Jared Kuruzovich

Diversity & Difference: Lessons from Junior’s

Jared Kuruzovich — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 05:13:49 +0000

Each day began the same. I woke up and pulled the curtains open, looking across the Manhattan skyline from the 28th floor of the Marriott Marquis. Down on the street directly below my room, the lights at Junior’s Restaurant were already on, inviting me to step back in time. Just like the diners of the ’50s and ’60s, you don’t go to Junior’s only for the food. You go knowing you’ll get great music and a waitress who asks “What can I get you, honey?” while filling up your cup with strong black coffee. What I didn’t expect was that my morning ritual would so strongly resonate with the theme of the Association for the Advancement of International Education conference I was attending, one that called us to examine diversity and difference, and how our institutions and systems both encourage and inhibit these.

In his poignant essay “America Needs a Miracle,” writer Andrew Sullivan details two radically different takes on the state of American society, both of which agree on a fundamental point: the political and social crises we now face in the United States originated in the laws enacted in the 1960s, setting us on what was perhaps an inevitable trajectory. While the Civil Rights Act and Immigration & Nationality Act of 1965 have undoubtedly done great good, they also opened the floodgates. In the decades that followed, the shifts in population and protections for minorities expanded opportunities for many, creating far more diverse communities that often lacked the tools and understanding to easily adapt.

Globalism brought this to a head, amplifying differences not only in ethnicity, but also socioeconomic status. More importantly, it also replicated the tensions and conflicts we faced in other countries around the world. as cultures negatively reacted to unprecedented levels of migration and technological advances, and in turn diversity. In many cases the animosity is grounded in legitimate concerns: job losses, economic inequity and cultural misunderstandings. It’s not an issue of whether our systems were, and are, right or wrong. It’s about acknowledging that they’ve pitted us against one another, creating clans that ultimately define us: liberal and conservative, left and right, black and white, and countless other allegedly diametric opposites.

Sullivan captures this eloquently: “If humans simply cannot help their tribal instincts, then a truly multicultural democracy has a big challenge ahead of it. The emotions triggered are so primal, that conflict, rather than any form of common ground, can spiral into a grinding cold civil war. And you can’t legislate or educate this away.” Yet legislate and educate are precisely what each side has attempted, but with a blunt hammer swung with insults and blame. Through it all we forget that our issue is no longer solely a lack of diversity. It’s the failure to recognize that we all have differences, and that those differences will always exist. We should be seeking to understand these, not using our voices and positions to dominate in a vain attempt to create utopian communities and workplaces.

The opening “un-keynote” of the conference, delivered by Berkeley professor Dacher Keltner, clearly highlighted our shifting understanding of power wielded in this manner. As opposed to the traditional Machiavellian conception based in fear, coercion and force, Keltner argues that we are increasingly understanding how empathy, courage and generosity allow us to more effectively influence others and instigate change. Far from simply being a theory, this stance is grounded in research. From children in a classroom to billionaires on Wall Street, numerous behavioral studies consistently point to the universal way in which those we are most willing to respect and follow draw upon this common set of tools and, crucially, use gratitude and humility to ground themselves as their power grows.

You don’t need to have a title, certificate or public recognition to influence others in this way and bridge differences, a fact reinforced on the final day as Firoozeh Dumas stepped onto the stage. A native of Iran who grew up in the United States just as her country entered the public consciousness through the hostage crisis in 1979, she experienced firsthand the animosity that can arise from national and racial differences.

During our stay in Newport Beach, the Iranian Revolution took place and a group of Americans were taken hostage in the American embassy in Tehran. Overnight, Iranians living in America became, to say the least, very unpopular. For some reason, many Americans began to think that all Iranians, despite outward appearances to the contrary, could at any given moment get angry and take prisoners.

Many of us are fortunate enough to never endure the stares, the questions and the sneers that others grapple with on a daily basis. I suspect for some the reaction would be to lash out in anger, in frustration over being seen as different. Dumas has never held a position of authority, yet through sharing her experiences with humor and grace, she accomplishes far more than most.

The reader’s guide at the end of Funny in Farsi includes an interview, and the grounding for her ability to connect others shines through clearly: “I have always believed that there are far more good people in this world than bad ones and that most people want to be reminded of our shared humanity rather than our differences.” The simplicity of this view belies its powerful sentiment. People change when they have the opportunity to genuinely engage with others, find commonalities and learn to appreciate differences.

This strikes at the core of the issue. We will never build a diversity program that changes every heart and mind. We will never force those who fear difference to embrace others by prescribing accepted behaviors. Glenn Llopis captures this in “Is Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Bringing Us Together, Or Pushing Us Further Apart?” as he points to a simple approach we too often overlook: “It’s not that culture doesn’t matter. Quite the contrary: we’re all shaped by our backgrounds, our families, our upbringings, the environments we grew up in. It makes us who we are. So let’s lead with who we are.”

Sometimes we need simply need to acknowledge our own biases and lack of experience, let go of our urge to control, and be ourselves. More importantly, we must continually provide opportunities within our organizations and communities to connect with one another—without barriers or artificial structures—as unique individuals with our own experiences, beliefs and values. Listen, reflect, accept…and always maintain a healthy sense of humor. This absolutely will not rectify the collective mistakes of our past nor address every lingering challenge, but it’s a start.

Each day the conference began the same for me, but every breakfast at Junior’s was unique. Sometimes a regular settled on a stool, greeted by name and a “How you doin’?”. The staff would call out to each other across the room, mixing Spanish and English as they watched tennis matches on the widescreen television. Tourists ambled in, adding Mandarin, Japanese and other languages to the clamor. In the world we now live in, diversity is often more easily found than in the past. It increasingly surrounds us, from the towering skyscrapers of New York to the quiet hills of northern Thailand. Differences present a greater challenge. They provoke, needling us with discomfort and unease. But that’s why they are so important to acknowledge and accept.

Our natural tendency is to withdraw, falling back to the familiar. Only by embracing the differences that diversity brings, with openness and humility, do we push ourselves into a state of learning. We don’t always need more laws, programs or initiatives to do this; those already exist and have for many years. Perhaps sometimes the answer is simpler. Whether in our schools, social structures or workplaces, we need to begin purposefully providing more opportunities to explore difference. Crucially, these need to happen naturally. They emerge from sharing our stories and our hopes, from the everyday moments that we experience with one another, tempered with humor and empathy. Perhaps we all simply need to practice compassionate leadership, no matter the scale.

It was my third visit, and the harmonies of The Mamas and the Papas floated effortlessly through the room. Setting the full plate in front of me, the Latina waitress asked, “Can I get you anything else, sweetie?” Another stood by waiting to refill my cup while the white-haired man, a Vietnam veteran, behind the counter threw a towel over his shoulder and set down a jam holder. “Look at this. You got three people to wait on you!”, he joked in his Brooklyn accent. Just a few minutes earlier, he had been exchanging barbs with a black coworker, an immigrant who had thrown an arm around him, bantering about green cards and walls. The old man sighed. “Yeah, we’re gonna build a wall…to keep you in!” His coworker—and friend—walked away, prompting him to throw up his hands. “You see what I have to put up with?!”, he exclaimed. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he went back to work.

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You’re a Doody Head: Debate & Rhetoric in Modern Society

Jared Kuruzovich — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 02:59:35 +0000

Should I respond or not? I mentally shifted gears several times, veering between amusement and annoyance. Several weeks before, I had read an opinion piece in The Nation, one of the most prominent newspapers in Thailand, which claimed that the international school that the writer’s children attended performed poorly in teaching STEM subjects. In his view this resulted directly from the school’s reluctance to hire non-Western teachers (who were deemed as superior in those areas), and he claimed “it is the same in all international schools in Thailand.” A few days later, a second submission took the claim a step further, decrying the hiring of teachers with “mere elementary education degrees” and declaring that those with science and engineering backgrounds (the “smartest graduates”) would be better equipped to teach English.

Neither of the opinion pieces presented evidence to support their claims, nor did they consider the highly varied nature of international schools in Thailand. Being an educator who has worked in the field for over a decade, and someone who simply doesn’t like to let misconceptions rest, I penned a response, What (some) international schools are doing right, systematically addressing each of the points that had been raised. Not all international schools are the same. Many do hire non-Western teachers, including my own. Educational research has consistently shown that trained teachers using pedagogical approaches that incorporate conceptual understandings and inquiry have the greatest impact in the long term. Universities and employers indicate that they want graduates with greater soft skills, not solely technical expertise.

To me, this type of discourse is natural. A claim is made. Evidence is assessed. An argument is presented. But then the Google alert arrived in my inbox. A reply to the brief article I had written was posted, beginning with the equivalent of a schoolyard taunt:

“I think Jared Kuruzovich urgently needs the services of an Asian teacher who could teach him to write concisely. His grandiloquent essay was a big yawn.”

Never mind the irony of using the term grandiloquent (and the racist connotations that the writer claimed to be standing against). At no point was evidence presented to back the original claims. At no point was it mentioned that those claims in both his article and the subsequent one did not align with research, surveys of universities and employers, and standardized test data. At no point were the counterarguments addressed.

It all boiled down to essentially calling me a pretentious doody head.

In 2008 noted programmer and entrepreneur Paul Graham wrote an essay on his website, How to Disagree, that detailed the deterioration of discourse on the internet. The points he raised over a decade ago are more salient than ever, easily evidenced by the comments section on Yahoo! or any other major online news outlet. We relish disagreement, but we have increasingly lost the ability to present our opinions in a cogent, reasoned manner.

Graham broke this down into the Hierarchy of Disagreement, with name calling and ad hominem attacks occupying the lowest tiers and direct refutation representing the most effective approach. Despite the obvious importance of methodically analyzing and responding to evidence when debating or simply arguing, consider how rare this often is even for politicians and everyday citizens. We resort to labels, whether liberal, conservative, extremist, intellectual, redneck or many far less eloquent terms.

These kinds of insults are nothing new and have been present in debate from the time of the Greek philosophers. But the age of mass media has impacted us in ways we could not have fully foreseen. Conclusive figures are difficult to gather, but we do know that the prevalence of reading has been in steady decline, while the amount of time spent on smartphones and other technology continues to rise. Though the internet has made information more accessible than ever, a gradual trend toward media snippets and sound bites has created a culture of instant gratification, and in the process the patience required to read even an essay or listen to a reasoned debate has been lost.

I dread the future of society if people believe a 1,137 word article is too long. I cringe when the use of rhetoric is equated with pretentiousness. I sigh in exasperation when I hear pundits hurling insults of libtard, radical and elitist. What does it say about our collective intelligence and ability to reason if we cannot consider the views of others and the evidence they offer, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with it? We instead celebrate mediocrity and cheer for name calling. It’s simply easier to ignore, to insult and to dehumanize. And in the process we slowly lose the our ability to reason and, more importantly, to impact others.

One of the clearest examples of this shift away from intellectual debate and rhetoric is seen in the vast differences between American presidents. George W. Bush infamously carried the contest of which candidate voters would prefer to have a beer with in 2004 and, despite being an intelligent person, continued to make headlines for putting his foot in his mouth. When Barack Obama became president in 2008, a common refrain was that he was too intellectual, and the election of Donald Trump in some respects felt like a reactionary call to arms as many voters rejected a style of leadership they labeled as arrogant.

What felt like a sharp contrast between Bush and Obama became a gaping chasm when comparing Obama and Trump. While Obama embraced the nuances and complexities of issues, and openly addressed them with deliberate oratory techniques, Trump’s patterns of speech throw all the rules out the window. His stream-of-consciousness approach is punctuated by pauses as crowds cheer and exhibit virtually no logical structure or a desire to incorporate evidence for his wild statements. Excerpts from their speeches say far more than I can:

The genius of our founders is that they designed a system of government that can be changed. And we should take heart, because we’ve changed this country before. In the face of tyranny, a band of patriots brought an Empire to its knees. In the face of secession, we unified a nation and set the captives free. In the face of Depression, we put people back to work and lifted millions out of poverty. We welcomed immigrants to our shores, we opened railroads to the west, we landed a man on the moon, and we heard a King’s call to let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what’s needed to be done. Today we are called once more – and it is time for our generation to answer that call. For that is our unyielding faith – that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it. That’s what Abraham Lincoln understood. He had his doubts. He had his defeats. He had his setbacks. But through his will and his words, he moved a nation and helped free a people. It is because of the millions who rallied to his cause that we are no longer divided, North and South, slave and free. It is because men and women of every race, from every walk of life, continued to march for freedom long after Lincoln was laid to rest, that today we have the chance to face the challenges of this millennium together, as one people – as Americans.

Look, having nuclear—my uncle was a great professor and scientist and engineer, Dr. John Trump at MIT; good genes, very good genes, OK, very smart, the Wharton School of Finance, very good, very smart—you know, if you’re a conservative Republican, if I were a liberal, if, like, OK, if I ran as a liberal Democrat, they would say I’m one of the smartest people anywhere in the world—it’s true!—but when you’re a conservative Republican they try—oh, do they do a number—that’s why I always start off: Went to Wharton, was a good student, went there, went there, did this, built a fortune—you know I have to give my like credentials all the time, because we’re a little disadvantaged—but you look at the nuclear deal, the thing that really bothers me—it would have been so easy, and it’s not as important as these lives are (nuclear is powerful; my uncle explained that to me many, many years ago, the power and that was 35 years ago; he would explain the power of what’s going to happen and he was right—who would have thought?), but when you look at what’s going on with the four prisoners—now it used to be three, now it’s four—but when it was three and even now, I would have said it’s all in the messenger; fellas, and it is fellas because, you know, they don’t, they haven’t figured that the women are smarter right now than the men, so, you know, it’s gonna take them about another 150 years—but the Persians are great negotiators, the Iranians are great negotiators, so, and they, they just killed, they just killed us.

Ideological differences aside, there is a clear difference between these two men in style and an even clearer divide in their ability to present a reasoned argument. Trump is notorious for attacking and denigrating others, building his case by belittling opponents rather than relying on clear, reasonable arguments and evidence to support his views. His approach is replicated thousands, if not millions, of times every day across the internet. Yet as Graham pointed out in his essay, “if you have something real to say, being mean just gets in the way.”

The bottom line is that constructing a logical, reasoned argument does not make a person pompous. Intelligence should not be portrayed as a character flaw, and using effective rhetoric should be celebrated in the same way that we celebrate good writing in literature and film. When we take the time to listen to the views of others, consider their arguments and present a logical response, we’re giving them the same respect that we want to be treated with. Unfortunately, it appears that incivility is not going away, as many now celebrate the online culture of insults, particularly within American politics.

I for one think that if making a polite, reasoned case for my views makes me a grandiloquent doody head, I’ll take it.

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Three Ways the Best Schools Are Changing…and Why It Matters

Jared Kuruzovich — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 07:07:26 +0000

In 1983 the Reagan administration in the United States published A Nation at Risk, a report that painted a dire picture of the American public education system, portraying it as outdated and failing students. Spurred by the claims of irrelevance, a demand for change swept through all levels of government. When the report was revisited 25 years later, however, little had changed, and schools have continued to struggle to enact meaningful reform.

The reality is that the claims in A Nation at Risk were not new, nor are they specific to the United States. Countries around the world have struggled to modernize their public education systems, and often fail to keep pace with societal and technological changes. In the independent sector, meaningful restructuring and research-based approaches have led to results far beyond those of most public schools. The best schools are changing in three key areas, shifting the conversations on our understanding of what education is and what it should be.

The Death of the Transcript

Whether it represented a single assignment or an entire class, many of us remember the sinking feeling of seeing a D or F on a crisp piece of paper, evoking the spirit of mediocrity or, even worse, the brand of failure. In education, we have known for years that letter and numerical grades have little to no positive impact on learning, but giving in to the calls for clear “measurement” has meant these standards persist despite research to the contrary. More importantly, they simply do not represent the breadth of learning that now takes places in schools, nor do they capture students’ unique skills.

In the best schools, the traditional transcript is on tenuous footing. In 2016 Scott Looney, Head of Hawken School in Cleveland, launched the Mastery Transcript Consortium, a group of schools seeking to offer an alternative that adheres to three principles: no standardization of content across member schools, no letter or numerical grades, and a consistent reporting format. Similarly, several major international schools across the globe have embraced The Global Citizen Diploma, a report that “allows students to qualitatively describe their whole learning in the context of becoming a global citizen and making a contribution to the world”.

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Simply put…the MTC hopes to change the relationship between preparation for college and college admissions for the betterment of students.

These credentials share a key characteristic: a more holistic assessment of each student’s performance through a focus on their abilities rather than their knowledge. In a world in which virtually anything can be Googled, the ability to discern whether a claim is reliable, current and accurate is far more important than simply knowing a fact. By embracing a method of reporting that recognizes the value of these types of skills alongside standard subject-based knowledge, the best schools are not only providing students and universities with more useful, personalized data, but also freeing themselves to be more creative and progressive in developing their own curricula.

Building a Coalition Beyond the School Walls

Read through the annual reports from the National Association of Colleges and Employers in the US, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, and those representing other countries, and a consistent pattern emerges. Both universities and employers are struggling to recruit qualified young adults, and it’s not due to a lack of technical knowledge. They simply cannot find candidates with the soft skills that enable them to manage their time, work effectively within diverse teams, communicate clearly, persevere through failure and lead others.

This results from an issue all too common for schools: a disconnect from the greater community. At some point in your life, someone likely told you that it would be different in “the real world”. In at least one respect, they were right. The subject-based learning that takes place in many schools all too often fails to reflect the world beyond their walls, a fact that the top institutions are seeking to address by partnering with local, regional and global organizations who can provide advice and resources to help develop programs that build character and cultivate soft skills.

In some cases, such as the Mastery Transcript Consortium, this entails collaboration with universities to identify ways to better prepare students for higher education. These types of partnerships only represent the tip of the iceberg. Top schools are now seeking out partners across a wide range of industries, relying on their expertise and resources to make classroom learning more relevant and reflective of what we experience as in our own work as adults. From cooperative efforts with Microsoft and Google to the creation of sports ventures with Chelsea FC and Jr. NBA, these schools are finding innovative ways to cultivate learners with the skills that universities and employers so desperately seek.

Making an Impact on the World

Perhaps the most important change that has emerged among the best schools is one of character development. From Enron to the global financial crisis in 2008, the previous decade clearly demonstrated the danger of business uncoupled from ethics. The international and intracultural conflicts since 9/11 reveal just how much we struggle to create lasting peace. Just as businesses have become more vocal in adopting public positions on political and social issues, many schools have begun to build a stronger focus on ethics, service and community engagement to address the many social issues we now face.

A minimum number of community service hours is familiar to many of us who attended school in the last few decades. Yet the very idea of service is being rethought by top schools, and they are weaving it into the very core of the curriculum. Unlike established requirements, their approach involves more sustained connections with the greater community. Students in these schools regularly employ needs analysis models in communities, engage in ongoing development projects and launch social entrepreneurship enterprises.

The drive behind these initiatives is not simply to apply their knowledge and skills in real contexts. It stems from a belief that creating a more just, secure future requires engaging with others from different backgrounds and experiences. Education throughout history has been closely linked with ethics, and only in the last century did the focus shift to purely academic study. The tide is beginning to shift back, and schools are recognizing that they have a duty to produce principled graduates who understand the obligation we all have to contributing to the communities of which we are a part.

Why Do These Changes Matter?

The continuing transformation of the best schools will slowly but surely impact education around the globe as other private and public schools begin to follow their example. As they engage with businesses, organizations and other schools, their influence will shape the public understanding of education and learning. This in turn will drive broader change and creating a new generation of conscientious leaders who are well equipped to deal with the many pressing challenges we face.

In truth, this is only one side of the coin. These schools must also address valid concerns: whether they cater solely to the 1%, the responsibility they bear in helping public systems progress, and the potential influence they have in homogenizing culture. Their long-term impact remains to be seen, but one point is certain: we are a world at risk, and the education that the next generation receives will determine whether they rise to the challenge.

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Have a Plan C: The Importance of Agile Leadership

Jared Kuruzovich — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 08:31:23 +0000

The photo capturing the last few moments of the Global Goals World Cup (GGWCup) made it all look easy: UN Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador Nikolaj Coster-Waldau beaming on stage, the crowd cheering and laughing, and nothing left to manage beyond how to clean up afterward. Yet months of planning had gone into this event, including coordination across four organizations and three continents…and almost nothing throughout the day had matched that original plan. Our success resulted from the collaborative efforts of multiple leaders, all adjusting to changing circumstances, sometimes only minutes in advance.

Early in 2017, when NIST’s partners at Chelsea FC approached us about the possibility of bringing Coster-Waldau to our school as a part of the GGWCup, my immediate response was “Absolutely!”. A high-profile star from Game of Thrones and a women’s soccer tournament raising support for the UN Sustainable Development Goals: how could it go wrong? The reality of the challenges began to set in after the first few Skype conversations with the GGWCup co-founder, Chelsea FC representative and UNDP leaders. With all of us tackling other projects and responsibilities, creating a comprehensive strategy in advance to ensure a successful event proved to be unrealistic.

Only when all of the leaders in each organization arrived in Bangkok did we begin to have a clear sense of what could happen, and even then, the agenda changed on a daily basis. From canceled public appearances to last-minute paperwork to continual schedule adjustments, we had to work together and coordinate our teams to ensure that, on the face, everything ran smoothly. Though I’ve occupied senior roles for over a decade, I still find that I learn a great deal every day, and the GGWCup served as a powerful lesson in the importance of agile leadership in three key respects, each captured by the words in the photo, drawn from our school’s mission statement.

Your first plan won’t be your last one…but changing circumstances can inspire

My approach in my work is, to put it bluntly, often obsessive-compulsive. I love having a plan, including multiple contingencies for almost every detail. Yet it’s impossible to foresee all possibilities, especially when dealing when multiple stakeholders and needs, and a rapidly changing environment. Though we all have a tendency to see changes in our plans through a negative lens, shifting that perception allows you to turn them into new advantages.

One of the key moments planned for the day of the event was a press conference in which Nikolaj would speak about his work as a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador. Yet it became clear when he arrived was that he much preferred a format that gave a voice to others, as he felt his role was to shine a light on their efforts to work toward the Global Goals. Less than an hour before the designated time, with invited press already gathering, we were still trying to determine the exact format and who would speak.

What could have been a misstep became an opportunity when our Head of School asked a simple question: why not have a student speak? This moment of inspiration turned a potentially dry speech into a powerful chance for our school to highlight how passionate, articulate and responsible our students are. Despite not being prepared, the head of our student council immediately agreed to join when asked.

As the members of the panel sat down and the moderator announced the format, our student rushed into the room and took a seat. Within a few minutes, it became clear that we had made the right choice, and the dialogue became one of the best moments of the day. Even when plans fluctuate from moment to moment, it’s important to look at the possibilities that are created through those changes and take calculated risks to capitalize on them.

Empower the people around you and trust that they know what they’re doing

The face in the center of the photo below may be the most well-known, but all of the others were stars in their own right during the GGWCup. As a leader, I’ve often struggled to entrust people with projects, preferring instead to tackle them on my own. The reality is that this creates an unmanageable workload, and it becomes a liability when others never receive the opportunity to grow through experience.

On the day of the GGWCup, both members of our school community and visitors continually complimented us on the smooth organization of the event and the work we put into it. This did not reflect my own efforts, but rather that of all of the people in this photo and many more. Thinking back to that day, I realized that through brief conversations and phone calls, I said “I’ll let you handle it” and “I’ll trust you” more often than any other time in the past.

From the UNDP representatives who managed Nikolaj’s schedule to students who stepped forward whenever asked, the team behind the scenes were the true secret to the event’s success through their ability to mobilize others as needed. Kevin Cashman, in The Five Dimensions Of Learning-Agile Leaders, identifies this skill as people agility: “Understanding and relating to other people, as well as tough situations to harness and multiply collective performance.”

As a leader, your role needs to be focused on an overarching vision, providing context and supporting others. When you begin to trust your employees, colleagues and partners to bring that vision to life, they will step up the challenge, especially when plans go awry. A leader who cannot step back and give others the opportunity will invariably struggle over the long-term. To put it in even starker terms, the GGWCup would have been a failure had I attempted to manage changing circumstances entirely on my own. Even if our plan may not have turned out in exactly the way we all envisioned, the important part is that others saw it as a success.

Enrich your work, and yourself, by embracing uncertainty

It’s easy to become frustrated when a plan changes and to begin laying blame. As a leader, taking this approach will erode trust and accomplish little. We often tell our students that failure is a learning opportunity in education, but we forget to apply this principle to ourselves. Taking the time to reflect on our behavior and choices in changing circumstances is an important part of growing as leaders. This is succinctly summarized on a larger scale in the 3 Top Traits of Effective Agile Leaders:

Being able to expunge information and learn from it starts with continual reflection and awareness…It’s through this reflection that you’re better positioned to identify when change, evolution or innovation are necessary. You’re better able to understand the complexities from a broader view and navigate through changes analytically and with greater clarity.

Throughout the GGWCup, I began to realize that the suggestions and solutions that others raised in response to the changing plans were often far better than any I could have created on my own. Their positive outlook and quick thinking when problems arose allowed me to put myself back in the mindset of a learner, cataloging ways in which we could make the event even more successful the next time it takes place. Uncertainty became an opportunity rather than a liability.

It is perhaps this final point that reinforces the importance of agile leadership. Whether overseeing an event or leading a company through major changes, our ability to adapt to circumstances, and always have a Plan C, strongly impacts our success: “Ultimately, our ability to continuously learn and adapt will determine the extent to which we thrive in today’s turbulent times.” (Learning About Learning Agility).

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Understanding the World of Donald Trump

Jared Kuruzovich — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 15:51:29 +0000

“No two persons ever read the same book.”

― Edmund Wilson

Last night a notoriously outspoken entrepreneur and former reality television star became the leader of the United States of America, the most powerful country on Earth. How did we reach this point? Why have we seemingly lost our path, however we each interpret those missteps? When did we begin to differ so radically in our views of our country, and of the world at large? I live in Thailand, where everyone I know views Trump with dismay, confusion or—at best—amusement. Though I do not believe him to be capable, or even a good person, I recognize the appeal he holds for so many. After all, I came from the idealistic world of Donald Trump—the America he so often depicted in his campaign.

Growing up as a child in Wisconsin, I attended a small elementary school that had perhaps a hundred students. Nearly every face was white, excluding the single Hmong girl whose family had settled in the area. My parents, along with several other families, founded an evangelical Christian church that largely defined my early years. I distinctly recall being unable to understand why my peers could support a “radical liberal” like Bill Clinton during our middle school mock election. Many in my high school class dropped out or at the very least did not go on to university. In short, the course of my life as a white male in a small Wisconsin town could have placed me within the 60% of voters in my county who just supported Trump.

That traditional, sheltered experience profoundly changed in 2001. While my family and friends woke on September 11th and soon saw planes striking the World Trade Center, I heard of the attack as I sat on a sofa in Dalkeith Palace in Scotland. An event that altered the course of my country—and arguably sparked a renewed trend toward isolationism—felt distant and disconnected from an ocean away. I moved in the opposite direction. That first experience overseas fostered a hunger to explore more of the world.

I settled in Bangkok nearly ten years ago after traveling around the globe. My wife is a Thai Buddhist, my best friend an Indian atheist, and I work at a school with students who represent over 50 nationalities. Yet the young, conservative boy from Wisconsin is still in me in many respects. I still believe in the veracity of Christianity, both intellectually and at a more visceral level. Though my home is one of the largest cities in Asia, I sometimes crave the isolation and slow pace of rural Wisconsin. My life has woven together the conservative and liberal, both worldviews that seemingly perplex and enrage the other.

Which is more valid? Each time I return to my hometown, I am always struck by the eerie sense of how much it has stayed the same. The idealistic lens I once viewed it through no longer exists for me, yet for many I grew up with, it is the only home they have ever known. Their daily lives, their concerns, their worries and their values are far removed from my own in Thailand. Is the support of Trump by so many there a mistake? Is it a reflection of our now differing perspectives?

The bottom line is that I do not know. It’s easy to lay blame for the perceived failings of our government and country. Ridicule Trump supporters for being ignorant, racist and sexist. Rail against Clinton supporters for being elitist and arrogant. Curse the Democrats for not nominating Bernie, who may—or may not—have succeeded where she failed. Condemn the Republicans for continually blocking Obama. Berate Obama in turn for failing to follow through in many of his optimistic promises. Revile liberals for being immoral and self-indulgent. Laugh at conservatives for being uninformed and judgmental.

Blame religion, blame atheism, blame gays, blame blacks, blame whites, blame everyone but ourselves.

The challenge we face is our collective inability to critically examine our own worldviews and recognize how they may not reflect the opinions, values and very lives of others—and that they never will. Until we begin to listen and honestly engage with those other viewpoints, and seek to understand their foundation, we will continue to foster a reactive society that generates conflict and animosity, and gives strength to individuals who will capitalize on our fears. Our government will continue to fail us as we feed into a culture that categorizes us in neatly defined demographics.

As someone who has gradually become more liberal over time and has benefited from the increasing globalization of the past few decades, I often forget that my experiences are deeply different from many I grew up with, as well as others across the United States. Just as I must often take a deep breath and remind myself that I bring my own preconceptions and cultural baggage when working in a highly diverse school, the same is true when interacting with fellow Americans who perceive the world in a profoundly different way.

Democrats, liberals and progressives must resist the impulse to lash back against Trump’s success, precisely because it is that unwillingness to engage with conservatives that enabled the gradual shift to the right. Only by actively seeking out and interacting with those who disagree with us will we ever begin to understand their concerns, fears and questions, and begin to bridge the gaps.

The very word liberal means open-minded and tolerant, yet collectively how tolerant have we been of those who hold particular religious beliefs? How accepting are we of those who believe in an absolute ethical standard? How willing are we to accept dissension, without ridicule, from those who may not share our views? By failing to hold ourselves to our own standards, we make the progressive worldview appear hypocritical or even dangerous to those who do not understand or agree with it.

Similarly, Republicans and conservatives—particularly those who see Trump as a leader who will enrich America—must recognize that most of the world, and indeed a majority of their peers, have changed. As I sat in my office today, colleagues from Finland, Canada, Thailand and other countries around the world stopped by and called, each asking about the election. With quiet incredulity, they expressed concern for the future, questioning how they will feel the impact of Trump’s presidency.

This interconnectedness and diversity is the reality of our modern world, and it will not go away no matter how much we wish for a return to an America that arguably has never existed. Our policies, for good and ill, affect lives around the globe, and we must begin to recognize that we do have a responsibility as the most powerful nation to more carefully consider the massive impact of our actions, and accept our many failings. More importantly, we must begin to recognize that there is no going back, and that even if we try, the world will move on without us.

Despite having lived through riots, bombings and a coup (as well as at least one bus on fire) in my travels and in Thailand, to me most of the world is not unfamiliar or frightening. It is not dominated by terrorists or by lazy immigrants seeking handouts. The interactions I’ve had with most people I have met, from the United States to Italy to Egypt to Thailand, have revealed the opposite: shared hopes, joys and experiences that bind us together. I see the world as a fundamentally good place, filled with people who have more commonalities than differences and are simply seeking a better life.

American politics has become defined through our negative perceptions of the opposing views. We have been too quick to assume, too quick to judge and too quick to accuse. We label those different from us as irrational and foolish, or even dangerous, yet are far too willing to ignore our own preconceptions and rationalizations. Through our insistence on bending others to our viewpoints, we have alienated one another. We taunt, we scream, we fight and we block.

We all created the void that Trump filled, and we all share a responsibility for whatever he may bring into it.

Shortly after writing this, I saw this video being shared by a friend on Facebook. Though I disagree with some portions of it, comedian/actor Tom Walker (as Jonathan Pie) accurately pegs many of the points I was trying to raise…though perhaps with a little more profanity. In attempting to vilify the opposition, we plant the seeds of our own losses.

“Being offended doesn’t work anymore. Throwing insults doesn’t work anymore. The only thing that works is…bothering, doing something, and all we have to do is engage in the debate, talk to people who think differently to you and persuade them of your argument. It’s so easy, and the left have lost the art.”

The post Understanding the World of Donald Trump appeared first on Jared Kuruzovich.

A Guide to Teaching at International Schools in Bangkok

Jared Kuruzovich — Sat, 14 May 2016 08:18:48 +0000

(Updated for 2019) Browse through any forum related to Thailand and you’ll see it: a thread about teaching at international schools in Bangkok. As one of the most popular destinations for educators in the world, the city boasts over 100 international schools and kindergartens, including several that rank among the best in Asia. Despite their ubiquity, however, many aspiring teachers, and even experienced international educators, know little about them. The reality is that international schools in Thailand represent a highly diverse market that continues to expand rapidly, making it an ideal place to build a successful teaching career.

What Is an International School?

In the schools in which I’ve worked, I have frequently received résumés from hopeful teachers highlighting their skills in teaching English or ESL. Their enthusiasm, while understandable, reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what international schools are. Unlike language institutes or tutoring centers, international schools offer the same comprehensive primary and secondary education as other public and private schools, including all academic subjects and extra-curricular activities.

Globally, international schools occupy a grey area, with no single definition existing between countries or educational organizations. Most commonly the term refers to a school that offers a curriculum other than that of its host country. Secondary to this, the dominant language of instruction is usually English, international ideals and philosophies are promoted, and the student body may be more diverse than local schools.

At the 2016 Alliance for International Education conference, held here in Bangkok, international education experts Mary Hayden and Jeff Thompson extended their previous research in identifying several different types of international schools, including those founded as extensions of national governments, those founded upon a particular philosophy and set of principles, and those created as for-profit entities. Yet the rapid global growth of international schools has blurred these lines in many cases, and a common understanding of their nature has yet to be established.

International Schools in Bangkok

Though they share some similarities to bilingual schools or English programs within private schools in Thailand, international schools must be specifically licensed as such through the Ministry of Education. Simply using the term does not grant that status.

Prior to the early 1990s, only three major English-language international schools existed in Thailand: International School Bangkok (ISB), Bangkok Patana School and Ruamrudee International School, as well as a handful of others. The small number resulted from the reluctance of the Thai government to permit more schools from opening, as well as the restriction against Thais attending them. When ISB initiated plans to relocate outside the city center, a group of parents worked with members of the United Nations to lobby the government to allow the opening of a new international school. This led to the establishment of NIST International School in 1992, as well as the decision to allow Thai students to attend international schools.

International schools in Bangkok began to appear at a rapid pace, and the MOE has currently granted licenses to approximately 180 schools across Thailand. At least four to five new international schools continue to open annually, while existing schools expand with additional campuses and facilities. In short, Bangkok has become one of the largest international school markets in the world, and continues to be one of the most attractive destinations for expatriate teachers.

What Is the Value of Teaching in an International School?

Working in international schools in Bangkok opens the doorway to a vast network. With a few years of experience under your belt, you will be able to work in countries around the globe. The world of international education can be quite small, particularly for those in larger schools, and you will begin to discover that this profession allows a high degree of transience. Whether you want to remain in Asia or travel the world, teaching in international schools offers that opportunity.

Though the potential earnings at the different international schools vary dramatically, many at least offer the ability to lead a very comfortable lifestyle while still saving nearly as much as you could in your home country. If you are able to land a position at one of the best schools, the savings potential can be staggering. Combined with the excellent benefits packages, these international schools provide a lifestyle that far exceeds what could be expected by teachers in public systems.

Beyond salaries and benefits, international schools provide a clear career path for aspiring educators. While some expatriates are content with English teaching or tutoring for a few years before returning to their home countries, some either are or aspire to be professional educators. Many international schools offer excellent professional development and networking opportunities, and allow the chance to interact with some of the most talented educators around the globe.

Choosing a School & International School Tiers

No teacher wants to work in a school that offers little support, few resources and no opportunity to grow professionally. Though there is no standard way to measure the quality of an international school, multiple indicators can be examined to at least provide a general sense of how well any particular school performs in relation to others, including accreditation status, resources, support systems, diversity and quality of learning (measured not only by standardized assessments, but through the impact of students). In most cases this type of comparison places international schools in one of three tiers: 1 (high), 2 (mid) or 3 (low), though it’s important to note that the tier in which a school is identified may correlate to its quality, but it does not predict it.

From an employment perspective, the more successful that schools become as seen through this lens, the better the pay and salaries they will provide to their faculty. Thus, while many teachers aim for positions at tier 1 schools, these tend to be the most competitive. In many cases a more viable career path is to gain employment at a tier 2 or even tier 3 school to gain experience, and later apply for positions at other international schools. Additionally, no school is perfect, and many teachers will thrive in any school regardless of its tier. Equally important, the very concept of the tier system can be as harmful as it can be helpful. Schools are organic organizations that grow and evolve over time. The current state of a school may be very different than where it was years in the past.

When considering whether a school is right for you, what matters most is whether you feel that a school’s culture is well-matched to your personal philosophy and goals, and simply whether you are happy being a part of it. Though tier 1 schools provide excellent pay and benefits, they’re often quite large, making it difficult for some to feel as if they fit, and the workload can be very demanding. Conversely, some smaller tier 2 or tier 3 schools may allow more close relationships with colleagues and students, as well as a slower pace. Ultimately, you should aim for the type of school that best matches your personality and career goals.

Status: Most often not-for-profit
Ownership: Typically owned by parents and operated as a foundation school
Accreditation: National (ONESQA) and multiple international (CIS/NEASC/WASC/CfBT)
Fees: High, ranging between THB 400,000 to 925,000 depending on the level
- Additional fees are usually required for enrollment as well
Staffing: Typically employ Western teaching staff, but are willing to hire licensed teachers of any nationality
Student Body: Set cap for any single nationality (20 – 30%)

Status: Most often for-profit
Ownership: Typically owned by a group of investors or a conglomerate
Accreditation: National (ONESQA) and at least one international (CIS/WASC/NEASC/CfBT)
Tuition Fees: Varied, ranging between THB 200,000 to 800,000 depending on the level
- Additional fees are usually required for enrollment as well
Staffing: Usually employ Western teaching staff for core academic subjects and non-Westerners for others
Student Body: Predominantly Thai (50 – 80%)

Status: Exclusively for-profit
Ownership: Typically owned by an individual or family
Accreditation: Typically only has national accreditation through ONESQA
Tuition Fees: Low, ranging between THB 80,000 to 300,000 depending on the level
- Few other fees are required for enrollment or may be waived
Staffing: Usually employ non-Western teaching staff for most positions, or unlicensed Western teachers
Student Body: Almost entirely Thai (80 – 100%)

Tier 1 Salary & Benefits

Monthly Salary (Gross): THB 145,000 – 275,000
THB 28,000 – 60,000 housing allowance or provided housing
Annual airfare (following initial 2-year contract)
Generous responsibility allowances
Annual bonus equivalent to one or one and a half month’s salary
Full health and dental insurance
Pension/retirement fund or contribution
Relocation/settling-in allowance
Shared & personal professional development funds

Tier 2 Salary & Benefits (Highly Varied)

Monthly Salary (Gross): THB 60,000 – 200,000
THB 0 – 40,000 housing allowance or provided housing
Annual airfare (following designated contract period)
Varied responsibility allowances
Annual bonus up to equivalent of one month’s salary
Partial or full health insurance
Pension fund sometimes provided
Relocation/settling-in allowance sometimes provided
Professional development fund

Tier 3 Salary & Benefits

Monthly Salary (Gross): THB 40,000 – 90,000
Housing usually not provided
Annual airfare occasionally provided
Minimal responsibility allowances
Token annual bonus
Minimal insurance provided
Pension fund rarely provided
Relocation/settling-in allowance rarely provided
Limited professional development funding provided, if any

Tier 1 Typical Hire

4-10+ years of experience in international setting
Bachelor’s, master’s or graduate diploma in education
Almost always has teaching license in home country
Exemplary performance in past positions, with strong references

Tier 2 Typical Hire

2-8+ years of experience
In possession or pursuit of education qualification
Often has a teaching license in home country
Solid recommendations from previous employers

Tier 3 Typical Hire

0-4+ years of experience
Bachelor’s degree in any subject
Sometimes has a teaching license in home country
Experience with children or ESL/EFL, sometimes in non-teaching fields

How Can a School’s Accreditation Status Be Verified?

A common concern among many teachers as they search for a position is whether schools that extend offers are in fact accredited by an international organization. Determining this is a simple process: each accrediting body provides a full directory of accredited schools on its website.

How Do International Schools Recruit?

The hiring process for international schools in Bangkok varies as much as the schools themselves. In some cases hiring is driven by time or budget constraints, while in others the aim is to consistently recruit the best international educators from around the globe. Though most international schools in Bangkok follow the Western calendar, knowing how and when differing types of schools recruit is crucial to ensuring that your application is considered.

Tier 1 schools begin their hiring process as early as October or November in preparation for the next school year. Their websites will usually announce the timeline and will accurately display current openings (often through a dedicated recruitment program) as they become available. Most will attend major recruitment fairs, and their hiring is usually conducted there or through direct selection. Hires often have experience in international schools abroad. Keep in mind that turnover at these schools tends to be low, between 12% to 18%, meaning they have very specific positions in mind when recruiting.

Tier 2 schools tend to advertise positions by early January to March, though the range of dates can be even larger given the significant differences between many of the schools that fall into this group. They often rely on a combination of local and international advertising. While this is typically done online, they may occasionally post in some print media in Bangkok as well, including major newspapers and other publications. It is sometimes easier to enter these schools as an English support teacher given their larger ELL populations.

Tier 3 schools often accept applications year round, and may be more inclined to interview and hire applicants even in the summer before the semester begins. Unlike the tier 1 or tier 2 schools, their open positions can be found not only on their websites and in local newspapers, but also in online forums such as ajarn.com. Though it can be significantly easier to find a job at these schools, they will still be more selective than other types of educational institutions.

One of the easiest ways to find out if schools have openings is through their websites. Most international schools in Thailand are members of the International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT), which lists all of its member schools on its website. ISAT also requires that its members have, or be in the process of acquiring, accreditation through CIS, WASC, NEASC or CfBT. Though not a guarantee of excellence, this at least ensures a minimum level of quality.

Visit the ISAT website

In addition to posting positions on their websites, many of the large tier 1 schools tend to hire teachers through recruitment ads and fairs organized by external companies, most commonly International School Services and Search Associates. The appointment of school leaders, excluding internal appointments, occurs almost exclusively through this type of process.

Visit the ISS website

Visit the SA website

While the best options for qualified teachers are through the above services, several other agencies do work with international schools in Thailand, including TES, Teacher Horizons and, less commonly, TIC Recruitment, World Teachers and Edvectus. Regardless of whether you opt for a agency of this type or apply directly (if that option is available), it is crucial to follow any instruction that is provided. In international education it can be surprising how often applicants fail to do so!

Pathways to Employment at an International School in Bangkok

Professional educators, particularly those with teaching licenses in their home countries and several years of teaching experience, needn’t worry about their ability to attract the attention of schools. However, others without the same qualifications often face a less direct path. Though it can be difficult, finding a position at a good international school in Bangkok is still possible through several methods.

Overseas Hires

The simplest and most effective path for aspiring teachers to gain employment at a top school is through gaining the necessary education qualifications and experience in other international schools. In some cases, when living in Thailand is part of the reason for seeking a position, this may mean making the temporary sacrifice of returning home to earn a degree in education and preferably a teaching license.

Many of the mid-tier and top-tier international schools in Thailand do much of their hiring from overseas, including through recruitment fairs held in various locations around the world. This makes it possible to either have direct interviews or apply to schools online. Being flexible in your desired locations means a wider range of possible offers – and the experience that will appeal to the best schools. Though it may mean putting off a return to Thailand for a few years, this method often leads to the most positive outcome.

Local Hires

Every international school can and does hire teachers currently living in Thailand. However, in the case of schools like NIST and ISB, it is less common. The larger schools tend to do the bulk of their recruitment through existing networks, recruitment fairs and advertising positions on their own sites. However, in each annual recruitment cycle virtually every school hires at least one teacher or teaching couple from within Thailand.

One common pathway for advancement is through bilingual schools, or in rarer cases language schools. By building experience in teaching through this method, it’s possible to be hired at a smaller international school and eventually move on to better opportunities. The key in doing this is acquiring a degree in education or teaching qualification while working – either through a Bangkok-based program or by returning home for summer programs in your home country.

Substitute & Part-Time Teaching

In some cases those who already have financial stability or a working spouse have a more indirect route to acquiring a position at a top international school: by applying as a substitute or part-time teacher. Schools with large student populations often have well over 100 full-time teachers on the payroll. This makes it necessary to have a stable group of substitute teachers available to cover classes in cases of illness.

Similarly, large schools may seek part-time teachers for specific roles that don’t justify a full teaching load, though these positions may require specialization in a particular subject. In both cases, for substitute or part-time teaching, the earning potential can sometimes match the salaries of some full-time teachers at smaller schools. More importantly, it offers the opportunity to connect with administrators and other teachers, building a strong professional relationship. In some cases this leads to an offer for a full-time position.

Networking

Perhaps the most open pathway, and also the most uncertain in results, is networking with teachers who currently work at the various international schools. The teaching community can be closely connected, particularly among similar schools, making this an effective way to gain insight into the work environment, requirements and employment possibilities at each one.

Though it may initially seem difficult, beginning to establish this professional network is relatively direct. Many teachers are active on LinkedIn and are connected to their school pages on that site. Additionally, most of the larger schools actively take part in professional development activities or hosts multiple events every year, as NIST does through The Professional Learning Hub. Joining these not only gives the opportunity to interact with professional educators, but also helps you further build your own teaching skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

Several common questions usually arise when people consider transitioning into international education, and in many cases it can be difficult to find accurate information. If you would like to know about a particular aspect of international schools in Bangkok that is not answered here, feel free to leave a comment or contact me directly.

Are demonstration (or laboratory) schools considered international schools? What is the difference?

Despite using English as the medium of instruction for most subjects, schools of this type are not international schools. Though all are overseen by the Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC), two aspects separate them:

A license to operate as a private school versus a license to operate as an international school from the Ministry of Education
A blended curriculum based on the Thai national standards and a foreign curriculum, delivered in English, versus a purely foreign or international curriculum

Since their only national accreditation is through the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA), international schools must typically seek accreditation from outside Thailand for their curricula, which fall outside the scope of the Thai standards. While this does not necessarily mean that all schools do so, most make the attempt in order to become members of the International Schools Association of Thailand and to attract more students. Though some bilingual and demonstration schools also seek foreign accreditation, they face less pressure to do so.

In practice the distinction makes little difference when comparing the best private schools to small tier 3 international schools. Both can offer a similar level of quality, and the former can in fact exceed the latter in some cases.

If a school pays less or charges less, does that mean it's not a real international school?

No. The reality is that some international schools charge substantially less than others and as a result cannot match the salaries of the top schools. This absolutely does not mean that they’re bad schools, nor does it negate their international school status if this has been granted by the Ministry of Education. There is undoubtedly a strong correlation between quality and the amount that is invested into a school, as well as its source of financing. However, a teacher or a child may have an excellent experience in a small tier 3 school, or conversely may have a very poor one in a school with an excellent reputation.

What the best schools ultimately provide is an environment in which layers of support are in place to ensure that the possibility of teachers or students falling through the cracks is minimized, as well as a far greater range of learning opportunities. Simply put, the higher pay and benefits also attract more qualified applicants on average, which directly impacts the quality of learning.

Will an international school hire me if...?

The bottom line is that all of the information presented here will not necessarily apply in every situation. While tier 1 schools usually don’t hire many teachers who are already in Thailand, they still do so occasionally. Though tier 3 schools may be seeking a Westerner first and foremost regardless of background, some might be more selective in demanding qualified applicants. A foreign teaching license will undoubtedly better your chances of being hired by a top school, but those schools will also hire teachers with a specialized degree if you happen to match a particular need, and will then provide the necessary training.

Receiving an offer of employment from a good school is a combination of timing, opportunity and preparation. If you are seriously considering international teaching as a career, the best thing you can do is determine exactly what your goals are, and map out the path that you think will get you there. Keep learning, seek out and network with other educators, and learn to build your own brand.

How can I get a Western qualification in education while living in Bangkok?

It is easy to find international graduate programs in education (and other fields) at Thai universities. However, international schools tend to favor Western qualifications, which are ultimately more useful if you ever decide to return home as well. Multiple options are available to earn a valid Western diploma or degree in education while remaining in Thailand. All are accepted by the Thai Ministry of Education (MOE) and Teachers’ Council in the issuance of Thai teaching licenses.

While the American programs do provide qualifications in education, it’s important to note that they do not include state licensure, as requirements varies from state to state and typically include teaching observations. This list also does not include full online courses, as the MOE has in the past been reluctant to consider them as valid for licensure.

Framingham State University offers a Master of Education in International Teaching onsite at Wells International School and Bangkok Christian College.
University at Buffalo (SUNY) offers a Master of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies onsite at NIST International School.
The College of New Jersey offers multiple graduate certifications onsite at NIST International School, which can lead to a certificate of eligibility to pursue a New Jersey teaching license.
Endicott College offers a Master of Education in International Education onsite at Bangkok Prep.
Keele University previously offered an MBA in Education at Harrow International School (though the program is currently defunct).
University of Bath maintains a study centre at Bangkok Patana School, offering courses that can lead to a Master of Arts in Education or an International Baccalaureate Education Certificate.
The University of Nottingham offers a blended online/onsite Postgraduate Certificate in Education.

Though on-site programs are generally preferable, it’s also possible earn a United States teaching license and/or a master’s in education through an online program: Teach-Now. Despite being online, however, the cost can be just as much as the on-site programs or more in some cases (USD $6,000 for the licensure program and $13,000 for the full master’s). The value of this program versus another would vary depending on your career goals, including whether you intend to remain in Thailand and Asia or eventually relocate.

What is needed to receive a teaching license in Thailand?

There is an enormous amount of misinformation about the issuance of teaching licenses to foreigners in Thailand. As as of 2017, the MOE and Kurusapa (Teachers’ Council of Thailand) maintain the following standards and policies:

Teachers with licenses in their home countries and/or a degree/diploma in education
- Upon arrival in Thailand, a temporary license is issued.
- During the first year of service, the school should be monitoring and assessing the teacher’s performance.
- Upon satisfactory completion of the first year, a permanent license (valid for five years) is issued.
Teachers without licenses in their home countries or a degree/diploma in education
- Upon arrival in Thailand, a teaching license waiver is issued for a period of two years.
- Kurusapa can issue further extensions based on the school type:
  - International schools can acquire two further two-year extensions for the teacher provided that he/she is pursuing the necessary qualification for a permanent license, and can provide documentation to support that.
  - All other schools can acquire one further two-year extension for the teacher provided that he/she is pursuing the necessary qualification for a permanent license, and can provide documentation to support that.

As with most other policies in Thailand, exceptions can and do occur, and Kurusapa reserves the right to issue waivers and licenses, or deny them. However, these are the current official regulations. It is also worth noting that in order to avoid this requirement, some schools will apply for a work permit under the category of educational personnel, which does not require a teaching license. However, this is technically illegal in cases in which that individual is assigned teaching duties.

Is the workload at a top school worth the higher salary?

This is entirely up to the individual. Top schools do tend to have a more intensive atmosphere, but they also provide much more support in many cases. A common misperception is that the working hours are significantly longer and that little freedom is given. This is inaccurate in both respects. The difference lies in the degree of expectations. Top schools expect teachers to take part in frequent collaborative planning sessions, professional development and other activities; this means virtually no downtime during work hours. If you enjoy a more dynamic, fast-paced work environment, these schools are definitely a good option.

Those who prefer a slower pace would likely enjoy working in a smaller school. There may be frustrations in other respects, but many schools of this type provide a relaxed environment in which you’re free to pursue your own interests and offer more personal support to your students.

The post A Guide to Teaching at International Schools in Bangkok appeared first on Jared Kuruzovich.

From STEM to STEAM: Defending the Arts in Education

Jared Kuruzovich — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 08:53:59 +0000

The arts in education are under attack…again. Faced with faltering economies, ballooning deficits and stagnant job markets, governments around the world have again begun proposing budget cuts and reforms, all targeted toward eliminating music, visual art and drama in schools. In the United States last month, hundreds of Boston students staged protests against cuts to humanities classes and resources. The austerity philosophy in the United Kingdom has led to a steady erosion of arts in the public sector. In Japan over 25 universities will downsize or entirely jettison their liberal arts programs.

Worldwide, the arts in education have been labeled superfluous, while vocational learning and STEM—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—take center stage. The claimed rationale? To solve the crises we face, we must prepare students with the technical competencies they need to contribute to the workforce. Yet this belief fundamentally overlooks the contributions of arts and humanities in education, and in fact completely disregards what employers themselves seek in new hires.

The calls for STEM-based education largely arise from the perception that the sciences produce necessary skills, whereas the humanities merely develop an appreciation for the arts. This is categorically wrong. The collective research into the impact of the arts consistently demonstrates a strong positive correlation with higher academic performance in all subjects, greater student engagement and increased problem-solving skills (Dwyer, 2011, p. 16). Far beyond benefiting individual students, this influence “can spill over into instrumental and public values, such as the development of social capital and economic growth” (Fuqua, 2008, p. 36).

Even scientists recognize the central importance of the arts in their field. Professor of neurosurgery Rex Jung argues that “even though creativity is innate, it needs to be cultivated”—a sentiment echoed by many other mathematicians, scientists and researchers (Ossola, 2014). The humanities provide a means to nurture the creative modes of thinking that can be applied in the sciences, whether through music, drama or visual art. Offering these opportunities as early as possible is critical, as “without the time to do this as children, learning how to do it later in life may be more difficult” (Ossola, 2014).

More importantly, allowing children to experiment and explore through arts in education encourages the development of other key skills, including communication, risk-taking, leadership and collaboration. A young child who steps foot on a stage, having memorized dozens of lines of dialogue, will naturally begin to develop greater confidence and mastery of language, as well as the ability to work with others. Cranston and Kusanovich (2014), albeit in the context of adult learning, even demonstrate that drama can enhance ethical leadership—a trait sorely lacking in those who contributed to the global financial crises of the past decade.

A young child who steps foot on a stage, having memorized dozens of lines of dialogue, will naturally begin to develop greater confidence and mastery of language

Developing these “soft skills” not only makes sense from an intuitive standpoint, but also an economic one. A large survey of employers indicated that “skills such as oral communication, critical thinking, creativity and teamwork ‘trump basic knowledge and skills, such as reading comprehension and mathematics,’ for career success” (McNutt, 2014). The annual National Association of Colleges and Employers report consistently reinforces these findings, providing an almost identical list annually. The bottom line, reinforced through years of data, is that “Employers also want new hires to have technical knowledge related to the job, but that’s not nearly as important as good teamwork, decision-making and communication skills, and the ability to plan and prioritize work” (Adams, 2014).

The cultivation of the arts in education to encourage the development of these soft skills simply isn’t present in many schools. While public education continues to falter in this respect, international education has taken a lead in developing programs and facilities that blend the sciences and humanities. Schools in Thailand such as International School Bangkok (ISB), Bangkok Patana School (BPS) and NIST International School (NIST) create enrichment programs that specifically target the development of soft skills, often combined with a service element to cultivate ethical awareness and action.

In March of 2016 ISB hosted the Tournament of Minds, a group competition that requires students to blend science, math and the performing arts in solving challenges. BPS students regularly take part in the annual Readers’ Theatre competition, in which they must perform a dramatic reading of a children’s book. NIST recently launched its MakerSpace, a creative area where elementary students can freely tinker and experiment. The school’s musical theatre teachers write, script and score their own productions, and provide students with the opportunity to be involved throughout the process.

Through arts programs such as these, and many more, international schools are taking a lead in systematically enhancing student learning in all areas, including STEM. The strength of their academic results and graduates suggests that they’re on the right track, and perhaps governments and administrators around the globe should take note. David Edwards penned an article for The Atlantic that says it all: “American Schools Are Training Kids for a World That Doesn’t Exist”. His compelling argument backs the approach international schools are taking, and his final words are a call to action: “The time is now to support the role of learning in the pursuit of discovery and to embrace the powerful agency of culture” (Edwards, 2014).

He falls short only in one respect: the issue is not confined to American schools. As a global society, we must acknowledge that STEM alone will not develop the creative thinkers we need to bring our economies back on track, nor will it provide employers with the thoughtful, conscientious workers they desperately seek. STEAM is what we need: a little more fire, passion and creativity through the inclusion of the arts in education.

References

All images courtesy of NIST International School

Adams, S. (2014). The 10 Skills Employers Most Want In 2015 Graduates. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2014/11/12/the-10-skills-employers-most-want-in-2015-graduates/#1e29c31619f6
Cranston, J., & Kusanovich, K. (2014). More Drama in School Leadership: Developing Creative and Ethical Capacities in the Next Generation of School Leaders. Canadian Journal Of Educational Administration And Policy, (151).
Dwyer, M. C., & President’s Committee on the Arts and the, H. (2011). Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America’s Future through Creative Schools. President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
Edwards, D. (2014). American Schools Are Training Kids for a World that Doesn’t Exist. Wired. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/2014/10/on-learning-by-doing
Fuqua, J. (2008). The Curtain Rises: How Community-Based Arts Contribute to Youth and Community Development. Afterschool Matters, (7), 34-42.
McNutt, M. (2014). There Is Value in Liberal Arts Education, Employers Say. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/news/college-of-tomorrow/articles/2014/09/22/there-is-value-in-liberal-arts-education-employers-say
Ossola, A. (2014). Scientists Are More Creative Than You Might Imagine. The Atlantic. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/11/the-creative-scientist/382633

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You’re Not Just a Number

Jared Kuruzovich — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 15:08:08 +0000

In the 1950s famed educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom proposed a classification of learning objectives that has since become one of the most influential theories in the education world. Identifying three domains—cognitive, affective and psychomotor—Bloom demonstrated that cognitive skills build upon one another, moving toward higher levels of learning. Knowledge, representing the memorization and retention of information, is identified as the lowest rung of this taxonomy. Now, over 50 years later, education has yet to fully address the impact of that statement.

our understanding of intelligence and learning has evolved far beyond the ability to list capitals or memorize historical dates.

The reality is that our understanding of intelligence and learning has evolved far beyond the ability to list capitals or memorize historical dates. We’ve come to understand that success in school and the workplace depends on far more. As voiced most famously by Google in recent months, most industries are increasingly seeking employees who possess abstract skills, including leadership, creativity and flexibility. More importantly, they want these employees to be capable of communicating with others effectively with clarity and empathy. But where do we see these skills on student progress reports? How do we know if they are good communicators or passionate participants in community service?

Yet despite being backed by research, demanded by universities and supported by employers, the teaching of these skills is still a secondary concern at many schools around the world. Though they try to align their philosophies and curricula to these new understandings, they are all too often grounded in an old-fashioned mindset that depends on the delivery of knowledge and standardized testing. Those that do succeed still often fail to realize that the universities themselves no longer want the straight-A student in every case. They want to know what makes students different. They want to hear their stories.

Education needs something different, and a small number of top schools around the globe have begun working together on a new initiative that aims to not only incorporate 21st century skills into their programmes, but also provide universities and employers with the means to evaluate them. Zurich International School in Switzerland, Yokohama International School in Japan and NIST International School in Thailand—all three International Baccalaureate schools—worked collaboratively this year in the launch of the Global Citizen Diploma (GCD), an optional qualification that will be offered alongside the high school and IB diplomas.

As universities and employers have increasingly acknowledged, traditional grades simply do not provide enough information about the abilities and strengths of students. The GCD focuses on the abstract skills that existing programmes do not directly measure, requiring students to reflect on their growth in areas such as leadership, community service and global citizenship. Because students in schools such as NIST already take part in numerous activities that develop these skills, the GCD does not require a great deal of extra work, but rather their willingness to explore the meaning of their experiences through reflections and presentations.

Through the GCD, a student without top grades could demonstrate to universities that he led an initiative to solve development problems in a small rural village. Another could showcase the photography project she undertook to raise funds for abused women in a neighboring country. Yet another could produce a video documenting the launch of his own technology business. All too often students like these are measured by a number—a number that says nothing about their capabilities or potential for success. The GCD gives them the opportunity to tell their stories and reveal what makes them unique as learners.

Since its creation the GCD has generated a positive reaction from universities, while the students who chose to pursue it alongside their IB diplomas have described an experience that enabled them to confidently express their passions and abilities to others. More importantly, it helped them develop and demonstrate the skills that both universities and employers are so desperately seeking. Though the GCD is an option for students at the participating schools, it clearly fills the existing void and offers the means for students to tell their stories, and to connect learning experiences in a way that once again makes education relevant to the needs of a changing world.

You’re not just a number.

Though I had written this as an editorial for work, it aligns with my own beliefs about the changes needed in education and the need to develop future leaders through holistic learning.

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One Hundred Dollars Poorer and a Lifetime Richer

Jared Kuruzovich — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 15:13:30 +0000

The smiling man said his name was Jake and, in my jet-lagged mind, that was enough. I followed him out of the Incheon Airport to a minivan, threw my bag in and sank back against the seat. Following the advice of a friend, I was moving to South Korea to teach English for a year or two to pay off my student loans. Little did I know that I had just stepped into a taxi—and had taken the first step toward a completely different life.

As a fresh university graduate, with a shiny and purportedly useless degree in English, I didn’t have any definite plans for my future. Born and raised in rural Wisconsin, I expected a storybook life: remaining close to home, finding a decent job, getting married and buying a house. A semester abroad in Scotland had sparked a love of travel, but I never imagined settling overseas.

The decision to work just outside of Seoul in an English language school seemed easy. A free flight and free apartment would allow me to pay off my loans quickly, and I would get the chance to travel while also deciding on a master’s program for my return home. Sitting in the minivan with my stout new friend, I began asking about the school. “How many other foreign teachers are there?” “Are the students already proficient in English, or just beginning?”

His confusing answers took a turn for the worse when he asked me a question of his own: “Where should I go?” That’s when it dawned on me. It was almost midnight, and I was sitting in a taxi with someone who was just as clueless as I was. Neither of us had any idea of where we were going.

My thoughts racing, I remembered that the real Jake, the director of the school, had sent an email with his contact information, and the now-revealed taxi driver drove through the streets until finding an neon-illuminated internet cafe. Tracking down the email, I borrowed a phone and reached a very concerned Jake, who arranged to meet the taxi near the expressway.

Waiting on the side of the road, bag in hand, I watched the two of them talk through glazed eyes until Jake turned to me with an apologetic smile. “He says that you have to pay him a hundred dollars.” Numb and too exhausted to argue, I pulled out a crisp bill and handed it over. One hundred dollars gone in the blink of an eye. As we drove to my small apartment, I debated in my mind. Was I really that unprepared for living alone in a completely alien country? Should I just book a flight back home in the morning?

I took a risk.

A rough introduction to life in Asia soon turned into an unexpectedly enjoyable experience. Being at the front of a classroom felt natural, and rather than return home after my loans were paid off in full, I stayed and opened a school of my own with a Korean partner. I never looked back.

The risks that came after never quite felt as daunting as those first long hours in South Korea. Traveling alone around the world, moving to Thailand with no plans, turning in my resignation without a new position lined up. Every risky decision since has brought the greatest rewards, and life in Asia has fundamentally transformed that young boy from Wisconsin.

Many of those I grew up with remain in my small town. Some have moved farther afield, finding work and starting families in other states. Though I still hold memories of living that life, it’s no longer me. My road has been filled with unexpected turns, and the most rewarding experiences in my life have come from embracing them. Taking a risk in your career or life can be frightening, and you may lose something in the process. But in my experience, the risks have led to a far richer life.

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