Empower Students Through Passion and Inquiry-Based Learning, says Sandra Ospina

Edarabia had the opportunity to interview Sandra Ospina, the Head of Learning and Innovation at SEK International School Riyadh. Sandra shared her vision for the future of education, emphasizing a focus on “less, but better” and authentic learning experiences. She discussed the school’s innovative approach to student well-being, professional development, and the integration of technology in the classroom.

1. What are your plans for 2025?

As a leader, I’m currently focused on achieving sharp focus and meaningful impact. I’m working to find the optimal balance between the school’s operational needs and being present in classrooms, connecting closely with teachers and students. Looking ahead to 2025, we’re embracing the mantra of ‘less, but better’ – this will help us identify what truly impacts student learning and development while eliminating distractions. Our key focus remains growing as a full IB continuum school and establishing partnerships with local universities to develop future teachers with international teaching experience

2. How do you decide what to focus on academically each year, and which new ideas are you pursuing?

Our decision-making process starts with our vision and mission – everything we do must align with these foundations. We analyze multiple data points: parent, teacher, and student feedback, assessment results, and recommendations from our accreditation bodies (IB and NEASC). We identify common themes and apply the 80/20 principle to focus on high-impact initiatives. Currently, we’re supporting teachers in meaningful AI integration to optimize workload and enhance student learning. We’re also one of 13 schools worldwide selected to participate in an action research project with the IB and Oxford University focusing on well-being for school.

3. What challenges do you anticipate in the field of education over the next 5 years?

The education system needs fundamental redefinition at the policy level. We’re seeing trends like increased homeschooling and microschooling movements, partly due to bureaucratic rigidity in traditional schools that isn’t keeping pace with societal changes. Schools must collaborate with policymakers to redefine education’s purpose for today’s world. Three key challenges stand out: thoughtful AI integration in education, requiring us to reimagine assessment methods that demonstrate real-time thinking and application; the growing demand for work-life balance in the teaching profession; and addressing the global teacher shortage crisis by making the profession more attractive to the newer generation.

4. How do you keep students interested in learning, especially those who struggle or seem unmotivated?

Genuine connection is the foundation of student engagement. Students need to feel truly known and cared for – without this, education becomes merely transactional. When students know you care, that’s when real motivation and flourishing begin. We emphasize student voice and choice throughout our curriculum. In primary levels, students pursue their own inquiries within our units of inquiry, while middle school students have dedicated ‘passion pursuit’ time to explore their curiosities. This approach ensures learning remains personally meaningful.

5. How does the school ensure all students feel welcome and have the same chances to succeed?

We’ve implemented multiple approaches to ensure every student feels connected and valued. Our house system creates natural connections through shared activities. The IB learner profiles, particularly the ‘caring’ attribute, foster a supportive community. We regularly survey students about their experiences – last year, we were thrilled to learn that ‘happy’ was the predominant emotion students reported feeling throughout the year. Our leadership team and counselors maintain an open-door policy, ensuring students can freely share their concerns, needs, and initiatives. This accessibility helps us respond effectively to individual student needs

6. How proactive is the school in matters of student stress and bullying?

We take a comprehensive, proactive approach to student well-being. Through the RULER program, we’re building students’ social-emotional literacy. Our counselors conduct workshops with both students and families, while our Dean of Students implements restorative practices for conflict resolution. We’re currently enhancing our cyberbullying prevention program in partnership with families and the community. As participants in the IB well-being research study, we’ve identified specific action points for improvement this year, demonstrating our commitment to continuous growth in supporting student well-being.

7. How do you help students build the skills they need for life after graduation?

Our approach centers on making learning authentic and relevant to the real world. When students want to propose changes, they learn to prepare presentations, speeches, or formal letters outlining their ideas and implementation plans. For instance, our Grade 5 students are currently developing a proposal for a de-stress room with punching bags, managing everything from cost analysis to usage guidelines. We bring in industry experts to discuss various careers starting in primary school, and we’re developing internship opportunities for our middle and high school students. Though we’re only four years established in the country, these real-world connections are a priority in our development.

8. How involved are parents and the community in making the school better?

We maintain strong family engagement through active participation in policy revision, regular feedback sessions, and ongoing dialogue about school improvements. While we don’t have a formal parent association, our collaborative relationship with families ensures their voices are heard and incorporated into our continuous improvement process.

9. How do you develop a school culture that attracts and keeps great teachers?

We’re building our school together, so we seek teachers who embrace collaborative growth and share our vision. Our ideal candidates possess both strong content knowledge and the dispositions needed for our developmental stage. We support our teachers through professional development opportunities and actively work to optimize workload management. Our compensation packages remain competitive within our market.

10. Do teachers at your school have growth opportunities for leadership roles?

yes, Internal promotion is our preferred approach whenever possible. Being part of a network of schools also provides opportunities for advancement within the broader organization, which we actively encourage our team to pursue.

11. Which after-school activity would you say has the biggest positive impact on a student’s future?

Sports-related activities have the most significant impact. In our increasingly sedentary world, establishing healthy exercise habits positively influences both mental and physical well-being.

12. As a Principal, what is your definition of success?

Success means inspiring others to become the best version of themselves, however they define that.

13. If you had the opportunity to inspire the world in one sentence, what would that sentence be

To change the world, we need to first change ourselves, we are a work in progress.