NuVu had the pleasure of sitting down with our newest Visiting Expert, Ayush Gandhi, to learn about his background, expertise, and experience at NuVu thus far! Ayush is coaching the Ecological Intelligence studio this term.
What brings you to NuVu?
Growing up, I changed schools often due to my father's work, which exposed me to different types of students and systems. I noticed that while some curricula suited me, others left local classmates behind. This sparked a passion for exploring alternative education to cater to diverse needs. During my Young India Fellowship and Harvard experience, I encountered alternative learning methods like project-based learning. NuVu's focus on this approach, combined with its innovative spirit, drew me in. Being here has validated a lot of thoughts that I had about alternative education itself. Like is it feasible? Should testing be done? How do you convert grades so that it becomes ready for colleges? How do you apply to colleges? These questions are very real and they're happening in front of me at NuVu. I’m learning how alternative education needs to be spaced, needs to be shaped, and what are the challenges that different alternative schools can come across.
What do you think is the most important skill to develop for someone who is interested in alternative education?
I would value empathy the highest because of the importance of recognizing that there are different learning methods and different ways of being in general. It opens your eyes to the diverse needs and learning styles students have. This awareness paves the way for designing truly inclusive and impactful alternative education experiences.
What excites you most about the future of alternative education?
For me, it's revolutionizing assessments - how to change the standardized assessments that currently exist in the mainstream. How do we assess students of a project-based learning curriculum with standardized testing? It can’t be done. So we have to change the assessment itself. Imagining dynamic, project-based assessment methods that truly capture individual growth - that's what excites me the most about the future.
Ayush is dedicated to fostering community via the lens of education, creating a sense of belonging. He is passionate about Alternative K-12 education with a Master's in Education from Harvard. As a versatile professional, Ayush has an interdisciplinary profile in education and software engineering. His skills encompass programming, teaching, and a passion for cooking and traveling. A Young India Fellow, Ayush blends technical expertise with a commitment to social impact. He currently is also the Chief Community Officer of Ed-Insite, a community platform for professional development of K-12 educators centering INSITE: Inclusion, Nourishment, Social Impact, Transformation and Equity.
Connect with him on Social Media!
