Tenzin Dorji

Driven by a passion for transformative education, my research aims to bridge Western Australian alternative schooling models with Bhutan's educational landscape to foster holistic child development through community-based experiential learning. I am interested in studying the Western Australian alternative schooling community and aspire to create a sustainable and contextually relevant alternative schooling model that promotes community development in Bhutan. Through my work, I seek to address the educational needs of Bhutanese students and contribute to global discourse on educational innovation and diversity.

• Casual Academic, Murdoch University, Perth, February 2024 –, Currently, I am serving as a tutor for a master's program (COD503) in community development and an undergraduate unit for career learning (MSP 100). My tasks include facilitating tutorial sessions and grading assignments closely following the unit coordinators’ instructions.
• School Development Consultant, Paro Elementary School, Bhutan, June – Dec. 2023, Following my master’s degree with a major in Education and Human Resource Development from Japan, I was recruited as a short fixed-term consultant by Paro Elementary School to study and address their declining enrolment concerns. I successfully conducted market research, gathering insights into evolving educational trends and parents’ preferences for a holistic schooling approach. I did a comprehensive assessment of existing educational programs, benchmarking them against offerings in leading private and public schools. Based on the aforementioned methods, I developed a strategic roadmap for school expansion in close collaboration with school leadership, teachers, and parents.
• ESL Teacher, SEIHA English Academy, Japan, June 2022 – February 2023, During my post-graduate studies in Japan, I was recruited by SEIHA English Academy as a part-time English teacher. My responsibilities included teaching English to Japanese students through both classroom instruction and experiential learning methods. I planned and executed lessons for students learning English as a foreign language, incorporating outdoor lessons and excursions with a central theme of enhancing English competencies. Additionally, I utilised play-based learning to make English language acquisition enjoyable and engaging for younger students.
• Vice Principal, ELC High School, Bhutan, January 2016 – December 2020, In 2015, I was offered the position of vice principal at ELC High School, which opened in 2016. I chose to join ELC High School, leaving a secure civil service job in the public school system to explore alternative approaches to education beyond the formal curriculum. ELC High School's vision of ‘EduCaring for Universal Happiness and Wellbeing’ closely aligned with my educational philosophy. As part of the founding leadership team, I played a crucial role in establishing ELC High as one of the premier private schools in Bhutan, championing innovative experiential education alongside the mandated government curriculum. From naming the school to developing core policies, from recruiting and training teachers to implementing curriculum mandates, and from fostering local and international educational partnerships to hosting exchange programs, I played a crucial role in the inception and strong foundation of ELC High, on which the school is flourishing today. Today, ELC High is highly regarded for its commitment to innovative learning programs. It has partnered with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Mind and Life Institute, the Contentment Foundation, and Design for Change, among other global and local institutions. Harvard University’s Making Caring Common Project has recognised the school as a Caring School Champion., Introduced Restorative Justice practices, replacing punitive disciplinary approaches., Organised 7 international student exchange programs between 2016 and 2020, including the National Geographic Student Expedition., Achieved ranking among the Top 10 Schools in Bhutan in 2018 and 2019 by the Ministry of Education and Skills Development of Bhutan., Ranked 2nd among schools in the capital city of Bhutan.
• Teacher, Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Bhutan, February 2012 – December 2015, As a public-school teacher, I taught at Dagapela Middle Secondary School (2013–2015) and Lungtengang Primary School (2012-2013), where I taught English and Social Studies to grades PP through 10. I spearheaded the English Literacy Development program by conducting various literary programs and competitions and headed the English Department. Additionally, I initiated the audio recording of the novel ‘The Giver,’ and served as the Literary Club coordinator and Design for Change Club coordinator. I received an award for innovative and life skills-based teaching while at Dagapela Middle Secondary School.

• Adaptive Leadership, Institute of Happiness, Thimphu, Bhutan, 2021
• Introduction to Data Wise: A Collaborative Process to Improve Learning & Teaching, Harvard University, Online, 2020
• Universal Prevention Curriculum for Substance Use: School-based Substance Use Prevention Interventions, Thimphu, Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan, 2019
• LEAD Alliance, International Republican Institute Mongolia, Mongolia, 2019
• Cultural Exchange Program, National Geographic Student Expeditions Project, Bhutan, 2017
• 21st Century Academic Assessment, Thimphu and Dagana, Bhutan, Thimphu and Dagana, Bhutan, 2014–2016
• Educational Assessment – Assessment of Learning, for Learning and as Learning, Royal Education Council, Bhutan, 2013
• GNH in Education, Royal Education Council, Bhutan, 2012 & 2013
• Multi-grade Teaching, Bhutan, Bhutan, 2011

• Unraveling Teacher Stressors in Bhutan: A Qualitative Exploration of Contributing Elements, Frontiers in Education, in review, Dorji, T., 2024
• Rethinking the Label: Is the Term ‘Alternative’ Misleading in Education Discourse?, Unpublished manuscript, Dorji, T., 2024
• Curriculum Autonomy for Bhutanese Schools - A Fitting Solution to the Current Crisis in Bhutanese Education System, Indonesian Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 2, 2, 133-139, 10.56916/ijess.v2i2.473, Dorji, T., 2023
• Qualitative Exploration of Teacher Stress Formulation- Perspective of Teachers in Bhutan, Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Dorji, T., 2023
• On the Change of Academic Assessment, Kuensel, Dorji, T., 2021-09-01
• What’s Wrong with our Education System, Kuensel, 11, Dorji, T., 2021-06-19
• In Favor of Curriculum Autonomy, Kuensel, 11, Dorji, T., 2019-08-12
• B.Ed. Pre-service Teachers’ Attitude Towards English Language, Rig-Ter, 6, 33, Dorji, T., 2012
• B.Ed. Pre-service Teachers’ Attitude Towards English Language, Poster Presentation, Student Research Symposium-1, Dorji, T., 2011-05-06