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Two experienced educators discuss the role of arts in fostering a sense of belonging in international education. Gain an insight into two international schools in Asia and the role the creative arts play in nurturing students’ sense of belonging.

Both the Alice Smith School, Kuala Lumpur and the British School Manila have a strong reputation for excellence in the Arts. However, alongside simply growing artistic talent, creative exploration is also central to their philosophy of belonging. This fireside chat will offer participants insights into how the creative arts are deliberately used to generate strong peer-to-peer and student/teacher relationships and build institutional affiliation in the two case study schools.

The fireside chat was hosted by:

Holly Sullivan, Head of Creative and Expressive Arts at Alice Smith School

Holly is Head of Creative and Expressive Arts at the Alice Smith School in Malaysia. She is also Chair of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia Drama Executive. Holly recently gained a Masters in Educational Leadership with the University of Keele, through which she undertook a qualitative case study examining the role participation in the creative arts can have on the sense of belonging and self-concept in Third Culture Kids in international education.

Paul Hannon, Head of Drama and Theatre at the British School Manila.

Paul is Head of Drama at the British School Manila in the Philippines. He is also the Drama lead for Teacher Events and Professional Development for the Federation of British International Schools in Asia Drama Executive. Paul has over 22 years of experience teaching in South East Asia and has a background in both community and professional Theatre – performance and production. Paul firmly believes that Arts education is a vital and rewarding part of every students’ educational journey.