As anyone involved in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program knows, there’s a compass built in to every activity that eventually leads to a meaningful destination: The PYP Exhibition. It’s the ultimate culminating event and a public demonstration of each student’s commitment to the PYP learner profile attributes. Progressive school educational teams lean into the PYPx as their chance to promote the best outcomes among learners who are capable of showing great empathy as they learn to engage with the world around them.

Embracing the Messy Process of Activating Empathy in Middle Years Social Studies

If you happen to walk through a certain busy intersection in the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India, you might be treated to a sight that illustrates the profound value of empathy in the educational experience of young adolescents.

Taking the Pathway of Empathy to Empower Global Citizens

As a former classroom teacher who regularly tethered her instruction to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Middle School Principal Jennifer Ivory’s first administrative steps were informed by advanced concepts she developed from Inspire Citizens.

Transformative Partnerships & Redefining the PYP Experience

In a dynamic collaboration between the International School of Prague (ISP) and Inspire Citizens, Primary Years Program (PYP) Coordinator Ashley Eames reflects on the positive impact of partnering with Aaron Moniz, co-founder of Inspire Citizens, in reshaping the primary years' units of inquiry at ISP.

Transformative Curriculum Design in 8th grade ELA leads to active global citizenship

Two passionate educators from Frankfurt International School (FIS), Mariko Jungnitsch and Mette Sarstedt, have been on a collaborative journey to reshape their 8th-grade English Language Acquisition (ELA) curriculum. Their inspiration has been sparked by the Global Citizenship Certificate (GCC) course with Inspire Citizens.

GCC, SDGsLeeAnne LavenderNovember 28, 2023Global Citizenship, Empathy to Impact, Inclusion, Changemakers

Sustainability Education Starts in Pre-K as Students Learn About Food Waste

At the American Embassy School (AES) in New Delhi, a remarkable transformation has been taking place within the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms. Led by dedicated educators and in collaboration with Inspire Citizens, this innovative food waste project has not only changed the way young children think about waste but also fostered a deep sense of empathy and responsibility toward the environment.

Student Leadership Series Impacts 115 Youth

Inspire Citizens partnered with AISA (the Association of International Schools in Africa) in September to facilitate a 3-part student leadership series that involved 115 student leaders from dozens of AISA schools.

Student Leadership, SDGs, All-School SLLeeAnne LavenderSeptember 29, 2023Inclusion, Global Citizenship, Empathy to Impact

Transforming Education through the Global Citizenship Certificate Program: A Journey of Hope

The one-year GCC program is designed to equip educators with the knowledge, tools, and mindsets needed to encourage thoughtful, innovative, and engaged global citizens in our classrooms. Modules begin by asking educators to pause and reflect, thinking about how “the way out is in” when it comes to holistic global citizenship. In this article, read about one teacher’s journey with the GCC.

GCCLeeAnne LavenderSeptember 13, 2023Empathy to Impact, Global Citizenship, Wellbeing, Changemakers

Taking the long view: Sustainability for global citizenship transformation

Many educators and leaders in international schools around the globe recognize the value and urgency of global citizenship education (GCE) and the need to empower PreK-12 students to engage in authentic community engagement and active local and global citizenship. In this article, check out Inspire Citizens’ Co-Founder Aaron Moniz’s recipe for sustainable all-school global citizenship.

Bringing international mindedness to the PYP Exhibition

2023 marked the rebirth of the Primary Years Program (PYP) Exhibition at the Canadian International School of Beijing (CIS). After three years of Covid restrictions, the grade 5 students were able to host an exhibition on campus that could be shared with parents, community members and other schools. And did CIS ever run with this opportunity!

Experiential learning: new option to engage students with eco-photography

Inspire Citizens has been offering eco-photography workshops and online courses for a few years, and this past month our facilitator Ivy Yan introduced a week-long experiential learning option through Seoul Foreign School’s (SFS) Discovery Week program.

Eco-Media, SDGsLeeAnne LavenderJune 12, 2023Global Citizenship, Wellbeing, Empathy to Impact

A Changemaker Journey: the Way One School Leads by Example

Frankfurt International School (FIS) in Germany has become a well-known school for anyone interested in active global citizenship and student leadership. As news spreads of the FIS Changemaker Conference, the story of what is happening at this school is migrating around the world and inspiring interest and action at other schools.

Student LeadershipLeeAnne LavenderJune 6, 2023Changemakers, Global Citizenship

Teaching from a tent: Inspire Citizens' commitment to global citizenship

Inspire Citizens co-founder Aaron Moniz epitomizes the philosophy of “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Recently, he was able to lead a virtual workshop from a tent during an experiential learning trip with students in South Korea.

GCCLeeAnne LavenderMay 22, 2023Inclusion, Wellbeing, Global Citizenship

Grade 12 Investigation leads to Long-Term Partnership

Grade 12 Social Studies and Spanish students at the Colegio Jorge Washington School (COJOWA) in Cartagena, Colombia, have created a meaningful partnership that will span multiple years. From their service learning experience in class, they have seeded a reciprocal partnership founded on deep listening and service as action.

Deep Partnerships with Local Communities: a Grade 7 Example

At the end of March, grade 7 students at the Colegio Jorge Washington School (COJOWA) in Cartagena, Colombia, embarked on a powerful learning investigation. Their goal was to learn more about SDG #5 (gender equality) in the local context; in their social studies and Spanish classes, they began reflecting, questioning and thinking about the local community. What followed was a rich learning journey involving journalism and sustainable solutions to needs related to clothing and textiles.

A Year 2 Reflection: Empathy to Impact

When Kevin David came to the American Embassy School of New Delhi (AES) in August of 2021, he took on a service learning role with the high school. The timing coincided with the second year of a partnership between AES and Inspire Citizens. In his role, Kevin has a unique vantage point to see how the partnership is growing, and how teaching and learning are being impacted.

Grade 5 Art Attacks: a response to the SDGs

Grade 5 students at the International School of Prague (ISP) were recently immersed in understanding and creating art for activism. Their “Art Attacks” were vibrant and demonstrated a deep understanding of how students can channel their creativity to create positive change.

A Grade 1 Learning Experience about Anti-Bias

In November, the grade one team at the Inter-Community School Zurich (ICSZ) embarked on an exciting journey to redesign a history unit. Working with Inspire Citizens, the team engaged in a generative process of ideation and planning that led to a vibrant outcome: Humans of ICSZ.

Wabi Sabi photography + poetry = learning impact

When Inspire Citizens facilitator Ivy Yan recently shared some photographs with grade 4 students at Frankfurt International School (FIS), she introduced them to the concept of wabi sabi and sparked a powerful learning experience in their poetry unit.

Art Festival features art for impact

The Peterson Schools in Mexico kickstarted their ASOMEX Arts Festival in March, reviving a pre-Covid event with a hybrid approach. Two Inspire Citizens facilitators were thrilled to lead the online portion of the conference.

VIGNETTES

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