A two-day online conference ‘Schools Now! Conference 2022’ was held by the British Council on 9th and 10th March. The conference was open to all British Council Partner Schools i.e schools that offer UK Qualifications.
Many seasoned professionals from multiple circles of life were present during the conference.
The keynote speakers present during the event included Evelyn Forde, Headteacher Copthall School UK; Rukhsana Hassen, Co-founder Iman Academy; Afshan Khalid, Beaconhouse School System, Pakistan and Sara Yasan, Regional Education Specialist UNICEF MENA.
Also present during the event was Victoria Wells, Head of Sport and SEND Inclusion, Youth Sports Trust, UK; Sally McWilliam, Wellbeing and Support Officer, Oxfordshire Teaching School Alliance, UK; Dina Hassan, El Odessy Deputy Director, Alexandria International School, Egypt; and Douglas Wood, Head Value Add Products & Services, British Council.
The conference was facilitated by Alison Willmott who is an experienced education consultant, lecturer, and writer. She teaches Postgraduate and Undergraduate primary education courses at St. Mary’s University in London.
British Council’s ‘Schools Now! Conference 2022’ is a global event that fosters pedagogical innovation across British Council Partner Schools.
The conference is a brilliant networking opportunity where school leaders from around the globe get to share experiences and knowledge. It aims to bring together leaders and educational managers from all partner schools to teach them more about the key areas of international education while sharing their ideas, experiences and vision with like-minded peers.
In the previous Schools Now! Conferences, British Council Partner Schools have covered many enlightening themes such as resilience and innovation in schools. Following the same vision, the theme for the 7th annual Schools Now! Conference for 2022 was Leading Recovery: Curriculum, Community, and Wellbeing.
Exploring the theme of recovery after a global pandemic, the conference discussed COVID-19’s effects on the education system along with the mental health and wellbeing of the staff and students.
The online event brought teaching professionals from all around the world to discuss and embrace the new challenges of this ever-changing landscape.
It reflected upon the efforts of school leaders in supporting their learning communities through testing times and to learn from those challenges. Keynote speakers presented their ideas on how to improve learning outcomes to support the mental health and wellbeing of the learners.
The conference also held discussions on how school leaders can plan long-term solutions to create inclusive learning environments that can support equity for gender, different abilities, and identities.
The program explored specific areas such as physical education and outdoor learning and the importance of using innovative ways to bring the learning environment to life.
Speaking on the importance of active recovery for all children, Victoria Wells, Head of Sports and SEND Inclusion, Youth Sports Trust, UK, said, “Despite well-established benefits of physical activity on mental and physical health for young people, throughout the world, children and young people reported being less active during periods of lockdown.”
She added, “As pupils return to educational institutions, educators are invited to prioritise fun and enjoyment through physical activity to boost morale and uplift their spirits.”
Talking about the power and purpose of Data Literacy in a post-pandemic world, Rukhsana Hassen, Co-founder, Iman Academy, Sri Lanka, said, “For educators, being data literate means gathering and managing data, handling its shortcomings and interpreting what is essential to fulfil a purpose.”
She added, “Data Literacy training can empower educators to identify, empathise and reach out to students’ academic and socio-economic needs by making informed decisions using data as a tool to make informed decisions and bring a positive change.”
As schools around the globe navigate the disruptions caused by COVID-19 and plan for a post-pandemic future, educators have had to question long-held beliefs, unlearn what they once knew, and reimagine learning.
Conferences such as these are crucial to bring together educators from all over the world under one umbrella so that they can remedy the situation and face such challenges head-on in the future.
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