Best American Schools to Watch Across the Globe: Riding the Tides of the Online Education Revolution

2021 | VOL-05 | ISSUE-00
www.theknowledgereview.com
AHS is growing
at an amazing rate
and anticipates
being one of the
premier online
schools in the
world by 2022
Riding the Tides of the Online Education Revolution
AMERICAN
HIGH SCHOOL
Best
AMERICAN
SCHOOLS
Watch
Across
Beyond the Books
Holistic Education
Holistic Education
Holistic Education
Need of the Hour
Dana
Delane-Williams
Founder
November
2021
Issue - 02
to
GLOBE
the
The Talking Walls
Importance of
Classroom Setup

EDITOR’S
NOTE
S
chools are the second home of the children
where they get to spend an entire day and learn
under the guidance of a teacher. And every
parent dreams that their children should have access to
the best quality education and develop skills and
expertise for a bright future. Only good schools can
have high-quality education to shape the thoughts of
children.
In today’s world, as the level of competition is
increasing drastically, getting education from a good
school means balancing both knowledge and value.
The current educational system is being adopted
rapidly in a number of countries across the globe,
creating ripples of inﬂuence on their local living
standards and values. There are myriad schools all
around the world where education is being imparted in
an eﬀective manner.
BECOMING
THE BEST
OF ALL

The modern educational landscape on the other side is
changing at an incredible pace too. Everyone
st
recognizes that we live in the 21 century where
knowledge and education are everything. The extent
of access to the internet a kid has sitting in his room,
makes all the difference. If a student is given the
proper education, only then their ability to thrive can
be achieved.
On top of that, what was once a model dominated by
public education systems is evolving into a market
filled with alternatives. Homeschooling, charter
schools, online and virtual schools, engaging courses,
and private schools are just a few of the innovations
that are appearing as research and technology begin to
reshape the world of education.
However, a good school is not directed by a
curriculum but a robust system that goes beyond the
traditional teaching landscape. This system promotes
choice, responsibility, and commitment by teachers
and the students. A good school is flexible in teaching
because it adapts to students' interests, needs, and
goals. This flexibility allows it to respond to changes
in society as well as changes in the interests and needs
of its students.
Just like their parents want the best for them, today’s
kids are unique and worldly, most possessing the latest
gadgets and information in a blink. To educate and
prepare young people for success, a good school has
to offer more than vital academic programs. Good
schools provide experiences that help children learn
essential life skills like the importance of engaging in
work that is meaningful to them.
The Best American Schools to Watch Across the
Globe sheds light on such a role of progressive
learning environments that share a commitment to
student and school success extending through high
school. T R
Ananda Kamal Das
ananda@insightssuccess.com
Ananda Kamal Das

AMERICAN
HIGH SCHOOL 08
Veteran’s Voice
C
X
O
’
s
A Futuristic Approach
16
34
P r o  l e
The American
International
School ·- Vienna
22

A r t i c l e s
6 Ways for Teachers to Save
Time in The Classroom
Clockwork
18
8 Classroom
Management
Strategies that Deliver
the Best Ways to
Disseminating
Knowledge
Edu-Talk
30
C O V E R S T O R Y

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Ananda Kamal Das
NOVEMBER, 2021
Abhishaj Sajeev

URL
Name of the Institution Brief
Adhwaa
Multinational Academy
etehaad.edu.sa
The academy aims to provide high-quality
education that delivers a transformative learning
experience
Al Faris
International School
coralschool.edu.sa
Coral International School
isg.edu.sa
Al Faris International School aims to develop
inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young
people who help to create a better world
Dhahran High School
jischool.org
The school ensures that the students aspire to
their fullest intellectual potential
Etehaad International
School, Jeddah
The school offers high-quality education,
while adopting standardized curricula and
diversied activities
madac.edu.sa
New World
nis-jeddah.com
Nobles
MADAC Schools
JIS aims to prepare 21st century learners to
excel in the global community
The school aspires to be a worldwide leader in
improving children’s lives
The school assists students to become
condent, responsible, and innovative learners
NIS is a premiere educational institution
offering quality education to children
The Learning Caravan
tlc-riyadh.com
TLC provides an ambience where students
thrive and learn efciently
Jeddah Knowledge
newworldschool.com.sa
mnariyadh.com
Coral School aims to instill 21st century skills
among the children, while inspiring them to
become lifelong learners
alfarisschool.com
Best
AMERICAN
SCHOOLS
to Watch
Across
GLOBE
the

American High School
uniquely prepares students
to become global citizens
by providing authentic
online learning experiences
and holding them
accountable for their future
independent successes
AMERICAN
HIGH SCHOOL
C
O
V
E
R
S
T
O
R
Y

Dana Delane-Williams
Founder
Best
AMERICAN
SCHOOLS
to Watch
Across
GLOBE
the

Technology is revolutionizing
the way students learn. With
access to the internet, students
can learn anywhere and anytime.
American High School is an online
school in Plantation, Florida, that is
leading the digital revolution in
providing high-caliber online
educational courses across the United
States and internationally.
American High School grew from the
mind of Founder, Dana Delane-
Williams, while she was developing an
online college and curriculum, which is
still around today. Ms. Delane-
Williams saw a great divide between
traditional schools and the home-
school market that severely needed the
benefits of online instructions and
courses. Fearing that parents would
struggle when it came to providing
instruction to their kids, she realized
they needed significant assistance from
certified teachers, when it came to
teaching higher-level courses like
statistics, geometry, physics, calculus,
Honors, and AP courses. The entire
course catalog is available online at
www.AmericanHighSchool.org
Online education was relatively new
and not readily accepted. However,
Dana knew that parents had a choice
and that many would welcome the idea
of online schooling as an alternative.
American High School offers over 500
online courses, that include an entire
K-12 program, Summer School, Credit
Recovery, Dual Diploma program,
Virtual Reality CTE (career and
technical education) courses like drone
piloting, welding, culinary arts, and
more. We’ve also added a Adult
Learner program for adults who need
to learn their high school diploma and
an NCAA approved curriculum for
those students who want to play sports
in U.S. colleges on scholarship.
Mission:
American High School uniquely
prepares students to become global
st
citizens in the 21 -century workplace,
by providing authentic online learning
experiences and holding students
accountable for their future
independent successes.
Vision:
To prepare students to be innovative,
critical thinkers as they enter the global
community as independent, creative,
and productive citizens.
Core values:
Ÿ Integrity
Ÿ Responsibility
Ÿ Independence
Ÿ Respect
Ÿ Excellence
Who Is Dana Delane-Williams?
Education
Ms. Delane-Williams holds a
Bachelor’s degree in Computer
Information Systems from Georgia
State University and a Master’s degree
in Business Administration in Aviation
from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University.
A Visionary
As CEO Dana is the uncompromising
visionary behind American High
School in Plantation, Florida (AHS)
AHS is an accredited School
for Grades K-12 offering over 500
engaging & interactive, College
Prep, NCAA approved, Virtual
Reality , Dual Diploma, CTE, and an
Adult Learner Diploma

and its transformation from a small
online high school program to a fully
recognized and accredited K-12 virtual
school. “She has led the charge as the
first African American woman to own
and operate an online school in the
United States,” remarks the proud
school administration.
Through her joint venture partnerships,
she now has the AHS programs
operating in over 27 countries. Her
dual-diploma program is a hit
internationally, with students earning
their U.S. high school diplomas along
with their home country diplomas.
Dana was one of the first to offer a
'Virtual School in a Box' program
where she licensed her school program
to give entrepreneurs the opportunity
to start and operate their own full-
functional K-12 virtual schools within
14-21 days. Since the launch of that
program, she has established over 40
school partnerships worldwide.
Demand has increased 10-fold for
those interested in adding an online
component to their existing program,
school, or open their own virtual
school as COVID-19 continues to
grow rapidly. Education and the way
we knew it has changed forever.
Dana has coined this option a “Virtual
School in a Box”. Everything is
included to have a K-12 virtual school,
with an American curriculum, up and
running within 30 days. If assistance is
required to create a curriculum,
American High School will help with
that as well.
Enduring Hardships
In the beginning, AHS faced the
challenge of educating parents and
students who were looking to transition
to the online learning environment.
Parents were familiar with the
homeschooling process, but they did
not realize how much more was
available to them, since they could
have access to certified teachers who
could work one-on-one with their
child, from anywhere in the United
States or the world.
In 2002, online education was a mere
blip on the radar when Ms. Delane-
Williams opened the AHS doors
officially. In 2004, the real work began
as her team working with parents
skeptical about taking the leap to
online school from a traditional one.

earning of a High School Diploma. Not
a single student of AHS has been
denied entry into U.S. college or
universities. AHS is also an approved
NCAA school that can accept students
who are interested in playing sports on
a scholarship in college in the United
States. It is also one of the few online
schools offering an online ‘Adult
Learner Diploma’, ‘Virtual Reality
Career and Technical Education
(CTE)’.
Credit Recovery System
AHS’s credit recovery program for
students who fell behind and did not
pass a subject the first time, but need a
second chance to review the material
that they did not yet master. The
students are permitted to get tested
again, thus allowing students a chance
to relearn and get assistance from
teachers to assist in course mastery.
Utilizing this approach, the students
have understood the unlearned
concepts and letting students make up
the credit that they lost.
Offered throughout the year, these
online courses give students the
flexibility to take these courses when it
works best for them and their schedule.
American High School is all about
flexibility, convenience, and truly self-
paced learning.
Aspire to Make a Difference
AHS offers a wide variety of online
courses from core curriculum to other
courses and subjects like social media
marketing, culinary arts, ELL, TOEFL,
game design and development for PS4
and Xbox, college readiness, forensics,
and many more. American High
School is one of the first virtual
schools to offer a fully online school
using Virtual Reality (VR) curriculum.
Virtual Reality courses are
continuously being developed and will
offer students the true immersion and
interactivity to really gain mastery of
the course material.
AHS has expanded even further to
offer students a variety of online
certificate programs in robotics,
biotechnology, nursing and healthcare,
drone piloting (leading to an FAA
certification), welding, crime scene
investigation, and many more, all using
online and virtual reality (VR) goggles
for an authentic and immersive online
learning environment.
Accreditations
American High School maintains
accreditation status with the following
accrediting agencies:
Ÿ Cognia (Formerly AdvancED) -
Cognia is the unified organization
of the North Central Association
Commission on Accreditation and
School Improvement (NCA CASI)
and the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools Council on
Accreditation and School
Improvement (SACS CASI).
Ÿ NCPSA - The National Council for
Private School Accreditation is
dedicated to the accreditation
process as a viable and responsible
means of establishing a witness of
school excellence.
This was a risky chance to take, and
comments started flooding in like “Will
their credits be accepted,” “Will they
be able to go to college,” “Can I work
wherever I want to work,” “Do I earn a
Diploma or a GED?”
Dana worked tirelessly to address
parents’ concerns and more
importantly to become accredited,
which is a significant accomplishment.
Gaining accreditation ensured her
school had the credentials and met all
state requirements to operate as an
online school. As with most growing
businesses in the COVID era, AHS had
to adjust, adapt, and pivot to handle the
50% increase in students who wanted
to attend AHS. One reason was not to
fall behind in their schoolwork. The
other is because American High School
is one of the most affordable online K-
12 schools, especially with all of the
new and innovative programs it has to
offer within the educational sector.
American High School Programs
AHS is currently offering over 500
engaging, interactive, college prep,
virtual reality, elementary, middle, and
high school courses leading to their

Dana Delane-Williams
has led the charge as
the first African
American woman to
own and operate an
online school in the
United States
Ÿ Accreditation International (Ai) -
Accreditation International (Ai) is
your education accreditation of
choice for schools, centers,
education corporations, and other
education entities throughout the
world – from north to south and
east to west.
Pandemic Measures
American High School (AHS) is a
fully online school, and Dana Delane-
Williams has been preparing for
scenarios such as Covid-19 since 2004
when she recognized that a shift to
online learning would be a steady
progression.
Dana stated “COVID-19 brought the
paradigm shift in education that has
changed the educational landscape for
our students forever.” The insight that
grew from Dana’s vision in 2002
allowed American High School to be
well prepared for the pandemic,
“because all we know is online/virtual
education and have grown from online
grades 9-12 to include online 6-8, and
now just recently online K-5,” as per
Dana.
Ms. Delane-Williams understands that
virtual learning is here to stay and it is
an effective way to teach students
when done correctly. She stresses this
point because during the pandemic,
many school systems hastily shifted to
online learning without a full
understanding of what it was and how
much it took to deploy properly.
As the AHS team thought about the
shift, they recognized that they could
not make American High School a
traditional school overnight, as there is
too much to undertake to be successful,
and is the same for a traditional school
turning into a virtual school overnight -
impossible. The traditional schools
tried their best and shifted to zoom
learning but the realization of students
sitting in front of the computer 7-8
hours a day led to students developing
‘zoom fatigue’, especially in the K-8
grades.
Surveys found that many students were
not engaged and this method of
education would have to be
re-evaluated. Some drawbacks were
that struggling students fell further
behind and those that were not
struggling, all of a sudden, began to
struggle. Therefore, this led to a
domino effect of student’s success rates
falling in schools and resulted in a
growing concern for many parents and
administration.
As there are pros and cons to learning,
it’s undeniable that virtual education is
the future of education. “We won’t be
able to turn back to the traditional
ways of thinking about educating our
students,” added the inspirational Ms.
Dana Delane-Williams.
Scaling the Future
American High School is growing at
an amazing rate and anticipates being
one of the premier online schools in
the world by 2022. “We believe this
because even before the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic, there was
already high growth and adoption of
technology in the classroom,” added
Ms. Delane-Williams.

I like the chat rooms
and how easy the site
is to navigate! I also
appreciate the ability
to email my teachers
when I have a
question. My online
homeschool prior to
this one had none of
these features
- Jackson. S
When there aren’t
any teachers
standing beside you
to teach you the
subject makes you
pay more attention
to each subject and
to learn more. This is
what I like about this
school
- Anna. A
I was able to go
through at my pace.
At times I was able to
fly through a
section, and other
times I could take as
much needed time
to digest certain
material in the
sections
- Michael. G
Learning interesting
new facts about
topics that I just
briefly touched on in
public school were
my most favorite
experiences at this
school and I loved it
- Jennifer. M
I loved the feedback
my teacher gave me
on my assignments.
It helped me
understand what I
did good and what I
didn’t do that should
have been done
- Alisha. C
Alumni Testimonials
The school has expanded its online
course offerings through strategic
partnerships in both the United States
and internationally, operating in over
27 countries, such as – Vietnam, China,
Poland, Columbia, Brazil, Norway,
France, Spain, India, Africa, Kuwait,
Australia, the Bahamas and many
more, and is continually growing at a
fever pace.
Additionally, there is the introduction
of the ‘dual diploma program’,
continued development of AHS’s
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented
Reality (AR) curriculum, and its online
tutoring through a new platform, ‘Ask
Real Teachers (ART)’, or its ever-
developing proprietary Learning
Management System.
American High School is diligent in
finding and responding to the vast
online expectations and demands of its
online students in grades K-12, present
and future, and will continue to stretch
the boundaries of technology to offer
an interactive, engaging, and
immersive educational experience for
all grades of K-12.

Dr. Neil Webber
Founder, Head of School
Webber Academy
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
16 | Nov 2021

Iam generally optimistic about the future of Canada’s
educational system. Since education falls in the
jurisdiction of provinces, the future will more
accurately depend upon how each of the provinces responds
to the changing needs. Certainly, the development of
literacy and mathematical skills of students remain on key
elements of any educational system. The core subjects such
as mathematics, science, and social studies will continue to
have student achievement levels measured by international
agencies. The results will continue to be used by different
educational jurisdictions to determine whether programs
should be modified given the technological advances
occurring in an ongoing way. Educational leaders will have
to introduce new concepts and courses to better prepare
students for their future occupations. Computer
programming, computer applications, coding, robotics,
artificial intelligence concepts will become more and more
important in the educational programs across Canada.
In addition to the academic programs, there will be
increasing emphasis on the development of social,
teamwork, and communication skills for the students.
Public speaking, debating, model United Nation clubs are
several examples of extra-curricular activities that enhance
the development of these skills.
In-class learning will continue to be of utmost importance
in the learning process. COVID-19 Health restrictions had
the move to online learning for school jurisdictions. This
resulted in the deterioration of the development of social
and teamwork skills. The return to in-class learning shows
the advantages in terms of the positive mental health of the
students.
As stated initially, I am generally optimistic about our
educational systems properly preparing our students for the
future. My main concern is that governments may influence
the education system by over politicizing the current social
issues of the day.
CANADIAN
Educational System
A Futuristic Approach
Marching Towards a Bright Future
About the Author
Dr. Neil Webber, President and Chairman of Webber Academy
Foundation, founded the school in 1996. He has spent most of his
career in public service; first as a teacher in the Calgary Public and
Catholic School Boards, then as an elected representative in the
Alberta Government. He was Chairman of Telus Corporation, and
director of several companies including SNC - Lavalin Group.
www.theknowledgereview.com Nov 2021 | 17

6 Ways for
Teachers
to
Save
Time
Classroom
in The
Teaching is one of those jobs
that you think would get easier
with time, but it doesn’t. With
more content to cover, not enough
hours in the day, and intrinsically
motivated students to challenge your
authority as a learner, there is a never-
ending stream of busy work for you to
complete as a professional teacher.
18 | Nov 2021

Clockwork

Teaching can be a stressful and challenging job. There’s
always more to do, and there are never enough hours in the
day to get your lesson plans completed. Teachers spend
their days helping students learn, creating lesson plans, and
grading papers. With demanding schedules and an endless
series of tasks to meet, teachers could use some guidance in
how to save time.
Grade Student Efficiently
In the hustle and bustle of a classroom, teachers often point
out every single error their students make on a sheet of
paper. While this is a common practice, it can be time-
consuming and counterproductive.
Effective grading has two steps: correcting mistakes that
occurred during the homework assignment and removing
errors made by students during the test. Teachers can focus
on highlighting the mistakes that directly align with the
lesson they have taught; this will let them conserve energy
and time and be more effective as a teacher.
Observe Ongoing Learning
One significant advantage of formative assessment and
responding to evidence of student learning is an increase in
efficiency. Because teachers can diagnose and gather
evidence of learning while students are actively working,
the instruction does not have to be interrupted to address
misunderstandings, gaps in student knowledge, or provide
high-quality feedback on student work.
Posting Instructions
Many of your students will be familiar with collaborative
document editors like Google Docs or Office Online with
our increasingly digital society. And while these tools are
fantastic for students to use to create documents and
spreadsheets together, they can also help in the classroom
by being used as central locations for quick-reference
information about daily lessons, projects and more.
Shared workflow documents like Office Online can help the
entire class work together to achieve more, in less time. The
teachers and students don’t have to track who made the
assignments and what was said and done. All they need is a
shared document with pre-populated templates for each
type of assignment that they can access at anytime.
Empowering Students
No matter how much time you spend poring over lesson
plans and detailed student schedules, nothing can quite
prepare you for just how many things there are to do in a
school classroom. If a teacher has a class of 30 students,
they have to find time to teach 30 unique lessons in a day.
This doesn’t include all the administrative jobs that need
doing, from handing out materials and collecting work and
progress reports, to scheduling group work sessions and
student conferences and so on.
Empowering students to save teachers’ time in the
classroom isn’t as hard as it seems. Teachers who are
looking to save time could try using strategies such as:
assigning specific tasks to students, teaching through a
station or literature circle method, and having systems for
make-up work and grading. These will help keep teachers
from wasting time on simple activities that most students
have already mastered or have the ability to master with a
bit of guidance and support.
Using Assignment Numbers
Organizing your students’ papers can be a tedious and time-
consuming chore. The Alphabetical File is a simple
organizing trick that teachers across the nation use to
improve and save time in the classroom. A teacher assigns
each student a number and has them write it on the upper
right corner of every paper they turn in.
These papers get filed alphabetically, and now it becomes
easy for a teacher to record scores in their grade book and
simultaneously grade all of the papers at once.
Clarifying Learning Goals and Criteria
Most educators would agree that one of the most important
outcomes of a learning experience is to produce students
who were engaged and therefore learned. However, it isn’t
easy to measure if any of our students have taken
meaningful steps towards this goal until we can define or
clarify understanding and skills.
Clarifying learning expectations not only helps stabilize a
focus on the core elements of learning, but it also helps to
clarify these elements for a specific audience. This means
that in addition to assisting teachers in focusing
instructional time toward what’s essential, clarified
expectations help students engage more purposefully in the
learning process — and when competition is tough, being
able to make the most of class time and stay on target with
critical concepts has never been more urgent.
Finding ways to save time in the classroom can differentiate
between a successful teacher and an overwhelmed one. The
key to finding more time each day may be to use strategies
that make the most of the teacher’s available time.
20 | Nov 2021

Austria is home to one of the most educated
populations on the continent and one of the
wealthiest countries in Europe. Vienna, the
country’s capital, is beautiful, historical, and well connected
to both western and central Europe. The city is regularly
voted as the #1 city with the best quality life in the world.
In a nutshell, Vienna has everything expats need to relish a
quality of life in a home away from home.
The American International School · Vienna (AIS
Vienna) is one of the premier schools in the country. At
AIS Vienna, students are empowered with the skills and
character strengths necessary to be positively impactful
global citizens who strive for personal growth and
excellence in an ever-changing world.
We, at The Knowledge Review magazine were fortunate to
get the opportunity to interview Kathryn Miner (Ded.) the
Director of AIS Vienna. Kathryn gave us insights about the
story of AIS Vienna and also about what the AIS Vienna
experience is like.
Here are a few excerpts from the interview:
Kindly brief us about your esteemed school, its
infrastructure, its history, and journey since inception.
The American International School · Vienna (AIS Vienna)
was founded in September of 1959. Enrolment at that time
was 234 students representing 17 nationalities. We now
serve about 800 students with over 60 nationalities from
Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 (IB Diploma or
American Diploma). We are the oldest English-language
school in Austria, oﬀering a unique combination of a
nurturing, family atmosphere with a challenging
educational environment backed by a history of academic
achievement. School programs focus on academics, but also
on the development of students’ creative and leadership
abilities and emotional intelligence.
AIS is located in the Neustift-am-Walde area of Vienna,
adjacent to the famous Vienna Woods, and provides an
instructional setting in the midst of the physical beauty of
the surrounding hills, forest, and countryside. On our 11-
acre (4.5 hectare) premises there are seven interconnected
buildings housing elementary, middle, and high schools.
The Educational Powerhouse in a Home Away From Home
THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL · VIENNA
22 | Nov 2021

Overall, there are more than 70 classrooms, eight science
labs, art studios, music rooms, two libraries, a theatre, an
outdoor classroom, two gyms, a sports field, a fun court, a
cafeteria, a health unit, and a separate sports hall (which
houses three indoor tennis courts or two basketball courts or
ten badminton courts).
Through our 1:1 laptop program, which will continue to
expand, all students in grades four through 12 already have
a take-home personal computer. All classrooms have
ceiling-mounted video projectors and interactive white
boards -- touch-sensitive screens that replace the traditional
chalkboard and facilitate digital manipulation of images and
text.
At AIS Vienna computers are seen as a necessary tool for
teaching and learning.
The city of Vienna, regularly voted as the #1 city with the
best quality of life in the world, makes up our ‘extended
campus’ with frequent trips to its various museums and
cultural offerings.
Kindly tell us about the academic and extra-curricular
programs at your school. In what way are they different
to those in other schools?
In the Elementary School (ES) and Middle School (MS),
the curriculum ensures that all students learn a coherent and
unified body of knowledge and academic skills.
Mission:
At the American International School,
Vienna, we empower each student with
the skills and character strengths
necessary to be positively impactful global
citizens who strive for personal growth
and excellence in an ever-changing world.
Vision:
A community of innovative learners
realizing their chosen futures with
courage, curiosity, and joy.
Core Values:
Respect. Aspire. Achieve. Kathryn Miner, DEd
AIS Vienna Director
We are the oldest
English-language school in
Austria, offering a unique
combination of a nurturing,
family atmosphere with a
challenging educational
environment backed by a
history of academic
achievement
“
“
Best American Schools to Watch Across the Globe
Nov 2021 | 23

“
We are strongly committed to
retaining the DNA of AIS Vienna.
Guiding our students to learn,
grow and adapt, and prepare
for a rapidly changing world
remains our core objective
We go forward empowered by
our deep care for our students,
knowing that it is our responsibility
to help them to be ready
-Kathy Miner, DEd
“
High School (HS) students follow a challenging college-
preparatory curriculum that leads to a US High School
Diploma, with the option of pursuing the International
Baccalaureate Diploma.
All AIS Vienna students receive individual academic advice
and help, and High School students receive extensive
college counselling in their junior and senior years.
AIS Vienna offers an inclusive athletics program with ten
competitive sports of varying levels across three athletic
seasons plus a comprehensive clubs and after-school
activities program including arts, music, language, athletic,
service learning, and technology opportunities. When the
school day ends at 3:15 PM, a new extracurricular world
begins.
The AIS After School Activity Program offers students the
opportunity to participate in guided, engaging activities that
complement and enhance the curriculum that guides their
daily education. Students are able to interact with friends
and students from different grade levels while participating
in a wide range of activities. The program also offers after
school care for parents.
Our MS and HS students also have the opportunity to join
or create their own activities and clubs. Activities have a set
'season' and have, at least, one cumulating event.
24 | Nov 2021

She also spear-headed major updates to the school’s
mission, vision, and core values, as well as implementation
of a new technology vision and philosophy.
Prior to taking over as Director at AIS Vienna, Dr. Miner
served as the Director of GEMS American Academy Abu
Dhabi. Before that, she was the Middle School Director of
the American School of Paris. She has also served as a High
School Principal in Oregon, USA. Her accomplishments at
GEMS and the American School of Paris are evidence of
her goal-focused approach and demonstrate her ability to
get things done and effectuate positive growth. Dr. Miner’s
achievements at the schools she has led are impressive;
however, it was not these accomplishments alone that
excited the AIS community about her coming to Vienna. Dr.
Miner's presence, focus on students, and enthusiasm for her
role as Director is absolutely infectious. AIS Vienna has
benefitted greatly from Dr. Miner bringing her expertise and
positive energy to the school and community.
How do you help your students prepare for their future
participation in the world? Do you have any special
clubs/initiatives/facilities for the same?
The AIS Vienna High School Counselling Office is
committed to working with students and families, providing
a holistic approach with supportive services. Their objective
is to address the needs of students in the four main domains
Since 1959, we have offered opportunities for students to
take part in activities and travel beyond the borders of our
host city and country. Now, 61 years later, this is just one of
the many ways we continue to supplement our curriculum
with athletic and educational activities, allowing for
learning to take place well beyond the traditional classroom
walls.
Please brief us about the featured personality (Director)
behind the success of the school, and how he/she has
helped enhance the outreach and development of your
reputed institution.
Dr. Kathryn Miner started her position as Director of AIS
Vienna in August 2020 and right away undertook the heavy
task of creating a new student-centred 5-year strategic plan
to continue AIS Vienna’s journey to excellence, focusing on
4 strategic priority areas:
1. Teaching & Learning: Empowering students to strive
for personal growth and excellence.
2. Character & Community: Cultivating ethical,
purposeful and balanced citizens of a diverse community.
3. Facilities: Creating spaces to support innovative
learning.
4. Finance: Stewarding resources to support current and
future students.

(Africa, Europe, and the Middle East) and the single most
experienced IB school in Austria.
In addition to scoring the highest IB results in Vienna, our
students do things like perform at Carnegie Hall. Our
challenging curriculum is designed to be university
preparatory, our results in international examinations are
consistently above average, and our alumni go on to the
world’s top universities.
Accreditation
Ÿ IB World School
Ÿ Accredited by the Council of International Schools
Ÿ Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges
and Schools
Ÿ Recognized by the Austrian Ministry of Education
COVID-19 has put additional strain as well as
responsibility on the education sector in terms of online
educational trends, hygiene, and safety precautions.
How did you prepare and safeguard your students for
the same?
As with many schools, the challenges of the current world
health situation have been many. AIS Vienna has continued
to adapt as restrictions in Vienna have allowed, continuing
to offer high quality educational programs in a variety of
ways throughout this school year (on-campus learning,
Hybrid Learning, and Distance Learning).
that impact an international student- academic,
socio-emotional, postsecondary planning and global-
perspective.
The school offers comprehensive university counselling
services for students, as well as career fairs and networking
opportunities with parents and alumni in professional fields.
Students leave AIS with a head start in life: a tight-knit
global network of 14,000 alumni that has been growing for
60 years and counting. This is a network of friendship, trust,
and opportunity that provides returns to its members for
decades after graduation. AIS Vienna Alumni live by the
motto ‘Once a Knight, always a Knight’and offer
networking and support opportunities for all students and
graduates of AIS.
Please mention your school’s most notable
achievements, accolades, accreditations, and awards.
AIS Vienna is the oldest English-language school in
Austria, being 61 years old.
During the 2020-2021 school year, we were thrilled to
celebrate 44 years as an IB World School. AIS has been an
IB World School since 1977, just nine years after the IB
Diploma Program began. We were the 72nd IB school to be
authorized, now out of almost 5,000 schools worldwide. We
are one of the most experienced IB schools in our region
26 | Nov 2021

AIS is uniquely prepared to manage the ever-changing
COVID-19 context and adapt to a sense of new normal by
way of our American/IB educational approach and
philosophy, which supports students’ creative, adaptive, and
problem-solving skills. Like our students, our leaders,
teachers, and staff are similarly trained to adapt and adjust
to the needs of our students, regardless of the model of
learning delivery, whether inside of the classroom or across
virtual platforms, while maintaining strong relationships
and connection.
School staff also continue to remain available should there
be any specific concerns about the emotional wellbeing of
students. Counsellors and staff across the school are
actively sharing information about the social and emotional
concerns that may arise during a situation that is capturing
so much of the world’s attention.
What are the future prospects of your renowned school?
Not only is AIS Vienna located in the beautiful greenery of
the Vienna Woods, but in recent years, the school has made
sustainability part of its identity.
“Environmental friendliness is not only part of classroom
learning across all divisions, but it is also part of the
learning that takes place outside our formal curriculum in
various student clubs and activities” said Benjamin
Kuscher, AIS Vienna Business Manager.
Some higher profile projects that have taken place include:
Ÿ Solar Panels on Roofing providing CO2 free electricity
Ÿ Olive seeds have replaced micro plastics on the sports
field
Ÿ Conscious efforts have been made to reduce the use of
plastics in the Cafeteria.
Ÿ Where possible only local products are used to reduce
transport and CO2 emissions.
Ÿ A cloud printing system was implemented to limit
overuse of paper saving the trees and forests.
Setting a Standard for the Future
Future AIS Vienna Sustainability Initiatives:
Ÿ Creation of green roofing
Ÿ Environmentally friendly climate control for
classrooms, along with more solar panels to further
offset our carbon footprint.
Ÿ New outdoor facilities to continue connecting students
to nature and ensure that this is part of their learning.
At the start of this school year AIS Vienna opened an
Elementary School Science and Innovation Lab. Over the
course of this summer the space will continue to be updated
ensuring that the school is meeting the needs of current and
future students.

8 Classroom
Management
Strategies
30 | Nov 2021

Deliver
that
Edu-Talk
Knowledge
the Best Ways to
Disseminating
reating a classroom environment characterized by
Chigh academic performance and student
responsibility can be challenging at times. It is
even more complicated when class management strategies
are misunderstood or misapplied to already difficult-to-
manage high school students.
Understanding the developmental needs of adolescents, the
responsibilities of both teachers and students, and the
strategies that work best to optimize a classroom
community will put teachers in an ideal position to manage
a classroom with confidence and effectiveness. In this
article, teachers will understand how to manage high school
classes effectively.
Understand Your students
It is absolutely essential that teachers must get to know each
of their students as an individual. It’s only then that they
will be able to understand the unique way in which each
one learns and connects with different people and in diverse
learning environments. And it is only then that they can
provide the best teaching possible to students who are eager
to learn and grow in the class.

Proximity
Proximity is one of the most underused classroom
management strategies out there. Any teacher that has ever
had a student knows how hard it can be to get that student
to shift from doing something exciting in their own learning
space to listening up to being actively engaged in the
lesson. This can happen for any number of reasons: The
student is excited about something more personally relevant
to them, they are blasé about the specifics of the lesson at
hand, or any other number of reasons.
The challenge in this situation is that you want the student
engaged but don’t want to emphasize what they’re doing
wrong by having them explain it in front of their peers and
you. That’s where proximity comes into play.
Nonverbal Signals
Nonverbal signals as classroom management strategies
have been around for more than two decades. Nonverbal
communication can help teachers control students’
disruptions, organize activities, and set a positive tone for
the classroom.
When used well, nonverbal signals can improve
relationships between teachers and students, improve
teacher credibility and the self-esteem of the class, create a
safe learning environment and allow students to feel
connected in the classroom.
Personal Plan for Improvement
If a student is repeatedly disruptive, teachers should try to
work within the classroom group to identify the problem,
determine its cause, and develop appropriate interventions.
However, sometimes it may be necessary to take a more
individualized approach called a Personal Plan for
Improvement (PPI).
A PPI is used to address repeated disruptive behavior in a
positive way. It focuses on teaching students more effective
ways of handling anger or other intense emotions;
improving problem-solving skills; and teaching students
how to create their own behavioral contract that lists their
personal plan for improvement.
Call-and-Response
When introduced to a classroom setting, this method of
engagement exhibits many of the benefits that are
associated with Brainstorming (e.g., improved creativity
and cooperation) while ensuring the comfort and well-being
of all students. A single call can signal a transition or
start/end of an activity and is a powerful tool for focusing
on large or small groups.
Turn It Around
Students who are generally disruptive in the classroom can,
on occasion, pay close attention and are able to participate
effectively. When they act out, however, they often interrupt
the learning of their classmates and instructors, destroy
valuable learning moments, and inhibit the collaborative
feelings needed to learn effectively with others. This
technique is designed to interrupt undesired behavior and
create an environment where positive learning interactions
can flourish.
Levels System
Badges or levels systems are hierarchal and reward-based,
but they can also be used to track student behaviors or
attitudes towards classroom management. It can be a great
way to encourage students to become more engaged and
motivated in the classroom. It can be used as a positive
behavior support system. Still, it can also be used as a
'gamification' tool to encourage students to earn rewards
such as 'extra credit', kudos, rewards, etc., depending on
how far they get in the system.
Positive Feedback
Positive feedback is one tool that teachers can use to
encourage the behaviors of others. Beyond the requirements
for subject matter, positive feedback is one of the most
critical aspects of teaching that can turn a classroom into a
productive and motivating learning place.
Positive feedback lets students know they are on the right
track and pay off their efforts. It can be more effective than
a grade or sticker because it can focus on the process
instead of the end product. It also shows that you care about
how students do, not just how they perform.
'Classroom management' is one of those things that has a
specific definition for some people, and a broader definition
for others. For some teachers, it’s simply the act of teaching
— getting kids to behave in ways that help the teacher
teach. Classroom Management means much more than just
training; it involves creating an organized and structured
learning environment that allows students to thrive.
32 | Nov 2021

The Connection
Between
Music
and Social
EmotionalLearning
With children well into their second year of
online schooling, it is clear that the future of
education is a hybrid model. One of the biggest
and most important reasons why we’re all rooting for
students to get safely back in the physical classroom,
however, is that schools are centres for social emotional
learning (SEL).
The construct of social emotional learning is simple: it isn’t
an extra component to add to an existing syllabus; it is a
foundational learning tool on which everything else rests. It
allows students to be self-aware, self-regulatory, empathetic
towards others, and responsible with decision-making.
While SEL is crucial, many educators find themselves
wondering if it is possible to impart its values without
seeming overly preachy or dull. Here’s where the value of
music education can come in. Using songs from around the
world and musical activities can help children develop in
the five most crucial areas of SEL - all while having a great
time.
I have had the good fortune of working with students
between pre-primary and college ages for over a decade
now, and I’ve directly seen the impact that music has had
on their well-being, overall confidence, and personal
growth. In the areas of social emotional learning, here are
some ways in which structured music education helps:
Self-awareness, or the ability to recognise their own
strengths, understand when they’re performing at their
best, and what stresses them out and why: In my
experience, songwriting is one of the most effective ways to
help learners of all ages develop self-awareness. One of the
most important exercises in songwriting, the daily object
writing exercise, gives students a one-word prompt and
asks them to write about it using all the senses (including
how they feel about the object) for at least 10 minutes. At
first, it can be a little hard to articulate how you feel about
something as insignificant as a table. With time, however,
this exercise makes you better at expressing how you feel
and understanding the full range of your emotions a little
better. While songwriting has been well-received and
34 | Nov 2021

The author is a singer-songwriter,
author, and Founder and CEO at SaPa
– Subramaniam Academy of
Performing Arts
Veteran’s Voice
effective among children of all ages, it has had especially
great mental health benefits in pre-teen and teenage
students.
It is a myth that songwriting is a hopelessly complex
process, best left to the great musicians of our time. The
reality is that it is a wonderful community building tool and
a great skill for children to start building as early as
possible.
Self-management, or discipline, goal setting, and
organisational skills: Usually, parents and educators tend
to think of these things as “left-brained activities” that
creative people shouldn’t have to worry about. The truth is
that, irrespective of creative and non-creative fields,
discipline and efficiency is always the best way to get
anything done. And as music educators, there is a lot that
we can do in helping children build this skill early on. Here
are some suggestions on how to do it:
First, encourage children to set their own musical goals.
What do they want to achieve, and how much time do they
want to spend with it? Second, remind them that it is alright
to spend time on one task to master it fully, and that taking
breaks helps them approach a problem better. Finally, help
them navigate performance anxiety and the possibility for
errors by guiding them to come up with solutions on their
own, rather than giving them your answers.
When children start reflecting on their goals, and their
strengths and weaknesses early on, they learn what works
best for them, and how to create a routine that brings out
the best in them.
Social awareness, or empathy and perception: We are no
longer trying to predict what the workplace will look like
decades from now. It is hard enough to project trends and
automation without taking into account any big curveballs
the world has to deal with. What we can say with certainty,
however, is that we will always need skills like teamwork,
empathy, and communication skills. And music is the best
way to build these skills.
At SaPa, we introduce team activities early on. These are
designed to make every child feel included, and to remind
them to make their friends feel welcome, too. We also
found that introducing children to lullabies from around the
world helps them connect with each other in a powerful
way. The idea is simple: we may look and sound different,
but at the end of the day, we all like it when a soothing
voice sings us to sleep.
Another way to help children build social awareness early
on: teach them historically relevant songs, and explain the
context behind them. We typically teach songs like We
Shall Overcome, and explain how black musicians turned to
music to inspire large-scale social change. It helps them
start asking questions like ‘I wonder how that made them
feel’, which is an important step in teaching them empathy
and appreciation for diversity.
Relationship skills and working with others to get work
done: Conflict resolution, working with others’ strengths
and weaknesses, and building team spirit will get children a
long way. A great way to build this is by forming ensembles
and encouraging children to work together to put out a
performance. It is a hands-on lesson in navigating
individual and group mistakes, handling stress, motivating
each other to keep working towards a common goal, and
handling disagreements as a group.
Responsible decision making: How can we help children
evaluate the problem at hand and start thinking about the
consequences of their choices? Consistent musical routines
are a great way to build discipline, and to encourage
children to understand the value of consistency, making
inclusive decisions, working with others, and choosing to
take breaks when needed. Learning music, especially in a
group setting, will help them ask the right questions early
on, like: Is it a good idea to skip practice when the team is
counting on me? How can I make sure that my voice and
my friend’s instrument are equally heard in this
performance?
Music and social emotional learning are deeply interlinked,
and value and skills built extend well beyond the classroom.
It is our duty, as music educators, to use music as a gateway
to helping build these skills and encouraging children to
apply these skills in all areas of their lives, too.
About the Author

Best American Schools to Watch Across the Globe: Riding the Tides of the Online Education Revolution

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