Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracey Wood.
Tracey, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
International education seemed to be my calling very early in my life, starting with my desire at age 8 to learn French. Growing up in a small Midwestern college town afforded me the opportunity to value the pursuit of learning and the exploration of cultures outside my own, it wasn’t until college that I got to live abroad and make plans for a master’s degree in French literature. At the same time, I majored in French with a concentration in rhetorical criticism (a blend of classical rhetoric, writing and public speaking and group communication courses). I loved living in Paris, studying and pursuing knowledge in a way that broadened my understanding of the world. I got into teaching after working in non-profit administration in Washington, D.C. and realizing that the writing, training and management I was doing would translate well to helping students broaden their learning horizons.
My first position was teaching French in a private school in the D.C. suburbs, a school committed to helping students breach national boundaries for a more internationally minded perspective. That school adopted the IB Diploma Program in the early 1990s and my passion was ignited with its introduction.
When a job change took my husband to Boston, I found a small French/English bilingual school in the heart of Cambridge where I helped grow the school by leading the effort to bring the IB Diploma Program to an Upper School that I also helped to found. My career evolved with the growth of the school. During my time as Director of Upper School for the International Track, I watched our Upper School numbers double in 3 years. My position evolved into developing the curriculum for the 9th and 10th grades leading into the Diploma Program. My deepest interests lie in helping students develop the mindset of excellence and all the traits necessary for deep intercultural engagement for a better world as well as working with teachers to be the most effective possible. As I became immersed in the IB program, I accepted an opportunity to become a member of the Board of Directors of the Associations of IB Schools throughout New England and New York. I started as the Vice President of the New England branch of the organization and a year ago accepted the position of President-Elect to be in place in 2017 as President.
Currently, I am embarking on my latest challenge at GEMS World Academy Chicago as the Head of Upper School, excited at the chance to help Chicago students see themselves as a key focal point on the world stage and have the chance to connect with other people in other places. I look forward to being a part of creating the teaching team that will fulfill GEMS’ mission for the World Academy Chicago to be a flagship example of education at its best.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My career path has been a wonderful mixture of good fortune, challenging opportunities and ongoing passion for learning. The most challenging aspect of my career has been finding the most compelling ways to convey the value and rigor of IB programs, not simply as a way for students to become more globally astute but most importantly, as a way for students to engage in a unique and relevant educational experience that prepares them for the best of U.S. higher education and life-long success.
Please tell us about GEMS World Academy Chicago.
GEMS Education, a series of Early Years to 12th grade private schools, offers an internationally focused curriculum that provides students with an understanding of diverse cultures, world languages, and systems of thinking. It is the largest worldwide provider of private Early Years to 12th grade education.
GEMS opened its first U.S. campus in Chicago in 2014 and currently operates over 250 schools in 19 countries.
There are currently two campuses in Chicago, an Early Childhood Learning Center and an International Baccalaureate Accredited Program school currently serving junior kindergarten to 9th grade students.
GEMS schools seek to provide students with an authentically global education. At GEMS Chicago, students begin global studies in pre-K through an exploration of world languages. World languages are a key component of a GEMS education, and students are given the option to study Spanish, French, or Mandarin. The GEMS network also provides opportunities for students around the globe to engage with one another. GEMS links over 250,000 students from across four continents during their education, enabling them to use technology to communicate and collaborate on assignments. For example, students in the U.S. might have a video discussion with students in Switzerland about their history class and then work on a project in the cloud with students in Singapore. This experience is fundamental to a GEMS education as it exposes students to a wide array of cultures, while building collaboration skills that prepare GEMS students to work with their peers around the globe.
GEMS Education also operates a nonprofit organization, the Varkey Foundation, which seeks to improve the standards of education for 100 underprivileged children for every student in a GEMS school. In 2014, The Varkey Foundation launched the Global Teacher Prize, a U.S. $1 million award presented annually to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to their profession. The prize serves to underline the importance of recognizing and celebrating the efforts of educators.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I were to start over, I would choose to work abroad in an international school for the challenge of constant adaptation and daily exposure to new ways of seeing the world. I would also keep a detailed, reflective chronicle of the short and long-term goals I’ve met, revised, or not met.
Pricing:
- TUITION 2017-2018 (GEMS WORLD ACADEMY Chicago): $26,900-$34,400
Contact Info:
- Address: 350 East South Water Street,
Chicago, IL 60601 - Website: https://www.gemsworldacademy-chicago.com/page
- Phone: 312.809.8941
GEMS World Academy; Chicago, IL; bKL Architecture; Darris Lee Harris Job#1220
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