How Riverside School in Ahmedabad Became the World’s Best School for Innovation

How Riverside School in Ahmedabad Became the World’s Best School for Innovation

How Riverside School in Ahmedabad Became the World’s Best School for Innovation

Riverside School in Ahmedabad, India, has achieved a remarkable feat by winning the World’s Best School Prize for Innovation by T4 Education. This prestigious award recognizes the most innovative and impactful schools in the world and grants them a share of the $2,50,000 prize and a global platform to share their best practices.

Riverside School was one of the three finalists for the award, competing with schools from New Zealand and Malaysia.

The school impressed the judges with its innovative learning approach that focuses on design, student-centric and activity-based curriculum, and the Feel, Imagine, Do and Share (FIDS) model. 

This is not the first time that the school has been recognized for its excellence. It had previously been in the Top 10 and Top 3 schools in the same event.

The Vision and Mission of Riverside School : 

The founder and director of Riverside School, Kiran Bir Sethi, has a clear vision and mission for the school. She believes that every child has the potential to learn, grow, and make a positive change in the world. She said, “We learn to crawl, sit, walk, and to speak and think. 

This is how we demonstrate to the world that ‘I Can’. An unforgiving education system often suffocates children and takes faith out of them. If what children learn in classrooms relates to their daily life, then the children will know what change they can bring and see the change.”

Based on this philosophy, Sethi launched several initiatives to empower children and make the world a better place. 

One of them is Design for Change (DFC), which is the world’s largest movement for change, involving 22 lakh children and 65,000 teachers from over 60 countries.

DFC encourages children to apply the FIDS model to identify and solve problems in their communities. Another initiative is aProCh, which stands for a Protagonist in every Child. 

This initiative aims to make cities more child-friendly by involving children in urban planning and design. 

For her innovative and inspiring work, Sethi was awarded the Ashoka Fellowship in 2008.

The Unique Learning Approach of Riverside School :

Riverside School is not a conventional school that follows a rigid and standardized curriculum. 

Instead, it is a school that fosters creativity, curiosity, and collaboration among its students. 

The school does not have fixed periods or subjects, but rather integrates different disciplines and skills in a holistic and meaningful way. 

The school also does not confine learning to the classrooms, but rather extends it to the field, where students can experience real-world situations and challenges. 

The school uses the FIDS model as a framework for learning, which consists of four steps:

Feel: Students empathize with the problem and the people affected by it.

Imagine: Students brainstorm and generate possible solutions for the problem.

Do: Students plan and execute their chosen solution.

Share: Students reflect and share their learning and impact with others.

The FIDS model helps students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills. It also helps them cultivate a sense of agency, responsibility, and empathy. 

The school believes that by following the FIDS model, students can become lifelong learners and changemakers.

The Impact and Recognition of Riverside School : 

Riverside School has made a significant impact on the lives of its students, teachers, parents, and the society at large. 

The school has shown that innovation in education is possible and desirable, and that it can lead to positive outcomes for all stakeholders. 

The school has also shared its learning and practices with other schools worldwide through the Riverside Learning Centre (RLC), which offers workshops, training, and consultancy services. 

Sethi is also coming out with a book on the 22 years of learning at Riverside School.

The school has received numerous accolades and awards for its innovation and excellence. 

Apart from winning the World’s Best School Prize for Innovation by T4 Education, the school has also been featured in various media outlets and publications, such as The Guardian, The Times of India, Forbes, and TED. 

The school has also been invited to participate in various national and international events and forums, such as the UNICEF World Children’s Day, the Global Education and Skills Forum, and the World Economic Forum.

Riverside School is a shining example of how innovation in education can transform the lives of children and the world. 

The school has proven that education is not just about imparting knowledge, but also about inspiring action. The school has shown that every child can be an ‘I Can’ champion and a protagonist in their own story.

Conclusion :

The World’s Best Schools Awards 2023 are a celebration of the amazing work that schools around the world are doing to provide quality and relevant education for their students and to make a positive difference in their communities and the world. 

The awards also provide an opportunity for the schools to learn from each other and to collaborate for a better future. 

The winners of the awards have shown that innovation in education is possible and desirable, and that it can lead to positive outcomes for all stakeholders. By sharing their best practices and inspiring others, the winners of the awards are contributing to the global movement for change in education.

Content Source Courtesy : 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/riverside-is-worlds-best-innovative-school/amp_articleshow/104978664.cms

https://www.ptinews.com/news/international/ahmedabad-s-riverside-school-wins-world-s-best-school-prize-for-innovation/3/683377.html

https://biz.crast.net/ahmedabads-riverside-school-wins-worlds-best-school-award-for-innovation/