International School Parent Magazine - Autumn 2023

Overcoming 

expat guilt 

Explore 

Switzerland’s 

diverse 

landscape 

Your guide 

to A-Levels

We need 

nature. 

Fafleralp, Blatten, Valais, © André Meier 

We need 

Switzerland. 

Discover Switzerland now: MySwitzerland.com/autumn 

Tell us about your favourite experiences using #IneedSwitzerland

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from Pre-Kindergarten to International A Levels 

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with their individual learning processes and do all we can to help them achieve 

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From insight to impact.

Contents 

08 Meet The Director General – Interview With 

Dr Conrad Hughes, Ecole Internationale De 

Genève (Ecolint) 

14 AI And Chatgpt In The Classroom 

18 British Embassy Berne Presents: Ambassador 

For A Day Photo Competition 

22 Learning Beyond Classroom Walls: Nurturing 

Holistic Development Through Outdoor 

Education 

24 Bridging Industries: Shaping Future Leaders For 

Diverse Career Paths 

26 Experience The Magic Of Autumn In 

Interlaken: Your Unforgettable Adventure 

Awaits 

28 What Should You Do When Your Child Tells 

You They’re Feeling Burnt Out? 

30 Zermatt To Gornergrat: One Ride, Many 

Seasons 

32 The Power Of Words: Building Lasting 

Behavioral Change 

36 Nuturing Young Hearts: Creating Havens 

Of Belonging And Kindness In International 

Schools 

40 Kids Can Save Lives Too! 

44 Discover The Joys Of Kinderregion 

46 Overcoming Expat Parenting Guilt 

50 Exploring The Diverse Landscapes Of 

Switzerland: An Adventure In Miniature And 

Beyond 

52 A World Of Worries: A Parent’s Passport To 

Teen Mental Health And Substance Use 

56 Artificial Intelligence: Friend Or Foe? 

60 How To Teach Your Child About Budgeting 

Before They Start University 

62 Your Guide to A-Levels 

Cover image courtesy of Switzerland Tourism / Jan Geerk 

Welcome to the Autumn 

Edition of International 

School Parent Magazine 

Autumn is such a busy time – school is back in full swing, and 

Christmas seems to be right around the corner. As the leaves slowly 

start to change, we look forward to the cosy winter months, while our 

schools in the southern hemisphere look towards long summer days 

and warmer weather. Once again, we are thrilled to present to you 

a magazine filled with interesting and informative articles, exciting 

experiences, and practical tips for parents. 

The Autumn/Winter edition of International School Parent Magazine 

2023 explores topical themes such as AI, and highlights some of the 

amazing initiatives led by schools in our community. 

We had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Conrad Hughes, Director 

General of Ecole Internationale de Genève (Ecolint). In this piece, 

Conrad shares his passion for education and provides an insightful 

glimpse of Ecolint’s vision for education in the future. 

We also continue our discussion of children’s mental health, the 

impact of AI on our LGBTQI+ community, the importance of lifesaving 

first aid skills for children, and present many more interesting articles 

and commentary. 

Autumn is a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors. Check out the 

article about the diverse activities on offer in Switzerland, special 

resources for children in the Zurich area, and learn about the stunning 

landscape of Interlaken. 

We remain committed to helping parents and children make the most 

of their international school experience. Have a wonderful autumn/ 

winter period and we look forward to bringing you more content again 

in the spring. 

Nick 

Nick Gilbert 

Editor & Publishing Director 

International School Parent Magazine 

Mobile + 41 787 10 80 91 

Email nick@internationalschoolparent.com 

Website www.internationalschoolparent.com 

@isparentmag 

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT AUTUMN 2023 | 5

Contributors 

Cian Taylor 

Cian Taylor holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree 

in English Literature, Literary Studies, and Creative 

Writing from the University of Aberystwyth, in Wales (UK). 

He is TEFL certified, having run TEFL lessons for one year in 

Montrisuksa school in Thailand, and has since focused primarily 

on the development of AI in the classroom as a focus for his PGCE 

studies, and his time teaching Language Arts and History at JFK 

International School. 

Ioannes Giannakopoulos 

Ioannes Giannakopoulos holds a bachelor’s and 

master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine 

Engineering from the Technical University of Athens. He has 

worked as a technical superintendent and marine consultant in 

shipping companies. He has expertise in naval automation and 

robotic systems, and he participated in the HullSkater Programme 

at the University of Oslo to develop autonomous robotic vehicles 

and satellites for fuel efficiency in merchant ships. He teaches 

Design & Technology at JFK International School. 

Korinne Algie 

Korinne Algie has over 20 years working in the 

international education sphere. She is the founder of 

International Education Marketing, a marketing and recruitment 

consultancy and Co-founder of the Education Marketing 

Collective, a membership platform providing digital skills training 

and support to education professionals free of charge. 

Kate Hatter 

Kate is a self-care advocate and loves to share helpful 

insights into how to foster positive parent-child 

relationships. She’s a mum of four, two boys and two girls, and 

she loves to spend quality time cooking with her family and taking 

woodland walks with their dogs. 

Dr. Laurence van Hanswijck de Jonge 

Dr. Laurence van Hanswijck de Jonge, Msc, PhD, is 

a Developmental Psychologist with a background in 

Biopsychology and Neuropsychology. She provides therapy as 

well as psychological assessments for children and adolescents 

at KidsAbility in the Cayman Islands. Her practice is rooted 

in Positive Psychology, and she is certified in Neurolinguistic 

Programming (NLP) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) 

amongst others. 

Martin Coul 

Martin is a mental health advocate with a focus 

on evidence-based prevention in schools and the 

workplace. With inspiration from his own lived experience, his 

purpose is to diffuse the negative narrative and bring a more 

human, compassionate voice to well-being & mental health for 

everyone, every day. 

Dr Michelle Wright 

Dr Michelle Wright is a British-qualified General 

Practitioner. Before moving to Switzerland in 2004, 

she worked in London seeing patients of all ages with physical 

and mental health problems. She continues her patient contact 

working in the Staff Medical Service of the International Labour 

Organisation, Geneva. 

Michelle helped bring the validated ensa Mental Health First 

Aid training in English to Switzerland which HealthFirst delivers 

to companies, schools, and organisations. She broadcasts a weekly 

show, Health Matters, for World Radio Switzerland. Passionate 

about health promotion and disease prevention, Michelle has a 

diploma in Lifestyle Medicine from the British Society of Lifestyle 

Medicine. 

Mette Theilmann 

Mette is a Parent Consultant who has supported 

parents for over 19 years. Mette helps navigate 

parenting with confidence so parents can raise independent and 

resilient children who can grow up to become well-adjusted adults. 

Mette is also the founder of Predictable Parenting, and the 

creator of the Parenting Community app. Her main area of 

expertise is consulting schools to create a confident parenting 

community based on the school’s budge, values, needs and 

challenges. 

Katie Greeley, LCSW 

Katie is a licensed therapist who founded Prevention 

Education Solutions. With over a decade of experience 

as an addiction counsellor and provider of prevention services 

to international schools around the globe, she brings extensive 

expertise to the field. Prevention Education Solutions takes a 

modern, evidence-based approach to alcohol and other drug 

prevention, offering prevention education in over 40 countries, as 

well as across the United States. 

Cath Brew 

Cath Brew is a global LGBTQ+ inclusion consultant 

and coach who helps parents to see queerly and get 

confident with raising LGBTQ+ kids. She also works with those 

who support families, providing guidance on how to navigate 

diverse genders and sexualities cross culturally. 

Robert Hughes 

Robert is a finance graduate who studied at a leading 

London university and has since gone into the world 

of education. He’s passionate about promoting the importance of 

financial literacy for young people and is always keen to share the 

knowledge he’s gained from over 20 years of research in his field. 


GES IS 

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MEET THE 

DIRECTOR GENERAL 

Interview with Dr Conrad Hughes, 

Ecole Internationale de Genève (Ecolint) 

For almost 100 years Ecolint has 

pioneered international education. 

From modest beginnings, it has 

evolved into one of the largest and most 

diverse international schools in the world. 

Today, Ecolint welcomes over 4500 students 

across their three campuses daily. Recently, 

Dr Conrad Hughes was appointed to the 

role of Director General - becoming only 

the second internal appointee to this role 

since 1949. 

Leading a school of Ecolint’s size, 

diversity and legacy comes with its 

challenges. However each challenge brings 

an opportunity for innovation, learning and 

growth - something Ecolint both welcomes 

and strives for. We sat down with Conrad to 

chat about his background, experience and 

his vision for Ecolint going forward. 

What brought you into the field of 

education? 

I was born in South Africa and my first 

schooling was a very unimaginative, 

dogmatic experience during apartheid 

times. I did not enjoy it - I remember 

frequently crying on the way to school. 

Then my life changed. I went to an 

international school in Eswatini (at the time 

Swaziland). 

From there, unconsciously, I became an 

educator. As is often the case, I was moved 

by some of the teachers that I had. One 

teacher in particular, a French teacher, 

was extremely passionate about what he 

was teaching. He seemed to be able to see 

potential in all of us, myself included. This 

marked out a major part of my educational 

philosophy, which is to see gifts in students 


“A relevant curriculum allows our students to 

contribute to a world where there is more inclusion, 

sustainability, and peace.” 

and work towards converting those gifts into 

talents. 

From there I went on to complete degrees 

in English and education. I started as 

an English teacher. I taught in India, in 

France, in the Netherlands and then went 

into school leadership and took on various 

roles: Diploma coordinator, Director 

of Education, Campus and Secondary 

Principal, and now Director General. 

So what has led me here? I think it is 

probably a desire to influence the lives 

of people through education. And when 

you’re in leadership, you can do that in a 

particularly powerful way. I love Ecolint and 

everything it stands for and so I’ve wanted 

to be part of that [leadership] since joining 

the institution. 

As the new Director General, what are 

your goals - both long and short term - 

for Ecolint? 

Getting to our strategic imperatives for next 

year has been a collective and consultative 

process. They are based around developing 

a relevant curriculum. We have to make 

a concerted effort to ensure that what 

children are learning is building them up to 

face planetary challenges. This means the 

following: 

1. Teaching and developing attitudes, 

understandings, and behaviors that are 

sustainable for the planet. 

2. Modeling, teaching for and developing 

inclusion. This means knowing how to 

navigate spaces where there is diversity, 

being an inclusive leader and follower, 

being interculturally competent, and being 

interpersonally sensitive. 

3. Education for peace, which is really 

Ecolint tradition. It goes all the way back to 

our origins. 

I would say that a relevant curriculum 

allows our students to contribute to a world 

where there’s more inclusion, sustainability, 

and peace. 

Alongside that there is the ongoing pledge 

of the educator, which is to make sure 

that children are flourishing. All schools 

are facing - post-covid - a spike in cases 

of mental health problems, anxiety and 

depression. It is our challenge to instill 

confidence, spark joy, create community, 


and allow students to enjoy the wonders 

of what it means to be a young person in 

school. The idea of flourishing is important 

to me. But not only for students, but for 

adults as well. 

On human flourishing, we are developing 

an appraisal system that is really going to 

be much more geared towards bringing out 

the gifts and potential of colleagues, while 

our alternative transcript is a rewiring of 

approaches to assessment so that students’ 

non academic gifts are recognised and 

celebrated alongside more traditional 

intellectual constructs. 

To sum up, it is curriculum relevance 

and human flourishing. Those are the two 

drivers for next year. 

Long term, we are entering into an 

exciting phase of Ecolint history. In 2024- 

25 we will celebrate our centennial (100 

years of Ecolint) and it will be the first year 

of our 24-30 strategic plan. 

What are the most pressing challenges 

you are facing and how are you 

addressing them? 

It is interesting because there is the what 

and then there is the how. 

There is, for example, the use of 

technology. We believe that technology 

must be used in a creative and ethical way. 

We have to be much more innovative and 


creative in the way we integrate technology 

into pedagogy, especially generative open 

source artificial intelligence. We have to be 

constantly aware of the ethical implications 

of the use of technology as it becomes 

increasingly powerful. We are very lucky 

at our school to have world leaders in 

technology and excellent ICT campus 

partners. 

So, That is the what. 

But to answer your question, the how is 

equally important. It is about being clear 

and being kind. You might have heard 

of Brene Brown’s statement “Clarity is 

kindness”. I think one of the problems that 

many teachers face is the perception of 

initiative overload. That comes from a lack 

of roadmapping. It is easier said than done, 

but the better you plan things the more 

secure people feel. The more prepared they 

are, the better they can fold that into their 

day-to-day work. 

Then there is the question of kindness 

per se. It might sound trivial but it is 

actually quite important because it 

can really lift people in their work. It is 

something I think we all need to face in 

schools, not just for students and the way 

that they interact with each other, but 

between parents and the school. It is how 

we can continually show up as our best 

selves. We need to focus on being kind to 

each other because if we do that, a lot 

of the other objectives fall into place 

naturally. 

I surveyed a lot of people and had focus 

group discussions and what was coming up 

a lot was, “we just want to get together. We 

want to reconnect after years of pandemic”. 

We are making a concerted effort to 

celebrate cultural events together, to bring 

more students together around these events 

and rallying points. These are the things 

that make school memorable I think. 

You have worked very hard to build a 

robust school community. How do you 

keep that community going, especially in 

this post-Covid era? 

Some of the important themes that we 

are going to be looking at next year will be 

driven by design teams and those teams 

will have students, parents, staff and board 

members on them. It is about distributed 

leadership and getting everybody involved. 

Remember the old African proverb “If you 

want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go 

far, go together.” 

Every person in the institution - everyone 

- has to understand the values of the 

school and feel united by them. We are not 

separating teachers from the extracurricular 

activity coaches, or from technical services. 

We are all in this together. 

My job will be to ensure that everybody 

understands the apex of our pyramid 

because that will unite us. And it also gives 

a renewed sense of energy to everybody in 

terms of what they are doing - the higher 

moral imperative is why we are here. 

What is going to keep you at the 

forefront of innovation? 

The word innovation, I think, is very 

important in education today. Why? 

Because we essentially have the same 

assessment model that we have seen 

since the late 1800s, despite the rapid 

evolution of the nature of work. Schools 

have remained fairly change resistant 

and one of our important projects is the 

Learner Passport, which is a broadening 

of assessment. We have put together a 

group called the Coalition to Honour all 

Learning with over 50 different schools and 

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT AUTUMN 2023 | 11 

universities - they have joined us and are 

interested in what we are doing and what 

we are seeking to reform. 

What does it mean to be educated? What 

does it mean to be a gifted, thriving person 

who can contribute to society? It is much 

more than your ability to perform on a 

handful of narrow, high-stakes assessments. 

We know that and yet our school system 

is not really doing much about it. Not in 

terms of summative assessment, not at 

the end of the student’s journey. We are 

presenting the world with Ecolint graduates 

who carry with them a passport that 

describes everything that they have done in 

school, outside of school, extracurriculars, 

academics, social impact work, arts, sports 

and so on. 

We have separated the Ecolint Learner 

Passport into seven competences that we 

call Global Competences. This is a project 

that we have designed with UNESCO’s 

International Board of Education, who are 

our historic partners since 1924. Excellence 

remains at the forefront of innovation 

and education with this very important 

project.

We are pushing the sustainability 

agenda - really bringing it to the top of 

our list of priorities. We are designing a 

global citizenship education course with 

UNESCO and recently we have been 

joined by the United Nations Office of 

Human Rights on this project. This is a 

two-year mission that will see us develop a 

curriculum that will be available to other 

schools around the world if they want 

to use it, so that students are learning 

intentionally about social psychology, 

education for peace, and about sustainable 

development. 

What competencies are must-haves for 

today’s students to succeed in our rapidly 

changing world? 

Firstly we need to look at the word 

competence or competency. It is 

important to note our understanding of 

it as - and this comes from UNESCO - a 

unity of knowledge, skill and attitude. 

If you think about it, when you hire 

someone you have got their knowledge 

which is their experience and their 

qualifications. You have got their skills; what 

they can do. But then there is attitude. For 

example, are they trustworthy? Are they 

pleasant to work with? Do they have an 

entrepreneurial mindset? And those three 

things need to work together. The current 

assessment system does not really assess all 

three. It is more heavily weighted towards 

knowledge, and to a lesser extent skills. 

What are these competences for us? 

Lifelong learning: learning how to 

learn, curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, 

communication skills, problem solving, 

reflection, and innovation. 

Self-agency: initiative, drive/motivation, 

endurance/grit/resilience, responsibility, 

entrepreneurship, accountability, selfmanagement, 

exercising rights and 

responsibilities, self-value. 

Interactively using diverse tools and 

resources: impactful and efficient use 

of resources, responsible consumption, 

interfacing with tools. 

Interacting with others: teamwork, 

collaboration, negotiation, leadership, 

followership, conflict management, respect 

for others. 

Interacting with the world: balancing 

rights with responsibilities, balancing 

freedom with respect, balancing power 

with restraint, being local and global, 

environmental custodianship, global 


awareness. 

Multi-literateness: reading and writing, 

numeracy, digital literacy, data literacy, 

technological literacy, coding, media 

literacy, financial literacy, cultural literacy, 

health literacy. 

Transdisciplinarity: mastery within 

and across STEM (sciences, technology, 

engineering, and mathematics), the arts, 

the humanities, social sciences, religions, 

languages, and vocations. 

To be literate in the perfective tense 

means that you come out of school being 

really good at something. After 15,000 

hours at school, if a child is not really good 

at something, I think that the school systems 

failed them. We must identify these gifts 

and make sure that we do what we can 

to nurture them. Everybody can become 

excellent at something. 

The seven global competences are stable. 

They’re not going to go away and we need 

to educate students towards them. 

Are there any plans to collaborate with 

other international schools in terms of 

knowledge sharing? 

We have a close relationship with the 

schools in our coalition. We are looking at

ways of collaborating around alternative 

transcripts. One of our goals within the 

coalition is to set up a conference that will 

bring educators from around the world to 

work with us. We are part of Switzerland, 

so obviously, we are part of the Swiss 

Group of International Schools and I am 

quite keen on us building relationships with 

public schools. We have done this on a few 

occasions through our arts programme. For 

example, we put on a play that involved a 

number of students from the state system. 

We will be organising a sports competition 

towards the end of next year. That will 

allow students to play with students in 

cantonal teams. One of the challenges that 

international schools have always faced is 

putting our students into contact with the 

host country and making sure that they are 

not just growing up in a bubble. 

What legacy do you hope to leave at 

Ecolint? 

I think to me the most important legacy that 

anyone can leave behind them, is not their 

achievements. Rather, it is the anecdotes 

of how they were. So, I hope people can 

remember me as someone who was ethical, 

sincere and kind. 


AI and 

ChatGPT 

in the 

classroom 

The real question is not whether machines 

think but whether men do – B.F Skinner. 

WRITTEN BY CIAN TAYLOR AND IOANNES GIANNAKOPOULOS 

JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 

Great skepticism on AI abounds, 

and many see it as a threat. 

Already, studies in universities are 

finding how technology may be disruptive 

in ways not intended: respondents note a 

rise in student plagiarism, cheating and 

distractibility, which they attribute to easy 

and ready access to mobile technologies. 

We are at a junction in time where the 

scholarly world and its attempts to curb 

plagiarism are not keeping up with the 

rapidly improving technology of the time. 

Therefore, should schools simply ban the 

use of AI tools, and trust that the students 

will work independently? 

Changing Times 

Marshall Mcluhan witnessed a contrast and 

a divide in education and technology, even 

as far back as the 1960s. He was observing 

that schools simply were not keeping 

up with rapidly growing technological 

mediums for educational purposes, and 

that traditional teaching methods could not 

coexist with new technologies, and therefore 

had to limit student access to mediums, as 

opposed to encouraging them to utilize all 

tools available to them in order to emerge 

with full understanding into a rapidly 

changing world. Technology has continued 

its rapid advancements, and now schools 

are far behind. 

American Political Scientist Simon A. 

Herbert famously commented on the 

changing world of information: ‘In an 

information-rich world, the wealth of 

information means a death of something 

else: a scarcity of whatever it is that 

information consumes’. The multitude 

of new mediums that now exist for any 

student with internet access to engage 

with, what information consumes is rather 

obvious: it consumes the attention of its 

recipients. Hence a wealth of information 

creates a poverty of attention. Students 

must understand the cost of information 

to properly develop their own learning 

strategies. 

ChatGPT in the classroom: 

revolutionising education or an 

imminent threat to the learning process? 

In recent years, the integration of artificial 

intelligence (AI) models like ChatGPT in 

educational settings has gained significant 

attention. ChatGPT, based on the GPT-3.5 

architecture developed by OpenAI, has the 

potential to enhance classroom interactions 

and revolutionise education. However, 

it is crucial to recognise and address 

the potential dangers associated with its 

usage. This article explores the benefits of 

incorporating ChatGPT in the classroom 

while highlighting the need for caution and 

understanding the potential risks involved. 

Enhanced Learning Experience 

One of the main advantages of using 

ChatGPT in the classroom is the potential 

for an enhanced learning experience. 

Students can engage in interactive 

conversations with ChatGPT, ask questions, 


and receive immediate responses, fostering a 

deeper understanding of the subject matter. 

ChatGPT can also provide personalised 

feedback and explanations, catering to 

individual students’ needs and promoting 

self-directed learning. These benefits 

have the potential to improve academic 

performance and make learning more 

engaging and accessible. 

Ethical Concerns and Bias 

As with any AI model, ChatGPT presents 

ethical concerns and risks of bias. The 

language model learns from vast amounts 

of data, including text from the internet, 

which can introduce biases present in the 

training data. This bias can perpetuate 

stereotypes, reinforce discrimination, or 

present inaccurate information. Educators 

must be vigilant and critically evaluate the 

responses generated by ChatGPT to ensure 

accuracy, fairness, and inclusivity. Proper 

oversight and continuous monitoring are

essential to mitigate the risks of biased or 

harmful content being propagated in the 

classroom. 

“Another significant concern with ChatGPT is the potential 

for providing unreliable or incomplete information.” 

Privacy and Data Security 

The usage of ChatGPT in the classroom 

raises concerns regarding privacy and data 

security. AI models like ChatGPT require 

students’ interactions to generate responses, 

which means that user data, including 

personal information and conversations, 

are stored and processed. Educational 

institutions must prioritise data privacy, 

ensuring that students’ data is protected, 

securely stored, and used solely for 

educational purposes. Transparent policies 

and explicit consent mechanisms should 

be in place to safeguard student privacy 

and prevent the misuse of their personal 

information. 

Limited Human Interaction 

While ChatGPT can enhance classroom 

interactions, it also presents the risk 

of reducing the importance of human 

interaction. Education is not solely 

about acquiring knowledge but also 

about developing social skills, emotional 

intelligence, and collaborative abilities. 

Relying too heavily on AI models like 

ChatGPT may hinder the development of 

these essential skills. It is crucial to strike a 

balance between utilising AI as a tool and 

maintaining human connections, ensuring 

that students have ample opportunities for 

face-to-face interactions and discussions. 

Unreliable or Incomplete Information 

Another significant concern with ChatGPT 

is the potential for providing unreliable 

or incomplete information. AI models 

like ChatGPT do not possess real-time 


knowledge or the ability to fact-check 

information. Consequently, there is a risk of 

students receiving incorrect or misleading 

answers, which could lead to confusion 

or the reinforcement of misconceptions. 

Educators must encourage critical thinking 

and provide students with the necessary 

tools to evaluate and verify information 

independently, complementing the 

usage of ChatGPT as a supplementary 

resource rather than a primary source of 

information. 

The New Normal 

ChatGPT has the potential to transform 

the classroom by offering enhanced 

learning experiences, personalised 

feedback, and increased accessibility. 

However, educators and educational

institutions must be cautious of the 

potential dangers associated with its 

usage. Ethical concerns, bias, privacy, 

limited human interaction, and unreliable 

information are critical issues that need to 

be addressed. By acknowledging these risks 

and implementing appropriate safeguards, 

educators can harness the benefits of 

ChatGPT while mitigating its potential 

dangers, creating a balanced and effective 

learning environment for students. 

Though it may be preferable to ignore 

it, AI tools have found their way into 

classrooms, whether teachers are willing to 

accept it or not. We believe that instead of 

ignoring the issue, or banning the use of AI, 

proper education on its risks and benefits 

must be undertaken, and students should 

make their own conclusions on how much 

they can rely on AI tools for their work. 

More than ever students must be tempted 

to actually desire for their own benefit to 

learn, as if a student can have an essay 

written for them by AI, then corrected to 

have perfect spelling and grammar, and 

submit it with no effort, then what is to stop 

“Though it may be preferable to ignore it, AI 

tools have found their way into classrooms, 

whether teachers are willing to accept it or not.” 

them? 

We believe it is critical that the students 

themselves reach the conclusion that, while 

the internet may have all the answers one 

would ever need to effectively formulate 

answers for almost any prompt a Middle 

School teacher may give them, they should 

still form their own conclusions on the 

work. If a teacher can effectively motivate a 

student to learn on their own, then they will 

develop far more than a student who learns 

only what they are told to learn. 

Adapting to these changing times is 

a difficult process, that will not happen 

overnight. However, we believe that with 

modern technology must come a more 

modern approach than simply limited 

the usage of the AI tool. For two classes 

of a total of 25 students (ages 13-14), I 

gave them the task of creating a short 

presentation, and I said that they could 

use any tools they wanted – The aim was 

to show how quickly a presentation could 

be prepared using AI, so that they could 

then revise the information in order to 

show understanding. However, one class 

agreed that I was ‘cheating’, and not a 

single one used ChatGPT at any point. In 

another class, one student used it, but failed 

to do any follow up research, and did not 

effectively present the information on the 

screen. These small pockets of analysis are 

part of a greater discussion of AI in our 

school, where students are encouraged to 

ask questions, and talking about or using 

ChatGPT is not taboo. Therefore, through 

concentrated discussion, we believe the 

students can come to their own conclusions 

on the benefits and potential risks of using 

AI for their schoolwork. 


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key priority for the United Kingdom. 

This year we are looking in more detail 

at the Cryosphere. Glaciers are keystones 

of life on Earth. As giant freshwater 

reservoirs, they support the planet’s life 

systems and influence our day-to-day lives, 

even for communities who live far away 

from them. 

However, glaciers are disappearing. 

Often considered the ‘Ambassadors of 

Climate Change’, this disappearance makes 

visible the invisible. It makes tangible the 

current climate change that can be hard to 

perceive in other ecosystems. 

And Switzerland’s unique landscape 

hosts some of the most dramatic glaciers in 

Europe. 

The “Ambassador for a Day” campaign 

throws a spotlight on this issue. 

Residents of Switzerland and 

Liechtenstein between 18 -25 yrs are asked 

to submit a photo and caption that answers 

the question: 

How have glaciers shaped your life? 

The winner of our photo competition 

will be invited to the British Embassy to 

learn about leadership, communication and 

advocacy from different Embassy members, 

including the Ambassador; to directly 

experience the working world of a British 


ambassador for a day. 

In addition, they will also win a trip to the 

University of Salford in March 2024, where 

they will join a field trip to North-West 

England and the Lake District to conduct 

research about the impact of glaciers on the 

regional geography. 

Ambassador for a Day 2023 

The launch of the initiative in Switzerland 

and Liechtenstein focused on climate 

and gender. After reviewing a multitude 

of submissions from right across the 

country, our Jury voted Ellie Tsai from the 

International School Basel as our winner.

ADVERTORIAL 

His Majesty’s Ambassador James Squire’s 

wife, Kate Squire, presented Ellie with her 

certificate at a surprise event in the lead up 

to International Women’s Day. 

In the summer of 2023, Ellie visited 

the British Embassy to meet Ambassador 

Squire and participate in a plethora 

of activities, workshops and meetings, 

including a lunch with the Polish 

Ambassador to Switzerland, H.E. Iwona 

Kozlowska. Ellie had the chance to learn 

key skills from our senior diplomats and to 

share her own ideas for change, particularly 

in the realm of climate and gender 

diplomacy. 

Feedback from some of the winners from 

around the world: 

“Thank you for giving me the self-confidence I 

needed and thank you for believing in me and my 

abilities. For the first time I feel significant and 

unique, capable of achieving my goals without a 

problem. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Without 

Ambassador for a Day, this would not be a reality. 

My words can change lives, destinies and move 

mountains… ”. 

All information can be found on 

www.ambassadorforaday.ch 


I’VE FOUND 

MY PASSION! 

Our International A-Level programme is a 

gateway to some of the top universities in 

Switzerland and around the world. 

Email admissions@iszn.ch or call 

+41 (0) 44 830 70 07 to find out more. 

www.iszn.ch 

FIND YOUR PLACE IN THE WORLD

ADVERTORIAL 

Learning Beyond Classroom Walls: 

Nurturing Holistic Development 

through Outdoor Education 


Aholistic education that develops the whole child should 

expose students to outdoor learning opportunities and 

offer pathways for deeper, sustained skill development 

toward independence in outdoor pursuits. We want every child 

to find their passions. Wouldn’t it be great if each found an 

outdoor activity to love? A love of outdoor activities also promotes 

ecological awareness and sensitivity toward environmental 

sustainability and responsibility, essential in a time that demands 

action to protect our climate. 

At International School Basel, our Vision 2030 is supported by 

four pillars, two mentioned above: Whole Child Development 

and Sustainability. In turn, active, physically fit students who 

seek time outside are caring for their own wellbeing - a third 

pillar. We know that we have years of hard work ahead to expand 

and develop our outdoor education programme at ISB, but we are 

building on a strong foundation of signature experiences. 

Strengthening the Teacher-Student Connection 

Outdoor learning and education at ISB connect our teachers 

and students in unique contexts, strengthening relationships, and 

expose students to the diverse natural environments of Switzerland, 

our neighbouring countries and beyond. While we value taking 

curricular learning beyond the classroom, we also believe that 

outdoor education teaches knowledge, skills, and understandings 

that have intrinsic value which is not measured on exams.

ADVERTORIAL 

In fact, robust experiences in the outdoors test students in aspects 

of the IB Learner Profile, central to our approach to teaching and 

learning as an IB World School. Our learners might find balance 

on a bike, take smart risks on a multi-day hike, reflect on their 

technique in the snow park, or simply be open-minded in trying 

something new. 

As an outdoor educator myself trained in wilderness first aid, 

guiding backpacking and camping excursions, and teaching 

whitewater kayaking, I see a variety of ways to add value to 

the school learning experience through contact with natural 

environments. 

Learning Through Play 

For young people, play is serious business, and for adolescents and 

adults, seriousness can compete with play, squeezing out time that 

should be used for fun, for messing about, for trying and failing, 

and for entering flow states. From the earliest ages, we partake in 

outdoor learning and throughout all seasons and weather as part 

of our Waldkinder program. Weekly visits to the nearby forest are 

an integral part of our curriculum in the Junior School. Off-site 

‘expeditions’ and ‘adventures’ offer both children and adults a 

catalyst for play, conversations, and a variety of transdisciplinary 

learning experiences. Likewise, Middle and Senior School students 

seize the opportunity to throw acorns, get reasonably lost, seek out 

chainsaw sculptures, and try nibbling on wild ramps. Students can 

play around, make connections, and enjoy time outside, exploring 

their world in ways that make sense to them. 

Building Skills, Connecting with Culture 

Like our Swiss counterparts, our school sets aside one week of 

precious time to go to the Alps for Winter Camps. We take students 

of more than 60 nationalities into an immersive experience of 

Swiss and alpine culture, spending days on the slopes learning a 

sport for their lifetime, spending mealtimes learning local customs, 

and spending evenings engaging in a wide range of activities. 

Our Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme 

similarly works toward ever greater student independence in natural 

environments, spiralling skills of navigation and survival over 

several years. The numerous students who join each year 

develop real confidence to be on the slopes or on trails with a group 

of friends, not relying on adults, deeply absorbed in the experience. 

Deeper Learning Beyond the Classroom 

Outdoor learning of rigorous classroom content can extend 

and deepen inquiry. During field trips, students ask meaningful 

questions, collect data, and consider not only answers to questions, 

but potential actions and the implications of those actions on the 

greater human and physical systems at play. 

Outdoor learning also encourages interdisciplinary thinking. 

Walking trenches from World War 1 makes the abstract concrete, 

building empathy for what might otherwise be historical 

“characters” of history and poetry. Making art from found 

materials in nature or learning to identify edible plants, crafting 

recipes to feature foraged foods from the woods around school, 

enables teachers to link disciplines naturally. Global issues become 

local, and familiar contexts make learning both sticky and 

meaningful when we go outside with a purpose. 

Not every school has direct access to rural or wild natural 

environments - we are truly privileged to have a low barrier for 

entry into outdoor learning and education. For some schools, 

outdoor education happens on “Week Without Walls” trips or the 

like. It can also happen outside of school in urban settings, as well, 

sampling runoff water or doing impact surveys of foot vs vehicle 

traffic to a market, for example. It’s not always easy, but intentional 

outdoor learning is worth the effort! 

With our outdoor education programme, we are helping 

hundreds of students every year find what educator John Dewey 

termed “a worthy leisure” for their lifetime while becoming ever 

more familiar with Swiss culture. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Ian Hoke is an international educator with an MAT 

in Secondary Teaching and an MEd in Organisational 

Leadership and Development, working as Senior 

School Principal at the International School Basel. 

Ian is passionate about collaborating to continually improve 

teaching and learning, and when he isn’t at school, he’s probably 

in the woods or on a river with his family. 


ADVERTORIAL 

BRIDGING INDUSTRIES: 

Shaping Future Leaders for Diverse Career Paths 

In a world that is constantly evolving, 

the hospitality sector emerges as a 

beacon of opportunities, nurturing 

the next wave of leaders equipped with a 

diverse set of skills and competencies that 

are applicable across various industries. At 

the Ecole Hôtelière de Genève (EHG), we 

are committed to fostering a generation of 

individuals who are not only proficient in 

the hospitality sector but are also primed to 

excel in fields such as the luxury industry, 

finance, business management, and human 

resources. In this article, we delve into how 

our comprehensive curriculum is shaping 

Generation Z to spearhead diverse 

career paths, with a strong foundation 

in both traditional values and modern 

competencies. 

The Expanding Horizon of Hospitality 

Careers 

The hospitality sector is blossoming into 

a vibrant field that serves as a gateway 

to numerous opportunities in booming 

industries. Generation Z, characterised 

by their digital nativity and global 

perspective, find themselves at the cusp of 

this expansion, ready to carve niches in 

sectors ranging from the luxury industry 

to strategic roles in business management. 

EHG stands as a nurturing ground, 

preparing these young minds to navigate 

diverse career paths with a customer-centric 

and entrepreneurial mindset. 

The Entrepreneurial Edge in Diverse 

Industries 

An entrepreneurial spirit is more vital than 

ever in the modern workforce. It equips 

professionals with the agility and innovation 

required to thrive in dynamic environments, 

whether it’s crafting bespoke experiences 

in the luxury sector or analysing market 

trends in finance. This adaptability, fostered 

at EHG, serves as a passport to a range 

of promising careers, opening doors to 

opportunities that are both rewarding and 

fulfilling. 

Soft Skills: The Universal Currency 

In a world that is increasingly automated, 

soft skills remain a universal currency. 

These skills, which include emotional 

intelligence, communication, and problem- 


ADVERTORIAL 

solving, are nurtured at EHG to prepare 

students to excel in roles that demand a 

high level of interpersonal interaction and 

understanding, be it in human resources 

fostering harmonious work environments 

or in business management strategising 

organisational growth. 

A Customer-Centric Approach Across 

Industries 

A customer-centric approach, a hallmark 

of the hospitality industry, finds resonance 

in various fields. This focus on delivering 

exceptional service prepares students 

to excel in a range of professions, from 

customer relations in the luxury sector to 

devising client-centric strategies in finance, 

fostering professionals who prioritize 

customer satisfaction above all. 

Practical Training Meets Theoretical 

Excellence 

At EHG, we believe in offering a balanced 

blend of practical training and theoretical 

knowledge. Our association with esteemed 

places of application such as the Geneva 

Marriott Hotel and the school’s Restaurant 

Vieux Bois offers students invaluable 

real-world experiences, seamlessly 

complementing their academic learning. 

Furthermore, throughout their three years 

of study, our students undertake a total 

of three internships, amounting to 15-18 

months of work experience, thereby laying 

a solid foundation for their careers and 

nurturing skills that are highly regarded 

across various industries. 

EHG: A Non-Profit Organization with a 

Student-Centric Vision 

As a non-profit organisation, our primary 

focus is on the holistic development of our 

students. We are committed to fostering an 

environment where students are nurtured to 

become leaders who are not only proficient 

in their chosen fields but also embody a 

spirit of service and excellence that sets 

them apart in the competitive job market. 

Generation Z: Spearheading the Future 

with Hospitality Education 

Generation Z stands at the forefront of 

this exciting new era, ready to lead with 

a blend of traditional values and modern 

competencies. Their affinity for technology, 

coupled with a desire for work-life 

balance, aligns perfectly with the evolving 

dynamics of various industries. Here are 

ten compelling reasons why Generation Z 

should consider a career in the hospitality 

industry: 

1. Technological Integration: 

Harnessing the power of technology to 

enhance customer experiences. 

2. Global Networking Opportunities: 

Building connections with professionals and 

peers from around the world. 

3. Creative Problem-Solving: 

Developing innovative solutions to meet the 

dynamic demands of the industry. 

4. Leadership and Team 

Management: Cultivating leadership 

skills through hands-on experience in team 

management. 

5. Customer Service Excellence: 

Mastering the art of delivering exceptional 

customer service. 

6. Entrepreneurial Ventures: Gaining 

the skills necessary to launch and manage 

successful entrepreneurial ventures. 

7. Sustainable Practices: Learning to 

implement sustainable practices in business 

operations. 

8. Cultural Competency: Enhancing 

cultural competency through exposure to 

diverse customer bases. 

9. Career Flexibility: Enjoying a flexible 

career path with opportunities across 

various industries. 

10. Personal Development: Fostering 

personal growth through continuous 

learning and development. 

We invite prospective students to embark 

on a transformative journey with EHG, 

where education serves as a bridge to a 

world of diverse and lucrative opportunities. 


ADVERTORIAL 

EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF 

AUTUMN IN INTERLAKEN: 

Your Unforgettable Adventure Awaits 


As the golden hues of autumn drape the Bernese Oberland, 

Interlaken unfurls a cornucopia of unforgettable 

experiences. Welcome to a world where nature’s splendour 

mingles with adrenaline-fuelled adventure, where the tranquil and 

the thrilling coexist, offering something for everyone in the family! 

Glide on the Mystical Lake Brienz 

Embark on a serene but invigorating kayak tour across the 

mesmerising Lake Brienz. As you traverse its tranquil turquoise 

waters, you’ll find yourself encased in a stunning panorama of 

mountains draped in vibrant autumn foliage. This is a chance 

to drink in the enchanting beauty of Lake Brienz from a 

breathtakingly unique perspective! 

Witness the Majestic Dance of Wildlife on Niederhorn 

The Niederhorn comes alive with the break of dawn, inviting you 

on a guided wildlife observation tour. Witness the vibrant dance 

of life as chamois, ibex, marmots, and sometimes rock ptarmigans 

scurry in search of food amid the majestic Alpine landscape. Make 

this experience more memorable by spending the previous night at 

Berghaus Niederhorn, watching the captivating sunset and waking 

up to a beautiful morning in the Swiss Alps. 

Swing Through the Trees at Ropes Park 

For those craving a hit of adrenaline, the Ropes Park in the heart 

of Interlaken promises a day of fun-filled adventure. With wooden 

bridges, Tarzan swings, and zip lines, this forest playground is 

perfect for individuals, groups, and families alike. Safety gear and

ADVERTORIAL 

instructions are provided, so all you need to do is unleash your 

inner Tarzan! 

Explore the Mystical St. Beatus Caves 

If the weather plays spoilsport, the St. Beatus Caves offer a thrilling 

alternative. Explore a kilometre of the Niederhorn massif on an 

illuminated path, discovering stalactites and stalagmites formed 

over millions of years. Round off the day with regional culinary 

delights at the newly renovated restaurant Stein & Sein and 

broaden your knowledge at the fascinating cave museum. 

2 Nights - 

2 Adults - 

2 Children 

(under 16) - from 

CHF755 

This autumn, let Interlaken be your family’s playground. Book your 

adventure today and create memories that will last a lifetime! 

Relax at Hotel Seaside Spiez 

After a day of exploration, retreat at the Hotel 

Seaside Spiez, situated in Europe’s most beautiful 

bay. Our Family Autumn Adventure package includes 

two nights in a family room, a hearty breakfast 

buffet, a Spiez voucher worth CHF 100.00 for family 

activities, free Wi-Fi, parking, and more! With the 

PanoramaCard, your family can enjoy free use 

of public transport in the region, discounts on 

excursions, and other exciting activities. 


What should you do when 

your child tells you they’re 

feeling burnt out? 

WRITTEN BY KATE HATTER 

It can be easy as an adult to think that 

kids have it easy – but they can feel 

just as stressed, overwhelmed and low 

as anybody else at times. Children and 

teenagers aren’t immune to burnout, and 

often they can struggle to label their feelings 

and reach out for help and advice. 

As a parent or guardian, it’s vital to 

recognise the signs of burnout when your 

child is struggling with their mental health, 

to enable you to support them through it in 

a positive way. 

By addressing, validating, and reassuring 

your child, you’ll teach them healthy coping 

skills and equip them with the knowledge 

and skills to better manage their mental 

health as an adult. Here is our guide on 

what to do if your child tells you they’re 

struggling. 

Validate their feelings 

One of the worst things anyone can do 

to someone who asks for help is to belittle 

or dismiss their feelings. Children and 

teenagers need to know that it’s normal to 

struggle with mental health sometimes – it’s 


just part of life. Between all the pressure 

of school, choosing a career and social 

expectations, it’s no wonder young people 

feel overwhelmed and stressed at times. 

Burnout is a state of mental exhaustion, 

which often comes as a result of ignoring 

the signs of stress for too long. If your child 

is struggling to try and stay ahead, keep 

up, or catch up with expectations, they will 

eventually burn out. 

Showing empathy and compassion is 

important and helps your child feel safe and 

able to open up about their feelings. Once

“Sugary and processed foods spike blood sugar levels and leave us 

susceptible to mood swings and crashes, whereas more balanced options 

rich in protein and healthy fats support positive wellbeing. 

you know the issues, you can start to create 

healthy coping mechanisms, adjust routines, 

and find solutions to prevent further excess 

stress. 

Rethink their routine 

Sometimes a simple change in routine can 

throw us out of our comfort zones. If your 

child has been getting less sleep than usual 

or trying to fit too much studying in without 

regular breaks, their mood will undoubtedly 

be impacted. Remind your child of the 

importance of taking breaks and taking 

care of themselves properly. 

It may be a good idea to sit down and 

map out their day to see where they can 

shift things around and create more time to 

relax and decompress. Creating time to step 

away from their routine and have fun is a 

great way to recharge and help heal feelings 

of burnout. 

Ensure they’re making enough time to 

rest, and perhaps look at how much screen 

time they are getting. Excess screen time 

can interrupt our cardinal body clocks and 

make it more difficult to get adequate, good 

quality sleep. 

Focus on building self esteem 

Low self-esteem is a risk factor for burnout, 

as people who have a low opinion of 

themselves tend to have a fear of failure 

and self-doubt. If you’re hearing negative 

self-talk, find some time to have fun, spend 

time together and encourage your child or 

teenager to see themselves for the incredible 

person they are. Setting a good example 

when it comes to self-care and speaking 

positively about yourself also helps to foster 

high self-esteem in your children. 

You could also help them to check over 

their study plans or schedule to check they 

are fitting in enough self-care time, and 

suggest where they are perhaps asking too 

much of themselves or need to set more 

realistic goals. 

Ask the school for support 

Whilst you may not be able to protect your 

children completely from the pressures of 

education, you can speak to their teachers 

and ask for support. There are a number of 

ways they could help to ensure your child is 

being encouraged and supported with their 

studies, from pushing back deadlines to 

offering additional learning opportunities or 

additional reading materials. 

Help your child or teen to feel reassured 

that it’s a good thing to ask for support 

and understand that they shouldn’t 

feel embarrassed to do so. Keeping 

communication lines open between yourself, 

your child and the school is the best way to 

ensure they are supported. It will also help 

you to all recognise if they begin to feel 

symptoms of anxiety or burnout again in 

the future. 

Celebrate non-academic achievements 

Whilst achieving good grades is a wonderful 

thing to do, there’s so much value to a 

person beyond their academic performance. 

It’s helpful to remind your child of this 

frequently, especially as they enter the 

higher education years where there tends 

to be a heavier focus on grading and career 

planning. 

Once they feel burnout, your child may 

begin to experience other symptoms of low 

mood such as anxiety and depression. By 

focusing on their achievements outside of 


school, you can help them to feel lighter. 

Also, by encouraging them to focus on 

their positive personal attributes, hobbies 

and interests they will naturally feel better 

about themselves and begin to heal from the 

feelings of burnout. 

Check their diet 

Everyone tends to opt for less healthy 

options when they are feeling stressed – so 

it’s worth enquiring what your teen has 

been fuelling themselves with if they are 

feeling burnt out. Sugary and processed 

foods spike blood sugar levels and leave us 

susceptible to mood swings and crashes, 

whereas more balanced options rich in 

protein and healthy fats support positive 

wellbeing. 

Keep communication open 

Naturally, once your child or teen shares 

their feelings of burnout it’s important to 

check in with them regularly in the future. 

Even if they seem happier and less stressed, 

reviewing their goals, plans and routines 

every so often will help to avoid them falling 

into a similar pattern again.

ADVERTORIAL 

Zermatt to Gornergrat: 

One Ride, Many Seasons 

High mountain peaks, enormous glaciers and views that are second to none: Gornergrat embodies 

the Alps like no other destination. Take in the Matterhorn and join us on a journey with the oldest 

electric rack railway in Switzerland. 


Imagine you are standing at the Gornergrat train station in 

Zermatt, just before 9 a.m. It is a cool October day and the last 

of the mist disappears, revealing the golden Larch forests. 

For many locals, this is the start of the most beautiful time of 

the year - The quiet weeks in October and November when the 

landscape around Zermatt shines in strong yellow hues while light 

dances in ways you cannot imagine. 

Today you will take a very special journey. Your train arrives 

on time to the very minute. 125 years ago, pioneers created a 

spectacular rail route into the mountains with the simplest of 

tools. Thanks to them, we are able to climb almost 1,500 meters 

in a mere 33 minutes. The inaugural journey to Gornergrat took 

place on August 20, 1898, and was the first electric cog railway in 

Switzerland. 

In honour of the anniversary of this first voyage, one of the first 

locomotives to make this journey has been carefully restored. Now 

the Lok 3003 sparkles elegantly and grabs everyone’s attention as 

soon as they enter Gornergrat station. The so called “Golden Spot” 

is the perfect spot for a souvenirphoto with the Matterhorn in the 

background. If you want to delve even deeper into the history

ADVERTORIAL 

of the Gornergrat Bahn, you can visit the special anniversary 

exhibition in the “Matterhorn Museum” in Zermatt. There you 

will find photos, videos, and exhibits from times gone by. 

You relax in your train compartment, already high above 

Zermatt. Between the colourful Larches you catch a glimpse of 

the Matterhorn! It seems even more majestic as you travel higher 

and higher. The rocky peak, already covered in snow provides the 

perfect contrast to the golden landscape below. From time to time, 

you spot a hiker, sharing your enjoyment of this magnificent setting. 

Speaking of hiking, the cool autumn months are perfect for 

hiking through the Pine and Larch forests. There are also mountain 

lakes around Gornergrat, some of which reflect the Matterhorn 

on their mirror-like surfaces. Where there are many guests in 

summer, you are now almost alone on the road. But don’t forget 

warm clothing, enough provisions, good shoes, and rain protection 

- autumn weather can quickly change. 

Next stop: Riffelberg. Now you are already at over 2500 meters 

above sea level. We have long left the tree line behind us and rocks 

and glaciers now dominate the landscape. The view sweeps uphill 

through the large windows, where the first dusting of snow can 

already be seen. 

In less than two months, this area will become an enchanting 

winter wonderland, inviting you to go skiing, tobogganing, or 

snowshoeing. Together with Cervinia in Italy, Zermatt forms one of 

the largest contiguous ski areas in the world. In total, 360 kilometres 

of pistes await skiers of all abilities. The highest toboggan run in 

the Alps is also located at Gornergrat and is accessible with the 

Gornergrat Bahn. There are also pristine snowshoe trails with 

deep views of the glacier landscape. There is truly something for 

everyone. 

The train stops. You have arrived at the summit and realize that 

your seats on the right-hand side (in the direction of travel) were 

a fantastic choice, providing the best view of the Matterhorn for 

almost the entire journey! 

As an aside, if you would prefer a more meandering journey, the 

NostalChic Class offers unique views thanks to photo stops along 

the way. You travel in the newly renovated, historic railcar from 

the 1960s making this already exciting journey into an experience. 

You can also enjoy culinary delicacies along the way and a gourmet 

menu at Gornergrat. 

You have made it to Gornergrat! As soon as you get off the train 

you notice the clean, crisp air. From this vantage you can see a 

panoramic view of the Matterhorn and 28 other 4000m peaks. You 

make your way to the “Gornergrat Loop”, a short circular hike at 

the summit to make the most of the spectacular views. 

After spending a wonderful time outside, the best way to warm 

up is either with a hot chocolate in the restaurant of the legendary 

Kulm Hotel or in the new, interactive exhibition “ZOOOM the 

Matterhorn” where you use high-tech periscopes to zoom in close 

to the Matterhorn! Right next door, the view can be experienced 

from all perspectives in the immersive 3D cinema and a virtual 

reality paragliding flight. 

Time flies far too quickly up here and sadly it is time to descend. 

You comment to one another how much you would love to stay to 

see autumn turn to winter. But today there is only enough time for 

a quick snowball fight with the children. On the way down past the 

Autumn leaves you admire them one last time as you start planning 

your next trip: Gornergrat in winter! 


THE POWER OF WORDS: 

Building lasting behavioral change 

WRITTEN BY DR. LAURENCE VAN HANSWIJCK 

“Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never harm me”. 

As a kid born in the 70s, this 

sentence was commonly thrown 

around. The intention is clearly to 

help a young person develop a thick skin. As 

an adult, I’m not convinced that this saying 

holds any value at all. No matter how you 

slice it, words can be incredibly hurtful. Not 

only can they be hurtful, but also, when 

properly placed, very powerful. Funny 

enough, when you look at certain words, 

you can see other words embedded in them. 

Have you ever considered that when you 

add an “s” to the word “word,” you have 

the word “sword”? Words can be swords. 

However, rather than assessing words 

for the damage they can create, this article 

seeks to shed light on how we, as parents, 

can use words to create positive change in 

our children; how we can use these words to 

our advantage. Often, it is not our message 

that needs to change, but by changing one 

single word, the subconscious message 

and how our children interpret it can 

change the whole message. Neurolinguistic 

Programming is an entire field dedicated 

to subconscious influences and how our 

language can impact them. Similarly, 

therapies such as Dialectical Behaviour 

Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 

understand the power of words. From 

these therapies, several words and messages 

warrant consideration. While not all will be 

revealed here, this article will address a few 

when it comes to behaviour modification or 

redirecting behaviour. Additionally, there 

are instances where using fewer words or no 

words at all can be more impactful, as we 

recognize that words can be superfluous. 

“No!” 

One word that is most commonly used, 

especially during the toddler years, is the 

word “no.” The word ‘no’ is crucial as it 

is a stopping word; it prohibits you from 

engaging in certain actions or moving 


toward specific things. It is important when 

a toddler is about to stick their fingers in 

a socket to keep them safe, it is short, fast, 

and effective. However, the word “no” 

is often overused in daily situations as a 

stopping word where a child is then left 

to think for themselves as to what now 

to do! For instance, when a child asks if 

they can watch tv and is met with a simple 

“no”, it becomes a blocking behaviour. 

Unfortunately, the child is then likely to 

persist in questioning, as they have not been 

provided with redirection. This can lead 

to escalation and meltdowns. Redirecting 

behavior in a positive and effective 

manner involves more than just saying 

“no.” It requires clear communication, 

understanding, and offering alternatives. 

Positive framing and offering alternatives. 

Instead of using a negative response like 

“no,” reframe your message in a positive 

light. For example, if someone is doing 

something you want them to stop, you can 

say, “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but let’s 

try doing it this way instead.” Alternatively, 

if they are met with “why don’t you go 

and draw or play Legos or build your fort 

instead”, they are now being directed to 

alternative activities which makes it more 

likely that they will give up on the TV line 

of questioning. 

Providing Choices. Empower children by 

providing options to choose from, so they 

feels more involved in the decision-making 

process. This approach fosters cooperation 

and engagement. For instance, you could 

say, “How about you choose between option 

A or B. What do you think?” 

“And” not “But” 

Instead of using “but”, which can negate 

the preceding statement, use “and” to 

add another positive aspect into the 

conversation. For example, you might 

say, “I like your idea, and I think we can 

make it even better by...”. This is a concept 

central to Dialectic Behaviour Therapy 

(DBT). The term “Dialectical” means 

trying to understand how two things that 

seem opposite could both be true. For 

example, accepting yourself and changing 

your behaviour might feel contradictory. 

However, DBT teaches that it’s possible for 

you to achieve both these goals together. 

By understanding dialectics, you start to 

see that there is more than one way to 

solve a problem and that two seemingly 

opposite ideas can be true at the same 

time. The simple summary of a dialectic 

in DBT is to remember the power of 

“AND”. People often try to provide positive 

feedback followed by constructive criticism. 

However, when we say, “you did a good 

job on your homework, but you could still 

do better”, that completely negates the 

positive statement and the child is left with 

the fact that they should do better, feeling 

disappointed. On the other hand, saying 

“you did a good job on your homework, 

and you could still do better”, validates both 

statements and leaves the child feeling more 

hopeful. Look at the differences between 

these examples: 

• I am disappointed in you, but I still love 

you > I am disappointed in you AND I still 


“The words “I love 

you” actually do 

not mean so much 

without the look or 

the touch, the hug 

or the tone.” 

love you. 

• I understand your point, but I am allowed 

to disagree with you > I understand your 

point AND I am allowed to disagree with 

you. 

• For those who are aware of the word 

“but”, they often try to replace it with 

various words to make it less negative, such 

as ‘however’, ‘nevertheless’, ‘conversely’, 

and ‘yet’ among others. These words have 

the same impact as “but” as they negate the 

previous statement. Using the word “and” 

will give you a positive outcome and a much 

more compliant child. 

I 

There are a few important points to 

consider here. When you find yourself

ADVERTORIAL 

feeling upset with your child and formulate 

a statement along these lines “You make me 

feel upset when you ignore me while I am 

talking,” the likely outcome is putting them 

on their backfoot, and an argument could 

ensue. The problem with this sentence 

is that it implies that the child made the 

parent upset, which places blame on the 

child. However, from Cognitive Behaviour 

Therapy (CBT), we learn that our feelings 

do not depend on what the other person 

said or did; instead, it is what we think 

about what the other person said or did 

that makes us feel our strong feelings. This 

concept is truly empowering, as it means 

that we are in control. While we cannot 

change what someone said or did, we do 

have the ability to change our thinking 

about it. This is a powerful understanding 

as it means that the other person is not 

in control of us. For instance, if I were to 

think, “Johnny is so rude, he can’t even 

be bothered to listen to me, he clearly 

doesn’t care about me”, I clearly am 

going to feel quite upset. However, if my 

perspective shifts to “Johnny is a typical 

teenager, probably has important things on 

his mind like exams or friend problems”, 

that would be equally true and such a 

perspective would lead me to feel calm 

and perhaps approach the situation in a 

different way. The moral here is that we 

own our feelings as we own our thoughts; 

thus, it isn’t really Johnny who made me 

upset. The statement “you make me feel” 

does two things; it disempowers me as I 

am giving my power away of owning my 

feelings, and secondly, it is blaming so will 

put Johnny on his backfoot. Johnny likely 

wasn’t trying to upset me; he was lost in his 

teenage thoughts (perhaps!). The alternative 

statement “when you ignore me while I 

am talking to you, I feel upset”, would 

give a different outcome. Johnny would 

not perceive it as blame, and understand 

that the feeling lies with me. If you can 

express your experience in a way that does 

not attack, criticize, or blame others, you 

are less likely to provoke defensiveness and 

hostility, which tends to escalate conflicts. 

It also helps prevent the other person from 

shutting down or tuning you out, which 

tends to stifle communication. Ultimately, 

using ‘I-messages’ help create more 

opportunities for the conflict resolution by 

creating more opportunities for constructive 

dialogue about the true sources of conflict. 

Taking it one step further, these are the 

steps to a more collaborative outcome and 

reduction of conflict: 

1. “When you _______________ ” state 

observation 

2. “I feel, or I think _______________ ” 

state feeling 

3. “Because _______________ ” state need 

4. “I would prefer that _______________ ” 

state preference 

Instead of saying: “I hate when you yell at 

the kids.” 

Say “When you yell at the kids, I feel angry 

because I need the kids to be treated with 

respect. I would prefer that you not raise 

your voice or curse in their presence.” 

This approach does not put the child on 

the backfoot as they are not being blamed; 

it explains the need and offers a solution. 

This is where a conversation starts rather 

than being met with a shutdown or an 

argument. 

You are 

This aligns somewhat with the concept of 

“I statements”, this is where we associate 

a behaviour with a child’s character, 

unknowingly. Many of the statements 

we make are not what we intend them 

to be, however, they embed into a child’s 

subconscious in ways we did not anticipate. 

This creates a situation where the behavior 

change decreases as the child seems to give 

up. The way in which we communicate 

can leave a lasting impact on their selfesteem, 

emotional well-being, and their 

willingness to learn and grow. We will often 

have to correct our children; this is part 

of parenting. It’s important to distinguish 

between criticizing the behavior itself and 

criticizing the child as a person. When we 

try to separate the behaviour from the child, 

it becomes more likely to effect change 

without adversely affecting our child’s 

belief in themselves or self-esteem. For 

example, when a child has a messy room 

and we say, “look at this room, Johnny, you 

are so messy and careless”, it implicitly 

indicates to the child that they are messy, 

and that is a character trait which can’t 

be changed. As such what happens is that 

Johnny is less likely to clean his room and 

more likely to believe the premise that he is 

messy resulting in lower his self-esteem and 

efficacy. However, when we say, “Look at 


this room, Johnny, you are being messy”, all 

we changed is “you are being” from “you 

are”, we changed one word. This one-word 

change conveys a different message to the 

child. Now, it reads as a behaviour that 

Johnny is having, and Johnny implicitly 

understands that it’s a behavior that can be 

altered. Consequently, he becomes more 

inclined to make the change. One step 

further is to be more specific, e.g., “Your 

toys are scattered all around your room; 

people can trip over them. Have a look at 

finding a better place for them”. This takes 

all the emphasis off Johnny’s character, 

explains why this is a problem, and offers a 

solution. One step further is to ask Johnny 

how he plans to solve this problem. If he 

can’t come up with an answer, you can 

suggest a couple of options for him to 

choose from. This final step encourages 

accountability since suggestion came 

from him, so he is more likely to do it and 

continue to do so. 

Specific Praise 

From the work of Dr. Dweck, we now 

universally recognize the importance of the 

development of growth and fixed mindsets. 

We now understand how greatly important 

praise is in fostering a “can do” mindset. 

Such a mindset encourages persistent effort, 

willingness to tackle greater challenges, and 

personal growth. We can create permanent 

change by being specific in our praise as 

to what it is we want to encourage. This 

encourages the person to continue the 

behavior you want to see. For example, you 

might say “I really liked how you handled 

[situation]. Keep up the good work!” Or for 

those kids that struggle to sit for long, if they 

manage to sit for a given time, you could 

offer praise like “wow, you did such a great 

job at sitting for x amount of time, keep it 

up”. In doing so, the encouragement goes 

towards the child’s action, and the child 

will focus more on that action in the future. 

Likewise, this praise holds true for any 

work, homework, action, etc. that the child 

performs. Always make the praise about 

the content and not an ability praise. Praise 

that emphasizes innate abilities, talents, or 

static qualities can contribute to fostering a 

fixed mindset, e.g., you’re so smart, you’re 

so talented, you’re a natural, you’re the best. 

Praise that promotes a growth mindset, 

on the other hand, emphasize effort, 

improvement, learning, and resilience. E.g., 

“I can see how hard you tried on these

ADVERTORIAL 

“When a child asks if 

they can watch tv and is 

met with a simple “no”, 

it becomes a blocking 

behaviour. Unfortunately, 

the child is then likely to 

persist in questioning, 

as they have not been 

provided with redirection.” 

sums, your effort really shows”, “I love 

how you always ask questions, that is how 

you learn and grow, keep it up” etc. It’s 

about getting specific. Inadvertently, it also 

fosters a sense of connection. Because the 

praise is so specific, the child perceives it to 

be genuine and this means you have paid 

attention to them. At first, it is harder than 

giving a blanket statement, but it becomes 

easier as you practice. It also is rewarding 

as you see your child continuing to strive, 

push themselves further and grow. One 

addition to this section on praise is, it has to 

be genuine! Kids (and even adults) can feel 

ingenuine praise and it will have the inverse 

effect!! Here’s an example: 

Problem: Johnny never participates in class 

discussions. 

Desired Behavior: Actively participating in 

class discussions. 

Praise: “I really appreciate how you shared 

your thoughts, Johnny. Your input added a 

lot of value to the discussion.” 

A final note: words are important and 

can greatly impact lasting behavioral 

change. The way we deliver these words 

are equally important! Studies have shown 

that in communication, a speaker’s words 

are only a fraction of their efforts. The 

much-quoted work by Prof. Mehrabian 

quantifies that words account for 7% of 

personal communication, while tone of 

voice, and body language respectively 

account for 38% and 55% respectively. For 

instance, If I said “wow that is such good 

use of colours, Johnny” in a monotone 

voice, looking at the floor with my arms 

folded, how would that land? It would likely 

be quite confusing and not be met with 

much belief. Children are more sensitive to 

nonverbal cues and emotional signals, and 

these elements can greatly influence their 

understanding, behavior, and the quality 

of your relationship with them! Often, 

parents don’t need words to communicate 

their thoughts to their children. I have 

a few pictures of grannies and parents 


looking at their children/grandchildren 

with expressions of complete adoration, it 

is hart warming to capture. No words are 

needed; the child captures that look and 

responds with a smile, it is imbedded deep 

in their brain, they feel loved. Smiling at 

your children has a direct impact on their 

limbic system, the brain region responsible 

for processing emotions, social interactions, 

and bonding. Smiles are one of the earliest 

forms of nonverbal communication that 

infants respond to. When you smile at your 

children, it triggers feelings of attachment 

and emotional bonding. The words “I love 

you” actually do not mean so much without 

the look or the touch, the hug or the tone. 

We all do some of these things naturally 

in our day-to-day lives. This article 

hopefully adds some tools to your toolbox. 

We all need tools in our toolbox and some 

of these tools are mighty handy as we 

navigate parenthood without the proverbial 

manual that our child should have been 

born with.

Nurturing 

Young Hearts: 

Creating Havens of 

Belonging and Kindness 

in International Schools 

Imagine for a moment, a place that 

should represent safety, growth, and the 

promise of a brighter future – a school. 

Now, envision an 11-year-old child 

named Tim, walking down its corridors 

with a heaviness that transcends his years. 

He should be full of excitement, curiosity, 

and dreams, but instead, his steps echo with 

the weight of an unbearable burden. 

Picture the heartbreaking scene as Tim 

becomes a target for relentless cruelty – 

WRITTEN BY MARTIN COUL FROM OTII 

beaten, kicked, and subjected to hurtful 

words that pierce through his innocence. 

The pain etched on his face is a stark 

reminder that the sanctuary of learning has 

transformed into a battleground of fear and 

despair. 

As a parent, you can empathise with the 

wrenching helplessness felt by Tim’s mum 

and dad. Their hearts ache as they watch 

their child’s spirit crumble under the weight 

of this senseless torment. 

They yearn to shield him from harm’s 

way, to wipe away his tears, and restore 

the light in his eyes. Yet, the grip of 

powerlessness tightens its hold, leaving them 

grappling with an agonising dilemma. 

This heart-wrenching tale is based on 

a true incident which recently graced the 

pages of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung aka 

NZZ, the oldest newspaper in Switzerland. 

It’s a stark wake-up call that resonates 

beyond the headlines. 

Such incidents underscore the pervasive 

issue of school bullying, a disturbing reality 

that casts a long shadow on a child’s wellbeing 

and overall development. 

The urgent need to address this issue is 

evident, and it starts with recognising that 

school bullying is the most widespread form 

of violence among adolescents. 

According to data from the UNESCO 

Institute for Statistics almost 1/3 of young 

teens worldwide have recently experienced 

bullying. 


“Bullying not only inflicts immediate 

harm but can trigger a cycle of 

vulnerability, leading to risky behaviours 

and substance abuse.” 

The Impact of Bullying: 

Bullying transcends mere physical harm, 

inflicting deep emotional wounds and 

isolation. Its repercussions extend beyond 

the immediate victims, seeping into the 

fabric of the school community and eroding 

a sense of belonging. 

The ‘Centre for Disease Control & 

Prevention’ (CDC) in the US defines 

bullying as “any unwanted aggressive 

behaviour(s) by another youth or group of 

youths, involving a power imbalance, and 

repeated multiple times.” 

Verbal harassment is the most commonly 

reported form of bullying, followed by 

social harassment, physical bullying, and 

cyberbullying. Further research reveals that 

globally, 27% of children aged 11–15 are 

involved in bullying as victims, perpetrators, 

or both. 

The Vicious Cycle and the Power of 

Belonging: 

Bullying not only inflicts immediate harm 

but can trigger a cycle of vulnerability, 

leading to risky behaviours and substance 

abuse. Herein lies the importance of 

fostering a profound sense of belonging 

within the school environment. 

A child’s sense of belonging is intricately 

linked to their ‘locus of control,’ influencing 

their perceived agency over their own lives. 

When adolescents feel disconnected, 

they often view their peers as the ones who 

control whether they are accepted or not, 

instead of feeling like they have the ability 

to influence their own sense of belonging. 

Some sample statements from the 20 or 

so we typically ask students to self-report on 

regarding their sense of belonging at school 

include: 

- People at school notice when I am good at 

something. 

- People at my school care if I am absent. 

- I can share my problems with my 

classmates. 

- I feel like my ideas count at my school. 

These statements are designed to 

assess various aspects of students’ 

interactions, emotional connections, and 

overall experiences at school. By asking 

students to reflect on these statements 

and express their thoughts, educators and 

school administrators can gain a deeper 


understanding of how students perceive 

their school environment and their sense of 

belonging within it. 

This information can then be used to 

inform targeted interventions, policies, and 

initiatives that aim to enhance students’ 

well-being, sense of belonging, and overall 

school experience. 

It allows educators and administrators 

to tailor their efforts based on the specific 

needs and concerns expressed by the 

students themselves, fostering a more 

supportive, inclusive, and conducive 

learning environment. 

A Holistic Approach: 

Addressing the intricate issue of bullying 

demands a multi-faceted approach. The 

pathways that hold the most potential 

in preventing bullying encompass a 

comprehensive strategy that engages every 

facet of the school ecosystem. 

Students, families, administrators, 

teachers, and essential personnel like bus 

drivers, nurses, and support staff can unite 

to weave a tapestry of respect within the 

fabric of the school. 

This collaborative effort, fueled by a 

shared commitment, can raise awareness 

and implement effective tools and strategies 

“When adolescents feel disconnected, they 

often view their peers as the ones who control 

whether they are accepted or not, instead of 

feeling like they have the ability to influence 

their own sense of belonging.” 

to safeguard the emotional and physical 

well-being of every child. 

By embracing a proactive and datadriven 

approach, we have the power to 

combat bullying, nurture a profound sense 

of belonging, and directly impact the 

mental well-being of both students and 

staff. 

This commitment extends far beyond 

the present moment, shaping their lives for 

years to come. Through empirical evidence, 

we possess the potential to not only enrich 

the lives of children and families, but also to 

lay the bedrock for a resilient, harmonious, 

and more inclusive society that thrives each 

and every day. 

At OTII, we believe that academic success can no longer be viewed as the only benchmark 

of a child achieving their full potential. Our unwavering focus is on fostering ‘whole 

school’ well-being, spanning across students from Grade 3 and beyond, teachers and even 

supporting the mental health literacy of parents. 

Driven by evidence-based practices and with prevention at the core, our insights are curated 

together with the Occupational Health Psychologist who has played a pivotal role in 

assessing the well-being of over 40,000 UN & ICRC staff members worldwide. 

If you share our values & aspirations to cultivate an environment that positively impacts 

the mental health of those you have a duty of care for, not just for now, but for a lifetime, 

please do reach out to us, hello@otii.io, and one of our team will be in touch with you 

shortly. Alternatively please visit our website: www.otii.io 


Are you raising an 

LGBTQ+ child? 

Parents and carers of LGBTQ+ kids oen struggle to parent in the way they want to 

because they lack the resources and support they deserve. 

It’s common to: 

Feel confused and overwhelmed by terminology 

Have a million and one quesons, but not sure where to ask them 

Grieve the child they thought they had 

Worry about doing or saying the wrong thing 

Get anxious about not knowing what’s best for their child 

G 

 

 

 

 

 

1:1 programs and guidance for parents of 

LGBTQ+ kids 

Learn to make informed decisions 

Get confident with LGBTQ+ terminology 

Discover what your LGBTQ+ child 

needs from you 

Online LGBTQ+ allyship community 

L’ ? 

Cath Brew 

Global LGBTQ+ Inclusion Consultant and Coach 

E: admin@drawntoastory.com 

www.drawntoastory.com

Kids can save lives too! 

WRITTEN BY DR MICHELLE WRIGHT 

Accidents and medical emergencies 

can happen when we least expect 

them. I think most adults have an 

idea of what to do in a scenario where first 

aid is needed or have undergone some first 

aid training at some point in their lives. But 

how about our children? Do they know the 

numbers to call in an emergency? Could 

they stem major bleeding? Could they 

give Basic Life Support, including Cardio- 

Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), to an 

unconscious person who is not breathing? 

This topic is thought to be so important 

that the European Resuscitation Council 

(ERC), the European Patient Safety 

Foundation (EPSF), the International 

Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) 

and the World Federation of Societies of 

Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) issued a joint 

statement, “Kids Save Lives”, back in 

2015. 1 The statement was also endorsed by 

the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Included in the statement was the 

recommendation that children from the age 

of 12 years in all schools worldwide receive 

two hours of CPR training every year. 

Sudden cardiac death claims the lives of 

around 2000 people every day in Europe 

and the United States and the figures are 

similar for other parts of the world. 1 It takes 

time for the emergency services to arrive on 

the scene. This means that bystanders can 

make an important difference to chances 

of survival if they have the knowledge and 

skills to provide Basic Life Support. 

Including resuscitation training in the 

school curriculum is a logical way to save 

lives. It is a bit like learning to ride a bike 

or learning to swim. If you do it when 

you are young, you are unlikely to forget. 

Young people have enthusiasm and desire 

for learning. They are also likely to pass 

on skills learned to other members of 

their family and so contribute to improved 

resuscitation skills in lay people overall. 

In countries where national initiatives to 

improve the management of cardiac arrest 

have been implemented, the statistics have 

been impacted. For example, in Denmark, 

the rate of bystander CPR almost doubled 

after five years. Over ten years, survival 

rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest 

improved threefold, and education of 

schoolchildren in resuscitation was thought 

to be a contributing factor. 2 

So, what are some of the essential skills 

for young people to learn? 

First and foremost, what number to call 

in an emergency. For very little ones, the 

Europe-wide emergency services number 

112 can be taught by counting their ‘one 

mouth, one nose and two eyes’. For older 

kids who already have a mobile phone, 


INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT AUTUMN SUMMER 2023 | 41 

ADVERTORIAL

making sure they have the EchoSOS 

emergency App downloaded is essential. 3 

This literally allows them to have important 

emergency numbers at their fingertips and 

to transmit their location to the emergency 

services when they make their call. 

Then, for older primary school children 

and teenagers, a step-by-step approach to 

help a person in a medical emergency can 

be remembered by using the mnemonic 

DRABC, with teaching tailored to their 

age: 

Danger: 

• Your safety, as well as that of the 

person you are helping and any others 

on the scene, is paramount. 

Response: 

• Once you have made sure everyone is 

safe, check for a response. 

• Shake the person’s shoulders and ask: 

“Are you OK? Can you hear me?” 

• If they respond, don’t move the person. 

Find out what has happened and get help. 

Airway: 

• If there is no response, open the person’s 

airway. 

• With them lying on their back, use one 

hand on their forehead and the other hand 

under their chin to tilt their head back and 

lift their chin. 

Saskia (11years) 

‘I really liked the First Aid 

course I did with my friends 

and Dr Michelle. It taught me 

how to help someone in need 

- and even to save someone’s 

life! I think all kids should 

learn first aid because being 

prepared for things going 

wrong, means you can go on 

even bigger adventures.’ 

Breathing: 

• Look, listen and feel for normal breathing. 

• If the person is breathing, turn them into 

the Recovery Position – a safe position with 

them lying on their side to maintain their 

airway open. 

• If they are not breathing, call for an 

ambulance. Ask another bystander to do 

this for you or use speaker function on your 

phone. 

• Send for a defibrillator if available. 

Circulation: 

• Use your hands in the centre of the 

person’s chest to start chest compressions. 

• Push hard and fast at a rate of 100-120 

compressions per minute. 

• If also giving breaths, provide cycles of 30 

compressions and 2 breaths. 

• If giving ‘hands-only’ CPR, give 

continuous chest compressions. 

• Continue CPR until a defibrillator arrives 

on the scene, the person shows signs of 

moving, opening their eyes and breathing 

normally, or a healthcare professional tells 

you to stop. 

These steps may sound scary, including to 

parents or teachers who may not feel they 

have the right skills themselves to inform 

their young people. Of course, appropriate 

training is needed for educators so that they 

feel comfortable and equipped to pass on 

their knowledge. 

As an additional reassurance, in my 

experience of delivering first aid training 

for over 12 years, children in schools, youth 

groups, sports clubs and scout troops alike 

are less restrained than adults when it 

comes to learning resuscitation skills. They 

grasp concepts quickly and love a hands-on 

approach, particularly when using realistic 

manikins to bring training alive. 

I firmly believe that you do not need 

to be an adult – kids can save lives too! 

Advocating for first aid and resuscitation 

training in schools could make a significant 

difference to survival rates and global 

statistics. 

1. Statement Kids save lives: Training school children in cardiopulmonary resuscitation worldwide: https://kids-save-lives.net/ 

2. Wissenberg M, Lippert FK, Folke F, et al. Association of national initiatives to improve cardiac arrest management with rates of bystander 

intervention and patient survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. JAMA 2013;310:1377–84. 

3. EchoSOS: https://echosos.com/en/ 


Write for us 

Yes, you. We’re always looking for new authors. If you’ve got an idea that will challenge our 

readers or provide some interesting insights, we want to hear about it. 

International School Parent Magazine was created to inform, inspire, and engage the 

International School Parent Community through informative content. We always welcome 

having new writers join our contributor pool. You must have a strong desire to produce 

quality content with actionable advice that readers can apply in their own lives. 

What kind of content do we publish? 

High-quality: Convincing analysis, Well-Presented and Actionable. Always have in mind what 

the reader can take away from your article. 

Originality: If you are writing about well-covered issues, bring a new perspective that others 

may have missed. 

Compelling title: Your title should reflect the content of the article and tell readers why they 

must read the article. 

Tell us a little about yourself and what you do, which topic areas you have expertise in, and 

point us towards some of your existing written work. 

If you think this is for you, then contact us today: content@internationalschoolparent.com 


ADVERTORIAL 

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ADVERTORIAL

ADVERTORIAL 

Overcoming expat parenting guilt 

WRITTEN BY METTE THEILMANN 

One thing that all parents have in 

common is that at some stage 

of their life they will experience 

GUILT. 

Guilt about what they’ve done or not done. 

Guilt about what they’ve said or not said. 

Even guilt over what their kids have done, 

said, not done or achieved. 

So, what does parenting guilt look like? 

It’s the feeling of having done something 

wrong that might have had a negative 

impact on our child here and now or in the 

future. Or when feeling torn between our 

responsibilities as a parent and something 

else that is competing for our attention 

i.e., work, our personal interests or just life 

admin. Often it’s a feeling of not being 

good enough, feeling inadequate at our job 

as parents or questioning the choices we 

have made that affect our child’s wellbeing 

and future. 

Why is parenting guilt bad for us and our 

child? 

When we parent our child out of guilt or 

fear, rather than doing what is right or best 

for them, we are in danger of rewarding the 

wrong behaviour in order to compensate or 

make ourselves feel better. 

When we do this, we run the risk of 

encouraging manipulation behaviours. Our 

children are clever scientists; always on the 

lookout to get what they want, get out of 

what they don’t want and will quickly tune 

into any weak point, and GUILT is a great 

target for them! For instance, if you have 

screamed at them or worked really long 

hours etc. you feel bad and will do anything 

to shake that guilty feeling and make the 

moment or your connection better. And 

your child knows how to get what they want 

by playing on that guilt. 

When living overseas, away from home and 

family and the life we left behind parental 

guilt can REALLY pile on. In this case it’s 

even more important to become aware of 

our guilt and know what to do with it so it 

doesn’t affect the way we parent and how 

our kids develop. 


Expat parents often struggle with 

additional guilt: 

1. Language barriers: maybe we never 

taught our kids one of their grandparent’s 

languages and now when we go ‘home’ they 

find it hard to integrate and communicate 

with their extended or close family. It 

might be as they grow older that they start 

blaming you and ask, ‘why didn’t you teach 

us?’. 

2. Local language: perhaps you feel guilty 

when your kids can’t join in as easily when 

the local kids are playing together. Or it’s 

hard to get involved with a local club or 

activity or feel comfortable going outside 

because they don’t understand what’s going 

on around them. 

3. Distance from family: we might have 

missed out on lots of family get-togethers 

and moments. I was talking to a mum who 

felt so bad that she had ‘taken her son’ so 

far away from her parents and deprived 

them and her son of seeing each other 

more often.

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4. Living a different lifestyle than to 

those ‘at home’: it may be that living 

overseas has allowed you a more affluent 

lifestyle than you had at home, and it can 

seem remote from your friends and family’s 

lives. Parents sometimes feel guilt over the 

way they can raise their children: private 

schools, expensive activities, the latest 

greatest gear, nice holidays etc. 

5. When relocating regularly: this can 

be a really hard one as you might feel that 

they never get to experience a stable home. 

You worry about what kind of kids you are 

raising, their emotional stability and how 

they will feel about the life you had as a 

family. 

6. When moving kids from a stable 

life to a new uncertain one: it can be 

so hard to make that decision to take our 

family away from their friends, schools etc. I 

was working with a family who was moving 

with their three kids to Spain to take up a 

big job opportunity. Their children were at 

good schools, had close friends, activities 

they enjoyed etc. so they felt really guilty 

uprooting them and taking all that away 

from them. We worked on the guilt and 

the HOW to relocate in a way that 

caused less instability and more positive 

opportunities. 

7. Splitting the family: maybe one of 

the parents has to work long hours or travel 

often which means that the family life you 

hoped for isn’t there anymore. I really felt 

this when my husband was suddenly not 

there most of the time Monday to Friday. 

Challenging your parenting guilt 

1. Identify the triggers to this guilt. What 

areas make you feel guilty? Long working 

hours? Your anger and reactions to your 

kids’ behaviours? Your child’s additional 

needs such as ADHD, ADD etc. – a 

physical need or emotional challenge – 

you might feel sorry for them and guilty 

that you might have somehow caused the 

situation? That you live far away from your 

own family? That your child has to move 

frequently? That you never spoke your 

native language to your child? That your 

life is so different from your friends and 

family back home? 

2. Then ask yourself: ‘how does this guilt 

affect the way I parent? Do you do too 

much for them? Allow them to get away 

with more screen time, eating too many 

sweets and junk food etc. Give them too 

much, i.e., mobile phones and tech devices, 

toys, money etc. Or worse, say YES when 

you mean NO, knowing that your child’s 

request should not be granted, but you 

say YES out of guilt. Unfortunately, these 

response behaviours from you can often 

make you feel MORE guilty – as deep 

down you know you are sometimes not 

doing the best thing for your child. And of 

course, we are then in danger of creating 

‘manipulation behaviours. 

How to tackle your guilt 

1. Don’t compare yourself to others: 

• It might be that when you look around 

it looks like everyone is looking so happy, 

doing well and has a perfect family life. 

Maybe they do, and good for them. But 


most likely they have their issues as well. 

And remember, all our kids are unique so 

what works for others might not work for 

you, your values, your child, or your family 

set-up. 

• Social media: Not everything you see on 

social media is the full story, people aren’t 

posting about the times they lost their 

temper, screamed at their child, felt bad 

over the life they live etc. Also, if we are 

living abroad and see families or friends 

at home getting together when we are not 

there, we really feel guilt and feel sorry for 

our child for missing out. But try to focus 

on those times when you ARE at home 

with family and friends and connecting 

and participating, i.e., Christmas, Easter, 

summer etc. – it’s OK to not be able to do 

it all. My brother and sister live around the 

corner from my parents, and they don’t go 

to every family gathering!

2. Reframe your thoughts: 

• I know how easy it is to get into a negative 

spiral but that is not helpful and can 

actually make the guilt worse. Remind 

yourself, ‘we can never get it totally right 

and become the perfect parent who raises 

perfect kids’. After all we are just humans, 

and humans make mistakes. I can only do 

my best and that is good enough. What is 

done in love IS done well. I AM doing my 

best (if you feel you aren’t then you will 

benefit from the last activity). 

• I am not alone with these feelings: remind 

yourself that most parents at some stage 

will feel guilty and that they are not good 

enough. You are not alone feeling this way 

– it comes with the job! No one said that 

parenting was going to be easy. 

• Put things in perspective: feeling guilt 

doesn’t mean that you are a bad parent. 

For example, if you are feeling guilty 

about living far away from family – put it 

in perspective and think that maybe when 

you DO see each other it is for a longer 

period of time, and you get to create a 

stronger connection. When my kids were 

growing up, we saw my parents three times 

a year (at Christmas, Easter and during 

the summer holidays) but it was often for 

weeks at a time. By just adding up the days 

they saw my kids more than their other 

grandchildren and that time was really 

special because they got to hang out for 

longer periods of time and really get to 

know them. 

And don’t forget, you are giving your kids 

an amazing opportunity to see the world, 

to meet new cultures, be exposed to new 

languages and input – how great is that? 

My kids often tell me that they love being 

‘international’. They don’t feel Danish or 

Irish, but international. They get along with 

all cultures, are open to travel and learning 

new languages. I did feel guilt along the way 

but they turned out more than fine! 

• Do it your way: there is no ‘right’ or 

‘wrong’ way of parenting. There is only the 

way that works for you, your values, your 

individual child and your unique family life 

and set-up. Right now, you are living this 

family life so make it work for you and get 

the most out of it. Be the best parent you 

can with what you have and where you are. 

3. Remind yourself of all the great 

stuff that you are also responsible for: 

• You are doing better than you might 

think: yes, we are good at taking the blame 

for so many negative things but we need 

to also start taking the ‘blame’ when it 

comes to all the good stuff in our kids’ 

lives. Their successes, the great moments, 

the life experiences that you give them, 

the unconditional love and so on. I am not 

saying that you should take the credit for all 

your kids’ successes and achievements – but 

you can pat yourself on the back and think, 

‘maybe, just maybe, I helped them in the 

right direction, to get there, make the right 

choices’ etc. 

• What can you be proud of as a parent? 

What HAVE you done well – what are you 

doing OK? Remind yourself of these things 

every day, and every time parenting guilt is 

about to eat you up and make you do or say 

the wrong thing. 

• Practise self-compassion and praise: every 

day say to yourself the things you HAVE 

done right. Every time you are about 

to beat yourself up, STOP and remind 

yourself of ALL the good things you are 

also had a hand in. 

4. Can you learn and do better? 

Awareness of our ‘wrongdoings’: we are 

not perfect. Maybe we have done some 

things that are not OK. When these things 

happen, we need to apologise and think 

about how we can do better in the future. 

It’s OK to make mistakes as long as we are 

willing to admit them, apologise (if need 

be), and learn from them. 

What changes can you make to ease your 

guilt: 

• About your child not learning yours 

or your partner’s language: well, is it 

too late to start now? Can you start right 

NOW to teach them yours or your partner’s 

language? Or can they take language 

lessons? Listen to your music, watch films in 

your language etc. IF you feel it is too late, 

so be it, you did your best and we just can’t 

do it all and be perfect – remind yourself of 

all the other great things you HAVE done 

for them and with them. 

• Learning the local language: if your 

guilt is about understanding the local 

language, maybe you can start learning 

together; listen to the local radio, music etc. 

Kids learn really quickly, and it can be a 

fun thing to do together. When we lived in 

China, we had a teacher come to our house 

to teach us Chinese as a family. 

• Affluent family life: it might be that 


you can afford a better lifestyle than before 

or those at home, but you are still the same 

person. Remember, we don’t HAVE to spoil 

our kids just because we have the means to 

do so. Just because we can afford a cleaner 

doesn’t mean that our kids shouldn’t do 

their bit and learn to be independent. 

• Long working hours, away from the 

family: try to work on still having a family 

connection when you ARE together. Have 

regular family get-togethers/meetings (i.e., 

once a week or when it suits your family 

life) where you talk about what everyone 

has done this week, what is new in people’s 

lives, and plan the week to come. You 

can create a weekly meal plan together or 

organise a family outing where you can 

all be together. Make sure you are fully 

present – not on your mobile phone or 

mentally distracted when you are together 

– this sends the signal ‘I DO love you’, and 

sometimes quality over quantity is OK.

• It’s never too late to change your 

parenting style: no matter how old your 

kids are or how far you are from being the 

parent you want and need to be it is never 

too late to start afresh. Set a long-term goal, 

then align your everyday behaviour. Get 

parenting support, read parenting books 

and tips and so on. I was working with 

a parent who had two teenage children 

and there was a lot that he was not proud 

of with his way of parenting so far – but 

we worked on this together and created a 

realistic, positive new plan for them. 

5. Talk to someone: talking really 

helps. 

Either with a friend or a professional. Don’t 

keep the way you feel inside. It might be 

that you are ashamed to tell others how 

you feel but remember they most likely 

will have experienced some level of guilt 

as well. When we talk to others about how 

we feel we automatically start analysing it 

and sorting it out. Sometimes all it takes is 

to hear yourself say it out loud and you can 

hear that you are a good enough parent, 

that others feel the same or get clear on 

what you need to do about the guilt. 

ABOUT ME 

I’ve supported parents for over 18 years, working closely with schools, 

companies and family solicitors. So, I can say with absolute confidence, 

that the Parenting Community and my parenting coaching is based on a 

depth of experience and study, plus a huge passion for supporting parents. 

I am Danish, married to an Irish man and together we have 3 children (age 21, 23 and 25). 

We have lived in 4 countries and travelled all over the world. With years of experience 

supporting parents, my educational background and having raised 3 very different 

children I feel capable of supporting all family setups and challenges. 

I have a deep passion for nature, history, creativity, travelling and my family. 

All the best, Mette 

www.mettetheilmann.com 

By managing parenting guilt, you can 

start to enjoy the life your family is living 

right now and get the most out of it. You 

can be kind to yourself and forgive yourself 

when needed and learn to be the parent 

that your children need, right now. 


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Exploring the 

Diverse Landscapes 

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An Adventure in 

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A WORLD 

OF WORRIES: 

A Parent’s Passport 

to Teen Mental 

Health and 

Substance Use 

The State of Teen Mental Health 

WRITTEN BY KATIE GREELEY 


For the past few decades, parent’s 

concerns about adolescent health 

have shifted dramatically. Forty 

years ago, binge drinking, drinking and 

driving, teen pregnancy, smoking, and 

illicit drug use topped the list. But when 

asked about the most pressing issues their 

generation faces today, Generation Z 

and Generation Alpha—youth now 11 

to 24 years old— commonly cite anxiety, 

depression, suicide, self-harm, and other 

severe mental health concerns. Researchers 

echo these concerns. From 2001 to 2019, 

the suicide rate among American youth 

ages 10 to 19 increased by a staggering 

40%, and emergency room visits for selfharm 

rose by 88%. 

These numbers are not unique to the 

United States. Adolescents and young 

adults worldwide are facing similar mental 

health challenges. While the isolation of 

a global pandemic and the use of social 

media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, 

and TikTok are implicated in the rising 

rates of anxiety and depression among 

adolescents, researchers have identified 

these factors as only part of a trend that 

began well before the current decade. 

Simultaneously, alcohol and other drug use 

continue to be major concerns for parents. 

Adolescent mental health and substance 

use are intertwined. In order to effectively 

support teens, parents must grasp the 

unique environmental and developmental 

challenges facing young people in 2023. 

What Is Causing This Crisis? 

To fully grasp the teenage mental health 

crisis, it’s important to understand the 

developing adolescent brain. During 

puberty, the brain prepares young people 

to start to process new social information 

– keeping up with peers’ academic and 

athletic performance, dating, friendships, 

politics, climate change, and other 

global events. Teens are naturally asking 

themselves questions: How do I measure 

up to my peers? How do I fit in in my 

school community? Where do I fit into the 

world at large? Information and realities 

previously unnoticed or disregarded as 

children suddenly become critical to 

adolescents, and many times overwhelming. 

Today’s young people are exposed to more 

information at an earlier age than any 

other previous generation, but the realities 

of a developing brain remain unchanged. 

Additionally, in the past few decades, a 

notable mismatch has emerged: puberty for 

both girls and boys starts earlier. However, 

the rest of the brain, particularly the parts 

that help process this influx of stimulating 

information, hasn’t developed any faster. 

It’s like giving a young person with a 

learner’s permit the keys to a high-speed 

race car in the midst of a torrential 

storm. Teens hit puberty earlier and are 

inundated with information from peers 

and sources like social media, online 

streaming services, and the 24/7 news 

cycle—they’re navigating an accelerated 

and overwhelming journey without the fully 

developed skills to manage it. Most parents 

are focused on the fear of their child falling 

behind in the race. The more important 

question for parents is simpler: How do we 

prevent the crash? 

The Connection Between Mental Health 

and Substance Use 

Several decades ago, adolescents faced 

predominantly externalised risks in the 

environment—behaviours and activities 

like binge drinking, drunk driving, cigarette 

use, teen pregnancy, and lack of safer 

sex practices. These risks have markedly 

declined over the last four decades. Today, 

youth confront a new set of predominantly 

internalised risks— earlier onset of puberty 

experienced by many of adolescents 

combined with an influx of environmental 

and social information has resulted in 

mounting stress, anxiety, and depression. 

Numerous studies consistently highlight 

stress, anxiety, or depression as the primary 

triggers for young people to start using 

alcohol and other drugs. Why? Just as 

with adults, getting drunk or high provides 

immediate relief for young people trying to 

alter their mood or cope. 

The adolescent brain is uniquely 

vulnerable. Stress, sadness, and anxiety 

are experienced more acutely by teens on 

an emotional and neurological basis than 

by adults. The amygdala, the area of the 

brain responsible for processing emotions 

and stress lies in the midbrain, also known 

as the limbic system. The limbic system 

is the same area of the brain responsible 

for pleasure. In an adolescent brain, the 

limbic system is underdeveloped, making 

adolescents more reactive to stressful stimuli 

compared to adults and more driven to seek 

pleasure or reward in response. 

Additionally, the prefrontal cortex — the 

brain’s hub for judgment, decision-making, 

and assessing long-term consequences — 

is the final area of the brain to mature. 

The underdeveloped frontal lobe and 

an overcharged limbic system mean 

young people are more likely to seek out 

substances to quickly alleviate negative 



emotional states. 

The midbrain’s limbic system operates 

like a powerful magnet, irresistibly drawn 

to pleasures, while the prefrontal cortex is 

akin to a partially constructed dam, not yet 

fully capable of holding back the torrent of 

pleasure-seeking impulses. This makes teens 

more susceptible to impulsive, potentially 

detrimental choices rather than relying on 

healthy coping mechanisms that can help 

manage stressors. Elevated stress levels 

further amplify this vulnerability, creating a 

cycle that is a risk factor nudging teenagers 

towards substance use as an escape route. 

More concerning, if teenagers turn to 

alcohol and other drug use as a coping 

mechanism for anxiety, depression, or 

stress management in this vulnerable 

developmental stage, any substance use 

heightens their risk of developing an 

addiction. Additionally, alcohol and 

other drugs typically exacerbate the very 

symptoms teens are trying to alleviate. 

Substance use prevents adolescents’ stillforming 

brains from developing resilience 

over time to manage day-to-day stressors 

without alcohol or other drugs. 

The Solutions 

For Students 

At Prevention Ed, we collaborate with 

schools to bolster their existing socialemotional 

learning programs and engage 

students in meaningful conversations. 

One globally recognised, evidence-based 

therapeutic approach for supporting teens 

with mental health issues is cognitive 

behavioural therapy (CBT). Our curriculum 

introduces key CBT skills and concepts, 

focusing on the relationship between 

thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. We teach 

students to explore key questions: What am 

I feeling? What am I experiencing? How do 

I cope with that? Prevention Specialists aim 

to help students monitor these moments 

of intense emotion and provide them with 

evidence-based skills to pause, identify, 

and respond instead of react. These are 

the same skills used in high-quality, formal 

mental health treatment, but can be applied 

to keep healthy kids healthy. 

The goal is twofold: First, to reduce the 

likelihood of a young person making an 

unhealthy choice in a stressful moment and 

help adolescents recognise that feelings such 

as stress, sadness, or being overwhelmed 

are natural and often temporary, and 

second, to equip them with tools to 

manage these emotions, develop healthy 

coping mechanisms, and mature into more 

rational, reflective individuals. 

By establishing these skills during their 

formative years, teenagers are paving the 

way for future success. They are building a 

blueprint that will equip them, as adults, to 

confront challenges with grace, persistence, 

and healthy strategies that serve them 

throughout their lives. 

For Parents 

The challenges faced by today’s adolescents 

are multifaceted and demand attentive, 

informed support from parents. Engaging in 

open dialogues, staying educated on current 

adolescent challenges, understanding 

the developing teenage brain, actively 

participating in their emotional and mental 

well-being, and promoting the delayed use 

of alcohol and other drugs is paramount. 

It’s vital for parents to view themselves as 

role models for preserving mental health— 

how you respond to stress plays a crucial 

role in shaping how your adolescent will 

manage their own. Provide teens with tools 

or strategies to handle intense emotions, 

and consistently reinforce the value of 

seeking help when needed. Ask yourself: 

What coping skills do I model for my 


teenager? Do I reach for a glass of wine, 

or do I get in a workout, call a friend, or 

take a relaxing bath? By openly discussing 

your own mental health and wellness in 

an age-appropriate way, you’re giving your 

teen some ideas about how to care for 

themselves. Encourage your teen to find 

activities that work for them and prioritise 

self-care as a family. 

Lastly, in a world inundated with 

misinformation, ensure your teen has access 

to accurate information. For example, make 

sure they recognise that using cannabis 

to address anxiety is not developmentally 

suitable, and recent research shows that it 

actually heightens their risk of experiencing 

anxiety or depression later on in life. 

Similarly, relying on alcohol to manage 

social anxiety can hinder the development 

of essential social skills needed now and 

in the future. Proper sleep, awareness of 

their family’s mental health and addiction 

histories, engagement in extracurricular 

activities like sports, art, music, and 

dance that produce natural highs, and 

understanding the symptoms of anxiety and 

stress—while normalising that seeking help 

when feeling overwhelmed is a strength— 

are the best protective measures for young 

people.

Artificial Intelligence: 

FRIEND 

OR FOE? 

WRITTEN BY CATH BREW 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a 

remarkable tool. We use it every 

day in many parts of our lives. It 

speeds up our processes, increases efficiency, 

and saves organisations money, but is it 

really the saviour of human endeavours 

that we think it is? With a third of internet 

users being young people, it’s impact on 

future generations is now more relevant and 

important than ever. 

We live in a global world where diversity 

and inclusion are valued, especially in an 

international school setting. Yet, artificial 

intelligence requires a little more inspection. 

How does it fare in the face of diversity and 

inclusion? 

We talk about AI as artificial intelligence, 

but in another context, AI stands for 

Asexual and Intersex to make up the fuller 

acronym LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, 

Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, 

Asexual). This simple adjustment of 

two letters changes the meaning entirely 

and alludes to the polarities of artificial 

intelligence - and more specifically where it 

falters. 

Searching for the God of Efficiency 

In 2023, a Goldman Sachs’ report declared 

that AI could replace 300 million fulltime 

jobs in Europe and the USA. Whilst it also 

creates a lot of opportunity, that’s an awful 

lot of jobs no longer available to young 

people leaving school and looking for that 

part time job whilst at college or during the 

holidays. 

AI is sold to us as the golden ticket 

to efficiency; a way of doing ‘mundane 

activities’ quickly. As a result, people 

have systematically been removed from 

factories and other sectors - replaced by 

machines. Think of the self-service tills in 

supermarkets in various parts of the world. 

Generations of young people have paid 

their way through college working a till. 

This loss is also especially significant 

for LGBTQ+ youth because autistic 

people are more likely to be LGBTQ+ 1 . 

Whilst everyone has different skills, some 

common strengths of autistic individuals 

include precision and attention to detail, 

mathematical and technical abilities, 

learning and memorising information 

quickly, being able to concentrate for long 

periods of time when motivated, and an 

ability to problem solve differently. These 

are perfect skills for what other people may 

1) https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/autistic-individuals-are-more-likely-to-be-lgbtq 


define as ‘mundane’ jobs. 

It raises questions. What opportunities of 

employment are being lost for youth and 

specifically for LGBTQ+ youth? Will AI be 

able to ensure equal access to employment? 

Using AI to remove the implicit bias of 

the job market 

On the plus side, AI is also being used to 

increase opportunities for overlooked and 

underrepresented individuals to obtain 

work. Through AI, the UK recruitment 

company, Clu, is challenging the way in 

which businesses view talent. By removing 

long standing barriers in the job market, 

they are successfully helping people to get 

interviews, improve candidates’ experiences 

and save employers’ time and money. 

With the explosion of social media, 

influencers and online work in recent years, 

AI also offers students the opportunity to 

leverage their strengths through technology. 

Tech-savvy youth are finding their voices 

online, forming public identities and in their 

pursuit of making a living, are challenging 

the need for a degree. And for students with 

social anxieties, working from home is now 

a much more viable option thanks to the 

Covid pandemic. 

Artistic Intelligence? 

What if we were to call AI artistic 

intelligence? The recent popularity of AI 

profile picture generators on social media 

has meant that many trans and non-binary 

youth have felt more closely aligned to who 

they are, been able to explore their identity 

safely and reduce gender dysphoria, even if 

only temporarily. It’s been an integral part 

of preparing to socially transition. 

However, whilst the opportunity to 

visually reaffirm oneself is a positive 

step, the increase in using AI for facial 

recognition remains problematic. There’s 

a risk of real human experiences being lost 

in translation. AI is only as good as the data 

sets it accesses, and it’s white, cis gendered 

heterosexual men who produce most of 

the world’s information. Humans design 

within their own image. How do you codify 

characteristics to avoid implicit bias? Who 

decides what it means to look like a man 

or a woman, and even more pertinently, 

transgender, agender, genderfluid, twospirit, 

gender-neutral or genderqueer? 

And yes, it matters. Facial recognition 

software could deny trans youth access 

to gendered spaces like bathrooms and 

changing rooms, or women’s only events. 

In the USA we have already seen adults 

demanding to see a girl’s genitals at a 

sports event to prove she wasn’t a boy. With 

human interaction, common sense was 


“With the explosion of social media, influencers and online work in recent years, AI also 

offers students the opportunity to leverage their strengths through technology.” 

prioritised in this strange circumstance. 

However, the binary nature of computer 

data would not be so accommodating 

and assert a firm yes or no. Further, for 

international families, what happens when 

your child’s passport photo doesn’t match 

their gender at the e-passport gate? 

There is enormous potential for AI to 

benefit students and assist them in school 

and at home. It makes learning languages 

easier, helps communications with their 

teachers, and ChatGPT certainly helps 

generate ideas for homework projects 

too! In their personal lives, it provides 

students with avenues to research questions 

that are too embarrassing for parents. In 

Kenya, the website www.one2onekenya.org 

provides a safe place to find answers about 

menstruation, mental health, flirting, sexual 

health, bodies, relationships and so much 

more including access to counsellors. These 

types of websites and apps exist in many 

countries. 

Whilst for most young people talking 

about these things with a parent might 

be embarrassing, for many LGBTQ+ 

youth being embarrassed would be their 

best outcome. In countries where being 

LGBTQ+ is illegal or culturally condemned 

asking a parent is simply not an option. 

Online platforms like these allow queer kids 

to access services safely and with minimal 

stigma. 

So, dare I say, it’s a yes for artificial 

intelligence? However, as parents it’s worth 

taking the time to understand its advantages 

and its pitfalls. It’s easy to focus on the 

benefits, but it’s the pitfalls that will be 

much harder navigate. My advice to you? 

Read, research, prepare. 


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How to teach your child about 

budgeting before they start university 

WRITTEN BY ROBERT HUGHES 

Our university years teach us 

so many valuable life lessons 

that stick with us long after 

graduation. One of the most important 

skills any student needs to have is money 

management. A typical student budget 

has to stretch a long way, covering daily 

expenses, textbooks, rent and social 

commitments. 

Naturally, the more someone is forced 

to make conscious financial decisions 

during their time at university, the more 

comfortable they’ll feel when it comes 

to managing money. However, it can be 

useful for students to get a head start before 

moving into their new digs – and that’s 

where parents can help out. By having a 

conversation with them about money, you’ll 

be empowering them to take control of 

their budget from the very first semester, 

and give them the foundations to build a 

more secure financial future. Here are four 

things you can do to support 

your child before they start 

their course. 

Help them to 

organise their 

accounts 

Banking can be 

a difficult area to 

navigate as a young 

person. Although 

you may have already 

set up a bank account 

in their name, it’s unlikely 

that children will need to manage these 

accounts on a regular basis while living at 

home. However at university, it’s crucial 

that they’re set up with the right accounts, 

to ensure that they can properly 

manage their own finances 

and get the most from 

their money. 

If your child is 

relocating to study 

at an international 

institution, help 

them with the 

necessary research 

to find out which 

types of accounts will 

be available to them 

throughout their time at 


university. Getting their banking in order 

before they move out will help to make the 

transition smoother, and ensure they can 

stay on top of their spending from day one. 

Discuss the importance of saving 

Once they’ve got their accounts set up, 

now’s the time to talk to them about the 

importance of saving and setting monetary 

goals. If your child receives a loan, grant 

or any other kind of financial aid while 

at university, they’re likely to receive large 

chunks of money at one go. It can be 

tempting to overspend when they receive 

these payments, but encourage them to be 

responsible. 

This money is primarily intended to 

cover basic living expenses such as rent 

and groceries. Spending it irresponsibly 

could create problems further down the 

line, so help them to form good habits from 

the start by discussing the importance of 

saving for the future. As well as physically 

saving money by using designated accounts, 

you could also encourage them to look for 

savings when spending their money. Make 

the most of any student discounts offered 

by companies they typically shop with, and 

encourage them to get into good shopping 

habits when buying groceries. 

Suggest budgeting techniques 

Between tuition, textbooks, and social 

expenses, it can be overwhelming to keep 

track of where your money is going as a 

student. Fortunately, budgeting techniques 

can help them to take control of their 

finances and even save some money along 

the way. There’s lots of different techniques 

for budgeting as a student, and it may be 

a case of trial and error until they find a 

method that works for them. One popular 

approach is the envelope system, where 

you allocate cash to different envelopes for 

specific expenses, such as groceries and 

entertainment. 

Or, they may favour a more modern, 

digital approach, and utilise budgeting 

apps to give them a clear overview of their 

finances. These apps can help with tracking 

expenses and providing insights on areas 

where you may be overspending. Some 

bank accounts even offer a digitised version 

of the envelope system, allowing you to 

divide money into certain pots with their 

own goals. Regardless of which technique 

you choose, the key is to find a system that 

works best for you and helps you to stick to 

your budget. 

At times all students may get the balance 

slightly wrong, but ensuring they’re 

conscious of sticking to a budget in the 

long-term will help them to get a grasp 

of this important concept. With some 

dedication and discipline, anyone can 

master budgeting as a college student and 

set themselves up for financial success in the 

future. 

Talk to them about using credit wisely 

As students transition from adolescence 

to adulthood, they may find themselves 

confronted with a new world of financial 

responsibilities. While credit can be a 

valuable tool, it can also be dangerously 

alluring to those who have only started to 

explore its possibilities. For this reason, it’s 

crucial to teach students the importance of 

using credit wisely. 

One of the best ways to do this is by 

emphasising the impact that credit has 

on their future financial wellbeing. By 

explaining how credit scores and interest 

rates work and the role they play in 

obtaining loans and securing favourable 

financial terms, students will develop a 

better understanding of why they need 

to be responsible borrowers. If your child 

has (or plans to get) a student credit card, 

knowing how to use it responsibly will 

have a positive impact on their long-term 

financial health. 

Start the conversation 

Money can be a sensitive topic to bring up 

in a family setting, but it’s imperative that 

new students feel prepared to take control 

of their money as they enter into this new, 

exciting phase of their lives. Ultimately, 

by talking to your child in a clear and 

compelling way, you can empower them 

to make informed choices and develop 

the financial skills they need to thrive in 

adulthood. 


Your Guide to A-Levels 

A-Levels are an internationally recognised university entrance qualification and yet 

there are many misconceptions about their academic rigour, the ‘freedom’ they afford 

students, and their outcomes. We sat down with Swiss international schools - Geneva 

English School (GES), Brillantmont International School, Academia Schools Group, 

International School Zurich North (ISZN), and Lucerne International School - to talk 

about the ins-and-outs of this important pre-tertiary certification. 

WRITTEN BY KORINNE ALGIE 


“Through studying the A-Levels I was able to fulfil 

my dream of studying medicine at the University 

of Zürich. The A-Levels were an excellent 

preparation for my university studies.” 

Lisa Carr, Graduate of Academia International School Zürich 

A-levels (Advanced Level 

qualifications) are a crucial part 

of the education system in the 

United Kingdom and are typically taken 

by students aged 16 to 18 during their last 

two years of Secondary school. A-Levels 

are the most frequently sat university 

entrance qualification with over 10,000 

schools in 160 countries teaching A-Level 

courses. This number includes British 

schools outside the UK that are increasingly 

offering either the UK A-Level or the 

international variant of this certification. 

Although A-Levels are recognised and 

accepted by tertiary institutions across 

the globe, there is still confusion amongst 

parents around what the programme entails 

and why it might be the best fit for their 

child. 

What are A-levels? 

A-Levels are academic qualifications often 

taken after completing General Certificates 

of Secondary Education (GCSE), either 

the UK or international version, though 

students can access an A-Level programme 

from other curricula, including the MYP, 

provided they have achieved sufficiently 

strong grades in their chosen subjects. 

A-Levels may have either a linear 

or a modular structure, with AS-levels 

(Advanced Subsidiary) usually taken at the 

end of the first year. AS-Levels on their 

own are also formally recognised academic 

qualifications accepted by universities in 

Switzerland, Europe, the US and UK. 

Schools outside of the UK can offer 

the UK or the international version of 

A-Levels. The International A-Levels are 


in essence the same as the domestic (UK) 

version, however, provide broader examples 

more suited to the international context. For 

instance, where the domestic A-Level may 

pose a UK-based question, the international 

version may ask in broader international 

terms or provide global context. Some 

Swiss Universities such as EPFL will only 

accept the UK A-Level so it is important 

to understand which version schools 

offer. Geneva English School (GES), for 

example, only offers UK A-Levels but other 

contributing schools offer the international 

version. 

Typically, students select 3 to 4 A-Level 

subjects, which may include mathematics, 

sciences, humanities, and arts. Each A-Level 

takes approximately 300 hours of study to 

complete and allows students to develop

expertise in areas they are passionate about. 

A-Levels also include a number of 

self-study hours. In these times students 

are expected to study their chosen topics 

independently and use research, critical 

thinking, and analytical skills to deep dive 

into their subjects. Some students will also 

choose to study the International Project 

Qualification (IPQ) or Extended Project 

Qualification (EPQ). 

“We have been offering A-Levels for 

over 80 years, which demonstrates our 

belief in them and their ability to open 

university doors worldwide. We find that 

students studying A-Levels are extremely 

motivated, since they choose the subjects 

in which they are interested, rather than 

having an imposed curriculum. This 

gives them ownership for their learning 

journey. Although challenging, students 

studying A-Levels still have time to play 

sports, essential for well-being. Plus, they 

participate in service-learning projects 

by choice rather than obligation. As a 

result, we see a positive circle of virtue and 

success.” 

Sarah Frei, Head of Admissions & External 

Relations, Brillantmont International School 

How are the A-Levels assessed? 

A-Levels are primarily assessed via a set 

of standardised exams, with some courses 

also featuring non-examined assessment 

(NEA) coursework. Some schools also 

offer the additional International Project 

Qualification (IPQ) or the Extended Project 

Qualification (EPQ). These are delivered 

and graded in much the same way as a 

university dissertation, only on a smaller 

scale. The grade for this qualification is 

based entirely on the research, written 

work, and presentation of the findings. At 

International School Zurich North (ISZN), 

the IPQ is compulsory for students studying 

A-Levels. Principal, James Stenning 

said: “The IPQ is crucial for students to 

develop the essential skills required for 

successful university study. At ISZN we 

provide students with a mentor to support 

them through the research, writing and 

presentation process, helping them to 

transition from the structured world of high 

school essay writing to the sophisticated, 

self-directed style of tertiary education.” 

How are A-Levels different from the IB 

Diploma? 

Deciding between A-Levels and the IB 

Diploma can be tricky. Both pathways lead 

to university admission and offer valuable 

skills and knowledge. Broadly speaking, 

A-levels offer ‘deep-dive’ learning into 

specific subjects of interest and develop 

independent learners. On the other hand, 

the IB Diploma provides a broader and 

more holistic educational experience. 

“When looking at the key differences 

between the A-Levels and the IB Diploma 

programme, the IB Diploma is all about 

breadth, whereas A-Levels are more about 

depth and focus. Students studying A-Levels 

select subjects they are passionate about 

and, as a result, can showcase their skills, 

knowledge and understanding of those 

subjects while leaving behind other subjects 

they don’t enjoy or where they may struggle. 

The IB on the other hand is generalist to 


the end. One is not better than the other, 

rather they are different, and it comes down 

to which programme an individual student 

(and their family) prefers. However, that 

said, the format of an A-Levels programme 

is more similar to that of a university 

course, so students may be better prepared 

for that next phase of their education when 

they get there.” 

Matt Williams, Headteacher, GES 

Parental Worries Around A-Levels 

The A-Levels are too focused. My 

child is too young to know what they 

want to study at university! 

Although the A-Levels are extremely 

focused, the core skills learnt during the 

course of study are easily applicable and 

transferable to a broad range of university 

subjects. This means that - with the

exception of degrees such as medicine and 

veterinary science (which require specific 

subject combinations) - students can apply 

and be accepted into any degree of their 

choosing. 

A-Levels are not academically 

rigorous enough. 

This is possibly the greatest misconception 

of all. Because students focus on subjects 

they are passionate about, they are 

motivated to think critically and deepen 

their understanding of the topic. A-Levels 

are in many ways similar to the first 

semester, if not year, of Bachelor study. 

In fact, oftentimes, students with A-Levels 

are able to skip first year courses or receive 

credits towards their degrees. 

The A-Levels, whether the UK or 

international version, enable students 

A-LEVELS: 

• Students choose 3 - 4 specific subjects to study in-depth. 

• Offers subject-specific flexibility - meaning there are no truly compulsory subjects. 

This allows students to focus on their academic strengths and interests. 

• Two-year programme taken after completing (I)GCSEs, if already in a British 

curriculum school, but accessible to all students, including those who completed the 

MYP, with sufficiently high grades. 

• Primarily assessed through final exams, which are externally graded. 

• Recognised globally for university admissions. 

IB DIPLOMA: 

• Students study six subjects. 

• Core Components: Includes the Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, 

Service (CAS), and the Extended Essay (EE). 

• Emphasises interdisciplinary learning and connections between subjects. 

• Assessment includes coursework, oral exams, written exams, and internal 

assessments. 

• Two-year programme taken after completing the MYP. 

• Includes a mandatory service component (CAS). 

• Recognised by universities worldwide for admissions. 


to apply to the world’s best universities 

including Harvard, Yale, and other top 

universities across the globe. 

“Parents often have questions about the 

academic rigour of the A-Levels. Many 

are afraid that the 3 - 4 subjects usually 

selected are not enough, especially when 

they see “independent study” as an integral 

component of the programme. The 

ability to specialise in subjects that the 

student wants to study is a huge positive 

for the A-Levels. Academic outcome is 

strongly based on the motivation to study, 

and by focussing on subjects that are the 

student’s strengths, it is a clear advantage. 

Given the status of A-Levels as being 

globally accepted by universities and the 

depth of study required, they remain an 

outstanding choice for academic growth 

and preparation for the specialist nature of 

undergraduate study.” 

Kamran Baig, Founding Director, Lucerne 

International School 

A-Levels are only good for the UK 

While A-levels are known as a UK 

qualification, they are recognised and 

accepted internationally, from the United 

States and Canada, the Middle East, 

Europe, much of Asia, Oceania, South 

America and beyond. This makes A-Levels 

a valuable credential for students pursuing 

higher education abroad. 

“A-Levels are an important credential 

regardless of where you apply to university. 

We have had students that have studied 

A-Levels go on to top universities in 

the US and Switzerland - to name a 

few recent examples. In addition, the 

world of work is also becoming more 

international, which means that A-Levels 

with their global orientation and English 

are gaining enormously in popularity. I 

think it is important that students and 

families understand that A-Levels will 

take you wherever you want to go. They 

are academically rigorous, trusted and a 

renowned pre-tertiary qualification.” 

Dr. Ludovic Allenspach, Co-CEO Academia 

Schools 

My child will have too much free time. 

Although your child will likely only study 

three or four subjects, the expectation for in 

depth research and understanding means 

that study must be taken seriously. Even in 

self-study periods students quickly learn that 

they need to use this time effectively. 

Another benefit of the structure of 

the A-Levels is that students have more 

flexibility. This means that they are able to 

participate in sports, music and other clubs, 

whereas a more structured programme 

might see students dropping these activities 

if they do not fit in with their schedules. 

Many schools also offer the International 

Duke of Edinburgh Award which includes 

voluntary service, physical recreation, skill 

development and adventurous journey. 

For students studying A-Levels “Free 

time”, is rather a time to study or 

participate in activities which form part of a 

well-rounded education. 

If my child doesn’t pass, they are 

stuck having to repeat everything! 

The good news is, all participating 

international schools tell us that apart from 

a truly rare exception, all of their students 

pass the A-Levels. In the exceptional case 

a student does not pass, it is possible to sit 

the exam again without repeating the entire 

course of study. Luckily, with particularly 

high pass rates for students at international 

schools, this is an unlikely outcome for your 

child. 

Your child’s educational and career 

goals are almost as individual as they 

are. Learning about the options that are 

available to them allows you to help them 

navigate the breadth of choices they face in 

selecting the right study path. 

There are many reasons why A-Levels 

may be the best fit for your child. They 

allow students to specialise in specific 

subjects of interest, helping them to develop 

in-depth knowledge and skills in those areas. 

A-Levels are academically challenging, 

foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and 

the analytical skills needed for further study 

and life beyond. 

Academia Schools Group - academia-group.ch 

Brillantmont International School Lausanne - www.brillantmont.ch 

Geneva English School - https://geschool.ch/ 

International School Zurich North - www.iszn.ch 

Lucerne International School - www.lucerneinternationalschool.ch 


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International School Parent Magazine - Autumn 2023

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