The 10 most influential educational leaders in china 2019

VOL 8AUGUST - 2019
ISSUE-6T
H
E
MOST
2019
INFLUENTIAL
EDUCATIONALLEADERS IN CHINA
Dr. Sherman Jen
Founder
Maple Leaf International
School - Dalian

umans are in constant search of ways to progress their life and in
Horder to stay ahead of others, they always make choices or take
decisions that are helpful to them as life progresses. Why is decision
making important and more importantly why is it important that whenever we
make a choice, the solution to a particular problem should fall in right? The
results of this choices and decisions end them in either life changing events or
all of it goes downhill.
But, does this quality define who he or she is going to become? Maybe, yes.
Over the past few years, education has changed tremendously and now
education has moved away from classrooms lectures and homework. Students
are exposed to real-life problems and issues, hence they are now mandated to
find solutions to these problems. In return, they hone their problem solving
skills which further escalates their logical, and practical thinking abilities.
The same happens to a college graduate, a professional or an entrepreneur. the
more they are exposed to problems, chances of coming up with plausible
solutions are very high. As they move ahead with life, they are always
thrown ‘under the bus’ but it is up to that particular person to get right back
and pull himself and others onto the safe side of the road. This person who
has come up with a solution, we believe has the ability to lead. This leaves us
to another question, are leaders made?
On one hand, some believe that leaders are born, which means they are
naturally charismatic, influential and have an ability to motivate others. On
the other hand, according to ‘Behavioral Theories’, people can become
leaders by the process of learning, observing and teaching. It focuses on how
leaders behave and assumes that they can be made. Though there are not
actual tutorials for learning leadership skills, one can observe and learn from
their surroundings, and practice soft skills.
Leadership is not a science, it is an art, and like any other job or task, it takes
hard work to reach an unmatched mantle. The initial set of traits has to be
refined and perfected over time with experience and education. A structured
environment and with some formal training anyone can manage well and lead
a team based on a set of given rules; the rules which can be mastered and
even learned. But, leadership is a matter of choice, the willingness of one to
take up challenges and rise from the multitude.
Can Leadership be Taught?
Crescent CU
Crescent CU
T R

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Educational Leader of the Month
Dr. Mary Scott
An Exemplary Leader
with A Zeal to Serve
ARTICLE
16
08
CoverStory
Dr. Sherman Jen
INNOVATIVE EDUCATOR WITH UNSTOPPABLE ZEAL
Self-Help
Importance of
Emotional
Intelligence
in Leadership
28

Jan Wostyn
An Intriguing Personality
Delivering Education
with Global Perspective
Karrie Dietz
A Staunch Educationist focused
on Student Development and
Academic Excellence
Lu Wenyong
Bringing Happiness to People by
Positively Impacting their Lives with
Business and Entrepreneur Mindset
Marcel Gauthier
A Scholarly Pedagogue
Focused on Attaining
Educational Excellence
Richard Bruford
Advocating Comprehensive
Education, Building
Future Intellectuals
20
24
26
36
42
34
40
C O N T E N T S
Mr. Christopher Chadwick
Molding A Tradition
of Excellence
Ms. Julie Lawton
Transforming Learning in
China Through Innovation
and Compassion

othing can beat the power that education possesses. It always has an impending
Neffect on the journey of our lives. Learning from an institution that takes care of
its students’ overall development is a gift in itself. The key personalities of such
institutions are its driving force. They help to uphold the values and play an important
role in developing an environment that will nurture its young minds. Few of them with
their inimitable devotion for the education system stands out from the rest and make an
impact that transforms the scholastic sphere.
The Knowledge Review is proud to present you with The 10 Most Influential
Educational Leaders in China 2019. Dr. Sherman Jen, Founder of Maple Leaf
International School – Dalian has been featureed on the cover. An educationalist and
influencer, Dr. Sherman continuously strives to offer the finest educational experience for
his students.
Another notaable educationalist featured in this issue is Dr. Mary Scott, titiled as the
‘Educational Leader of the Month’ she leaves no stones unturned in ensuring that her
student’s holistic development progresses in an healthy environment.
Potrayed here is also the stories of Jan Wostyn, Ms. Julie Lawton, Ms. Karrie Dietz,
Mr. Lu Wenyong, Mr. Jan Wostyn, Richard Bruford, Mr. Marcel Gauthier, and Mr.
Christopher Chadwick, who are zealously serving the educational fraternity to better
the academic experience. While flipping the page also make it a note to read the articles
penned down by our in-house editors that would further enlighten your knowlwedge on a
child’s mental growth.
Happy Reading! T R

Dr. Sherman Jen
INNOVATIVE EDUCATOR WITH UNSTOPPABLE ZEAL

he highest goal of education is to change more
Tpeople, to make people understand and tolerate
each other, and to bring people with different
cultural backgrounds together and reduce conflicts. The
world is full of conflicts because people don’t understand
and tolerate each other. Nearly 10,000 Maple Leaf
graduates have gone all over the world as advocates for
that goal.” – from Sherman Jen’s speech at the convocation
of Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada upon
receiving his Honorary Doctorate of Laws, June 19, 2013.
The most fundamental and profound change in China
during the past 40 years has been her active integration into
the world and globalization in all aspects, while the most
pronounced character of the continuous five thousand-year
Chinese civilization is the emphasis on education.
Therefore, it is not surprising that China is now the Number
One source country for international students, sending over
662,000 students of all ages overseas for further studies in
2018 alone. International schools in China, now numbering
approximately 1,000 across the country and increasing
rapidly, are prospering.
Of course, the number of students attending international
schools only represents a very small portion of the over 250
million students in China, which means there is much room
for growth, given the increasing affluence of Chinese
middle-income families. Twenty-four years ago, I founded
one of the very first international schools in China, Maple
Leaf International School - Dalian, which has grown into
the largest network of international schools in China,
operating under China Maple Leaf Educational Systems.
We were the first that introduced the British Columbia,
Canada curriculum to Chinese nationals and created the
bilingual-dual diploma model. As of 2019, 21 grade 12
classes and over 16,000 MLES graduates have successfully
completed our high school program and become a
significant part of the wave of Chinese studying in
post-secondary institutions abroad.
I was born and grew up in China. My first post-secondary
degree was earned at the Beijing Foreign Studies
University, where I became fluent in English. After
completing my degree, I was assigned to the Hebei foreign
trade department, where I negotiated with foreign
businessmen in the daytime and taught English classes in
the evenings. Three years later I moved to Hong Kong,
where I built a successful clothing export business, but I
lost interest and sold my business in order to emigrate to
Canada.
Two events in Vancouver answered my restless longing to
do something significant with my life and started me on the
path to Maple Leaf. The first was an accident in which my
one-year-old daughter fell and gashed her head open. My
wife, who spoke no English, and was home alone with our
daughter at the time, grabbed the bleeding child in her arms
and ran out into the street. The first car to come down the
road stopped and the man driving the car took the mother
and daughter to the hospital, checked them in, and waited
until they were looked after before leaving. When I was told
the whole story, I meditated for a long while without
speaking. In silence, I firmly made up my mind to do
something valuable and significant to promote friendship
between China and Canada to reciprocate the great kindness
shown to my family by a complete stranger in this new
country.
The second instigating factor was the education my children
received in Canada. Their learning was so profound and so
different from everything I knew of education in China. On
the surface it looked very simple, and yet it was clear that
they were being challenged to engage in their learning, to
question and express their own opinions, to be very actively
involved. I believed that this style of educating children was
very important in preparing them for the future. I realized
that children in China, in addition to the strength and
richness of their traditional education, also needed the
opportunity to experience this style of learning.
I immediately wrote to the Premier of British Columbia,
Canada, and three months later the Government of British
Columbia endorsed my plan to introduce the BC curriculum
to students in China. I began to promote Canadian
education to officials in various cities throughout China.
This led to the first international school license approval in
China for Chinese students enrolled in a high school
program. Maple Leaf International School opened in 1995
in Jinshitan Holiday Resort Zone in Dalian, China.
Chinese parents were initially very nervous that the dual
Chinese-BC graduation certificate meant their children were
forfeiting the possibility of entering a Chinese university, so
I gave my personal guarantee to each of the parents of those
original 14 students that I would find a place for their
graduate in a Western university. This reluctance to
experiment with a dual graduation certificate faded very
quickly, as evidenced by the rapid growth of Maple Leaf
schools.
Confucius said, “Filial piety is the basis of ethics. It is the
origin of education.” If we can develop in our students an
“

appreciation and sense of responsibility for the beauty of
our Chinese traditional culture which they have inherited,
while simultaneously preparing them to take positions of
leadership on the world stage, we will have fulfilled our
ethical duty to the next generation.
Educating our children with a strong grounding in their own
Chinese culture and identity is of primary importance, but
augmenting that with a knowledge of the English language
in which most trade is conducted globally, and teaching
them to think critically and analytically in the style of
Western cultures opens many doors in diplomatic and
business relationships that would not be theirs if they were
familiar only with Chinese ways. I believe my strongest
contribution to education in China has been to give Chinese
students an opportunity to be influential on the world stage,
because the blending of the best of East and West in their
education teaches them to see things from more than one
perspective. The more Maple Leaf Educational Systems
expands its operations, the more students will benefit from
this unique opportunity.
In 24 years from 1995-2019, Maple Leaf Educational
Systems has grown from one school of 14 students in
Dalian, Liaoning, China to more than 90 schools with over
41,000 students in three countries. MLES offers a dual BC
Dogwood Diploma and Chinese high school graduation
diploma in 11 cities in China, including Dalian, Chongqing,
Hainan, Henan, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wuhan,
Xi'an, Yancheng and Zhenjiang. MLES schools in
Ordos-Inner Mongolia, Pingdingshan, Jinzhou, Pinghu,
Huzhou, Wifang, and Haikou offer the Chinese K-9
program with the BC Graduation Program in their future.
My goal is to establish the largest global school system in
the world that blends the best aspects of Eastern education
and culture with Western educational content and
methodologies. I expect to be offering this unique Maple
Leaf curriculum to 100,000+ students in 10 countries by
2025.
Maple Leaf has completed its fifth Five-Year Plan as part of
the organization’s strategic vision. My team and I are
currently developing the sixth Five-Year Plan. Our goal for
the next five years is to open more elementary and middle
schools that will seamlessly integrate with high schools for
a total student population of 100,000 students by the year
2025. This pyramid-shaped organizational structure will
serve as the framework for expanding Maple Leaf
Educational Systems to include approximately 25,000 high
school students, 25,000 middle school students and 50,000
elementary schools over the next six years.
With the expansion of the Maple Leaf Global Education
System, high school students will be able to complete
different semesters at Maple Leaf campuses in different
countries, all as part of the same Maple Leaf Global School.
I want to prepare students thoroughly to be global leaders in
the international world of tomorrow.
My message to students everywhere, and especially Maple
Leaf students, is to think not about your own benefit, but
about the benefit of your family, your friends, your
community, your country, and your world. There are many
critical problems in this world that need to be solved:
environmental pollution, population expansion, energy
resource depletion, food production, and many other
pressing issues. Make up your mind to be part of the
solution, rather than contributing to the problem. Set high
goals and work persistently to achieve them. Set excellence
before you and do not be satisfied with less. Chinese
students - know where you are going; you are the future of
China and the world.
Recognitions of Achievement
Dr. Sherman Jen’s journey has shaped him to be the leader
he is today. His innovative educational leadership has been
recognized by both Chinese and Canadian governments.
The below-mentioned awards and titles conferred on him
attest to his superior achievements in this field.
• Most Influential Figure of China Private Education
(2004) – China Education Innovation and Development
Forum
• Outstanding Achievements Award (2008) – Government
of British Columbia
• China Times Top Ten News Figures in 2011
• Governor General’s Medallion (2013) – Governor
General of Canada (Queen’s Representative)
• Honorary Doctorate of Laws (2013) – Royal Roads
University
• Friendship Award (2014) – Chinese National Government
The continuous effort of Maple Leaf Educational Systems
schools to educate children with world-class curricula that
combine the best of East and West is resulting in graduates
who are fully equipped to further their education in the
world's top universities. Listed among the Forbes list of
potential Chinese listed companies in 2017, and The 10
Best International Schools in China 2018, Maple Leaf
schools are maintaining a reputation for providing a high
quality education.T R

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Dr. Mary ScottAn Exemplary Leader with A Zeal to Serve
Dr. Mary Scott
Head of School
Concordia International School, Shanghai
August | 201916

very teacher aims to foster
Ehis/her student with the best
tutoring. They pour their hearts
out for students as they see it as their
utmost responsibility to inculcate
values that will help them become the
best at what their heart desires. Such
teachers with their pre-eminent
resilience, compassion, minds filled
with creative ideas, and yearning to
prepare their students for the unknown
challenges in the society, set to make a
difference in the world. These
passionate people taking the leadership
role are being admired by the world for
their vivaciousness. One such leader
who has nurtured her pupils throughout
her life with her stupendous devotion is
Dr. Mary Scott.
Dr. Mary Scott, Head of School at
Concordia International School,
Shanghai, is one of the most
influential educational leaders in
China. Dr. Scott has a stunning
academic background that includes a
Bachelor’s degree in Physical
Education from Concordia University
Chicago, a Master’s degree in Athletic
Administration from Adelphi
University, and a Doctorate of
Education in Institutional Management
from Pepperdine University. She began
her journey as a high school teacher
and athletic coach, moving onto
become a college professor while also
serving in administration. She has also
held a position as an Executive Vice
President, Provost. And eventually
found her way to Concordia Shanghai,
a place she strives to make a home for
her students and faculty. Dr. Scott’s
diverse experience has been helping
Concordia Shanghai to strengthen its
values, develop an earnest interest of
students in China, through academic
exploration, educational travel,
language studies, and service to the
community.
Dedicated Leadership
Dr. Scott’s most admirable trait has
always been her ambition to serve. She
finds her greatest accomplishment, in
the achievements, accolades and
recognitions in the lives of students,
faculty, and staff that she serves.
In her own words, “Their growth and
success have been my rewards.”
Such a dynamic personality has had a
huge impact to boost the school’s
overall learning experience. She
inspires her students to be the nation’s
future building figures and is being
admired for it. Since becoming the
Head of Concordia, she has taken steps
that have transformed the institute to a
greater extent. Her zeal for students'
excellence, helping them to discover
themselves, and creating a respect for
community and the nation is
remarkable. Throughout her expedition
of spreading the gleam of knowledge,
Mary has always strived to bring about
positive change and improve the
educational experience for students
irrespective of how big or small that
change is.
Her contribution to the Educational
systems
Being a teacher first, she loves to
teach. She enjoys working with
teachers and principals, discussing new
ideas that can improve the student
learning experience. To make sure that
students understand properly, she
continually encourages the Concordia
faculty to further develop a curriculum
that revolves around concepts of
service and deeper learning. As a
school leader, Mary strives for building
a culture, constructing values, and
morals, which can unequivocally
impact the entire school community,
creating a sense of security where
everyone (teachers, students, and
families) can flourish.
About Concordia International
Concordia International School
Shanghai is situated in one of
Shanghai’s largest expat communities.
It offers a comprehensive American
curriculum and is recognized for its
commitment towards academic
excellence and for providing well-
developed sports, art, service, and
applied to learn programs.
The mission of Concordia reads as, “At
Concordia, we view every student as a
gift from God, entrusted to us by
parents and are committed in Christian
stewardship to educate students
holistically in a nurturing environment
that includes comprehensive and
challenging opportunities in academic,
creative arts, spirituality, athletics,
co-curricular activities, and service.”
Over the past 20 years, the institution
has educated over 5500 students from
more than 50 countries. Concordia is
honored to play a part in the strong
global commitment that Shanghai has
demonstrated to the world. With the
location in Shanghai and the world at
its fingertips, Concordia still places
special focus on the host country,
China. It believes that the high cultural
context of China’s location enriches
each student's daily life. The
curriculum is designed in a way that
allows students to go through intimate
experiences and improved
understanding of the host country.
At Concordia, applied learning is
another point of focus and it has been
integrated into all the areas of its
curriculum, from science to visual arts
and reaches all grade levels. These
experiences for authentic application
encourage academic vitality by
Educational Leader of the Month
17August | 2019

providing students with opportunities
to build unique connections between
academic studies and real-world
endeavors. Concordia focuses on
providing professional development
opportunities to its teachers and to
explore the world of education to help
them continue to learn and grow. This,
in turn, helps the teachers to deliver the
most effective education to the
students, who are challenged,
encouraged, and supported as they
develop intellectually, socially,
emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
By utilizing intentional communication
and effective teaching and learning, the
school aims to transform the lives of
students and its community. E.g., a
student goes home talking about
“green initiatives” and the next day
they are devising a plan for eliminating
single-use containers throughout the
school, or a student is taught to play a
musical instrument which fosters a
love for music and performing, perhaps
leading them to compose their own
music. The handpicked faculties of
Concordia pioneer educational,
cultural, and service programs that
inspire its students to pursue their
passions.
Inspired by Children
Being seen as one of the influential
educational figures in China is both
rewarding and tempting. When times
are hard and challenges arise, Dr. Scott
still finds time to get out of the office
and head out with students. Listening
to their cheerful voices, talking to them
about their daily life in school, about
their ongoing projects, what they want
to become in their life, having fun with
them, the joy that emanates on their
faces is just energizing and
encouraging to her. A little time spent
with her pupils strengthens her and
keeps her motivated.
Her love for education and students has
made her cross borders. It encouraged
her to come to a nation where her
experience and knowledge can truly
help to serve. Since, taking charge of
Concordia, Dr. Scott has had time to
explore China. She finds China to be a
beautiful country filled with
18 August | 2019

tremendous history and yet undergoing
exciting changes. In her exploration of
the Chinese she has discovered that it
provides a rich balance between the
concept of history and change.
“The richness of tradition and
formation are highlighted in the
Chinese educational system.”
- Dr. Mary Scott.
Mary finds the balance concept of
history and change to be a pillar that
enables China to expand and grow its
educational footprint with confidence.
Dr. Scott and Concordia find
themselves to be blessed to take part in
this new-fangled upsurge.
Future Prospects of Dr. Scott and
her Esteemed Institution
Dr. Scott is playing a compelling role
in the overall educational environment
of China. Her love for learning,
education, teachers and students can be
seen through her various actions at
Concordia. Her every plan will
comprise of the above-mentioned
elements.
Concordia will strive to remain an
outstanding educational institution
committed to holistic education. It is
on the lookout for more ways to serve
people within the fascinating country
of China. It embraces positive change
and continually seeks out new and
greater possibilities to transform lives.
“We want to be a global platform that
welcomes people from around the
world; a place of community and
caring…A place that sends people into
the world with an intention to serve
and benefit others in so many ways.”
- Concordia International School
Shanghai
Dr. Scott and Concordia want to
integrate the practice of deeper
learning, a learning that goes beyond
memorization and opens up the
creative inquiry, curiosity, expression,
and aptitude. It is learning that is
measured in more than test scores and
college acceptances but also in student
passion, humility, and a burning desire
towards the service of the community.
19August | 2019

Chinese government to study Chinese
at Central China Normal University in
Wuhan. After a full year of intensive
Chinese language training, he returned
to Belgium to take a one-year fast-
track bachelor’s degree in Chinese
Studies at the University of Leuven.
There, he learned about diverse aspects
of China, its history, culture, society,
political system, religions, etc.
Following that year, he was again
selected for a Chinese scholarship to
continue his Chinese language and
culture studies at Xiamen University
and later also at the renowned Fudan
University in Shanghai.
Following that, Jan took his Chinese
language skills to the professional
world and after an internship in
Beijing, he co-founded the Hutong
School with several like-minded
foreign and Chinese partners. The goal
of this School has always been to offer
life-changing programs to people from
all around the world to get their first
hands-on experience in the Middle
Kingdom, either through Chinese
language learning or internships.
About the Hutong School
The school is a Chinese Language and
internship provider offering various
language immersion and professional
development programs. Since 2005,
the school has welcomed thousands of
students from around the world to its
four China locations. Leveraging
fifteen years of teaching Chinese, the
school has developed a unique 12-level
teaching methodology that supports
students in tracking their progress and
quickly enhance their language skills.
Moreover, through the development of
its textbook series, interactive mobile
app, and global franchise program, it
aims to help more and more people
learn this increasingly important
language no matter their location.
Over the years, for delivering
exceptional teaching, the school has
been bestowed with That’s Beijing
JAN WOSTYNAn Intriguing Personality Delivering Education with Global Perspective
Jan Wostyn
MD & Co-founder
Many people spend their
whole lifetime discovering
their passion. Some of
them spent half and while others
acquire it at a very young age. This last
one happened with our story’s
protagonist, Jan Wostyn, Managing
Director and Co-founder of Hutong
School.
It all happened when Jan was just 15
years old. His parents brought back a
Chinese newspaper from Hong Kong,
after visiting his uncle in the
Philippines. Jan was completely
mesmerized by the fact that there were
more than a billion people out there on
the other side on the world for whom
reading such unintelligible newspapers
was a common daily activity, that he
made up his mind that one day he
would be able to read such newspapers
too!
After studying Economics from the
University of Leuven (Belgium), Jan
obtained a scholarship from the
20 August | 2019

embark on this journey to discover
what is arguably the oldest continuous
civilization in the world”.
Keeping Keen Eyes on Current
Happenings
Jan keeps himself updated on the
current happenings in the Chinese
educational sector. He knows that the
government invests large sums of
money into developing it and
improving the education of its citizens
across the country. With such a large
population, the Chinese job market is
extremely competitive, making parents
evermore keen to help their children
get a step ahead. This has led to the
development of a huge private
education sector, offering additional
“Mandarin School of the Year”, iStudy
“Educational Excellence”, and
“Service Excellence” awards.
Promoting China and Chinese
Education
During the development stage of
Hutong School, back in 2005, the only
way for young foreigners to discover
China was to go and study at a Chinese
University. Valuable as those
experiences are, they are not suitable
for everyone, as many young
foreigners are scared away by the
thought of having to learn Chinese
characters for four hours a day on a
university campus. However, with its
programs, the school has made access
to China much easier by offering more
flexible and tailored programs
comprising both language learning and
professional experience. Additionally,
with the location in the heart of the
city, the school focuses more on
interactions with Chinese society.
Consequently, this enables thousands
of eager foreigners to make their first
steps in China, seeing China with their
own eyes, rather than having to rely on
often sensational and biased
information on China in Western
media.
A Philosophical take on Education
With ‘never stop learning’ attitude, Jan
says, “Education is without any doubt
the most rewarding field to be active in,
which actually makes it very easy to
stay motivated and inspire students
from all over the world. Education is
all about opening eyes and leading
people into whole new worlds. It´s
about developing potential and
changing lives in a permanent way. It´s
about planting seeds in barren lands
and watering flowers to bloom to full
glory. New curious foreigners arrive
on a daily basis in China, ready to
tuition in everything from mathematics
to English.
Keeping these industry scenarios in
mind, the school has shifted from
traditional classroom-based learning to
hybrid learning. It believes that the
development of technology allows for
easy access to quality instruction from
anywhere in the country. The school
also cites that the trend of cultural
emphasis on the importance of
education will grow and further
transform the Chinese education sector.
Further, it states, there is no doubt that
the booming education sector in China
will also bring about new insights and
innovations that will spread across the
world.
21August | 2019

American International School in
Singapore, where she was in charge of
monitoring the growth of an
elementary school division, which
housed 450 to 800 students. In this
role, she was instrumental in
implementing digital literacy programs
and managing the development of
language programs, including
Stamford’s Mandarin/English Bilingual
Program. Right from the beginning,
Karrie has been instrumental in
building a caring community and
strong relationship with the parents.
A Fervent Educator
A dedicated and innovative leader,
Karrie has gained vast experience,
beyond that of her time in Singapore.
Previously, she had served as a
Principal of Prem Tinsulanonda
International School in Chiang Mai,
Thailand, where she facilitated school-
wide curriculum development across
four International Baccalaureate (IB)
programs. This included the use of
standards, benchmarks, and curriculum
S
uccessful educational leaders are
driven by a moral purpose. They
are equipped with strong
self-belief and possess a learning
attitude. Such leaders continuously
guide and support their colleagues and
students for their growth and
betterment. They are driven by the
motive of refurbishing education and
creating the champions of tomorrow.
One such exceptional and motivated
change leader is Karrie Dietz, the
Head of School at Stamford
American School Hong Kong. After
gathering more than 25 years of
experience in teaching and school
leadership from 5 different countries,
she joined Stamford Hong Kong as a
founding member of the school. Karrie
received an Executive Certificate of
Innovation and Entrepreneurship from
Stanford University and a Certificate of
International School Leadership from
Principals’ Training Center. She
completed her MA in Education from
Hamline University. Karrie has also
served as a Principal at Stamford
mapping software. Karrie was also the
School-Wide Curriculum Coordinator
and a Vice-Principal at the American
International School in Dhaka,
Bangladesh. Additionally, she had also
offered her services as a teacher in
Tashkent International School,
Uzbekistan and in Minnesota, USA.
Being a passionate educator, Karrie
always pays attention towards
collaborating with others with the
objective of empowering children to
reach their full potential and make a
difference. She is an experienced
International Baccalaureate workshop
leader, who also serves on and leads
the Council of International Schools
accreditation team visits for schools in
the Asia Pacific region. Karrie has also
served as the Co-Founder and
Co-Director of Backwoods Adventures
Ltd, USA. Here, she coordinated and
supervised week-long backing
adventures in northern Minnesota and
the Colorado Rocky Mountains for
children ranging from 9-14 years with
a focus on experiential learning.
KARRIE DIETZ
A Staunch Educationist focused
on Student Development and
Academic Excellence
Karrie Dietz
Head of School
24 August | 2019

children are inspired to achieve the
best and learn throughout. She has led
the school to attain student growth to
740 students during the first three
years. She has also played an active
part in the development of initial
curriculum and programs and has
played an essential role in the planning
for CIS accreditation and IBDP
authorization. Karrie’s dedicated
leadership has assisted the school in
earning Cognita’s Global CEO award
for student growth results.
Inspiring the Future Leaders
Karrie leads Stamford to provide
authentic opportunities to the students
so that they can connect with the local
and global communities. Her prime
motive is to make a difference in the
students’ lives by empowering and
inspiring them to achieve the best.
Under her leadership, the school
connects with global mentors keeping
in perspective the overall development
of the students.
Opinions about the Education Sector
Karrie believes that the world is
constantly evolving and education and
technology need to stay abreast of the
rapid changes in the world. “One thing
has become more apparent that
children are going to need transferable
skills, in fact the World Economic
Forum’s top skills are what would be
considered ‘soft skills’such as
teamwork and collaboration etc. With
the world changing rapidly I think no
matter where our children live or
where their journey will take them we
need to prepare them with skills that
allow them to face ever-changing
challenges and opportunities”, she
adds. While concluding, she advises
the students to follow their dreams and
make a difference in the world with
their dedicated endeavors.
A Maestro of Various Domains
Karrie has attained Master of Arts in
Education from Hamline University
and a Bachelor of Arts in Education
from St. Catherine University, both
located in Minnesota. Additionally, she
is an International School Leadership
Certificate holder from the Principals’
Training Center in America and has
also received an Executive Certificate
of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
from Stanford University. “I am
absolutely delighted with the caring
community we are creating at
Stamford. We have a highly qualified
team of faculty and staff who are
committed to inspiring students and
empowering them to succeed” she
says.
About Stamford American School
Hong Kong
Established in 2017, Stamford
American School Hong Kong offers
quality education to students from
Pre-primary to Grade 12. The school is
driven by the purpose, An Inspiring
World of Education: Building self-
belief and empowering individuals to
succeed. By 2023, it aims to be
recognized as a school with an
innovative approach to nurturing
children. Stamford lays emphasis on
integrity, courage, innovation and
compassion. It believes in care,
character building, well-being, and also
follows a global mindset. The school is
also a reputed member of the Cognita
Schools Group, a family of 70+
schools.
The Achievement Saga
Under Karrie’s visionary leadership,
Stamford has achieved the heights of
success and prominence. Her prime
focus has always been to create a
caring and happy culture, wherein
Follow
your dreams
and make a
difference in
the world
25August | 2019

brought assistance from two of the
largest Chinese Internet giants, Tencent
and Baidu, who liberally gave more than
$120 million in funding. eWash was a
great success in some way, however, Lu
still had passion to do his “own
business”. After leaving eWash in 2017,
he developed a quality-oriented
education brand called “Weilaicheng
Education” with the concept to enable
kids to develop happily living, offering
them with a better way to have a
life-long interest.
The above-given para merely
summarizes the journey of Lu in
becoming a world leader. Obviously,
there were many hurdles in his life,
which he overcame to reach where he is
today. When he earned his name as a
young and ambitious internet industry
entrepreneur in 2017 and resigned as the
CEO of eWash alongside deciding to
pursue the educational sector, many
misgivings and queries were raised.
Lu recalls to the past two decades when
life was simple. In comparison, the
Internet today has totally revamped many
industries. Most benefit from such
scenarios, but there will always be
The protagonist of today’s story is
a business leader, entrepreneur,
and a man who wants children to
grow happily. We are talking about
Lu Wenyong, the Founder and CEO of
Kuaipeilian.
Rated as ‘Forbs 30 Under 30’, Lu was
born in 1987 and attempted to begin his
first company while still studying at
University for his bachelor’s degree .
After graduating in 2010, he entered a
group-buying company, and was
eventually placed in charge of his
marketing department. Though Lu has a
strong passion for doing his own
business, still, he choose to join Baidu,
the Chinese Google, to obtain working
experience in a big company. After
two-year of intensive learning, he left
Baidu and received an attractive offer
from Rongchang Laundry, the largest
chain laundry group in China, who eager
to grab new business opportunities in the
Internet era. Therefore, Lu joined this
new business as the Co-Founder and
CEO, and brought a new brand - eWash,
which soon became China’s largest
internet laundry business. The
hardworking experience in Baidu and
outstanding performance of eWash
persons and organizations failing on the
other side. Hence, for Lu as an
‘outsider’, it was quite challenging as
such personalities are not welcomed for
traditional education industry
practitioner. Another obstacle faced by
Lu was not being a parent, which would
give people an opportunity to judge his
abilities and also lead to stereotyping by
saying “LU doesn’t know about children
education”. However, Lu did not keep
such incidents at heart and always looked
towards the positive side. As an outsider,
he believed that his mind will not be
limited by the old rules of this industry.
Consequently, he was able to provide
new ideas and blood for the industry.
Before the first day of working as an
educational company, Lu had spent
remarkable efforts into studying,
researching, and communicating with the
teachers, professors, and practitioners.
“I’m doing this not just as a business,
but for more kids to have a better
education experience”.
Being a wise person, Lu also knows that
earning trust and building relationship
takes time and, in the end, it definitely
carries a positive outcome. Under his
LU WENYONG
Bringing Happiness to People by
Positively Impacting their Lives with
Business and Entrepreneur Mindset
Lu Wenyong
Founder & CEO
26 August | 2019

happy learning and gets children to be
truly interested in the piano. The school
has a scientific curriculum system jointly
with the psychology education experts
and national well-known music
education experts. These experts ensure
that the children’s interests in practicing
piano are scientifically and professionally
aroused and guide them towards the
practice of happy piano.
Kuaipeilian joins the quality-oriented
education sector on the basis of bilateral
activities. It currently offers skilled one-
on-one online piano buddy classes for
kids aged 4-16. Professional buddy
educators will correct mistakes and
provide interest-oriented guidance to
assist pupils to finish faster piano
learning after school in the piano
teaching methods.
Kuaipeilian works around core values
which are: fast, sincere, result-oriented,
helpful to others, and all-in-all for
user’s experience. The group believes
that the product, efficiency, and
organizing capacity are the lasting power
of any business operation. Its vision is to
pursue excellent teachers and service
quality and become the best company in
the field of quality-oriented education.
After a year of hard work, the group
rapidly joined the online buddy category
industry in 2018 and supplied people
with high-quality online facilities.
Kuaipeilian has become a dark horse in
the sector of quality education with
excellent customer development and cash
flow resources. Kuaipeilian announced in
April that it has a $10 million Pre-A
round funding on the online piano buddy
class platform.
Kuaipeilian has a professional team of
buddy players who are cautiously
selected over the course of six robust
exams. The scientific curriculum system
is jointly developed by the children’s
psychological education experts and the
nationally renowned music education
experts. The teachers have rich
experiences in buddy teaching and they
interact better with children and let them
leadership, Kuaipeilian has made
cooperation and received more and more
endorsement from education industry
KOLs. They even have fashioned a
program called Kuaipeilian Music
Academy (快陪练音乐课堂) where
piano teachers can opt for online and
offline classes. Till date, there are over 30
KOLs working with the school, with
over 70,000 piano teachers studying on
the platform.
Presenting the Key to Happiness
According to Lu, most people born in the
80s were not able to develop their own
interests from childhood. Some may have
the opportunity to participate in various
interest activities during college. But
with China’s rapid growth, now time has
changed and the current parents can
provide more opportunities for their
children to develop relevant interests.
Lu says that he was very passionate
about art since college and had a lot of
interests and hobbies to make himself
happy. He comprehends that a happy
person must always strive to improve
his/her own quality and find his/her own
point of interest and attain a steady sense
of accomplishment and satisfaction. He
thinks that this is the reason behind the
citizens being pursuing quality education
after they obtain basic test-oriented
education. To conclude, Lu asserts, “I
hope that students from all over the
country can find their true interest which
can bring long-term happiness to their
life”.
About Kuaipeilian
Lu cites that 30 years ago, there was a
low percentage of kids learning piano.
There were two reasons behind this; first
was the most common one i.e. financial
issue. The second one is that learning and
practicing piano is a rather lonely thing,
especially for kids, who need to be
accompanied and a lot of encouragement
during the learning process. This
situation still limits the development of
piano learning till now, not only China
but also worldwide. This is where
Kuaipeilian comes in and imparts quality
education whose core method advocates
enjoy and have the fun of practicing the
piano with quality products and services,
making piano practicing a happy activity.
Keeping Keen Eyes on Chinese
Education
China’s big population contributes to an
enormous educational industry and wide
prospective industry. At the national
level, the country is prioritizing on
optimizing the education methodologies
and teaching contents alongside carrying
out new and better education models
under the digitalization era. All the
elements of education are advancing and
evolving in a stronger path. It is also
considered that through the education
industry’s top-down initiatives,
institutions can provide a stronger
teaching atmosphere for Chinese kids,
stronger instructional assets, fairer
teaching possibilities, and a stronger
future.
Additionally, as a result of one-child
policy over the previous centuries,
families will devote as much energy as
they can on education for children, which
further raises the prospective educational
industry. With more and more companies
taking part in the competition, it has
become increasingly intense.
Obviously, Lu doesn’t consider it as a
bad thing and on the contrary perceives it
as opportunities and challenges, which
directly promote the establishment of the
industry standards. Hereafter, educational
institutions and educational practitioners
have to have more sense of urgency and
then promote the progress of the
industry. He also says that those who
truly have a social responsibility and
capability will stand out no matter what.
Kuaipeilian in the same way, do not
consider it a difficult problem as it is
confident enough to understand its goals,
direction, and constantly innovate,
improve, conduct self-examination, and
create breakthroughs. Consequently, this
makes Kuaipeilian face any
complications with ease and makes it a
force to reckon with in the education
sector.
27August | 2019

in Leadership
The term leadership has many deﬁnitions, it may
also vary from one to another. However, it is a/the
leader who sets the tone of an organization or a
team. An organization is made up of people and wherever
people are involved, emotions are bound to come to play. It
won’t be fully right to claim that workplaces or
organizations are all objective. Neither can we say that it is
always no-emotion and only performance-packed
room/space. No matter how much one wants to disagree on
this fact, emotions motivates as well as demotivates an
employee or a teammate. It is these emotions that govern
the performance, eﬃciency and other work-related
parameters in an employee. Leaders usually excel in the
job or might have even mastered the art, but if they aren’t
able to emotionally connect with their teammates or
employees, the consequences would be rather far-reaching
thatbeinganticipated.
28 August | 2019

So, who is an emotionally intelligent leader? To begin
with, let's start with the definition of emotional intelligence
(EI). The ability to either understand or manage one’s own
emotions and the entire employee’s or team member’s
emotions can be defined as emotional intelligence. If we
talk about the history of this concept, the world ‘emotional
intelligence’ was coined in 1990,by researchers Peter
SaloveyandJohnMayer.
However, it was because of the psychologist, Daniel
Goleman that the word became popular. In one of his
interviews with Harvard Business Review, he explains the
/importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. He
said that while IQ and technical skills are the essentials,
and though it is an integral part in the entry-level, in the
long run having emotional intelligence matters. Through
the years, emotional intelligence has evolved as a must-
haveskillinleaders.
ImportantComponents ofEI
Self-Awareness is the core of everything one does. Being
self-aware helps one in understanding one’s strengths and
weaknesses. However, the actual win lies in understanding
own emotions and knowing what effect it has on your
team’s performance. Tasha Eurich, an American author
while talking about this topic, concluded that while 95
percent of people claim that they are self-aware of their
surroundingsandemotions,however,inreality,only
10 -15 percent of people are. Leaders often fall under the
category of people who inspire others, hence the best way
to bring out the best in others is by bringing out the best in
self.
There is no definite pattern or method that one can use to
analyzethemselvesandbringthebest.However,thereisan
easy way to it, to be self-aware about your own emotion,
you must complete a 360-degree feedback wherein, you
can evaluate your own performance and match it with the
opinion of your superiors, teammates and even
subordinates. This simple process will help one gain more
insights into one’s behavior and how he/she as a leader is
beingperceivedintheworkplace.
Achieving this does not happen overnight. It takes time,
practice and patience. However, the first step to achieve
self-awareness is by self- management. It is the ability to
manage one’s emotions. This quality of controlling self-
emotions and taking decisions or giving suggestions
usually works best in stressful situations. Hence, a
successful leader builds an efficient and productive work
environment by analyzing and controlling self emotions
andtalkingappropriatedecisions.
Here, let us discuss why it is sometimes difficult to have
control over one’s own emotions. The reason why
sometimes mentors or leaders are not emotionally
intelligent or cannot manage their emotions is that they
tend to react before thinking the mental state of the team
members. But again, reacting to certain things is impulsive
andautomatic
Along with managing own emotions, and controlling
them, it is also important that one knows how to read the
people sitting the room. This where the third component,
social awareness is important. Aleader or manager should
be equally efficient in reading their team member’s
thoughts. Few leaders who practice this component are
empathetic. They try to understand their colleague’s’
perspective and feelings. Various studies have concluded
that empathy is one of the most wanted skills in leaders and
those who have mastered it have reportedly performed
well.
This directly leads to another important component of EI,
relationship management. It is the ability to coach,
mentor, and influence others. While working in a group,
conflicts are bound to arise due to differences in thoughts,
emotional imbalance of team members, and other factors
like ego and ignorance. So, a leader who has mastered all
the above components can effectively address these
conflicts. There is no escape from tough conversations,
being a leader, you are being looked up to by many hence
making the right, balanced and effective decision is your
responsibility.
Patience,Practice,andPersistence
Leaders in our society are looked/viewed as problem
solvers, hence everyone working along with them always
believes that they have a solution to all their problems and
all these solutions would benefit them. Over the years, we
all have read stories or even heard about such amazing
leaders who have done right for everyone. Yet, what
anyone must understand is that even leaders are humans
and alike any other human, mistakes occur intentionally or
unintentionally. However, it is important to overcome the
trepidations and it does not happen overnight. It must be
practicedwithpatienceandpersistence.
31August | 2019

them to engage challenges with
courage, and expands their vision of
what’s possible such that they are
never content to merely settle for the
staid and the mundane,” he adds.
The Educator’s Journey
Marcel began his educational voyage
as a teacher of literature and writing
in American private schools. His rich
experience of several years as a
leader has allowed him to identify
with those who deliver education to
the students each day. He began his
transition into leadership roles in the
USA, serving in private schools. He
took on the role of a high school
principal at Spartanburg Day School
in South Carolina, and then Assistant
Head of School at The Waterford
School in Salt Lake City, Utah.
These exposures reinforced in him
several key points. Firstly, he
realized that all education is local.
Dedicated educational leaders
are self aware, resourceful,
and hard working. They are
driven by the zeal to learn, are
confident, persistent, and possess the
ability to inspire and lead by
example. One such enthusiastic
leader with the zeal to attain
excellence in every activity
undertaken is Marcel Gauthier, the
Head of School at Shanghai
American School (SAS). He
believes that the primary objective of
education is to provide students the
knowledge and skills not only to
participate in today’s world, but to
thrive personally and professionally
and shape it into a better place.
Marcel asserts that it is the role of
every educator to impart excellent
education to the students and nurture
the uniqueness in them. “Every
student can learn and grow, and it is
our responsibility to offer an
education that affirms the uniqueness
of each child in our care, invites
Says Marcel, “No matter how much
we apply research and universal
principals in education, we are
always working in one place, with
one community, at one moment in
time, and we must take the time to
understand the needs and biases that
each community carries into the
equation.” Secondly, he felt that
education is never perfect—it is both
art and science. “We apply science to
our pedagogical practices, but we
adapt with creativity and empathy to
our students’needs each day.”
Thirdly, Marcel believes that the
mission of the institution matters. “It
is the purpose within which we
deliver an education each day that is
crucial, not simply the knowledge
and skills themselves.”
About Shanghai American School
Established in 1912, Shanghai
American School aims to deliver a
rich American-style education to
MARCEL GAUTHIERA Scholarly Pedagogue Focused on Attaining Educational Excellence
Marcel Gauthier
Head of School
34 August | 2019

The school’s Innovation Institute at
Puxi High School is a cohort of
students and teachers engaged
entirely in project-based learning,
with each component of the
curriculum driven by an inquiry
project and culminating in a
community presentation.
The Future Landscape
Marcel feels that the environment is
changing in Shanghai with more
families interested in investing in an
international education for their
children. He believes that SAS will
serve an ever-growing population of
local students who will stay with the
school from early childhood through
children of foreign nationals in
Shanghai. SAS’ story aligns with the
growth and challenges of the city of
Shanghai itself and is today the city’s
most storied international school.
The institution now has two
campuses – in Pudong and Puxi –
and educates 2750 students annually.
It strives to balance a strong
academic environment with a
commitment to educational
innovation and caring for the well-
being of the students. In accordance
with its Mission, SAS inspires in all
students:
• A lifelong passion for learning
• A commitment to act with
integrity and compassion
• And the courage to lives their
dreams
Upholding Educational Excellence
Under the ardent leadership of
Marcel, SAS oﬀers both the IB
Diploma Programme and a full array
of Advanced Placement courses. It is
the only school in Shanghai to oﬀer
both AP and IB for the students to
choose from, based on their own
interests and their aspirations. The
school follows a traditional
curriculum, with instruction in
mathematics, literacy, world
languages, history, science,
technology, design, the visual and
performing arts, and physical
education. Marcel states, “SAS has
made a commitment to bring
interdisciplinary and project-based
learning into every classroom at
every grade. Our goal is to invite
students into learning—not impose it
on them—and have them see the
opportunities to apply that learning
and know its relevance and power.”
high school. “With these families, we
will continue to strengthen our
Chinese language program as well
as our approach to English
instruction. SAS will continue to
balance a strong academic
environment with a commitment to
innovation, exploring new
technologies, new pedagogies, and
new partnerships here and abroad,”
says Marcel. He concludes by saying,
“We call ourselves a ‘community of
continuous learning.’We are restless
by nature and always looking to
embrace the next challenge while
remaining true to our Mission.”
35August | 2019

strong expectations of all his teachers
and his students.
With Great Power comes Great
Responsibility
Christopher recognizes his duties and
responsibilities at KIS and asserts, “I
believe that I have not only one of the
best, but one of the most important,
jobs in the world Principal of the
Korean International School Hong
Kong HKSAR China”.
When he was first appointed as the
Principal of KIS, he said to the Board
of Governors that “I want to make our
school an ‘oasis in the heart of Hong
Kong’ that when you walk in you feel
that this is a place where everyone
cares, a happy school filled with smiles
and laughter”. Christopher knows that
when students are happy, then only
they will learn and would come to the
school. Therefore, he engages learners
by following a well-structured fast
paced UK curriculum, which the
teachers and administrators can
The story we are going to tell
you today entails a Principal
who is self-confident with the
attitude ‘go with what you know’. He
understands that the job of a Principal
is often messy and unpredictable. This
job can be best enclosed under the
position that involves; raising
standards and achievements; providing
the highest quality in teaching and
learning; a balanced curriculum of
academics, athletics, and arts. Hence,
one can say that this position carries a
profoundly important responsibility.
We would like you to meet the above-
described personality who is well
versed in his profession, Christopher
Chadwick, Principal of Korean
International School. Christopher has
excellent management skills that
allows him to take complete
accountability in decision-making and
to have the power to make hard
choices when necessary. Further, he
possesses great personal relationship
skills and the capacity to be a
successful negotiator. Encouraging
others to do of their best, he has very
monitor. This adopted curriculum is
distinctive of today for the needs of
tomorrow and is also tailored to the
appropriate student requirements.
As Principal he understands that
modern technologies will continue to
offer increasingly marvelous
educational opportunities to students
but he believes that at the ‘heart’ of a
great education will still lie the special
interaction between student and
teacher. As Principal, he understands
that he has the authority to hire skilled,
vibrant, and exemplary educators who
are inspired to offer their utmost and
are dedicated to enhancing the
student’s teaching atmosphere.
Students should be prepared to learn
long after they have left school and the
initiator of this method is a challenging
and interesting classroom curriculum.
This curriculum provides learners with
the ability to continue studying, not
only for their next stage of education
but for their future. He concluded with
saying, “The curriculum on its own
doesn’t do anything it is the teachers
MR. CHRISTOPHER CHADWICK
Molding A Tradition of Excellence
Christopher Chadwick, Principal
36 August | 2019

year-olds who go to universities all
over the globe while at the same
moment welcoming fresh 4-year-olds
who are about to embark on their
learning journey through education.
These young learners beginning this
academic year 2019-2020 will be the
graduating class of 2033. So, what will
the world be like then? How can we
prepare these learners for the
unknown? Christopher and KIS do not
have the answers to these questions,
but they will make sure that they teach
them to be; cooperative, curious,
critical thinkers, creative problem-
solvers as well as good global citizens.
The students’ demands are what drives
KIS, motivating them to do better. KIS
is not just creating excellent scholars,
but also creating good people to
prepare today’s learners for tomorrow’s
world.
The Road Ahead
“Vision without action is merely a
dream. Action without vision just
passes the time. Vision with action can
change the world” -Nelson Mandela
With this quote, Christopher will lead
KIS to create an ‘oasis in the heart of
HK’, which could become a school of
choice where they can shape the next
generation.
who make the difference it is the
teachers that bring it alive. I believe all
students can be successful no matter
what their background or
capabilities”.
About KIS
Korean International School
inaugurated in 1988 with the institution
of Korean School, formally
acknowledged and endorsed by the
Ministry of Education of the Republic
of Korea to provide continuing
education centered on Korean
curriculum for Korean learners in HK.
The school’ mission statement PAVIA
states for; Mission find PASSION;
foster VISION; encourage ACTION.
KIS can be seen as two schools in one
with each running it’s own curriculum:
Korean Section follows Korean
curriculum set by the Ministry of
Education of Republic of Korea, with
the Principal and teaching staff
appointed by the Ministry; and
International Section, which follows
Cambridge International Programs,
with internationally appointed
Principal and teaching staff. Despite
this duality, indeed embracing the
difference, the school seeks to foster
the same values in all its students and
hopes to help students become happy,
fulfilled adults, and contributing
members of the global community.
KIS believes in shaping the next
generation and is proud of its students’
accomplishments. It also feels pride on
being willing to assist, nurture, and
encourage learners. So, students make
progress in many areas, be it academic,
sporting, the arts are all crucial to the
development to make a valid
contribution as global citizens.
A Remarkable Vision
Every year KIS say goodbye to 18-
37August | 2019

challenging start to her career which
she always recollects. She always
knew that she wanted to live overseas
having studied German and Spanish at
university and experienced some short
periods abroad. Julie first traveled to
Kuwait and taught Grade 3 for two
years. She has worked at only two
schools during the 23 years she has
been in Beijing.
At the first school, Julie taught Grades
3, 4, and 5 Homeroom, G1-5 ELL, was
the PYP Coordinator, and the ES
Principal. She then joined an exciting
upcoming school in Beijing which was
the BCIS. She joined as the founding
ES Principal and held the role for the
next thirteen years, along with being
the interim Head of School on two
occasions and the Deputy Head of
School for several years. Starting from
the school year, Julie proudly became
the Head of School at BCIS and felt
privileged to work at a school with
such a strong community and academic
reputation.
In March 2014, Julie was honoured to
Azealous leader who is
working compassionately to
bring in empowerment and
inspiration to the educational society of
China is Ms. Julie Lawton. Today, she
is the Head of the School at Beijing
City International School (BCIS).
BCIS admits students from China as it
is a Chinese founded school with deep
Chinese roots, and that reflects the best
of the western and Chinese
philosophies in the school. “It is
important that all of our students,
wherever they are from, learn about
the world and importantly, learn about
China – the history, the culture, the
language, and the values. We believe
that in this way, our students are truly
able to live and learn without
boundaries. They are truly ‘citizens of
the world’, says Julie.
About an Intriguing Journey
Julie’s career started in the UK when
she qualified as a teacher and taught
first in a local primary school, teaching
36 Grade 2 students. This was a
receive the ‘Great Wall Friendship
Award’ which is awarded to foreigners
who have made a significant
contribution to China. “This was not an
award simply for me as an individual,
but an award for the outstanding
contribution to Beijing and China that
BCIS has made”, asserts Julie proudly.
Made her Way through Challenges
Julie believes that the major challenge
in her career had also bought a major
opportunity for her. Being a part of
building a school community from the
very beginning felt like a huge, and
sometimes a daunting task. “However,
when I look back 14 years later, I can
see how it has been a fabulous journey
of hard work, sharing, learning,
reflecting, setting high standards, and
reaching our goals.” Today, the
challenge for her is to continue to
improve by reflecting and listening to
advice particularly from outside, such
as with the regular accreditation cycles
as it is extremely important to continue
this process of reflection and
improvement forever.
MS. JULIE LAWTON
Transforming Learning in China Through Innovation and Compassion
Ms. Julie Lawton
Head of School
40 August | 2019

Baccalaureate Organization. BCIS is
also accredited by the Council of
International Schools (CIS) and the
Western Association of Schools and
Colleges (WASC).
The program is implemented by the
experienced faculty consisting of
teachers from 20 different countries.
BCIS is licensed to offer a rigorous and
respected international curriculum to
both foreign and Chinese students.
Until now, BCIS alumni have been
accepted into more than 260
universities around the world.
Words of Wisdom
Julie says, “I would encourage students
to follow their hearts and heads. It is
necessary for them to feel inspired by
Staying Motivated
Julie considers herself very fortunate to
be a part of a nurturing, compassionate,
and ambitious community such as
BCIS which helps her to stay driven.
At BCIS, the core values include
inspiration, challenge, empowerment,
and compassion where she deeply
experiences this on a daily basis within
the community that includes students,
staff, faculty, parents, and partners. She
has a “can-do” attitude and believes
that the students will take this attitude
with them as they continue their
contribution to their world. “ The key
for our students is that they know they
can be anything they want to be. If they
live our BCIS mission, then we believe
this is a true definition of success, and
they will be excellent contributors to
the world,” Julie says.
About BCIS
The BCIS mission is to challenge and
empower students to be compassionate
and inspired people, who act for the
good of all and for the sustainable
development of the world.
BCIS is a non-profit private school.
With the approval of the Education
Committee of Chaoyang District,
Beijing, BCIS acts as a pilot school
offering educational reform and
innovation through international
educational practices that incorporate
15 grades of schooling, from pre-
school to Grade 12. Learning is based
on implementing the Chinese national
curriculum by adapting both
progressive Chinese and foreign
educational philosophies, teaching
pedagogies, management, and modern
educational strategies. The school
curriculum consists of Early
Childhood, Primary Years Programme,
Middle Years Programme, and
Diploma Programme, all accredited
and authorized by the International
their learning and to understand
themselves well. They want to make
their parents proud, of course, and can
do this in so many ways. However, they
must also follow their own path to be a
happy, contributing citizen of the
world.”
She further adds, “Looking at BCIS’s
mission, I would encourage anyone,
whether at BCIS or elsewhere, to
consider the importance of caring,
compassion, empowerment, and
inspiration, as well as think about how
each and every one of us has a
responsibility towards our world and
its sustainability. If we can all do this
and take the necessary action along
with saying the words, then the present
and the future will both be in safe
hands.”
41August | 2019

With the motto of bringing into
spotlight such eminent personalities
who are on an endless strife to deliver
quality education and subsequently
attain educational zeniths, we at The
Knowledge Review, bring to you the
journey of an ardent educational leader,
Richard Bruford, the Head of School
at Suzhou Singapore International
School.
This is Richard’s story, in his own
words.
“I originally started my education
career in the UK as a Geography
teacher. The first three years I had as a
teacher, was a very positive experience
and prepared me for challenges that
would lie ahead in my career. Being
part of a large department, I was able to
see the importance of effective
collaboration between teachers and
their influence on student learning
along with purposeful leadership that
focused on developing strong
relationships between leaders, teachers
and students.”
“Moving to Australia, I worked at two
The current landscape of
education, with the evident and
extensive inclusion of
technology, is on a path to reformation.
This path demands from its travellers to
be au fait with everything that’s
required to leverage all the
opportunities offered.
To be at the peak of this educational
reformation, one is required to
ceaselessly dedicate a major part of
his/her life in uplifting and retaining the
value of education. In this endeavor,
one has to understand the gravity of the
role wherein one would be titled as an
educational leader. Pertaining to this, a
prolific educator holds a pivotal
position in students’ life and journey
towards academic excellence.
prestigious private schools in Sydney
and Adelaide. It was in Sydney where I
was given the opportunity to work at
one of Australia’s oldest International
Baccalaureate (IB) schools and my
passion for the IB mission and
philosophy in making the world a better
place through education, has continued
to grow through having the privilege to
work in IB schools for over 20 years.”
“Working at Prince Alfred College in
Adelaide, I was fortunate to be
encouraged to study for a Masters’
Degree in Education Leadership and
share my practice through writing
articles for educational journals and
presenting at workshops and
conferences across Australia.”
“I had considered working in
international schools around the world
for some time, though finding the right
time to make the move had proven
difficult. To be honest, I had never
considered China as a country to work
in but in exploring career opportunities
I ended up choosing Suzhou over
Beijing to further my career as
Assistant Principal at SSIS, which has
RICHARD BRUFORDAdvocating Comprehensive Education, Building Future Intellectuals
“We should be encouraging
students to pursue their
ambitions, developing the
confidence to take on new
challenges and ensure that they
make a positive contribution to
the world.”
Richard Bruford
Head of School
42 August | 2019

with the sole intention of improving
education for our students.”
“During my time at SSIS, I have
become a Lead Educator for the
International Baccalaureate Educator
Network making a significant
contribution to the growth of
international education in the Asia-
Pacific region through delivering
workshops for school leaders and
teachers.
“I believe that educators have a
responsibility to share and learn from
each other not just in our own schools
but between schools. In leading
evaluation visits to other IB schools in
the region, I am fortunate to be able to
see examples of good practice that I am
able to bring back and share with the
SSIS learning community. In leading
workshops and presenting at
conferences, I hope to inspire others in
embracing and overcoming the
challenges we are faced with, in
education.”
Acknowledging and Overcoming
Challenges
“The biggest challenge we have in
schools today is that there is so much to
do yet so little time. We need to tackle
this in two ways. Firstly, we need to be
as productive with our time as possible
being both efficient and effective in our
practices. Secondly, we need to work
out what works best educationally for
the students in our own schools’
context. No school is the same, each
one has different needs and therefore a
’one size fits all approach’ to student
learning must be avoided at all costs.”
“Good leaders are able to get their
teachers to agree on what the priorities
are and work collaboratively to
implement the changes necessary to see
improvements in student outcomes.
One challenge all schools need to
embrace is the development of critical
thinking and the ability to develop their
since progressed to becoming Head of
School in my eight years at the school.
Working internationally in China has
been rewarding for me both
professionally and personally,
meanwhile working with students and
parents from over 50 different countries
and gaining an appreciation of Chinese
culture and progress.”
A Benchmark in Itself
“SSIS is an international school of
nearly 1200 students and offers the IB
Primary Years, Middle Years and
Diploma Programmes. The school is
also successfully accredited by the
Council of International Schools and
the New England Association of
Schools and Colleges. SSIS is viewed
by many as a model IB school in China
and the Asia-Pacific region for its
approach to teaching and learning.”
“Significant hallmarks of SSIS include
its attention to student wellbeing and
holistic education, being an inclusive
school that achieves outstanding
academic results, providing excellent
professional learning programme for
teachers and fostering an international
community that embraces
compassionate interaction. We very
much see ourselves as Suzhou’s
International School.”
Redefining Educational Leadership
“Educational leaders have a
responsibility to work with teachers by
engaging, challenging and furthering
their own learning, so that students
directly benefit as a result. SSIS is well
known for the professional learning
that it provides for teachers and the part
it plays in fostering professional
networks.”
“SSIS has played an instrumental role
in enabling teachers from different
international schools in Jiangsu,
Shanghai and China to come together
to share their experience and expertise
own opinions whilst being mindful of
the difference between fact and fiction.
We should be encouraging students to
pursue their ambitions, developing the
confidence to take on new challenges
and ensure that they make a positive
contribution to the world.”
Personifying Persistence
“To remain motivated in a profession
that can exhaust the best of us, I enjoy
professional conversation with teachers
in listening to their ideas for improving
our support of student wellbeing and
the provision of new learning
opportunities.”
“Connecting with students both in and
out of the classroom, whether it be
coaching a sports team, teaching a
class, mentoring a student, or simply a
corridor conversation, grounds me in
our purpose as educators and gives me
the energy to do the very best I can to
encourage students to be the best they
can be and strive to be responsible
global citizens who are actively
engaged with their community.”
“We should be encouraging students to
pursue their ambitions, developing the
confidence to take on new challenges
and ensure that they make a positive
contribution to the world in which they
live.”
Bequeathing the Keys to Excellence
“I am often asked about what message
I’d give to school leaders, teachers and
students. I remind school leaders to
make sure that they under-promise and
over-deliver to build trust and respect
in their school community. I tell
teachers to model the qualities that they
wish our students to develop, and that
lifelong learning needs to be modeled
not just taught. For our students I
remind them of a quote by Dwight
Moody which states, if they look after
their character, their reputation will
take care of itself.”
43August | 2019

The 10 most influential educational leaders in china 2019

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