ConnectED Conversations

What should you actually pack when moving abroad as a teacher? In this episode, we talk about packing as step zero of international teaching. Before you can step into a classroom abroad with confidence, you have to get yourself there, and that means deciding what supports your new life and what only adds weight, stress, and airport sweating. This is not your average moving abroad packing checklist...

What does it mean to wrap up the school year in an international classroom or school? In this episode, we look beyond the usual end-of-year checklist and explore the emotional, relational, and logistical layers that make international school endings unique. Reports, assessments, classroom clean-outs, and celebrations matter, but in international schools, the end of the year may also mean country m...

What does it actually look like to move pets internationally while living and teaching abroad? In this episode, we continue our conversation about relocating pets internationally by speaking with Mary Ann VanDeWeerd, an international educator and IB PYP Coordinator from New Zealand who has worked across the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Mary Ann has lived and worked in Turkey, Indonesia, Sudan,...

Thinking about moving abroad with a pet? In this episode, we talk through the realities of relocating pets internationally, because for many international teachers and expat families, pets are not an afterthought. They are part of the family. But moving them across borders can involve far more than booking a flight and showing up at the airport. We explore the major planning areas people need to u...

How can international teachers better support multilingual learners without lowering expectations or leaving language development to one department? In this episode, we speak with Patty McGee, a literacy consultant, speaker, educator, and author whose work helps teachers bring clarity, joy, and purpose into literacy instruction. Together, we explore how English often becomes the access language in...

How can teachers support multilingual learners without redesigning every lesson from scratch? In this Teacher Toolbox episode, we close our ELL mini series by moving from awareness to action, sharing practical strategies teachers can use to plan for language, reduce linguistic overload, and create clearer access to learning in multilingual classrooms. We explore what this looks like across push in...

What happens when a student’s language needs are misread as a behaviour problem?  In this episode, we look at how identity, belonging, and behaviour are shaped by language in international schools, especially in contexts connected to international curriculum comparison, supporting your child in a new school, and international schools and expat families. We reflect on the difference between social...

What does ELL support actually mean once a multilingual learner is sitting in the classroom? In this International Files episode, we examine why the phrase “we have ELL support” can sound reassuring while still leaving teachers unsure about planning, assessment, and expectations in international schools. We walk through the most common ELL support models used in international schools, reflect on w...

What happens when international schools say multilingualism is normal, but their systems are not built to support it?  In this episode, we open our EAL mini series by looking closely at why so many teachers and leaders feel stretched when trying to meet language needs across the curriculum, and why this challenge matters for anyone navigating international education, moving abroad as a teacher, or...

What actually helps when behavior starts to go off track in your international classroom? In this Teacher Toolbox episode, we move fully into practice. We focus on what teachers can do day to day to create calmer classrooms, clearer expectations, and more stable behavior systems in international schools. As Trisha & Brandi, we share concrete routines, language, and frameworks that support stud...

What helps a school behavior system stay calm, credible, and consistent when real pressure hits?  In this Teacher Toolbox episode, we close our behavior mini series by looking at behavior through a leadership lens and exploring how we can strengthen school culture through consistent language, cyclical staff recalibration, parent alignment, visible leadership, and documentation that protects fairne...

What really happens when parent expectations collide with school behavior systems abroad? In this episode, we turn our focus to one of the most influential and misunderstood forces in international schools. We unpack how culture, mobility, privilege, and anxiety shape parent responses to behavior and why these dynamics so often place teachers in impossible positions. As Trisha & Brandi, we ref...

What happens when your school has a behavior policy but no one really knows how it works or who is backing it? In this episode, we zoom out from individual classrooms and into the systems that quietly shape behavior in international schools. We reflect on why some schools feel calm and consistent while others feel reactive and exhausting, even when the students are not so different. As Trisha &amp...

Why does student behavior abroad feel so familiar yet so hard to manage at the same time? In this episode, we dig into one of the most common shocks of international teaching and parenting. We explore why behavior in international schools is so often misread, how culture and mobility quietly shape classroom dynamics, and why systems matter more than geography. Drawing from our own experiences and...

What happens when opportunity pulls you home, but community pulls you back abroad? In this Insider Voices episode, we talk with Amy, an American educator who moved to Prague, stepped into leadership, started her family, and found a deep sense of belonging within the international teacher community. After several years abroad, she and her Czech husband made the decision to return to the United Stat...

How do you build community when you move abroad and everything in your life changes? In this Insider Voices episode, we speak with Jennifer, an American who grew up in Hong Kong and Japan before moving abroad again as an adult to live in Prague. She shares what it was really like moving abroad without an established network, creating a sense of belonging from scratch, and navigating international...

How do you build a meaningful community when you start over in a country where you know no one? In this episode, we talk with Jordan about his move from Utah to Prague, where he found his footing in a language school that felt like the right fit and opened the door to a supportive international teacher community. He shares how teaching adult learners created real friendships, how music and creativ...

What does it really take to find your people when you move abroad and everything familiar disappears? In this International Files episode, we talk honestly about the emotional side of creating community overseas. We explore what happens when you lose your entire social history, how culture shock affects friendships, and why building belonging abroad often feels like starting your social life in ki...

Welcome to ConnectED Conversations, the podcast branch of ConnectED Global (Connectedglobal.org). We are Trisha and Brandi, international educators and school leaders sharing honest conversations about teaching abroad, international schools, leadership, and raising families overseas. This podcast is for educators and parents navigating international education who want clarity, practical insight, a...

How do you know if a school abroad is showing you the real story or just the shiny version created for marketing? In this episode, we talk through the digital world of international schools and how families and educators can read websites, social feeds, and online messaging with a critical but curious eye. We explore what each section of a school website actually reveals, how the Instagram effect...

Understanding an international school contract can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re comparing countries, currencies, benefits, and legal protections. In this Teacher Toolbox episode, we break down what international teaching contracts typically include, what varies across regions, and where teachers realistically can and cannot negotiate. We walk through salary scales, bilingual contracts...

International education is changing fast, and what teachers need to know before moving abroad looks very different than it did even a few years ago. In this Insider Voices episode, we talk with longtime international educator and consultant Kirsten Durward, who shares candid insights about the realities of teaching overseas today. We explore what makes a great international school, how leadership...

Recruiting season is here, but how do you find international teaching jobs without burning out or second guessing every decision? In this Teacher Toolbox episode, we break down a practical teaching abroad guide for your entire job hunt, from choosing job boards and hunting down school vacancies to crafting a CV and cover letter that actually stand out in international schools.  Whether you are mov...

How do you choose the right international school when your children need different things? In this Insider Voices episode, we (Trisha & Brandi) sit down with Marion, a seasoned international school leader and parent living in Prague, who made the bold call to enroll her teenagers in two different schools: one at the English College in Prague (IB + Czech Maturita pathway) and one at the Lycée F...

So you’re teaching abroad with kids —but how do you find a school that’s the right fit for both your career and your family? In this Teacher Toolbox episode, we (Trisha & Brandi) break down a practical roadmap for educator-parents navigating international school jobs. Whether you’re moving on from your current post, craving professional growth, or searching for stronger SEN or EAL support for...