Youth
King David heads go to Harvard
The four heads of King David Pre-Primary Schools were given an opportunity by the South African Board of Jewish Education to spend a week at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education summer programme in July.
OWN CORRESPONDENT
They formed part of 391 dedicated and experienced educators from 94 countries, brought together with the desire to make their classrooms places where the learners of today (from pre-primary to Grade 12) can become the citizens and potential leaders of tomorrow.
For more than 50 years under the watchful eye of Howard Gardner, a well-known professor of psychology, the Project Zero research project has examined the key facets of human potential, and asked how educators can design learning experiences that are engaging for all students.
Project Zero asks questions about the type of learning experiences and assessment practises that best prepare our learners for the demands of an unpredictable and ever shifting future.
Over five days, through intense plenary sessions, mini-courses, and study groups, the educators were taken through the core aspects of Project Zero research which included nurturing critical and creative thinking, the development of understanding, what learning looks like, how to make thinking visible, and finally, how to design learning for a variety of students in different contexts.
Studying with such acclaimed academics, walking through the courtyards and gates of Harvard Yard, and spending time with like-minded educators was a privilege and an honour. The educators have brought back substantial information and energy, and hope to be imbue Project Zero ideas into their classrooms and school environments.