Send us a text This is the second of several 'Quickcasts' to introduce listeners to vendors and presenters at the 2025 IB Global conference in New Orleans. This episode features Robert Kohnert, a coordinator of advanced programming in Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). Robert uses his experience in MPS to drill down into what is working and what could be improved to help students who take up the Diploma Programme. He has three steps to share with attendees: how to get students into the DP classes...
Jul 05, 2025•14 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Send us a text This is the first of several 'Quickcasts' to introduce listeners to vendors and presenters at the 2025 IB Global conference in New Orleans. This episode features Rachel Bodily, co-founder of Eblana Learning. We did a full podcast with Rita Bateson the other co-founder a few months ago. Check that out here . Rachel gives a sneak peek at the session they are offering at the IBGC 2025 and talks about the mission of Eblana Learning. We also talk about the free upcoming Eblana session ...
Jul 03, 2025•12 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Send us a text Returning guest Novadene Miller is a skilled and motivational teacher. She draws from her experience earning a doctorate in Geography to bring multiple perspectives and resources to the classroom. In this episode she shares how her Humanities students build cross-disciplinary skills like critical thinking, collaborative skills, and research skills while engaging in many different activities both in and out of the classroom. She also talks about the many resources that can be used ...
Jun 27, 2025•45 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Send us a text Do you need to get your teachers official IB training that doesn't break the bank? Did you know that schools can request specific subjects and categories of training that come straight to you? In this episode, Casey Strecker of Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) and I go over the advantages of in-school workshops. We talk about how to order them, the responsibilities of the host school, and how to use them to get your staff the training that fits your school's needs. Note: The 'blen...
May 19, 2025•33 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Send us a text The MAGIC-T model is at the center of education at the Prem International School in northern Thailand. Creative director of the school, Alex Soulsby explains how using arts and culture as a focus works so well in an IB continuum school for all ages and IB Programmes. He shares how visiting arts and culture practitioners bring their perspectives directly into the curriculum and themselves take advantage of the school's resources available in return. There is resource exchange betwe...
May 12, 2025•47 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Send us a text Rita Bateson has been part of MYP evolution since the days of the 'Next Chapter'. Today, she is still engaged in the Enhanced MYP and has researched how AI is going to influence the Approaches to Learning (ATLs) in all IB Programmes. Along with Rachel Bodily , they have co-founded Eblana Learning which is a central repository of resources, training, consultancies and both online and in-person courses. Rita’s LinkedIn Eblana Learning LinkedIn Rita’s Substack Rita will be in-person ...
Mar 14, 2025•47 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Send us a text Our guest, Chaahat Dhall, from Fountainhead School in Surat, India has some great ways she engages her MYP students. From human libraries, to silent debates, to advisory circles and beyond, Chaahat shares some of the many resources she uses throughout the year. Chaahat was also one of Jiana Shah's MYP teachers, so you can learn from one of the teachers who influenced Jiana as she developed her skills as an MYP student. The list of resources Chaahat has shared is too extensive for ...
Jan 05, 2025•43 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Send us a text Jiana Shah is back, two years after we first spoke. Then, she was a 14 year old 9th grader looking forward to the end of the MYP and the beginning of her Diploma Programme journey. Jiana began in the PYP as a kindergartner and is now a Diploma Programme junior well on her way to completing her entire school experience as an IB student. This makes her an excellent person to talk to about the rollercoaster experience as she navigates the challenges and accomplishments of the IB stud...
Dec 22, 2024•52 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Send us a text Smriti Sajjanhar from Genesis Global School shares her expertise in using Play-based Learning (PBL) with students in her PYP school. She shares great anecdotes telling how PBL has transformed the way students learn and even think about their learning. Teachers, students, and parents engage in open-ended explorations without preset objectives for the children. These sessions result in often surprising results - and that's the point. Kids learn things and go on adventures, inside an...
Oct 09, 2024•40 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Send us a text We are releasing several quick casts featuring presenters at the IB Global Conference in Washington D.C. July 25-28, 2024 Use the hashtag #IBGC2024 to see what's happening on social media Session title: Optimizing the IB Personal Project with student-led mentorship This session is on Saturday, July 27th at 2:00 p.m. in Chinatown M3 Our guest, Hoonseok Ho (a MNIB MYP Coordinator) summarizes his session. Hoonseok: Speaks of the journey his school, Sejong Academy, has been on Ssummar...
Jul 25, 2024•16 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Send us a text We are releasing several quick casts featuring presenters at the IB Global Conference in Washington D.C. July 25-28, 2024 Use the hashtag #IBGC2024 to see what's happening on social media Session title: Humanizing Personalized Learning in the MYP. - This session is on Saturday, July 27th at 11:15 a.m. in Georgetown M1 Our guests, and MNIB teachers, Sami Peterson and Danielle Vanderlinde summarize the session. Together, they: Briefly summarize the session Talks about what they're e...
Jul 24, 2024•10 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Send us a text We are releasing several quick casts featuring presenters at the IB Global Conference in Washington D.C. July 25-28, 2024 Use the hashtag #IBGC2024 to see what's happening on social media Towards school-wide adoption: increasing access for all students. This session is on Saturday, July 27th at 11:15 a.m. in Archives M4 Our guest, Melissa Cuculich, summarizes her session with her co presenter Renee Illhardt. Melissa: Briefly summarizes the session Talks about what she's excited ab...
Jul 23, 2024•9 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Send us a text Vikas Pahwa returns to talk about the many roles we play in our careers as educators. From teacher, mentor, colleague and leader to parent, learner, and counselor, we wear many hats throughout our lives. Vikas shares much of what he has learned about finding balance and trying new ways to be effective both in and out of the classroom. Email IB Matters: IBMatters@mnibschools.org Twitter @MattersIB IB Matters website MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website Donate to IB Mat...
Jul 17, 2024•34 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Send us a text Judy Imamudeen shares her experiences making connections with teachers around the world through her popular blog and educator book club. She also talks about the upcoming changes in the PYP and how to keep yourself healthy as you help young people reach their potential. Links from Judy https://judyimamudeen.com/ Six AI Techniques for PYPC The 2024-2025 Book Club Guidelines and Reading Schedule. Recommended books The Art of Coaching Teams by Elena Aguilar. Better Conversations by J...
May 30, 2024•33 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Send us a text The PYP, like all IB Programmes, is a dynamic and evolving framework of best practice. Our guest, Cindy Blackburn is well placed to guide us through the ins and outs of the Primary Years Programme in her role as a leader at Toddle. Toddle is a global platform for IB teachers helping them organize and collaborate to improve their teaching an d to streamline some of the processes within IB schools. Links shared by Cindy: School Leaders Project Podcast Learn more about Toddle 5 Steps...
May 20, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Send us a text In April of 2019, we set out to offer information about the IB for a Minnesota audience. Little did we know that it would grow to be heard in over 170 countries and become a labor of love for all things IB and a celebration of the global educational community! As we begin what we're calling 'Season 4' please join us in helping to use this podcast as a tool to improve the teaching and learning in your own school. Folks have found many creative ways to use our content such as preque...
May 15, 2024•6 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Send us a text in this episode we talk to Nate Samuelson from Korea International School about his project called The Snapshots Project and a course he created called ‘Design Your Impact’. Not only will your students be invited to participate, you are encouraged to replicate Nate’s ideas in your own school or region. Imagine a school district or an IB regional association creating their own version of the Snapshots Project concept. Either way, Nate’s collection of student service projects will s...
Feb 27, 2024•35 min•Season 3Ep. 26
Send us a text In this episode we return to speak to Novadene Miller - this time we talk about making effective transitions when changing schools or changing roles within a school. But our conversation ranged widely from teacher skill sets in IB and international schools to how to better include new teachers into the culture of a school. Novadene shares many of her personal experiences as a Jamaican native navigating European international schools. You might be surprised how transferable those e...
Feb 05, 2024•58 min•Season 3Ep. 25
Send us a text In this episode we talk to six students and their CAS coordinator from Exeter College in Devon County, England. As the third in a series of interviews with IB students around the world: first in the US (here in Minnesota) and then in India and now the UK, listeners will hear the similarities and the differences in how IB schools introduce CAS and then support students in this core aspect of the IB Diploma Programme. This episode confirms the value of this unique piece of the puzzl...
Jan 09, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 24
Send us a text This is part one of a series of episodes exploring the role of AI in the future of education. AI is here to stay and we need some tools and a plan to make the most of this transformative technology. A ruj Khaliq from Pakistan shares great ideas to start us on this journey! In this recording Aruj lays out the challenges but also the potential for AI to transform our schools. We discuss the need to rethink some assessments in light of AI’s presence, and Aruj gives us some guidance o...
Dec 11, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 23
Send us a text In this episode we return to talk to Vikas Pahwa from Shiv Nadar School in Gurgaon, India - but we are actually featuring some of his students who are sharing their CAS experiences. If this sounds familiar to regular listeners, that’s because we are going back to back with CAS related podcasts. Last episode it was students from my backyard in Minnesota. This time the students are from northern India. I’m sure you will be struck by the similarities in student responses and the ways...
Nov 09, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Send us a text In this episode, we talk to four IB Diploma candidates about their CAS (Creativity, Activity & Service) experiences. Evan Whipple , Jynx Taylor , Lolu Ogunleye , and Audrey Mochama are all seniors at Champlin Park High School in Minnesota. CAS includes both sustained and one-time experiences. As you'll hear, these often lead to unexpected benefits for both the community and the students themselves. We also speak with their DP Coordinator, Ashley Brown , about how CAS is a key ...
Oct 24, 2023•35 min•Season 3Ep. 21
Send us a text In this episode we return to talk to Sonia Singh , a school principal at Sreenidhi International School in Hyderabad, India about her school’s initiative to focus on high quality learning. While this may seem like an obvious goal of any school, Sonia has some great advice and suggests a road map to ensure your school, like hers, keeps everyone focused on this critical work in the context of being an IB World School with several other influences, such as local, state, and even nati...
Oct 15, 2023•40 min•Season 3Ep. 20
Send us a text In this episode we talk with John Moore from Shaker Heights, Ohio. The Shaker Heights City Schools have made the choice to de-track their schools in an effort to better prepare all their students for success in high school classes, including their robust IB Diploma Programme. Theirs is a pre-K through 12th grade IB district and John speaks eloquently about the need to be true to the IB mission and the IB curriculum framework as they work to lift every student. The journey has been...
Sep 14, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 19
Send us a text In this episode we talk to our MN Assc of IB World Schools (MNIB) President, Sarah Wernimont, about the process we used this past year to develop our MNIB mission statement. You’ll hear it was a journey that I found challenging but very rewarding in the end. While we have just begun implementation of the new mission, we are both excited about the path that has been created by this work. I hope you can find pieces of this process useful to you whether you are in an IB Association y...
Jul 25, 2023•25 min•Season 3Ep. 18
Send us a text in this episode we return to talk to Novadene Miller . She was a guest in season 2 (episode 18) but she has now moved to a high school in Geneva and speaks about the connected IB classroom. Novadene has a PhD in physical geography, and is an active researcher in her professional field. She brings the world into her classroom and the students into the world. She does this through authentic interdisciplinaary skill building and a focus on transfer skills. She has many examples of co...
Apr 11, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 17
Send us a text In this episode we talk to author, and IB high school assistant principal, Brad Sever about his new book, ‘ Sustainable Project Based Learning ’. Brad’s experience in an IB school makes him an excellent resource to help us navigate the intersection of the IB framework of learning and project based learning. Brad’s book provides a sustainable roadmap for teachers to ensure student learning is measured and an intentional part of teacher collaboration. Think of the book as a tool to ...
Feb 20, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Send us a text in this episode we talk to Cody Alderson from the University of New Brunswick in Canada. Cody is the director of the IB Educator Certificate Program at UNB. Cody and I talk about the many aspects of this great partnership between global universities and the IB. If you are looking to get a head start on becoming an IB teacher, or to expand your already awesome IB teaching skills, the IB Educator Certificate program could be a great fit. There are four levels of IBEC, so if you are ...
Jan 27, 2023•33 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Send us a text When a school makes the effort to become an IB World School through a years-long period of reflection and self evaluation, the entire school agrees to embark on a continuous journey of self improvement. In this episode, we talk to Jaya Sharma , an experienced IB school leader about the school improvement plan required of all IB schools. Jaya shares highlights from her school’s plan and how they engage all stakeholders in the experience. You’ll see that when you focus on a particul...
Jan 20, 2023•36 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Send us a text In this episode we return to talk with Bhavna Mathew from India about the role of action in the IB. As Bhavna says, Action is BIG! It is through action that we come closest to realizing the vision of the IB founders when they imagined a better and more peaceful world. If you would like to inspire students to take action as a result of your teaching, listen to what Bhavna shares in this conversation and be sure to check out the links in the podcast notes. Especially the ‘Wakelet’ w...
Dec 31, 2022•42 min•Season 3Ep. 13
