The Student-Centered Shift: Empowered International Schools and Classrooms Through Project-Based Learning

Voice and Choice vs. Curriculum Coverage? How One School is Making it Work

Apr 22, 2025

In this conversation with Natalie Harvey, Secondary Principal at Beijing City International School, she shares her passion for fostering student voice and engagement. Natalie discusses how her school navigates the balance between curriculum demands and empowering student agency. Key topics include creating personalized learning experiences within the IB framework, the importance of building trust among teachers, and co-developing a vision for success. Her insights on redefining learning highlight how BCIS makes voice and choice an integral part of student life.

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INSIGHT

Agency Starts with Student Knowing

Student agency begins when students are deeply known and know themselves well.
It enables meaningful choices about their learning and lives.

INSIGHT

Jaggedness Defines Personalization

Personalization means embracing "jaggedness": diverse, customized learning paths.
Agency shouldn’t be free-for-all but balanced with curriculum and structure.

ADVICE

Build Momentum with Cohorts

Start with inspiration and low-risk steps to engage staff in agency shifts.
Use cohorts of early adopters to build momentum and share successes.

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Trying to build more student agency—but feel boxed in by curriculum coverage? What if you didn’t have to choose between voice and academic rigor?

In this episode, I sit down with Natalie Harvey, secondary principal at Beijing City International School (BCIS), to explore how her team is shifting culture around student agency while still honoring the demands of a rigorous curriculum. From co-creating a three-year vision to redefining personalization in the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, Natalie shares the intentional moves that are making voice and choice a lived experience—not just a buzzword.

You’ll hear how BCIS is navigating real challenges while building a culture where students know themselves deeply, make meaningful decisions, and drive their own learning.

How BCIS reframed student agency through the lens of “jaggedness”
What voice and choice look like in the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) classroom
How leadership created a shared language and clear expectations around agency
Why building trust—and giving teachers choice—is key to sustainable change

Ready to hear how these shifts are playing out in practice and what they might look like in your setting?

Connect with Natalie: Natalie.Harvey@bcis.cn

Get the 12 Shifts Book: On Amazon, On the Website: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher

Natalie's Bio: Natalie is the current Secondary Principal of BCIS and was born in Hanover, Jamaica. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Language Education: English, from the University of the West Indies, a Master of Arts in Education from Wake Forrest University, a Certificate of International School Leadership from the Principal's Training Center, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in International School Leadership with Wilkes University.

Before BCIS, Natalie worked in various capacities in Jamaica, the United States of America, Venezuela, and Mexico. She was a Middle School Deputy Principal and Principal at the American School of Tampico for seven years. She has been an educator for 25 years and has a wealth of experience in teaching and leading. Natalie believes that forming solid interpersonal relationships leads to a positive school culture, functional collaborative structures, and exceptional outcomes for students and teachers.

In addition, Natalie is passionate about partnering with parents, promoting student voice, and fostering a sense of belonging and a focus on successful learning outcomes within the BCIS community.