104 - Valérie Besanceney and Jane Barron

The International Schools Podcast

Valérie and Jane share their work, experience and learnings with the dynamics, challenges, and opportunities of transitions for students, parents, educators and schools. Together we explore the creative tensions many international educators and students experience with transitioning between schools and cultures, and how their respective organisations support and provide resources for the positive transition-care of students, families and educators around the world.

About Valérie Besanceney

Valérie Besanceney is an international education and transition consultant, passionate about helping students, staff and families thrive through transitions. Author of two children’s books, B at Home: Emma Moves Again and My Moving Booklet and founder of Roots with Boots, she currently consults for families, schools, and organizations. She is Dutch by birth, Swiss by nationality, and well-versed in cross cultural awareness. Having moved often as a child, Valérie understands the challenges and impact of early transitions on your sense of identity and belonging as an adult. Valérie has been an international educator for the past 18 years in international schools and organizations across four continents. Valérie serves as the Executive Director of Safe Passage Across Networks’ (SPAN)) and is the co-creator and co-facilitator of the SPAN certificate course on the Laws of Transitions. Together with her husband and their two daughters, she lives in Gryon, Switzerland.

About Jane Barron

Jane Barron (MEd) is an educational consultant specialising in student cross-cultural transitions. Her professional hats include educator, researcher and writer. Jane’s work is informed by a lifetime of mobility, parenting two Cross-Cultural Kids and 30 years of teaching and consulting in both international and local schools. Committed to healthy cross-cultural transitions and attachment security, she has been a part of the Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN) leadership since 2016 and is currently serving as their Director of Training and Consulting. Founder of Globally Grounded, Jane consults to schools, families and students crossing cultures, developing their understanding of the impact of cross-cultural mobility, creating programs and implementing support mechanisms to enhance learning and life. She is the lead researcher of Surveying the Landscape: Common Practices, Challenges and Opportunities in International School Transitions-Care (2020). Currently based on Garigal land in Sydney, Australia, Jane's writing has been published in numerous international education publications.

Social Media

SPAN

Website: Safe Passage Across Networks

LinkedIn: Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN)

Facebook: SPANschools

Instagram: spanschools

Twitter: @SPAN_schools

Roots with Boots:

Website: Roots with Boots

LinkedIn: Valérie Besanceney

Facebook: Valérie Besanceney

Resources

A summary of different ways to connect with SPAN:

• The SPAN website, for engagement with other transition-care providers, curated resources and pathways for an enhanced positive transitions-care program in your school and between schools.
• ‘The Nest’, to join SPAN’s free monthly award-winning online gathering for positive transitions-care practitioners and advocates, first Thursday of every month @12 UTC.
• The Annual Virtual SPAN Symposium, to gather together like-minded practitioners and supporters to strengthen the network of positive transitions-care across international schools
• The SPAN Training & Consulting team to strengthen your positive transitions-care team, policies, programs and practices. SPAN’s courses, workshops and consultancy services empower individuals, schools and school networks to transform transitions-care for their community members.
• Our Laws of Transitions Certificate Course, which offers research, practical strategies, and the opportunity to share best practices to enhance positive transitions-care within and between schools. Your team can also benefit from the Early Bird discount on registration before August 15, 2023.
• SPAN Membership, to join a network of people on the frontline of transitions-care in schools, small businesses and organisations. As part of this network, an individual, small business school or organisation SPAN member finds a home where like-minded people connect, support and encourage one another. With discounted access to expert training and resources, they also feel equipped and refreshed to continue their important work.

John Mikton on Social Media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton

Web: beyonddigital.org

Dan Taylor on social media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantcz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanTaylorAE

Web: www.appsevents.com

Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube

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