Upper School Sessions

In "The presentation is 2-fold: 1– Addressing Real-world Problems Through 3D Design. 2– Sustaining Student Focus with a Balance of Collaboration and Creativity," Mike Sissons explores the question: How can we design projects that encourage student engagement and real-world thinking? This session aligns with ASM’s vision of innovation by connecting design thinking to authentic community challenges through a 3D prosthetics project. Attendees will leave with an understanding of how creative thinking in problem-solving can inspire and sustain student focus. Ideal for teachers. The illustrative examples were done in Upper School but have cross-grade potential. 

Have you ever been frustrated by student presentations that are static and predictable? The presenters are self-conscious, the audience is bored, and you’re regretting ever planning the assignment. There’s got to be a better way! This workshop explores how to equip students with tools of leadership while inspiring creativity. I’ll walk you through a unit that empowers student leadership, share exemplars, and provide resources you can adapt. Using Design Thinking, students learn to empathize with teachers and peers while building transfer skills and enduring understandings. Though my example comes from Grade 9 Social Studies, this workshop is for everyone. After years of having students take on the role of teacher, I’ve learned that with the right support, they can all be leaders—and all show that “they understood the assignment,” as Gen Zers say.  

This session introduces ASM’s new “World of Work” (WoW) program—a dynamic initiative that connects students with real-world professionals and helps them develop communication, collaboration, and career-readiness skills. Joanne Walker will explain how the program is built on partnerships and inquiry, giving students authentic opportunities to explore their interests and passions. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of this exciting initiative and how it supports ASM’s vision of innovation. Ideal for parents, leaders, and external stakeholders. 

What happens when students design experiments for outer space? In this project, upper school scientists use Astro Pi technology to collect real data aboard the International Space Station. Students choose their own scientific question, code their experiment, and analyze results from orbit—developing perseverance, collaboration, and critical thinking along the way. By connecting with the European Space Agency, they gain an international perspective on problem-solving and innovation. This session highlights how “technology classes” become real-world learning labs, where coding meets curiosity and students see themselves as global contributors.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is more than a rigorous academic pathway — it’s a launchpad for student agency and self-discovery. In this session, IBDP Coordinator Martina Bree will highlight how ASM students take ownership of their learning through choice, curiosity, and creativity. From crafting original research questions for their Extended Essays to designing Internal Assessments that explore everything from the chemistry of caffeine to the economics of streetwear, students shape their education around their interests. Through CAS projects, they create real-world impact — mentoring younger students, leading environmental initiatives, or developing community partnerships. Discover how the IBDP empowers learners to follow their passions, reflect deeply, and chart their own course toward university and beyond.

How can science education prepare students to solve real-world problems? This interdisciplinary IB project brings together physics, chemistry, biology, exercise science, and environmental systems in a collaborative inquiry set at the zoo. Students investigate complex issues such as animal welfare, sustainability, and human impact—developing flexibility, perseverance, and global awareness along the way. Through authentic observation, measurement, and analysis, they learn that science is connected, applied, and ethical. This session highlights how interdisciplinary collaboration empowers students to think critically, act locally, and create innovative, lasting solutions.

This session introduces ASM’s new “World of Work” (WoW) program—a dynamic initiative that connects students with real-world professionals and helps them develop communication, collaboration, and career-readiness skills. Joanne Walker will explain how the program is built on partnerships and inquiry, giving students authentic opportunities to explore their interests and passions. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of this exciting initiative and how it supports ASM’s vision of innovation. Ideal for parents, leaders, and external stakeholders. 

Neil’s session is a reflective exploration of how language is used, modeled, and interpreted in the classroom. He invites attendees to consider how everyday words shape student understanding, behavior, perceptions of success, and how language through ATLs can be a cultural force in teaching and learning. The session contributes to ASM’s innovation work by highlighting the often-unseen role of communication in identity formation, inquiry, and community building. Ideal for educators and families alike, this session is a “work in progress” that welcomes dialogue and shared reflection.  

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is more than a rigorous academic pathway — it’s a launchpad for student agency and self-discovery. In this session, IBDP Coordinator Martina Bree will highlight how ASM students take ownership of their learning through choice, curiosity, and creativity. From crafting original research questions for their Extended Essays to designing Internal Assessments that explore everything from the chemistry of caffeine to the economics of streetwear, students shape their education around their interests. Through CAS projects, they create real-world impact — mentoring younger students, leading environmental initiatives, or developing community partnerships. Discover how the IBDP empowers learners to follow their passions, reflect deeply, and chart their own course toward university and beyond.

What happens when students design experiments for outer space? In this project, upper school scientists use Astro Pi technology to collect real data aboard the International Space Station. Students choose their own scientific question, code their experiment, and analyze results from orbit—developing perseverance, collaboration, and critical thinking along the way. By connecting with the European Space Agency, they gain an international perspective on problem-solving and innovation. This session highlights how “technology classes” become real-world learning labs, where coding meets curiosity and students see themselves as global contributors.

The International Baccalaureate challenges students to think critically about the world — including the systems, ideologies, and assumptions that shape it. In this thought-provoking session, Minami Seki explores how IBDP Economics can serve as a lens for examining gender identity and inequality, connecting classroom inquiry to broader social and political realities. Drawing on Paulo Freire’s Teachers as Cultural Workers and John Palfrey’s Safe Spaces, Brave Spaces, Minami argues that all education is inherently political — and that cultivating students’ agency requires courage to engage in conversations about gender, sexuality, and power. Attendees will leave with a deeper awareness of how bias operates in educational systems and strategies to foster more equitable, inclusive, and critically engaged learning spaces.

Upper School Language & Literature Teacher

What happens when students learn to see their own thinking? In this session, Maribel Gómez shares how Visible Thinking Routines have transformed her IB Language & Literature classroom—helping students prepare for Paper 2 while building habits of reflection, reasoning, and curiosity that transfer far beyond the exam. Through simple, powerful routines, students learn to unpack complex texts, make connections, and express insight with confidence. Join this session to experience the routines firsthand and discover how a culture of thinking can empower learners across subjects to take ownership of their ideas and their learning journey.