About

My name is Jaya Ramchandani. I am an international educator, born in Liberia, raised in India, and now living and working around the world. I began my career in publishing, helping non-native English speakers from Asia publish in top-tier science journals. I then transitioned into astronomy outreach, leading a number of informal learning projects, including India's first art-science festival, The Story of Light.

Since moving into formal education in 2018, I have taught IBDP Physics at UWC ISAK Japan, the UN International School in New York, and UWC Atlantic College in Wales, where I currently live and work.

My expertise lies in designing learning environments that incorporate inquiry-based, experiential, project-based, blended, self-directed, and critical pedagogy. I tailor learning experiences along a continuum of learner agency — from structured guidance to open-ended exploration — depending on student needs:

• Structured: I define the learning objectives, methods, and pace, focusing on connecting new information to students’ prior knowledge, while building skills and deepening understanding.

• Guided: Students participate in shaping their learning goals and methods within a framework I provide. My role is to coach and support them in their journey of discovery and knowledge construction.

• Open: Students independently set their learning goals and methods. Here, I act as a facilitator, enabling self-directed exploration and emphasizing autonomy.

I am passionate about leveraging technology to expand learning opportunities, and connecting students to the community and the environment around them to apply learning in real-world contexts. My approach is rooted in building strong relationships with students — understanding who they are, what motivates them, and how they aspire to engage with the world — so I can better guide them toward discovering their identities, shaping their own paths, and contributing meaningfully to the world around them.

Slide content - Self, Roberta Rodriquez, and Nico Gysbers (Worked Examples - Hodder, Tsokos, and Paper Plainz)

Graphic organizers - Carolyn Nickelo

Geogebra Sims - Thomas Walsh

The development of this resource site is self-funded. Google Doc versions of all digital resources are available under a Creative Commons, Attibution-NonCommertial International License.  A donation will enable me to create new materials and continuously update and enhance existing ones, keeping them accessible to a global network of teachers and self-directed learners.