Category: Blogs

Some of us are questioning the current education system, some of us are not finding it suitable for our children. Open learning, Homeschooling or Unschooling is the journey some of us start on, some are motivated to explore it. Often on this road-less-traveled road, we get caught up with doubts, confusion, and anxieties. Family week…

He is interested in fish breeding He wanted to make a fish tank He was provided with all the possible material For a few days, he avoided starting to make He shared “what if it goes wrong” We expressed “let’s make mistakes”. He was with “but, if..then…” We realized that co-creation may work Together we…

Independence day was a reason to celebrate FREEDOM – we asked, what all do we want to be free from – any anxiety, fear, one habit, an excuse, one belief, one image, anyone block, … or nothing.Being controlled by others, Slave of Fear, People, Emotions, Desires, Wishes, Ideas, Beliefs, Thoughtful, Other’s opinion, Habits, Interest, OCD,…

He likes to explore, he calls himself explorer, he does want to get stuck with one interest He wants to become a pilot They want to be professional footballers She likes to draw, dance and be with people He is concerned for his future “what will I be?” He likes knowledge and finds joy in…

This session at the govt model school as part of Ennai Kandriya, was a different experience for me. Firstly – taking session alone for 58 children for the first time. Secondly session with benches and desk and no free space.Thirdly some children were in dance practice and came late, accommodating aswell, Fourthly PurposefulI did not…

Community is how we live, how we learn. Everybody is equal, a peer, a learner, a teacher, a guide and a support. Keywords for the community to thrive is equity and co-living. Learning is the core purpose of all action that happens in Aarohi. The whole world is our curriculum – a chore, a project,…

Herentrepreneurshipis growing and glowing She is getting more orders than she can produce She now has a full-time assistant to assist her in production This brought a challenge – more mental work than physical work, training, and delegating work. The growing business also brought an opportunity to understand business beyond just making and selling –…

PMO is Publicity and Media Officer at Aarohi – this job is for the one who likes to capture stories through camera and words. His first PMO photography assignment was “capture circles in Aarohi”. His first reaction was “only circles! How can I just find circles?” Well, he started and finally did not stop!

Two legs togetherJumping, Jumping and Jumping TogetherOne is mineOne is yoursTwo together becomes OURSWe walk togetherWe learn togetherWe jump togetherIts all about you and me to be WE

Democracy at Aarohi means involvement Democracy means participation Democracy means understanding our roles REVIEW week at Aarohi was all about time to pause and reflect – What all can add value in learning? What roles we all play? And any working of Aarohi? Many a time it does not bring any conclusion or so-called decision…

Learning Mela in nearby govt school started with Apprehensions – What stalls? How will I? What about the language? What age? Maybe I can’t! Then it was about stimulation – Describing stall? Imagining, planning, talking, teaming up, preparing, wondering – what if? What all? Then? How else?. And then began preparation – Planning, Thinking, Discussing,…

Carpentry Festival with Murli. No occasion…just like that! It was all about creating magic with scrap wood, and resources. Anything Murli saw, he had an idea to convert it into something usable – no boundaries of “this is not possible”. Everything was possible and that was magical! With waste strips of wood, he encouraged, kids…

On the day of Guru Pournami, we started our visits to nearby mainstream schools. Just before we visited, we got an idea to make a portfolio of her skill set in the form of eight intelligences. We were feeling completely peaceful and ready for any reply from the school authorities.After a few years of open…

He started dreaming of becoming a pilot when he was two years says he. Two years back he started talking about and dreaming actively. In the beginning, it was all about dreaming and talking. Soon he also fell for deliberate practice! He started first finding of what does it mean to be a pilot –…

Outdoor to explore Innovation atMurali’s House that turned out to be a carpentry museum. Story of Renovation – brought creativity alive in every corner of his house. Murali Magic Wood designer-made furniture movable all around the house and designed as per his needs and space availability and as per his wishes. Many parts of his…

Starting the day together as a community, singing, dancing, playing games, getting to know what others are doing, which guest is coming, sharing about each others day, peer planning, group planning, planning with the mentor, detailing the resources and knowing each other. The morning coming together sets the tone of the day – each one…

Learning has no boundaries Teaching also has no boundaries Anything you know – you teach to others Anything you don’t’ know – learn from others Imagine a world of co-live, co-learn and co-support each other. Imagine Aarohi – Open Learning Community for learners of all ages: Open to all kinds of interests, abilities, styles and…

Ennai Kandariye is Aarohi outreach program in the neighborhood schools of Kelamangalam. The purpose of this program is to work with Government school children on self-empowerment, understanding self, individual strengths and weakness, images and beliefs and so on. One adult and two children wanted to be part of this initiative to reach out to teach…

During the first few years of life, we get so used to being assessed by others that many of us lose the ability to assess ourselves, fairly. But whether it is praise or criticism – if the first line of assessment comes from me myself – then not only do I become more objective about…

Social Environment is what we create – What I do, What I say, How I carry myself … do all these create, impact, and affect the social environment? How social environment affects me and how I affect it – let us explore. Just one announcement “Dress up weird, crazy, different today” – face paint, body…

We live together We collect dirt for each other Sometimes the dirt gets highlighted He is so funny, she is snobbish, he is adamant, she is judgemental, he is disturbing, she is poky, he is smart, she is dumb, he is good for nothing, she is fully faltoo Just a round of expression What dirt…

One Friday morningWe all got together to make rainwater filterIt was ACTIVE WE Why makePlay pool overflowingWater going back to the landWhy not save it for useWe understood why are making Some collected stonesSome washed stonesSome sieved stones Hmm just stones of different sizesAnd that is how the earth is filteringWe think Work in progressExperienced…

It was Early 2017 that we were asking our son about his hobbies. Our 2nd child used to do multiple craft works like Origami. We were curious to know what He wanted to do as part of his hobby time. He never replied after several inquiries but one evening he mentioned that “cooking” is his…

I grew up with a feeling of “my family” is the most important thing for me. After I got married “my family” changed and THIS family became the most important thing for me. In the journey I found may people, but they did not become the most important thing for me. Why? I ask myself.…

Imagine Aarohi – a community of open learning. Not a school or an organization, but a community to create space for open learning with co-creation, co-learning, and co-existence as key parameters. They joined the community when Prashanth and Nandini were looking for an alternative school for Advay, 5yrs old. In the last two years, they…

Imagine Aarohi – a community of open learning. In the community, not only our kids glow, but the families also grow together. They joined Aarohi to give meaningful education to their daughter, 5yrs old. As they grew in Aarohi along with the child, the support of grandparents grew with the child’s growth. Here is what…

From the diary of a facilitator Child – I have never drawn, Me – It’s okay you can try now, just draw Child – I do-not draw good, Me – You do not have to draw good or bad, just draw Child – I will not do it. Child – I can’t dance, I do…

Habits of mind or just habits? How do we understand our habits and our mind? We began by asking “what are our habits?” Dust and wear the shoe or wear first right and then left? Wash hands before a meal or sleep with a pillow? Eat fruit after a meal or put a bookmark in…

Like any other learning opportunity at Aarohi, KAA trips are not only limited to its contents – the overall travel and being in the place brings a lot of different kinds of learning opportunities and every child grasp the opportunity in different forms. The average age of children traveling for these trips is 5 to…

THE STORY OF KAA at AAROHI Travelling is an amazing education. Traveling together is even better. That is what are KAA trips – travel, see, meet, eat and learn. We go for roughly 3 to 4 KAA trips in a year. These trips can be anything from 2 to a week-long duration. we all choose…