By Dr. Hélène Leone, Founder of the Canadian International School of Paris
Posted on November 1st, 2025 – Vancouver, Canada
When I began my career as an educator, I never imagined how profoundly language would influence the way I see the world. Over the years, as a teacher, school founder, researcher, and author, I’ve come to realize that language is much more than a tool for communication. It defines not only what we say, but how we understand, empathize, and belong.
At the Canadian International School of Paris, I see what it truly means to live between languages. In the same classroom, a child might explain a science experiment in English, reflect on it in French, and then chat with a classmate in another language spoken at home. These moments of movement between languages aren’t about translation; they’re about meaning-making. For many of our students, language is a part of who they are, a bridge between home and school, family and friends, past, present, and future. It carries memories, emotions, traditions, and a deep sense of belonging. Through language, they connect ideas, express who they are, and find their place in the world.
For me, beyond words means precisely that: stepping beyond vocabulary and grammar to explore how language influences identity, voice, and belonging. In our classrooms, I see children learning not only to speak, but to listen, adapt, and collaborate. Bilingual education, when done with intention, teaches flexibility, empathy, and courage, qualities that extend far beyond academics.
This blog, Beyond Words, grows out of that experience. It’s a space for reflection on education, resilience, and leadership in a world that is constantly changing. Some entries will come from the classroom, others from my research or travels, and others from moments that remind me why teaching, learning, and leading across cultures matters.
Education is not simply about sharing knowledge, but about creating meaning together. It’s about developing the ability to bridge differences — linguistic, cultural, or personal — that define authentic leadership today.
As I continue writing and speaking about these themes, Beyond Words will serve as both a reflection and an invitation: to think about how we learn, how we connect, and how we build bridges that last.
Because sometimes, the most powerful lessons begin where language ends.