Live and learn in 12 countries at THINK Global School
Source: THINK Global School

Are you looking for a school where learning occurs beyond the boundaries of a traditional classroom, taking a dynamic form without sacrificing academic rigor?

One such school that pushes the boundaries of innovative teaching and learning is THINK Global School (TGS). TGS is a traveling high school in the US, where learning takes place in a different country for each term in the school year. Students learn to explore, research and document the world around them, while living and learning with a diverse student body and faculty in a new country every term.

The confluence of travel and learning is coupled with the school’s Changemaker Curriculum, which puts students in charge of their learning through a combination of real-world exploration, skills mastery and project-based learning.

Source: THINK Global School

The world is your classroom

TGS is the only high school in the world that provides students with an opportunity to live and learn in 12 countries: Botswana, India, Japan, Spain, China, Oman, Panama, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Australia, Chile and Italy. By living and learning in a new country each term, students can expect to not only become outstanding college candidates, but also global citizens who understand how the world works. This can also help them develop the courage and compassion to make it a better place.

Learning comes alive when students study biology in four diverse environments each year, read authors in their native lands or discuss philosophy where the concept was actually born. As students progress around the globe, they evolve from their international experiences and become informed, worldly citizens who are ready to make a difference in their home country. This is punctuated in the school’s education, designed to help students make sense of the cultural, historical, environmental and socio-economic influences of the world around them.

Through their deep interactions with diverse cultures and learning from the locales, students stand to improve the lives of each community they come into contact with. For instance, TGS students have taught English to Chinese migrant students, established composting pits in India and made documentaries chronicling rebuilding efforts in an earthquake-devastated region of Japan.

In addition to this, to thrive in the ever-changing world, students will also need a set of skills that will help them navigate an uncertain future. Some of the soft skills that would help them succeed include the ability to adapt, think creatively and communicate with others, especially in an increasingly globalised economy. TGS prepares students with these crucial skills through an innovative curriculum, which requires them to quickly learn and adjust to new cultures, accommodations and cuisines each term. To boot, students learn in a diverse student body, as TGS students come from all corners of the globe and create bonds that last a lifetime.

Source: THINK Global School

The Changemaker Curriculum meets the needs of a changing world

TGS stands out from other schools in the region and the world, thanks to its highly innovative curriculum. A major focus includes social-emotional learning while the 1:4 faculty/student ratio means students enjoy plenty of personal attention from faculty to ensure their academic and overall success. This is in addition to learning in small classes and using cutting-edge technology to facilitate learning.

Students at TGS participate in the Changemaker Curriculum where autonomy is key. The curriculum focuses on helping students master skills and concepts rather than just regurgitating facts. This enables them to remember and understand what they’ve learned, analyse and apply that knowledge, in addition to creating new ideas and teaching others as a result of this learning style, regardless of the subject.

As an antidote to rote learning, the school ensures students are educated via a combination of place- and project-based learning, while in each country they visit, they engage in teacher-led modules and personal projects that highlight the environmental, social, cultural and geographical topics that define the region. The combination of travel, autonomy, and project-based learning moulds students into global citizens with varying 21st century skills that would help them in university life and beyond.

In each country, students will select an interdisciplinary, project-based learning module which helps them answer key questions about the world around them while immersing them in multiple academic subjects simultaneously. These eight-week modules are led by faculty members, but are flexible enough for students to learn in ways that suit them best.

A stepping-stone to university success

Unsurprisingly, TGS’ unique curriculum has shown to prepare students for the academic and social rigors of university. As students are trained to guide their own learning and imbue every aspect of their education with compassion and service, they become strong candidates for admissions into top universities and go on to become leaders within these institutions and beyond.

Their education culminates with a diploma accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), recognised by higher education institutions around the world. Many graduates have been accepted into top global universities, including Harvard, New York University, the University of Oxford, the University of Exeter and the University of British Columbia, among many others.

So, if your child is a wanderlust at heart and has a desire to improve the world, TGS will prove to be an innovative school that will set your child on the journey of a lifetime.

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