Spotlight on Scott Jamieson: Empowering Global Citizenship in Education
Scott’s brand of spirited banter, humor and drive for excellence are hallmarks of his work with international school communities worldwide.
Scott Jamieson, a dedicated facilitator with Inspire Citizens, has made a profound impact in the realm of international education. Through his work, he has been instrumental in helping educators cultivate a deeper understanding of global citizenship and sustainable development. Scott's journey, marked by rich personal experiences and a passion for active and meaningful education, makes him a key figure in advancing the Inspire Citizens' mission to foster empathy, awareness, and actionable learning.
A Refreshing Approach to Traditional Educational Targets
Scott’s career in education is deeply intertwined with his personal experiences. Despite growing up in a small town in eastern Canada, Scott’s curiosity about the broader world ultimately led him to seek his first teaching post in a completely different hemisphere - in a tiny school in Thailand.
His mission at the outset was refreshingly simplistic: Scott recalls thinking, “I'm going to make each lesson interesting. I'm going to make it engaging. I'm going to make this fun to learn.”
“For example, as a middle school math teacher, we get to teach about volume and surface area,” explains Scott. “It's painful. It's a lot of formulas. It's not very interesting. And I was sure we could do this a different way.”
Repositioning the students as “home designers”, they readily picked up the practical challenge of designing tiny homes. “I suggested we could be designers because paint and flooring are surface area problems and heating and cooling – well, that's a volume problem. And we could add in some sustainability concepts, too.”
With decades of experience in several excellent schools, including AGS Abu Dhabi, Al-Bayan Bilingual School in Kuwait, and the International School of Beijing in China, Scott continues to inspire other teachers who share his passion for converting traditional educational methods and targets into living challenges with real-world applications.
Scott interprets his preference for cheerful clothing as a way of redirecting focus away from his adaptive equipment.
A Sudden Change of Plans
Scott’s career path wasn’t necessarily aimed straight toward program partnerships and facilitation. A life-altering accident in his 30s forced Scott to do some deep reflection as he came to grips with his new physical circumstances as a quadriplegic.
“I was in rehab when I was told ‘you’re never going to be able to teach again… and you’re never going to be able to go back overseas’,” Scott recalls clearly. “There was a lot of ‘you’re never going to be able to…’ conversations and I’m just not that good at listening to those comments. I ultimately picked up my career path again and I reentered the classroom as a math teacher and learning support specialist.”
Scott reflects on the challenges of reintegration as he was seeking to overcome certain barriers: ”I was on campus in Beijing but I was actually struggling to find my purpose with my new set of limitations.” He and fellow educator Kim Williams became co-teachers and Scott was back in front of students. About the same time, significant friendships were developing with Inspire Citizens co-founders Steve Sostak and Aaron Moniz, based on their shared passion for developing better opportunities for students in international school settings. “I like to tell people that I was there when Inspire Citizens was just an idea on a bar napkin,” Scott jokes.
The sheer energy of Scott’s classroom presence took on a new form as he moved forward into the emerging world of Inspire Citizens five years ago. Anyone who has experienced his brand of spirited banter, humor and drive for excellence can attest to the fact that Scott is at the top of his professional game in-person or virtually.
Scott draws energy from family gatherings in environments that remind him of his roots in coastal Canada.
A New Approach to Success
While the logistics of global travel prevent some of the more spontaneous in-person partnership occurrences from happening, Scott says there are some unique outcomes to his wheeled arrival on school campuses. “This is my second wheelchair since the accident,” he explains. “The first one was all black and I felt that people only saw the chair instead of seeing me. So now my wardrobe is often quite vibrant and my wheelchair has some camouflage trim.” Scott is pretty sure this redirection keeps people focused on him instead of his adaptive equipment.
“I like to tell people, ‘If you can’t stand up… stand out!’”, Scott says with a smile. The inevitable conversations that emerge from these interactions afford Scott the chance to advocate for inclusivity in international school communities. The direct impact on student thinking is not to be understated.
For Scott, the true measure of success lies in the impact his work has on the lives of students and educators. "There's not a lot of job satisfaction in doing things halfway," he notes, emphasizing the importance of fully committing to the mission of Inspire Citizens. This dedication to quality and impact is what sets Scott apart as an educator and makes him an invaluable asset to the Inspire Citizens team.
As progressive international schools continue to seek genuine, interactive, human-driven professional development experiences for their educators, Scott Jamieson’s work continues to facilitate success. His efforts with Inspire Citizens are helping to create a new generation of learners—students who are not only academically proficient but also deeply aware of their role as citizens of the world.
Curious to hear things from Scott’s perspective? You’re invited to join the listening community for the Empathy to Impact Podcast, found here.
