By Goya Dmytryshchak
Williamstown’s Lumineer Academy has been recognised as a world leader in education by global authority, the Finnish not-for-profit HundrED.
While policy makers and politicians from around the world often look to Finland for inspiration on improving their schools, the organisation has been studying what’s happening in Victorian classrooms.
Last year, HundrED, which receives funding from the Finnish government, chose the “education state” as its first location for a new project that identified Lumineer among 10 leaders.
The private Lumineer Academy in Williamstown, co-founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Susan Wu and principal Amanda Tawhai, uses the Luminaria Education Model aimed at preparing children for the future.
“In education, our work is to shape human beings who go on to shape society,” Ms Tawhai said.
“We can think of no greater issue or problem to work on that can universally benefit humankind. We aim to equip our children to be prepared for any version of the future world and to be highly capable and compassionate builders of that world.”
HundrED partnered with the Melbourne-based Education Changemakers, which runs teacher training, to assess the state’s best initiatives.
Education Changemakers programs director Louka Parry said the Lumineer Academy was a worthy inclusion.
“What is really interesting about Lumineer Academy is that they are trying to do it all simultaneously,” he said.
“This is a model where they have tried to take the best thinking from all over the world and here, in Melbourne, create a school that activates learners in a really powerful way.
“From First Principles, embedding systems-thinking, creating Makerspaces, being a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) and a SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) school – how can you really do it all? It’s fair to say that the team at Lumineer Academy are having a pretty amazing go.”
Lumineer Academy at 126 Nelson Place, Williamstown, will hold an open day on Sunday, October 28, from 10am-1pm.
Details: lumineer.edu.au
– with The Age
