Mobile Creativity Labs: Scaling STEAM Across India

Mobile Creativity Labs: Scaling STEAM Across India

Author: Ethical Schools May 15, 2025 Duration: 40:31
We speak with Dr. David Penberg and Adhirath Sethi about Agastya, a unique educational ecosystem serving students and teachers in 22 Indian states. Agastya has a hub-and-spokes design, with an elaborate 172-acre campus outside Bangalore and a fleet of mobile vans and bicycles delivering science and art programming to poor and rural children in far-flung towns and villages. Overview00:00-00:43 Intros 00:43-03:26 Agastya’s programs 03:26-04:51 Arts and interdisciplinary learning environment 04:51-07:58 Teacher training 07:58-11:10 Young Instructional Leader program 11:10-11:52 Ages of girls who started the YIL program 11:52-13:33 Where the YIL do their work 13:33-17:02 Teachers learning in the ways that students learn 17:02-18:43 Alignment with Nell Noddings’s “ethic of care” 18:43:21:48 Relationships with animals other than human 21:48-24:09 Common elements with schools like Central Park East in different settings 24:09-26:14 Agastya relationships based on trust 26:14-27:27 Agastya as a source of inspiration 27:27-29:07 Agastya’s vision of reaching more children 29:07-30:33 Relevance to U.S. 30:33-35:49 Measuring success 35:49-38:19 Adhirath’s book about Agastya: The Moving of Mountains 38:19- OutroTranscriptClick here to listen to the full transcription of this episode. References Agastya International Foundation: agastya.org Book The Moving of Mountains: The Remarkable Story of the Agastya International Foundation by Adhirath Sethi (on Linkedin) Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Conversations about education often focus on test scores and curriculum, but there’s a deeper layer that truly shapes a student’s experience. Ethical Schools digs into that layer, exploring what it means to build a learning community grounded in integrity and care. Each week, hosts Amy and Jon sit down with educators and innovators who are actively reimagining schools. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions about the practical work of creating environments where every student feels safe and respected. The dialogue frequently addresses how to support young people dealing with trauma, moving beyond theory to share actionable strategies that teachers are using right now. More than just problem-solving, this podcast highlights how to empower students themselves to become advocates and changemakers in their own communities. It’s a series that connects philosophy with daily practice, looking at the social and cultural structures within schools through a lens of ethics. For anyone invested in the future of education-whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply a concerned community member-this podcast offers a thoughtful and necessary perspective on the foundational values that make education meaningful.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Ethical Schools
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