Learning, Leading & Innovating

We live in a world that has never been faster, a time of rapid change and instant international connections. Most of our human endeavor has been devoted to improvements in our social systems that have, in turn, allowed us to flourish and to become leaders in making innovation happen. During the last century alone, we have explored the depths of the seas and the infinity beyond our solar system. These largely positive and transformative times have, however, obscured a growing disconnection with our identity: who we are, and the values that we hold have never been more essential and precious.

Two questions that educators and leaders should ask are: 

* How can new generations of learners be empowered to innovate while being grounded in a strong sense of belonging?
* How can educational advancement be created and led in such a way so as to enable young people to be aware and to build a meaningful life?

The answers to these questions begin to be answered in how we educate young people, how we create a school culture, how we develop growth-oriented collaboration amongst individuals and across the school community: between students, educators, and families. 

Situational and transformational school leadership creates a culture that fosters community and individual growth; it enables individuals to take responsibility, to act, and to grow holistically. Moreover, it builds trust and respect as a product of attentive listening and guidance and feedback to everyone in the learning community. 

Communication has a central part in all aspects of leadership in schools. It is of paramount importance to promote engaging communication between parents and teachers throughout the various school divisions as well as to provide a clear and structured vision of the school; a vision that is shaped by all the school's stakeholders.

Within this vision of the learning community, a fundamental aspect is to foster a mindset and a pragmatic view of integrity and generosity so as to better understand the needs of the students, their families, and those educators and staff who support them. 

Modeling a positive attitude, collaborativeness, and a sense of humor will allow students and teachers to express their creativity together and begin the process of an education that secures a good grounding for tapping into their potential. 

 Leading to the Future

 

Schools have always been considered places where students go and receive the information needed to learn new material and concepts and to exercise this habit through the years. The main underlying misconception has been that the more we learn, in relation to quantity, the better we can perform through mere hard work. 

The main change of direction is that hard work in today's societies is shifting from being a central aspect to being just one of the aspects to look after in schooling, family, and relationship. Rather, "hard work" moving to a more focused concept of "deep work" in schools is indeed a critical piece of an equation that is informed by many other fundamental pieces. Educating and leading today means being open and caring towards a whole spectrum of variables which are sometimes invisible to the eye. Being compassionate, sympathetic, and kind as well as being grateful, humble, and patient are skills that are needed to excel with the requests of work changes and well-being. 

* How are we able to relate to others and to listen in a way that we can learn from their experience?
* How much are we able to influence others based on our perspective?

This approach to learning and living is related to fully empathizing with the contexts - particularly the people - that surround us. This sensitivity allows us to change the shape of the thinking that we have and to move from a fixed mindset to a growth-mindset and finally, to an innovator mindset.

To shift from one mindset to another within a learning community means considering schools as places for talent development, and here is where giftedness and intelligence come into place. 

For too long, schools have been places where challenges and obstacles are to be avoided. Criticism, difficult feedback, and the success of others are usually seen as something negative in our children's lives, and we too often struggle to see the bigger picture that is in front of our very eyes. 

* How do we project what we learn today in shaping the future?
* How do we envision and create possible futures together with our learners?

“Leadership for Innovation” means thinking and acting in such a way that challenges and obstacles are sought out and viewed as opportunities to make positive change. Likewise, criticism provides valuable feedback that allows people to view the same matter from different perspectives. Finally, looking at others' progress is something we can learn from, we modify and apply to our context and create our successes.

As leaders, this means looking after the potential of each learner. When using the term 'learner', we consider each participant in the learning community that can make a change for the benefit of the individual and of others. At a practical level, this involves providing constant stimuli for improvement to all the stakeholders of the learning community such as students, parents, and teachers. 

Talent development through practising school enrichment involves parents coming to take classes at school to allow them to experience and improve the school context. It involves asking students to investigate their passions and interests. It means empowering teachers to reflect collectively in understanding why we teach what we teach and how to implement that in the classrooms. 

Leading learners to the future does not mean going to a place that is waiting for them. It is rather about identifying new systems and redesigning our contexts to create something new. Constructivism, as an epistemological stance, maintains that all knowledge is created rather than discovered. Within leadership in education, the creation of meaning and the building of new systems is the why we need an immediate educational shift that invests all of us as change agents.

Dr. Michael Cascianelli,（BES Academic Principal）

* Strong Academic background. He has completed a PhD and a Master Degree in Education from the University of Cambridge. He has obtained an MBA from the US, a PGDE from the University of Strathclyde and a Bachelor of Music from Royal Conservatoire The Hague, the Netherlands.
* He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA) in The United Kingdom.
* He commenced his role as Primary Principal at Istituto Marymount (Bilingual School) and Marymount International School Network in Rome, Italy in 2014. In these schools, he has also demonstrated his excellent leadership skills with a large component of students and teachers as Head of Music & Head of Gifted Education. He has also worked at a High School in the UK.
* He has also worked as Head of International Examinations iGCSEs and A-Levels in the Marymount International School Network.
* He is a Google Certified Educator.
* He has profound knowledge and practices of International and Gifted Education. He published a book titled "Understanding Giftedness - A Guide for Parents and Educators" and many academic articles.
* He has a deep understanding and experience on IB and A-Levels.
* He aims to create a school environment where holistic education, design thinking and personal growth is the norm amongst teachers, support staff, students and families. If that environment is genuinely fostered, then learning will be sustainable between all stakeholders of the entire school community.

Photos: Courtesy of Beijing Enlighten School

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