Check out what we’ve been up to
Established in 2019, the Spear Center has put on a variety of professional learning experiences for the teachers of ISP and beyond. We are ramping up programming and we hope to see you at an event soon! Interested in keeping up to date with what’s coming up? Join our mailing list or contact us at spearenter@intlschool.org.
The Wondrous Classroom: Playful Pedagogy with Lynn Cuccaro
Research continues to point out that young children learn best through meaningful play experiences. As educators, we know that play is the primary way children learn. In this workshop, we uncovered the early years skills developed through play while discovering how movement supports neural pathways in the brain to connect “learning dots” and builds the brain’s architecture. We also unpacked the crucial sensory-motor skills that build the foundation to early literacy, both in reading and handwriting regardless of the language of instruction.
Crafting Inquiry Conference 2022
What does it look like to implement inquiry practices well? What about the role of assessment? How do we craft and encourage meaningful and productive questions that build critical thinking skills, resolve dilemmas, and ignite creative solutions?
Kath Murdoch, Trevor MacKenzie, Stephanie Harvey, and Kimberly Mitchell dove into these topics and more in our kick-off 2-day conference held both in person and virtually in Portland, Oregon.
Japanese immersion curriculum development
Talented educator and workshop leader Miho Nishita joined us all the way from Tokyo International School to work with our Japanese track teachers as we designed our reading and writing scope and sequence and discussed literacy practices in Japanese.
Construct the Present
An organization based in Portland that is dedicated to facilitating discussions in the workplace around issue of equity, diversity, and inclusion, they have joined us for multiple training sessions since 2019.
Crafting Inquiry Virtual Summit 2020
Kath Murdoch, Stephanie Harvey, and Kimberly Mitchell came together for the first time ever to provide an interactive virtual experience on how to beautifully craft inquiry-based elementary and early childhood classrooms.
Mandarin immersion job-alike
Teachers from Mandarin immersion classrooms in Portland Public Schools joined us on campus for a day of unpacking the beauties and challenges of Mandarin immersion in the PYP.
An Inquiry into Inquiry, Play, and Agency with Anne Evans, Ann van Dam, and Lynn Cuccaro
During this two-day training, teachers learned how to foster play-based learning and inquiry-based environments that support lamguage immersion and the development of global citizens.
PYP Exhibition Job-Alike
5th grade teachers and coordinators from around Portland came together to discuss how the PYP Enhancements allow for new innovation and student agency in the PYP Exhibition.
Responsive Classroom
Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to teaching and discipline that focuses on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmental awareness.
Playworks
Playworks helps kids to stay active and build valuable life skills through play.
