CHICAGO: “Everywhere we visited, we were graciously welcomed,” Sheela Ramakrishna, an educational consultant from Hyderabad, India, reflected at the end of three days visiting five schools throughout Chicagoland. “It was an intense schedule, but well worth the all driving. We saw a lot of the city, including Pilsen and Chinatown.”
Sheela was joined by Pablo Cedro from Córdoba, Argentina, and Dinesh Bakshi from Malé, Maldives, for Global Connections conference on April 10-14, hosted by Axiom Edu-Exchange, a start-up focusing on international education exchange. It connects U.S. school districts with highly-qualified teachers from around the world.
The first day, the group toured two Chicago Public Schools: James Wadsworth STEM Elementary on the south side and Helen B. Peirce International School on the north side. At Wadsworth, the group saw community-based problem-solving in action. “Their example of bringing all elements of STEM to life in creating a playground, edible garden, and water-runoff control system was brilliant because it is practical, involved the whole school community, and created a beautiful usable space,” admired Dinesh Bakshi. “We could see how passionate teachers—and principal Shabazz—devote themselves to their profession.”
Bakshi and Cedro both run International Baccalaureate (IB) programs at their secondary schools. “At Peirce, the breadth and flexibility of the IB program is really demonstrated,” observed Cedro. “The IB profile can be seen in every classroom and, in the interactions with the teachers, we could feel the philosophy in action.”
The next day after taking advantage of the beautiful 70˚F morning as tourists, the group visited a charter school: Chicago Math and Science Academy. Ambassador students led a tour of the school, highlighting their unique approach to STEM education. “They have taken the robotics program to the next level,” Bakshi observed. “The software is sophisticated and it shows the school is working at an advanced level.”
Next tours included two private schools, Roycemore School and Lake Forest Academy, to round out the many examples of education in the USA. Roycemore and Axiom hosted local and international educators in the evening for a brainstorming session to explore maximizing education exchange using the latest technologies.
“Traveling to a school is ideal, but creating virtual classroom connections is the next best thing,” stated Khudrath Ali Khan, president of Axiom. He is committed to supporting global exchange, helping connect educators around the world focusing on similar themes and topics. Khan continued, “We aim to enhance understanding across cultures, increase depth of knowledge, and excite children about solving global issues.”
At the DoubleTree Hilton in Skokie, the expert teachers from around the world shared their perspectives. They were joined by local experts to round out the many approaches to schooling in the USA. Sheela Ramakrishnan stated, “Each of the presentations gave us food for thought and also provided ideas to work toward in the development of education in our respective countries… The setting provided for close interactions and thought flow…It was a morning of sharing and learning.”
Dinesh Bakshi reflected on what an enriching experience the week was. “Visiting and interacting with different educators gave us a unique insight into the educational systems in US. We were amazed to see the cultural diversity among the teaching staff and how they all work together in unison and contribute in upbringing and creating the next generation of global citizens.”
“This tour served as a wonderful professional development platform for me – validating some of our existing practices and giving ideas on where change can happen,” said Sheela Ramakrishnan. “I am greatly looking forward to playing a role in the journey that Axiom has set for itself.”
The presentations highlighted the similarities and differences in approach to education, exciting community-based projects, and challenges to overcome in order to teach with flexibility, create with agility, and impart the skills needed for this next millennium.
India Post News Service
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