Round Square
| File:Round Square logo.jpg Round Square logo | |
| Type | International Organization of Member Schools |
|---|---|
Membership | New schools inducted by election of member schools |
Official language | Working language is English |
| Website | www.roundsquare.org |
The Round Square is a not-for-profit network of schools in 40 countries on five continents that collaborate on a holistic approach to learning. The Round Square approach guides students into becoming well-rounded, informed, responsible, principled and confident global citizens. The Round Square schools build and benefit from a mutually supportive network that shares resources, ideas, methods, experience, opportunities, locally, regionally and internationally.
History
The concept of Round Square was conceived in 1966 and owes much to the heritage of Kurt Hahn, who founded two of our original member schools, Schule Schloss Salem in Germany, with Prince Max of Baden, and Gordonstoun in Scotland. Both schools were founded on a commitment to equip youth for leadership and service in a democracy by helping them to prepare for life despite hardships, dangers, and challenges of the moment.
In 1966, King [Constantine] of the Hellenes, a former pupil of Anavryta (later a founding Round Square Member School), Chaired a meeting of the Heads of seven schools and proposed an idea.
The idea, developed between Jocelin Winthrop-Young, a pupil of both schools and later the Headmaster of Anavryta school, the Markraf of Baden and His Majesty, was the creation of an international alliance of schools. Their binding principles would derive from Kurt Hahn‘s teachings, and whose students might be prepared to provide practical support to communities in need, as Salem’s pupils had done after the earthquake at Argostoli in the Ionian Islands in 1954. The association was later named after the Round Square building at Gordonstoun, where the first conference took place in 1967.
Philosophy
Round Square schools are characterised by a shared belief in an approach to education based on six pillars, or IDEALS, drawn from the theories of education philosopher Kurt Hahn:
- International understanding, empathy and tolerance for all cultures
- Democratic governance and justice
- Environmental stewardship
- Adventure, motivating self-discovery and courage
- Leadership, with courage and compassion
- Service to others
The common goal is to develop every student into a whole person through academic, physical, cultural and spiritual experiences. The RS method recognises that learning is most effective when it is experiential, cross-cultural and collaborative, and when it is infused through a broad spectrum of inter-, extra- and intra-curricula activities.
There are more than 60 Round Square schools in Africa, Australia, Asia, Continental Europe, India, the Middle East, North America, South America, and the United Kingdom.
Activities
Exchanges
A key feature of the Round Square experience is the exchanges of students and academic staff between member schools. Teacher exchanges may last for one academic year, and student exchanges vary but are usually one or two terms or semesters in duration. Each individual Round Square School sets its own terms and conditions for exchange and provides its own requirements, information and advice. Round Square schools wishing to arrange an exchange can find a partner by logging in and using the exchange online tools.
Round Square International Service Projects
Every Round Square school encourages and expects students to take part in a range of community service activities both locally and internationally. Many projects are run through the school and further opportunities are available via the Round Square Region, Network and Worldwide Organisation.
Round Square service projects deliver dual benefits. They meet very real and urgent needs in communities in some of the poorest parts of the world whilst also enabling Round Square students to develop a sense of responsibility and leadership skills through learning how to be of service to others.
Conferences
There are a conferences that allow student delegates to meet from around the world and progress Round Square.