The Student-Centered Shift: Empowered International Schools and Classrooms Through Project-Based Learning

As a leader, how do you build a culture that embraces innovative teaching and learning practices? 
In this episode of The Student-Centered Shift, I sit down with Patrick, an experienced international school leader and organizational change guru, to explore what makes change 'stick.' Drawing on our shared experience with Futures Academy at the International School of Beijing, we examine what it takes to introduce, support, and sustain innovation when not everyone agrees on the way forward.
You'll learn:
Why even successful innovations can face resistance from teachers, parents, and school leadership
How to communicate the why behind change and build support across the school community
Why creating space for uncertainty, disagreement, and experimentation is essential to meaningful change
How to use evidence, strategic planning, and small-scale pilots to support innovation without creating division
Learn how to move beyond isolated initiatives and build a school culture where meaningful innovation can thrive.
Patrick's Bio: 30 years in international education, teaching and leadership roles in Switzerland, USA, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and India. Now a Consultant and Associate for Encompass Safeguarding, Global Philanthropic and 21st Century Learning. Conference speaker on Crisis Response, NEASC team member and has worked in compliance and anti-corruption for Hong Kong Cricket and Hong Kong China Rugby.

As AI makes it easier to produce polished work in seconds, what happens to the messy, uncertain process where creativity actually develops?
In this episode of The Student-Centered Shift, I sit down with arts educators and creativity thinkers Jason and Brian to explore what it really means to cultivate creative thinkers in the age of AI. We move beyond thinking of creativity as something reserved for the art room and look at how any educator can create more space for curiosity, experimentation, risk-taking, and student agency.
We explore:
Why creativity is about the thinking process—not simply the final product
How inquiry and open-ended questions can lead to more divergent, student-driven outcomes
Why letting go of some control gives students greater ownership of their learning
How a simple "What happens when…?" question can help you experiment with more creative, student-centered learning
If you want learners who can navigate ambiguity, think for themselves, and shape the future rather than simply respond to it, this conversation will challenge you to make more room for the creative process.
Get in Touch with Jason: @growcreativethinkers (Instagram), LinkedIn, Website: growcreativethinkers.com 
Get in Touch with Brian: Brian's Website: https://www.brianreverman.com/visiting-artist-homepage/. 
Join an Upcoming 12 Shifts Workshop: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass 
Jason's Bio: Jason Blair is an arts educator and creativity specialist with more than 20 years of experience helping young people develop their creative potential. An elementary art teacher in Dublin, Ohio, and Educator-in-Residence at the Columbus Museum of Art, Jason has also collaborated with Harvard University's Project Zero on the Cultivating Creative and Civic Capacities initiative and contributed to educational standards through the Ohio Department of Education. A nationally recognized speaker and recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award and Community Champion Award, Jason believes creativity is a capacity that can be strengthened through purposeful questioning, imaginative thinking, and deep reflection. His work empowers students and educators to develop original ideas, navigate complex challenges, and use creativity to make a meaningful impact in their communities.
Brian's Bio: As a former art teacher, Brian knows it is not always easy to find a visiting artist, who along with their artistic expertise, knows how to work and communicate effectively with kids and teachers.

His experience as an artist, combined with my nearly 30 years as a teacher, allows him to structure art projects which inspire and engage students in activities which also meet your curriculum objectives.

Briand gets jazzed helping students learn about the many ways art can express ideas. He would love to hear from you about how he can help your school enhance its art program.

AI can give students more choice, personalize learning, and help them work more independently. But does that automatically make learning more student-centered?
 
In this episode of Student-Centered Shift, I sit down with Dr. Justin Zhang to explore one of the biggest questions facing international educators right now: How do we use AI to increase student agency without outsourcing thinking, reducing collaboration, or leaving students isolated behind a screen?
 
Justin reminds us that student agency is about much more than giving students choices. It's about voice, ownership, relationships, and creating the conditions for learners to take greater responsibility for their learning.
 
Together, we explore how to:
 
Use AI to strengthen student agency
Avoid the trap of over-personalization
Keep collaboration and relationships alive
Rethink assessment in the age of AI
Use AI to deepen—not replace—thinking
If you're an international educator experimenting with AI, this conversation will challenge you to look beyond the tools and ask a more important question: Is AI helping my students become more active owners of their learning?
Justin's Website: https://www.justinzh.com/ 
Connect with Justin: LinkedIn, Instagram, Email: justin1stmuchuan@gmail.com 
Get the 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments Book: 'Where Is The Teacher?' 
Justin's Bio: Justin Zhang, Ph.D., is a dedicated educator and educational leader specializing in educational technology and international education. Currently serving as Assistant Professor and Director of IBEC at Namseoul University, he brings extensive expertise from his previous role as Head of Department at an international school in Hong Kong. With a Ph.D. in Educational Technology and dual Master's degrees, Dr. Zhang is a registered teacher in both the US and UK who fulfills multiple roles within the International Baccalaureate Educator Network (Lead Educator, Field Representative, Programme Leader, Evaluation Leader, Consultant, workshop leader, etc.) and examines for international curricula including IB, IGCSE, and A-levels. His international teaching experience spans Beijing and Barcelona, complemented by his contributions to educational advancement through accreditation committees and academic publications.

What if giving students more voice didn't mean giving up the curriculum—but actually helped them go deeper into it?
In this episode of The Student-Centered Shift, I explore the shift from teacher-designed to co-designed learning through the story of Linda, a teacher who handed some of her most dreaded curriculum standards over to her students. Instead of deciding everything herself, she invited students to help determine what they wanted to explore—and watched engagemement, academic outcomes and required curriculum come to life through their interests, choices, and ideas.
We explore:
How to give students meaningful voice and choice while still meeting required curriculum standards

Simple ways to invite students into decisions around topics, assessment, and how they share their learning

Why co-design doesn't mean giving up structure or handing over complete control

How sharing some of the design can build greater student agency, ownership, and motivation

If you're ready to move beyond simply giving students choices and start giving them a genuine role in designing their learning, this episode will show you a simple place to start.

Join the Co-Design Master Class on the last Tuesday in October - -> www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass

Want to give students more ownership of their learning, but worry that letting go of control could mean sacrificing rigor, curriculum coverage, or academic expectations?
In this episode of The Student-Centered Shift, I sit down with inquiry expert Trevor MacKenzie to unpack one of the biggest misconceptions about student-led inquiry: that giving students more agency means giving up structure. Instead, Trevor shows how inquiry can be built gradually, with teachers intentionally releasing responsibility as students become more capable of owning their learning.
We explore:
How to move from structured to guided and free inquiry without throwing students into the deep end
Simple routines that get students questioning, moving, collaborating, and making their thinking visible
Why knowing your curriculum deeply can actually create more freedom for student inquiry
How small shifts in control can build greater independence, curiosity, and ownership over time
If you're ready to build more student agency without sacrificing meaningful, rigorous learning, this conversation will give you practical ways to start.
Get Trevor's Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1945167149
Join the Leading Student Agency Workshop September 30th: https://schoolleadermasterclass.aplusactivelearning.com/ 
Trevor's Bio: Trevor MacKenzie is an experienced educator from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. His research, consultancy, and authorship have reached all parts of the world as he works with schools, districts, organizations, and ministries/departments of education in a variety of contexts. Policy advising, curriculum development, professional development, and systems change are Trevor's areas of expertise. His four publications are globally recognized as "must reads" in the inquiry-based school of thinking. He is a highly regarded speaker known for his heartfelt storytelling, kind demeanour, and person-first philosophy.
Trevor's graduate research focused on identifying and removing the barriers to implementing inquiry-based learning in the K-12 setting. He has four publications: Dive into Inquiry; Inquiry Mindset Elementary Edition; Inquiry Mindset Assessment Edition; and Inquiry Mindset Questions Editions Edition, all published by Elevate Books Edu. He has vast experience supporting schools across several years in implementation strategies in public schools, international schools, and International Baccalaureate programmes (PYP/MYP/DP).