5

Competent in het samenwerken met collega's
(Competent in working with colleagues)

I think these will have to be addressed one by one:

• Ik ontwikkel samen met collega’s onderwijsmateriaal m.b.t. tot internationalisering  en ben een voortrekker bij het gebruik daarvan. (In conjunction with my colleagues I develop educational material related to internationalism and I take a leading role in using those materials.)
• Ik kan samen met collega´s en management aangeven waar internationalisering in het curriculum een plaats zou kunnen krijgen. (In conjunction with colleagues and management, I can point out where internationalism could fit in the curriculum.)
• Ik motiveer en enthousiasmeer collega’s om deel te nemen aan internationaliseringprojecten, fysiek en/of online. (I motivate colleagues and create enthusiasm for taking part in international projects, in-person or on-line.) 

I can't think of any examples of these. I can say that I keep an eye on what's out there and often pass along links to my colleagues at the International School and the TTO at Maartenscollege. But I haven't followed up on those leads. And, of course, in meetings about planning, I do my best! I haven't any evidence, though. As for motivating colleagues, I have no idea. You'd need to ask them!

Update 2011: I think that my contributions to planning the intercultural communications course this year at the NHL would fulfil the first descriptor. Last year I also attended meetings, but mostly as a passive participant, following the lead of teachers who, in my view, knew much more than I did. I contributed by developing rubrics to assess the tasks we assigned. This year, however, the teacher team changed, and I took a much more active role. I wouldn't say that I was a leader, as such, but we worked as a cooperative team and I think I can safely say I contributed as much as the others.

•  Ik werk via MySN samen met collega’s in binnen- en buitenland om een duurzaam netwerk op te bouwen en in stand te houden. (I work with colleagues here and abroad through MySchoolsNetwork to build and maintain a lasting network.)

So far I haven't done anything with MySchoolsNetwork, but I expect that will come later.

• Ik ben in staat om met collega´s in het buitenland richting te geven aan de eigen vakcomponent. (I am able to give guidance about my own subject area with colleagues abroad.)

I can safely say I've done this, since I've led workshops in other countries (Moscow, Dubai, Amsterdam, Malta, Mombasa) and here a number of times for the International Baccalaureate. I can, for example, show the agendas and workbooks I used for each workshop.

These workshops were for beginning, intermediate or experienced Language A teachers (mother tongue teachers, but not always English) in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP). The teachers who attended came from schools all over Europe, the Middle East and Africa, though many of them were also from other parts of the world but working in these places.

I instructed the teachers in the principles of the MYP and gave concrete guidance as to how to apply those principles in the classroom. I also facilitated sharing of ideas and materials between the teachers. It was always interesting to see the different perspectives teachers in different parts of the world brought to the table, in terms of their own cultural outlook and the values of the schools at which they taught, which might be the same or might conflict.

• Ik vervul een voortrekkersrol op mijn school waar het gaat om didactisch ICT gebruik. (I fill a pioneering role at my school when it comes to educational uses for ICT.)

This is an odd one for me. I even wrote a blog entry long ago about this. I feel constantly that I am behind in terms of ICT (a 'digital immigrant'), but colleagues often seem to see me as a pioneer. I suppose that's because there are a lot of colleagues who still haven't moved past e-mail and word.

Once the head of the International School was organizing a day of special activities -- a 'make a difference' day. The students of the International School and the TTO were put in groups to carry out various activities around that theme. Without consulting me, he assigned me to supervise a group of students in creating a website to document what the rest of the students were doing. I went to him and complained, but he insisted I could do it. After I got over my initial irritation, I realized that I was projecting a false image, that I looked like someone who knew what she was doing! I also often get asked in the staff room to help when I colleague can't figure out how to do something on the computer. And, yes, I can often help. But I still see that as just luck.

In other words, in the eyes of some of my colleagues, I'm a pioneer in ICT. In my own eyes, I'm not. And I don't think I have any evidence either way!

Update 2011: I can now boast that, for the first time, I was ahead of my international school students in an aspect of ICT. I used a Prezi instead of a PowerPoint with my Theory of Knowledge class, and the students immediately asked me what it was and where they could get it. Since then, I hear that they're using it instead of PowerPoints for their presentations in other classes.