They say you can tell a lot about what a school values by looking at its timetable. What does yours say?

If you’re trying to create more time for student-driven projects, real-world connections, and deeper learning, but your current schedule feels rigid and confining, this episode will show you a better way. It’s part two of our special monthly series on Building Student-Centered Schools.

In this episode, I walk you through a hands-on exercise to design your dream student-centered schedule. No spreadsheets, no software, just a whiteboard, post-its, and the values that matter most to your learners.

You’ll learn how to:

• Align your daily schedule to your program’s core values

• Create longer, deeper learning blocks for true personalization

• Involve students, staff, and parents as co-designers of time

• Think beyond traditional periods to open up authentic learning pathways

If you’re launching or reimagining a student-centered program, this episode will help you move from rigid to responsive, and design a schedule that actually supports the learning you want to see.

Watch the Video On Youtube:

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard

Trying to build more student agency—but feel boxed in by curriculum coverage? What if you didn’t have to choose between voice and academic rigor?

In this episode, I sit down with Natalie Harvey, secondary principal at Beijing City International School (BCIS), to explore how her team is shifting culture around student agency while still honoring the demands of a rigorous curriculum. From co-creating a three-year vision to redefining personalization in the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, Natalie shares the intentional moves that are making voice and choice a lived experience—not just a buzzword.

You’ll hear how BCIS is navigating real challenges while building a culture where students know themselves deeply, make meaningful decisions, and drive their own learning.

• How BCIS reframed student agency through the lens of “jaggedness”

• What voice and choice look like in the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) classroom

• How leadership created a shared language and clear expectations around agency

• Why building trust—and giving teachers choice—is key to sustainable change

Ready to hear how these shifts are playing out in practice and what they might look like in your setting?

Connect with Natalie: Natalie.Harvey@bcis.cn

Get the 12 Shifts Book: On Amazon, On the Website: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher

Natalie's Bio: Natalie is the current Secondary Principal of BCIS and was born in Hanover, Jamaica. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Language Education: English, from the University of the West Indies, a Master of Arts in Education from Wake Forrest University, a Certificate of International School Leadership from the Principal's Training Center, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in International School Leadership with Wilkes University.

Before BCIS, Natalie worked in various capacities in Jamaica, the United States of America, Venezuela, and Mexico. She was a Middle School Deputy Principal and Principal at the American School of Tampico for seven years. She has been an educator for 25 years and has a wealth of experience in teaching and leading. Natalie believes that forming solid interpersonal relationships leads to a positive school culture, functional collaborative structures, and exceptional outcomes for students and teachers.

In addition, Natalie is passionate about partnering with parents, promoting student voice, and fostering a sense of belonging and a focus on successful learning outcomes within the BCIS community.

Feeling stuck planning projects across subjects?

It's more common than you think.

Without the right structures, interdisciplinary projects often feel messy, disconnected, and overwhelming — for both teachers and students.

But what if a few small shifts could lead to more engaged students, stronger collaboration across subjects, and less stress for you?

In this episode, I sat down with Ryan Murfield, Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary PRAXIS Program at the International School of Kuala Lumpur, to unpack three simple shifts that make interdisciplinary planning work:

• Focus planning around real-world problems that drive deeper engagement

• Build milestone checkpoints that keep interdisciplinary teams aligned

• Design assessments that capture real learning across subjects—without adding more work

If you're ready to plan across subjects with more clarity, connection, and confidence, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Ryan:

Learn more about the PRAXIS Program:

Get the 12 shifts book for student-centered environments: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher

Free Interdisciplinary Project Planner

Ryan's Bio: Initially from South Dakota, Ryan Murfield is the coordinator of the 9th grade interdisciplinary program called (PRAXIS) at the International School of Kuala Lumpur. Prior he taught in the USA and then in Seoul, South Korea. The favourite part of his role is seeing the amazing work students are able to do when given the opportunity to grapple with complex, real-world, authentic problems.

He was also a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine where he to speak Ukrainian and lived in a small town, teaching English at a local school. He helped organize events promoting leadership and for young people in the region, and also met his wife, Courtney, another Peace Corps volunteer.