A Creative Professional Learning Journey focused on AI, Belonging and Global Citizenship
A recent two-day professional learning experience at Frankfurt International School (FIS) is a model of innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity. Dr. Michael Johnston, Assistant Head of School at FIS, shares insights into the planning and the success of this dynamic learning venture.
Community-Centric Learning & Equity, Justice and Belonging
"Coming out of Covid, we were cognizant that our community hadn’t been together for professional learning for a long time, and that we needed a common, community-wide learning experience to bring everyone onto the page," says Michael. FIS leaders wanted to create an atmosphere of collaboration for a professional learning experience that would include the entire team and that would honour their Equity, Justice and Belonging (EJB) initiatives.
With 370 colleagues in mind, FIS engaged in a strategic planning process to identify areas of focus for the professional learning days. Given their accreditation goals and ongoing strategic plans, the school sought expertise from external partners, including Aaron Moniz from Inspire Citizens.
“We knew there were three key themes we wanted to explore with all colleagues at FIS: AI, global citizenship, and belonging,” says Michael. “We’ve been working with Inspire Citizens on global citizenship for some time, and also included consultants John Burns from International School Services and Jennifer Wathall for math and technology integration. We’ve been working with all of these consultants and knew they would be able to bring their expertise to the table.”
Aaron absolutely loved the experience of planning and executing the experience with a collaborative team.
“The convergence of AI and belonging was exceptional,” says Aaron. “These are really important topics for schools right now and it was amazing to work with two other consultants to create something that was deeply meaningful and relevant.”
Innovative Ideation and Cross-Pollination
Michael emphasizes the importance of ideation both in planning for their innovative PD days and as part of the experience for participants: "I find that ideation is often the missing part in PD experiences, and it’s so important for everyone to think about how they can apply what they’re learning."
The planning involved careful consideration of the diverse needs within the FIS community. Participants were divided into three groups—early years to grade 5, grade 6-12, and finance/operations—with tailored sessions by external partners for each group. The goal was to excite and motivate, encouraging collaboration and idea generation within smaller, focused teams.
The days were designed to be fluid and engaging, mirroring a pedagogical approach that could be applied with students. To maintain a sense of flow, groups self-selected their learning spaces for day two, and participated in a design sprint with a chosen consultant.
“The flow of the two day program was incredible,” says Aaron. “People had flexibility and choice in what they were doing and how they engaged with the design sprint. The two days were all connected, from the keynote and launch of the strategic plan to the workshops, design sprint and the sharing event at the end… people had two days to design and prototype something related to the strategic plan and the key themes of AI, belonging and global citizenship. There were hundreds of good ideas generated by teachers and teams, and many of these ideas will be put into action at FIS.”
Empowering Colleagues and Building Belonging
Michael highlights the empowering nature of the event, where all colleagues felt valued and important, regardless of their roles. The culminating activity involved placing 370 people in the gym to share their ideas using chart paper or laptops and various electronic artifacts. The resulting energy and enthusiasm demonstrated the success of the creative and inclusive learning experience.
“The same energy was evident on Thursday evening, when we had a social after the first day,” says Michael. “It says a lot when your teachers are that energetic after full days of professional learning.”
A Foundation for Future Innovations
As FIS looks towards the future, the impact of this professional learning experience will be reflected in strategic initiatives. The message is clear: PD at FIS will be creative, collaborative, and empowering. Taking chances, embracing failure, and having the right partners for collaboration are identified as key ingredients in the FIS pursuit of educational excellence.
Below: a video snapshot of the FIS PD Day and a video interview with Aaron.