Reigniting a Legacy of Collaboration: CIA FIRST International School – Chbar Ampov, welcomes Southern Cross University Education Students for a Two-Day Immersion

The SCU delegation visited our Chbar Ampov campus during their two-day immersion.

At CIA FIRST International School, we’ve always believed that great teaching doesn’t happen by accident. It is a result of deliberate, continuous professional growth. And when 'teachers-in-training/ student-teachers' walk into our classrooms to learn, observe, and collaborate, the entire ecosystem gets stronger.

This month, we proudly revived a long-standing academic relationship with Southern Cross University (SCU), Australia welcoming two faculty members and ten B.Ed student-teachers for a two-day immersive experience across our Kindergarten to Elementary Specialized Multilingual Support (KESMS) levels.

The itinerary was designed to support professional growth through shadowing CIA FIRST teachers, observing effective pedagogical strategies, and sharing of relevant resources in the KESMS levels. The exchange was aimed to provide the SCU students with real world experiential learning opportunities.

Day 1: Shadowing and Observation

All ten SCU students were paired with CIA FIRST teachers. They observed classroom routines, instructional strategies, and our approach to multilingual support, inclusion, and learner engagement.

Day 2: Co-Teaching and Lesson Planning

Following their observation, the SCU students stepped forward to co-plan and co-teach alongside CIA FIRST teachers. It was a powerful exchange of teaching-in-practice, with our teachers demonstrating effective pedagogy and the visiting students bringing fresh perspectives from their university training.

Professional Learning for All

Beyond the classroom placements, the SCU cohort joined two key sessions:

• Employment Pathways at CIA FIRST, led by Ms. Heather, who talked about international school recruitment and career opportunities.

• “Connection Before Content & Restorative Practices” presented by Ms. Tracey, reinforcing our belief that meaningful learning begins with strong, authentic teacher–student relationships.

  
  

The visit concluded with a professional development workshop for our CIA FIRST Elementary School teachers, led by Ms. Lee Ann Ewing, Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at SCU. Her “Growth Mindset” session aligned seamlessly with CIA FIRST’s values and our emphasis on the Habits of Mind, reinforcing that our teachers already hold the tools to build resilient, reflective learners—and should continue using them with confidence.

This visit marks a meaningful step back into a partnership rooted in mutual respect, shared learning, and the collective pursuit of excellence. CIA FIRST is committed to developing educators who think critically, teach compassionately, and lead with purpose—and collaborations like this ensure we stay at the forefront of regional educational practice.