Belonging and Becoming: EARCOS Leadership Conference 2024, Bangkok

East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) is one of the world’s most important regional associations serving international schools and international educators. The 1,000+ delegates attending the 54^th annual Leadership Conference, held at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, were a testament to EARCOS’s immense role in supporting international schools and their communities in the East Asia Region.

Former international school directors Senior Associate Gez Hayden and Senior Consultant Norma Hudson were privileged to represent Search Associates (SEARCH) at the event this October 24-26th. Interacting with teachers and school leaders at the forefront of key educational developments current in overseas teaching, they were able to learn from and contribute to the many conversations during the three days of this event.

EARCOS President and Head of School, Saigon South International School Dr. Catriona Moran introduced the conference theme Belonging and Becoming:

“Belonging speaks to the feeling of being accepted, valued, and recognized as being part of a community. Becoming…. Reflects the journey we all take – an ongoing evolution as individuals, professionals, and members of our communities…. The truth is, we cannot fully become without first belonging.”

As the principles of belonging and becoming, woven into the cultures and programs of schools, necessitate the inclusion of all our students in a journey of learning and growth, three keynote addresses applied this theme to the international school classroom. 

George Couros, Author and Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania presented “Laying the Foundation for Innovation in Education,” which elucidated how meaningful change happens when you first connect to students’ hearts.

Chief Program Officer at Grantmakers for Education, Dr. Ulcca Joshi Hansen spoke about “The Future of Smart: Human-Centered Education in the Age of AI,” demonstrating how AI can align with human-centered learning experiences to unlock the unique potential of individual learners.

Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Professor of English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University and co-editor and co-author of multiple articles and books, presented “Cultivating Student Belonging in Education: Racially Literate Strategies and Insights,” which emphasized the need to create communities of care and belonging as a foundation for building equitable and inclusive environments for all students.

Notably for Search Associates, both EARCOS President Catriona Moran and Executive Director Edward E. Greene paid tribute to beloved Founder of Search Associates John Magagna in a warm remembrance. Their words commended the outstanding contribution made to inclusive international education by both Search Associates and the exceptional international educators we represent. EARCOS is an organization to which SEARCH firmly belongs, and with which we continue ever forward on our journey of becoming.