Art & Craft in Integral Education Programme

An Art & Craft in Integral Education programme was conducted with 35 teacher trainees of the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Lawspet, in Puducherry on September 25, 2018. The session was conducted by Art in Education Enthusiasts Kiran and Hrishikesh – both practitioners in the field of Integral Education. The programme focused on how to develop an aesthetically rich and age-specific environment in school based on a relevant context wherein children naturally become more inquisitive and volitionally come forward to learn. During the session, participants were also given an experience of integral development through Arts & Craft.

The session started with a discussion on the need for Art & Craft in Education and how to make teaching contextual so that the learning process becomes joyful and interesting. Since the programme was organized by the DIET team to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the participants were facilitated to explore the process of invoking inner peace and learn the art of crafting the symbol of peace along with flowers and flower-baskets. They thoroughly enjoyed the session and were curious to learn more.

During reflection, all the participants realized that these activities could help promote a sense of beauty and harmony in work, body, mind and emotions.

A three-day Teacher Education Camp on “Innovative Pedagogical Interventions & Creative Teaching Aptitude” was held on September 19, 20 & 24, 2018, at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Lawspet, in Puducherry for In-service Teachers working with the Directorate of School Education (DSE), Puducherry. Thirty participants underwent a transcendental journey via this camp on creative learning approach to Integral Education. The programme was developed by Theatre Arts in Education practitioner Ravi Shankar and was facilitated, along with Education Enthusiasts Kiran, Hrishikesh and C. N. Shanker, as an additional part of Sri Aurobindo Society’s transformative initiatives started as Rupantar.

The camp provided all the participants a wider perspective on the aspects of Education and its role in the times we live in today. Participants enjoyed experiencing the process of creative teaching through project works based on theatre and visual arts. The entire process sensitized them towards their role as compassionate and creative teachers and elevated them to the summit of their consciousness. The process of exploring the contextual and creative approach to integrated learning processes connected them to their inner realm of unitive qualities. Finally, the programme culminated with deeper reflection, which resulted in chalking out their plan of action in regard to using all the innovative practices explored during these three days, to foster the integral development of the students. With the vibrations of renewed enthusiasm, joy and perspectives, they celebrated their valediction.

Excerpts from the Feedback

It is very empowering. It gives more positivity. It made me come out of my hesitations and opened my heart and mind. Very peaceful and really made us think. We experienced and learnt many things, not simply by words. Learnt more and felt happy to be a part of this camp. It will be very helpful in my profession. Surely, these Pedagogical Interventions will change our education system in a positive way. It makes us think beyond the book, to go deeper into the context and widen. In my school, I have a child named Rebecca. She loves dance a lot. When she was in class 1, I always encouraged and praised her a lot. But in the next class, due to some outer pressure, I forced her to study more. I didn’t encourage her much to dance. So, her interest towards learning also decreased. I can use these Interventions to make a happy learning. Not only for her, but for all students. Collective work gives more experiences and change. – Lakshmi. S, Savarayalu Nayagar Govt. Girls Primary School

Integrated multi-sensory approach is very useful for the change in our Education system. This will create new methodologies . . .I learnt to use all the factors to make learning effective. Physical, mental and emotional aspects need to be covered and more importance should be given to children’s interest. I am going to plan a project-based and activity-oriented teaching. – R. Kaliaperumal, GPS, Karuvadikuppam

The play way and role play methods can bring more change in our present Education system. – R. Arun Kumar, GPS, Vennilanayar

I am very happy to be a part of this training programme. I learnt about the drama techniques using human resources. I have decided to use these techniques in my day-to-day teaching. – K. Magueswari GPS, Sedarapet

I have learnt to be creative and how to help children to be the same. Play way method using crafts, discarded materials and creating new innovative crafts relevant to the subjects. Learning numbers through games and postures, images and drama, etc., was very helpful and joyful. My plan of action is to execute the ideas among the students and to help them become more creative. It will help them think by themselves and act accordingly to shine in their lives. – J. Jasper Falici,GPS, Mangalam

It is a joyful training. Yoga exercises and games boosted our energy. Drama is a very beautiful learning method. It is a stress-free training. – K. Amudha, GPS, Salai Street

Children will enjoy the classroom environment with this pedagogy. The concept of each lesson will be deep in their minds by this method. Instead of rushing the subjects, curriculum and syllabus, we should observe the mental status of a child. If we take this pedagogy to our classrooms, children will feel free and participate fully in all activities. I will follow the method of forming images for each content. – R. Thamizhselvi, GPS, Thiruvandatkoil

I got new ideas, experiences and learnings after attending this three-days Teacher Empowerment Camp. I like the approach of the resource person. He gave us new ideas of a stress-free life for children and teachers. This is a new way of meeting the expected learning outcomes. – K. Senthil, GPS, Kirumampakkam

This three days training was full of enjoyment, happiness, creative thinking and laughter. Very knowledgeable and enjoyable. – V. Sathiya, GPS, Sedarapet

Nowadays, the Education system is all about mere mugging up. Each student has some unique talents, but the system makes them focus on scoring more marks. Learning by doing and activity-based approach create more interest . . . This type of method is very useful to understand the concept, theme, etc., and is child centred, which makes learning happen automatically. – N. Aroul Radji, GPS, Sinnaiyanpet

This training was really superb. I enjoyed it very much. It was informative and practical. Play way method is very useful for my students. I liked this method of teaching which is full of playing and learning . . .I have attended several trainings before but I can’t recall any of them having such great impact. – R. Shanmugapriya, GPS, Jeevanandapuram

This is really a wonderful training. I felt very relaxed. Generally most trainings are usually based on lectures or talks of resource persons or else it is sharing of knowledge or day-to-day practices. This one is different in nature. That’s why I liked it very much. Multi-sensory approach can be used in school. This would help teachers to relate with various aspects of student’s day-to-day life. Sensitizing children, will make them grasp what they have to learn more effectively and this will also help them to apply in their life. When we teach through this approach our students will be able to meet their learning outcomes because everything will be given through play way or action-based learning. I would like to incorporate the dramatization approach because through this, students will remember the concept as story. Learning will be long-lasting and will also help to identify other talents of children. – V. Sarada, GPS, Katterikuppam

It is a very beautiful experience of getting a very deep and innovative teaching technique for my students. In these three days, I had a sense of improving better regarding my student’s emotional aspects of learning. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of this programme. But still, if there is continuity, it will be more useful. – M. Margaratte Rosy, GPS, Solai Nagar

A very useful programme that makes us think and feel differently. It makes us an energetic & creative person and paved the way to involve my students through creative methods. Whatever I learnt here was something new from all the previous training programmes. – K. Sundari, GPS, Koravelimedu

A three-day Teacher Education Programme was conducted by Sri Aurobindo Society on “Innovative Pedagogical Interventions and Creative Teaching Aptitude” from September 3 to 5, 2018, at District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) in Puducherry for In-service teachers working with the Directorate of School Education (DSE), Puducherry. Twenty-nine participants underwent a transcendental journey through this programme on creative learning approach to Integral Education. The programme was developed by Theatre Arts in Education practitioner Ravi Shankar and was facilitated along with Arts in Education enthusiasts Kiran and Hrishikesh as an additional part of Sri Aurobindo Society’s transformative initiatives started as Rupantar.

The programme gave all the participants a wider perspective on the aspects of Education and its role in today’s world. Participants enjoyed experiencing the process of creative teaching through project works based on theatre and visual arts. The whole process sensitized them towards their role as compassionate and creative teachers and elevated them to the summit of their consciousness. Exploring the contextual and creative approach to integrated learning processes connected them to their inner realm of unitive qualities. Finally, the programme culminated with deeper reflection which resulted in chalking out their plan of action with regard to implementing all the innovative practices explored during these three days, to foster the integral development of their children. With the vibrations of renewed enthusiasm, joy and perspectives, they celebrated their valediction.

Excerpts from Feedback

When teachers are given full freedom to teach every aspect as mentioned by you, then there will be holistic development in our children for sure. We teachers run after the syllabus completion, exam conduction and marks-oriented system. I totally feel embarrassed that we don’t t fulfil the necessary needs of education. Learning by doing, pedagogical intervention is very much relevant to today’s need for change in our education system. Fear-free education is much needed and these techniques and processes which you have taught us will pave the way. – Indhumaathi (GPS, Manavely-A. Zone 3)

These 3 days’ teacher empowerment camp is very interesting and useful. There is a good feel and joy. Games made me feel that I have entered into a new world. This new method of teaching is very creative. – B. Rani Marie (GPS, Nainarmandapam)

This training definitely helps us in meeting the expected learning outcomes. I came to know about activity -based teaching which  helps in children’s  overall development. Our education system emphasises on general mug up and vomit on answer paper approach and it is very much marks oriented. Children feel stressed with studies. Now we can teach them context-based activities so that they can learn joyfully as well as can relate with nature and the day to day life. It is good to celebrate each and every day and children unknowingly find many values.  – N. Pradheeba Devi (GPS, Vennila Nagar)

All the games and activities impressed me a lot. Theatre and puppetry can help our students to understand the concept easily through joyful learning. So I have planned to follow these teaching methods for every lesson in my teaching. This will help in the holistic growth of children.  – B. Vanathi, School (GPS, Indira Nagar)

This Abacus system helps us to teach language, maths, EVS etc., easily through a single and useful way. – T.Ramya (GPS, Mangalam)

The best part is that we have learnt how to co-relate more subjects in a single activity. I will incorporate these activities to teach more than one subject so that the expected learning outcome becomes easy to achieve and also the teacher’s burden will reduce. – A. Gunasekaran – (GPS, Sedarapet. Katterikuppam)

Attention of students can be retained through these pedagogical interventions. Peer group learning will also be enhanced. This activity-based learning will help children to understand the concept easily. – Sivasankari. M (GPS, Kalapet)

I felt really happy and had lots of fun with these overwhelming activities. Refreshing exercises made my mind and body very fresh and active. It inspired me a lot to take all the new teaching techniques to my school for the real empowerment of children.  – R.Anitha (GPS, Manavely)

The Interventions that have been offered during these three days are the need of today’s education. – V Sowmia – (GPS, K. T. Kuppam)

This teacher empowerment camp proved that creative teaching techniques will definitely motivate the children to learn everything in a better way. – B. Suganthi – (GPS, K. T. Kuppam)

All the pedagogical interventions that have been offered to us are very relevant to our education system. Introduction of creative teaching, i.e., involving students to a great extent in the teaching-learning process using various art forms will make the student participate completely, with a lot of interest and joy. This camp helps me to a great extent in meeting the expected learning outcomes. – Suredharma. B (GPS, Indira Nagar)

Thematic Area: Innovative Pedagogical Interventions & Creative Teaching Aptitude

A three-day Teacher Education Camp on “Innovative Pedagogical Interventions & Creative Teaching Aptitude” was held from August 27 to 29, 2018, in Puducherry for primary school teachers of the Ministry of Education, Puducherry. Twenty-seven participants underwent a transcendental journey through this programme on the creative learning approach to Integral Education. The camp was designed by Theatre Arts in Education expert Ravi Shankar and was facilitated along with Arts in Education enthusiasts, Kiran and Hrishikesh, as an additional part of Sri Aurobindo Society’s transformative initiatives started as Rupantar.

The programme, held at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Lawspet in Puducherry gave all the participants a wider perspective on the aspects of Education and its role in today’s world. Participants enjoyed experiencing the process of creative teaching through project works based on theatre and visual arts. The whole process sensitized them towards their role as compassionate and creative teachers and elevated them to the summit of their consciousness. Exploring the contextual and creative approach to the integrated learning processes connected them to their inner realm of unitive qualities. Finally the programme culminated with deeper reflection which resulted in chalking out their plan of action in regard to using all the innovative practices explored during these three days, to foster the integral development of their students. With the vibrations of renewed enthusiasm, joy and perspectives, they celebrated their valediction.

Excerpts from Feedback

After attending this camp, I have learnt to think everything in a deeper way and keep children’s sensitivity alive and encourage them to do creative invention which is not harmful to nature and the human being.
N (Name): B. Angel Regi, School (S): GPS, Sedarapet

This approach to teaching will surely open up all the kids with all their hidden qualities. And I’m sure, children will grow up to become good humans . . . this way they start  to observe nature, start to share the pains and can face the challenges courageously. N: M. Ezilarasi, S: GPS, Vennila Nagar

Through this process, the accepted learning outcome can be easily met. Students’ understanding will be clear. Involvement of each child will develop harmonious team work. This will help them become a human with great values. N: C. Ramya, S: GPS, Kalapet

It is a wonderful experience for me filled with fun, joy and thrill. Through activities I learnt how to cooperate with peers and with our own mind. Learning becomes easy and joyful when children learn though different activities. They enjoy the process more than conventional methods.
N: V. Hariharan, S: GPS – GPS, Thattanchavady

This training was very useful and different from other trainings because it started from one single point and ended with a big and beautiful circle by moving from the known to unknown concepts. The silent movement helped us to know our own potential and to understand the significance of a silent mind. Overall it was very useful.

Arranging the classroom in a different manner invokes self-learning in children. Through role-play and by creating real situations, we can teach many concepts. Each and every child can participate in this creative way of learning.  Different talent of each student can be encouraged.

Now I can connect all the concepts in a creative way to teach using theatre arts. Children find the Chalk and Talk method very boring so I’m planning to teach through innovative interventions which the team taught us. Completing posting is not alone a teacher’s job, we have to also help our children become socially responsible citizens. I will help them to understand the values of life and morality through my creative activities. We need more trainings like this to upgrade our knowledge.
N: Chitra. M, S: GPS, Manavelyca

The three-days’ training programme were very interesting and joyful. This training is based on how to make the learning interesting for students by incorporating stories, drama, puppetry, games, craftwork and different models.  N: K. Saraladevi, S: GPS, Pethuchettipet

I had a new experience in these three days. I learnt to get everything ready in seconds just like making 2 minutes noodles. The meditations in between each activity boosted me and gave more energy. Conversion of story into a drama is very helpful to attain the theme and learning outcome of the subject. Each and every child can be involved through this pedagogical intervention; involving the child to make more craft from the surrounding and discarded materials.

Wall hanging related to each topic can be made. Enacting stories into theatre makes the child involved in the lesson. N: R. Savitha, S: GPS, Thattanchavady (sn)

I had a wonderful experience during the three days of the programmes. It brought some of the hidden talents out. I enjoyed a lot and experienced a different environment of learning and teaching during the three days. This innovative teaching will help our children to learn by themselves.
N: Alonso Pope Sawar, S: GPS, Indira Nagar

This training boosts our skills, potentials, talents, energy, involvement, creativity, etc. It also helps us to plant more trees for our future need; it helps us to synthesize nature with education and vice versa. This helps us to create our classroom in a pragmatic way and also involve all the children without any hesitation. Through the tools of ‘Leela’, we can make our children not only learn the content but also to sensitize them towards the environment. When we follow these methods, we can easily attain the expected learning outcomes. N: V. Bavani, S: GPS, Korawelinsdu

These pedagogical interventions are relevant in today’s need for change in our education system. Through this theatre art, children’s behaviours would change and make them good citizens of our nation. They also can make themselves creative and can bring innovations in their life activities.
N: R. Muthukumaran, S:  GPS, Nettapakkam

This training was excellent and super. N: P. Kumaran, S: GPS, Kaharikippam

Today’s education system is always just running after marks and grades. Children with higher marks are lacking in life skills and values . . . these arts can be included to teach lessons which unknowingly bring out the life skill and values from the students itself. This is what proper education is.

If a student can explain what he learnt, it means that we have the ‘expected’ learning outcomes.  If a student could change himself and change his surroundings to what he wants to change after learning a topic, is the true expected learning outcome so I am sure this can happen when we adopt these Arts as tools to teach. N: S. Indra Priyadarshini, S: GPS, K.T.Kuppam

Shri Shivakumar, Director, India Council for Integral Education (ICIE), conducted a workshop at Seth M. R. Jaipuria School, Lucknow, on August 1 and 2, 2018, wherein he conducted sessions for their teachers on Integral Education and how to improve the quality of education through a better understanding of children and their true needs.

Some of their teachers had already attended the Annual Workshop on Integral Education held at Puducherry over the years, and this visit was to consolidate the exposure that happened through these workshops and also to introduce the approach of Integral Education to all the teachers.

On August 1, Shivakumar addressed an assembly of students and shared with them a glimpse of how education happens at the Centre of Education at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. He also said that school is a place for us to be happy and also a place for discovering all the special things that are hidden in us.

After this, for the rest of the morning, Shivakumar conducted sessions with about 50 teachers from the Play Group Section to Class 1. He began the interaction with emphasizing that the first step for a teacher is to imbibe things for oneself before one can do it with children. It is through example that education becomes effective and not by merely teaching things objectively. In order to be the examples, we as teachers need to know ourselves – how we think, feel and act – in order to be the best that we can be.

Once the attention was turned on themselves, the group set on a deep exploration of finding the most important thing that governs each one’s life. This led to the exploration of how our thoughts, emotions and bodily impulses are not fully in our control and the need to control and integrate them under the wisest and most knowledgeable part in us—the Mother has called it the ‘Inner Genius’ or the ‘Psychic’. This was followed by an activity that helped all to glimpse into the nature of this Inner Genius. It is only the practice of such an integral life that will help us to inculcate Integral Education in children in the classrooms. The process of Integral Education was understood to be an extension of integral life into the classrooms and with children.

In the afternoon, the next interaction was with about 50 teachers from Classes 1 to 5. After exploring the need for an integral life centred on the Inner Genius that is within every one, we entered into a discussion of how the child could be helped to get in touch with and grow by nourishing this Inner Genius. This was followed by a discussion on the various stages through which a child grows and the education that was appropriate to each of this stage. The interaction concluded with a lively question–answer session.

On August 2, Shivakumar interacted with another batch of 50 teachers from Classes 6 to 9. It started with a lively discussion on the values and their place in education of children. Then the focus shifted to the growth and refinement of the vital and emotional energies of children of those classes. A skit on what is meant by Integral Education was demonstrated. A couple of activities to introduce the sense of rhythm to children was introduced. A video ‘Children: Full of Life’ on the real-life experiences in a Japanese classroom was shown, as an illustration of making classrooms as places of life’s experiences and how to facilitate children themselves finding of solutions to problems that they face.

Shivakumar also held discussions with all the head teachers of the various sections and explained the process of Integral Education in simple terms. He also stressed on the need to be practitioners of Integral Life before one can be an Integral Education facilitator. The Principal of the Jaipuria School, Mrs Promini Chopra, and Headmistress of the Pre-Primary section, Mrs Mitali Srivastava, coordinated these interactions.

On the morning of August 15, 2018, Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony was held at Sri Aurobindo Siksha Kendra, Bishnupur, South 24 Parganas in West Bengal. Following this, the school, along with Bishnupur Uchchal Probaho, jointly organized a programme to celebrate India’s 72nd Independence Day and Sri Aurobindo’s birthday.

On this special occasion the school students performed various patriotic songs, and our teachers gave talks on the significance of Independence Day and on the life of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh and his contribution as a freedom fighter of India. A food festival was also organized for the guardians, who participated enthusiastically in this exciting competition. Apart from the “Food Festival”, the school also organized a “Handicraft Exhibition” for both students and guardians. Audiovisuals of the lives of Sri Aurobindo, the Mother, Rani Laxmibai and Mother Teresa were also shown. The children also made beautiful creations in their craft class.

With the blessings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, we opened our school library – “Auro Library” on August 23, 2018. The opening event began with assembling of the students, teachers and all the school staff in the library room. The event began with meditation following which the school Principal inaugurated the library by donating some books to the teacher-in-charge. Our new library was decorated with a variety of books: Children’s story books, Books on Education, Nature, Spirituality, Physical Education, Vital, Nature, Life stories, Music, Art & Craft, Sports, Adult’s story books and many more. Sri Aurobindo Ashram (Delhi Branch) also made a large donation of books to decorate the library.

From August 20 to 24, the school’s 3rd term syllabus started in which emphasis was given on the implementation of Integral Education. Students enacted stories from their English text books and also attended their E.V.S and computer classes.

On August 27, all our school’s students, teachers and non-teaching staff jointly and joyfully celebrated Raksha Bandhan utsab. In the vital class, audiovisuals on the lives Swami Vivekananda and Mother Teresa were shown. Besides, regular classes were held as usual.

An Art & Craft in Integral Education programme was conducted with 100 teacher trainees of the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Lawspet, in Puducherry in which there was active participation of 30 teachers and 70 teachers attended as observers. The session conducted on July 14, 2018, was focused on how to develop an aesthetically rich and age-specific environment in school wherein children themselves become more inquisitive and volitionally come forward to learn. In the session teachers were also given an experience of integral development via Arts & Craft.

The session started with indoor games which help in developing alertness, concentration, awareness, eye-ear coordination, gross motor skills, quick response, etc. All craft activities were divided into two groups – one which could be taken up by children and the other by teachers to create the necessary environment for learning.

During reflection the teachers realized that these activities could help promote a sense of beauty in everyday life and develop intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. They also remarked that such processes could be instrumental in enhancing the senses and faculties such as fine motor skills, imagination, observation, sharing, attention and concentration span, etc.

The session was conducted by Art in Education Enthusiasts Kiran and Hrishikesh – both practitioners in the field of Integral Education.

A two-day education conference titled ‘Antaram – A Meaningful Pause for Solutions in Education’ was held at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), organized jointly by Unnat Bharat Abhiyan and Vision India Foundation on June 9 and 10, 2018. About 250+ young change-makers, committed to nation-building, participated.

The organizers and facilitators of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA; a Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India programme to uplift rural India, launched in collaboration with the IITs, National Institutes of Technology [NITs] and other leading government engineering institutes from across the country) and Vision India Foundation (VIF; founded by alumni and faculty members of various IITs) have been working on holistic interventions in government schools in villages in and around Delhi. The interventions were preceded by visits to several schools all over the country known to deliver education differently and catering to the holistic needs of children, such as the Muni International School (Delhi), Jnana Prabodhini (Pune), Riverside School (Ahmedabad), Rishi Valley Education Centre (Chitoor), Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education (Puducherry) and more. Incorporating all these experiences, this team developed the concept of a conference on education, titled ‘Antaram – A Meaningful Pause for Solutions in Education’. Two young fire brand workers, Naman Asha Bansal and Rovin Pushp, with their team, put in the hard work under the guidance of Professor Nomesh Bolia and left no stone unturned to make the event a success.

The contributors and participants to the Conference included leading educationists, thinkers, practitioners, representatives of visionary schools across India, grassroots leaders, teachers, principals, civil society representatives, education entrepreneurs, change-makers from central and state governments, including bureaucrats and central & state ministers, and leading organizations who have been working to find meaningful solutions in education in India.

Shivakumar, Director, India Council for Integral Education (ICIE, the educational wing of Sri Aurobindo Society), was invited to participate and deliver a keynote inaugural talk on the topic ‘Understanding Education’. In this introductory address, he emphasized on the need to relook at the present-day education and also question the true content of a meaningful education. By presenting the varied aspects of a true education, he explained how it has to give information about the world outside, but also put the child in touch with the world inside and help to master it. Through examples, the connection between the outside world and the inner world was brought out, laying the foundation for an integration of both, through an Integral Education.

In his concluding interaction through another session, Shivakumar took the participants on a journey to look for the ‘Source of Happiness’ and a discovery that it always comes from within – we just need find our own ways of connecting with it. Throughout the two days, the participants interacted freely and came up with some deep, thought-provoking questions too. Shri Matri Prasad and Shri Devdip Ganguly representing the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education (SAICE), Sri Aurobindo Ashram, shared the ways in which education is imparted at the Ashram school.

Other speakers included, Professor V. K. Vijay, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan; Shri Rajendra Singh Baghel, All India Head, Trainings, Vidya Bharati; Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar, Secretary (Education), Rajasthan; Shri Nand Kumar, Secretary (Education), Maharashtra; Smt. Saumya Gupta, Director (Education), NCT Delhi; Shri Dilip Kelkar, Punarutthan Trust, Dr Nomesh Bolia, Naman Bansal and Rovin Push, Vision India Foundation & Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, IIT Delhi; Shri Prakash Anna, Principal, Isha Home School, Coimbatore and many more esteemed educators and education facilitators.

A video of the inaugural Talk on “Understanding Education” (30min.) delivered by Shivakumar is available here.

Our school reopened on June 6, 2018, following the summer vacation. This month was eventful as apart from the regular classes held, the school introduced French Language classes for its students on June 21. Both teachers and students of KG-II, Class-I and Class-II have started attending the French classes with great enthusiasm. The class is being taken every Thursday by a teacher, who is an ex-student of ‘Knowledge’ in Puducherry.

It’s a proud moment for Sri Aurobindo Siksha Kendra, Bishnupur, as it recently got the second best award of RCC District (3291) in Education for its tremendous contribution in the field of education.

Meanwhile in our regular classes, special emphasis was given on implementing Integral Education. To develop the power of sense organs, different musical pieces were played and students had to identify the instruments. They also tried to identify different fruits via touch, taste or smell, with their eyes blind folded. And in the E.V.S class, students learnt the names of different animals, their group, size, colour, habitat and food.

From June 25 to 29 June, 2018, our students prepared for their second term exam to be held later in August. In the vital class, a love for the country was inculcated in the students by showing audiovisuals of the lives of Sri Aurobindo, the Mother, Rani Laxmibai and Mother Teresa.  The children also made beautiful creations in their craft class.