Show #112 Western Academy Beijing

Transcript

Today I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Christin Topper, Head of Student Support Services and PreK–12 Educational Psychologist at the Western Academy of Beijing. Christin brings deep experience in early intervention and trauma-informed practices, and at WAB she helps lead the school’s innovative, system-wide approach to inclusion.

In our conversation, we’ll dive into how WAB has placed its inclusion policy at the center of its entire policy ecosystem, how their community learning model and flexible scheduling open new pathways for students, and how the school builds genuine partnership with families while sustaining staff well-being.

Lori:
Well, hello, Christin, and welcome to the podcast.

Christin:
Hi, Lori. It’s such a great pleasure to be here talking about WAB and our experiences with SENIA.

Lori:
Yeah, well, I’m super happy to have you here. You mentioned WAB, so tell us about Western Academy Beijing. How many students do you have? What’s your admissions policy – all of that good stuff?

Christin:
So WAB is a non-profit international school in Beijing. We have about 1,300 students from over 60 nationalities. We offer the full IB continuum – PYP, MYP, DP – and also a range of personalized graduation pathways.

You were asking about admissions. When the school was founded 30 years ago, it was actually started by a group of parents who had neurodiverse children and wanted a school that was different from what was currently being offered. So from the very beginning, inclusion has been at the heartbeat of the school.

When I joined WAB eight years ago, that was very apparent. Inclusion begins at the point of entry – for myself as a faculty member, and for my own children when they joined WAB. It was such a different experience because the admissions process was very holistic by the way it was designed.

My daughters were going into Grades 4, 6, and 10. Each of them was given the opportunity to share their perspective – what they love about school, what they’re excited about learning. It didn’t feel like the typical admissions questions you usually get. They met teachers, not just an admissions officer. There were lots of conversations that excited them before we even went to the website to see what WAB could be like.

Based on that experience, as a Student Support Services team we try to stay true to the idea that inclusion begins at admission.

Lori:
That’s great. I love that: inclusion begins at the point of entry. That is a great quote.

You’ve positioned your inclusion policy at the heart of your entire policy ecosystem. Can you share what it actually looks like for inclusion to sit at the center of every policy, and how that influences your day-to-day decision-making across the school?

Christin:
That is such a great question.

We’ve been working on our “policy ecosystem,” as we call it, for the past few years. WAB is such an innovative school – we try a lot of things. Sometimes our current practices on the ground develop faster than our written policies.

About five years ago, after an accreditation process, the leadership team sat down and said, “Okay, it’s time to really look through all our policies and make sure we update them so they reflect our current practice, and that we have strategic review cycles moving forward.”

So there were multiple groups working on curriculum policy, language policy, assessment policy, academic integrity, technology policy, and – more recently – AI, because that has become so important. We also added a well-being policy after Covid, as we learned how crucial that is.

Through this process of reflecting on each policy and what elements needed to be there, we noticed a red thread: every conversation kept coming back to inclusion because that’s at the core of our mission, values, and founding principles.

So the leadership team said, “You know what? Let’s put inclusion at the center.” That means every other policy we have starts off with an inclusion statement. Our actual inclusion policy is very short – about two pages. But because inclusion is then embedded throughout all of the other policies, it becomes a living practice.

Lori:
Yeah. Wow. Do you have a graphic for that? I’m trying to visualize it.

Christin:
We do, actually. Yes, I’ll send it to you, Lori.

Lori:
Okay. It sounds really – like you said – innovative, and really something all of our schools should consider. When you think about it, it just makes sense.

Christin:
I have the pleasure of presenting at SENIA Dubai in April, and I’m actually going to be talking about our policy ecosystem and how we put inclusion policy in the middle – because, like you said, it just makes sense.

Inclusion begins with each and every one of us, but for it to be sustainable and successful, we need systems in place to make that happen. Hopefully I can share what we’re doing and help other schools.

Lori:
Yeah, I’m excited about that.

Just as an aside, I’ve been to WAB before. My daughter played soccer – or football – in high school, and her team played at WAB for the APAC final. I really saw how inclusive and innovative the school was. Just walking through the campus, you could see it – the happiness in everyone, the pride in the teachers, the pride in the students. It was just a really neat feeling and experience.

Christin:
Thank you so much for saying that. I think we all strive for that – creating that culture of belonging.

Lori:
Yeah. It felt good. It felt comfortable.

You have something called the community learning model and concurrent subject scheduling, and I’m wondering how that opens up new pathways for students and might reduce stigma that can come along with disability or neurodivergence.

Christin:
Yes. This question goes back again to systems. We believe that if we say we’re inclusive and welcome every family, then we have to flex our structures and systems to meet the needs of the students.

The two areas that always seem to be the biggest barriers in schools are space and timetable. In most schools, those are rigid and limited. So at WAB we are constantly trying to reimagine scheduling.

When I joined eight years ago, WAB was just introducing the concept of Day 9. In Middle School and High School we follow an eight-day rotating timetable – lots of other schools do something similar – so that subjects rotate and students don’t always have, say, math at the end of the day. Sometimes it’s in the morning, sometimes midday, to support different learning styles.

Day 9 was introduced as a day when teachers offer workshops and students choose which ones they want to go to. There’s a range of workshops – academic, non-academic, social, well-being activities – and lots of voice and choice are given to students. Over time, Day 9 just became part of our regular routine.

Elementary School was a bit jealous – “How come they have Day 9 and we don’t?” Developmentally, younger students need routine and consistency, but we still wanted some of that flexibility. So we introduced Day X.

Lori:
Right.

Christin:
Day X is a day when we collapse the timetable across Elementary, Middle, and High School. On Day X, all students interact and do activities together.

We have high school buddies paired up with elementary school buddies, and we do service projects and global citizenship projects on those days.

Lori:
That’s fantastic.

With the Day 9 schedule, if students need extra support in certain coursework, can they elect to spend that time with a teacher?

Christin:
Yes, definitely.

We do run learning support pull-out programs for our Tier 2 students, but for our Tier 1 students – and some Tier 2 students who don’t need that kind of pull-out support – they can use Day 9 and sign themselves up for a general support block.

That block is run by a learning support teacher. Students bring whatever assignments they need to work on; the teacher might chunk the tasks, help them develop a timeline, or revisit concepts with them.

Lori:
At another conference, when schools shared about “what I need” time, a question always came up: if a student is getting support during that time while other students are doing something like a K-Pop dance workshop, are there feelings of resentment or upset about that? What do you see at your school?

Christin:
We don’t really notice that, I think because Day 9 has four blocks. So even if a student chooses to do one catch-up block and one general support block with a learning support teacher, they still have two other blocks where they can do K-Pop, arts, or sports. There’s still plenty of access to the fun and enrichment options.

Lori:
Oh, super. Yeah, I love that. It’s a great idea.

Christin:
And then a couple of years ago – the years are starting to blur together now – we stretched our thinking further about scheduling.

Often, when students are pulled out for learning support, it happens during language blocks, so they miss out on a second language, or they’re pulled from English. That creates a sense of segregation; we don’t want that.

So we started trialing concurrent subject scheduling. Our Individuals & Societies (INS) and language (English and other languages) teams collaborate a lot because there’s overlap and many interdisciplinary units. Math and Science are similar.

In our schedule we try, as much as possible, to put languages and INS at the same block. That way, if students need to dip in and out and work with different teachers, it’s possible.

For Math and Science, we use what we call a learning community model. For example, all students in a grade level have Math at the same time. Three classes might have Math in one block and the other three in another block. Our learning support teachers and EAL teachers are integrated into those blocks; they’re just another adult in the room.

All students do a pre-assessment at the beginning of every unit, because students have different entry points. We flexibly group students based on that and give them a choice between a teacher-directed lesson or a more student-directed lesson.

When they choose a student-directed lesson, they might work with friends or with a teacher in a small group. The Math teachers and support services teachers mingle and support all students. It isn’t always the case that a student with dyscalculia is the one working with the learning support teacher. That teacher might be working with students who need extension and enrichment, while the Math teacher works with others.

It really removes stigma. Nobody knows who “needs support” – everyone is just getting what they need.

Lori:
I love that.

When a student runs a lesson, what does that look like? Do they plan it ahead of time?

Christin:
Students naturally know who in their class is really strong in Math. They’ll go together and say, “Can you explain this to me?” and groups form organically. Sometimes the student leader explains; sometimes the teacher steps in. It’s very fluid.

The same idea applies in Science. We’ve combined Grade 7 and Grade 8 Science, and the Science teachers and support services teachers all function as “Science teachers.” They run labs; some focus on biology, some on chemistry or physics.

We don’t go unit by unit in a siloed way – “now we’re doing only biology, now only physics.” It’s very interdisciplinary.

For example, if we’re doing a unit related to space, some students may want to look at space from a biological perspective (how to grow plants or create a sustainable ecosystem), others may want to explore gravity and mass for a space colony (physics), and others might look into the biochemistry of plants. Students can follow their interests while still meeting the learning goals.

Lori:
Wow.

When you talk about EAL teachers and learning support teachers going into a class, what does that mean faculty-wise, in terms of numbers? Do you have multiple at each grade level?

Christin:
I do have to say that WAB is a very well-resourced school in terms of support services. Every grade level has its own learning support teacher and EAL teacher. So that’s already two additional adults per grade.

Our support services teachers are involved in co-planning, co-teaching, co-assessing, and co-reflecting.

Lori:
In all subject areas?

Christin:
Yes. In Middle School and High School it gets a little trickier logistically, so we pair learning support teachers with teams.

One learning support teacher co-plans with all the Math and Science teams, another with INS and English, and another with Arts and PE, for example. So they’re co-planning across all subject areas, not just the “core” curriculum.

Lori:
You don’t hear that often.

Speaking of PE, do you have adapted PE at your school?

Christin:
That’s a very good question.

We have students with mobility issues and students in life skills programs who might not be able to participate fully in the same way as their peers. Those activities are adapted and modified to make sure they can access them.

We’ve also had students with visual impairment, and we’ve created very personalized adaptive PE programs for them. So the answer is both: we adapt and modify within PE, and we also create more personalized programs when needed.

Lori:
Wow.

You’ve explained so many innovative things you’re doing and the ways you’re flexible with schedules and systems. With all that innovation, how does your school maintain a culture of innovation while still protecting staff well-being and avoiding “initiative fatigue”? Everyone’s wondering about that.

Christin:
Yes. Can I just say we’re wandering along with everyone else?

We are very mindful of staff well-being. When we put together our well-being policy, we had representatives from teaching staff, non-teaching staff, students, and parents coming together to think it through.

We don’t only look at staff well-being in terms of work-life balance. We look at it holistically, using the nine dimensions of well-being as a framework – physical, social, emotional, occupational, spiritual, financial, technological, and so on.

Well-being is different and very personal for everyone. One staff member might re-energize by going to the gym; another might re-energize by social interaction. As a school, what we do is provide a wide range of offerings and choices for staff.

In the past couple of years, we’ve really focused on how to help staff flourish. For every professional development day or teacher planning week, we build in time for teachers to choose which well-being offerings or rotations they want to join.

We bring in massage therapists. We bring in therapy dogs. We have a group of teachers who just want to plan their holidays together and share travel tips. Our cafeteria staff runs a tasting menu for people with different dietary restrictions who want to try new recipes.

We also bring our partner organizations on site to do one-to-one counselling sessions, nutrition consultations, sleep consultations.

So if we want to be innovative in learning, we also try to be innovative in how we offer well-being choices.

Lori:
Sure. And it helps that you’re in Beijing where you’re well-resourced in the city, and things like massage can be relatively inexpensive – at least, that’s how it was when I was living in China.

Christin:
Yes, Lori.

Lori:
I miss it.

Well, tell me a little about you, Christin. How has your own lived experience shaped the way you lead Student Support Services at WAB?

Christin:
I often think of it as both a blessing and a curse – the duality of it.

I’m a trained school psychologist. I’ve also worked as a school counsellor and learning support specialist, and I have my master’s in special education. I’m also a multilingual speaker myself.

So many of my lived experiences really help me understand how Student Support Services can work as one integrated unit, one team, instead of separate departments. That is truly a blessing.

I also have the joy of being the parent of two neurodiverse students, my children. Knowing what they need, having to advocate for them in schools, and empowering them to advocate for themselves has shaped me. Sometimes that brings its own challenges, but overall it has allowed me to think in terms of system-wide approaches.

I see the importance of early intervention. I see the importance of ensuring all our teachers are practicing with a trauma-informed lens. And I see the importance of building authentic partnerships with parents. Parents know their children. We are partners in their learning journey.

Lori:
Yes.

Say it louder for those in the back.

Christin:
Exactly.

Lori:
Thank you for sharing that.

Let’s switch to families. You said parents know their kids best. How do you intentionally build trust and partnership with families so they feel their child is genuinely seen and supported?

Christin:
This goes back to what I said about inclusion beginning at the point of entry.

With each family that applies to WAB, the admissions process is very collaborative. We meet with each family to really know who their child is.

When a family chooses to come to WAB, the onboarding and transition process begins even before they set foot on campus. We buddy up new students with a student ambassador.

For families with neurodivergent children, we arrange virtual tours and create social stories so students know the new spaces and faces. For some, we even bring them into a Zoom call with the current cohort of students, and we prepare those students in advance so they can welcome their new friend into the learning community.

We also work closely with parents themselves. They have so much lived experience they can bring into our parent community. At WAB, we have a parent ambassador program, and every month there are multiple parent workshops. We call them Parents as Learners sessions, so parents are part of the WAB learning community alongside their children.

I really think that authentic connection and transparent communication build that sense of trust and safety for families. It’s such an honor for us to welcome a child into our school community. We want the family to be part of our community. We want everyone to feel they belong.

Like you said, when you stepped into the school you felt that joy, warmth, and acceptance. We try very hard to build that.

Lori:
You’re always smiling.

As we do with all our Member School Spotlight podcasts, can you tell us a little bit about how your relationship with SENIA has supported your school?

Christin:
Yeah. SENIA is like a godsend.

SENIA has been such a great critical thinking partner for WAB – not just because you’re an organization that provides resources, helps advocate, and raises awareness about special education and neurodiversity, but because you’ve created a network of networking support.

All our support services members are part of the Mighty Networks community. When we feel stuck on something, we know we can reach out to other practitioners who share our experiences, who know what we’re going through, and who can share tips and tricks – or just let us vent and talk through challenges together.

SENIA is also helping us upskill our whole community. All of our specialized teaching assistants – our one-to-one paraprofessionals – take SENIA Academy courses. Those courses are so practical and hands-on. Even though they’re asynchronous, each person can do them in their own time, and we also build in time for them to come together and share the experience. That has been powerful.

Another thing is the SENIA Collaborative Virtual Conference. We were able to buy the community pass for our whole school, so even non-teaching staff and parents can benefit. We have access for six months afterwards, and we use the sessions in staff meetings and parent workshops. It’s like a gift that keeps on giving.

Lori:
Yay, I’m glad. And you came to the Summer Institute too, which we partnered with the Office of Overseas Schools to offer. It was so great to have you there.

Christin:
We’re still trying to implement so many things we learned from the Summer Institute. It was such a great idea, Lori, to bring leadership, admissions, and support services teams all together as one team.

Then you really have time to think through your school systems – what works, what doesn’t work, and how you can elevate your practice.

Lori:
And just having the time to do it, right? You all want to do it; it’s not a matter of want, it’s a matter of time – always time. Too bad it’s in the summer, but…

Christin:
We don’t mind – we get to learn.

Another point about the Summer Institute is the facilitators – experts in the field, all in one place. That’s another thing about SENIA: we can consult with SENIA directors who have so much expertise in different areas.

Lori:
Great. I think another very important piece is that there were so many schools there, and there are experts in all of those schools. It was really nice to meet everyone and learn from different people throughout the Institute.

Sadly, we’re almost out of time – and I am sad, because there is so much to learn from you. If there was one area of inclusion you’re most excited to grow or strengthen at WAB in the next few years, what would that be?

Christin:
When I reflect on our journey of inclusion – and it is a journey, there is no endpoint – I see that every day we grow.

The journey of inclusion at WAB really asks each of us to remain curious, open, and responsive to our community and to every student who walks through the door. There are times when it’s really challenging – to see complex learners not as barriers, but as an invitation to rise to the challenge and design systems that adapt to what they need, instead of expecting learners to fit into our existing systems.

One thing we need to continue growing is a shared understanding that inclusion lives in every relationship and every conversation we have. It grows through trust and takes shape in the everyday choices we make – in classrooms, in planning meetings, in conversations with parents, in the way we welcome, listen to, and advocate for one another as a school.

When we do this with fidelity and integrity, we create a school culture where everyone feels seen, heard, valued, and that they belong. That is the kind of school WAB is working to build, and that is the kind of future we want to prepare our students to shape when they leave WAB.

Lori:
Well, now that I’ve got a little tear running down my cheek, I think we need to call it a day.

Christin, thank you so much for your time. I really could listen to you all day – your gentle voice alone is soothing. Thank you, and we’ll see you in Dubai.

Christin:
Yes, thank you, Lori, and thank you, SENIA, too, for giving us hope every day. The work is hard, but we know we’re not alone in this.

Lori:
Thanks.