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From Experts to Co-Learners: How Parents Can Grow with Their Children

“What do I say when my child asks me a question I can’t answer?” A Shiv Nadar School parent shared this during a coffee meet. Her child had come home after a school unit on climate change, filled with questions she hadn’t anticipated. “I tried to look things up,” she said. “But I realised I was more anxious than helpful. I didn’t know what I was supposed to say.” It was an honest admission, and one that rang true for all of us.

Over the past decade, the world has become increasingly interconnected, unpredictable, and complex. Technology is evolving faster than it can be regulated. Climate change is no longer a distant concern. Global workforces are shifting. AI is rewriting how knowledge is created, stored and accessed.

But while the world has changed, the way many of us were raised, and the instincts we rely on as parents, remain largely the same. We focus on performance and look for certainty. We lean on familiar milestones, which is understandable, but not always helpful.

At Shiv Nadar School, future-readiness is built into the way students learn. Since no student learns in isolation, the school works closely with families. The goal is to help parents move from outcome-driven expectations to growth-oriented understanding.

As one educator put it, we’re not just preparing children for jobs. We’re preparing them to solve problems that don’t exist yet.

Why the Old Model Falls Short

For many years, the assumption was simple: if children performed well in school, they would succeed in life. This created a clear path. Study hard, secure good marks, and choose a stable career. That model was designed for a predictable world. Today’s reality is different.

Students growing up now may need to switch careers multiple times. They will make decisions without complete information and collaborate with people across cultures, time zones and disciplines. For this, just subject knowledge is not sufficient.

At Shiv Nadar School, the goal is to move beyond rote learning and foster critical thinking, creativity, and effective communication, skills that are vital for success in the 21st century. The International Baccalaureate (IB) program helps build these capacities. Students are not taught what to think. They are supported in learning how to think.

This shift is visible in everyday classroom practice. In the Primary Years Programme (PYP), children inquire into real-world themes such as identity, fairness or responsibility. These are not abstract discussions. They are grounded in local context, classroom experiences and personal stories.

In the Middle Years Programme (MYP), students draw connections across subjects. A science lesson may link to social justice. A design project may respond to a community need. Students are encouraged to think across disciplines.

In the Diploma Programme (DP), elements such as the Extended Essay, CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service), and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) give students space to investigate, reflect and act. These are not add-ons. They are part of how students grow.

The Shift in Parenting

Parents often feel they need to have the answers. However, in a world where the questions themselves keep changing, the role of the parent is shifting. Children do not need experts at home; they need co-learners.

Co-learning is a mindset. It means staying open to new ideas, even when they challenge your own. It means asking questions together and showing your child that learning continues beyond school. As one teacher explained, you don’t need to know all the answers but just need to keep asking good questions.

This supports academic growth and creates emotional safety. Children feel more comfortable sharing uncertainty, making mistakes and exploring different perspectives.

One parent put it simply: when I stopped asking, “What marks did you get?” and started asking, “What made you curious today?”, our conversations changed completely. Children are more likely to open up when they do not feel evaluated. Curiosity invites dialogue. Over time, that builds trust.

Small Shifts That Matter

This shift does not require new tools. It requires a change in what we choose to notice. If you would like to try this at home, here are three small ways to begin:

• Instead of asking what your child learned, try: “What are you still wondering about?”
• Share one thing you learned this week from a book, article or conversation.
• When your child asks a difficult question, say: “Let’s figure it out together.”

These signals matter. They tell children it is normal not to know something and valuable to keep learning.

What Shiv Nadar School Makes Possible

At our school, families are participants in the learning process. Parent workshops, classroom showcases, community events and reflection sessions are designed with this in mind. These are shared spaces where parents can listen, observe and think alongside their children.

In classrooms, curiosity and care are part of the curriculum. In the school's culture, they are an integral part of every interaction. IB frameworks provide structured opportunities for students to reflect, take initiative and engage with real-world ideas. Shiv Nadar School ensures that families have space to participate in this journey. This includes more than just report cards or events. It includes everyday moments of learning and connection.

It is normal to feel unsure. Parenting in a changing world can feel overwhelming. But you are not required to stay ahead of your child. You just need to stay with them.

Co-learning is not about doing more. It is about paying attention differently. We can’t predict the future. We can raise children who are ready to shape it.