Creating Space for Connection: How Educators Inspire Each Other Through Conversation
When Scott Jamieson facilitates a conversation, he deliberately steps back from the spotlight. This intentional shift marks the essence of Inspired Conversations, a new monthly gathering launched by Inspire Citizens that brings together international educators around themes of global citizenship. The success of the inaugural sessions, focused on "Designing Learning that Starts with Empathy," emphasizes the fact that international educators desperately need spaces to connect, share, and learn from each other as peers.
Always innovating, Inspire Citizens’ own Scott Jamieson conceived of Inspired Conversations as a means of breaking through some of the isolation that international school educators may feel. The initial sessions, set to accommodate people in different time zones, were well received by participants.
“This forum is just about connecting people," Scott explains, describing the ethos behind these free monthly sessions. “Inspired Conversations are about building community and coming together around a theme rather than your area of expertise or your job." This philosophy resonates deeply with participants who joined from Paris to Costa Rica, each bringing their unique perspectives to the virtual table.
The Power of Peer Learning
For James Mattiace, a veteran educator who works with teachers in refugee camps across Jordan, Uganda, Kenya, and Afghanistan, the appeal lies in the quality of connection. "It's nice to be in a space with educators who are working with similar resources and similar freedoms," he reflects. Having spent 25 years in international education, James recognizes the unique position these educators occupy. "To be able to have that conversation and not have the conversation hindered by 'oh, we can't do that because of state tests' or 'we don't have any funding for that' – it's inspiring."
The format itself encourages authentic exchange. Rather than traditional webinar-style presentations, participants spend most of their time in breakout rooms, diving deep into prompts about empathy in education. Scott draws inspiration from similar models like SPAN's "The Nest" and PeerSphere's community gatherings, but Inspire Conversations offers something distinct: it's thematically driven rather than role-specific, bringing together anyone interested in exploring global citizenship concepts.
Breaking Through Isolation
Heather Semon, who serves as the primary service learning and action coordinator at the International School of Paris, captures a sentiment many educators share: "Sometimes it's very isolating, especially for me." Working to build student agency through her Action Cubs program – which now has 45 students wanting to join – she values these connections deeply. "It was such a nice way to start this new school year, just coming together with people that are like-minded and just trying to make the world a better place."
Linked by a common passion for reaching new heights in international school education, Dan, Sarah and James reflect on the benefits of participating in the inaugural session of Inspired Conversations.
Her colleague, Dan Shrewsbury, who recently joined ISP after teaching internationally for nearly 20 years, emphasizes the practical value of these gatherings. "Immediately when we sat in the breakout room, James is sharing a competency framework," he recalls, "and within four hours, I'd passed this information along to my grade team.” This rapid exchange of resources exemplifies what Dan calls "genuine impact" – when talking transforms into tangible action.
Cultivating Growth Mindsets
The conversations deliberately explore topics that "don't necessarily make it to the top of our agenda at our team planning meetings," as Scott notes. The inaugural theme of empathy prompted rich discussions about measuring growth in areas that seem ethereal. "We're not going to get to mastery with empathy, but we certainly can show growth with empathy," Scott observes. "How do we capture that? How do we have conversations with kids about where they started and where they finished?"
This focus on growth extends to the educators themselves. "I think everyone took away something meaningful from the experience, just from other people," Scott reflects. By creating what he calls "a collaborative space where everyone feels like their voice is valued and their voice is being heard," the sessions tap into something fundamental – the growth mindset and love of learning that brought many into education.
Building Momentum
The enthusiasm is palpable. Despite time zone challenges and busy schedules, educators are eager to continue participating. "There's a bit of FOMO knowing that there's another group that's meeting," James admits with a laugh. Future sessions will explore experiential learning, student leadership, and other pressing topics in global citizenship education.
What makes these conversations particularly powerful is their accessibility – they cost nothing but time, yet deliver invaluable connections and resources. As Heather puts it, these moments offer space to "reflect about the why”. In a profession that can feel increasingly isolated despite global connectivity, Inspire Conversations creates vital nodes where educators' lives intersect, share wisdom, and reignite purpose.
For Scott and the Inspire Citizens team, success isn't measured in revenue but in the ripple effects of connection. When educators leave these sessions with new resources, fresh perspectives, and renewed energy, they carry that inspiration back to their classrooms – to what Heather calls "my little United Nations" – where the real work of cultivating global citizens continues.