BENJAMIN LOGAN
COUNSELOR + EDUCATOR
ABOUT ME
As an experienced educator and now a dedicated counselor, I bring a dynamic approach to student development that transcends traditional academic boundaries. My philosophy? Every moment is an opportunity to inspire and shape young minds, fostering qualities like loving kindness, creativity, and resilience. My goal as a counselor is not just to guide but to awaken a global sensibility in each student, preparing them for a world that values emotional intelligence as much as academic achievement.
My commitment is to deliver an inclusive, responsive counseling program tailored to support our diverse student body's social, emotional, and academic needs. Authenticity and compassion are the cornerstones of my practice. I'm deeply attuned to each student's individual stories and unique challenges, ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for their growth and self-realization.
My approach is culturally responsive, acknowledging and valuing the diverse backgrounds of our student community. Drawing from my experience growing up in a mixed-race Baháʼí family, I understand the nuances of cultural identity.
My role as a counselor extends to being a collaborator with faculty and parents, essential in enhancing our school community's overall health and cohesion. Together, let's create a learning environment where every student can shine and thrive, equipped with the tools they need for every stage of life's journey.
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I currently live between Jeju Island, South Korea, and Northern California with my partner, travel and portrait photographer Tai Power Seeff.
Our passions include ocean kayaking, free diving, hiking, cave exploration, breathwork and meditation, organic farming, conservation, vegetarian cooking, and collecting tiny seashells.
We share a deep curiosity, awe, and gratitude for the natural world and the diverse cultures, people, and places who have welcomed us on our journey thus far. Collectively, we have lived on five continents, and we look forward to finding our next home.
WORK EXPERIENCE
St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, South Korea
School Counseling Intern
2023 - Present
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Providing Individual and Group Counseling: Focused on stress management, social skills, and student academic achievement.
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Developing and Implementing School-Wide Prevention Programs: Played a key role in creating programs to enhance student well-being and academic success.
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Facilitating Workshops: Conducted educational sessions for students, parents, and teachers on various mental health and educational topics.
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Professional Development in Counseling Techniques: Earned certifications in specific counseling areas, demonstrating a commitment to professional growth.
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Specialized Training in Transition Care: Equipped to support students, especially Third-Culture kids, during critical transitional phases.
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Addressing the Needs of Third-Culture Kids: Focused on these students' unique challenges and experiences, ensuring they receive tailored support and guidance.
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Innovative Counseling Sessions: Facilitated sessions like 'Memory Maps,' 'Vision Volumes,' and 'Imagination and Innovation,' designed to enhance students' self-awareness, goal setting, and creativity.
St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, South Korea
2nd-3rd Grade Lead Teacher
2020 - Present
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Developing Engaging Curricula: Crafted lesson plans and activities that were both educational and engaging, tailored to the needs and interests of the students.
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Fostering an Inclusive Learning Environment: Created a classroom atmosphere that was welcoming and respectful, promoting inclusivity among all students.
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Enhancing Academic Achievement: Implemented teaching strategies to improve student performance in key academic areas.
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Nurturing Personal and Emotional Growth: Addressed not just academic needs but also students' personal and emotional development, encouraging them to grow as well-rounded individuals.
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Promoting Critical Thinking and Creativity: Encouraged students to think critically and creatively, preparing them for future academic challenges.
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Building Social Skills: Integrated activities and lessons that enhanced students' social skills, fostering better communication and collaboration.
MEF International Schools Istanbul, Turkey
2nd Grade PYP Homeroom Teacher
August 2017 - June 2019
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Co-Creating a Translanguage Program: Collaborated in developing a program that utilized students' mother tongue to deepen their understanding of various subjects and units of inquiry.
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Instituting the Genius Hour Club: Innovatively designed a program that allowed students to explore their passions, leading to enhanced engagement and creativity in learning.
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Spearheading Destination Imagination as an Extra-Curricular Activity: Volunteered to lead this creative program, helping students turn their imaginative ideas into tangible projects.
Pan American School Bahia, Brazil
1st/2nd Grade Lead Teacher
August 2012 - June 2017
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Progressive Teaching Approach: Integrated innovative teaching strategies, fostering a growth mindset, encouraging risk-taking, and nurturing creativity and innovation in the classroom.
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Grade Level Team Leader: Selected to lead the educational strategies and activities for 1st and 2nd grades, demonstrating leadership and expertise in curriculum planning.
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Development of 'Panthers Play Program': Conceptualized and implemented a healthy recess program that was recognized for its effectiveness and innovation, as published in "Meu Bebe & Kids" magazine in 2016.
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Destination Imagination: Acted as Team Manager, providing students with opportunities to develop invaluable skills through creative and collaborative projects.
World Academy Oakland, CA USA
2nd Grade Teacher
August 2005 - June 2012
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Optimizing curriculum: school-adopted Common Core Math Instruction Programs, incorporating a variety of innovative alternative mathematical approaches. Analyzed student learning methods, applying differentiated instruction that stimulated students and effectively met the needs of individual learners while achieving instructional outcomes.
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Increasing academic achievement: led students to score in the top 95% in Mathematics and 85% in Language Arts.
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Optimizing institutional effectiveness: training after-school program instructors to engage in positive classroom management techniques, increasing student engagement and productivity while reducing discipline referrals.
Additional experience as a 4th Grade Teacher and Elementary Science Teacher at
West Contra Unified School District - details available upon request.
Y.L.
Parent
I can't tell you how excited my son was to go to school today. He was beaming all of yesterday. He even got up early this morning before I woke him and ate and got dressed on his own. It was like having a totally different son. Wow.
Thank you for the special care and attention. He's never been so excited for school before.
Emily Lanteigne
Teacher
Ben has been using his free time during lunch to help foster a positive and inclusive community on the Grade 2 playground. It is so great to see our students come together to play games with new friends. He models what it looks like to include everyone in order to build a stronger community. Our students look so happy! Thank you Ben for your time! I know it's not an easy choice. You are making a positive impact and it inspires me!
Corey Johnson
Head of School
Your students are very comfortable with you and are familiar with the patterns and routines of your classroom. This is evident in how they respond to you, their respect for you, and the ease with which they move from one task to another.
As I reflect on my time in your classroom, one of the themes I see is the many ways that you support student learning, and helping to guide the students back to the task at hand for the activity. Thank you for letting me be part of this. I really appreciate your dedication to our school and students.
MEF Parents, Istanbul
Dear all,
We are writing this letter to signal our deep appreciation and respect for Mr. Benjamin Logan, one of MEF International's second grade teachers.
We are a group of parents whose children have been taught between 2017-2019 by Mr. Logan (in his capacity as 2nd grade classroom teacher) and/or were also guided by him him in the after school activity called "Destination Imagination (DI)," which meets on Thursdays.
A group of us went to Poland with Mr. Logan for 5 days in late February-early March 2019 for an international DI meeting. The trip to Poland was wonderful in many ways, including the fact that it highlighted Mr. Logan’s tremendous capacity as a teacher and carer for young minds. What we witnessed in Poland, and have continued to witness at MEF, is the depth of Mr. Logan's love of teaching and guiding growing children, whether through his own lessons or his commitment to listening to others.
Ben Logan knows how to motivate his students, allowing them the safe space to try and achieve their goals, without feeling forced. He inspires and nurtures, without hindering creativity. He sets down strict guidelines for behavior, based not on arbitrary rules but on the respect for others that he himself shows he believes in deeply. This role modeling on Ben's part results in a reciprocal love and respect the children he teaches hold for him.
Whether shepherding students through foreign terrain in Poland, or volunteering to tutor after school math on his own initiative to help his students, Ben Logan astonishes us over and over by his ability to ask children just the right questions to elicit answers which lead them to the truth. Rather than lecturing them or handing them tired advice, he listens and guides them into a reflective process which winds up inevitably leading them to the answers they were in search of.
In short, we feel that Ben Logan is a human being who can be said to reflect perfectly the MEF motto of "inspire, nurture, and challenge." It is with this observation that we can only conclude by saying "THANK YOU Mr. Logan!" for all the love and care you have given to our children.
We, the undersigned:
EDUCATION
Master's Degree
International School Counseling
Lehigh University, Pennsylvania
May 2024
Master's Degree
Education
State University of New York
2018
Bachelor's Degree
Design And Visual Communications
University of California, San Diego
2001
CERTIFICATIONS + LICENSES
Graduate Certificate
International School Counseling
Lehigh University, Pennsylvania
Laws of Transitions Certificate
Cross-Cultural Positive Transitions-Care
Safe Passage Across Networks
www.spanschools.org
SEL Certification
Solutions Focused Therapy
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
International School Counselor Organization (ISCA)
Child Protection for International Schools
EduCare
Child Safeguarding Training
UNICEF
