At Amity International School Amsterdam, we work hard to set our students up for success so they can fulfill their unique potential.Principal NEVILLE KIRTON 

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Continuous Professional Development: Growing as an Educator at Amity Amsterdam

As educators in a rapidly evolving world, we always strive to keep informed of the best practices and foster a culture of continuous improvement. At Amity Amsterdam, we place great emphasis on our educators' professional development. We create a collaborative learning environment to promote growth, both for ourselves as educators and for our students.

In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at what our professional development sessions entail, their connection to learning principles, and our reflective practices.

Amity Amsterdam Professional Development

At Amity International School Amsterdam, one of the ways in which we implement continuous professional development (CPD) sessions is through ‘Reflection Teams’ for our educators. Our Reflection Teams are collaborative groups of educators who regularly come together to share experiences, reflect on their teaching practices, and engage in professional development activities. These teams foster collaboration and provide a space for reflection. In this way, our educators find the opportunity to support each other in refining their teaching strategies and integrating new ideas into their classrooms. More than just routine meetings, these sessions enable us to develop our vision for transformation.

Our Reflection Teams draw on the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) ACE Learning Pathway. By engaging in these sessions, we enhance our skills and ensure that our teaching continually evolves to create reflective, enriching, and student-centred learning environments.

For example, we have a team focusing on creating a shared definition of High-Quality Learning which links to the “Quality Teaching & Learning” Reflection Team. Our educators’ discussions often revolve around improving teaching practices, enhancing learning outcomes, and ensuring that classroom experiences align with both educational standards and the needs of our students. Their projects might focus on ensuring the curriculum is aligned with school goals, standards, and frameworks like the IB. They might focus on high-quality assessments and could train teachers on how to create formative assessments. Also, they can focus on how to implement the IB Learner Profile and use inquiry-based learning in everyday lessons.

Connection to NEASC Learning Principles

The NEASC Learning Principles serve as guidelines to promote meaningful and student-centred learning environments. NEASC outlines 10 key principles, emphasising adaptability, reflection, and active student engagement. These principles encourage schools to be reflective learning communities, where teaching practices are continually reassessed to ensure they meet the needs of diverse learners. They aim to help schools create environments where students actively participate in their learning, take ownership of their progress, and engage in authentic, real-world problem-solving.

During our Reflection Team sessions, we focus on these principles in our Friday after-school CPD discussions. Teachers work to create learning environments where students take ownership of their educational journey. We constantly ask ourselves how we can better foster curiosity and critical thinking in our students, ensuring each learning experience is meaningful and relevant.

Additionally, as we value transformation in our professional development, we are always rethinking our strategies to meet the diverse needs of our students. For example, in our Sustainability Team, we might explore ways to connect environmental issues with students' personal experiences, using outdoor learning opportunities to make the content more engaging. In one session, we discussed developing student-led community projects and focused on service as action and Creative, Action and Service (CAS) experiences, where our students were empowered to initiate projects to improve environmental practices—such as removing the use of paper cups at the school campus.

IB Philosophy in Practice

The IB’s commitment to inquiry-based learning and international mindedness also shapes our professional development and Reflection Team sessions. The IB philosophy promotes a holistic approach to education, integrating intellectual, personal, emotional, and social growth. Our meetings often focus on how we can integrate these four aspects into our classroom practices.

For example, our professional development includes sessions on deepening student inquiry and fostering a collaborative classroom atmosphere that reflects real-world problem-solving. In one of our interdisciplinary discussions, we explored how teachers can collaborate across subjects like science, geography, and social studies to develop projects focused on sustainable development goals. This aligns with the IB’s emphasis on developing well-rounded, critical thinkers who understand the interconnectedness of global challenges.

We regularly reflect on how we can encourage students to engage with global challenges, preparing them to become responsible, thoughtful citizens.

The Role of Reflective Practice

We believe that professional development must be rooted in the latest educational research. During our CPD sessions, each Reflection Team assesses its methods, shares insights, and offers constructive feedback. We explore and share insights from recent educational research on pedagogical practices, effective classroom routines, and neuroscience. This research not only drives self-improvement but also ensures we are continuously enhancing our students’ learning experiences.

For instance, during our in-school training days, our teachers focused on “Concept-based Inquiry for Sustainability.” Some of the objectives included exploring the relevance of concept-based teaching to sustainability education and developing conceptual understandings based on a foundation of knowledge and skills framed by global issues. Educators might share strategies for engaging students in global environmental challenges or explore ways to incorporate sustainable practices into daily classroom activities. In one recent session, we discussed sustainability as a holistic approach encompassing mind, body, and community. We brainstormed how we can display our commitment to sustainability in every aspect of our school, from exploring nature in our Forest School to practising mindfulness through yoga, CAS activities, and fundraising, as they all play a role in our sustainability journey now.

With these objectives in mind, we believe that as educators, we transferred pedagogical insights into our written curriculum and daily classroom practices. This training also supported deeper investigations and wider explorations within all our Reflection Teams.

Conclusion

Our Reflection Teams and professional development sessions provide a vibrant platform for us to grow as educators. By aligning our practices with the NEASC Learning Principles and the IB philosophy, we not only improve our own skills but also create dynamic, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences for our students. At Amity Amsterdam, our ongoing process of reflection and collaboration fosters a culture of learning that benefits everyone in our community.