Testimonials
Since Jennie's visit there has been a noticeable shift in mindset; from covering content to a focus on building conceptual understanding!
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Ross Ferris, School Principal
Professional Reviews
Dr. Arthur Lee,
University of Hong Kong
I’m glad to have attended Jennifer’s workshops of professional development. I can experience, like other participants, many useful pedagogical ideas, such as concept-based teaching and learning, visible thinking and growth mindset, through highly interactive and inspiring activities. We are engaged in meaningful discussion, sharing, and collaborative reflection throughout the process.
My colleagues and I are very pleased to have the continuing support of Jennifer, as a mentor, lecturer, and faculty advisor, in supervising our student teachers and developing our MEd courses in IB mathematics teaching. Her passion and expertise are clearly evident in her contribution to many aspects of our work.
We also enjoy very much constant discussion and exploration about teaching and learning, wondering what could be a better integration of pedagogies in different cultures and contexts, showing that she is truly an inquirer and reflective practitioner.
Clark Stroupe,
Professional Learning Director
Jennie Wathall is among the most engaging, intentional, and impactful consultants I have worked with in over 15 years in working with professional educational consultants.
Applying the metrics we use at ISPP to select consultants--Jennie is an obvious choice in every category: innovative and highly intentional andragogy craftsmanship; depth and currency of field expertise; genuine and recent connection to classroom practice; ability to incite change and shift in a diverse teacher-audience.
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Although working with Jennie is always dynamic and fun, Jennie is also uniquely able to challenge every learner at their different zones of proximal development.
The only downside I see to hiring Jennie Wathall for your school: after she works with your staff, their expectations for other consultants will be very very high, most consultants just cannot get there.
Dr. H. Lynn Erickson,
Author and Educator
Jennifer Wathall is a Lynn Erickson certified presenter/trainer on Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction. She successfully completed an intense week of training in Montana, USA, July 2014 which included 48 hours of class time. She had also completed an additional 12 hours of pre-requisite training.
To become certified and licensed to use the training materials, Jennifer had to complete a performance assessment--presenting on Concept-based to Lynn Erickson directly, and passing a written test on the knowledge and understandings from the training.
Besides a perfect score on the written test, Jennifer demonstrated exceptional presenter skills and abilities. Her ability to engage an audience, deliver the message clearly and fluently, and guide the learners to deep understanding demonstrated her star quality as a presenter. I recommend that any school wishing deep training on concept-based curriculum and instruction request JenniferWathall's services as a consultant. She is patient with learners, personable with audiences, and passionate for concept-based teaching and learning.
Juan Carlos Cairós,
PYP Educator
The most dynamic PD I have taken, by far. The whole workshop was a clear example of how to create a safe environment for learners to challenge ideas, self-reflect, grapple with new concepts, and work with other people to rediscover assessment.
The best thing is that these conversations continue to happen all around campus. You can’t beat the feeling of leaving a workshop excited, challenged, and with a toolbox full of practical ideas.
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I was amazed at how the norms and thinking protocols made us challenge our practice in a way that acknowledged different communication styles, backgrounds and stages in our learning journeys. We were put in the ‘driver’s seat’, which made the workshop relevant and enjoyable to such a diverse group of educators coming from international and public schools in Cambodia.
Rachel Harrington,
MS Principal, IS Manila
In the time I have worked with Jennifer I have found her to be an expert on Concept-Based Curriculum, Mathematics and the IB Diploma's ATLs. She draws upon a strong research base not only in regard to the content material but also in regard to how adults learn most effectively.
Jennifer has a bright and engaging presentation style and is equally at ease facilitating large group sessions or smaller departmental sessions. I have found her very willing to adapt and tailor her training sessions to meet the distinct needs of our faculty so that it specifically aligns with our needs.
Jennifer is creative in her delivery and literally had the faculty eating out of her hands! She embeds carefully designed processing tasks into her sessions so teachers have the opportunity to process, unpack, distill, challenge, and enhance their thinking. Jennifer's sessions are highly interactive and she is attentive to monitoring where her audience is so that the sessions are paced appropriately. Her guidance and insights have been pivotal to the success of the training sessions and the collective advancement of our CBCI journey.
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April Stout,
K-12 Director of Teaching and Learning,
The American School of Madrid
International Literary Strategist, Erin Kent Consulting
Under Jennifer's mentorship, we've embraced a mindset centered around fostering deep conceptual understanding. This shift has empowered us to create engaging learning experiences that encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills amongst students and teachers. As a result, we've witnessed impressive growth in their mathematical proficiency and confidence.
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And while she will tell you that she "is not the answering machine," Jennifer's dedication to cultivating a supportive learning environment for our entire community including teachers, leaders, coaches, and parents has been instrumental in nurturing our professional learning journey.
Her insights, practical strategies, and unwavering support have inspired us all to gain a deeper understanding, appreciation for, and application of a conceptual approach that allows students to thrive as they discover the joy of deeply understanding their world in mathematics and beyond.
Jaia Masterson,
Middle School Principal 6-8
Curriculum Coordinator 6-10
Frankfurt International School
John Switzer,
6-12 Upper School Principal
Frankfurt International School
Dr Jennifer Chang Wathall has exceptional expertise as a math consultant. We partnered with Jennifer over the last two years and she has been an invaluable asset in helping us transform our Math curriculum.
At Frankfurt International School, we conducted an extensive literature review on Mathematics teaching and learning and developed an aspirational model that equally prioritizes Conceptual Understanding, Procedural Fluency, and Application. We then began searching for the right partner who could lead our secondary school Math team in the practical work of vertical alignment, inquiry-based approaches, and critical thinking that would vertically align with the IB Diploma program.
Jennifer's profound knowledge of the IB Diploma program and her ability to seamlessly align our aspirations with practical unit plans, vertical alignment, and inquiry activities have been instrumental in the success of our curriculum journey. Her professionalism, engaging teaching style, and inspiring approach have greatly enhanced our practices and provided students with a richer, more meaningful math experience. Thank you, Jennifer, for your outstanding contributions to our school community!
Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall has demonstrated exceptional expertise as a mathematics consultant, playing a pivotal role in the curriculum transformation at Frankfurt International School (FIS). Having previously worked with Dr. Wathall at Zurich International School, when FIS began a worldwide search to find a leader to guide our mathematics curriculum, I knew exactly who to contact.
Her contributions were central to the development of a schoolwide curriculum model that integrates Conceptual Understanding, Procedural Fluency, and Application. Over the course of two years, Dr. Wathall guided our 6-12 Mathematics team through vertical alignment, inquiry-based learning, and critical thinking, ensuring alignment with the IB Diploma program. Her understanding of the program, combined with her ability to translate the curricular goals into practical teaching strategies personalized for our context here at FIS, has transformed our educational practices for years to come.
Her professionalism and inspiring pedagogical approach have significantly changed our concept-based mathematics instruction for Grades 6-12. If you are a school looking for a thought partner to develop an inquiry math program, look no further.
Schools I've Collaborated With:
