Educator spotlight

Ben Davies

Educator Spotlight: Ben Davies

Ben Davies (Colina International School, Romania) discusses shifting from “teaching maths” to “teaching children” and building a competency-based school.

Expeditionary Learning Student Agency Real World Impact

Core Philosophy: “Teaching Children”

Ben describes his shift from being a successful head of maths in a traditional school (focused on exam results) to realizing students were learning to pass tests, not to become better thinkers.

The “Epiphany” Story: A disengaged 14-year-old labeled a “problem student” turned out to be running a large online gaming community. This revealed hidden leadership and creativity that school was missing—cementing the conviction that school must start from who students are, not the syllabus.

The Colina International School Model

Located in Cluj (Transylvania, Romania), Colina is designed around three big aims for every student:

1. Self-Directed Learners
Becoming powerful and autonomous.
2. Meaningful Relationships
Building healthy connections.
3. Real World Impact
Bringing ideas to life.

Daily Structure

  • Crew Time: Tutor/SEL circles for sharing feelings, resolving conflicts, and accountability.
  • Literacy & Numeracy: Blocks for solid foundations (including adaptive AI).
  • Expeditionary Learning: 5 big projects per year following an expedition cycle (launch, inquiry, doing, impact).

Bridging Idealism & Parental Realism

To convince families, Ben insists you must show you understand the real world (exams, university access).

Strategies

  • Clear Pathways: Mapping routes for IB, Cambridge, or national exams.
  • Academic Clubs: Offering optional, intense academic clubs for students who want depth, rather than forcing everyone through a high-stakes route.

AI as an Inevitable Tool

At Colina, AI is treated as a real, permanent part of life, not something to “ban.”

  • Students are taught thoughtful and safe use (data/privacy).
  • AI lowers barriers: students can co-author genuine academic papers with AI support.
  • The Challenge: Pairing human intuition, ethics, and purpose with AI’s cognitive power.

Advice to Educators

For those stuck in rigid systems:

Start Small

Use “hacks” and pilot projects: a club, a lunch group, or a different way of running tutor time.

Leadership as Stance

Leadership is not a title. You can lead by starting things and inviting colleagues in. Visible authenticity attracts allies.

Main Entities and References

Below are the main organizations and initiatives referenced in the Ben Davies segment.

Colina International School Project-based, competency-based school in Romania.
colinainternational.com Cambridge Assessment International International exam pathways.
cambridgeinternational.org International Baccalaureate (IB) Example of alternative pathways.
ibo.org EL Education Reference model for expeditionary learning.
eleducation.org (Reference)
🇷🇴-Ben-Davies