Details

Written by: JK Monitor News Network

Published: 12 February 2024

• Consequent to this collaboration, educators from Switzerland are currently in Northstar’s Rajkot campus, engaging with students in various progressive and experiential learning activities

RAJKOT: Pioneering progressive learning institution The Northstar School and Switzerland’s HEP University of Teacher Education are celebrating the 5^th year of their academic collaboration. Northstar and HEP commenced this partnership in 2019, with an aim to introduce global educators to the Indian education landscape, and foster education programs focused on intercultural skills and cross-curricular teaching and learning.

HEP University of Teacher Education is a globally-renowned institution for teachers’ professional training. Providing training for primary and secondary level education, its mission is to create strong synergies between teaching, consulting, and research. HEP intends to encourage innovation and promote a superior quality of education across the world, for which it runs various cross-curricular teaching programs for trained educators. The Northstar School is amongst the few institutions from India which closely work with HEP to facilitate these programs.

Under the 5^th year of this collaboration, Northstar is hosting 16 HEP educators from Lausanne in Switzerland in its Rajkot campus for a period of 2 weeks. During this period, the educators are engaging with learners in unique educational experiences, providing a rich blend of learning experiences on topics such as global biodiversity, indigenous games and crafts, digital citizenship, tourism, etc. These broad and deep topics have been co-developed over many weeks of collaborations between Northstar educators and Swiss educators, to create experiential learning design that is being currently implemented at the Northstar’s main campus in Rajkot. These learning experiences are planned according to the themes for each grade leading to valuable intercultural experiences for students.

Speaking about the collaboration, Mohit Patel, Founder, The Northstar School says, “We consider ourselves fortunate to partake in this remarkable ongoing collaboration. We have worked very closely with our colleagues at HEP, Ruth Benvegnen and Lucy Kottsieper in particular, to develop an incredible academic and cultural program. It is aligned with our dedication to providing progressive learning experiences, underscoring our commitment to the holistic development and well-being of our students. Northstar’s goal is to provide truly international education, with students and educators both having meaningful exposure to global perspectives.”

About The Northstar School 

The Northstar School, established in 2016, is a pioneering educational institution with a transformative vision that sets it apart from traditional schools. Guided by a profound commitment to nurture the connection between experiential learning and personal growth, Northstar aims to create a vibrant ecosystem of caring-learning community. Based in Rajkot, the school's mission is to foster responsible, compassionate, and globally-aware citizens. Established by Harvard alumni Mohit Patel, the school's foundation involved extensive global research that shaped the philosophy of the institution.

It advocates that education should encourage curiosity and exploration rather than mere memorization of facts. The school envisions education as a process that unfolds in diverse ways, places, and through interactions with various individuals. This approach empowers students to ask questions, seek answers independently, and build a deep understanding of subjects that resonate with their interests and curiosities. Northstar's pedagogy enables self-discovery, and demonstrates that learning doesn’t have to be a tedious process; it can be a delightful, engaging experience that fosters a genuine love for education.