We believe learning that makes a difference needs to be experiential. This is not a place for dry lectures, but rather for active learning that connects in many different ways with both the head and the heart. It needs to involve all students not just an elite or those with roles. A strengths-based approach is critical.
Click here to understand better our approach.
It also needs to be affordable. There is much that can be done in schools with average or even meagre means that can build a purpose-based, strengths-focused culture.
We work with schools to develop a whole-school approach that helps individual students and teachers, but also develops the culture of the school as a whole in all facets of what it does.
We don’t believe in one size fits all! Rather, we want to work with you to design something to suit your situation. The following will give you an idea of how we might work with you to achieve your goals.
How we work with a school – an example of the process:
Participating schools identify key teachers to anchor activities at their school, and who work with a New River teacher to design, implement and review particular learning components with students.Students engage in activities, workshops, classroom exercises and experiences (facilitated by either school or New River staff or both) to help them identify and use their leadership strengths.
Key teachers participate in New River Leadership intensives (8 days over six-months) for their own growth and to strengthen their ability to implement programmes in their schools. If appropriate we can design an intensive for your school’s specific needs. Alternatively, teachers can participate alongside others in our general intensives. Both possibilities have particular advantages to explore.
Over time the school takes over and maintains a range of learning components for students at different stages, integrating this material and thinking into all aspects of school life and culture including:
- team, group and camps activities
- other areas of the syllabus where intentionally exploring leadership contributions and strengths is a natural extension
- the thinking of the whole school community and the families that support it.