The students and teacher leading the school’s Sustainability Action Team at Raha International School are no ordinary group! They are driving real change through student leadership, innovation, and education. From hydroponic and aeroponic towers to sustainable gardens across campus, their hands-on work is both practical and inspiring. They’ve been educating younger students, planting mangroves as part of a wider restoration effort, and proudly represented the school at COP28 in Dubai. With even bigger plans on the horizon from September, the team is now looking to expand its reach and bring sponsors on board to help take their impact to the next level.
Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainabilityatrisgc/?igsh=MW14c3o3Y2xpdmVweA%3D%3D#
Interested in exploring a partnership/sponsorship? Contact 'Coach Des' at dsmall@ris.ae
Music by Alexander Farquhar
In this episode, Vaughan speaks with Rita Bateson, co-founder of Eblana Learning and long-time leader in the IB world. With her experience as a curriculum designer, school leader, and global consultant, Rita shares her insights into how schools are navigating the fast-evolving landscape of AI.
They discuss the need for balanced approaches that go beyond panic or blind adoption, the ethical and environmental implications of AI use in schools, and how Eblana Learning is equipping educators with practical tools and dynamic curricula. Rita also reflects on why disclosure, discernment, and trust still matter—and what schools can do today to prepare for tomorrow.
Whether you're building policy, teaching on the frontlines, or just trying to keep up, this conversation offers grounded,actionable takeaways for anyone in education.
Eblana Learning and Rita Bateson contact details:
linkedin.com/in/rita-bateson-frsa-8741b868
Chronology of the episode’s talking points (after intros):
In this episode we dive into one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of student development: learning to fail well. Starting with a look at why many young people today struggle with setbacks, we explore the emotional and psychological weight failure can carry in a high-pressure, always-on world.
You’ll hear from a group of Grade 7 students who offer surprisingly mature and rational reflections on their own experiences with failure, as well as a few teachers who share light-hearted (and sometimes cringeworthy) anecdotes from their own journeys. School counsellor Katie joins us to unpack the psychology behind failure and what educators and parents can do to support students who find it especially difficult to cope.
The episode is packed with practical, research-backed advice on how to help students build emotional resilience, reframe setbacks, and develop the long-term mindset they’ll need far beyond the classroom.
Because failure isn’t the end of the road - it’s how we learn to grow.
Music created by Alexander Farquhar
linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson
As referred to, this episode of the Freakonomics Radio podcast provided some valuable take-aways:https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519?i=1000710343936
In this episode, we hear from two university counsellors to explore how today’s students are navigating an increasingly complex future. With insights drawn from the 2025 Future of Jobs Report, we unpack the global trends influencing university applications - from the rise of AI and green careers to shifting priorities around employability, skills, and global mobility. What degrees are students choosing? How are they thinking about the future of work? And what advice should they be hearing now? Tune in for a timely conversation that connects the classroom to the rapidly changing world beyond it.
While smartphones have become near-ubiquitous extensions of teenage life, their role within the school environment remains deeply contested. On one hand, they offer connection, convenience, and access to information; on the other, they can fragment attention, erode interpersonal communication, and heighten anxiety. As educators and wellbeing advocates, we're constantly balancing the developmental needs of adolescents with the evolving digital landscape. Is our responsibility to integrate technology meaningfully, or to create intentional space away from it?
In this first episode of the new-look GAP podcast, we explore some of the rationale for schools deciding to go phone-free. We also hear from the students themselves - it's important to hear what our main stakeholders have to say!
Many schools around the world have already gone phone-free. We have been waiting and watching, but it looks like the time has come to pull the plug, bite the bullet, take the plunge - the transition is going to be interesting indeed!
Parents, educators and students can learn a lot from this fact-packed episode.
Tools like Bricked or Forest are excellent conversation starters with your children about how they can self-manage device use healthily.
The UAE IB Association Conference brought together passionate educators, thought leaders, and innovators to explore the evolving landscape of IB education. In this special episode, we go inside the event with speaker excerpts, vendor insights, and workshop takeaways - all packed into a 20-minute recap.
🔹 What’s Inside?
🎶 Live Atmosphere
🎤 Keynote Highlights
💡 Vendor Spotlights
📚 Workshop Insights
Whether you are an educator or a parent, attended the conference or missed it, this episode captures the energy, ideas, and connections that make IB conferences so impactful. Be part of the conversation shaping IB education in the UAE and beyond!
#IBEducation #MYPDecoded #UAEIBConference #IBCommunity #InternationalBaccalaureate
Registering for the Webinars covering the Enhancing the MYP:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ibo_myp-educators-we-are-pleased-to-announce-activity-7293629598984986624-WW8h?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAt6PykBSgIZ615t0I1kiZDDrh1PP2_F20A
In this episode of MYP Decoded, we dive into the essential topic of literacy development and its role in empowering students in today’s world. With over 80 nationalities and a wealth of mother tongues represented in our school, we explore how literacy goes beyond reading and writing - it’s about equipping students with the skills to communicate, think critically, and thrive in a global context.
Joined by three expert guests, we unpack literacy through five engaging segments:
3:55 Science-based learning strategies to develop Literacy (first of three segments with Aoife Abushaqra)
13:23 Using data to inform practice (with Andy Turner)
20:29 Practical strategies & deep dive into some good classroom practice (second segment with Aoife)
37:09 Head of Inclusion (Ben Crosby) breaking down the effective support mechanisms employed, and explaining what learning and using language for, through and about learning entail.
44:59 Oracy, and also a look at Digital Literacy (final segment with Aoife)
Throughout the episode, we also provide tangible tips and ideas for parents, while making connections to the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills that drive literacy across all MYP subjects.
References to:
https://teachmiddleeastmag.com/
https://membean.com/
https://web.toddleapp.com/?type=loginHome
In this episode we hear from numerous MYP students as well as two G11 students about the rewards of getting involved with substantial service learning initiatives. They provide a bunch a great ideas for current MYP students and parents to draw from.
IB learners strive to be caring members of the community who demonstrate a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. IB World Schools value service with others as an important way to engage in principled action across a range of overlapping local and global communities (MYP From Principles into Practice, 2022).
In this episode of MYP Decoded, we chat with four new Individuals & Societies teachers as they share their experiences transitioning into the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). They offer insights into how the MYP differs from other curriculums, the exciting ways students engage with inquiry-based learning, and how key MYP concepts and skills are shaping classroom dynamics. Whether you're a parent curious about your child’s education or an educator looking to learn more about the MYP, this episode provides a firsthand look at the teaching and learning experience in the MYP classroom.
In this conversation we dive into the world of history competitions. These young historians recently showcased their knowledge at the History Bee & Bowl in Dubai and have qualified for the European History Championships in London.
Alongside their passionate History teacher, Mr. Luke Clarke, they share their experiences, preparation strategies, and the role the MYP has played in their journey. Discover how our Individuals & Societies scope & sequence develops a love for History, and how it complements the students’ involvement in these international competitions.
For additional info about the European Championships: https://www.ihbbeurope.com/regional-bowl-sites/
We wrap up our exploration into the lives of dedicated student-athletes by...
- Discovering what drives them;
- Seeing what the research into young elite athletes tells us;
- Investigating links between IB aspects such as ATL Skills and International Mindedness with the students' approaches to training and competing;
- Finding out what their training schedules look like;
- Hearing about inevitable sacrifices;
- Listening to advice for their peers;
- Getting a picture of what their goals look like for the next year, two, and more.
Articles/Books referenced:
https://www.fasttalklabs.com/byline/trevor-connor/#show
https://swimswam.com/elite-swimmers-are-getting-older-and-peaking-later-or-are-they/#:~:text=In%202001%2C%20the%20average%20age,swimmers%20by%20event%20in%202022.
https://beneast.com/2015/03/17/faster-by-michael-hutchinson/
Welcome back to the podcast! It's been a little while, but hopefully we're back on track and there are a few great episodes lined up for the next few months.
In this episode, as well as the next, I am speaking with six young people who are at the top of their game in their chosen sport(s). How do they juggle their commitments, knowing what riches (literally in some cases) reaching the ultimate goal may potentially bring? The MYP emphasizes the development of the learner profile traits, such as being balanced and reflective. How are these traits reflected in the daily lives of dedicated, focused, high-achieving student-athletes? We explore these and other questions over the next two episodes, whilst learning more about what makes these individuals 'tick' - as well as incorporating some research findings in Episode 16.
Enjoy!
The World Scholars Cup is a truly unique experience, and an incredible opportunity for the students who commit their time, energy and brainpower to developing and refining the multitude of skills required to be as successful as the students who represented Raha International School.
This episode explores the details of this opportunity from a variety of angles, and I was certainly a lot more educated about it by the time I finished this most enlightening conversation with six students and a parent (with a couple of anecdotes from the teacher-coordinator thrown in) - enjoy!
In this short episode, conversations with students and teachers both new to the MYP as well as 'experts', reveal an authentic appreciation for this wonderful program.
Sometimes it's worth pausing and reflecting on how well we do things, even though we never stop improving.
Enjoy!
With Grade 5 students closing the chapter of their PYP journey, a new and exciting time of their lives awaits. This episode is a highly recommended listen for parents of PYP students (and perhaps listen with your child) - not necessarily G5 only, as it paints quite a comprehensive picture (with advice, challenges, surprises, highlights) for these young people who will be embarking on their new adventure very shortly.
Some of the main parts, for quick access:
2:17 Arts
6:52 Science and PHE
9:53 Advice for Grade 5 students (from G6 students)
15:17 Individuals & Societies
18:37 Mathematics
20:25 Design
24:27 English
24:41 Arabic B, Spanish, French
27:39 Moral Education and Social Studies
As always, connect with me at linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson
Articles referred to in this episode: (Same as in Ep 10)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/ulterior-motives/202104/is-math-anxiety-real
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/finding-the-next-einstein/201511/why-some-math-anxiety-might-actually-be-good-thing
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/maths/MTT_Mathematics_Anxiety.pdf
In the last part of the episode, reference was made to Prof Jo Boaler at Stanford University, and this course: https://www.edx.org/course/how-to-learn-math-for-students-2
Her main website is YouCubed.org
Of course, some kids do have clinical learning disabilities that are not caused by anxiety, cultural myths, or poor teaching. Developmental dyscalculia, a clinical term for someone who has a math-related learning disability, affects about 3 to 7 percent of the population. This is the lesser-known analog of dyslexia, a learning disability related to reading, and the two conditions often occur together.
The paragraph above appears in this article by Elizabeth Landau from August 2022:
I'd recommend this article: https://nautil.us/are-all-brains-good-at-math-238539/
Find me at linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson
"Many people think of mathematics as one of the most logical, most impersonal branches of knowledge, yet it inspires more emotion than any other school subject" - the opening to this episode, read by Kaitlyn Byrne (a maths teacher here at Raha International School), sums the situation up rather well, if that is possible.
This episode has been on the horizon for quite some time. Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the progress made in Mathematics across the Primary and Secondary grades, the conversations about maths gaps, maths progress, and of course maths anxiety, have been happening up and down the grade levels with teachers students and parents.
Thank you to Mellissa Jayawickrema and the 11 students who provided incredibly valuable insights during our recorded conversations.
Articles referred to in this episode:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/ulterior-motives/202104/is-math-anxiety-real
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/finding-the-next-einstein/201511/why-some-math-anxiety-might-actually-be-good-thing
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/maths/MTT_Mathematics_Anxiety.pdf
Episode 11, which follows in a few days, focuses more on strategies and interventions. Don't miss it!
linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson
After the fun and flavours of our incredibly popular and successful International Day, it was time to turn to the curriculum to dig a little deeper with our International Mindedness conversation.
Thank you to all the teachers who participated in mini interviews, mostly given little to no time to come up with something sensible to say! You all passed with flying colours :)
Once again, reference was made to a research project by faculty from the University of Bath: https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/publications/the-international-mindedness-journey-school-practices-for-develop
Our International Day was experienced in all its glory again, for the first time in three years. This prompted some conversations about what it means to be internationally minded - in general, as well as in our local context.
This episode included mini interviews with more than a dozen students, parents and teachers, the aim of which was to paint a picture of what an internationally minded community could potentially look like if all the right ingredients come together.
A massive thank you to Yuliia Korkishko for providing a soundbyte which ended up being just perfect for the intro to this episode!
A deep dive into the world of Physical and Health Education in the IB. In my chat with two experienced MYP PHE teachers, we explore, amongst other things...
- The importance of learning about and learning through physical activity.
- How are students assessed, and what type of thinking and action is required in order to score top grades?
- What are some of the creative ways in which scheduling and adverse climate concerns are addressed?
- The benefits of regular physical exercise to teenagers - sometimes obvious, but not always!
- The wonderfully creative ways that learning and assessing happened during the months of online learning.
Reference is made to the following article: https://educationandbehavior.com/is-physical-education-important-in-schools/
Contact me at vkitson@ris.ae or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson/