Marsal School Delegation Visits Schools and Teachers in India

In October, Dean Elizabeth Birr Moje, professors Angela Calabrese Barton and Chris Torres, and Marsal Director of Development and Alumni Relations Krissa Rumsey traveled to India to host a day of workshops on Democracy and Agency in Education, which were held in Mumbai. Over the course of a week, the delegation visited both New Delhi and Mumbai with the goals of learning about the Indian education system and exploring opportunities for partnership.

Starting in New Delhi, Marsal representatives met with Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia and members of his team at the Sarvodaya Vidyalaya Government Co-Ed School, where teachers are implementing project- and place-based learning. The meeting was arranged by Reena Gupta, the spouse of a U-M alum, who serves as an advisor to Delhi's Minister of Environment. Gupta told the Marsal group that the union territory's current political administration—led by members of the Aam Aadmi Party—is making investments in education like never before. She was excited to show visitors from U-M what a government-funded school looks like when such a commitment is made.

At the Shiv Nadar School, a private institution, visitors from Marsal Education were given a tour by members of the senior class—including some who are applying to U-M! Innovation and entrepreneurship are emphasized throughout the school's education goals. The school also offers an International Baccalaureate track.

"The students told us about their capstone projects. One has an interest in music, and developed a wellness app to provide music therapy. Another student had developed a sensor to detect levels of methane in trash, which can contribute to dangerous fires. It sounds an alarm to the local fire department when levels get too high," says Rumsey. The group came away from the tour with many ideas for potential collaboration, including connecting students at Shiv Nadar with those at The School at Marygrove.

Another goal of the trip was to explore opportunities with learning leaders and organizations that fund education in India. While in New Delhi, the group met with Geeta Goel at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation India LLP. Goel is the managing director for the foundation's India operations, which serve to transform the lives of urban low-income communities through improved education, livelihoods, and financial inclusion. The foundation supports numerous educational initiatives in India to provide greater opportunities for students and teachers, including a recent project that involved training teachers through WhatsApp.

In Mumbai, professors Calabrese Barton and Torres led workshops for teachers from across the city at the Democracy and Agency in Education Workshop, held at the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. Calabrese Barton's presentation, "Science and Democracy: Teaching for Social Justice and STEM Agency," explored how democracy and agency play out in science education. In his presentation, "Democratizing Teachers' Professional Learning: Instructional Rounds," Torres introduced the concept of instructional rounds and how they are used to make teacher evaluation a more democratic process.

The group was hosted by Calabrese Barton's former student, Purvi Vora, who, along with her colleague Sangita Kapadia, founded Reniscience. Reniscience is an education consulting firm and think tank born out of a desire to promote learning that is empowering, joyful, and relevant to the 21st-century learner. In addition to the workshops, Vora and Kapadia arranged visits to schools they partner with across the city, including Shikha Academy, the Hasanat School, and the DN Nagar School.

A key component of the trip was an event hosted by the University of Michigan India Alumni Association featuring remarks by Dean Moje and Dean Jonathan Massey from the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. Moje spoke about U-M's Vision 2034, which kicks off a new focus on global education by working with alumni.

"We're excited to partner with people on campus to extend the visibility of the Marsal School around the world," says Moje. "Thank you to Ravi Pendse, the university's vice president for information technology and chief information officer, and to our colleagues at the Taubman School for their collaboration on this trip. The Office of International Giving was invaluable in helping us forge connections in India, especially Brodie Remington, executive director, International Giving; Eun Ja Yu, senior director, International Giving and Engagement; and Gayatri Penmetsa, director, International Giving and Engagement. And my deepest gratitude to the U-M India Club for hosting us in Mumbai. Together, we are building partnerships that engage the whole globe while serving the Michigan community, in service of Vision 2034 goals to engage education communities globally."