ROME – Michael Callan, born near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, graduated from Trent University with a BA in History and English. He earned a B. Ed from Queen’s University. In 1989 he attended an exchange program in Japan teaching English to High School students. He completed his M. Ed from the University of Calgary in Educational Research and Leadership, while principal in Ankara and Abu Dhabi. Before becoming American Overseas School of Rome Head of School after Beth Pfannl retired, he was Principal at an International school in Malaysia. He is conversant in  Japanese, Turkish and French. 

 Q: Tell us about your background and locations you have worked in. 

 “After my experience in Japan, I came back to Canada but soon became eager to return to Japan. At a Career Fair I attended, the Japanese representatives were not present. Instead I interviewed with representatives from Hong Kong, where I worked at an International school for six years. Moving to Ankara was extraordinary – we loved the food, the people, and the history with so many cultures. I moved to Abu Dhabi six five years later as Principal for another International School.

 ”In Kuala Lumpur I believe I truly grew professionally. This is where I believe I changed from being a school manager to an educational leader. I could not have asked for a better experience professionally.

 “When you are overseas for so long, especially with children, at times you question whether you should be overseas. It all goes back to roots. My roots are  outside Ontario where my relatives are. If you grow up in a single place, your roots are vertical and deep. Third culture kids still have roots that are more horizontal. Having worked in an environment with many third culture kids and having raised one myself, we tend to make roots based on people and not location. My son,  currently studying at Berklee College of Music, will be coming ‘home’ for Christmas to Rome, where he has never lived. I stopped asking students where they were from because this  is difficult for them to answer. I ask them where they are joining us from.” 

 Q: The greatest challenge of your educational career? 

 “The most challenging one was in Kuala Lumpur. I had arrived in a school that had few structures to ensure students were not falling through the cracks both academically and socially. Therefore, I proposed a teaming structure. Students would be assigned to different teams. Teachers worked with kids in smaller groups and kept a caring eye on each one of them.

 “It was a big change requiring lots of co-planning, meetings, and focusing. This proposed change would highlight any warnings that kids were falling through the cracks. The change took three years before people began to truly appreciate and understand. One thing I tell people, that I have learned the hard way, is that the best change is tailored change. Implementing the same solution to a different challenge in your life might not work.  You need to be flexible, open and adjust as you go. That is what we are trying to do at AOSR. We have a vision of who we are and who we want to be. Do we know with absolute clarity how it will look? No, but we are dedicated people, working together and moving in the right direction so that kids will thrive. 

 Q: A changing world requires students be open-minded and handle new experiences: where do you find guidance with all your previous experience and vision for AOSR?

 “Experience is a collection of others’ experiences. If you believe as a leader that you can create a vision on your own it will not work. When I arrived at AOSR we revised the mission statement as a collaborative process. It was very good when I came. It is better now because over 100 people between faculty, staff, and parents got together, analysed it and made it better. 

 Current revised mission statement: AOSR offers the best of an American-International education in a supportive learning environment. We inspire a diverse student body to courageously meet the demands of a changing world through an engaging and creative curriculum. 

 Q: What is the best way to collaborate and build supportive professional relationships? 

 “There must be a common understanding of what collaboration means. Many confuse collaboration with collegiality. Collegiality is good because it offers respect, dignity, and kindness. Collaboration is being able to build something together much better than what one could have done alone. Collaboration is one of the fundamental core values here at AOSR as well as part of the school’s profile of the graduate -- a list of skills and dispositions that students graduating in 12^th grade will have before leaving. We want students to learn to collaborate purposely alongside other skills. Collaboration is not a natural process for everyone, but it can be taught and must be practiced.

 Q: Your greatest challenge when coming to AOSR? 

 “It is my first time in Europe. I have found it some things more challenging here than I had thought. I have found it extremely interesting learning new things like Italian law. Every new situation is an opportunity to listen and learn. I believe in continuously growing, learning and especially learning from my mistakes. 

 Q: How did you find the educational approach at AOSR? 

 Relationships are central to the educational approach at AOSR. We believe that academic rigor is enhanced by strong student/teacher relationships. For us, academic rigor is not how tired your hand is at the end of each day but how tired your mind is. Our goal each day is to send kids home with tired brains, tired bodies and very happy faces. 

 Q: Considering latest events -- Trump as President, terrorist attacks: what is your message to the young? 

 “When I first came to AOSR, I introduced myself to the faculty at a school assembly in the cafeteria. I thought about the essence of the message I wanted to transmit to my audience. I chose positivity. I am positive because I choose to be. If you turn on television or read newspapers, there is a pessimistic default to what you see and hear. I would say to young people -- have insatiable curiosity, and stay unshakeably positive. Choose to be positive -- it is harder at first because you have to overcome this negative attitude default, but being positive or negative it is a choice.

 Q: What are the ongoing plans, future plans? How is the Performing Arts Centre moving forward? 

“Regarding the performing arts centre, we carefully analysed the costs and benefits of this project. While looking at the construction plan we decided to move towards smaller building projects for campus enhancements that will benefit every kid sooner with less disruption -- a new elementary library, building a new elementary art studio, a new middle school building, an enhanced athletic field and a beautiful performance space will be our new focus.  We want our spaces to reflect 21^st Century learning. Our buildings are not new, but they are loved. We must ensure that our learning spaces reflect and support our mission. 

 Q: How do you best build relationships with parents? 

 “We want parents on campus. We are a community school and that means that parents are always welcome here. We want them to interact with their children with faculty and staff. Today, parents had a volunteering bake sale teacher-appreciation day. Every Friday at the Booster bar there is a BBQ afternoon with volunteering parents. A child’s education is a partnership between school and home; therefore, you need to promote and support that partnership.

 Q: What of technology in a learning environment? 

 "Technology can be an incredibly powerful tool for learning. However, technology is just a tool. Period. Sometimes technology is the best tool for learning, sometimes a pencil is a best tool for learning – depending on the situation. Ideally when you create a teaching plan, it is not about technology, it is about learning. Technology is a tool we should utilize to its maximum if it enhances learning."

 Q: Any other comment you would like to add? 

 “The direction and vision of AOSR is about who we are and where we are going, focusing on learning, kids, and 21^st century learning. We are really looking at the profile of the graduate, such as communicating skilfully and collaborating purposely. I do not know how the world will look in 50 years. But students will be thinking critically, creatively, communicating skilfully, and collaborating purposely. 

 These are the tools they will need to keep up the demands of the changing world. If we can focus and concentrate all our efforts on making sure kids go home with tired bodies and brains, and happy faces, then we know things are engaging and working hard is satisfying.

 More importantly, we have that learning environment because we stretch kids. We meet them where they are and take them where they can be. That is 21^st century rigour.”