AISA’s 2021 Deep Dive Series Focuses on Unique International School Challenges
Never before has education been as disrupted as it is in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst the impact may vary in nature between different countries, economies, private and public schooling etc., disruptions experienced by international schools are, in many ways, unique.
For example, school leaders, educators and co-professionals working in international schools away from their home countries had to decide if and when to return to their home countries for the COVID -19 lockdown periods. Consequentially, school leaders and HR managers faced staffing challenges due to travel restrictions and quarantine requirements when schools reopened.
International schools’ admissions and enrollment were also unpredictably affected by the above, the pandemic’s impact on ex-pat professionals’ employment contracts and the uncertainty around the number of returning and new students. In many cases, the financial ripple effect of actual enrolments being far less than projected, had school boards, leaders and finance managers revisiting budgets and costs.
Like most schools globally, international schools had to quickly implement online or blended learning models to accommodate lockdown periods. However, another unique challenge international schools have to manage is that some of their students have not returned to the country in which the school is located, meaning many different time zones need to be accommodated.
These unique disruptions, along with the essential COVID-19 health and safety concerns and protocols, and increasingly important matters of student and staff wellbeing, are forcing all those working in international schools to constantly expect the unexpected.
AISA, like its member schools has had to quickly pivot to ensure its relevance and sustain its support to the community. This includes its professional learning model, which addresses the shift from in-person to online events, and addresses the unique challenges its members are facing. The AISA 2021 Deep Dive Series does both.
Unlike many of the professional online learning events available, AISA’s Deep Dive format is both synchronous and asynchronous, facilitated by subject experts and builds on collaborative networking with professionals dealing with very similar realities. Over the five-week Deep Dive period, delegates are also given the opportunity to use what they learn in their practice and report back for improved results.
AISA is offering nine Deep Dives including:
Click here to see all AISA Deep Dives.
The Association of International Schools in Africa is dedicated to serving its members throughout Africa. Please let us know if you require additional or specific information, resources and or support, and we will endeavour to assist you as soon as possible.