encourage you to read the post. 

One big topic we talk about is wellness. We mentioned David’s blog post on wellness, including a link to his Wellness@ES website. 

David and Audrey would like to thank Mark Forgeron for taking our criteria and organizing them into a spreadsheet, to which he added a helpful "scoring system" for the many criteria. Thanks, Mark!





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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

43. Warm Vibes From Latin America: A Heartfelt Chat with Dr. Michael Adams of the TRI Association05 Jan 202401:11:03

!Hola a todos! You are in for a real treat today. We were fortunate enough to speak with Michael Adams, Executive Director of the TRI Association. This is an association of schools in Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and the Caribbean. Michael embodies the spirit of community, connection, and sharing that supports the TRI mission. He also represents yet another current and ex-HOS that is genuine, dedicated, and wise in their leadership. Starting with his own Going Global Story and then throughout the interview, Michael demonstrated warmth and humanity that clearly reflected the vibe of the part of the world that is his chosen home.

A few of the topics covered in the interview: 

  • The role and mission of TRI
  • TRI initiatives and activities
  • When recruiting to the region, what can one expect regarding school cultures, practices, positives, and challenges. 
  • Topics and trends for the region going forward

Dr. Adams is a long-time LATAM leader, educator, administrator, colleague, and friend!! More importantly, he is a very proud husband (going on 36 years with Clara Rico), father of three adult boys (David, Nicolas, and Tomas), and grandfather of two amazing little boys (Eduardo and Lucas)! After growing up as a TCK in Tokyo, Japan, attending ASIJ, and then going for his undergrad degree and graduate school in Texas, Michael has spent the past 33 years in Colombia and Mexico, an experience that has made him the person he is today: a true global citizen! 

Our two different guiding questions were, “What does the TRI Association do, and how can educators access its services?” 

This episode was recorded on November 6, 2023.


Contact Information: TRI Association Contact Page 


Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

TRI Association

Erma Anderson: Math in International Schools


Categories: School Life | Recruiting 



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42. The "OG" International Education Podcasters: Meet Dan Taylor and John Mikton of the ISP22 Dec 202300:56:10

What happens when you speak with two leaders in the field of educational technology? You learn a lot! We were fortunate to speak with Dan Taylor and John Mikton, who, in their spare time, host the big dog of international education podcasting, The International Schools Podcast.

Dan has been involved in the Google for Education community since 2006 and is the founder and director of AppsEvents, a Google-based PD provider. He has trained educators across the globe from El Salvador to Vietnam. 

John currently serves as the Primary Technology for Learning Coordinator at the International School of Geneva – La Châtaigneraie. John’s journey as an educator has spanned Africa, Asia, and Europe. Of those years, 18 have been in school leadership roles, particularly in educational technology leadership. In addition to his coordinator role, John works as a trainer and course designer at the Principal Training Center / Teacher Training Center and as a coach for the Faria Education Group. 

We asked the guiding question “What does technology use in teaching and learning look like post-pandemic and what it might look like going forward?” John and Dan responded with so many helpful insights! 

Here are a few: 

  • The pandemic was an example of the power of disruption to bring about change and innovation
  • A focus on well-being has emerged
  • We have the technology for the next possible need to go virtual, so going forward, the focus is on the plans, structures, connections, and policies to support the students, teachers, and parents. 
  • There has been an expansion in online schools, and also in hybrid and blended learning. 
  • It is still early to say where we stand with Generative AI. The driving question should be, what is the “value add” of schools when we have GenAI? 
  • Personalizing professional and personal learning are still critical goals for schools.
  • Lessons learned from hosting the International Schools Podcast: Look to start your own podcast; it’s a great way to share your ideas, and it’s not that hard! And as a host, you learn so much!
  • There are concerns about social media and how they lead to divisive behaviors. However, on a positive note, social media can help grow one’s professional brand.
  •  There are also concerns about the ongoing teacher shortage.

Dan and John then reversed the course of the interview to ask us questions about the Educators Going Global podcast. We had fun comparing notes!

This episode was recorded on November 12, 2023.

John’s Contact Information: LinkedIn |



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41. Keeping Your Head While Becoming a Head: Greg Moncada's Story08 Dec 202300:40:11

Imagine being a candidate to become a new Head of School! What would that be like? 

If you are a veteran international educator, you have most likely either participated in or witnessed your school finding a new Head of School. If you are going global for the first time, you might wonder how international schools are structured administratively  — and if you make it through the first rounds of interviews, you will likely meet with the Head of School, sometimes called the Director or the Superintendent. 

And if you listened to our interview with Dr. Brent Mutsch, you learned how schools search for a new superintendent.  After talking with Brent, we were curious about the Head of School recruiting process from a candidate’s perspective. Fortunately, we knew of an old friend from our Saudi days who had gone through the process a few times and had just completed it again to accept a new position as a Head of School in Harare, Zimbabwe. 

Our friend, Dr. Gregory Moncada, joined us in this episode to trace his recruiting game plan from start to finish. We caught up with Greg as he finalized his packing in the week before getting on the plane to head to Zimbabwe.

Dr. Moncada is the Head of School for the Harare International School (HIS) in Zimbabwe. He was previously the founding director of the Qatar Academy for Science and Technology (QAST), the Qatar Foundation's new STEM school. Prior to HIS and QAST, Dr. Moncada started new schools and programs throughout his career, including a progressive middle school based on the 'This We Believe’ model and district-wide STEM programs at all grade levels.  He specializes in developing student-centered learning models, progressive learning models, and multiverse organizational structures between schools and organizations. With more than 30 years of experience, Greg has held teaching and leadership positions in International schools in Spain, Austria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United States. Greg holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Minnesota.

Our guiding question was, “What is it like to be a candidate going through a Head of School search?”

Greg shared his strategies: deep research, lots of self-reflection, working with a recruiting agency, and engaging with the leader of the  Search Committee to learn about the school and community. He also told us what happens when a candidate is a finalist and what a school visit is like.

Don’t forget to listen to our other interview



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40. Happy EGG-i-versary to Us! & a Walkthrough of our Website26 Nov 202300:45:08

Over a year and a half ago, Audrey envisioned a website and podcast to help educators “go global”. She asked David to join her, and the work began – to provide written and audio content for our followers. Our first podcast episode went live in December of 2022, which makes this our first anniversary. Let’s celebrate our podcast guests and the growth of our information hub!

Have you visited the Educators Going Global Information Hub website? It is a big part of our outreach connecting to our mission to spread the word about international education and to support those new to – and veterans of – international education. 

In this episode, we walk through the sections of the info hub while highlighting the search feature. We also spend time reflecting on our “lessons learned” from conversations with our guests. And have you ever wondered what it is like being a podcaster? We provide some behind-the-scenes information to partially answer this question. :)

What will the second year for the information hub and podcast look like? Take a listen to learn what some of our plans are!


This episode was recorded on November 15, 2023.


Categories: Trends



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39. What Does it Mean to Be an International Educator? We asked Sandy Sheppard to Share Her Wisdom on This Topic.24 Nov 202300:33:16

Sometimes we happen to read articles and blog posts that ring true to us. Occasionally, we may even think, “Hey, this author could be talking about me and my experiences!” Well, guess what? I had this sensation when reading an article in TIEonline entitled “My Identity as an International Educator.” The article really nailed the character strengths, dispositions, and experiences of individuals who “go global” to teach. 

I shared the article with Audrey and said, “Let’s get the author, Sandy Sheppard, on the podcast” to help our listeners further build their understanding of what it means to be an international educator. Fortunately, Sandy said yes to our request for an interview.

There were many takeaways from our interview with Sandy. One that may not become apparent to many of us until we have been “away from home” for a while is the extent to which international educators are “different.” We discussed these differences and how they impacted Sandy when she repatriated to New Zealand and attempted to resume her teaching career “back home.” If you have tried something similar, you may be able to connect with how she felt about what ensued.

Sandy is an international educator who was born and raised in New Zealand. Sandy embarked on her international career three decades ago in Jakarta, Indonesia. Presently, she serves as an Elementary Principal in the vibrant city of Yangon, Myanmar. Sandy has raised two children internationally and advocates for the profound impact of high-quality international education in shaping future global citizens poised to enact positive change in the world. 

Our guiding question was, “What does it mean to be an international educator?”.

Sandy touched on many themes that we know our veteran international educator listeners will be able to connect with!


This episode was recorded on October 3, 2023.

Contact Information: LinkedIn | Instagram: Sandy Lee Sheppard

Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

My Identity as an International Educator article in TIEonline. 


Categories: School Life | Transitions




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38. What's Next in Education? -- And What's Europe Like? Two Vastly Different Questions, Addressed by Dr. Alan Knobloch10 Nov 202300:53:31

You might have noticed that we like to ask big, juicy questions that our guests can sink their teeth into. We intend to provide you with as much information and rich detail as possible, which guides us in designing our questions. In this interview with Dr. Alan Knobloch, we went super big! We asked Alan for his insights on the future of education. 

Alan was ready for this question because he participated with other school leaders through the Academy for International School Heads (AISH) to compile a list of articles about the future of education. You can find a link to those resources in our Resource Library; the link is also listed in our show notes. 

Alan not only worked to answer our guiding question about the future of education but also expanded it to include what he sees as the purpose of education going forward. Talk about a big thinker! 

Alan spoke to many plans and initiatives that are a part of schools preparing for the future. Here are a few: 

  • Look to learn, unlearn, and relearn
  • Continue to find ways to engage in deeper learning
  • Continue efforts to grow student skills around critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Grow student grit and resilience connecting to the big picture focus on self-care and wellness
  • Work to think differently about schedules and how time is used
  • Find ways to bring in more outdoor education and internship opportunities
  • Design and develop academies of learning within schools
  • Look at staffing, curriculum, and facilities to support doing school differently 
  • Provide outreach to parents for input on and understanding of new programs

You might think your head will explode after listening to the first part of this episode with so much cutting-edge thinking. But we were not done with Alan! We asked him a second guiding question since he is the head of a school in Europe. So buckle up for the second half of the interview in which we ask, “What is it like teaching and living in Europe?”

Dr. Alan Knobloch is in his second year as the Head of School at the International School of Hamburg after serving eight years as Director of the International School of Dakar in Senegal. With over 30 years of international experience, he has been a teacher and an administrator in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the United States.

Our two very different guiding questions were, “Based on your research, what does the future of education look like?” and “What is it like teaching and living in Europe?” 


This episode was recorded on October 9, 2023.

Contact Information: LinkedIn 

Resources Men



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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

37. Inside Scoop: The Nature of Schools in Africa, With Dr. Tim Stuart27 Oct 202300:50:47

What is it like “going global” in an Africa-based international school and community? Educators are often intentional in choosing to live and work there. Could you be a good fit for an international school in Africa? 

Thankfully, we have a veteran international educator who led a school in Africa and now consults with schools across the continent to answer these questions and more! We sat down with Dr. Tim Stuart to draw on his experiences. 

Tim  is a Regional Education Officer with the US Department of State’s Office of Overseas Schools. He has been an international and cross-cultural educator and leader for 30 years, serving schools in Ethiopia, Turkey, Switzerland, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Navajo Nation in the United States.

Dr. Stuart’s research and writing reflect his passion for creating optimal school environments so all kids can learn and engage at the highest levels. He co-authored and edited six books, including: Personalized Learning in a PLC at Work: Student Agency through the Four Critical Questions, Global Perspectives: Professional Learning Communities at Work in International SchoolsChildren At Promise and Raising Children At Promise.

A TCK himself, Tim was raised and educated in France and Germany. He holds an Ed.D. from Seattle Pacific University.

The guiding question was, “what are some of your experiences as an international educator working and living in an African nation?” 

A few of the topics covered were:

  • The strong pull of community and being purposeful in moving to Africa. 
  • Educators in Africa tend to be on their game!
  • New leaders need to adopt the mantra  "I know nothing"!  
  • Recruiting for schools like these often involves designing and championing a vision of who you are as a school and community.

This episode was recorded on August 29, 2023. 

Tim’s Contact Information: | drtimstuart@gmail.com | LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
Tim’s books -- see biography.



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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

36. From Boarding School Teacher to Admissions Director to Transitions Coach: The Many Hats of Mona Stuart.13 Oct 202300:37:10

We continue to share with you what it means to be an international educator. We speak to the dispositions and character strengths many engage to be outstanding educators and remarkable human beings. Our guest for this episode exemplifies such character while demonstrating how flexibility and a growth mindset led her to various leadership roles in schools and communities. 

Our guest is Mona Stuart, who speaks to the many roles she has filled over her career -- and beyond!    


Mona has gladly focused her life on learning and schools, with over 20 years of her educational career in international boarding and day schools. She served as an English teacher, dorm head, communications director, admissions director, current educational consultant, transition coach, and board member/advisor. As a seasoned educator who has lived on four continents, she understands the story of schools, transition, and change from personal as well as from institutional perspectives. One of her greatest joys is valuing, hearing, and helping parents, teachers, and colleagues make sense of complex educational opportunities and learning approaches in connected ways. She has three grown TCK children and has recently moved from Ethiopia back to North America with her husband, Tim, who now works for the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Overseas Schools. 

We had four guiding questions for this episode! Mona covered the topics of boarding schools, transitions, admissions, and pivoting from a career as an international educator. 

Mona spoke to …

  • The immersive nature of teaching at a boarding school. 
  • The role of the educator as a mentor and de-facto parent. 
  • Some of the many reasons why students and parents choose boarding schools. 
  • The work of Doug Ota and Safe Passages Across Networks (SPAN).
  • The process of transitioning between schools. 
  • The effects of transitions on students. 
  • Change can be quick; transitions can be long. 
  • Attachment and Identity in the transition process. 
  • What the admissions process can look like. 
  • When making big pivots, it is helpful to give oneself time to process the transition. 

This episode was recorded on August 29, 2023. 


Mona’s Contact Information: | Instagram: mmstuart | LinkedIn


Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Doug Ota’s book,



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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

35. Meet an Uber-Well-Connected International Educator: Laura Light, Head of the Association for the Advancement of International Education29 Sep 202300:43:13

Growing one’s network is a common theme in many of our interviews. We probably will not find a more connected person in the international schooling community than Laura Light!

Laura is the current Executive Director of The Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE), which she joined in September 2021. She brings to AAIE many years of experience working alongside school heads and senior leadership, supporting the most critical task of recruiting teachers and administrative talent.  

Before joining AAIE, Laura was known in the international school world for her leadership and dedication as the Director of Global Recruitment at International Schools Services (ISS). Before joining ISS in 2007, Laura was an international educator for many years, teaching in Kuwait, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Singapore, and London, as well as in Oregon, California, and New York. Her knowledge of international schools is deeply rooted in her upbringing as she is also a Third Culture Kid.

 Laura has served on the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) Educational Board and is a member of the Diversity Collaborative. She understands the challenges faced, has an enviable network of longstanding relationships, and, already knowing so many in the international community, is a natural community builder and an assertive advocate for quality leadership in our international schools worldwide. 

 Laura greatly enjoys her work supporting international school leaders and values the interactions and experiences she encounters while traveling. When not on the road she resides in New Jersey with her partner, where they enjoy being in the outdoors or just spending time together.

The guiding question for the episode was, “What is the AAIE, and what are some Current Trends in International Education?”

We covered several topics and trends in this interview, including: 

  • Recruiting, especially around how educators and schools connect and the timeline for those connections. 
  • Strategies for recruiting
  • Vetting schools 
  • What international schools can look like
  • Curriculum
  • School Leadership and Management
  • Growing one’s network
  • Leveraging regional associations of schools

 This episode was recorded on September 18, 2023. 

Laura’s Contact Information: LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

AAIE and Podcast

Global Online Academy



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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

61. EGG is Resource-full! Audrey and David Share Some Helpful Resources From Our Website13 Sep 202400:24:37

We always say, "Do your research!"

In this show, David and Audrey share some fabulous resources from our Library, adding their own insights.

Here are links to the resources:

International School Community Blog - New Teacher Orientation Is Now Underway: 14 Must Haves

 AIELOC Resource page

Wall Street Journal - Teachers Are Burning Out on the Job: Student Behavior and Mediocre Pay Are Taking Their Toll

GOA summer playlist 2024 and insights blog

The Economist - The Rich World’s Teachers Are Increasingly Morose (Pay Walled)

Safe Passages - Doug Ota’s work (counseling and consulting) and book


We would love to hear from you about an interesting blog post, article, podcast episode, or other resource that expanded your thinking about international education. Please email us at  educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com with your suggested resource or if you are a member of our Facebook group, please add your resource there.



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

34. Pivoting Out of International Education22 Sep 202300:54:45

An integral aspect of international education involves transitions. We not only move between schools and countries, but we also find ourselves making moves within our schools with our jobs and roles while also going through the normal life transitions of experiencing the stages of life, possibly raising children, taking care of aging parents, and so on but doing so while living overseas. 

Transitions are so important that we made it one of the five categories in organizing information on our Educators Going Global website!

In this episode, we drill down on what it can look like to shift from being an international educator to taking on a new identity that doesn’t involve teaching. 

Our guiding question was, “how can we thoughtfully make the move from international education to the next phase of our life?” 

This episode was recorded on June 8, 2023.

Contact Information: educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com | “educatorsgoingglobal” on Instagram, Linked In, and Facebook. 

Categories: Transitions

Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

PERMAH Pivot Plan Blog Post

Doug Ota’s book Safe Passage




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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

33. Approaches to Advancing into Administration08 Sep 202300:48:28

Are you looking to move into administration at some point? Do you know what it takes? Fortunately, we have lots of advice for you with our guest Dr. Gregory Moncada. 

Dr. Moncada is the Head of School for the Harare International School (HIS) in Zimbabwe and was previously the founding director of the Qatar Academy for Science and Technology (QAST), the Qatar Foundations’ new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) school. Prior to his leading role at HIS and QAST, Dr. Moncada started new schools and programs throughout his career, including a progressive middle school based on the “This We Believe’ model and district-wide STEM programs in Elementary, Middle, and High School settings.  

Dr. Moncada specializes in developing student-centered learning models, progressive learning models, and multiverse organizational structures between schools and organizations. With more than 30 years of experience, Greg has held teaching and leadership positions in International schools in Spain, Austria, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, as well as in Seattle, Washington, and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Greg holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Minnesota, an MA in Leadership from Lehigh University, PA, and an MA in Science Education from Louisiana State University.

Our guiding question was, “What is involved in moving from a teaching to an administrative position?”

Greg outlines how to be intentional in your efforts by putting yourself in positions that grow your leadership skills. Greg highlights specific milestones to aim for with your efforts.

Once you gain leadership skills and experience, the next step is to recruit for positions. Again, Greg offers practical advice, including how to prepare for interviews. Greg traces the interviewing timeline, highlighting some red flags to be wary of. He covers what happens when the offer comes in and shares advice about when you might need to say “no” to a position. 

Don’t forget to also listen to our other interview with Greg, in which he offers advice and firsthand experience around recruiting to become a head of school. 


This episode was recorded on July 11, 2023.





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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

32. Who Let the Dogs In? Support Dog Programs at Three International Schools!26 Aug 202301:11:11

Support dogs positively influence our emotional state. So why not bring trained service dogs into schools?

Meet 3 international educators who have begun support dogprograms: 

Brenda Manfredi (International School of Prague) has worked in New York, Bangkok, Thailand, and Hanoi, Vietnam. She and her family now live in Prague, Czech Republic.

Program Description: ISP’s support dog program began after the COVID shutdown.  It supports students and teachers and comprises two support dogs, Brodie and Sundae, who work out of ISP’s student life center and are shared by all counselors. The dogs are invited to many school activities, and they are featured in ISP’s admissions and advancement information. 

Jackie Valenzuela (International School Bangkok) moved from Seattle to Bangkok in  2010. She spent two years at NIST, where Brenda worked, then moved to ISB in 2012. 

Program Description: ISB’s Panther Pups program includes Charlie, Xena, Poe Poe, and Simba. The program began as post-Covid support of the HS students and faculty and has expanded to the MS and ES divisions. With their handler, the dogs visit classrooms, walk the halls during passing time, hang out in the counseling office, and attend school events! 

Ian Lally (The International School Nido de Aguilas): Ian was a counselor in New York for two years before moving to Berlin, Germany, where he worked for five years.  He has now lived in Santiago, Chile for nearly 11 years.  

Program Description: Students interact with the dogs in the counseling office as needed, in the classroom during a lesson or pre- or post-assessment, by checking out a dog for a walk, or through the Paws for Pawsitivity club. Teachers can invite a dog to class or check one out for their personal wellness. 

The guiding question for the episode was, “What does a support dog program look like at an international school, and how might a school set one up?”

Brenda, Jackie, and Ian each explained their programs and offered  tips for other international educators:

  • Dogs attract students to the counseling offices and provide a calming presence during sessions. 
  • A program description is essential; a dog authorization system  involving experienced trainers must be in place. 
  • Mindful scheduling is critical to the dogs' wellbeing. 
  • Scientific research can support the case for bringing service dogs into schools. 
  • Forming a club helps students gain responsibility and social awareness. 

This episode was recorded on August 6, 2023. 

Contact Info:
Brenda’s Program: Instagram > foxy.sundae |



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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

31. Grit, Determination and Perseverance - Character Traits that Can Lead to an International Teaching Position! Meet Jessica Simmons11 Aug 202300:54:09

What character strengths and dispositions help international educators start their going global journey to sustain them through the ups and downs of teaching and living internationally? We learned firsthand from our guest, Jessica Simmons, who shared a multi-part Going Global Story that models these traits. 

Jessica Simmons is from Melbourne, Australia. She has over 19 years of experience as a qualified educator. Working as a drama and humanities teacher across schools in various states of Australia and China (albeit only remotely), she also has over nine years of leadership experience. During a hiatus from teaching, she worked in the Museum and Local Government sectors for ten years (and had two children). Her most recent positions include Head of Arts at an independent school in regional Australia and Director of Performing Arts for Wellington College, Hangzhou, China. She has a Master’s of Education from Melbourne University, a Bachelor of Arts (Drama), and a Bachelor of Education (Secondary). A keen netballer, hiker, reader, and theatre-goer, she loves to spend the weekend exploring new places with her husband and children. Her next adventure will be in Abuja, Nigeria, where she is moving in July  2023 to teach Performing Arts at the American International School of Abuja - with her husband and two children (aged 9 and 13) in tow.

The guiding question for the episode was, “How did you use tenacity, grit, and perseverance in your quest to become an international educator?”

We discussed Jessica’s four-year journey in and out of international education. Along the way, we learned of her experiences through the pandemic and, more recently, teaching in Australia while pursuing the international teaching lifestyle. An added bonus is hearing from Jessica’s husband and two children, who shared their thoughts about the upcoming move to West Africa.  


This episode was recorded on June 24, 2023. 


Jessica’s Contact Information: | Email: jessica.anne.simmons@gmail.com | Jessica writes at Medium. Here is a direct link to her account. 


Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Jacqueline Mallais, International Teacher Consultant 

Doug Ota’s book



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30. Pausing for Summer - And How to Listen on Your Phone!10 Jul 202300:05:45

David and Audrey recorded a brief episode to explain that we are pausing for the summer.

Additionally, we made a request for suggested topics or guests.

Finally, we also reminded our listeners that listening to the podcast on their phones is an option to explore. Here are some instructions on how to do so. 

Have a relaxing summer, everyone!



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29. First International Teaching Contract Signed; Ready to Launch! Meet Tonya Busse.30 Jun 202300:44:50

We spoke with first-time international educator Tonya Busse, who shares her recent recruiting experience. We learn how a couple of big snowstorms opened the door for Tonya to learn about – and then act on her learning about – international education. We cover Tonya’s recruiting journey through onboarding and connecting to the teacher she will replace at her new school. 

Tonya is a teacher, runner, adventurer, and soon-to-be international educator in Kingston, Jamaica. Originally from Prince of Wales, Alaska, she is excited to return to island life after five years of teaching in beautiful (but landlocked) Colorado. Tonya has spent many summers exploring different countries but is finally taking the leap to live her travels full-time. Adventures she has enjoyed in the past include commercial fishing in Bristol Bay, Alaska, ultramarathons in Colorado, and camping in East Africa.

Our guiding question was, “What was your recruiting experience like?”


This episode was recorded on May 31, 2023.


Contact Information: Instagram @tonya_busse


Categories: Recruiting 



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28. Believe it - It's a Teachers' Market! A Conversation with LLoyd FFrench of Teach Away16 Jun 202301:02:43

If you are like most people , you probably think about what the applicant needs to do to shine for the recruiters . In this episode, we flip that perception on its head, giving applicants agency and putting them squarely in the driver’s seat as they actively engage with prospective schools to see how the schools measure up!

Our guest, Lloyd French, works for Teach Away in the position of advising schools on how they can better present themselves to applicants in a very competitive landscape with so many schools competing for new staff. Lloyd compares the limited number of applicants with the vastly growing number of international schools to describe the recruiting scene as a “teachers' market.” 

Lloyd has over 12 years of experience in International Education, having facilitated recruitment pathways for international students and teachers worldwide to various institutions. 

As a former international student himself in the late 90s/early 00s in the UAE, Lloyd went on to embody the nomad lifestyle by living and working in Brazil, Qatar, China & parts of the Caribbean. 

Drawing on his deep knowledge of the International Education landscape, Lloyd presented many criteria for critically viewing schools from the perspective of a potential employee. 

We ran short of time to talk, so we did not talk about an interesting angle in how international educators can reflect on where they are in their careers via what Lloyd calls their "personas." We think it is worth sharing this information here so that our listeners will know the option of taking this angle when recruiting.

Here are the personas for your review; note that this list is not exhaustive and that it is possible for one person to represent more than one persona: 

  • Community/Culture Creator
  • Travel connoisseur 
  • Financial Saver
  • Roots Planter 
  • Career Builder

See the blog post on our website for more information on this concept.

Our guiding for the episode question was, “What attributes should an international school exhibit in order to stand out for applicants?” 


This episode was recorded on April 24, 2023.


Lloyd’s Contact Information: LinkedIn 

Categories: Recruiting 


Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

Lloyd’s webinar “How is your school adopting its strategy for today’s teacher market?

Teach Away



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27. Leading Leadership Searches for Search: A Conversation with Dr. Brent Mutsch02 Jun 202300:47:51

Please note: We had a lot of trouble with the audio quality of this recording, but it gets better after the first three minutes. Please keep listening!

Have you ever considered all that goes into the search for a new Head of School? We were excited for this opportunity to learn more about this very important aspect of recruiting for international schools.

Dr. Brent Mutsch joined us to outline the Head of School/Director/Superintendent search process led by Search Associates. 

Dr. Mutsch currently serves as a Senior Consultant at Search Associates, focusing on assisting international schools with Director/Head of School/Superintendent searches. Brent joined Search Associates in August of 2017 after having served as the Superintendent of the International Schools Group and Saudi Aramco Schools in Saudi Arabia, Singapore American School in Singapore, and the American School of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates over the course of his 23-year career in international education.

Brent provided insights on:


  • His journey to become a Senior Consultant at Search specializing in leadership searches.
  • The timeline – from start to finish – of the typical Head of School search. 
  • The recruiting process from the applicant’s perspective. 
  • The recruiting process from the perspective of the school community. (e.g., the school board, the parents, the students, the teachers, and the admin team)
  • The finalizing of applicants and their visits to the school.  
  • Transition support for new Heads of School. 
  • The value-add for HoS candidates of having some form of international education experience. 
  • The future of leadership searches. 


Our guiding question was, “What does the process of a search for a Head of School as led by Search Associates look like?”


This episode was recorded on April 1, 2023.

Contact Information: Search Associates Website

Categories: Recruiting 





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26. Introducing the International School Community Website - a Fabulous Resource!26 May 202300:28:29

Building a community is a massive undertaking — especially when that community spans the globe!

Ron Rosenow is the founder and driving force behind the International School Community website. He joins us to share how his “baby” has significantly grown over the past 12 years!

Ron’s mission is to create the ultimate online platform for international school educators, where they can connect, collaborate, and share insights with like-minded professionals from around the globe.

Ron provided insights on

  • The origin of the ISC website and his reasons for starting it.
  • How the ISC works, including specific features to gather and share information with community members. 
  • Some of his favorite moments related to the site and to the community.
  • His plans for the future of the site. 

Our guiding question was, “What is the International School Community network and how does it support international educators?”


This episode was recorded on March 17, 2023.

Contact Information: International School Community is on multiple social networks. It is well worth joining!


Categories: School Life | Recruiting 



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25. A Conversation with "Ed Kid" (International Teachers' Kid) Julia Walker of Across Oceans19 May 202300:31:20

You may recognize the name Julia Walker from her TCK/CCK podcast, Across Oceans.

Julia is an adult third culture/cross-cultural kid, a child of international educators, and a fellow podcaster. She grew up in Canada, Egypt, and Singapore before returning to Canada for university. Now, she is completing her Master’s degree in Environmental Science in Switzerland. When she is not studying or hiking in the mountains, she hosts her podcast Across Oceans, discussing everything related to TCKs/CCKs with various guests. 

The guiding question for the episode was, “What is it like growing up the child of international educators?”


As teacher-parents, we enjoyed hearing Julia’s insights about what it means to be an “Ed Kid” growing up internationally. We discussed the positives and negatives of growing up as a teacher’s kid. Julia shared some funny stories, and we chimed in with a couple of our own. We unpacked ways that parents can acknowledge and support the cross-cultural nature of their children. Julia also outlined the purpose and next steps for her Across Oceans podcast. 


This episode was recorded on January 13, 2023. 

Julia’s Contact Information: Across Oceans Podcast | Instagram | Email: acrossoceanspodcast@gmail.com


Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Julia is a guest writer on JPMint Consulting

Teachers On the Move with Children Facebook Group

Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds - This most recent version of the classic book on “TCKs” focuses on the modern TCK to address the impact of technology, cultural complexity, diversity & inclusion, and transitions.



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60. Why Travel With Kids? We Asked YTravel Blog's Caroline Makepeace. She Schooled Us! 30 Aug 202400:50:41

Fellow podcaster and big-time travel blogger Caroline Makepeace joined us to share tips and insights when traveling with children. Caroline and her husband Craig usually report their travel wisdom through platforms like Lonely Planet, Travel + Leisure, Forbes, and the Today Show. Hence, we count ourselves fortunate to be able to tap into Caroline’s wisdom, as family travel is a significant part of being an international educator!

Caroline Makepeace is the co-founder of two successful online publications: This is Raleigh, a platform for anyone looking to explore the best of Wake County, North Carolina, and YTravelBlog, one of the world's most influential travel blogs. An avid traveler, she has lived in five countries (and taught in them), has traveled to over 50, and has traveled full-time for seven years with her two daughters. It's her mission to inspire and empower others to travel more and create a life they love.

Our Guiding Question was, “What can parents do to optimize traveling with their children?”

Here are a few of the topics Caroline addressed in this episode: 

  • What parents should be thinking about as they begin to plan their next family adventure
  • Tips for approaching multiple modes of transportation
  • Safety concerns and planning
  • Age-specific guidelines for toddlers to teenagers
  • Controlling costs while having rich experiences
  • Tips for traveling with friends and visiting relatives
  • Showing family and friends around your adopted city and country
  • How parents can design experiential travel learning opportunities for children to interact with culture, including the arts, athletics, food, language, etc. 

Caroline’s Contact Information: YTravel Blog


The show was recorded on August 15, 2024.


Categories: Travel | Parenting



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24. Learn About Inclusive Education with SENIA Executive Director Lori Boll12 May 202300:37:57

Imagine if we could all live in an inclusive world where every individual is supported, resources are accessible, potential is maximized and action is inspired. That is the vision of SENIA International.

Lori Boll joined us to share the latest on how SENIA International is expanding their outreach and offerings to help international educators better understand SENIA’s services while helping teachers to further expand their teacher toolkits to support the diverse learning needs of their students.  

Lori is the Executive Director of SENIA International, a non-profit organization that advocates for and supports individuals with disabilities. With a 25-year career in general and special education, Lori has honed her expertise by presenting at international teaching conferences and recognizing the critical need for quality professional development in this area, which SENIA provides for its members. Throughout her career, Lori has taught in diverse educational settings across the globe, including the USA, Saipan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, China, and Thailand.

Lori provided insights on

  • SENIA’s origin story and mission. 
  • Her personal story as an advocate and leader for inclusion.
  • Highlights and takeaways from the recent SENIA conference in South Africa.  
  • An unpacking of the terms Neurodiversity, Multi-Tiered System of Supports - MTSS, and Universal Design for Learning - UDL.  
  • The lesson that expanding one’s instruction to a broader range of learning needs benefits all learners in the classroom. 
  • Learning support teachers are partners to help integrate instructional strategies in collaboration with classroom teachers.  
  • More and more international schools are becoming increasingly  inclusive of all learners.
  • Several current trends — which SENIA supports through various program offerings.
  • Future plans for SENIA.

Our guiding question was, “What is SENIA and what are your future plans for the organization?”

Contact Information: SENIA International Website


This episode was recorded on March 27, 2023.

Categories: School Life 




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23. Current Trends in International Education - an Informative Conversation with Dr. Heather Naro05 May 202301:01:49

How well have you been keeping up with current trends in International Education? Dr. Heather Naro has her finger directly on that pulse.

Heather joins us again, this time to discuss several macro-level topics in International Education. This episode contains valuable insights for those new to international schooling and for veterans curious about international school trends. 

Heather is a career international equator working as the lower school principal at the International Community School of Abidjan. She began her journey in 1992 in Cairo, Egypt. During her time overseas, she has lived in Egypt, China, Saudi Arabia, Belize, Thailand, Nepal, Kazakhstan, and currently, the Ivory Coast. She and her husband, Mitch, raised two children overseas. 

Heather provided insights into: 

  • How the international schooling landscape has changed in the past few years.
  • How schools can shift to being genuine learning communities of innovative practices
  • The importance of systematizing and sustaining new practices.
  • The ever-growing numbers of new international schools, the increasing variety and competition they bring to the scene, and how this affects recruiting.
  • Current demographics of international educators.
  • Factors affecting staff turnover in schools.
  • Characteristics of top-tier international high schools – drawing from Heather’s doctoral dissertation, which is available on our website
  • The current state of staff hiring at lower-tier schools


Our guiding question was, “what are some big-picture changes in international education from the last few years? What are some significant trends you see forming?”

This episode was recorded on January 26, 2023.


Heather’s Contact Information: LinkedIn and heather.naro@icsabidjan.org 

Categories: Recruiting | Trends


Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

International Community School of Abidjan

Heather’s Doctoral Dissertation




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22. Integrating Outdoor Education and Learning Outcomes - An Interview With Zack Beaty28 Apr 202300:37:37

How can students achieve educational outcomes in a challenging way in a creative setting? The answer at the International School Nido de Aguilas in Santiago, Chile is: through the Outdoor Education Program!

Zack Beaty is the Outdoor Education Coordinator at Nido de Aguilas. Originally from Waco, Texas, Zack and his wife, Becca, an elementary educator, moved to Chile to experience life in a Spanish-speaking country, improve their Spanish language skills, specifically for his career as an HS Spanish teacher, and teach internationally for a “short time” while also adventuring in South America for a few years before resettling in Texas. After seven years at Nido as an MS PE teacher, Zack transitioned to be the Outdoor Education Coordinator. He loves his position serving the Nido students and community in that role, helping students learn about themselves, each other, and the world around them via Outdoor Education experiences.

Our guiding question for the episode was “How does the Outdoor Education program support the mission and curriculum of the International School Nido de Aguilas?”

We discussed how the founding of the school and its mission incorporated Outdoor Education into the school culture. Key aspects of the Nido Outdoor Education Program are self-understanding, inquiry, one’s place within the community, life skill development, and personal growth. Zack, whose role closely resembles that of an instructional coach, described how the program is integrated into the regular classroom curricula across the three school divisions. We also connected on how widespread Outdoor Education is across the globe in international schools. 


This episode was recorded on January 17, 2023.  

Zack’s Contact Information: @nidowithoutwalls on Instagram


Categories: School Life | Trends | Wellness




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21. CCK Extraordinaire: Meet Chinese-Italian-International Student Hai Yang "Harry" Qian21 Apr 202300:31:00

Talk about a Cross-Cultural Kid!

Harry Qian is an undergraduate at UC Berkeley planning to study Physics. He has Chinese blood flowing in his veins, grew up along the banks of River Tiber in Italy, and received his education at an American International School in Rome. 

During his downtime at Berkeley, he volunteers in an aid organization, connects with other ethnic-Chinese students in a university-based club, and regularly holds “Harry’s Review Sessions,” helping his friends with their academic work.

The guiding question for the episode was, “what does it mean to be a Third Culture Kid/TCK (aka Cross-Cultural Kid)? ”


Harry described growing up as a Chinese National in Italy while attending an international school. He outlined the differences among the worlds in which he lives. We also discussed what attributes Harry gained from living in these cultures and how those characteristics support him now as a college student. Harry provided some tips for teachers of cross-cultural students while also advising his fellow student travelers as they make the jump to university life.  


This episode was recorded on January 10, 2023. 




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20. Student Teaching Overseas? -- Sweet! An Overview of the COST Program, with Dr. Danielle Carrier14 Apr 202300:57:51

Did you know that teacher candidates in selected U.S. universities can do their student teaching overseas? What an opportunity, right! We decided to learn more about this option by speaking with Dr. Danielle Carrier who is an associate professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Southern Mississippi. 

Danielle recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Practice. Before her doctoral study, Danielle was an elementary school teacher in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Singapore, and Texas. Currently, Danielle teaches undergraduate courses to teacher candidates majoring in elementary education. Her areas of expertise include teacher education, teacher identity development, and educational equity. Since returning from teaching abroad in Singapore at the Singapore American School in 2014, Dannielle has sought ways to encourage teacher candidates to teach internationally. Dr. Carrier is a strong advocate for international teaching as the opportunities and rewards provided to teachers and host communities are a positive life-changer.

Our guiding question for the episode was, “What does teaching overseas look like for teacher candidates in university who are enrolled in your program?”

In this episode, we discussed the Consortium of Overseas Student Teaching (COST) program is a collaboration of 16 colleges and universities in the United States that provides opportunities for teacher candidates to student-teach overseas.


This episode was recorded on December 12, 2022.  


Danielle’s Contact Information: LinkedIn | Twitter: @DCarrier17


Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 


The Consortium of Overseas Student Teaching (COST) program is a collaboration of 16 colleges and universities in the United States that provides opportunities for teacher candidates to student teach overseas. Danielle provided an overview of the program including a case study. She also described structures and systems used to support teacher candidates in their overseas placement. 




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19. Behind the Scenes at ISS: An Interview with Dana Specker Watts and Nadine Richards07 Apr 202301:06:22

 International Schools Services is an organization that provides, well, services for international schools. You may be familiar with their recruiting fairs, but ISS offers so much more than that. These two ladies helped us learn more about ISS. 

Nadine Richards is ISS’s Director of Leadership Searches. Previously, she served as a Teacher as well as in a variety of leadership roles in the USA and UAE. Nadine co-designed an Aspiring Leaders of Color Mentoring Program. Nadine co-chairs the Diversity Collaborative’s Advocacy Committee and has served as a member of the Excelle Executive, an empowering group of women executives in school leadership. She holds several degrees, advanced certifications, and licensures.

Dr. Dana Specker Watts is the Learning, Research, and Outreach Director for International Schools Services. She has lived and worked in Hong Kong, India, and Thailand. She served as the founding Executive Director of WLead and as the Director of Innovation at 21st Century Learning International. Dana is a strong research professional with a PhD in educational leadership and administration. Dana’s current research focuses on empowering women and increasing diversity in leadership through professional learning.

The guiding question for the episode is, “What is happening in the world of school services and recruitment?”

Dana and Nadine discussed a few of the ISS programs, including 

  • Building Partnerships
  • Equity and Diversity Support and Outreach
  • Finances and School Management
  • Guiding Schools in Leadership Searches
  • Decisional, Human, and Social Capital
  • Leadership Growth
  • Professional Development
  • Recruiting and Coaching of Teacher and Administrative Candidates
  • Starting Schools
  • Wellness Program Development

This episode was recorded on December 13, 2022.  

Dana’s Contact Information: 

Nadine’s Contact Information:

Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

Association of International Educators - Leaders of Color (AIELOC) BIPOC Mentoring Program
Dana’s Dissertation
ISS E



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18. Third Culture Kid/Cross-Cultural Kid Turned International Educator: An Interview With Ghazi Gashut31 Mar 202300:30:11

Ghazi Gashut grew up as an international student who attended a large variety of international schools. He truly exemplifies what it is to be a TCK - a third culture kid, or someone who is not “from” the host country, but is not really “from” their country of passport either, hence “third culture”. Another, more recent term for this is “Cross-cultural kid”. 

Audrey was lucky enough to get to know Ghazi a little bit when he was in high school at the International Community School of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Currently, he is an international educator working in Germany. Being a TCK/ CCK has allowed him to appreciate the nuances of being a global citizen. He believes that you are what your experiences make you -- in which case, he must have had some pretty amazing experiences! 

Our guiding question for the episode was “how did growing up as a cross-cultural kid, a CCK, affect your personal development?” 

Ghazi shared the term “multi-local” as one aspect of being a cross-cultural student with many localities that one transitions through when growing up. He spoke to his increased adaptability and learning to let go of the previous places while being open to what new places offer. Empathy and seeing multiple perspectives were some of the other life skills he developed. 



Resources: 

TED Talk by Taiye Selasi.  Don’t Ask Where I am From, Ask Where I’m a Local. 



This episode was recorded on November 18, 2022. 



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Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

17. Advice from a Legend: Bob Gross Provides Advice for Aspiring International Educators27 Mar 202300:54:05

International head of school Bob Gross joined us from Minnesota for this episode. 

Bob Gross is a retired superintendent of schools now living in Minnesota. Bob spent 35 years in public education as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. In 1999, he was appointed the superintendent of schools at Singapore American School in Singapore. In 2006, Bob was named International Superintendent of the Year. 

From 2007-2012 he worked with the Office of Overseas Schools with the US Department of State, calling on international schools in Western and Eastern Europe. From 2012-13 Bob served as interim school superintendent at the American School in Abu Dhabi. In 2013-14, he served as interim school superintendent at the American School in Vienna. Bob’s last international school assignment was as interim school superintendent at the International School of Basel in Basel, Switzerland.

Our guiding question was "What advice would you give to US-based teachers who might be considering trying international teaching?"

We started with the question of whether to go global or not. Bob listed steps to begin the recruiting process and what school leaders look for in candidates. 

Bob also offered insights on candidate communication with prospective schools and some do’s and don’ts when attending recruiting fairs. Another topic was managing schools and what an interim head of school does. We finished with a few insights on teaching in various regions. Bob shared super helpful tips, so have a pad of paper and pen in hand!

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

This show was recorded on October 13, 2022. 

Categories: Recruiting | Transitions | Trends





Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

16B. Demystifying Taxes and Investing for Americans with Dr. Jeff Devens, Part 3 - Qualifying for Social Security & Medicare24 Mar 202300:29:03

In this three-part bonus series, we take a deep dive into some very important aspects of tax filing and nest egg building for American citizens.  Even if money is not your thing, this series will help you save a lot -- if it prompts you to, as our guest Jeff Devens suggests, start asking critical questions.

The three parts of the series are: 1-How to file US taxes using legal levers to maximize your advantages. 2-How to pay as few taxes as possible on your investment earnings (also legally!) while also minimizing future taxes. 3-Making sure you qualify for Social Security and, more importantly, Medicare upon your retirement from teaching overseas.

For the past 26 years, Dr. Jeff Devens has worked in international education as a school psychologist, counselor, and classroom educator. Jeff holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Psychology and Social Studies Education and completed his Ph.D. in School Psychology in 2006. 

In 2014 Jeff served as a member of a Crisis Response Team (CRT) supporting an international school going through two simultaneous crises. This experience profoundly impacted his understanding of finances and the necessity to support fellow educators as a form of psychological financial first-aid. Jeff is currently in the process of completing his certification from Boston University as a Certified Financial Planner. 

Jeff’s wife, Nanette, is also an international educator (high school music). They have two children: Cylas, age 17, and Cora, age 13. During his “free” time, Jeff enjoys exercising and competing in Jiu Jitsu, having earned his black belt in 2018.  


Our guiding question for the episode was, “What kinds of advice around taxation and retirement nest egg planning would you give to US Expats living overseas?”


Our chat was US-centric, looking at the US tax system and what US international educators need to know to grow their nest egg, making the most of beneficial tax rules. You can open the slideshow listed in the resource section below and use the visuals to help clarify concepts as you listen to the episode. 


This episode was recorded on December 12, 2022.  


Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

Finances for International Educators  Slideshow



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

16B. Demystifying Taxes and Investing for Americans with Dr. Jeff Devens, Part 2 - Advantaging Brokerage Accounts22 Mar 202300:27:11

In this three-part bonus series, we take a deep dive into some very important aspects of tax filing and nest egg building for American citizens.  Even if money is not your thing, this series will help you save a lot -- if it prompts you to, as our guest Jeff Devens suggests, start asking critical questions.

The three parts of the series are: 1-How to file US taxes using legal levers to maximize your advantages. 2-How to pay as few taxes as possible on your investment earnings (also legally!) while also minimizing future taxes. 3-Making sure you qualify for Social Security and, more importantly, Medicare upon your retirement from teaching overseas.

For the past 26 years, Dr. Jeff Devens has worked in international education as a school psychologist, counselor, and classroom educator. Jeff holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Psychology and Social Studies Education and completed his Ph.D. in School Psychology in 2006. 

In 2014 Jeff served as a member of a Crisis Response Team (CRT) supporting an international school going through two simultaneous crises. This experience profoundly impacted his understanding of finances and the necessity to support fellow educators as a form of psychological financial first-aid. Jeff is currently in the process of completing his certification from Boston University as a Certified Financial Planner. 

Jeff’s wife, Nanette, is also an international educator (high school music). They have two children: Cylas, age 17, and Cora, age 13. During his “free” time, Jeff enjoys exercising and competing in Jiu Jitsu, having earned his black belt in 2018.  


Our guiding question for the episode was, “What kinds of advice around taxation and retirement nest egg planning would you give to US Expats living overseas?”


Our chat was US-centric, looking at the US tax system and what US international educators need to know to grow their nest egg, making the most of beneficial tax rules. You can open the slideshow listed in the resource section below and use the visuals to help clarify concepts as you listen to the episode. 


This episode was recorded on December 12, 2022.  


Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

Finances for International Educators  Slideshow



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

59. Reframing Diversity to Drive Belonging In International Schools: A Chat With the Multi-Talented, Big-Hearted Dr. Derrick Gay20 Aug 202401:01:33

How do you tame your curiosity and limit your questions when talking to a man who sings opera, speaks five languages, and consults with hundreds of organizations ranging among the fields of education, financial services, beauty and fashion, non-profits, and the arts? This was our task when interviewing Dr. Derrick Gay on the topic of helping school communities flourish.  

Dr. Gay is a globally recognized intercultural competency strategist dedicated to fostering cultures of dignity and respect. With multifaceted expertise as an international speaker, author, researcher, educator, and university lecturer, Dr. Gay empowers individuals and organizations to deepen belonging and empathy by cultivating shared language, raising awareness, and fostering inclusive personal behaviors and organizational practices and policies.

Drawing from his extensive international experience, Dr. Gay designs meaningful strategies that resonate across various industries and cultures. His approach, informed by research and practitioner experiences in over 50 countries, facilitates meaningful connections and promotes belonging on a global scale.

Fluent in five languages, Dr. Gay has supported a broad clientele spanning the globe, including over 800 organizations in education, financial services, beauty and fashion, non-profits, and the arts. Beyond international schools, his clients range from Yale to Oberlin Conservatory, Phantom of the Opera to Tom Ford, The Guggenheim Museum to Barilla — and Sesame Street. 

Dr. Gay has served as adjunct faculty/lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, International Fashion Academy, Parsons Paris, and Teachers College at Columbia University. He has also served on several education-related boards.

Our guiding question was, “What pathways should school communities follow as they seek to flourish in terms of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging?”

Dr. Gay unpacked several topics, including 

  • Current trends in international schools in terms of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
  • (Re) defining the terms “diversity,” “inclusion,” and “belonging”
  • Approaches to use in order to encourage buy-in and minimize pushback within school communities
  • Action steps that schools can take around the interconnection between Dignity, Respect, Inclusion, and Belonging, including restorative justice practices
  • Building a culture of belonging in international schools 
  • Thoughts about how Schools of Education can offer DIB learning opportunities

Dr. Gay’s Contact Information: Website | LinkedIn |



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

16B. Demystifying Taxes and Investing for Americans with Dr. Jeff Devens, Part 1 - Tax Buckets & Credits20 Mar 202300:30:12

In this three-part bonus series, we take a deep dive into some very important aspects of tax filing and nest egg building for American citizens.  Even if money is not your thing, this series will help you save a lot -- if it prompts you to, as our guest Jeff Devens suggests, start asking critical questions.

The three parts of the series are: 1-How to file US taxes using legal levers to maximize your advantages. 2-How to pay as few taxes as possible on your investment earnings (also legally!) while also minimizing future taxes. 3-Making sure you qualify for Social Security and, more importantly, Medicare upon your retirement from teaching overseas.

For the past 26 years, Dr. Jeff Devens has worked in international education as a school psychologist, counselor, and classroom educator. Jeff holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Psychology and Social Studies Education and completed his Ph.D. in School Psychology in 2006. 

In 2014 Jeff served as a member of a Crisis Response Team (CRT) supporting an international school going through two simultaneous crises. This experience profoundly impacted his understanding of finances and the necessity to support fellow educators as a form of psychological financial first-aid. Jeff is currently in the process of completing his certification from Boston University as a Certified Financial Planner. 

Jeff’s wife, Nanette, is also an international educator (high school music). They have two children: Cylas, age 17, and Cora, age 13. During his “free” time, Jeff enjoys exercising and competing in Jiu Jitsu, having earned his black belt in 2018.  


Our guiding question for the episode was, “What kinds of advice around taxation and retirement nest egg planning would you give to US Expats living overseas?”


Our chat was US-centric, looking at the US tax system and what US international educators need to know to grow their nest egg, making the most of beneficial tax rules. You can open the slideshow listed in the resource section below and use the visuals to help clarify concepts as you listen to the episode. 


This episode was recorded on December 12, 2022.  


Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

Finances for International Educators  Slideshow





Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

16. Elevating Teacher Voices Around the Globe: An Interview with Podcast Host Jackie Scully17 Mar 202300:38:31

Jackie Scully joined us from New Jersey in the US for this episode. She is an experienced History & Psychology Teacher and is the  Creator & Host of The Teacher Story, which features her own story and interviews with teachers from around the world.

Jackie is also the Co-founder of The Teacher Circle LinkedIn group, a global community to support teachers and others in education. She wants to elevate the voices of teaches and of others in education and put them at the forefront of education reform. 

The guiding question for the episode was, “what are you hearing from US and international teachers on how they are feeling about their careers as educators?”.

We covered the mission and format of Jackie’s podcast, teacher stories about the challenges of teaching in the US, stories from national and international educators, and ideas for improving the American educational system. 


This episode was recorded on October 10, 2022.  


Jackie’s Contact Information: Jackie’s Website | LinkedIn | Facebook & Instagram - @jackie.c.scully


Categories: Transitions | Trends


Resources Mentioned in the Episode: The Teacher Story podcast on Spotify, which also can be found on the other major podcasting app platforms. 



Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

15. Current Trends in (International) Consulting: An Interview with Jeff Utecht.10 Mar 202300:59:47

Who do you think of when it comes to educational leaders who stand out for their ideation, collaboration, innovation, and drive? I bet that Jeff Utecht is at the top of your list whether you went to one of his sessions at a conference or enjoyed his company at your school. 

From being one of the first educational bloggers, first international educational podcasters, to helping start the Learning 2.0 conference to co-creating the COETAIL network of professional learning groups to more recently co-creating the Shifting Schools consultancy company, Jeff has been a juggernaut of dynamic energy over the past two decades.

Jeff is an educational consultant, instructional technologist, speaker, and podcaster. He also was previously an international educator working as a technology integrator in several schools. Jeff’s mission is to help educators to prepare students for their future, not our past. 

The guiding question for the episode is, “where do you see educational consultancy and professional/personal learning support going in the near term?”

We covered so much in our interview. A few of the topics were:

The research and work of the Shifting Schools team on student engagement techniques, providing choice within learning pathways while moving into hy-flex learning environments. 

The state of professional learning for teachers includes personal self-directed learning that engages retro-styled PLCs and podcast PD. Jeff unpacked this for us, while also touching on what those new to international education might experience when it comes to their personal growth in their new school communities. 

Jeff also extolled the work of his partner Tricia Friedman in designing instructional tools to scaffold learning, from leveraging the Google Workspace to teaching students collaboration skills, among others. 

Always the visionary, Jeff needed little prompting to expand on what might be on the horizon regarding teaching and learning. 

This future-looking episode was recorded on December 6, 2022. 


Jeff’s Contact Information:  Discover all the ways to follow Jeff on his Portfolio 


Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Mastodon.Edu

International School Organizations - See our Library Resources page and search by name (for example, ISS).

Shifting Schools

TikTok




Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

14. Foundational Series, Part 7 - The Skinny: The inside scoop on what you might want to look (out) for in a school.03 Mar 202300:16:38

This is the final episode of our Foundational Series. 

The guiding question was “What is the inside scoop on what you might want to look (out) for in a school?” 

We discussed what makes schools reputable and, conversely, what are red flags to look out for when considering applying to various international schools. 

This episode was recorded on August 14, 2022.





Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!

Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.

Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

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