Joanne Li

As an educator and middle-level leader who works in an international learning environment for twenty five years, this quote from John Hattie gave a clear explanation on how I view teaching and learning:
“The greatest effects on student learning occur when teachers become learners of their own teaching, and when students become their own teachers.”

My working experiences in five different international schools have created unique opportunities for me to explore different international school curriculum. We are not only offering the opportunity to students to master the other foreign languages, but also help them to grow the skills for communication, intercultural understanding and global engagement to prepare the students to become the global leaders of the future.

Being a middle-level leader, I respect the cultural background of each team member, I encourage the team members to use their character strengths in their job performance, and deeply value the professional commitment they made to support the student learning. We use evidence-based learning strategies to ensure our teaching quality, visible wellbeing strategies to support student learning and wellbeing, on-going communication with the parents, and offer the active contribution to our community.

In the past five years, working as the director of world languages, I am able to set up the vision for my school-wide language team, develop language programs across different languages and report annually to the stakeholders. I have also published the book series to support the teaching and learning for all Chinese teachers new to MYP, Its called “A course design guide of Chinese Language Acquisition in IB”. Hearing a positive feedback from Chinese teachers around the world was very rewarding. I feel I have partially achieved my life goal in bringing my professional knowledge back to the wider international communities. I believe that I am ready to take the further challenge.

2025-06 Keynote speech on "Heart of Leadership" and roundtable forum "Education in the era of AI" of The 5th Chinese Language Festival Teacher Seminar and Educational Leadership Summit

2024-10 Mastering Differentiation: Strategies for all disciplines and learners

2023-10 Universal Design For Learning: Explore from Harvard Graduate School of Education 

2023-01 IB PYP workshop - Making PYP happen 

2022-10 IB Annual Conference in Netherland

2022-03 Leading Inclusion: seen, heard & valued by Lee Ann Jung  

2018-09 Visible Well-being workshop led by Prof. Lea Waters

2018-02 IB DP Chinese B workshop
2017-09 IB DP TOK training for subject teachers
2017-06 IB DP Chinese Language and Literature workshop

2017-03 'Embedding Formative assessment' conference led by prof Dylan William

2016-09 'building positive school' - positive psychology at schools
2016-09 Middle leader training programme from ESF
2016-06 IB MYP Chinese Acquisition Category 3 workshop

2012-09 IB MYP/PYP Concept-driven curriculum workshop

2012-07 IB DP Language B seminar
2012-03 IB MYP Language B Category 2 workshop

2011-04 Chinese Articulation workshop Hong Kong

2011-01 IB DP Chinese A: Literature workshop

2009-09 IB MYP Language A workshop

2005-01 'the Multiple Intelligences & Positive Life Habits' workshop, Manila, Philippines

2004-09 'Dyslexia: Enabling Children with Learning Disabilities' seminar, Manila, Philippines

2004-02 'Differentiating Curriculum for Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom' Seminar, Seoul Korea

2003-09 International convention on “Human Relations in Organizations Development” Manila, Philippines

Mr. Geoff Ward

Assistant Head of school - Academics, Seoul Foreign School

Mr. James Smith

Head of School, Discovery College, ESF, Hong Kong

Ms. Lilian Wong

Former dual-languages program coordinator at International School Beijing, IB workshop leader, IB Authorization team leader, IB regional field representative, IB school consultant