From Curiosity to Collaboration: Faculty Showcase Professional Growth at ISP

On a bright Wednesday morning in May, the full faculty of the International School of Prague (ISP) came together not for a typical meeting, but for a celebration. The occasion: the culmination of a year’s worth of inquiry, collaboration, and innovation through the school’s Professional Growth Evaluation (PGE) programme.

What unfolded was far more than a series of presentations. It was a vibrant demonstration of ISP’s learning culture in action, revealing the diverse ways teachers across all divisions and disciplines have been engaging with their professional practice.

PGE: A Framework for Purposeful Growth

The PGE model was introduced in response to staff feedback calling for greater ownership over professional development. Designed as a responsive, teacher-led initiative, PGE allows educators to select an area of interest and explore it deeply, either individually or as part of a group. The programme has become an engine for community-building, critical reflection, and shared pedagogical experimentation.

“The PGE programme was designed to support you, our Faculty, and we want to hear from you: what worked, what didn’t, and how we can make it even better next year. Your input is what will continue to drive the success of this initiative." 

Dr. Cal Callaway, Deputy Director

Celebrating the Process, Not Just the Product

The PGE presentations were fast-paced, limited to three minutes per speaker, and punctuated with humour, encouragement, and applause. The tone was collegial and upbeat.

Each speaker represented a different working group or project. Some delved into complex curriculum alignment efforts; others focused on student agency, language instruction, assessment practices, or the use of AI tools. What united them all was a spirit of inquiry and a shared desire to make learning more meaningful for students.

Across the School, Across the Spectrum

Highlights from the morning included:

• AI in Education: Staff explored the ethical and instructional potential of artificial intelligence. Through collaborative “AI Play Sessions” and a shared resource bank, they examined both the potential and responsibility of AI in education. 
   
• Language Curriculum Development: Language teachers collaborated to align their units using CEFR “can-do” statements, ensuring consistency across grade levels and supporting both new and returning learners. Other faculty members focused on supporting the emotional wellbeing of language learners or piloting AI tools like Murf and Lovo to create accessible, authentic audio materials.
   
• Data-Driven Literacy and Maths: Educators piloted new assessments, examined gender gaps in maths, and used the Learning Analytics Collaborative (LAC) Dashboard to better track student growth across the year.
   
• UDL and Student Agency: One of the largest groups focused on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), with projects ranging from lesson design in PE and science to language accessibility and schedule redesigns - all aimed at increasing student voice and choice.

“I was inspired by the amazing work our colleagues shared. It was great to see how much of it was connected to the Universal Design for Learning framework and focused on creating meaningful experiences for all our students.” 

Amber Romero, Student Support Services Coordinator

• Changemakers and Careers: Faculty explored ways to embed social impact and real-world relevance into the curriculum. A standout initiative was the schoolwide Career Fair, which featured presentations and talks from over 30 professionals, student choice, and compelling messages about the non-linear paths of adult life.
   
• The Arts Collective: Far from being a separate sphere, the arts team positioned themselves as an integral part of student growth. Through showcases, concerts, musicals, and inter-disciplinary collaborations, they reminded the whole school of the power of creative expression.
   
• Assessment for Learning: Teachers worked on refining assessment approaches, focusing on formative techniques, peer review, and developing continuity across grade levels. “Apply, Connect, Transfer” became a guiding principle for deeper learning design.
   
• Interdisciplinary Learning and Curriculum Engagement: Teachers from Individuals & Societies and Language & Literature designed joint units, supported by common toolkits and shared goals. Others examined how real-world case studies could reinvigorate student engagement, especially in the Upper School.

Looking Ahead

​Throughout the session, a recurring theme was momentum. These projects are not complete; they are evolving. Next year will bring further opportunities to refine, extend, and support the work that has begun, whether through dedicated Professional Development (PD) time, new consultant partnerships, or additional cross-divisional collaborations.

Importantly, all of next year’s external consultants have been selected based on direct recommendations from these very PGE groups, a powerful reminder of how bottom-up innovation is shaping whole-school strategy.

From cookies and coffee to curriculum and community, the May 2025 PGE gathering showcased a school that’s truly learning together.