Giving Thanks for Education Around the World 2024

This week, in celebration of Thanksgiving in the US, IEN continues its annual tradition of giving thanks for the many groups and individuals who have dedicated their lives to support learning and education around the globe. In recognition of these contributions, we highlight the below interviews that we’ve done this year. These remarkable educators represent various ways to support, sustain, and improve student learning and development in places like rural and urban China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Iceland, Scotland, and Finland. We encourage everyone to reach out, give thanks, and support the educators and organizations who are making a difference for students in their communities. 

Supporting healthy development of rural children in China: The Sunshine Kindergartens of the Beijing Western Sunshine Rural Development Foundation | An interview wtih Guangmin Li and colleagues from the Beijing Western Sunshine Rural Development Foundation

The Evolution of an Alternative Educational Approach in Vietnam: The Olympia School Story (Part 1) | (Part 2) | The Olympia Schools

License to innovate: A conversation with Shefatul Islam about the development of Bangladesh’s online education platforms (Part 1) | (Part 2)

On the Inertia of Education Systems and Hope for the Future: A Conversation with Jón Torfi Jónasson on Educational Change in Iceland (Part 1) | (Part 2)

Achieving Education for All for 100 Million People: A Conversation about the Evolution of the Vietnamese School System with Phương Minh Lương and Lân Đỗ Đức (Part 1) | (Part 2) | Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences (VNIES)

Listening Beyond the System: A Conversation with Alma Harris & Carol Campbell about the National Discussion on Scottish Education One Year Later (Part 1) | (Part 2) | Report on All Learners in Scotland Matter – National Discussion on Education

The Desire for Innovation is Always There: A Conversation with Yong Zhao on the Evolution of the Chinese Education System (Part 1) | (Part 2)

Leading when following is not required: Tapio Lahtero on the work of the principal in Finland during and after COVID (Part 1) | (Part 2) | (Part 3)