Culture in the 21st Century Student-Led Conference
March 2019
Research underscores the vital role of creating inclusive spaces for adolescents to explore their identities and actively engage in meaningful discussions. Such environments have been shown to yield a myriad of benefits, including the development of a stronger sense of self, improved cognitive and academic performance, and enhanced psychosocial well-being (Umaña-Taylor et al., 2018). The Culture in the 21st Century Conference at Franconian International School served as a powerful illustration of the impact of these spaces and their potential to prevent radicalization through counter-narratives.
During the conference, more than 40 students from the Middle and High School volunteered as facilitators for discussions focused on cultural identity, student well-being, and anti-racism. By providing a platform for students to share their experiences as third-culture kids living in Germany, the conference not only fostered understanding and empathy but also empowered educators to gain valuable insights into the challenges faced by their students. Increased awareness and open dialogue are also crucial components of any comprehensive P/CVE strategy, as they help build resilient communities and promote inclusivity, fostering a sense of belonging and countering potential radicalization.
The Self, Purpose, and Global Citizenship: Mobilizing School Communities for Student-Led Talks
January 2019
How can we as educators support our students in thinking about personal topics, such as gender identity, in relation to the world around them? How can we make these critical conversations engaging, authentic, meaningful? In sharing with you our experience mobilizing our school community around gender, a theme that impacts and moves us all, we talked about how we initiated a conference-style event whereby students and staff could speak out on gender topics of high personal interest, as well as how the event has inspired us to look toward future events on other themes central to personal identity development within global citizenship education. The aim of this session is to open a space for dialogue to support others working in schools to mobilize their own school communities around critical topics of particular significance.
Presentation can be found here.
Creating a Culture of Thinking: Language
November 2018
What does it mean to use language to create and enhance a culture of thinking? In this session, we looked specifically at how our feedback can help to support a culture of thinking in any learning environment. By developing an awareness of our own phrasing and framing, and having the time to select and analyse the feedback we provide to our students, we were able to identify ways that we can enhance the messages we pass on to our students, preparing them for the 21st century!
Presentation can be found here.
Gender in the 21st Century Student-Led Conference
January 2018
The purpose of this initiative was two-fold: students gained the opportunity to exercise leadership skills and engage in the kind of service learning needed in order to solve real-world issues affecting their communities, while teachers gained the opportunity to develop their practice in the realm of social-emotional teaching and learning. We already know that students ought to be placed at the heart of their learning and development. The Gender in the 21st Century Conference provided such an opportunity and platform. To learn more, click below.
Magazine article can be found here.
The Learning Environment as a Catalyst for ESL Students’ Risk-Taking
November 2016
English language learners (ELLs) are disadvantaged in schools as a result of gaps in knowledge of the English language. In this interactive presentation, FIS Head of ESL, Jessica Davey, and I propose capitalizing on resources in the classroom in order to help ELLs not only access your curriculum, but also to help their curiosity blossom!
Resources can be found here.
Collaboration & Co-Teaching: Team Teaching for Better Learning Outcomes
October 2016
Research shows that when it comes to teaching and learning, two heads are better than one! This professional development opportunity was designed to exhibit how collaboration and co-teaching can work in schools and universities as well as some prerequisites for their implementation.
Presentation can be found here.
Differentiation with the Multicultural Student in Mind
October 2015
As classrooms become ever more diverse, differentiation becomes ever more necessary. This professional development opportunity was a collaborative initiative between Learning Support teacher, Amanda Labs, and I.
Presentation can be found here.
Lorraine J. Kellum 