Revised: September 2025
Table of Contents
Welcome from the Executive Director
EARCOS 101
Teacher Representatives' General Responsibilities
Teacher Representatives' Conference Responsibilities
Teacher Representative Timeline
Teacher Workshop Proposal Process
ETC Presentation Guide
ETC Guidelines
ETC 2026 Charity Raffle | Introductory & Closing Slide Sample
Strand Rotation 3-Year Schedule
Welcome from the Executive Director
Dear EARCOS Teacher Representatives,
I do hope your school year has begun smoothly and happily. It is always a very special time of year as we are able to press the re-set button and begin anew. May the school year ahead offer you, your colleagues and your students rich opportunities to learn together. I am looking forward to seeing you in person this coming March in Bangkok, Thailand at ETC 2026! Thank you for the time you take from an already over-busy life to support EARCOS events throughout the year
Within this revised Handbook you will find the guidelines and forms for teacher-presented workshops for the ETC in March of 2026. It is never too early to start planning, so please encourage members of your faculty who may be interested in presenting a workshop to visit the EARCOS website, complete the form and to submit them to you. Please remember: we have a recommended maximum number of teacher workshops that can be accepted from any one school
Large Schools (more than 1,000 students) may have up to three workshop proposals accepted. Medium Schools (with 401 to 1,000 students) may have up to two workshop proposals accepted. Small schools (under 400 students) may have one workshop proposal accepted.
Your school can submit more proposals than stated in the guidelines, but they must be rank ordered when you submit them individually to EARCOS for final review. The online ETC Proposal Form includes a place for ranking. You have our assurance that those rankings will be held in the strictest of confidence.
The Professional Learning Advisory Committee for EARCOS (PLACE) Team created a vision for adult learning to guide EARCOS professional conversations The seven guiding principles undergirding that vision also serve as the criteria for reviewing each proposal by members of the PLACE Team.
Please remember to prioritize those proposals that align with the core subject strands for the 2026 ETC Conference: Literacy/Reading, Early Childhood, Special Needs, Modern Languages, Media Technology/Libraries, Counselors, EAL, Technology, Children's Authors, Child Protection and General Education Topics. We also welcome your recommendations for invited presenters in each of these areas. Please let us know if you know a consultant who we should invite to present.
Please note that it is the responsibility of each school’s teacher representative to ensure that the online ETC Proposal Form is completed in full and that a photograph and brief bio (maximum of 40 words) is included with the application These should be submitted to the EARCOS office no later than November 1, 2025 Proposals received after that date will be placed on the waitlist It is our goal to notify which workshops have been accepted for the conference by December 15, 2025.
We are very pleased to be able to provide such a dynamic forum for educators in this region each year to share their expertise and passion However, we are not able to offer financial support for teacher member presenters Accepted presenters must register and pay the conference fee just as much as other teachers who plan to attend.
Enclosed in this handbook is a Timeline for Teacher Representatives and a list of your general responsibilities and role during the actual conference. It is expected, as you know, that each school’s Teacher Representative will attend the conference, as part of your school’s membership responsibilities The coordination of ETC 2026 would be an impossible task without your assistance As a small token of our appreciation for all you do to support our many professional activities each year, please plan to attend the special reception for Teacher Representatives on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:00 pm.
After carefully reviewing the following guidelines and forms, should you have any questions, please contact Maica Cruz (mcruz@earcos org), who oversees communications on all matters related to the Teachers’ Conference
Thank you, again, for serving as a vital link on the conference, our webinars, Weekend Workshops and all other matters related to Professional Development across this wonderful community of international educators. I look forward to seeing you in Bangkok in March and wish you every happiness as you begin the 2025-2026 school year
Sincerely,
Edward E. Greene, Ph.D. Executive Director
EARCOS 101
VISION
Lead learning, inspire innovation, and cultivate excellence in international education.
MISSION VALUES
EARCOS is an agile organization that promotes professional development and connects our educational communities to positively impact learning for all.
Learning Focused: We nurture holistic learning that is grounded in research and active engagement. Our emphasis is on reflective, inclusive practices that promote our shared needs and responsibilities as global citizens.
Community: We are committed to connecting educators and schools with the purpose of cultivating a safe, collaborative, and trusting environment that optimizes learning and growth
Integrity: We design programs, learning opportunities, and manage the organization with the best interests of our member schools and individual educators in mind.
Excellence: We hold high expectations and always strive for improvement in order to better serve our EARCOS region.
ANNUAL EARCOS CONFERENCES
CIS-EARCOS Institute on International Admission & Guidance
Leadership Conference
Teachers’ Conference
Heads’ Institute
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Webinars: A curated selection offered free of charge to all member schools
Weekend Workshops: Workshops hosted by member schools sponsored by EARCOS for faculty and administration.
Institutes & Cohorts: Various PD opportunities within educational institutes, focusing on the formation of cohorts and other collaborative structures
EARCOS Leadership Mentorship: ELM is an opportunity for member schools to provide guided mentoring to school leaders across the EARCOS network. It aims to help establish a professional relationship between experienced international administrators, heads of schools, principals, assistant principals, and other school leaders. (e.g. curriculum coordinators, professional development, human resource, finance directors, etc )
In addition, we are happy to support additional PD opportunities offered by our educational partners: Non EARCOS Sponsored Professional Development
AWARDS & GRANTS
Please click on the following links for more information and HERE for the applicable deadlines:
The Richard T. Krajczar Humanitarian Award
Global Citizenship Award
Global Citizenship Community Service Grant
The Margaret Sanders Scholarship
Action Research Grant
EARCOS TRIANNUAL (ET) JOURNAL
The ET Journal is the official online magazine of EARCOS published every Fall, Winter and Spring. We invite you to share the great things going on at your school. What can be contributed? Here are some of things we feature in the ET Journal: Faces of EARCOS, campus development, curriculum initiatives, sustainability, service learning projects, action research reports, student art, student writing and reading corner
Deadlines
Fall Issue - September 1, 2025
Winter Issue - December 1, 2025
Spring Issue - April 1, 2026
WHAT’S IN STORE?
What’s in Store? is the monthly EARCOS newsletter containing upcoming events and announcements Please share it with your colleagues when it hits your inbox each month
Teacher Representatives' General Responsibilities
SELECTING A TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE (TR) FROM YOUR SCHOOL
It is the perogative of each school to decide how to choose their Teacher Representative. In some schools, the TR is selected by the Head of School, while in others they are volunteers
Although the EARCOS office communicates with only one TR from each school, some of the larger schools may require an additional, secondary TR to assist with in-house responsibilities associated with workshop proposals, conference registrations, group airline reservations, etc.
Schools should ensure that the designated TR is a teacher who is able to attend the ETC in March.
COMMUNICATION
Teacher Representatives serve as a liaison between EARCOS and the teachers and staff of our member schools. It is crucial that TRs keep their colleagues updated on all activities and information from the EARCOS office regarding professional development opportunities and the Teachers' Conference
TRs should also be mindful that many of their new colleagues may be new to the EARCOS community and are unfamiliar with the opportunities available to them. We recommend that TRs take the time to give a brief introduction at new faculty orientation and send out an email to their colleagues, both new and old, at the start of the school year about the ETC, webinar series, and other benefits available to them as a member of an EARCOS school
If there are any concerns regarding the announcement or information from the EARCOS Office, the TR must bring this to our attention immediately.
ETC TEACHER WORKSHOPS
Teacher Representatives should discuss the Teacher Workshop Proposal Process with potential teacher workshop presenters The TR will assist the principal or head of school in reviewing and evaluating teacher workshop proposals before submission to the EARCOS office.
TRs will also assist the proposer in arranging school-based workshop trials, review and analyze the feedback of these trials, and subsequently rank and select the trialed workshop proposals for submission.
Please note that EARCOS is only able to accept a limited number of Teacher Workshops each year Interested presenters should not be submitting their proposals to EARCOS directly.
Download the Teacher Workshop Proposal Form HERE.
Page 1 of the form is what your colleagues will use to submit their proposals to you for review and approval The first page of the document should not be submitted to EARCOS
Page 2 of the form is what should be submitted in the online ETC Proposal Form. Only proposals which have been vetted, approved, and ranked should be submitted to our office via the online ETC Proposal Form.
Please ensure that all final proposals for submission include the Head of School's and TR's signatures
EARCOS TEACHERS' CONFERENCE (ETC)
The school should cover the cost of the conference fee, airfare/transportation, hotel accommodation, and provide a per diem. These will not be shouldered by EARCOS.
TRs are expected to be checked in and settled at the conference site by early afternoon of the day prior to the conference proper in order to attend the TR meeting at 5:00 PM Attendance is crucial as TRs will be briefed on their conference responsibilities If your arrival is delayed, please inform the Conference Coordinator, Maica Cruz, as soon as possible.
TRs also serve as a resource for the EARCOS team and the ETC Advisory Committee. You are highly encouraged to recommend potential speakers for the next conference. TRs may also be asked to provide information about the school you are representing and the country where you are based within the context of the possibility of hosting a future conference
TRs are expected to bring a gift from their country with a suggested value of USD 100. This is the school’s contribution to the annual charity raffle. We understand that logistics and preferences vary, so schools also have the option to make a USD 100 donation in lieu of bringing a physical gift
Teacher Representatives' Conference
Responsibilities
All Teacher Representatives are required to attend the pre-conference TR Meeting on March 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM to be briefed on their conference assignments followed by the TR Reception at 6:00 PM.
TRs must always check Whova, the ETC Conference app, regularly throughout the day for announcements and updates (such as venue or schedule changes) and relay these to their colleagues This is particularly important as TRs serve as a liaison between the conference organizers and the delegates from their school
Please note that TRs may be asked to act as an assistant to one of the keynote speakers or workshop presenters. Responsibilities may include tasks such as welcoming them upon arrival at the hotel and assisting in the checking-in process, assuring that the conference room set up and audio-visual equipment meet the needs of the speaker, introducing them before the session, distributing handouts if any, and presenting the speaker with a gift from EARCOS (which will be provided)
You will also need to support your school colleague if they have been chosen to present a teacher workshop.
ADDITIONAL REMINDERS
Room Set-Up: If the presenter changes the room ' s configuration, make sure it is returned to the original set-up for the next scheduled workshop
Handouts: Assist in the distribution of the handouts if any and ensure that no copies are left in the room after the session.
Audio-visual Equipment & Presentation Supplies: Check that the requested supplies and equipment is complete and is in working order Inform the EARCOS Secretariat immediately if the equipment is incomplete or faulty
Charity Raffle: Bring your school’s donation (item or USD100) to the Teacher Advisory Council table at the exhibitor area.
TR Handbook | 7
21STANNUALEARCOS TEACHERS’CONFERENCE
EElevatingVoices, nrichingWorlds EElevatingVoices, nrichingWorlds SAVETHEDATES
MARCH2026
WEDNESDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
Pre-Conferences
TRMeeting&Reception
THURSDAY
ETCDay2
ETCDay1 ETCDay2
SubjectStrands
Literacy Early Childhood Special Needs Modern Languages Libraries Counselors
Authors EAL
Child Protection
Technology
General Education
Teacher Representative Timeline
September 2025
October 2025
November 2025
December 2025
January 2026
February 2026
March 2026
April 2026
Release of the updated Teacher Representative Handbook of Guidelines for SY 2025-2026
Opening of ETC 2026 Call for Teacher Proposals
Discussion of the ETC Teacher Workshop Proposal Process with potential teacher workshop presenters
Completion of the Teacher Workshop Proposal Form
Submission of the online ETC Proposal Form by November 3
Notification of the workshop acceptance decisions by December 15
Opening of ETC 2025 Registration - The EARCOS Office will send registration details to all TRs and School Heads. Presenters and Teacher Representatives must register for the conference just as much as other teachers who plan to attend. EARCOS will not cover the conference fees and other costs.
Ongoing ETC 2025 Registration - The conference hotel reaches capacity rather quickly, so we encourage delegates to complete their booking no later than the first week of January so as to avoid room unavailability.
Submission of presentation handouts of accepted proposals to the EARCOS Office by February 28
Attendance of the following:
March 18, - TR Meeting at 5:00 PM
March 19 -TR Reception at 6:00 PM
March 20-22 - EARCOS Teachers’ Conference
All Teacher Representatives are expected to attend ETC and bring an item for the charity raffle If you are unable to attend the meeting and/or the conference, please nominate a replacement or substitute TR for your school and inform our office immediately. It is your responsibility to brief your replacement on their responsibilities as substitute TR.
If applicable, submission of the details of the new Teacher Representative for SY 2026-2027 to the EARCOS Office on or before April 30 (name, teaching position and email address)
We recommend preparing an orientation packet for your successor if your term ends at the end of the school year and if you are unable to turn over the position in person
TR Handbook | 9
ETC Presentation Guide
The Professional Learning Advisory Committee for EARCOS (PLACE) Team has created an EARCOS vision for adult learning Please review the following criteria that align with this vision We ask that presenters think about how best to incorporate these elements of adult learning into their session design and presentation
Session Design and Presentation Criteria
Authentic Connection
Safe to Learn
Engage in Social Learning
Agency in Learning
Internalization of Learning
Focus on Contextual Problem Solving
Transform Practice Understand emerging trends and expand what is possible in schools
Facilitates meaningful connections and interactions that foster a sense of community and trust
Provides time for participants to introduce themselves and establish community norms/agreements/structures for engagement
Demonstrates intentional opportunities for participants to share and connect to their own, rich experience and knowledge
Empowers participants to take ownership of their learning experiences and paths
Demonstrates clear evidence of participants actively integrating and applying their learning
Emphasizes problem-solving within the specific contextual challenge or application to a school setting is evident
Provides participants with new or expanded learning in emerging trends and/or new possibilities for practice within schools
Allows participants to explore and expand behaviors, beliefs, and/or ways of being that could result in a change of practice
Adapted from: The PD Book: Seven Habits That Transform Professional Development (Aguilar and Cohen, 2022) For resources to explore the seven habits, click here To view a YouTube talk overviewing the seven habits, click here.
Teacher Workshop Proposal Process
Encourage members of your faculty to present a workshop and guide them through the process
INFORM
PREPARE
Presenters should think about how best to incorporate the elements of adult learning set by the PLACE team into their session design and presentation. It is advisable that applicants discuss their workshop with an experienced ETC presenter in your school if there are any.
Interested presenters should complete the Teacher Workshop Form and submit them to you.
Presenters are committing to attend the conference should their proposal be accepted
Click HERE for a copy of the Teacher Workshop Proposal Form
REVIEW
SUBMIT SELECT
Arrange workshop trials, and analyze feedback
Rank and select the trialed workshop proposals with your HOS/Admin for submission
Submit the vetted and approved proposals to EARCOS online and include their ranking. Please ensure that all presenters have received the necessary approval and budget to attend before submitting
Click HERE to submit your school’s chosen workshops to EARCOS
NEWS
REGISTER BOOK
WHOVA
FEEDBACK
Notification of the workshop acceptance decisions will be sent to you and the presenter
ETC login credentials will be sent to you and your HOS Please register all accepted presenters and delegates The fee is not waived for accepted presenters
The dedicated hotel booking link will be shared after confirmation of payment Please use the link to avail of the special booking rate, exclusive to conference participants.
All presenters and delegates will receive an invitation to download Whova, our conference app when it goes live Presenters can access the details of their session (time, date & location)
Presenters will be given an introductory and a closing slide with a reminder for participants to share their feedback at the end of the session EARCOS will share their feedback after the conference
ETC Guidelines
Presenters are expected to start and end on time Workshop sessions will be 75-minutes in length, including Q&A. We advise presenters to prepare a 60 minute presentation and allow for 10-15 minutes for questions afterwards.
Presenters must provide appropriate and professional resources, clearly explain the goals and tailor learning events to: maximize processing, allow practice, allow application, provide time for reflection
Participants need time to reflect on their new learning. Presenters must build in reflective pauses, conversations and exercises throughout the learning process and use different learning modalities and pace learning appropriately.
Presenters must be open to questions and be respectful of the learning needs of the participants Review the learning goals that their participants have shared
Please act as your presenter’s assistant or aide during their presentation Your responsibilities will be to check the room set up, distribute any handouts, act as a runner or troubleshooter if anything goes wrong, etc.
Presenters must bring their own laptops. Audio-visual equipment and basic supplies, such as markers, post-its, and chart paper, will be available upon request. These requests must be indicated on the Online ETC Proposal Form Any specialized equipment or supplies must be provided by the presenter Requests for supplies or equipment received after the 1st of November may not be approved. If they have no requirements, please write 'NONE'.
Printing services are not be available at the venue. Presenters should upload their handouts onto their own drive and share the link with the attendees and share the link with EARCOS so that it can be included on the Whova app for easy access
Presenters will be given an introductory and a closing slide with a reminder for participants to share their feedback using the Whova app immediately following their session. Presenters should set aside the final few minutes of their session for participants to complete the feedback form EARCOS will share their session feedback with them after the conference
ETC Charity Raffle
Each year, the EARCOS Advisory Council chooses a non-profit organization to support. This event is not just about prizes; it's about coming together to make a real difference in the world The raffle proceeds will go directly to the chosen beneficiary
How to Participate:
Each school donates a gift worth $100 USD OR a $100 USD donation.
Fill out the ETC Charity Raffle Form to share your contribution details when the announcement goes out from the EARCOS Office
How to support the raffle:
Let your attending colleagues know about the charity raffle prior to ETC
Purchase raffle tickets at the conference
Introductory & Closing Side Sample
Strand Rotation 3-Year Schedule
ETC 2026: SHANGRI-LA BANGKOK | THAILAND
Literacy / Reading
Early Childhood
Special Needs
Modern Languages
Media Technology/Libraries
Counselors
ESL Technology
Children's Authors
Child Protection
General Education
ETC 2027: TBA
Science
Math
Social Studies/Humanities
Global Issues/Global Citizenship
Middle School
Service Learning
S.T.E.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
General Education Topics
ETC 2028: TBA
Physical Education/Wellness/Health
Visual Arts
Film
Design Technology
Robotics
Performing Arts:
- Choral Music
- Dance
- Drama
- Strings
- Band Technology
General Education Topics
