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Anand Niketan : A journey of the last four Years (2005-2009)

Analytical Report

“Man is neither mere intellect, nor the heart or the soul alone. A proper and harmonious combination of all the three is required for making of the whole man and constitutes the true economics of education.”- Mahatma Gandhi.

1. Introduction: Way to the beginning of Anand Niketan

On the occasion of Ashadevi Aryanayakam Birth Centenary in 2004 an All India Conference on Education was organized in Sewagram. All the participants expressed their strong disapproval to the current system of education and expressed the need for ‘Nai Talim’ as an alternative vision to it. This was coincided by consultations with the like minded educational institutions and individuals who shared the same concern and were equally serious about initiating an alternative educational programme. The gravity of the national problem was huge. Not that the involved group wasn’t aware of the fact that education can not be looked in isolation with the other sectors of development; neither was it unaware of the fact that even a sub-systemic change in educational sector necessitates a very intensive and multidimensional effort; however, all of them firmly believed that the work could only begin with a concretely grounded first hand experienced work, which can then serve as an inspiring model for many. This was essential to build our own strength – moral, intellectual, pedagogical too. Everybody firmly believed that Nai Talim, a philosophical base with time appropriate changes, had the potential to provide the right direction to resolve the problem of development and education at both the levels- the global and the local. Those in education could also see an updated and a very sound pedagogical, psychological base held by Nai Talim along with the socio-cultural, economic, political and environmental base which ought to be there for any kind of education for developing a truly democratic, autonomous and yet interdependent world of strong self-reliant (in most ways for basic needs) communities aspiring for human global culture.

Thus, Nai Talim Samiti initiated and took up the responsibility and this resulted in the reopening of Anand Niketen in the same place and premise, Sewagram Ashram, on the 30th June2005, just a year after the Birth Centenary year of Shrimati Ashadevi i.e. 2004. The place held a glorious historical background of Nai Talim experiment for 40 years with Gandhiji’s Educational ideas brought in practice under the leadership of Shri. Aryanayakamji and Shrimati Ashadevi Aryanayakam. Starting a new school in the same premise was certainly not an easy task for the situation and the time had changed drastically in terms of science and technology, global trade and economy, changed lifestyles and aspirations held by majority of the people world over and within the country by the poor and the rich both. It has now become much more difficult to think of simple ways of living. However, we are also witnessing globally and nationally critical problems like huge pollution and greenhouse effect, environmental degradation, crisis of resources like water and energy, growing discrepancy between the rich and the poor, terrible 2 violence, growth of fundamentalism and terrorism simultaneously. Many of us tended to believe that it was only capitalism and open market that will help us grow and will take care of the most of the needs of the most in this world. Recent Global recession has proved that this is not true. Unguided market can prove to be fatal for all.

The world has come together through information technology, but the hearts are apart. Human mind is still not civilized enough to respect all human being irrespective of caste, class, creed, race or nation. Market based neo-colonization has established itself between and within the nation to an extent that we have lost the sensitivity to inhuman and arrogant display of affluence in the presence of utter poverty. We no more experience any value crisis within such displays. Use of all ways and means (wise or unwise) of getting wealth and power are largely permissible today. Science and technology is not being used on a priority basis to reduce the primary health, educational and poverty based issues so as to strengthen the masses- their health, nutrition and quality of life. It is rather being used to enhance market and establish power of a few over the masses.

Technological comforts, multiplicity of facilities and ownership of resources in this post industrial world hasn’t been useful in bringing piece to human mind. Unending material aspirations have lead to excessively harsh competition reducing space for compassion and sensitivity to other’s needs. All of us commonly witness manifestation of strong emotions like jealousy, competitiveness, hostility, greed, illusions, and anger. This in turn largely induces violence and rivalry among individuals in every field of life. International relationships, relationship between the people of different religions are becoming more and more hostile today. We also see many people experiencing helplessness, hopelessness and depression. Technological world and the comforts have not helped us in establishing a language of love, peace and cooperation; it has rather increased threat and insecurity of life and anxiety. Needless to say this is also affecting our relationship to children – within the families, in the school system and the society at large.

Impact of this social situation on education Education can not be looked in isolation. It is a sector of social life that equips children for the adult world. Education at one end is grounded in the universal understanding of the human mind and its working at different stages of life and at the other in equipping individuals with, knowledge and skill base required to lead a life.

The intension is not to reject the universality of knowledge and the scientific understanding being generated of the human mind ( of course all of us know that even this needs to be challenged not only for wrong methodologies and assumptions but also for wrong intentions). But the content of education- the curriculum and the pedagogy is largely a political formulation designed by those who are in power. A lot depends on what is the driving philosophy of those who are in power. With an overtly secular, socialist constitutional orientation, there was an effort done to some extent to take education formally to those who were outcast so far and principally it was assumed that through a combined effort of positive discrimination and meritocracy we should be in a position to provide education for masses and this would enable us to build a nation on a strong scientific and technological foundation. However, practically very little was done 3 on a priority basis irrespective of the number of commissions and their extensive reports with many radical recommendations, both - in terms of availing resources and effective implementation of education programme for the wellbeing of masses through provision of quality education. There have been many stakeholders at various levels besides those directly in political power, e.g. the huge lobby of teachers and the private management bodies from the rural elites who have also been in some ways responsible in not playing a fair role irrespective of enjoying the benefits of the structure. This has also been the reason why common people have lost faith in government schools.

The situation today is much worse, elementary education too being highly influenced by market forces. Unrestricted (?) privatization of school education, wasted interest of global forces in primary education, biased attitude maintained by government towards the schools under the local bodies where mainly poor children learn, and undue emphasis on English as a medium of instruction are adding to the earlier bookish and rigid education. School culture is becoming more and more competition oriented and marks based (though there have been repeated announcements about the basic reforms in evaluation techniques by education ministry). The consumerism of the larger world establishes the similar culture even in the schools. Our understanding about the existing system can be summarized as below:  It is extremely competitive in nature which helps to develop jealousy, distrust and violence.  It’s largely bookish and relies mainly on rote ways of learning i.e. memorization.  It tends to promote uniformity and fails to acknowledge and respect a socio- cultural and biological variation that gives uniqueness to each child.  It’s alienated from the life of the child and is thus non-responsive to it.  It pushes out a large percentage of students as dropouts labeling them as “failed”.  It fails to generate honour for physical work in the development of the child and thus help in widening the gap between the world of work and the world of intellect.  It produces a huge crop of unconcerned, self-centered individuals suitable for the growth of consumer culture.

Mahatma Gandhi visualized a need for Nai Talim (New Education also known as Basic Education for the children’s stage) for a new social order 10 years before independence, in 1937. For Gandhiji the goals of education and society were not separate nor could they be separated. His basic views were:

 Use the real world as your classroom and learn through life.  This real world was the closest environment in which children grow.  This real world is the world of adults, their relationships and occupations.  Nai Talim is to nurture an environment of love, cooperation and freedom.  He visualized a just world order directed towards the cooperative self-reliant neighbourhood societies - self-reliant in most basic needs.  He experienced an urgent need to integrate the physical labour and intellectual work for a new social order. Gandhiji pinpointed the advantages of such a learning 4

model.  Learning by doing is the best method of learning ever known. (It must be stated here that most modern cognitive and neuroscience research supports this contention).  Learning inputs are spread over the entire surrounding environment and the society which can easily be harnessed.  To students, this should be `learning through earning' at the later stage as students have to get into earning through the acquired learning. This parameter was added mainly to ensure the quality, skills and intellectual abilities of learning. Four years of work: Achievements and failures In the light of this philosophy and with the analytical understanding of the mainstream education the school began to function. We have completed four years of work now and thus, it is a good time to analytically think and look for the achievements and the failures too. The challenge would be to see how exactly we have proceeded towards the goal. The analysis could be done for the sake of convenience under following subheads- 1. Infrastructure 2. Children 3. Teachers and Teacher preparation 4. Curriculum and school organization: 4.1 General school culture- o Relationships – the foundation of Nai Talim o Discipline, Rules and Regulations o Medium of instruction o Time table and Time management 4.2 Preschool Education 4.3 Primary or Basic education 5. Future Direction 1. Infrastructure:

Anand Niketan School inherits the same Nai Talim campus and the buildings where the historic experiment was conducted. Peaceful, pleasant, full of greenery and pollution-free atmosphere provides an ideal place for children’s education. Basic education is an integrated education comprising of number of crafts. The campus provides a simple yet ample space required for free movement and multiple activities of basic education. The spaces can be enlisted as below:  Spacious and airy rooms for preschool and primary grades,  Child friendly small toilets and urinals,  A hall for prayer and special activities like music and art,  Separate rooms for craft work like spinning and clay work, 5

 Small Kitchen,  Number of verandahs,  Library room,  Tool’s room  Two umbrella spaces on the campus  Teacher’s room- cum- office,  A small garden and a small piece of agricultural land  Open spaces and ground along with a few huge and small trees It has been a great pleasure to get the infrastructure up dated as required, with the growth of the school, from the parent organization. The huge campus of Nai Talim awaits for the growth and extension of the work for the glory to be brought back. It has been a pleasure that local agency- Centre of Science for Villages has helped us in building toilet blocks, a model developed by them for schools, with their own expenses. We are thankful to an International School from Switzerland for contributing in terms of money and student’s labour towards the building of a dome shaped and mud walled classroom. With the help of NCERT under Heritage programme it has also been possible to extend Balwadi (Preschool) with carpet space of 15’ x 15’ built in bamboo. Water and electric facility has helped in proper functioning of the school. However, the mud, bamboo and clay tile heritage construction demands a regular maintenance.

2. Children:

School is committed to primarily the needy class. Its philosophy, pedagogy and the work is meant for the best of all; however, on practical grounds, it gives first priority to the children of the needy class in vicinity who can appreciate work and the approach held by the school. For the first two years we had to go to the nearby area and explain parents/ families what we wanted to do through schools and the educational importance of such way of working with a suggestion to send their children to the school. Thereafter, we did not have to go for surveying and our parents have become the advertisers of the school and its pedagogy. In the initial phase we thought of limiting the strength of each grade to 20 children. This was mainly because, at early phase, children need close dialogue and attention. The school also believes in learning by doing and craft based learning which meant activity to be given to each child –some individually and some in a group. This requires tools to be provided to each child and the work observed and facilitated by the facilitator/ teacher. This is not possible for more than 20 to 25 children. However, we realized that there are multiple reasons for which some children leave the school at various times. The reasons could be varied from the change of parent’s job or transfer of work, shifting of a house or shifting of the school due to anxiety. Thus, we have decided to put an external limit to the number of children admitted to each grade to be 25 with an addition of o4 to 5 children in exceptional and critical situations. We have now clearly laid selection criteria for the school as below: 1. The priority will be given to children who stay not more than 2-3 kms. away from the school. 6

2. In general “first come first served” basis will be followed 3. However, an effort will be done to ensure that the student population ratio matches the caste wise distribution of the area. 4. It would be seen to it that in general there will be an equal strength of girls and boys. 5. Consideration could be given to those who appreciate the philosophical and pedagogical features and send the child to the school. 6. If one child is already admitted in the school, preference will be given to the other child in the family. 7. Children will not be interviewed and selected on the ground of intelligence. However, it will be scrutinized if children needed any special pedagogical or physical inputs / considerations that are out of school reach. 8. There will be special consideration for 1 or 2 children in a class who are specially able and who have been advised mainstreaming.

The enrolment status today (in 2009-2010) is as below (Table 1): Preschool groups Primary grades Total Khel. Shishoo grBal Gr I Gr II Gr III Gr IV Gr V Boys 04 07 15 17 17 11 09 05 85 Girls 04 10 09 13 09 16 07 03 71 Total 08 17 24 30 26 27 16 08 156 49 107

Children coming to the school mainly belong to the lower socioeconomic class. The profile is being given below. Socio-economic status of students is as below:

Socio-economic profile of the children on March 2008 (Table 2)

Classes No. of Caste wise distribution Income wise distribution ( Avg per month ) child- <2000 2000 to 4000 to >5000/- ren SC ST OBC Others 4000/- 5000/-

Play 15 07 01 06 01 7 3 2 3 group Shishoo 17 05 01 11 -- 8 6 3 - Group Bal 19 06 03 08 02 11 8 - - group Class I 30 02 01 25 02 9 17 3 1 Class II 26 05 - 18 03 22 4 - - Class III 17 03 01 11 02 8 7 2 -

Class IV 18 09 - 06 03 13 2 2 1

Total 143 37 07 85 13 78 47 12 5 7

% 100 31 59 09 55 33 08 3

3. Teachers and teacher preparation Selection process Teacher group is the backbone of any school. It is with their creative abilities, potential, commitment to children, skills possessed by them, hard work and the democratic and humane value base that the quality of learning environment created /facilitated is defined. Most teachers have gone through mainstream education and thus were not acquainted with the Nai Talim philosophy and pedagogy. It was their hardworking nature, basic formal educational qualification, skilled possessed, appreciation for human value base and the liking for children that the selection was made. We were not much particular about getting teachers who were formally trained for the works neither were we apprehensive about them. Our experience is that with the qualities mentioned above it is possible to built pedagogical skills with training, exposure and practice; however, the person formally trained but not possessing an aptitude and value base required for the occupation will not necessarily perform the best. As the school could pay only low levels of honorarium, it was found that male teachers could not opt for the work on practical ground as easily as women teacher. We know that money is not the real motivating factor; however, we must also admit that an optimum amount of it required keeping up the family in this world and we have not been in a place to take care of such requirements resulting in the fact that not many intelligent individuals have found the work practically acceptable. The majority of teachers however, ones opted for the work, tried their best to perform to the best of their capacity.

Teacher Preparation

Teacher preparation is considered very crucial. The efforts for the same are multifaceted as below: 1. Developing motivation 2. Developing disciplinary understanding 3. Developing pedagogical understanding and skills 4. Developing philosophical and social understanding It is important that teachers are able to see educational experiments that are conducted with zeal and also talk to the school coordinators /directors and the teacher team of such schools to get the insight of how the human factor plays an important role in the flourishing of any experiment. Thus, the effort was done to show such schools to teachers. These study tours also exposed teachers to innovative practices of teaching learning processes, curriculum organization, structural set ups etc. To develop team spirit/motivation efforts were done to plan exposure visits for a total group along with the school coordinator or a sizable teacher group to facilitate group interaction. The school and educational experiments visited so far have been: 1. 2005-06:  Sita School, Banglore, 8

 Vikasana, Banglore,  Purna School, Banglore  Exposure was also given by visiting Science Centre, Planetarium, Historical Museum, Bird Sanctuary, palaces, temples Cultural museum etc. 2. 2006-07:  Akshar Nandan, Pune,  Garware Balbhawn, Pune,  Learning Home, Pune,  Gammangal, Ainae, dist : Thane  Kamala Nimbkar Balbhavan, Phalatan,  Khelghar, Pune,  Navnirmiti, Pune  Montessori Schools in Chennai and Mumbai.

Teachers appointed are the mixed group of professionally trained and untrained individuals. Our experience is that to have a professionally trained teacher have a certain level of advantage provided there is a psychological readiness to learn and appreciate new researches in the field of teaching and learning and also if the teacher has a social sensitivity and analytical orientation. Otherwise there can also be a resistance to learn and appreciate new things due to rigidity. Our experience has been that very little preparation is done through professional colleges to develop an understanding and teaching skills. Thus, we were particular in providing opportunities to build subject knowledge expertise and pedagogical understanding and skill required for teaching. This was done through various ways like –

1. Enabling teachers to participate in short term training programmes organized by various organizations like – Grammangal, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education etc. 2. Organizing regular small workshops and meetings at the school level and inviting best expertise from to guide teachers. There has been a wide range of professionals belonging to different areas of expertise like agriculture, botany, environmental sciences, education, mathematics, language, social sciences, preschool education, psychology, sociology, art, designing, integrated learning and so on who have contributed through these workshops. 3. Organizing workshops (minimum twice a year) and meetings (3-4 hours every week) regularly for mutual sharing, planning and organization of the school work. 4. Providing a wide range of reference material, necessary teaching- learning material and infrastructural facility to enable self study, innovation and experimentation. 9

5. Honouring and encouraging autonomy for teachers within the broad philosophical framework. Nurturing the democratic environment required for any cooperative endevour.

There has been a consistent effort to help and facilitate teachers in thinking analytically about the social reality and appreciate the philosophical foundation of the school. This has been made possible through the provision of opportunities to listen to and to have dialogue with the social activist and thinkers from various fields. This has helped in developing and sharing a collective vision. The list of some of such individuals with whom this dialogue has been possible is listed below:

Year Individuals 2005-2006 1. Narayanbhai Desai, a senior gandhian activist and educationist 2. Medha Patkar, a well known activist 3. Mittalji, a gandhian activist 4. Ramesh Panse, an educationist 5. Dr. Abhay Bang, an activist in medical field, 6. B. Ramadas and Rama Sastry, educationists 7. Jane Sahi, an educationist, 8. Indira, ,experimenter in education 9. Malati , experimenter in education 10. Sindhutai Ambike, a senior educationist

2006-2007 1. Sucheta Padalkar, an education experimenter 2. Dr. Maxine Berntsein, senior educationist, 3. Ramesh Panse, senior educationist 4. Vidya Patwardhan, an education experimenter, 5. Many educational experimenters from Maharashtra

2007- 2008 1. Narayanbhai Desai, a senior gandhian educationist and an activist, 2. Ramesh Panse, an educationist, 3. Rajgopal, a gandhian activist, 4. Manish Jain, an educationist strong promoter of deschooling, 5. Vivek Kulkarni, environmentalist, 6. Sushama Padhey, an educational experimenter, 7. Dr.Priti Joshi, ecologist, 8. Dr. Tarak Kate, ecologist, 9. Dr. Gopal Paliwal, ecologist, 10. Shivaji, social worker,

2008- 2009 1. Vasant Palshikar, a senior activist and thinker 2. Vivek Vagh, Mathematician 3. Vivek Montero, a senior Mathematician and an activist, 4. Geeta Mahashabde, Mathematician 5. Dattabhau Sawale, A senior activist and educationist, 10

6. Mohan Hirabai Hiralal, an activist 7. Nagesh Hatkar, and Jyoti Kelkar, Activists 8. Dhiren Soni, Eco- agriculturist, an activist, 9. Shobhana, Yoga and Spirituality, 10. Dr. Anil Sadgopal, a senior educationist and activist, 11. Dr. Ram Takawale, a senior educationist, 12.. Chandrakant Channe, a senior artist

We have found that such interactions have not only helped our teacher team to overcome internal and external resistances (mainly at the family level due to either traditional pressures or conventional aspirations), it has developed an urge to explore different ways of creating/building learning environment for children to take pleasure from it. It is possible to say that it is this inner source that motivates most teachers to work creatively for a purpose and inner satisfaction. It takes some time for a new teacher to appreciate all this; however, in the presence of the older team they tend to appreciate and learn such ways of working. An effort is done collectively to nurture an environment of freedom, trust, transparency and accountability which also helps in thinking critically and with assertion for anybody without fear, but also with a concern that whatever said is in the interest of everybody. To a large extent it can be said that the teacher team collectively experiences a relationship of mutual respect and support and has developed good understanding and pedagogical skills required for the levels of children they are responsible for. However, we realize that a lot more needs to be done to develop the knowledge, performance and verbal expression levels at both the individual and the collective level. With time, and experience we are certain that this would take place.

4. Curriculum in operation: 4.1 General School Culture (Relationship, discipline, medium of instruction and time management):

Philosophical foundation of the school has been the guiding principle for the teachers and our effort has been to design a curriculum for holistic development of the child and thus, it has been so designed to take care of all dimensions of human personality, i.e. the head, heart and hand. It has actually been a challenge since all of us, the teacher’s team, except the one, have gone through mainstream education and there wasn’t any school in Maharashtra that was run by the philosophy of Nai Talim. However, the documented curriculum, books, experiences shared with those who had gone through Nai Talim were of great help to us. The creative abilities of the teacher team helped in adding richness to the effort. Visits to varied experimental schools have also been helpful to get the insights. Our effort has remained to explore possibilities to integrate craft and different kind of work with the disciplinary areas as far as possible so as to make the learning process meaningful and close to life situations. This was applied also to the preschool age group. A miniature world of work (smallest for the younger group and this gradually broadened as children grew) became the learning environment for children and they had all freedom to explore this world with some set of rules that were mainly designed to learn to take 11 care of this learning environment. Thus, freedom was matched with the discipline. However, this discipline is largely self- induced as an effort is made to give reasoning for the same.

As children grow and come to the primary level, they become more energetic, social and vocal too, eager to do multiple things. Peer group attraction is strong. Many times they become too talkative and impulsive and teacher has to be really creative and patient in designing attractive, meaningful and challenging environment. Children also come from different family background. By six years one can see the behavioral patterns and role models accepted by them. Some anti- social / irresponsible behavioral patterns are also received leading to disciplinary problems in children coming from disturbed families or from the families where parents are irresponsible in behavior with other members or the neighbours. This might also lead to a development of passive, quiet and fearful personality in some children and a very dominating personality in the other. Some children may have specific kind of learning difficulties. Even among the normal range each child is unique in the extent of inclination, and pace of learning in varied subject areas. The school tries to nurture different talents and areas of intelligences by exposing child to multiple activities which are enumerated below. Medium of instruction being the area language, it enables children to express themselves freely. Communication, both spoken and written, in the local dialect is encouraged and respected to nurture spontaneous expression. Gradually child is also encouraged to use standard Marathi in order to develop expression and comfort in the larger formal settings.

Effort is done not to compare children through ranking. When children tend to compare with others and comment negatively, particularly about those who are slow, teachers try to enable them also to see the qualities of different kind that exist in these children. There is an effort to seek balance between the acceptance of pace and the possible challenges that the child could take to nurture excellence. This becomes particularly important when child possesses the potential but is unable to perform due to passive environment / non supportive environment in the family. The problems due to conventional expectations from parents i.e. textbook based learning and performance also have to be separately dealt with.

Our effort has been to ensure that each teacher is sensitive in addressing all such socio- cultural and biological background associated with each child; she does a conscious effort to be equal to all with love. She has to be particular in dealing children having behavioural problems. One to one dialogue, separate counseling is also done as and when required. Problems are discussed in the teacher’s group and consultation received positively. Sometimes it does happen that the situation is dealt with hurriedly without the required patience which might be unjust to any of the involved children. We try to be introspective and accept our mistake and do not hesitate to communicate/confess this to the particular child and also ask the child to speak out her own standing without fear. Many times issues of indiscipline or peer group problem that come to teacher are discussed in a group asking them to think peacefully about the situation and their own behavior and speak out openly in a group. If the child agree that she /he has done some wrong, the child is appealed to ask for excuse to the related person or a group or to take 12 up a punishment for own. Sometimes even the group takes up the punishment for themselves.

School is a small society and there is a need to set up some set of rules if the school has to function effectively in the interest of all. Our effort is that even the young ones are involved in discussing what, why, where, when, how of such rules. There has to be the general acceptability to these rules. If some rule is found illogical or unjust, it can be removed from the list. Ones accepted we try to follow them. Sometimes rules are made but not followed. In such cases children can remind each other. We have seen that in fearless environment children do not hesitate to even state teacher’s mistakes or remind them of the rules. To give some examples of this –

1. A decision was taken by six years old that the mat should be used with the threads set on the sides while sitting (in order to avoid spoiling of the mats). Class teacher forgot the rule and children immediately reminded her that she has done a mistake. 2. Watering was done in the evening by a group of both – the teachers and children. Thus everybody had to stand in a queue to get the bucket filled. Samiksha, 7 years old child, standing in a queue at second position, seeing Principal of the school coming with an empty bucket shouted hurriedly ( probably little unsure of Principal’s action), “ Tai, you will have to stand behind me in a queue.” Such kinds of events are taken up very positively by teachers. Children are encouraged to speak out their thoughts and opinions freely.

To summarize, our expectation is that each child should find school to be a place of fun and learn; of challenges, guidance, love, companionship and confidence. It’s a place where each of us experience freedom, love, and strength. We are happy to say that we have been largely successful till now to proceed in this direction except for a few occasions; particularly due to the impact of conventional ideas on new teachers. Children love coming to school.

4.2 Pre School Education:

This is a crucial phase of child’s development during which the educational foundation is laid. Piaget identifies this stage as the preoperational stage with uniqueness in the learning ways. According to him and most post Piaget researchers in cognitive science, learning takes place through concrete experiences gathered through exploration with the help of the sense organs. It has also been found that guided effort can enhance and improve the learning process. Educational research has also found that the social environment also place a crucial role in the cognitive processes. Thus, lot of opportunity is provided in the learning environment in order to enable free exploration which helps in absorption of pattern and development of concepts. An effort is done to bring the child’s world of experience in the classroom dialogue and also to take children out to see different things – 1. the nature around( the plant and the animal life), its beauty, variety and colourfulness; 2. the human world of varies professions, physical organizations, 13 relations and emotions. 3. the world of work that they see in the family and neighbourhoods. Child of this stage is very inquisitive and self motivated and self disciplined to explore and learn from the world around. It tends to appreciate and absorb patterns. She/he likes to enjoy freedom- freedom of exploration, freedom from dependence. They also like to imitate the adult work/world. They have a mixed of an urge to work independently and to be the part of the social group. This is the beginning of their socialization period.

Gandhi and Montessori both were concerned about the healthy development of child’s innate potential as well as the society in which they live as they influence each other. Thus, the social aspects of learning were also equally important to them. Rather it would be proper to say that they did not envisage any distinction between the developments of the two. We too experience the same and thus have a model that takes into account the collective understanding deriving from various researches in the field of modern cognitive science and the sociological reality. Considering all this a curriculum has been designed which provide comprehensive experience to the child.

Activities cover main areas like: 1. Life skill Activities and Activities for fine motor and gross motor skills: There are more than 35 types of activities that children learn like- *folding mat, *folding handkerchief, *pouring grain from one container into three small glasses- first randomly and later in equal quantity in all the three containers, *pouring water from one bottle to another bottle, * putting a thread in a curtain, in a bead, in a needle * dusting* washing hands,* combing hair,* Sweeping and mopping the table, floor, * to sieve thinner grain from a thicker one e.g. mustard seed from wheat, sorting, * to make chapattis, * to make rounded objects from waste paper, to pick up plastic and paper waste,* to water plants,* to cut paper with scissor etc. 2. Free play activities – e.g.* puzzles,* towers etc 3. Activities for Sensorial development: *weigh and match the bags, *smell and match similar objects, *listen to the sounds made and detecting them, * matching colours, *matching shapes,* fixing objects in to proper notches, * tasting and classifying,* grading surfaced based on their roughness/smoothness etc. 4. Language development activities- for listening, speaking, reading and writing- _E.g. *Story telling, * giving small instructions, * thematic dialogues * singing and dancing,* sound games like words beginning with a particular alphabet, containing alphabet in the middle or at the end * objects and words, * matching alphabets * matching pictures, * matching pictures and words, *matching words, * pouring rangoli in particular patterns, * identifying alphabets, * Sushobhan on alphabets, * moving fingers on alphabets, * Grammar games like singular and plural words, words with female and male gender etc. 5. Mathematics based activities: *Sequencing activities, *Pattern making, * Classificaion / grouping as per characteristics like tall and short, thick and thin, large and small, * counting * matching objects with numbers and numbers with objects etc. 6. Environment based activities – *exploration- water soluble and insoluble substances, magnetic and non magnetic substances etc, * outdoor observations of 14

plants, leaves, flowers, insects, animals etc. * Visits – to glossary shop, vegetable shop, Ashram, Farm, cow shade etc.* Gardening: planting in small baskets, planting leafy vegetables in a bed in the garden, watering vegetables and flowering plants, weeding etc. 7. Food preparation: peeking vegetables from the garden, cutting vegetables etc. 8. Games- indoor and outdoor 9. Art – sushobhan, drawing and colouring, clay work, paper folding, singing and dancing, taking prints etc. 10. Celebration of special days and events like - 15th August 26th January Kasturba day, Janmashtami, Rakshabandhan 11. Thematic projects on grains, fruits, vegetables and water.

Learning environment: This is a most crucial aspect of preschool education. The environment created enables children to work freely on material as per the exploring and creative urge of the child. This urge and individuality of each child is respected. There is an equal emphasis on organizing activities at individual and group level. Some rules are set with reasoning shared to all to take care of the school environment for their own good. This together has led to good development of children. Children are usually found engrossed in exploring peacefully in the early half of the time later half being mainly spent on group based activities like story telling, picture reading, thematic informal sharing, paper craft, singing and dancing, outings and so on. Special events like celebration of festivals, cultural performances, visits are also organized

All three groups work in a single environment. They work independently or in small groups. A single environment opens enormous opportunities for young ones to learn from their older peers. This develops sense of responsibility and helpfulness among the older peers. This environment has also helped children to work with their own pace.

We have also thoughtfully admitted two differently able kids when there was a need expressed for mainstreaming by their parents. This has enabled development of sensitivities / helpfulness among other children. Many instances of such attitude have been documented.

4.3 Primary / Basic Education:

The basic curriculum takes care of the intellectual, socio- cultural – emotional and physical faculties of children. It intends to look at education in an integrated way as the life is. Excessive compartmentalization of the learning process hinders not only practical intelligence; it also disables an individual to perceive things comprehensively. Child is unable to find meaningfulness in the due to lack of applicability of such bookish knowledge to the world around and gradually the world of school and the actual life become so much apart that it actually defeats the very purpose of education i.e. to learn to live better.

The school curriculum thus comprises of following areas: 15

1. Assembly 2. Craft work; 3. Personal and Social Hygiene (cleaning) 4. Subject specific work-  Languages  Mathematics  Science  Social Sciences 5. Art 6. Games and sports

 4.3.1. Assembly

Assembly is held twice a day. School timings are from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. However, the first hour is planned for various activities and assembly is held at 11.00 am. This is particularly because many times children being dependent on elders, some of them, without their fault, come late and have to unnecessary go through undue guilt feeling.

School values secular principle and is particular that all teachers respect every child irrespective of their caste, class, religion, sex or colour. It honours the human principles of every religion, appreciates the value of plurality and integrity both. It equally realizes the values in the harmonious relationship between human being and nature. It nurtures the importance of scientific attitude and the trust we must have in our efforts. These values are reflected through the selection of songs as prayer. We have a collection of such songs which are sung in the assembly. It is also the time to share objects of curiosity, new ideas and special events with others.

4.3.2. Craft based education We have incorporated craft work as an important way of learning. A criterion of selection of crafts has been: 1. It provides a wide range of learning opportunities for hands, intellect and heart; 2. It provides wide opportunity of integrated learning; 3. It provides a good opportunity to use all sense organs. 4. It is in tune with the age specific abilities; 5. It relates to the basic necessities of life; 6. It enables both the individual and group work; 7. It helps in developing both gross motor and fine motor skills; 8. It helps to develops social sensitivity; 9. It helps to nurture aesthetics and creativity. Crafts selected for the first four years are: 1. Gardening 2. Spinning, stitching and embroidery 3. cooking 16

 Gardening:

It is very important to state here that no work is given to the child without teacher being a part of it. Teacher is the facilitator and thus she/ he is suppose to demonstrate the best performance/ practices to the child. All teachers were not exposed to farming or even gardening; however, there was a keenness to learn and still is. Thus, teachers and students learnt simultaneously. This has always been a most enjoyable work for all. I gave immense opportunity to work and learn together. Together we learnt to share, care and nurture. The work gives an opportunity to relate to the mother earth, to experience her ability to nurture life. It helps children learn how to culture their movements in tune with the crops that are being grown in various plots. Any irresponsible movement of friends that may result in the loss of crop is usually stopped by others. They use the tools skillfully. They are sensitive to the watering need of the crop, the weeding time, the pest attack. They learn to identify pests and friendly insects. They become observant and inquisitive. It also sensitizes children and teachers both to the problems of farmers and helps to understand social injustice towards them. This together helps in developing confidence and positive image building.

We have been successful in designing and operationally testing the curriculum for gardening up to class IV. This curriculum can be used systematically with a class of 25 to 30 children. Children work in the garden in both the seasons- monsoon and rabbi. They mainly plant vegetables. We have been able to grade learning experiences as per age and level. A comprehensive list of supportive experiments and activities have also been made and tried out so as to provide integrated learning of procedural knowledge and skills, science, mathematics, social sciences, environmental issues, language, art and personality development. Here is the brief list that enumerates the specific learning opportunities:

1. How the land is prepared for sowing? Why preparation is essential? To know different ways of land preparation and bed laying for different crops. ( Classes I, II, III and IV) 2. How to plant seeds of various kinds like – fruit vegetables, leafy vegetables, creepers, and bulbous vegetables? ( classes II to IV) 3. To understand how plants make their own food with the help of sunlight, water and chlorophyll ( Class IV) 4. To know parts of the plant and their functions ( Class III and IV) 5. To take care of ones/ group’s vegetable beds till the yield is taken ( All classes); 6. To observe and monitor growth of different varieties of plants- leaves, branching, fruiting, height, etc. Keep record by measuring height of the plant, no. of leaves, flowering and fruiting time etc.( Class III and IV) 17

7. To understand watering requirement by looking at the plant and the land ( classes I to IV) 8. To know different ways of irrigating crops like use of watering can on small plots, use of flood irrigation, sprinklers, drip irrigation on larger plots and for different crop types.( Class IV) 9. To understand why weeding is required? To understand why weeding and hoeing is essential for growth of crop and conservation of microenvironment/ water. ( class III and IV) 10. To learn the use of sickle for weeding.( all classes) 11. To understand nutritional importance of organic matter content of the soil.( class IV) 12. To distinguish between monocot and dichotomous seeds, the leaves and root system.( class IV) 13. To understand and know different methods of enriching the soil like- use of organic manure (compost, wormy-compost etc), use of mix cropping and change of crop type i.e. monocot to follow dichotomous crop and the other way round ( class III and IV) 14. To know how composting is done. To know the role of micro organisms in the process of composting and also to know that cow dung enhances the process of decomposition. To know the environment required to enhance the process of decomposition – e.g. humidity and warm temperature (class IV) 15. To experience and know the ill effects of excessive rain, water logging condition, lack of water or excessive heat and shadow / lack of sufficient sun light on the plant growth. (class III and IV) 16. To know different tools used in agriculture.(all classes) 17. To observe different insects and pests in the farm.( class III and IV) 18. To know the life cycle of insects.( class III and IV) 19. To know that some insects are useful and some are harmful.(class III and IV) 20. To know the harmful effects of poisonous pesticides. (class IV) 21. To get the experience of picking / harvesting vegetables, (all classes) 22. To weigh vegetables and know their nutritional importance. Introduction to units- kilogram –gram. (all classes) 23. To estimate weight of the harvested vegetables. (class III and IV) 24. To measure length and breadth of sowing bed with the help of non standard and standard measurements. Introduction to meter –centimeter. ( class II to IV) 25. To relate gardening / farming to various word problems on addition, subtraction, multiplication, fraction and area.(class III and IV) 26. Use of geometrical understanding on land. 27. To work in a group and co-operate friends. (all classes) 28. To experience and understand emotionally the life of a farmer. (class IV) 29. To write experiences. (all classes) 30. To express themselves through drawing and painting. ( all classes) 18

31. To understand that one has to put in consistent efforts for a considerable period of time with patience and responsibility to get the fruit/ benefit.( All age groups)

Time given for gardening: on an average 2 clock hours per week.

Besides above mentioned experiences children also visit ashram farm and see different crops of kharip (monsoon) and rabbi season; see processes like harvesting, threshing and storage of food grain. They some times help in sowing cotton, pigeon pea and pick up cotton from plants. Under the sky, full of clouds, sowing is done on the crossing lines. They know very well that the seeds are waiting for the shower eager to be awake and see sunshine. No wonder that children start singing the beautiful song written by a famous Marathi poetess, Aruna Dhaere:

“ Ek chhota bee jata jaminichya potat Kai bara hot asel tyacha tithae aat?

( What happens to the small seed that is sown deep in to the soil ?)

Here is given the example of the work recorded in the year 2008-2009:

Sr. No. Vegetables Class 4 Class 3 Class2 Class 1 Balwadi Total (in (in (in (in (Bal yield in gms) gms) gms) gms) gat) gms 1. Lady finger 9,750 4,880 5,070 3,690 ---- 24,365 2. Beans(Chaulai) 250 520 270 -- --- 1,040 3. Gawar 4,250 425 ------4,675 4. Fenugreek 7,300 5,620 6,250 3,000 2,000 24,170 5. Spinach 4,500 2,470 3,000 ---- 1,500 11,470 6. Coriander ---- 1,000 1,500 ------2,500 Total weight 68,220

 Spinning, Stitching and Embroidery:

Objectives: 1. To provide opportunity to know how fabric, one of the basic necessities, is prepared from cotton which is grown in our area; 2. To provide opportunity to work skillfully and with concentration with coordinated action of fingers, hands and eyes. 3. To experience joy in one’s creation through spinning, stitching and embroidery. To enable children to gain confidence in the fact that we can generate our own cloths and that an individual or a society can be self reliant in this regard if we thinks so. 4. To understand it as the least energy intensive and environmentally friendly way of 19

producing yarn. 4. To provide children with an opportunity to understand and work with a simple tool like “Takli” and on simple machine like “charkha”. 5. To know the history of cloth making in India and also to relate it to the history of colonization in India 6. To learn related science and mathematics through spinning. 7. To learn to be self reliant in small requirements like stitching ones own handkerchief, a button or a hook when necessary. 8. To learn to do things with neatness, precision. 9. To be able to appreciate beauty. . Time provided:  For spinning craft –35 - 45 minutes a day and four days a week  For stitching – ones or twice a week with an average time of 1 to 2 hours/ week ( Time differs to some extent within the given range for different classes)

The craft is introduced to class I in the second session that too as a play. When introduced early it was found that children could not develop sufficient motor control and there was lot of wastage. They mainly separate seeds and fibers. The record of quantum and quality of thread spun by each child is kept regularly. The data below can explain the kind and quantum of work done by children till February in the academic year 2008- 2009:

Sr. Classes Break up of number of children as per the quantity Children No. And total of work done individually classified as number of (Yarn spun in meters) per quality of Gundies yarn ( based on prepared regularity, and by a class strength of the (1 yarn) Gundy= Up to 201 to 501 to 1000 – Above A B C 500 m) 200 500 1000 1500 1500 meters meters meters meters meters 1. Class I Was not in taught spinning. Children mainly separated seeds and fibers, did counting of seeds in ------units and tens. Played with takali. 2. Class II 20 9 8 7 2 -- 5 17 4 Gundies on takali 3. Class III 25 -- 6 8 3 -- 8 9 - Gundies on takali 4 Class IV 44 1 1 3 3 10 2 15 1 20

Gundies on charakha

Minimum experience that has usually been possible in one academic year:

Classes Work done Class II *Embroidery on paper (2-3 cards embroidered) Class III *Making a duster, *to stitch buttons, hooks *hand stitching of a handkerchief Class IV * Hand stitching of a simple bag , * Embroider one or two designs with one or two stitches ( back stitch and chain stitch) for a bag or a handkerchief.

The work is done without gender discrimination with the view that all children should get a chance to develop a sense of autonomy and enjoy varied kind of work that is an essential part of life. They should also understand that discrimination is a social phenomenon rather than being natural.

 Cooking:

It is an essential component for our survival and heath. Every child can be and should be sufficiently equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to keep themselves healthy. Moreover, it provides an immense opportunity to develop integrated thinking and knowledge building.

Specific objectives that also define the extent of learning possibilities till class IV are being given below: 1. To let children experience the joy of cooking 2. To provide opportunity to learn skills ( procedural knowledge or “know how”)involved in cooking like-  cleaning of different vegetables or other contents  working hygienically  chopping vegetables of different kind,  organizing work through proper placement of tools and other material to improve the work efficiency  knowing with reason the order of processes involved,  proportions of various components,  size of utensils required for various purposes,  how to serve different preparations  proper distribution of work in a group 21

3. Emotional aspects:  enjoy food together  appreciate other’s efforts  enjoy work together in co-operation  eliminate gender bias that culturally exists  develop self reliance, a sense of achievement, autonomy and confidence in one’s capacity to do things.

4. To enable children learn the disciplinary knowledge involved in cooking like: 4.1 Mathematics: 4.1.1 non standard and standard measurements of volume and weight 4.1.2. Proportions 4.1.3. Word problems on addition, subtractions and multiplication 4.1.4. Fractions in practice 4.2 Science and nutrition: 4.2.1. Types of food, sources and the function it performs 4.2.2. Importance of balanced diet 4.2.3. Importance of hygiene 4.2.4. Diseases due to unhygienic ways of working 4.2.5. Ways of improving or preserving nutritive food value 4.2.6. Digestive system 4.2.7. Ways of food preservation- using salt and sugar 4.2. 8. Physical reactions during cooking- e.g. vaporization 4.2.9.. Chemical reactions in cooking (irreversible Reactions) 4.2.10. History of Agriculture 4.3. Language: verbal expression, written expression, development of vocabulary.

All kinds of procedural knowledge and attitude building needs repeated practice/experience. We provide 8- 10 preparations to each class every year. There is a weekly cooking for either of the classes. Time provided / allocated is usually three to four hours ones a month.

The details given below of actual cooking that has taken place in the Academic year 2008-2009 can give the idea of the experience that child goes through over a period of four years:

Classes Preparations done up to February 2009

Class I 1. Lemon Sharbat; 2. Salad with sprouted chana, matki and groundnut 3. Vegetable - Lady finger 4. Potato rice 22

6. Vegetable- made of fenugreek, 7. Batata Poha

Class II 1. Chana; 2. Dal with arabi leaves; 3. Vegetable Khichadi; 4. Salad – Fenugreek and Tomato; 5. Vegetable curry with spinach and potato; 6. Khichadi with spinach

Class III 1. Vegetable Tarota ( a wild leafy vegetable); 2. Sabudana Khichadi; 3. A recipe of mixed Dichots; 4. A preparation of dal and pulses; 5. Vegetable made of fenugreek and 6. Khichadi with Spinach.

Class IV 1. Lemon pickle; 2. Variety of Chatanies like – * groundnut chatani,* blackgram with Kadhipatta leaves, *Jawas; 4. Sag made of lady finger; 5. Preparation with sprouted moong, 5. Amala Murabba; 6. A preparation with fenugreek and aata; 7.Raita with spinach and curd.

Cleaning:

Cleaning is a regular and non optional (unless the child is not well) activity that takes place every day for half an hour. Objectives:  To make them realize that throwing waste here and there is an irresponsible behaviour.  To help them develop appreciation for clean atmosphere.  To inbuilt proper habits of waste disposal.  To enable them to critically see and realize the socially irresponsible behaviour of society around them.  To get an understanding that if dirt is inevitably produced by all of us, it is our responsibility to spend some time to clean the premise we use.  To remove social stigma associated with cleaning. To help children realize that cleaning is not a work to be done only by a few people with low status.  To help them realize that there is no need of gender specific association with cleaning work.  To let children know and get into the habit of classifying waste as biodegradable and non biodegradable.  Help them realize that by recycling of biodegradable waste we get a precious compost to enrich soil.  To gradually help them understand, as per their maturity levels, the broader concept of waste and help them realize the gravity of pollution and build an understanding about the importance of judicious use of resources.

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Cleaning work done everyday:  Sweeping of class rooms and verandas  Cleaning of the school premise  Picking up waste found in the premise and dispose by classifying it.  Mopping of classrooms and verandas  Cleaning of toilets  Dusting  Placing things on proper places e.g. mats, books etc.  Watering plants in the school garden. It is important to point out here that reasoning behind inclusion of this non optional work is explained to parents at the time of admission and also during various parents meetings. An appeal is done to introspect and understand the social value and its relevance in the smallest unit of the society – their family and the society around all of us. Our experience is that in general, except in a few cases, parents get convinced about the purpose. Mothers, particularly, appreciate the value of this work and happily share experiences about the change in the attitudes of their children; helpfulness and concern shared by them when mothers are not well.

Organization of this work is very important in order to get the work done systematically, efficiently and with meaningful participation of all. With vertical grouping of children and one teacher in each group the work is carried out. An optimum number of tools and equipments needed for cleaning are ensured for each group and distribution of work within a group is coordinated under guidance of the teacher and the older children.

 Subject Specific work 1. Language: Language is a codified representation of human thought and experiences. The basic foundation of language is laid when child gets rich experience with nature and society around. It is important that child is able to listen to and express freely her thoughts with others for language development. It is a skill that equips an individual to communicate and share experiences with others; to resolve her problem more efficiently. Listening, communicating, reading and writing are the basic language skills that one needs to develop in order to survive in today’s world. It is with the help of these skills that child also gets better equipped to know the world of knowledge developed by others.

Through school an effort is done to develop these skills by providing rich experience to the child. Classrooms become the space of expression, a space of sharing of experiences for children who take all sorts of experiences at home, outside home and in the school. Library facility is provided to children from the very beginning. Story telling, discussing issues and instances that happen locally and in the outside world, worth taking notice of, become the topics of discussion in the classes. Books are also read to children. Together this help in developing language skills of all kind. The very introduction of alphabets is done through words known to children. Word approach is preferred as it makes the learning process more meaningful and participatory.

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The state board designed competencies are the minimum standards that are taken in to consideration. School does not follow a single text book designed by state board. Besides the activities mentioned above, school uses other material too, to enrich language learning. Effort is done to ensure that children develop good listening, oral communication, reading, and writing skills. It is also seen to it that they enjoy expressing themselves orally as well as through writings. Our experience is that in general children are fearless and they express themselves freely in their mother tongue/ dialect though they do have a little problem in expressing in standard Marathi. It is important to state here that there is no reading culture in houses from which these children come. So, it takes more efforts and time to get the fluency of using the standard language. Children are more at ease in speaking than in writing. However, we can certainly say that children express freely in writing and display rich content / thoughts at all levels. At this level, we feel that fearless and spontaneous expression is more important than pressurizing child to use standard language for expression. One of the important indicators of this is the essay writing / experiential writing that is done by children at all levels.

All the same it is also important to point out here that there are a few students in each class who have been progressing in this area slower than the average pace witnessed. In general it can be said that 70 % students can be categorized in satisfactory to excellent category in reading and writing skill; and 25 % still need to develop, particularly, the writing skills.

Some of the specific efforts that need mentioning: 1. Story telling: for 15-20 minutes daily to children of class I and II. 2. Reading selected books to children at class III and IV level. 3. Extra reading besides text books 4. Language Games e.g. *loop games - writing words beginning from he same sound/alphabet, words beginning with the end letter of the earlier word; *making sentences with the words beginning from same sounds,* making words with the combination of few consonants and a few vowels, *extending the sentence etc. 5. Children asked to speak on different topics either selected by themselves or by teachers 6. Children encouraged to take part in discussion and to express/ communicate their ideas, opinions and thoughts 7. Children are encouraged to have dialogue with visitors. 8. Children encouraged to tell stories 9. To read poetry and to make poetry individually and collectively in a class 10. To give lyrics to poems 11. Loud reading 12. Dictation 13. Writing stories 14. Letter writing 15. Essay writing on topics of direct experiences, of imagination, ideas, assumptions and opinions etc. To name some of the topics on which children have written essays in the last academic year - 25

*My school, *my parents,* recipes cooked, *festival- pola,*how was year 2008 experienced by me, * I find happiness in, * if we had no thumb,* relevance of Holi, * One rainy day, let us tie rakhi to environment,* positive thinking, * life of ants,* night sky, * had butterfly been like an aeroplane,* Gandhiji- a human being,* how to live with Ahimsa, etc.

16. Regular activity of “Selecting stories/ poetry/ thought for the day” and presenting it in the assembly.

Collection of children’s writing at various age groups is done as part of documentation.

Mathematics

Children learn from concrete experiences. Thus, effort has been done to provide these learning experiences to each child at every stage before going to abstract processing of numbers. For example, to introduce the concept of tens or hundred and the concept of place value, it is important that children work with bundles of ten sticks and bundles of hundred (which is in itself a larger bundle of ten small bundles of tens). Use of these concrete bundles in the initial phase in teaching/ learning addition or subtraction at class I to class III level is very important. These can later on be replaced by iconic representations like notes of ones, tens, and hundreds at a second stage and just numbers at the last stage. Children at class IV level could be comfortable with little abstract or middle level representation of notes to learn multiplication and division. Such concrete experiences are extremely important in learning fractions too.

It is important that children comprehend the structural aspects of mathematics i.e. the relational understanding/ underlying patterns, sequences, rules, hierarchy of concepts etc Our effort is to make children observe such patterns and grasp rule. Wherever possible, mathematics is integrated with other subject areas like gardening, cooking and spinning in order to understand the applicability of it. Word problems are also particularly focused in order to contextual understanding. However, our observation is that children’s performance in this area needs to be improved.

There are some expected levels of mathematical learning at various ages based on global experiences. These are also followed in the school in planning learning experiences at school level for various stages. It is seen to it that minimum state board standards are reached. In general it can be stated that 80 % of the students fall into the satisfactory to excellent category i.e. with competency levels up to 50 % and above.

The curriculum is graded and at the end of Class IV level it is expected that children learn following broad areas of competencies:

Numbers:  up to 10, 000  odd and even numbers, 26

 place value understanding  reading and writing numbers  ascending and descending order Operations:  Addition with carrying over  Subtraction by splitting  Multiplication with two digit number  Division by single digit number  Divisibility tests with 2,3, 5, and 10  Word problems involving 2 to 3 functions of the four.  Problems involving use of unitary system

Measurement:  Problems based on rupees and paise  Problems based on purchase and sale  Standards of measurement of distances and practical problems (involving all four functions) based on distances (using centimeter, meter and kilometer)  Standards of measurement of weight and practical problems (involving all four functions) based on weight (Gram, Kilogram and their transformation to each other).  Standards of measurement of volume (i.e. milliliter, liter) and practical problems (involving all four functions) based on it.  Measuring time- Dates and day’s relationship and word problems based on it; understanding clock and standards of measurement-hours and minute; and problems involving mainly addition and subtraction.  Problems on circumference of various geometrical spaces like- triangles, square, rectangle etc.  Skills of measurement and estimation of weight, volume and distance in practice Fractions:  Ordering fractions with same denominator and nominator in ascending or descending order.  Addition or subtraction of fractions with same denominator and practical word problems based on it.  Equal fractions  Improper fractions and proper fractions  Changing improper fraction to mixed number and the other way round.  Decimal fraction- place value of a number in decimal fraction, addition, subtraction. Multiplication and division of decimal fraction with unit / single digit number. Geometry:  Measuring length of a segment  Classifying angles in to different categories  Characteristics of triangle, rectangle and square  Able to relate to spaces in the garden by measuring length or breadth of a sowing bed, plant height, circumference of the canopy and so on. 27

Science:

The efforts are done to provide environment to satisfy natural curiosity of children by –  Encouraging them to ask questions,  Listening patiently to them,

 Encouraging them to observe things – living and non living and phenomenon that are seen around; sharing and noting down their observation in their own words and pictures, searching for patterns, orders/ sequences, similarities and differences etc.  Starting an activity “KUTUHAL KOPARA” i.e. a curiosity corner where children and teachers can place things / object of curiosity in front of the school children at the time of assembly.  Encouraging them to experiment and observe systematically and reason.  Showing them films or giving opportunity to discuss with teachers or experts.  Encouraging them to read or refer books.  Encouraging them to work, create, relate and measure. 1. If we take an example of gardening, they prepare land, measure the length and breadth of the beds; they sow seeds in different ways or of different types. Through experience realize how often, how much and in which way watering has to be done; they observe growth twice a week; can relate their understanding through their earlier experiment in a more controlled situation (that growth is healthy if there is sufficient sunlight and water) to the growth in two seed beds one that gets clear sunlight and the other which is under the shade. They also compare the yield by measuring the yield. All this not only gives them chance to work, observe and relate, it also gives them confidence in their creative abilities.

2. Another example could be of measuring rainfall or temperature at different times in a day and repeating these observations for a week to draw a graph and to draw conclusion.

Brief glimpses of thematic areas covered in different classes are: At class I and class II level:

Work is done through mainly the project method. The projects themes are as follows: 1. Me, and My Family: The project covers sub topics like - * People in the family and relations, * Work done and the relations experienced in the family, * Pet animals, * my body, my senses, how they work, how important they are etc. 2. Food: why food? Types of food.- Grains, vegetables fruits, dry fruits, food from animals 3. Trees and vegetation 4. Water 5. Vehicles Numbers of excursions, experiments are conducted; collections and observations are carried out. 28

At class III level:

Units covered are: 1. The living world: So many living things, looking at plants, growing your own plant, looking at animals

2. Our body, Our food: Our body, food, teeth; taking care of our body 3. Measurement: How many, how much? How ling, how high, how far?

4. Making houses: Houses of all kind, making your own house.

At class IV level: Units covered are- 1. Sky and weather: * Sun, wind, clouds and rain; *Sky during day time and in the night 2. Air: *Some interesting things about air, *what is air made of?

3. Water: *Experiments and games with water, *Water and life, *Water and we, the human beings.

4. Weather and our agriculture

5. Internal organs and systems- Circulatory, Respiratory and Digestive system

6. Food: *From where does the food come? *what happens to food in our body? * What is thrown out?

Gardening is an integrating craft as seen above. However, there are areas of science which may not be easily covered through it. Hence systematic experiences in the remaining relevant areas are also planned.

At class III and IV level main reference books selected are of Homi Bhabha Science Education Centre ( “Halke Fulke Vigyan”) and Text books of the State board (“Samanya Vigyan) besides other books to be referred as and when needed.

A list of experiments, excursions, and other science activities that have been carried out through out the year will be documented shortly. Scientific toys and objects are also made as a combined creative activity based on craft , math and science.  Social Sciences (History, Geography and Civics) History

State board textbooks are being used as curriculum. Besides it there are other books like those prepared by Ekalavya which are also referred. Historical aspects related to child 29 self and the family, spinning craft in the school, the school itself, Sewagram Ashram also form the part of the curriculum.

History of man is taught in class III. We have also added a history of Universe and Earth to it. To give an idea of the concept “ History ” we begin with the past of the child for which child gathers data from the family members. Child is given a perspective to look at history as past instances that have actually taken shape. History is based on facts and these are not just stories. Children enjoy getting introduced to a history of mankind from monkey like animal staying in caves in groups in Stone Age to gradual development of agriculture and - village based settlements; industry and development of cities and the complex societies. They are also able to get a primary understanding of the need of rules and regulation in order to regulate society. Children try to assume the kind of communication system and the life people might have had without the elaborate language that we have today. They make tools of this age. They are able to relate to the fact that inventions influence the world strongly and these change the technology, the living patterns, the rules and regulations too.

At class IV level a sudden jump has been taken in the state board curriculum to the history of Maratha King- Shivaji Maharaj. However, we have tried to relate the history of class III and gradually make them understand the ruling systems. Effort is done to make them understand that with the desire for control and with the concentration of power and wealth derives the system of Kingship and it also leads to their battles. This concentration of wealth and power came through oppressive rules and regulations imposed by the rulers in most cases. Society also accepts rulers with the expectations of getting some kind of security from the chaotic situation or establishing the cultural identity. It is in this socio- historical background we have to look at Shivaji. He was a king who was concerned about the wellbeing of the people in his kingdom. His participatory ways of governance, his organizational ability, his concern for the wellbeing of all- even the people of other religion and not just Hindus/ Marathas is emphasized rather than the limited Hindutva based understanding that is being projected today about Shivaji. Children are also introduced to the life and teachings of some of the important saints of Maharashtra.

History of Sewagram Ashram  At class IV level, an effort is done to introduce the history of Sewagram Ashram which is closely associated with Gandhi and his ideas of freedom. As a part of this process information is gathered and a broad understanding is built. However, there wasn’t sufficient time to document learning systematically. Geography State board curriculum is followed by adding certain activities and integrating subject content with gardening and study visits to Ashram agriculture farm. A few activities are supplemented previous to formal map reading done at class III level like- 1. drawing a map of the classroom, 2. map of the school premise. 3. Map of the residential basti of the child. Children also prepare models of various Earth forms. 30

 Art and craft: This is an important component of school curriculum. Creative abilities are nurtured though various art forms like- Drawing and colouring, Sushobhana, alpana, paperfolding, clay work, music, dance and drama . Thematic camps are held to give special exposures. Time provided weekly for art work is approximately four hours. School is fortunate to get the services of a senior Artist and the student of Nai Talim, shri. Ambulkar. Many friends have also helped us in organizing thematic exposures

Such exposures have helped children to develop good aesthetic sense. Children sing very well in a group. They have developed good sense of swara and laya. Here are some of their creations:

 Games and sports and other activities with children: These are essential for components. Games and sports are regularly held. Variety of both- the indoor and outdoor games is organized. Other activities can just be listed as –  Celebration of national days;  Celebration of festival with close association with nature- like Makar Sankrant, Rakshabandhan etc.  Exposure visits,  Children’s bank;  Helping the needy;  Health camp etc

 Parent’s meetings: On an average 8 meetings are held regularly. Effort is done to equip parents with the educational philosophy and the reasoning that guides the school curriculum and activities. Where ever possible their cooperation/ participation is sought e.g. during educational visits and on special events. It can be generally be said that most parents appreciate the work and value the efforts put in by teachers; however, they are anxious about children’s learning English. They expect school to teach the language well and often enquire if school would offer a facility of learning science and math though English at the middle school level. This anxiety has led parents of more than half children from class IV to be removed from the school. However, there is some change in the attitude this year and parents of 4 children have admitted their children from English medium to this school and they have also shared the psychological crisis through which the children and the family went through. We are exposing children with spoken English in the early two years and spoken and written English both from class III level.

School has not been enrolled at the state level. However, it is enrolled as a study centre under National Institute of Open Basic School. This has also been a matter of concern for some parents. School is also trying to get enrollment under the state Government on grant basis; however, it is becoming difficult to complete the formalities as the government holds a very strange policy of not enrolling any Marathi medium school; where as, it has been liberally permitting the enrolment of English medium schools. 31

5. Future Direction of work: At the end of four years, we are happy to say that we have developed potential to work as a resource to pre primary and primary schools that appreciate this philosophy and want to work in similar direction. We have also started to work as a resource center for the dissemination of the educational material as this is the genuine necessity of this area. We have been getting a large number of visitors from various fields, including those from the field of education, with the expectation of finding genuine solutions/ alternatives. There have been many teachers’ groups coming from both- the governmental and voluntary sector for short term trainings. However, we are short of good hands.

There are some areas on which we still need to build up the potential. These areas are mainly English, history and geography. As we have mentioned above, our first stage of work was up to class IV. From the academic year 2009-2010, we have entered in to the second phase of work up to class VII. We need to develop a curriculum and our potential to operationally test this work. We are also keen to incorporate computer as an educational aid at this stage. This would mean raising a sizable amount of both- the right kind of human and the material resource. Each newly appointed teacher has to get trained in this pedagogy which is time consuming. We also need young, intelligent and committed hands to join the team that can share a vision and help school to grow with strength. We also need to explore and operationally test new areas of craft that need to be supplemented with the existing ones.

Thus, the right strategy could be to concentrate for few more years on developing the curriculum and establishing the second phase of the school with the strong footing before entering in to a large scale extension work. We have been getting moral and academic support from many friends and institutions those who are concerned about education. But the most important concern at this moment is the long term financial support that any school needs which works particularly with the lower socioeconomic groups.

On the whole, four years have been challenging as well as satisfying for the teacher team, the children and the parents. We have shared our experiences and concern through number of workshops, news papers, magazines and public performances during the last four years. We foresee the need of an education which humanizes individuals rather than commoditization that is taking place today. The challenge is to provide an education that enables a child to face this world confidently at the same time equips her with strength to struggle against adversities and injustice. We intend to work for this and collaborate with all who share this dream. We also anticipate support from friends who think alike.

Sushama Sharma

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