A Story (of Asawari)

Let me tell you the Story of a 10yr old Girl, Asawari

She was in fifth std. Scored 85% in her term exams. She was happy. In one of test paper question was "Why did the farmers in India become poorer during the British rule? The answer was underlined in the book and she wrote exactly the same answer. She missed few words and the she got less marks – she did not know why? When she was preparing for test I asked her - any similar situation happening NOW in India - she smiled and Mummy this question will not come in exam.

And we decided to HOME SCHOOL her.

Why she wants to learn – “I want to take the Gandhi topic because I did not understand the “Civil Disobedience movement” 

WHAT all she wants to learn – Gandhi as a person, his childhood, his weapons, his role in Independence struggle - the mind map was created by her with our guidance 

How do I want to learn – the mediums were chosen by her – clay, mural, letter writing, painting, sketching, movie, and so on 

She created Mural of from gandhiji childhood story, she wrote a letter to Gandhi from Putli ba - " Thank you! My son for helping Indians make salt. I am sure you will give India independence. 384 Kilometers you have walked and made a big difference in India. British will soon understand their mistake. Even if you have been to jail so many times don't give up. Keep eating vegetarian don't break your vow. Dandi march has really shocked me." 

While she was exploring Dandi march - she heard about the walk being organised from lalbagh to townhall by environmental support group against Metro Rail - she said is it like Dandhi march - Gandhi made salt to protest want do they plan to do at Town hall?

 
One of the question she wrote for herself was-  If I was in place of Gandhi what I would have done? (Analysis) - I would have gone to the sea coast by vehicle. Sat near and made salt for a month. I would have done every thing near the sea coast even sleeping.". She made route map of Dandi march.  

Various Ways I learn - She decides her day - what, when how. She is motivated to learn classical dance Bhartanatyam and Play sports regularly inspite of not being a sports person to imbibe discipline in her life. She takes yoga story with small children to explore her natural skills of "caring" for young children.  
 
She is not learning for any exams - she is not being assessed - she is not being compared to get motivated (myth). She does not go for any competitions as she feels they bring in lot of pressure to WIN. She is not great in maths but she explored the concept of % on her own, Some of the maths concepts she is dong again what she did in her 4th std  so that she is conceptually clear.

Over the years he had lost her curiosity in science nor in the world around her - so called General Knowledge. But now she is opening up - she knows that the GREAT FLAMINGOS are sighted after 12yrs in Bangalore and she wants to see them. She wants to keep a pet but she feels she is not still ready to take the responsibility of a pet.  
 
She Experiences Learning : She learnt about the Social studies while volunteering for underprivileged / mentally challenged kids. She wants to have some more brothers and sisters but while she was given the choice of a "adoption of a special child" as her sibling - she expressed that she would like to first understand what are "special children" and understand them and then decide?

• She does her own research, write and illustrate book on Chocolate - a topic of her choice.
• She wants to become an artist and commissioned art work in homes and in offices and have an art studio for kids with a cafe.
• She learns math when she does art, she wonders how day and night are formed when she goes for her walks and finally explore a lot by experimenting.
• She learnt about rivers, distributaries............mountain and delta formation while on holidaying with parents in Himalayas and then in Sunderbans
• She practices her Bharatnatyam dance steps when she is wondering about the fractions; she composed a dance and practised in the middle of her maths exercises.
• She arranged a b'day party for her 4yr old brother with all the games and detailed planning for one and half months.
• She learnt about graphs and survey and analysing the survey while she went with us for a conference. She explored village life by being in a village. She learnt to be determined when she went for a trek in Himlayas and now next destination is Everest.
• In just three visit to a farm house and exploring with a naturalist has given her experience of milking the cow, bathing a donkey, setting up farm for earth worm and Crickets, collects shrimps for a sick turtle, setting up a house for Lobsters. Earth worms are no more YUKKY for her or the Wiper snakes are more comfortable for her – she just touched a snake with hesitation on her first visit and in the last visit she came to me excitedly – come fast see the snakes is uncoiling himself and hissing”. We did not use any books – before after or during the visits. Only books prescribed by this young naturalist were few Novels which are based on nature. – NO Gk books, No HOW, What, where books.
• She learnt to weigh ingredients without weighing scale when she made till ladoo at home.

My relationship as a teacher – guide-facilitator and Mother has got a new definition – we share the relationship of “understanding and acceptance”

She knows I get submerged into the work – sometimes she will come to me and say quietly “shall we take break” – I close my laptop and smile.

I know the questions related to Maths and Gk gives her shiver – in those situations I just smile and say its OK – try

• She can think - she can decide and she can explore - that’s all. I do not know what this child be tomorrow - but I know what she is today. 
  

For three months I was guiding her in planning and learning. Two weeks back I asked her to do whatever she wants to do – Initially she spent time on her own – typically called “waste of time” – then she on her decided to take NCERT books and read chapters of her choice and explore. Soon she got disinterested and last week she came back and said "Lets do a project it is more exciting".

I am free to learn - This child will take up the responsibility of her 10th std exams to get admission in university/ professional course of her choice. She will make her FUTURE with her own choice and thinking. 
Is that all you want the education for? IF yes then JOIN us.