Key Note Speakers

Our aim is to bring in world class educational speakers and workshop facilitators including:

Tracy Zager loves teaching and learning. As a student, she studied mathematics, geology and physics at Wellesley College and MIT, physics and economic and social history at the University of Oxford, and teaching with an emphasis on special education at the University of Washington in Seattle. She finally traded in her backpack for a teacher’s tote, and happily taught fourth grade for several years. When her daughters came along, she gave up her classroom to work with pre- service teachers and their in-service mentors, K-8. After many years in adult education in a wide range of urban, suburban and rural schools, Tracy began extensive field research for her 2017 book, Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You’d Had: Ideas and Strategies from Vibrant Classrooms. Tracy now divides her time among coaching in a K-6 school, editing math and science professional development books for Stenhouse Publishers, and writing and speaking. She loves all her work, but is still hoping to make her way back to her own fourth-grade   classroom someday.

Jennifer Chang-Wathall is an independent educational consultant, author and part time instructor for the University of Hong Kong. With over 25 years experience in the education field, Jennifer has worked in several international schools including South Island School, Hong Kong and The United Nations International School, New York and Island School, Hong Kong. In the international arena she has presented numerous keynote addresses and workshops about concept-based mathematics and concept-based curriculum and instruction to K-12 educators. Jennifer holds a degree in Pure and Applied Mathematics from the University of Sydney and completed post graduate studies at the University of Hong Kong. Based on her Masters of Arts in Educational Technology she also facilitates concept-based mathematics online courses, gives talks about innovative uses of digital instructional media and how to effectively integrate a 1:1 program into the classroom. Jennifer has delivered numerous workshops in the Asia Pacific region. Her role as a field representative for the IB Asia Pacific serves as part of the quality assurance framework. She has been invited to give several talks at the IB Asia Pacific and IB Americas annual conferences. Her best selling book titled “Concept-Based Mathematics: Teaching for Deep Understanding in Secondary Schools” was released in February, 2016.

Rose Harrison has been teaching internationally for 20 years. She graduated from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, BSc Mathematics and Statistics and University of Leeds PGCE in Mathematics and Sport. Rose is currently the Lead Educator for MYP mathematics with the IBO after having previously been a marker and moderator for the DP HL courses. In addition, she is a senior reviewer for the IB MYP Building Quality Curriculum and co-authoring a series of concept based MYP Mathematics textbooks and the new IBDP HL Mathematics textbook for Oxford University Press. Rose has given MYP and DP workshops across Europe and the Middle East and taught all levels of the IBDP (HL, SL and Studies) and  MYP (1-5) at International schools in Switzerland.

The NRICH Project from the University of Cambridge aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

Fran Watson – Primary Professional Development Coordinator: Fran joined the NRICH team in 2013 and since October 2015 has been the Primary PD coordinator. Originally trained as an engineer, she has taught maths to pupils in lower, primary, middle, secondary and upper schools. She loved being an Advanced Skills Teacher for 7 years, sharing her enthusiasm for all things mathematical and supporting teachers to develop mathematical thinking opportunities for their learners.

Charlie Gilderdale – Secondary Coordinator: Charlie has taught mathematics in three local secondary schools, including a stint as a Head of Department. During the last 25 years he has worked at the University of Cambridge, initially in the Faculty of Education training new secondary mathematics teachers, and more recently as a member of the Millennium Mathematics Project.

 

Peter Murphy joined Vienna International School as the Director in 2010 after serving for eight years as the Director at Bonn International School. Previous assignments included a number of years working for the German Development Ministry, teaching adults ‘sustainable change for developing world settings’, and an extended period teaching technology in UK state education. Peter represents the region of Africa, Middle East and Europe as Chair of the International Baccalaureate Regional Council; served for four years as the Board Chair of the Association of German International Schools (AGIS); is the Board Chair of the Metropolitan School Frankfurt and Chair of the Association of Central European Schools (ACES). Peter is a team leader for school accreditation visits, supporting the work of both the Council of International Schools and the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

Megan Holmstrom is an independent consultant with Math Speak Global, working with schools in PK-G12 mathematics teaching & learning. She also currently serves on NCTM’s Teaching Children Mathematics editorial panel. Megan was most recently with The American School of Madrid and the American School of Dubai in the position of instructional coach – a role that was job-embedded and focused on the teacher:coach partnership. Megan was also a member of the Instructional Materials Adoption, as well as the Teachers of Mathematics Advisory Panel, both for the state of California. Throughout her 20 year career in education Megan spent 12 years in the classroom, teaching at a variety of grade levels, before moving into curriculum & instructional coaching. www.mathspeakglobal.com

Armin Martin is an IB Educator, teacher and curriculum coordinator at Munich International School. This will be his sixth international presentation or workshop on mathematics, making and student agency centred learning environments this school year. He brings experience learning and teaching or administering at different levels from preschool to university on four different continents. At present, he is focusing on developing more student-centred indoor and outdoor learning environments and applied learning through making with the creation of two new makerspaces. Armin is passionate about the application of new research and pedagogical approaches to teaching mathematics.  

Dr. Christine Orkisz Lang is specialist in Primary Mathematics, currently working at the Vienna International School as the Primary School Principal. She has supported schools in Europe, the USA and Asia as an independent consultant, an Instructor for the Center for Innovation in Education (Math Their Way) and as In-Thinking and Putting it into Practice Associates. She was closely involved with the original development of the PYP and the current Mathematics Curriculum at VIS. Her doctoral research focused on linguistics and inquiry-based teaching. 

Anika Sommer is a teacher and Leader of Primary Mathematics at the Vienna International School. She has a range of experience in International Schools across Asia and the Middle East. In recent years she has completed training as a First Steps Mathematics facilitator and run training courses for staff at the school. Her commitment to the appropriateness of these resources was the catalyst for the direction of the development of the new VIS Primary Mathematics Curriculum. Anika maintains an active interest in the development of Mathematics standards and data collection in the Primary School as well as a commitment to the its implementation in the classroom.

David Lyttle is a practicing teacher and Elementary Mathematics specialist. He is an Instructional Coach for ES Mathematics at the International School of Düsseldorf in Germany, an IB World School. In this role he assists teachers in delivering best practice lessons based on the Concrete, Pictorial Abstract approach to learning. He is a Numicon accredited trainer, with deep experience using Numicon in the classroom, and at all levels across Early Years and Elementary. He is the author of the Numicon and PYP Curriculum mapping booklets, and is an engaging trainer with a good understanding of International School contexts and challenges. David has a Masters of Inclusion Education K-12 with a focus on Math difficulties, prevention and intervention, and support for gifted and talented students. David’s latest project is the development of a successful math intervention program for Grades 3 to 7, that combines the best practice and ideas from Numicon, Singapore Maths, and the New Zealand Numeracy Project.