Ep. 153: The DEIJ Collaborative--Working Towards Justice In International Schools

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EQ: What does social justice and education work look like in international spaces?

We jumped back overseas with today’s conversations, meeting with international educators Meredith Klein and Sherri Spelic. This is a very education centered conversation but we hope there’s a gem of thought for every listener. Throughout the episode we unpack various education acronyms such as CEESA and AEILOC. We hear the origin story of the Diversity Collaborative they started and the ways they hope it will impact teaching and learning across Europe. 

Lastly, if you are interested in reaching out you can connect with Meredith via LinkedIn, follow Sheri  @edifiedlistener, sign up for her newsletter Bending The Arc, or snag a copy of her book of essays  Care At The Core 

Champagne & Real Pain

🥂Action Aid International

🥂 AEILOC & Kevin Simpson

🥂Angeline Aow and her book Becoming a Totally Inclusive School

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: Sign up for Bending The Arc

  • Megan: Connect to others that can help you be accountable to the work

  • Sherri: Worry less about knowing and get into learning (where can I learn about that? With whom can I learn about that?)

  • Meredith: DEI Deconstructed by Lily Zheng

Ep. 123: The Scoop on Relationship & Sex Education at Home & Abroad

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EQ:  What is the importance of Sex Education in both the US and abroad, and how can you ensure equity for all students  in the curriculum delivered?


Guest: Emily Zien, a health and physical education teacher. Please check out her website for more information.

In our third episode centering international schools, we chat with Emily about her work as a relationships and sexual education educator.  We begin by learning about the present landscape, comparing what this work looks like in the United States and in the International School scene. We also discuss the role of DEIJ in shaping these conversations, how we can ensure equity in the curriculum and how child “safe guarding” is a growing field that opens the door for revamping school policies. 

Do you Fudging HW:

Ep. 122: The Scoop on International Schools, Part II

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Note: This episode was recorded mid-February, prior to the invasion of Ukraine.

EQ:  How are international schools uniquely situated to fight, perpetuate or contribute to educational inequities around the world

Guest: Yvette Santos Cuenco a school counselor at the Edmund Burke Independent School in DC.

Hope and Megan continue their conversation with the amazing Yvette about the inner workings and nuances of international schools. In this episode the three of them dive into what the DEIJ landscape looks like on the international level. They discuss how over the last several years there has been movement in being open about the work, but discuss how and why the work can feel so slow on the international level. Also, how International schools have unique responsibilities, barriers, and challenges to equitably serving all students in DEIJ work. The conversation focuses on what those might be as well as how International schools as well as educators in these spaces can continue to tackle the work within this. On the flip side of the challenges, they also discuss how International Schools are uniquely positioned to tackle this work in ways that schools in the US are not.

Related Sources:

Champagne & Real Pain 

🥂International School Services (ISS) pushing the DEIJ work in international schools

🥂 Raise a glass to all past students. Especially those celebrating Black History Month or Lunar New Year

🥂All those that are having honest and challenging conversations around DEIJ work.

👎🏻Book burning, cameras in schools, and overall the laws restricting teachers

👎🏻Any school district that is making it more difficult for their staff. Also those that are sending in bomb threats for HBCUs; HBCUs are undeterred

👎🏻Another no knock warrant murder of Amir Locke in Minneapolis

Do your fudging homework: 

  • Hope: Educators, look into your options! Don’t stay where you aren’t appreciated! 

  • Yvette: Find a place where you are valued as a teacher!

  • Megan: Find the right fit as a teacher, don’t leave the profession!

Ep. 120: The Scoop on International Schools Part I

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EQ:  How are international schools uniquely situated to fight, perpetuate or contribute to educational inequities around the world?

Guest: Yvette Santos Cuenco a school counselor at the Edmund Burke Independent School in DC.

In this episode Hope and Megan are joined by Yvette, an experienced international educator and school counselor. We discuss the historical context which led to the establishment of these schools throughout the world.  Listeners will learn a little about who attends, how they are designed, how the culture of the country impacts the school community and much much more. We also dip our toes into the DEIJ/social justice landscape in these contexts, reviewing such things as disparities in these schools, problematic hiring practices and the way they operate as predominantly White institutions often perpetuating (intentionally or unintentionally) white/colonial culture. 

Related Sources: