What we do:
At KER, we aim to create a movement of students and educators who reimagine education together. We believe that this movement will lead us to our vision which is - 'All kids will unleash their potential for a reimagined world.’
KER is a platform for educators and students to explore and experiment with 3 Principles and a set of skills called the 8Cs (described below). This exploration is done through discussions and different virtual and in-person spaces such as webinars, online courses, retreats, workshops, summits and also through sharing of resources from our website and social media.
As mentioned above, our work is anchored in the learning and building of3 core Principles:
• Safe Space for Voice: We believe that a safe space is a place where kids can be who they are and say what they believe. Equally, it is a space where they practice listening to what others say without judgment and valuing others for who they uniquely are. Safe spaces can look like honest conversations, circles of dialogue and listening and classrooms where mistakes are integral stepping stones to learning.
• Kids and Educators as Partners: We believe that partnership in education is where educators and students listen to and learn from each other. It shifts control and decision making from being in the hands of the adult to sharing power and responsibility with students. It enables students to play a role at all levels of the education system in determining why education matters, what education should be and how it should be delivered. Partnership can look like peer-to-peer learning or mentoring, students actively involved in school governance, students speaking at education conferences and students advising the government on education policy.
• Kids as Changemakers: We believe that when kids identify a problem they care about and go through a process to find a solution they grow in their learning and leadership in unprecedented ways. We have seen children of all ages and diverse backgrounds engage in community change and grow both as students and as citizens in the process.
Additionally, the skills or 8Cs that will ensure that our students and educators thrive in the 21st century world are:
• Creativity
• Collaboration
• Critical Thinking
• Communication
• Compassion
• Courage
• Curiosity
• Consciousness
All of this, along with the need to bring change through the approach of love will help us reimagine education.
Why we do it:
We exist because we believe that the purpose of education needs to change as it is currently not setting up children for success. Over the years, we’ve seen that the quality of learning in schools remains low, graduation rates limit further life choices, adults do not listen to children, and that holistic education is still a nascent thought for many. The vast majority of our children will therefore grow up ill-prepared for a life of economic equality, personal fulfillment and broad contribution to the world.
Our children tell us that they want education to be different. They want an education that gives them freedom of choice and equality to work in partnership with their teachers, an education that cultivates compassion, trust and joy, an education that gives them a safe space to be their authentic selves and to raise their voice, and an education that is fun and gives them access and exposure to opportunities, arts and sports.
Thus, KER is a bold collective of students and educators who look into the mirror, knowing that we must reimagine education to create a better world.
Our hope for next year:
KER will become a recognized global platform that works towards driving a reimagined education for all children. Through students in governance, and amplification of innovations, we will feel the ripples of change all around the world as the 3 Principles and 8Cs will become the new normal for the 80,000 educators and students we work with.
