Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious was the longest word I knew in first grade, though I couldn’t have spelled it (confession: I had to spell-check that, so I guess I still can’t spell it). The longest word Akash Vukoti knows is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, which is - incidentally - the longest word in any English dictionary and also Akash’s favorite word - and for the record, it’s a type of lung disease.

The six-year-old was the youngest participant in this year’s National Spelling Bee, and competed against children more than twice his age. Akash entered his first spelling bee at age 2 and and has maintained a passion for spelling ever since. Though he didn’t make it to the final rounds, his love of learning is evident. He’s a great example of the importance of education and the way people wholeheartedly pursue areas of knowledge that appeal to them.

Akash and other students with unusual interests illustrate why education needs to be reimagined. Around the world there are children with passions they would love to explore, but who are unable to access meaningful education. Progress is being made, but a lot more has to be done.

In the more remote villages of Timor-Leste, families would love to send their eager children to school, but the schools are too far away and too expensive. Initiatives like UNICEF’s alternative preschool and parenting education programme create informal learning environments led by trained volunteers that follow the national curriculum. This is supplemented with education sessions for parents who oftentimes never had a full education. In this way, the kids receive a rounded learning experience full of support.

With internet access, massively open online courses (MOOCs) like Coursera and Khan Academy are opening up worlds of knowledge to students. MOOCs allow students to interact with one another while taking courses with professors from institutions like Johns Hopkins University and Berklee College of Music. These course are free and, because they can be completed remotely, eliminate travel costs.

Unfortunately, there some inherent limitations. Using them requires connectivity and presumes basic education and literacy skills. They have yet to tackle teaching basic literacy, but with courses offered by renowned institutions like Stanford, they have had success in providing access to more advanced areas of study. Skillshare, an online “open” education platform aimed at creatives, is following suit and expanding its reach internationally. The platform allows people to teach skills, like graphic design and cooking techniques, to each other which could enable people to learn practical skills.

The marketing company Lew’Lara\TBWA, in partnership with the Dorina Nowill Foundation, is taking a more old school approach to extending educational access to people. Together they’ve created Braille Bricks, Lego pieces altered to include braille lettering. The toys are a good tool for teaching young children how to read and spell in braille, as well as a great way for blind children to teach sighted children how to use the braille system. Braille Bricks not only serve as a teaching tool in the academic sense, but could also be helpful in bridging the gap between between blind and sighted children in playtime.

In Syria, one school has taken a unique approach to education. Her Yerde Sanat, meaning “Art Everywhere,” is a circus school for refugees near the border of Syria. In addition to juggling and stilt-walking, children are taught Arabic and Turkish. Often, refugee children are prevented from attending school in their country of refuge because they do not speak the language of instruction or are unable to gain the necessary permissions to attend public schools. Learning these languages at Her Yerde Sanat can help students work toward attending public school and acclimating to their host country. The school provides an environment that fosters community and helps return a sense of normalcy to the children as well.

From mobile apps like DuoLingo that “game-ify” learning to unique schools like Urban Prep Academies, Waldorf schools, and Montessori schools, education approaches are pushing outside the box. These innovative solutions are just a handful of ways that ensure that every child has equal access to quality education.

Every child deserves an education solution that meets his/her needs. Akash is home-schooled. That’s the solution that works for him. He gets to study the subjects he likes at a pace that works for him. As educational initiatives take different approaches and try new tactics, more children like Akash will have meaningful opportunities to quench their thirst for knowledge. Soon we’ll all be waxing poetic in a sesquipedalian fashion - that is to say, using (and spelling) long words.

TopicsEducationLearningSpelling Bee

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