Inspired Teaching Abroad: Reflections on our Teacher Training in Chiang Mai

Inspired Teaching recently led a teacher training in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Deputy Director, Dave Yarmchuk, shares his reflections on the trip.

September is a wonderful time to go to Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is the end of the rainy season, so it’s not too wet, and the throngs of tourists have yet to arrive. It’s also the beginning of the school year, and so it was a perfect time for me to lead Inspired Teaching’s first ever teacher training in Thailand. This was the culmination of six months of planning and preparation that began with an email from Chiang Mai International School in March, leading to this two-day training on inquiry-based education for their teachers and others from several schools throughout southeast Asia. For more details about the training and how it came to be, check out this earlier blog post.

The most surprising takeaway from my visit to Chiang Mai – apart from the massive numbers of motorbikes – is how similar Chiang Mai International School (CMIS) is to so many of the schools in DC that I’ve worked with. At first glance, it couldn’t be more different: CMIS is a private school with a student population that is nearly one-third Thai, and it has incredibly high achievement rates (nearly every student passes at least one AP test by graduation). Yet beneath the surface, I saw the same triumphs and struggles that I’ve seen students and teachers experience in classrooms throughout my career.

Instructional approaches varied, from teachers who used Class Dojo to track student behavior, to small group instruction driven by questioning. Likewise, some opportunities to engage students were quickly taken advantage of – whether it be a chance to enthrall students with a read-aloud of a Mo Willems picture book in elementary school, or taking the time to breakdown a Dickens’ passage in AP Literature – and some were missed, like when a student’s intriguing question was dismissed in the interest of keeping the class on task.

Just as I found many familiar sights during my time observing in the school, the teacher training itself also created similar dynamics to the ones we facilitate in DC. I was thrilled to see that even in the short two-day training, the educators came to know each other more deeply, and developed a community of learning through collaboration across school and national boundaries. One of the highlights for me was witnessing the group’s dynamics during the Random Walk activity. Participants are asked to form small groups, and make human sculptures of everything from an airplane to “justice.” The activity can feel very silly, but every teacher dove in, without hesitation, ready to learn. I was also excited to see the participants engage so deeply with the activity Teaching through Questions, where they must teach a skill to their partner using nothing but questions. Given only one day’s notice, and many far from home, the teachers stretched their creative muscles to come up with lesson ideas. I was impressed by the resourcefulness and dedication evident in their choices. They taught one another drumming, and trigonometry, and even how to play mini golf using paper golf clubs, paper balls, and paper holes.

Similarities and differences aside, the most powerful takeaway for me is that while these teachers have been very successful in their careers, with students who are thriving, they are still eager to push themselves to engage students in new ways of learning. In all my experiences with Inspired Teaching, I notice the incredible passion and dedication teachers bring to their work. At every Institute we’ve run, and in every Residency cohort, each group amazes me in their own way.

I am incredibly grateful to the teachers, students, and staff at Chiang Mai International School, and those from the many schools in the area who joined the workshop. Their kindness and welcoming nature were unparalleled.

I am excited to see where Inspired Teaching Academy’s workshops will bring me next and I look forward to meeting more exceptional teachers at all stages of their careers. Learn more about the workshops we offer like this one at www.inspiredteaching.org/academy.

Micaiah Anderson

Community Outreach Specialist

As a Community Outreach Specialist, Micaiah is responsible for program promotion and outreach support for Inspired Teaching events and workshops. Micaiah has a passion for collaborating with community members to build-power and connect. She is an educator with a heart for youth and has experience supporting students fight injustices within their schools and communities. She has a BA in Political Science from, the real HU, Hampton University & anticipates graduating in May 2024 with a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Policy Transformation from Georgetown University.

AUTONOMY

"I want to have a say in what happens to me."

Autonomy is the need for independence; the ability to make choices, to create, to explore, and to express oneself freely; to have sufficient space, to move around, and to feel unrestricted with opportunities to exercise free will.

Brady Maiden

Outreach Coordinator

As the Outreach Coordinator, Brady helps maintain Inspired Teaching’s social media presence and supports the organization’s mission to connect with DC community leaders, educators, and parents. Brady has her Master’s in Public Policy from George Mason University and her BS in Political Science from Northern Arizona University. She is passionate about community, equity, and coalition building recognizing that learning and growing with the community at large is how we continue to be impactful.

What brings you joy in life?

I find joy in spending time with my friends and family and meeting new people. I like going to concerts and festivals, and finding new books to read.

The Learner’s Cycle, Wonder-Experiment-Learn, and the Teacher’s Cycle, Observe-Plan-Instigate, comprise Inspired Teaching’s approach to engaging students in inquiry-based learning.

When they are engaged in the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, students are immersed in learning. They take the lead in designing authentic learning experiences around their own interests and their school’s standards of learning. Each discovery leads to a new question which in turn leads to more wondering and more learning. In the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, Learn is not a destination or an endpoint; it is a deeper understanding, leading to a deeper wondering and new possibilities that create new entry points to further exploration. The cycle continues because what students have learned generates more wonderings that require more experiments that foster more learning – and on and on.

The Observe-Plan-Instigate Cycle is the work of an Inspired Teacher. While a student is expected to follow the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, the teacher joins them on the learning journey while following their own cycle of Observe-Plan-Instigate. This cycle ultimately serves to ensure an inquiry-based atmosphere is at play in the classroom.

Jaqueta Abbey

Teaching and Learning Specialist

Jaqueta is the Teaching and Learning Specialist for Inspired Teaching. In addition to her current role with Inspired Teaching, Jaqueta is a first-grade teaching assistant. Her background features a variety of traditional and non-traditional experiences in the field of education, including working as an adjunct professor, teaching summer reading programs to children and adults, and tutoring children in the foster care system. Jaqueta earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an M.A. in Interactive Media from Elon University.

What brings you joy in life?

Creative self-expression! In addition to my passion for storytelling, I love dancing of all kinds. I've studied belly dance, bachata, and Brazilian Zouk among other styles. I also enjoy glass fusing, crocheting, photography, and cross stitching. These art forms allow me to express myself and build connections with other people at the same time. I think life would be a lot less vibrant without artists and storytellers!

Michelle Welk

Communication & Marketing Specialist

As Communications and Marketing Specialist, Michelle is responsible for finding and creating new ways to highlight Inspired Teaching and promote its programs in order to expand and deepen the organization's impact. Michelle has worked in communications in an array of settings, from creative agencies to state politics to national nonprofits. She has a BA in Journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia and is passionate about education, access, and equity.

What brings you joy in life?

My son, the beach, making a persuasive argument and good food!

Max Peterson

Real World History Assistant Teacher

Max received his Bachelor’s degree in History and African American Studies from Boston University in May 2016. He has worked in museum curation at the Museum of the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Max has worked with young people of varying ages from young children to young adults transitioning to college.

Feedback and Accountability

We grow through feedback and an understanding that the quality of our work is a reflection of what we are learning, but the shift to remote learning this spring disrupted a lot of the tools teachers were used to using to evaluate student growth. How might we do things differently this fall? Participants in this workshop will explore ways to bring meaningful assessment into the virtual and/or socially-distanced classroom and approaches to student feedback that strengthen motivation, and build relationships and achievement.