Red Dragon Education

Helping teachers get qualified through the partner universities: IPGCE, IQTS, MA, QTS Assessment Only and IQTS. We've worked with over 1000 teachers to realise their dreams of finding a great job.

Co-Founder

Set up the company and worked with a range of local and international schools in providing education solutions including:

- Tutoring
- Academic support 
- Revision courses
- A-level lessons and examinations 
- Professional teacher placement 
- School tours
- Boarding school advice
- Entrance exam preparation

Founder

Tutors in China now Mentor

Director

The British International School Shanghai

My main focus was to help with the students' academic achievements across the secondary school. I was helping grow the school from 200 to 1200 students in 5 years of service. After joining the school I quickly assumed more responsibility and helped lead a tutor group team of 15 staff. 

Worked in both the secondary and primary section of the school in the following disciplines as a classroom teacher:
- Geography
- PE
- Science 
- Economics

Deputy Head of School

Evesham High School

Working across the high school in Geography and PE

Head of Geography

I help international schools fix teacher training, recruitment, and leadership.

With 25+ years in education across Asia, I know what schools, teachers, and unis really need. I connect the dots between policy, strategy, and people — and get things moving.

Let's talk if you want to grow your teacher pipeline, build smarter CPD, or expand in Asia
.
My passion is to drive educational innovation, harnessing technology to enhance online and offline learning experiences. I hold an NPQH, a PGCE, and an M.Ed in Educational Leadership and Administration.

We also provide academic support to students planning to attend boarding schools in the UK, US, and Australia and help UK schools enter and succeed in the Chinese market.

John Woodberry

Teachers don’t burn out from hard work.
They burn out from giving their all…
to people who don’t value it.

After leading international schools across countries, I’ve seen this pattern everywhere.

It’s rarely the workload.
It’s the invisibility.

What drains international school staff?

• Emotional labor no one acknowledges
• Big expectations, little autonomy
• “Wellbeing talk” with no structural support
• Giving endlessly to a community that rarely gives back

And what energizes them?

Recognition. Trust. Belonging. Psychological safety.

The strongest schools aren’t the ones with the newest facilities.
They’re the ones where people feel seen and supported—especially when pressure rises.

If you’re leading an international school, ask yourself:

👉 Do your teachers feel valued, or just used to capacity?

Culture decides the answer.

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Talks about #qts, #china, #ipgce, #teachertraining, and #internationalschools

Founder @ Red Dragon Education | International Teacher Training

The red flag no one talks about in education hiring. Silence after an application tells you a lot about a school’s culture. Communication, feedback, and basic courtesy shouldn’t vanish the moment the position is filled.

A simple “thank you for applying” or “you weren’t successful this time” goes a long way. It shows respect for teachers’ time, preparation, and professional dignity.

If a school can’t manage that, what does it say about how it handles internal staff communication?

Recruitment reflects leadership. Say something. Always.

International School Toxicity Bingo 
How many boxes does your (or your previous) school tick?

Some of the most damaging practices in international schools
are hidden behind prestige, tradition, and “this is how we do things here.”

But the impact is real:
burned-out teachers, high turnover, and unstable learning for students.

Let’s call it out.

Here are 10 toxic international school practices we need to stop
(+ 1 that leadership rarely admits):

1️⃣ “We’re a Family” Culture
❌ Guilt replaces boundaries
✅ Professional respect beats emotional pressure

2️⃣ Micromanaged Teaching
❌ Over-observation kills innovation
✅ Trust professionals to teach

3️⃣ Hours ≠ Impact
❌ Staying late becomes a status symbol
✅ Measure student outcomes, not visibility

4️⃣ 24/7 Parent Access
❌ Instant replies expected across time zones
✅ Clear communication boundaries protect staff

5️⃣ No Time to Recover
❌ Constant initiatives, no pause
✅ Sustainable pacing improves learning

6️⃣ Favoritism & Inner Circles
❌ Passports, accents, or connections matter more than skill
✅ Equity starts with transparent systems

7️⃣ Shiny Facilities, Struggling Staff
❌ Marketing over morale
✅ Invest in people, not just buildings

8️⃣ Results at Any Cost
❌ Grades and league tables over integrity
✅ Learning > optics

9️⃣ Initiative Overload
❌ New frameworks every year, no follow-through
✅ Depth beats constant change

🔟 Toxic Leadership Turnover
❌ New heads, same problems
✅ Culture outlives contracts

⚠️ The issue no one wants to name:

11️⃣ Silence in the Name of Reputation
❌ Problems hidden to “protect the brand”
✅ Transparency protects students and staff

What leadership ignores
becomes the school culture.

Final thought:

International schools sell excellence.

But excellence isn’t buildings, brochures, or branding.

It’s how teachers are treated
when no parents are watching.

👇 Your turn:
Which one have you seen?
What did I miss?

♻️ Repost if this resonates with your school experience
Follow me for honest conversations about international education leadership.

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The real crisis in schools isn’t leadership.
It’s paperwork.

School leaders don’t have a leadership problem. They have a bookkeeping problem disguised as one. Let me explain

Somewhere along the way, we turned school leadership into an endless checklist:
budgets, timetables, audits, compliance, ratios, forms, reports.

And we quietly forgot the truth:

You lead people.
You manage things.

But schools flipped it.
They lead the books... and try to manage the people.

Teachers treated like line items.
Students treated like data points.
Parents treated like tasks.
Leaders judged by spreadsheets instead of culture.

And then we wonder why morale is down, burnout is up, and “leadership pipelines” are drying out.

Schools don’t need more management training.
They need more leadership permission.

Permission to:
• spend more time in classrooms than in cost centres
• invest in relationships the way they invest in reporting
• prioritise trust over templates
• lead humans, not handle paperwork

Because people are not machines.
And schools are not operations centres.

When leaders shift back to leading people and managing the books—in that order—everything changes:
Engagement. Culture. Retention. Outcomes.

Leadership is human work.
Management is admin work.
And schools desperately need leaders who do the work only humans can do.

Everyone thinks China’s fertility crisis will kill international schools.
I think it will do the opposite.

Because when a market shrinks, buying power concentrates.

And we’re already seeing it.

For years, the assumption was simple:

Fewer kids = fewer enrollments = school closures.

But here’s the part no one wants to say out loud:

International schools don’t rely on population growth.
They rely on parent priorities.

And priorities in China are shifting fast.

Here’s what’s really happening beneath the fertility-crisis headlines:

---

1. Parents with fewer children invest more per child.

When families go from 2–3 kids to 1, spending doesn’t decrease — it intensifies.
Premium K–12, bilingual tracks, overseas pathways… these markets don’t shrink. They upgrade.

---

2. International education becomes a “mobility insurance policy.”

When domestic competition spikes and economic uncertainty grows, parents look for escape valves:
– foreign passports
– overseas university access
– global-language proficiency
International schools become strategic assets, not luxury goods.

---

3. Talent wars between schools will shape the winners.

Enrollment won’t collapse — but the schools that fail to differentiate will.

Because the new competition isn’t over students.

It’s over teachers.

The next decade will belong to international schools that can:
✔ attract foreign talent
✔ develop bilingual faculty
✔ build globally relevant, locally grounded programs

The others?
They’ll wait for a demographic rebound that isn’t coming.

---

4. The “1-child parent” is becoming the most demanding educational consumer in the world.

They want:
– smaller classes
– elite pathways
– data-driven instruction
– wellbeing support
– guaranteed outcomes

This doesn’t reduce the market.
It raises the bar for value — and that’s a net positive for high-quality schools.

---

The contrarian truth:

China’s fertility crisis won’t destroy international schools.
It will expose them.

The average school loses.
The excellent school wins bigger than ever.

Teachers please.
Talk less. Lead more.
7 tactics that actually work.

If you want to sound smarter, sharper, and more senior — say less.
Here’s how:

1️⃣ End with a period. Then stop. The pause makes people listen.
2️⃣ Plan your three key points before you speak. Guardrails prevent rambling.
3️⃣ Wait for questions. Confidence sounds like silence.
4️⃣ Start with “I’ll keep this brief.” It buys you permission to be direct.
5️⃣ Don’t explain yourself twice. You’re not asking for approval.
6️⃣ Swap weak words for strong ones. Precision is persuasion.
7️⃣ Answer what’s asked. Nothing more.
8️⃣ Sit in the silence. Comfort in quiet is power.

You don’t need more words.
You need more weight behind fewer words.

What’s one tip that’s helped you say less and lead more?

How to say less and mean more

Everyone says international schools should “inspire” teachers and students.
I disagree.

Inspiration is unreliable.
It spikes... then it fades.
(Just like the bottom chart in the image.)

And that’s the trap many schools fall into:
They chase inspiration the way some teams chase “motivation days” or posters with pretty quotes.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

International schools don’t need to inspire people.
They need to build environments where inspiration becomes irrelevant.

Why?

Because when you only try to inspire teachers and students, you get:

short-lived enthusiasm

inconsistent performance

An Initiative that dies as soon as the hype fades

But when you design a school where people can actually fall in love with the work — with learning, with teaching, with curiosity — everything compounds.

Not because they’re inspired.
But because they’re invested.

Consistency beats inspiration.
Culture beats charisma.
Systems beat speeches.

International schools shouldn’t ask:
“How do we inspire our people?”

They should ask:
“How do we build a place where inspiration isn’t needed for excellence to happen?”

When you get that right, the results take care of themselves.

What do you think — should schools stop trying to inspire and start designing better ecosystems?

Schools don’t have a productivity problem.
They have a leadership paralysis problem.

Teachers aren’t struggling to “get things done.”
They’re struggling to navigate layers of approvals, legacy policies,
and a leadership culture that fears the optics of failure more than the cost of inaction.

Here’s the real crisis:

👉 Innovation requires speed.
👉 Schools require permission.
👉 Those two things rarely coexist.

And the irony?

The loudest calls for “innovation” often come from leaders
who haven’t shipped a new idea in years.

The result:

People with half the experience, outside the education system,
are building better learning tools, faster,
while schools wait to “feel ready.”

Schools don’t need more talent.
They need more leaders willing to move before they’re certain.

Readiness isn’t a prerequisite for progress.
Leadership is.

What’s your take — is fear of failure the real barrier to school transformation?

International schools don’t fail because of the curriculum.
They fail because of culture.

You can have IB scores, glossy facilities, and diversity days —
and still have a community that feels fractured.

Because authentic global culture isn’t what’s printed on the walls.
It’s what people carry home in their quiet moments.
And what they tell their loved ones at home.

Leadership isn’t pressure. It’s protection.
10 leadership habits quietly burning out your teachers.

I’ve worked in education long enough to realise something smells rotten:

Teachers aren’t burning out from teaching.

They’re burning out from the behaviours no one wants to admit are harmful.

Last year, a brilliant teacher told me something I’ll never forget:

“I’m not exhausted by the students.
I’m exhausted by the system around them.”

That conversation opened my eyes.
And once you hear it... you can’t unhear it.

Here are the 10 habits quietly burning out your teachers:

1️⃣ Micromanaging every decision
Nothing drains confidence faster than being trusted with a classroom but not with autonomy.

2️⃣ Treating urgency as a leadership style
Every task is “ASAP.” Every deadline is “yesterday.”
Teachers aren’t sprinting — they’re stuck in a never-ending marathon they didn’t sign up for.

3️⃣ Invisible appreciation
A “thank you” in private is nice.
A “thank you” in public is culture-shaping.
Too many teachers get neither.

4️⃣ Ignoring work–life boundaries
If the expectation is:
“Answer emails at night, plan on weekends, attend extra meetings whenever”...
Burnout isn’t a risk — it’s a guarantee.

5️⃣ Providing goals but not support
Teachers will climb mountains for leaders.
But not without the tools, training, or time to get there.

6️⃣ Communicating reactively, not proactively
Last-minute changes.
Mixed messages.
Constant confusion.
Cognitive load becomes emotional load.

7️⃣ Asking for feedback… then doing nothing with it
Nothing breaks trust faster than pretending to listen.

8️⃣ Withholding information
Teachers shouldn’t find out key decisions through rumours.
Uncertainty is its own form of stress.

9️⃣ Constant pivoting
New initiatives. New frameworks. New “non-negotiables.”
All before the last one was embedded.
It’s not innovation — it’s exhaustion.

🔟 Keeping toxic behaviour alive
One unchecked team member can burn out five good ones.
Silence is leadership’s loudest message.

None of these requires extra budget.
None requires new policies.
They require leadership courage.

Because teachers don’t burn out from teaching children.

They burn out from leading without protection, without clarity, and without trust.

Which of these 10 is the real root cause in your school — and should leaders finally start talking about it openly?

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Everyone’s looking at this chart and drawing the same conclusion:
“India grows. China shrinks.
Game over.”

I disagree.

Because population size isn’t the real story anymore.
Productivity is.

And productivity no longer comes from adding more people.
It comes from adding more capability — automation, robotics, AI, and centralized national investment into innovation.

China has that.
Most of South and Southeast Asia... still don’t.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

👉 A rapidly growing population of undereducated, low-skilled workers is not a competitive advantage in 2025.
It’s a liability.

👉 A shrinking population with accelerating productivity can still gain global economic power.

And this is where governance models matter:

One country has a centrally coordinated innovation agenda, 30-year plans, and the ability to deploy capital at scale into strategic industries.

The other inherited a slow, archaic administrative model built for a colonial era — not an innovation era.

I know which horse I’m betting on.

Population charts make great headlines.
But if you want to understand the next decade, look deeper:

• Which countries are automating faster?
• Which are upskilling their workforce?
• Which are building the infrastructure for AI-driven productivity?
• Which has the governance model to execute?

Because the future won’t belong to the countries with the most people.
It will belong to the countries with the most productive people — and the systems that enable them.

LinkedIn isn’t a meritocracy.
It’s a shouting competition.

The loudest voices get the attention.
The boldest claims get the clicks.

But the real world works differently.

The people who quietly win?
They don’t shout. They show up.

N’Golo Kanté is the perfect example.

He didn’t become world-class by:
• Talking the loudest
• Chasing the spotlight
• Taking credit

He became great by doing the work no one was watching.

🛡️ Winning the ball back
💪 Running until the final whistle
🤝 Putting the team before himself
🌍 Lifting the World Cup without changing who he is

No noise.
No ego.
Just impact.

In a world obsessed with visibility, Kanté is a reminder:

You don’t need attention to be powerful.
You need consistency.
You need humility.
You need results.

Not the loudest.
Not the flashiest.
Just unforgettable.

💬 Your turn:
Who quietly inspires you through excellence? 👇

“We just expect resilience.”
"We expect you to have an open mindset to change!"
That’s what unhealthy leaders say before the teachers burn out.

Most international school teachers don’t quit schools.
They quit leaders.

When leadership relies on:

Fear instead of clarity

Power instead of professionalism

Distance instead of dialogue

Even great teachers stop thriving.

Healthy leadership doesn’t lower standards.
It raises people up.

Spotting that difference early can save you years in the wrong school.

What’s one leadership behavior that made you quietly start polishing your CV?

Most school cultures don’t collapse loudly.
They rot quietly.

I call these toxic culture darts — and once they start landing, the damage compounds fast.

Here’s the uncomfortable part:

You don’t need all of them to fail.
A few well-placed hits are enough.

Which ones are landing in your school right now?

• People stop raising problems
• Pushback disappears
• Curiosity fades
• Presence feels optional
• Teams default to safety
• Standards quietly decline

Silence isn’t alignment.
It’s a resignation.

And by the time leaders notice...
The best people are already halfway out the door.

Want to survive your first year as head?
Lead less. Observe more.

Most new headteachers fail because they try too hard to lead.

They rush to prove themselves.
To make their mark.
To fix everything at once.

That’s the trap.

Leadership isn’t about doing more.
It’s about seeing more.

Here’s what experienced school leaders learn the hard way:
❌ Stop trying to be everyone’s friend. Respect beats popularity.
❌ Stop saying yes to every idea. Focus is leadership.
❌ Stop hiding behind data. Walk the corridors instead.
❌ Stop overcommunicating. Clarity > volume.
❌ Stop demanding trust. Earn it, daily.
❌ Stop “leading by example” 24/7. Lead by empowering others.
❌ Stop assuming you’re the smartest in the room. Listen first.
❌ Stop chasing short-term wins. Build long-term culture.

The best new headteachers don’t lead louder.
They lead quieter, sharper, slower — and win faster.

Agree or disagree?

New heads fail because they try too hard to lead.

When Tesla launches a new EV, people call it innovation.
When Xiaomi launches one, people call it copying.

Funny how perception shapes “innovation” more than the innovation itself.

Because here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Most of what we label as “innovation”...
is really just “innovation by the right brand.”

Apple wasn’t the first to build a smartphone.
Tesla wasn’t the first EV maker.
Xiaomi isn’t the first to enter... well, any industry it enters.

But they all follow the same formula:

1. Enter late.
2. Learn fast.
3. Execute better.
4. Price strategically.
5. Market aggressively.

And suddenly the late mover becomes the “visionary.”

Meanwhile, the early mover becomes… a footnote.

Innovation isn’t about being first.
It’s about being better, faster, louder, or cheaper than whoever came first.

And Xiaomi’s EV strategy?
It’s the same strategy every “disruptor” secretly uses:

Borrow what works.

Improve what doesn’t.

Package it for a bigger market.

We don’t celebrate the pioneers.
We celebrate the winners.

Execution is the new innovation.

What do you think —
Is Xiaomi copying, or simply playing the game better?

👇 Curious to hear your take.

This time of year is when culture really matters in international schools. No amount of hoodies, pizza parties, or “fun Fridays” will fix a toxic school culture.

Because perks don’t transform people.
Culture does.

And real culture isn’t built on freebies — it’s built on non-negotiables.

Here are the ones great schools refuse to compromise on:

✅ Respect is the baseline.
Zero tolerance for toxicity — from anyone, in any direction.

✅ Growth isn’t optional.
Students AND staff need opportunities to stretch, learn, and lead.

✅ Psychological safety is sacred.
People speak up when they know they won’t be punished for telling the truth.

✅ Work-life balance is protected.
Burnt-out educators can’t light the way for anyone.

✅ Recognition is consistent — not performative.
People stay where they feel valued, not where they get free pizza.

Perks might create a moment.
Culture creates a movement.

And if the culture is broken?
No hoodie can hide it.

Principals — what’s ONE cultural non-negotiable you’re doubling down on this year?

I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification: PHASE Conference Presenter from PHASE!

PHASE

Planning your next post? Think contrarian. Think emotional. Think: “This says something true about the world — and about me.”

I looked back at my top 10 posts of 2025, and they all shared the same DNA:

1. They tackle BIG, universal topics

Leadership.
Toxic work environments.
Culture.
Values.
Human behaviour.
The stuff everyone feels — but rarely says out loud.

2. They open with a provocative hook

The kind that stops the scroll:
“China’s Bankrupt.”
“No amount of hoodies can fix a toxic school.”
“Meetings reward confidence. Decisions should reward clarity.”
Bold. Tense. Slightly uncomfortable.

3. They’re narrative reflections — not tutorials

The winning structure was simple:
👉 A bold statement
👉 A personal or observational story
👉 A bigger lesson about work or society

4. They tap universal human emotions

Belonging.
Respect.
Identity.
Struggle.
Fairness.
Meaning at work.

The posts that travel the farthest are the ones that make people pause and think:

If you'd like to write something that resonates, you can start there.

Thailand’s international schools are hiring across many subjects, offering good salaries, well-resourced classrooms, and supportive teams drawn from many countries.

Leading Your International School

Author and Skills Consultant

Nova Academy

I teach AP European History, AP World History, AP Psychology as well as Honors History and Honors Literature. On top of that I guide Model UN and AP History tutoring while supporting Debate and Speech.

Vice Principal | AP Curriculum Specialist | Psychology & History | Social Thought Analyst

BASIS International Schools

I taught AP Psychology, Neuroscience and Intro to Psychology to students from G8-G12 as well as advising Model United Nations. In addition I taught AP World History and worked to develop an Eastern Civilizations course beforehand.

Psychology and Social Studies Teacher

Prince Edward County High School

I taught AP US History, VA/US Government, VA/US History, and Psychology as well as advising Model United Nations.

High School Social Studies Teacher

New Vistas School

I taught World History/World Geography, Virginia and United States History, and US Government to 22 High School students from G9 to G12. All had IEPs from Virginia Public Schools. I also advised Yearbook.

I help teachers go where they're appreciated / Turn curriculum and practice for schools into skills as Consultant and Vice Principal / AP History and Psychology Teacher and Tutor

As the Vice Principal at Nova Academy, I advocate for the educational journey of students from China to the United States, which sets them on a path towards successful careers, further studies, and a fulfilling societal role.

Parallel to my administrative role, I'm an Author and Consultant at "Leading Your International School". Our philosophy? Everyone in the educational spectrum, from students to leaders, can grow and evolve. Contrary to the belief that roles in education are interchangeable, I believe that each individual brings unique value to the table – a belief I stand by staunchly.

With 13 years of experience under my belt as a U.S. (Virginia) Certified Social Studies teacher, I've specialized in AP Psychology, AP US History, and AP World History. Notably, in my prior role, all my AP Psychology students achieved an average score of 4.3, but what resonates most is the transformative impact on their lives, evident from heartfelt feedback.

Beyond my main subjects, I've taught VA/US Government, World History, World Geography, and Eastern Civilizations. My approach combines simulation, discussion, and dialogue, which enables students to empathize with historical decisions and better equip themselves for the future.

At the heart of my teaching philosophy is the support for student evolution. It's not just why I teach – it's the essence of what I offer to any educational team. If you're passionate about global education and collaborative growth, I'm eager to connect.

Conan Magruder

AI will come for your school. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿. We didn't warn them it still hallucinates.

Routine classroom delivery, grades, attendance, bills, & back office work are all cheaper by algorithm than by any imported teacher. 

2/3 of jobs in the US and Europe are already “exposed” to AI. A quarter are fully automatable before 2030. UNESCO’s 2025 anthology spells it out: AI devalues human work & splits the world into winners and losers. Beijing teaches AI to six-year-olds & pilots humanoid robots in real classrooms. Bill Gates says AI tutors will out-teach most humans inside ten years.

Lecture delivery, worksheet grading, attendance, fee billing, accounts-payable, college-list data entry. All of it is code-friendly. All of it will vanish once “teacher agents” & finance bots become plug-ins on your learning-management system. Schools that run on imported staff & thin margins will implode when parents see AI tutors offer real-time, personalized help for $20 a month.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:

→ Only five roles are worth paying humans for.
→ Everything else is a countdown to zero.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴:

1. Pastoral & mental-health care. Parents still trust real counselors for trauma, culture shock, and identity.
2. High-stakes safeguarding & ethics. Regulators will demand a named human signs off on AI outputs for minors.
3. Experiential fieldwork & labs. Humanoid robots are here, but outdoor risk & real chemicals will lag behind screens for years.
4. Bespoke “human-crafted” teaching as a luxury good. A few rich families will pay extra for lessons guaranteed bot free, just like they pay for handmade violins & artisanal bread.
5. Strategic governance & brand. Boards need humans to craft mission, negotiate licenses, & reassure stakeholders the school is more than an app.

If you are not excellent at one of those, retraining will not save you. The new code will learn your new trick faster than you do.

Top-tier international schools already charge $75,000+ a year. Keep charging, but do not pretend the fee covers lectures. Sell psychosocial safety nets, global networks, & curated real-world challenges that cannot be cloned online. Mid-tier schools must either move upscale fast or gut costs by full AI integration. There is no middle road.

Embed AI-audit, prompt-engineering, & algorithmic-ethics in every subject by Grade 5. China’s early-age AI curriculum is the new benchmark.

Adopt UNESCO’s ethics guidelines now. Any school that hides model errors will lose insurance and accreditation the moment a deep-fake bullying case hits the news.

The future of school is about what cannot be automated.

Will you change, will you be chased, or will you count on resources running out?

Grant Ferguson 🔸 David Ardley 🔸Greg Rockhold, Ph.D. Ryan Kachold, EdD Grainne O'Reilly Andrew Elias Dr. Tassos Anastasiades David Fu 💯

Run schools on evidence, not ego | International School Vice Principal | AP Psychology & AP History

⌛School wastes time.

- Hours lost to weak explanations.
- Minutes burned on offtask chatter.
- Days spent on worksheets that don't teach.
- Years of “any questions?” & blank stares.

Most lessons fight against memory, not with it.

- Teacher talks.
- Students highlight.
- Maybe a worksheet.
- Then move on, never to return.

No one checks if it worked. Teachers guess. A few hands go up. The rest drift.

Curriculum is a patchwork quilt.

- Worksheets scavenged from the internet.
- Tasks that don’t match the test.
- Lessons that don’t fit together.

Homework is a joke.

- Pointless busywork for little kids.
- Unchecked, ignored, or forgotten for older ones.
- Few know if it works.

But here’s what works:

Make every minute count.

- Non negotiable routines.
- Fast starts, fast transitions.
- Clear rules.
- Coach to fix explanations, not just “energy.”
- Walkthroughs that count every minute of real work.

Hard bake memory into every lesson.

- Daily low stakes quizzes.
- Old content spiraled in, every day.
- Never finish a topic and forget it.

Run real checks.

- Every unit, tasks that show what kids know.
- Teachers bring real student work to meetings.
- Talk about what went wrong, not just what went right.
- Use small, frequent tests to plan next week, not just grade the past.

Adopt real materials.

- Pick a few great curricula (WIDA & EL Education, Arc Core, or Bookworms / Illustrative Mathematics (IM) through Open Up or Kendall Hunt)
- Use them as written.
- Train teachers to those materials.
- Check if lessons match the plan.

Fix homework by age, not by habit.

- For little kids: just read and a bit of recall. More sleep, more talk, less paper.
- For older kids: solve problems, retrieval, spaced practice. 
- Always check homework in class. Unchecked work is invisible.

I built this system because I was tired of wasted time.

I don't want to guess.

I don't want kids to sit.

Every minute. Every lesson. Every kid.

No more wasted time.

How will you do it?

Peps Mccrea 🔸 David Ardley 🔸Howard Stribbell, PhD Barry Cooper Grant Ferguson Leo Ackerman

Let's stop lying about student behavior.

4 out of 5 teachers say it's out of control.
Half of principals report physical violence.
Teachers lose 16% of class time to disruption.

That's not "post-pandemic adjustment."
That's collapse.

I read the same recycled solutions everywhere:
- Another SEL workshop
- More "trauma-informed" slides  
- Posters about school values
- Restorative circles that restore nothing

Meanwhile, kids throw furniture. Teachers quit. Parents threaten principals.

Here are solutions nobody uses because they're expensive, uncomfortable, or challenge the customer service model:

1️⃣ 𝗕𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆. 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲.
Not "we have a policy." Not Yondr pouches sometimes.
Zero phones in student hands, 8am to 4pm.
France did it. Test scores went up. Suspensions went down.
Your school won't because parents complain.

2️⃣ 𝗣𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀
We give 12-student classes to AP kids who'd learn in a closet.
We pack 28 volatile students with rookie teachers.
Backwards. The 20% driving chaos need 10:1 ratios, not 30:1.

3️⃣ 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀
Every behavior incident creates two tickets:
- One for consequences
- One for assessment
Weekly team meets. Same data. Same plan.
Not "admin handles discipline, counselors handle feelings."

4️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 2 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Small group. Therapeutic. Full academics.
Clear metrics for return.
Not shadow schedules. Not quiet withdrawals.
Real intervention with an exit strategy.

5️⃣ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮
"Grade 8 loses 22% of Period 1 to disruption. 80% happens in 4 rooms."
That's data. That drives change.
Not "behavior seems worse lately."

6️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹
Kid swears at teacher?
- Remove immediately
- Cool down protocol  
- Practice the right response 3 times
- Written reflection home same day
Suspension for violence, not defiance.

7️⃣ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺
Mandatory onboarding on behavior expectations.
Real workshops on sleep, devices, consequences.
Threats or abuse? Instant campus ban. Police report.
Stop treating violent parents like valued customers.

Why don't schools do this?

Money. Politics. Fear of parents.

Easier to post about "The future of education" and "AI Teachers" while teachers get assaulted.

Easier to blame trauma than restructure timetables.

Easier to suspend kids than track why they explode at 11:15am every Tuesday.

The solutions aren't secret.

We just won't do them.

Because comfortable failure beats uncomfortable change.

♻️Share and say which one would transform your school tomorrow?

Grainne O'Reilly Derek Huang 🔸 David Ardley 🔸Howard Stribbell, PhD Jacques Malan Allen McInnis

You don't run a school.

You build a platform.

I see education CEOs cling to “independent schools” like it’s still 1995.

Heads of HR stuck in the old OS.

Boards terrified to lose their “local flavor.”

But here’s the truth:

The future of education is a platform.

- Teachers as users.
- Careers as products.
- Mobility as a feature.
- Prestige as a currency.

Nord Anglia Education bought schools AND they built an operating system.
People systems.

They turned professional development into a global product. Every teacher, from Hanoi to Houston, logs into the same Nord Anglia University. Not just for compliance. For real status. MIT. Juilliard. King’s College London. The kind of names that make a $30k tuition sound like a bargain.

Most of the rest of us don't even recognize them adequately.
That's part of why they're miserable.

They mapped out the leadership pipeline. No more random promotions. No more desperate headhunts. 70% of their Principals come from inside. That’s not luck. That’s a system.

They made global mobility a selling point. Shanghai not your vibe anymore? Try Dubai. Or Warsaw. Or Ho Chi Minh. The promise of movement keeps people in the system. Even if the process isn’t perfect, the option is a hook.

This isn’t just HR.

It’s a profit engine.

- Every teacher who stays 5 years instead of 2 saves $10k in fees.
- Every internal transfer dodges a recruiter’s invoice.
- Every “World Class Teacher” trained by King’s College London justifies another tuition hike.
- Every standardized course means a new school can open with zero friction.

They even cracked the wage spiral. Teachers want more money. NAE gives them more status. Titles. Degrees. Prestige. It’s cheaper than cash and stickier than a bonus.

But here’s why almost nobody else does it:

- You need patient capital. NAE had EQT. Most groups want ROI yesterday.
- You need guts. Most owners fear centralization will kill their brands.
- You need control. Nonprofits can’t force Heads to play by the rules.

Still, the rest of us could do it.
The concepts are not copyrighted.

- Standardize the middle. “Management 101” for every Department Head.
- Market mobility. Run an “Internal Transfer Season” before the recruiters call.
- Partner for prestige. Even small groups can badge PD with a university logo.

This is how you turn a school group into a platform.

This is how you scale.

This is how you win.

(save this to read it)
(follow me for more)

Do not think like a portfolio.

Build like a platform.

The future belongs to the operators who get this.

Now go build your system.

Simon D. Howard Stribbell, PhD Nick Hart Grainne O'Reilly 🔸 David Ardley 🔸André Double 安德烈   杜布勒

👨‍👩‍👧Parent meetings keep blowing up.

It is not culture. It is your process.

One word fixes every hard talk: PLAN.

The Real Reason Parent Meetings Fail:

You try to be right. You guess what they think. You “read” body language like a lie detector.

All three fail. You need a repeatable process.

The PLAN Method:

P = Purpose

 ➤ Write a one-line mission before you enter the room.
 ➤ Example: “Clarify grade criteria and keep the parent partnership intact.”
 ➤ Example: “Protect standards against grade inflation without bridge burning.”
 ➤ Purpose keeps identity fights out. It aligns task, relationship, and ego goals.

L = Listen

 ➤ Your brain can process 400–800 words per minute. We speak at 125–175.
 ➤ That spare bandwidth tempts you to plan rebuttals, not listen.
 ➤ Force your attention back to the data in front of you.
 ➤ Listen for facts, not for flaws.

A = Ask

 ➤ You are a bad mindreader under stress.
 ➤ Empathic accuracy studies show people guess others’ internal states poorly, and it drops when emotions run high.
 ➤ Replace “I understand” with “It seems like… Do I have that right.”
 ➤ Ask for clarity. Never assume.

N = Next Steps

 ➤ Every meeting ends with one written commitment, one owner, one date.
 ➤ People forget conversations. They remember agreements.
 ➤ Next steps make progress visible and shared.

Stop These 3 Common Mistakes:

1. Do not try to be right. You win the point, you lose the person. Purpose beats ego.
2. Do not say “I understand.” You understand words, not their inner state. Ask instead.
3. Do not read "lies" from posture. Non verbal cues to deception are faint and unreliable. Use shifts in body language as prompts to ask, not verdicts.

How PLAN Works in Real Life:

• Grade dispute with parents. Ask: “Which part of the AP rubric was misapplied? Which example should we mark again?” Next step: Second reader by Friday and annotated rubric emailed.

• Teacher underperforms. Ask: “Which two practices change this week? How will we see them in 3A?” Next step: written plan, 10 minute pop-ins, two-week review.

• Owner presses for higher marks. Ask: “If we inflate, what is the risk to offers next season? Do we agree placement credibility matters most?” Next step: circulate the assessment policy and schedule vote.

Name & Pivot to Keep Control:

Name the behavior. Link it to your purpose. Go back.

Example: “You just raised your voice and called this unfair. My purpose is to fix the grade decision. Walk me through the exact error so we can resolve it.”

You keep control when you keep composure.

🎁Share to someone you need to PLAN with and for.
✅How do you talk through the hardest conversations? Follow for more.

Euan MacLean Sue Atkins Grainne O'Reilly Akshada Kamat Diana Hu McDowell Howard Stribbell, PhD

💼Private Equity. Parents love these schools. Teachers really don't.

On paper, they look perfect.
Inside, the story changes.

Eight big K-12 groups, backed by private equity, dominate education.
ISP. Nord. Cognita. GEMS.
Inspired. Globeducate. Orbital. Spring.

Parents & students give them great reviews.
Safe campuses. Predictable exam scores.
Modern buildings. Impressive trips.
University offers to show off.
Perfect marketing.

Teachers see a different world.

Teacher reviews are far behind.
Most schools score 2.7–3.6 out of 5 from teachers.
Parents and students rate them 4.0–4.8.

Patterns repeat across every group:
→ 25+ contact periods per week.
→ Planning time squeezed or unpaid.
→ Salaries that don’t keep up with costs or fee hikes.
→ Chaotic or bullying middle managers.
→ “We only care about numbers and parents.”

Low staff NPS is not just a PR problem.

It leads to:
→ Higher recruitment costs.
→ Lower teacher quality.
→ More safeguarding mistakes.
→ Bigger risk of public scandal.
→ More attention from regulators & media.

Here’s how to fix it.

5 ways to turn these schools around:

1️⃣ The Teacher Fix
→ Cap contact hours per week.
→ Guarantee protected planning time.
→ Match salaries to local competitors.
→ Set clear rules for professional development & leave.

2️⃣ The Parent Fix
→ Explain how fee increases are set.
→ Separate what’s included from “add-ons.”
→ Stop sneaky class size increases.
→ Share a 3-year roadmap for changes.

3️⃣ The Student Fix
→ Set maximum class sizes.
→ Guarantee minimum counseling & support.
→ Limit subject cuts.
→ Run real surveys on workload & wellbeing.

4️⃣ The School Purchase Fix
→ Stabilize culture & leadership first.
→ Grow new revenue: holiday programs, tutoring, online.
→ Spend on buildings only for enrollment & quality.
→ Tie bonuses to EBITDA, staff NPS, parent NPS, & student wellbeing.

5️⃣ The Review Fix
→ Track staff & parent rating trends.
→ Watch for spikes in 1-star reviews.
→ Flag words like “toxic, bully, unsafe, racist, greedy.”
→ Red campuses get automatic investigation & support.
→ Green campuses get more autonomy & investment.

Why does this matter?

For teachers: Higher trust, better workloads, lower turnover.
For parents: Clear value, fewer surprises, more stability.
For students: Consistent teaching, safer culture, visible quality.
For investors: Smoother occupancy, fewer crises, stronger returns.

Private equity can build great schools.
But only if they fix what’s inside.

Share this if you want better schools for everyone.
And follow so we can all do better.

🔸 David Ardley 🔸Nick Hart Andrew Elias Grainne O'Reilly Alex Zastre

Private Equity schools.

🤍International school flourishing? Probably a little white lie.

Every international school has one thing in common:

They tell a story about “flourishing.”

People love to say their schools help kids flourish. They post about it. They market around it. But when you look closer, the story falls apart.

Here’s what the OECD wants from education:

Solve new problems.
Make ethical choices.
Understand the world.
Appreciate the world.
Act in the world with purpose.

Sounds good. But here’s what happens:

1. Finland talks about how to flourish.

They say it all: deep skills, student voice, learning to learn, sustainable. But when test scores dropped, the system reacted extremely, twice, to try to go back to what came before. Suddenly, it’s all about PISA again. The old academic scoreboard never goes away.

2. British Columbia puts “Core Competencies” at the center.

Identity, growth, and communication are the big ideas. Students reflect and self-assess. But the public still wants numbers. So the reports focus on literacy, numeracy, and graduation rates. The “flourishing” stuff gets buried. No one makes decisions based on “aesthetic appreciation.”

3. Australia looks perfect on paper.

Critical thinking, ethics, social skills, intercultural ties. It’s all there in the curriculum. But the reality is test pressure and curriculum overload. Teachers rush to cover content. Leaders chase league tables. Projects are the only place for agency and purpose.

Here’s the real test for “flourishing”:

1️⃣ Is “acting in the world” something you grade?
2️⃣ What data do you have if you throw out exam scores?
3️⃣ Does student work matter outside the school walls?
4️⃣ Can you show flourishing data next to test data?
5️⃣ What did you cut this year to make space for agency, reflection, and contribution?

If you claim your students flourish, show the evidence.

If you work in Finland, BC, Australia, or under the OECD, post your answers to this audit. Or tell me where this is wrong.

Don Lamison Michael Lawrence Howard Stribbell, PhD Nick Rose Simon D. Grainne O'Reilly Dr. Tassos Anastasiades

✅ If you run an exam factory, want to keep results & flourish, follow.
♻️ Repost to help your network see through the myth.

International school flourishing?

🧠Confession: I love brain science in schools.

Because I used to think students just “reacted” to lessons.

Yes, I thought to learn was just about memory and effort.

🕰️I wish someone told me back then:

1. "Every student’s brain is a prediction machine, not a sponge."
2. "Classrooms are like gyms for the mind, not just places to listen."
3. "You can train brains to guess better, not just remember more."

✍Maybe I would have changed how I taught:

1. Swapped routine lectures to set up problems to solve and Socratic talks, so students flexed their thought, not just repeated facts.
2. Used short, tough quizzes every lesson, so big exams felt less scary & more familiar.
3. Kept my classroom layout, rubrics, & schedules clear and steady, so students saved brainpower to learn, not to guess what’s next.

Who knows...

🛌Maybe I would have paid more attention to the “body budget”:

1. Made sure students slept 7 to 9 hours, banned late-night screen homework, & dimmed the lights in boarding halls after 8pm.
2. Added more fatty fish & omega-3s to the menu, & tracked energy drink sales to stop caffeine crashes.
3. Reminded counselors that birth control can shift moods in girls, & made sure medical help was always private & easy to get.

🦸‍♂️Maybe I would have taught students to re-label nerves as energy, not panic, before debates & exams.

Maybe I would have set up “predictable-pace” zones after school, where phones stay outside & routines calmed the mind.

Maybe I would have taught students to notice when their bodies ran on empty: tight jaws, shallow breaths, tired eyes. Especially after they scrolled too much.

Maybe I would have made social time a priority, not a waste. Paired new students with “cultural translators” who explained both the schedule & the hidden rules.

👨‍🔬Maybe I would have led with prediction in mind:

1. No core classes before 9am, no big tests after 3:30pm, because sleep and timing matter.
2. Trained staff to spot and support mental health needs, used proven frameworks.
3. Built in brisk walks between double periods, because movement resets the brain better than any lecture.

I don’t know...

🎲But I do know that the predictive brain view changes it all.

To teach facts is not what it is about. We should shape how students guess, adapt, & thrive.

Let’s make international schools smarter, healthier, & more human.

Thank you.

- Conan

Brain Science Tuesday, over. (Repost further ♻️)

P.S. Do you see your classroom as a prediction gym too? (not just a place for notes & tests)

58% of the teacher shortage is that we quit.

I thought it would be school expansion or licenses/discrimination.

It's not just demographics. 

There are three main fractures:

Attrition (The “Leaky Bucket”):

 ➤ 58% of the global teacher gap comes from teachers who leave not from new students.
 ➤ Attrition rates for primary teachers doubled from 4.6% in 2015 to 9% in 2022.
 ➤ Why? Low pay, intese workloads, zero support, and no promotion career paths.
 ➤ The fix: Pay teachers what they’re worth. Cut legacy costs. Build real career ladders. To teach should be a job people want to keep.

Expansion (New Posts):

 ➤ 42% of the shortage is about new seats, not just lost teachers.
 ➤ Africa and South Asia are ground zero. Populations boom. Schools can’t keep up.
 ➤ Universal secondary education is the goal, but the pipeline is dry.
 ➤ The fix: Train more teachers. Recruit locally. Offer real incentives. Invest in schools, not just slogans.

Quality Gap (Trained vs. Untrained):

 ➤ In some regions, less than 80% of teachers are trained. Pre primary and poor areas get hit hardest.
 ➤ Untrained teachers mean learn less, less trust, and a cycle that never ends.
 ➤ The fix: Set clear national standards. Upgrade current teachers. Make continuous professional development (CPD) the norm, not the exception.

Attrition bleeds the system dry.

Expansion stretches it thin.

Quality gaps hold all back.

Sustainable education needs more than warm bodies. 
It needs trained, motivated, and supported teachers.

Share this if you want people to learn in the future.

Which will you fix?

Greg Rockhold, Ph.D. Ryan Kachold, EdD Howard Stribbell, PhD 🔸 David Ardley 🔸Rowena Minney 🚀Grainne O'Reilly

♟️Every school leader interaction should be a tactic?

It took me a while to understand this.

When I first became a school leader,
I thought every conversation was just a routine task.

But, as I learned from experience and from wise mentors (like Barry Cooper Grainne O'Reilly 🔸 David Ardley 🔸and Howard Stribbell, PhD)

Every interaction is a tactic.

You shape the culture, the outcomes, and the trust in your school with every word and gesture.

Here are 6 tactics that changed the way I lead:

1. Start with a Mission Mindset
Before every key conversation, I draft my objective. I picture the outcome I want. This keeps me focused and clear. When you begin with the end in mind, you waste less time and get better results. Every meeting, every hallway chat, every email. Set your intention first.

2. Use Parallel Conversation
I start with someone nearby, not always the main person. Our brains are wired for joint attention. When two people focus on the same thing, others feel drawn in. This works in staff meetings, parent nights, and even tough student talks. It lowers defenses and builds connection.

3. Open on an Equal Footing
I approach new hires, parents, and students with neutral, practical topics. No power plays. No assumptions. Simple, honest questions about their day or their needs. This levels the field and builds trust fast. People open up when they feel respected.

4. Anxiety is an Asset
I used to see anxious staff or students as a challenge. Now, I see their vigilance as a strength. High anxiety people notice details, remember facts, and spot risks others miss. They are your best quality control in labs, exam rooms, and safety checks. Harness their focus.

5. Routine Blocks Stress Daily
Most daytime anxiety starts in the first two hours. I make sure to drink water, eat protein, and take a device free walk every morning. This calms my nervous system and protects my focus for the rest of the day. Simple routines build resilience.

6. Stress Inoculation
I run practice drills for tough moments. We simulate hostile board questions in PD. We roleplay chaotic hall transitions with students. Practicing conflict in a safe space builds confidence and skill. When the real thing happens, we are ready.

Sun Tzu said, “All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.”

This is not a war, though.
We're all in this together.

♻️ Share this if it works for you.
💬 Comment if there's more that works for you.

André Double 安德烈   杜布勒 Leading Your International School

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