Staff Developments

The Learning School arranged a Training Workshop for sixteen staff members on ‘Working together to Build a Community of Responsive Educators’ at Dev Samaj College of Education, Chandigarh (India).  This workshop was from 5th May to 14th May 2006.

It was a successful visit as the delegates were able to meet many influential personalities that, includes Shri I. K. Gujral (former Indian Prime Minister), Ms. Suman Krishan Kant (wife of former Vice President of India, Shri Krishan Kant), Mrs. Kant’s Mother, who was 102 year old (as both of the ladies worked on the social sector), and Prof. K.N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor of Punjab University, Chandigarh.

During the visit to India, the delegates also got an opportunity to visit several good schools in Delhi and Chandigarh and get new ideas, which were later implemented at The Learning School.

The team visited classrooms and met children who were happy to have Pakistani teachers.  The group invited these schools for the promotion of peace between both of the countries with the slogan “Aao Dosti Karain” (let’s make friendship) and requested a teacher exchange program.  The schools accepted their offer immediately, and the administration of TLS now plans to invite them to their campus soon.

The Delegate visited the following schools during their stay in India:-

• Balvantary Mehta Vidya Bhawan Anguridevi Shersingh Memorial Academy, New Delhi, was established by Servants of the People Society as more than  2500 students studied and integrated special children into the classrooms with normal children.
• Vivek High School, Chandigarh - (about 2,000 students) - Teaching through Critical thinking.
• St. John High School, Chandigarh, claim the Boys Best School in Chandigarh where about 2,000 children were studying with a new “Learning Centre” concept for mentally disturbed children were taken care of and then put into regular classes.
• Small Wonder School, Chandigarh- established in 2003 for primary grade children with many beautiful ideas.  It was a wonderful experience for the teachers because The Learning School also wanted to start a school for the younger children in the following year.
• KB DAV Senior Secondary Public School (Sector-7), Chandigarh - About 2,500 students - An excellent school with the latest laboratories.  The teachers came one step ahead towards designing and using better laboratories for students.

The staff of The Learning School is grateful to the administration, faculty, and staff of all of the above schools for providing them a warm welcome during their visit.

More than ten newspapers and two news channels covered this visit.  Thus, the event turned out to be a successful one.  It helped promote peace in the subcontinent and helped TLS improve high-quality education.