Local Schools Partake in 'Global Mindedness' Institute

Aurora, Fairport Harbor, Kent, Lakewood, Oberlin, and Shaker Heights schools, and Lake County Educational Service Center participated in a four-day Global Mindedness Leadership Training Institute hosted by Kent State University’s College of Education, Health, and Human Services (EHHS) at its Twinsburg campus, Sept. 12-15.

The Institute, funded by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, provided local public school leaders with the awareness, knowledge, and skills to help develop more globally-minded teachers and students. The Institute challenged participants to look past their individual experiences and learn to utilize the local and global contexts to enhance their leadership abilities to effect change within their schools and communities. 

The College of EHHS’ Center for International & Intercultural Education partnered with the International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools to share their professional development expertise by providing facilitators, Darlene Fisher and Andreas Swoboda, and the curriculum for the Institute.

Fisher has worked for 30 years as a teacher and administrator in schools in Australia, Oman, Thailand, India, Turkey, UK and the United States. She was educated at St. Andrews University, Scotland, and Monash University, Australia. Currently, she is a doctoral student at Bath University, UK, focusing on the impact of societal culture on effective leadership practices in schools.

Swoboda has worked internationally since 1993 with teaching and administrative experiences in Kenya, Singapore, Mumbai , and now serves as the Head of School of International School of Hamburg, Germany. He was educated at the Free University of Berlin in American and Physical Education Studies, and received his advanced degrees from Menzel Gymnasium, Berlin. He also is involved in the professional development for new and experienced heads of IB schools: The Leadership Pathways. 

POSTED: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 11:21 AM
Updated: Thursday, December 8, 2022 07:23 PM