Boundless Education is now two years old! Just like with our children, we’re wondering where the time went and can’t believe how much we’ve grown. We’ve made lots of changes and improvements already but don’t ever want to be complacent. The world is changing quickly, education approaches and methods are evolving, and we want to be at the forefront - not running to catch up. 

With that very much in mind, we’d love to introduce you to two incredible education experts who’ve joined our Crew to keep us all on our toes. 
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What are the goals of our Quality Assurance Officers?

The Quality Assurance Team will play a pivotal part in ensuring Boundless Education has the highest standards of teaching, learning and support services available by:

✅ Working collaboratively with our educators to develop a comprehensive quality assurance framework that will help supercharge our external accreditation prospects (Boundless Education is a Western Association of Schools and Colleges - WASC - applicant).

✅ Developing and implementing improvements identified by the framework on an ongoing basis. 

✅ Ensuring all processes and procedures are standardised across all Boundless Life locations. 

✅ Being a mentor to our educators - guiding them through performance management and development. 

✅ Leading enhancements to our educator and intern programmes to ensure complete alignment with our educational objectives. 

✅ Promoting the importance of collaboration across our education ecosystem: Students, educators, parents and the local community.

Introducing Ilona Taimela: one half of our new Quality Assurance Officer team.

• As the CEO of Helsinki Education Consulting Group, Ilona is a seasoned education consultant for organisations around the world, including UNICEF's Global Learning Innovation Hub. She also has vast experience in supporting educators with the implementation of Finnish and IB curriculums.
• Ilona brings a wealth of experience in Finnish Education, holds a Master’s in Education Science, and is completing a MBA in Leading Transformational Change.
• With a career spanning 30 years, Ilona has worked extensively in various educational sectors, from Early Childhood to Higher Education, both in Finland and internationally.
• As a Global Nomad Counsellor & Third Culture Kids (TCK) consultant who has worked closely with subject expert David Pollock, Ilona has already begun crafting a workshop for Boundless Life parents on tips and tricks of being a TCK parent.

Introducing Rana Boone: the other half of this dynamic dream team.

• Rana joins Boundless Education with an incredible background as a National Education Consultant and Teacher Coach with both ‘Teach for America’ and the ‘Knowledge is Power Program’ (KIPP). 
• Rana is a proud graduate of Howard University, where she received a B.A. in Political Science. She earned her teacher certification at the University of St. Thomas-Houston.
• She has worked in the education sector in California, Florida, Hawai'i, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, New York City, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
• Amongst other roles, she’s also been a Dean of Instruction, a Curriculum Coordinator and a School Principal in the USA.
• Rana is deeply passionate about nurturing teacher growth and advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within education.

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Let’s hear from them! 

Kat: You’ve both had such diverse and interesting careers to date. What made you want to bring your experience and skills to Boundless Life:

Ilona: I am a global nomad myself, having lived my childhood in Tanzania, UK and Finland. Then, as an adult, I have lived in France and the USA. I feel very familiar with the nomadic nature of the Boundless Life Community. And as an educator, I felt I can bring my expertise in the quality assurance to Boundless Education.

Rana: My family participated in Boundless Life this past summer in Tuscany. We loved everything about our summer experience; the project-based learning approach was aligned with work I had been doing back home on Maui. I was curious about Boundless’ educational programming and was glad for the chance to meet with Suzanne (Head of Academics)  to learn more. It seemed like a perfect fit for me to join the Boundless Education team and I can’t wait to get started!

Kat: Ilona, could you explain a little bit about what Third Culture Kids are and how you plan to use your workshop to help Boundless Life parents maximise the benefits of their unique cultural experiences? 

Ilona: Third Culture Kids was coined as a term in the 1960s by Dr Ruth Useem, and it refers to people who have been brought up in other cultures than that of their parents’ culture, creating their own so-called third culture. 

I have researched this topic and have previously held workshops. I want to share the knowledge of how children react to moves and what can be the pain points in culture shock, and how parents can support the transition, but also to provide tips on how to enhance the children’s cultural experience and to support their nomadhood. There are so many beneficial features that children will absorb, learn and carry on into their lives, when supported well. 

Kat: Rana, we can’t wait to see you working alongside our educators - including helping with the advancement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within Boundless Education. What can our educators expect to learn or develop from you? 

Rana: We all have our own individual story of how we experience the world. Our perspectives are shaped by our race, ethnicity, the culture in which we were raised, among many other factors. When we share these stories with each other, everyone involved in the conversation has the opportunity to learn something new, as well as to feel seen and understood. 

My mother was raised in Italy and France; my father was raised in the United States. They decided to bring up their multiracial children in the diverse landscape of Hawai’i. They emphasized the importance of embracing all cultures and accepting characteristics that make each person unique. Being brought up this way led me to support educators in expanding their practices of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. They learn how to draw out these stories from themselves, their students, and families, and then apply that information to personalize the children’s learning. With my support, the educators will further develop their cultural competency skills.

If you are seeking a blend of travel, cultural immersion and an education provision with a commitment to continuous improvement and quality assurance we’d love to tell you more. You can book a call to get started.