Discovery Workshops & Ubuntu Exchanges

Sunday 08 November 2026

Well-paced, engaging, and packed with value, Discovery Workshops are ideal for educators eager to explore fresh perspectives and gain actionable insights in a short amount of time. These interactive sessions offer a blend of research, practice, and discussion, giving participants a chance to discover new methodologies, reflect on their current practices, and leave with concrete ideas they can implement right away. Whether it's a cutting-edge teaching technique, a leadership strategy, or a fresh approach to student engagement, Discovery Workshops provide a fast-paced yet impactful learning experience.

This year, we offer a new component to the conference program: the Ubuntu Exchange. In West African tradition, a griot is a storyteller and keeper of history. In the Ubuntu Exchanges, educators take on this role, sharing brief stories about meaningful projects, innovations, or lessons from their schools. The sessions replace the traditional presenter–audience format with a circle of shared learning, where concise storytelling becomes a way for educators to exchange ideas and insights.

If you are interested in leading a Discovery Workshop or an Ubuntu Exchange session, click the "Submit a Proposal" button and follow the instructions below. Be sure to submit your proposal by 30 May 2026.

Proposal Submission Instructions:

  1. Select 'New User', and set up your profile and login details.
  2. Click "Submissions" and "Add New" to create a new session submission.
  3. Once on the submission page, please select the appropriate submission group and subgroup.
  4. Fill in the form and click "Save & Submit" to finish.
  5. You will receive an email notification confirming your submission
  6. The AISA team will review the submission and share feedback.

 

Facilitator's Name Session Description
Anita Churchville

Don’t Manage Behavior; Decode It! 

This session aims to equip educators with practical strategies for understanding the purpose behind student behavior and intentionally supporting the development of prosocial skills, moving beyond reactive management to responsive teaching.

Russel Cooke

 

Barry Freckmann

Finance and Operations at your School: Good Practice Discussion Forum

This session aims to create a collaborative forum where international school leaders in finance, operations, and human resources can identify common operational challenges and share practical solutions, good practices, and experiences that support more effective school management.
LeeAnne Lavender

The Magic of Community Engagement & Global Citizenship in the Early Years

This session aims to challenge and expand participants' assumptions about what is possible in the early years, making a compelling, evidence-informed case that PreK, Kindergarten, Grade 1 and 2 students are not too young to act, advocate, and lead, but are in fact uniquely powerful agents of change in their school communities and beyond.
Anthony Muhammad

Transforming School Culture 2.0: Why Culture is Important Today, Tomorrow, and Forever

This one-hour workshop is designed to help every educator understand the timeless impact of school culture and how everyone plays a role in its development and longevity
Andrea Mwalula

Courageous Leadership: Challenging Systems That No Longer Serve Our Schools

The workshop aims to encourage educators and school leaders to reflect on how courage, integrity, and thoughtful dialogue can support meaningful change when existing systems, practices, or assumptions no longer align with the needs of students, staff, and communities.
Lina Paumgarten

ICARE Suicide Prevention: Building Capacity from Within

This session aims to introduce school communities to the ICARE Suicide Awareness and Prevention Train-the-Trainer Program and explore how a culturally responsive, capacity-building model can strengthen suicide prevention across students, staff, and families.
Rita Bateson

Supporting Parents with Mental Health and Technology

The aim is to help schools to equip parents with the knowledge and strategies needed to navigate the impact of AI and other technologies on their children's well-being, by addressing risks like privacy, influence, and dependency, and promoting the use of AI to support well-being, human connection, and healthy family tech dynamics.
Noa Kanter

Identifying and Supporting Students with Climate-Related Anxiety

This session aims to equip international school staff with the knowledge and practical tools to identify climate-related anxiety in students, understand its psychological and academic impact, and create a supportive school environment that validates student emotions while fostering resilience and constructive action.