A week in a different high school: Students from LT “Aristotle” and LT “Spiru Haret” experienced a new learning environment

Between February 17-21, a group of eight students from the Republican Theoretical High School “Aristotle” and eight students from the Theoretical High School “Spiru Haret” participated in an exchange of experience between the two institutions. This opportunity gave the pupils the chance to experience a different educational system, to get to know a new staff and teachers and to adapt to a new learning environment.

Over the course of a week, the pupils attended classes with their new colleagues, exploring a different way of organizing the educational process. Among the aspects that caught the attention of the participants were the freedom of choice of subjects of study in the LT “Spiru Haret”, the interactive teaching methods and the collegial atmosphere among the students.

For Ghiluță Andreea, a student in grade XI “A” at LTR “Aristotel”, this experience was a unique one, giving her the opportunity to understand a different approach to school subjects.

“The exchange with IPLT “Spiru Haret” was a great opportunity to meet passionate and dedicated young people and teachers. Studying for a week with the Haretian humanists, I had the opportunity to witness a different and interesting interpretation of literary texts and historical events. I savored the physics and math lessons, since I had excluded them from the individual timetable, and enjoyed revisiting experiments in curricular extensions and theories that needed to be practically demonstrated. I was surrounded by warm, intelligent and very inquisitive people, which made me forget that I was not at LTRA, but at Spiru Haret.”

On the other hand, Bahneanu Martin, a student in grade XI “A” at IPLT “Spiru Haret”, was impressed by the way the students at “Aristotle” manage their studies and the close-knit community they form.

“If Aristotle had been a student here, he would probably have repeated the quote: ‘The pleasure of labor brings its perfection.'” And indeed, it is much easier to become good at something when you have the freedom to choose your own educational path. At your high school, I sensed that this freedom is not just a theoretical concept, but an everyday reality. A reality in which every student has the opportunity to shape his or her study program according to his or her passions and goals, dropping subjects that don’t represent him or her. But once I got into the groove, I realized that this freedom comes with its own challenge: when you have a choice, you have to take responsibility for your choices. What surprised me most was the cordial atmosphere between you outside class. The longer breaks and time spent together, whether at school or in the dorm, create a different bond – a more relaxed, closer one. It feels like you are not just colleagues sharing the same classes, but a community living and learning together.”

Such initiatives bring essential benefits for both the pupils and the institutions involved. They make it possible to compare educational methods, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and stimulate critical thinking and adaptability.

In addition, exchanges contribute to pupils’ personal development, helping them to broaden their horizons, understand the importance of educational diversity and discover new interests and skills. These programs should become a tradition, thus strengthening collaboration between educational institutions and giving students unforgettable experiences.