Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Random thoughts--my school! by Kabir Arora

I was reading Mother’s article on education. It was beautiful. I was thinking if I was taught that way, life would have been a little better. I’m happy that I’m being de-conditioned; unlearning lot of things, just to be myself. Even at times feel like getting lost somewhere. Krishnamurthi’s beautiful words, his views on education soothe the wounded heart. He also takes the similar line. Individual being should be the focus, but our present system has lost the foresight. For our system it is important that our child completes his homework, submit assignments on time, clear tests and examinations. That is all our school life is about. 

At times I feel like writing a letter to my school Principal, who was leading  one of the city’s best institutions. The school had a very dark side. Violence! Students were punished physically and mentally. How can we combat violence in society by providing fearful environment in the childhood? I was never excited to go to school. Competing-worst of all human emotions was “the virtue”. I can’t convict all my teachers. Still there jolly presence made no sense. As there was no space for being the way one is. Jose Marti says that the teacher should not be instructor but a conversationalist. But in my school they were information providers.

Once my zonal leader asked me the reason of joining the fellowship apart from “Gandhi”. Without thinking I just said that I wanted to bring my imaginary classroom to the real world. During my Learning Quality induction & Village immersion, I was somewhere successful. When the kids used to draw on the walls, my thoughts board the wings of imagination. I was able to visualize their colorful future. When Shakti Singh, who looked like a pretty girl, constructed a temple of sand, I saw him as an upcoming architect of distant Non-violent India. These days I’m visiting the schools of Mumbai. Kids here too have similar aspirations- the way I had. I’m just struggling with myself-so that I can be a part of their beautiful future. 
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Kabir Arora is an environmental activist and Gandhi Fellow.  To read more by Kabir, see the the links at the bottom of this post.

7 comments:

  1. This was lovely to read. Kabir, you can find many books (Summerhill, Deschooling society, Why teachers fail) on this sort of unschooling process, if youre interested, at arvindguptatoys.com

    Lina

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  2. @Thanks Lina: For sharing the link, would love to explore the books you have mentioned.

    :-)

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  3. This might interest you -
    www.ishahomeschool.org
    thank you
    Rajani

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  4. Here's a book by a 16 year old dropout. http://gyanpedia.in/tft/Resources/books/freefromschool.pdf

    btw, you must share your own experiences with Arvind, he would love it!

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  5. You're doing a great job Kabir! My sister, who is a teacher faces many of the same challenges that you do.
    And Aravind Gupta's website will surely provide some very basic but truly engaging answers!

    Bye the way,you are my "Agenda for Survival" senior!!

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  6. @Lina & Rajni: Thanks for sharing the links.
    @Meenal: Good to see you here on dhaba.

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