Learning is like riding a bike...

"Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving." - Albert Einstein

Einstein was right about many things, including how to ride a bike – stop moving and you fall off. The same can be said for learning – you can’t stop pedaling. This applies not only to students, but also to teachers. Education changes - often for the better - teachers learn, adapt and refine their craft accordingly. Sadly, some schools neglect teachers’ professional development as it is a costly investment, not just financially, but also in terms of human resource. However, by doing so, classroom practice and therefore outcomes and the learning experience for students begin to wilt. Over time, standards erode and what were once good schools find themselves at the bottom of the pile.

BIS HCMC, like all good schools, takes professional development and the lifelong learning of our teachers very seriously. This week alone, Jane Hall, Matt Lambert and Waq Shah were awarded their Middle Leadership certificates from Nord Anglia University. After 10 months of study, action-based research and an in-depth academic review, they were congratulated by Mr Mincher on their efforts and commitment to professional development. In the same vein, on Tuesday, all teachers participated in a ‘speed dating’ event, not to make new friends, but to share excellent resources and teaching ideas with one another – continuing the cycle of learning from peers that is well-established at BIS. As I type this, colleagues in the History, Mandarin and Design Technology departments are boarding flights to Bangkok for IB workshops – extending both their working weeks and horizons. This culture helps to create innovation in the classroom, fulfilled teaching professionals, excellent outcomes for students and, perhaps above all else, a general buzz that permeates throughout the BIS community.

Lee Falconer, Assistant Headteacher – Teaching and Learning