Which are some unique schools across the globe?
This is seventh heaven
How does democracy work in a school? Here, students are free to decide whether to attend class or sit and read a book. Students are also free to leave a class if they don't find it interesting enough. There's absolutely no homework and best of all, students get to decide the rules by conducting meetings. Too good to be true, you might think, but there really is a school like this - Brooklyn Free School in the USA. The education here is so unique; students get to engage in cheese tasting or attend a seminar on astrology. If only all schools understood our needs like this one!
Education on a boat
What happens when it rains heavily? You only wish that it'll be declared a holiday at school. In Bangladesh, monsoon rains and floods are common and that means kids can't travel to school. Instead, the school drops in to pick up the kids! 23 boat schools cruise the rivers picking up enthusiastic kids. Clearly, climate change and natural disasters are no barriers to the children's yearning for education.
Cubicle-ready students
Why wait till you're in your twenties for workplaces and cubicles? At Flex Academy there are no classrooms. Instead, there are hundreds of cubicles for the students ranging in age from 3 to 12, who are encouraged to learn on their own. While teachers are available, they help only when asked. In fact, it might even be necessary to set up an email appointment with a teacher for assistance! This is still in an experimental stage, but the idea of self motivated studying is definitely exhilarating.
Relax and learn
Imagine a large space where more than 350 students gather to learn in an open setting. Kids work together in groups and gather inside spacious drums with cozy beanbags to discuss and collaborate on projects. You need not carry bags or books as everything is digital here - innovative and eco-friendly.
Returning to our roots
True to its name, the Mid Cave Primary School in Guizhou, China, operates inside a massive cave. We might think of several problems with education inside a cave, but the teachers are completely optimistic. They point out how the acoustics in the cave are perfect for song practices. And what could be a better place to learn geography and biology? Needless to mention, the ample shadows ensure that no one copies during exams! Sadly, this school was closed down as the government believed that 'China is not a society of cavemen'.
An uphill task
Imagine a school literally located amidst the clouds. The Gulu Elementary School in China is precariously-perched atop a mountain, but it doesn't deter the children from attending classes. Surrounded by canyons, overhanging rocks and sheer precipices, the journey to the school is anything but easy. The path is full of sudden turns and bends, some as narrow as 40 cms! The school includes a playground but the kids have to be careful not to throw the ball too far as someone would then have to trek down the mountain to fetch it! On the bright side, kids who can pull this off will find no challenge in life daunting.
Picture Credit : Google