#19 - Notes on Innovative Schools
Education Coffee is a 2xweekly newsletter on people, ideas and culture.
Hello World,
In each edition of this newsletter, I will share five inspiring web resources that I have curated after hours of research to ensure that you have the best education coffee in your inbox. I also hope to share some lessons from the classroom in these upcoming editions of the newsletter.
I spent the weekend reviewing the websites of some innovative schools around the world. I also reviewed additional resources from websites like Getting Smart and the WiSE Qatar Foundation.
Here are some videos, notes and observations about the instructional approach of 5 schools around the world with information from their websites that impressed me as an educator:
SPARK Schools was co-founded by Stacey Brewer and Ryan Harrison in 2012. Concerned by the state of South African education they committed to finding a solution. They believed that an innovative approach could disrupt the crisis in South African education and dedicated themselves to creating a new model that would provide access to high-quality education at an affordable cost.
This school has a unique focus on personalised learning using technology and 1:1 tutoring. It also allows its teachers to complete about 245 hours of professional development and coaching each year.
NuVu Innovation School is a full-time school for students in grades 8-12 who are excited to think creatively and address real-world problems through hands-on design. NuVu provides transformative learning experiences that build students’ confidence and give them the skills for future success. Upon graduation, NuVu students are prepared to thrive at highly selective colleges and in a range of professional fields.
The highlight of the NUVU approach is their use of design thinking, real world problem solving and project based learning. Students learn through solving problems and present their work to real audiences to get constructive feedback on how they can better address the problem they want to solve.
Singapore American School (Singapore)
Teachers new to SAS are often amazed by its advanced educational and technological resources, which account for 6.8 percent and 2.5 percent of expenses respectively. In recent years, a major innovation initiative has resulted in significant enhancements to our programs, including a Reggio Emilia-inspired early learning center (ELC) program, a Chinese immersion option in elementary school, flexible-learning environments throughout the school, a redesigned co-curricular program, and learning alternatives like Catalyst, Quest and advanced topic (AT) courses in high school that give students more options for serious academic engagement and for developing 21st century skills.
The highlight of this school’s approach is their strategic thinking around the concept of innovation in education. I read a case study on the school and was impressed with their focus on flexible learning spaces and professional learning networks.
Green School was conceived in 2006 by life-long entrepreneurs, John and Cynthia Hardy. After years of homeschooling, they wanted their daughters to attend a school that they believed in. When John read Alan Wagstaff’s “Three Springs”, he was so inspired by the vision of a holistic learning community that he wanted to build it in Bali. The catalyst came when John and Cynthia watched Al Gore’s ‘Inconvenient Truth’ – it compelled them to take up his call to action, and create a school that educates for sustainability. In collaboration with master craftsmen, architects, permaculturist, academics and philosophers, Green School Bali opened in September 2008. Since then it has become a beacon for the future of education, with a growing community of Green Schools opening around the world.
The founder of the school John Hardy, was inspired by a TED talk by the environmental activist Al Gore. He wished to create a school with a focus on education for sustainability. The learning spaces and academic objectives reflect that core principle of caring and giving back to the planet we call home.
The Green Acres Academy (India)
While most Indian schools focus on academic development, at The Green Acres Academy we believe in giving children access to a wide variety of learning experiences, skills and areas of knowledge. We take the solid academic foundation that a board’s curriculum provides, and add to it all that is missing: extracurricular subjects, an approach to teaching that makes learning more enjoyable, highly-trained teachers, and the best-in-class facilities for an environment where children flourish. Our approach actively nurtures a child’s physical, artistic, and emotional development, in addition to academic growth. The result is a new approach to education that brings together the best ideas from across the world, to develop each child’s natural talents and make them the best they can be. We call it the 8:4:8 approach.
The highlight of this school’s approach is their focus on multi-sensory learning and the 25 additional days of teacher training and professional development each year for the school staff. Read more about the 8:4:8 strategic vision and the multi-sensory approach to learning on their blog.
References
Innovative Schools worth Visiting by Getting Smart - A great list of on some of the top schools around the world with a brief note on innovative practices that differentiate a specific school’s instructional approach. This also includes links to case studies, feature articles and podcast interview episodes.
Innovators Directory by WiSE Qatar Foundation - This is a list of impactful educational initiatives from around the world that cover a variety of fields and that address a diverse set of challenges.
I highly recommend reviewing the websites and social media handles of these innovative schools to understand their unique approach to learning and teaching in more detail.
Please do send me your thoughts and resources on any edition of this newsletter through email at abhishekashokshetty@gmail.com or on twitter @AbhishekShetty_. I love taking these discussions forward on those platforms.
Abhishek
19/07/2022