Aron Solomon, CEO + Head of School, THINK Global School
One of the many stories of THINK Global School begins with Aron Solomon’s gut. Here is Aron Solomon, CEO + Head of School of THINK Global School via phone.
What Mr. Solomon leapt into, officially, is
“The world’s first globally mobile high school - a school that truly embraces the concept of ‘Education Without Walls.’ On a trimester basis, [TGS students] will study in three international each academic year, using the world as their classroom. The mission of THINK Global School is to empower students to become responsible world citizens and innovative leaders. [TGS] integrates the best parts of classroom and experiential learning - we interact, explore listen, learn, and grow. Ultimately, TGS seeks to make a tangible difference in our world.”
That’s right. Imagine not only going to high school in a different country, but imagine going to high school in a different country each trimester.
Mr. Solomon is not a stranger to many countries. Having been around the world an impressive number of times (53 trips to China, in fact) the self-described ‘global nomad’s’ journey is emblematic of the path TGS hopes to help pave. A path of understanding.
“What we’re doing at TGS is to increase and enhance people’s understanding of each other. If we understand each other, if we understand each other’s culture’s better, we’ll do better,” says Mr. Solomon.
To understand, however, requires taking a risk. When engaging with different cultures and places one challenges herself and her own boundaries. When Mr. Solomon chooses to eat at the taco cart he challenges boundaries and when TGS students land in a completely new environment they challenge boundaries. Why is that challenge important? To step outside of one's self, what does that teach us? My guess is that it teaches us humility and respect- values necessary to build community and understanding. Yet, how do community and understanding become realized as tangible ‘difference’ in the world? Let’s turn again to Mr. Solomon to see those values in action through his story about developing a project to help provide aid in the aftermath of the earthquake in Sichuan, China in 2008.
The youth going through TGS will be equipped to change the world because they have had the access; they have gained the knowledge necessary to operate among many different people and cultures. That knowledge, however, doesn't always come from a traditional classroom.
Again, Mr. Solomon
TGS provides the opportunity for immediate experience. Immediate experience focuses on the doing of something, action. The learning that takes place from action is harder to capture than a score on a test, but necessary when engaging with the world and figuring out how one fits in the scheme of things.
Think about a journey you've had to go on. No number or test can capture the significance of learning to depend on one's self, to find the agency necessary to act and create the world you imagine it can become. Confidence in one's ability to act within this world is the engine of change. If that confidence is coupled with compassion I think we can learn to be, as Mr. Solomon says, 'good guests'.
My interpretation of TGS is that it is setting up a framework where students can discover and act to find out “What would happen if we...” It is developing for itself a framework to develop 'good guests' (a term I find synonymous with leader) and one based on constant change. A new city every trimester. The identity of TGS constantly shifting, constantly in the midst of a new environment with new students from different backgrounds engaging with unfamiliar places. When you’re constantly in the midst of change how do you evaluate the world around you? I’d probably go back to the taco cart, do it with a little brains and a little gut.
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September 26th, 2009 - 18:49
Seth,
Thanks for being charitable with my ramblings – you’re a good man, and this project is truly amazing.
As my work in China is a central theme here, I’m providing the link to the blog I kept on the China relief project:
http://solomonchina.blogspot.com/
In looking back at the earthquake and the infinitely small role I played in the relief work in China, I’m drawn to this, the final two paragraphs of one of the most personal postings of my blog:
I can’t help but be drawn tonight to one of my favourite novels of all time, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. My mind drifts to Nick Carraway’s stunningly brilliant narrative first lines which, I would humbly opine, wrap up this blog entry quite well:
“In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages you’ve had.’ While reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope, I’ve come to admit that my tolerance of human behavior has its limits.”
September 29th, 2009 - 07:20
“Trust the line at the taco cart”, well said from a man who clearly understands social media.
Great post thank you Seth!
And thank you Aron, really enjoyed the anecdotes about your time in China.
September 29th, 2009 - 17:56
Very interesting – thanks Aron and Seth!
My first time venturing outside the US as a freshman in college changed my life – seeing the world open up yet shrink at the same time is a feeling I will never forget. Can’t say enough about how great a concept Think Global School is – particularly the emphasis on empowering responsible world citizens. Best of luck!
September 30th, 2009 - 06:27
Through multiple conversations with peers in college three consistent answers arose from asking the question: which experiences impacted you the most in your education?
1. studying abroad
2. service learning
3. field study/hands on research
I love that Aron is facilitating these opportunities for high school students. It is so essential to a holistic education! Thanks for this Aron and Seth.
September 30th, 2009 - 08:34
“To understand, however, requires taking a risk. When engaging with different cultures and places one challenges herself and her own boundaries.”
So very true. Scary, rewarding, empowering and interesting at the same time.
Thanks for yet another very good blog post, Seth. And thank you Aron for sharing your wisdom.
September 30th, 2009 - 22:51
Think Global School is touching upon some of the concepts that Jean Houston illustrates in her section on education from her book “A Mythic Life”.
I hope that being “a good guest” also includes a lot of listening and working to understand different cultures’ basic assumptions, perspectives on life, core values. I disagree that being a good guest is synonymous with being a leader. Being a leader may come later, but a good guest packs out what he/she packs in and leaves the place or the item in better condition than when he/she first arrived or took possession and notices, acknowledges, and is grateful for the qualities of the place or item.
Mr. Solomon is a gifted storyteller: painting vivid pictures while inspiring the listener (in this case, me) to do a little better in life.
Seth, what a great project. A breath of fresh air and inspirational, to boot! I would love to know, though, when these people knew and/or how it came to them that they needed to do the work that they do; from what core philosophy or guiding principles do they operate?
November 2nd, 2009 - 00:20
I am only echoing the other comments here, but what an incredible opportunity for high schoolers to have such worldly experiences and during such formative years. My own study abroad experience in Senegal while I was in college taught me more than the other 3 years I spent in the classroom and I developed a great deal as an individual. I always wished that experience had occurred earlier in my educational career since it had a big impact on my worldview and interests. My only question for TGS is why have African cities been left out of this program?
Keep on keepin’ on.
November 16th, 2009 - 10:12
Hannah – Africa will absolutely NOT be left out of who and what we are at TGS. Promise
First, we will soon announce a major scholarship programme aimed at students from Africa. How can we be a truly global school without African inclusion? This programme will provide access to a TGS education for African kids. In fact, this week, I’m interviewing a student applicant from Africa.
Second, I have worked hard over the past couple of months to forget alliances in places such as Ghana, Botswana, Swaziland and South Africa. I’ve even had a conversation with one of Richard Branson’s charitable arms that runs a leadership academy in SA.
Finally, yes, we are very open to having an African city as a TGS host city. I had some concrete discussions about that recently in Berlin and I’ll drive that forward.
So, again, you’re absolutely right and, I hope, we have that base covered.
Aron