Category: Blogs

Do we really need this concept called motivation? Can we not examine, a little bit more carefully, as to how we all operate, including children. One child was working on repairing bulbs, other three got interested and inspired they joined him. One child was playing keyboard, another adult at the campus got inspired and started…

Showing strength in painting, making things, understanding electronics, knowing technology, filmmaking, photography, and sketching. Innovative, likes to try new things and courageous and adventurous especially with body intelligence activities (like climbing, jumping etc). Strong with verbal and theater kind of skills, as well as comfortable with talking to others, making friends with all ages and…

He is a fast learner, imaginative, connect various experiences, persistence (in the area of interest), understand the process, learn from people who have skills. He is showing interest in writing, making things traveling, adventure and various other things like presentation, reading,, sketching, designing, cooking…Imagine, Aarohi an open learning community where there is no curriculum, the…

He got interested in Telescope.He started liking astronomy.He became our telescope man.He took the challenge to take an hour of a session (Jatre) on space. He worked many hours to prepare for this session. He shared What are planets?What is the moon?What are comets and asteroids?What are stars?What is a galaxy?What is a black hole?A…

He imagines what he wants to make He describes what he wants to make he is clear what he wants to make He makes what he wants to make He has a scientific mind He learns by observing He observes what is around him He observes people working He observes how things work. Watch video…

Magic of 1 Magic of 1 is a concept created in Aarohi to do things slowly and get better. The concept is that I take one thing and do it for many days I become better the magic is that by doing little little every day and slowly getting to know that thing. My experience…

Inspiration fromFew words – democracy, peace, world, education, diversity, Few designs by kids – Earth and people around, earth and tree aroundWarli painting – lifestyle, representing democracyColour Palette – colors of India, culture, visual identity of mud walls, colorful costumes, Peacock feathers and Golden Ratio – Inner and outer circle (5:8) All mixed together became…

Celebrating interdependence this week at Aarohi.But what is Interdependence? How is this different from depending?We often talk about being independent, but do we really exist in isolation or independently? You musthave heard about the independence day but not interdependence day? One child said, “I am good with drawing and with my efforts, I can excel…

Have you ever seen electronics? When one talks about pottery, one can see the clay and pot. When one talks about carpentry one can see the tools and joints. But when talking about electronics, one can really not see the current passing. We often connect with the world around us using five senses…but with electronics,…

So many kids are not hurt – They are just going through the first aid training. Getting closer to our own life!

She is 14yrs old, she has just finished a filmmaking course, she wanted to share her learnings with us at Aarohi. She prepared a presentation on filmmaking and she took a session with us. She also worked on making a film with some of us. It was great having heratAarohi. We had a wonderful session…

No occasion No event It was just simply “Friday special”. Some like to play matches Some like to win Some likes to make teams All needs fell into place with one Friday special – early morning matches, then another match then another match and that’s all.

Just one theme “Analysis – thinking skills” allowed us to explore many other tools and concepts. We explored analysis using various modes: experimenting exploring, observing, watching videos. Graph, Venn diagrams, making of statements, comparison, cause, and effect, questioning Where all we make analysis in our daily life? We started our session with thinking of pondering…

Our kids want to become something – a cricketer, a football player, a pilot, a trainer….ever wondered why do they choose what they choose? We had three days intensive Jatre with some of them on “Intentions” of choosing what they choose. It began with visioning with what one wants to become – We wrote our…

Gratitude is a habit of mind! Yes, one can develop this attribute in our living provided we want it, we understand its value and we practice it. This week at the campus in Aarohi we celebrated “gratitude”, The purpose was to create the awareness and leave it to the individuals to explore, practice and make…

She believes in God, She believes in fasting, She believes in herself! She announced the celebration of Maha Shiv Ratri…it was not a community event but it was in the community! When one can announce “I am making a film”, then why one can’t announce “I am celebrating”. We live in the community, we also…

Two young enthusiastic Amature Astronomers visited the campus just for one night and they added fuel to our astronomy interests. They started stargazing when in 9th std and have been doing the same for last nine years now. They are not science students, they are just excited about stars. They are part of BAS (Bangalore…

Practicing for play conference using a format of playback (or improv) theatre where children think, create and present on their own in a spontaneous environment. No concept of rehearsals – rather the whole format challenges one to improvise in a team LIVE! Its fun, it’s cathartic, It’s expressive, It’s spontaneous, Its creative, it’s boundless, its…

SatSang – As we explored the meaning (like-minded people coming together) or Company of good (sat) people! Thank you, Anita, Kamaraj, Chetan, Prapulla and Mr. Bashu for this wonderful day. The place (Dega farm) is a peaceful place which brought a natural peace to the whole process. The delicious food, love, and care of our…

What is life education? What is open learning? Is it all about “what I want to learn, how want to learn and when I learn”? Is it so simple! Just the life…making a name plate using cross stitch, making bird house, cooking for all in the community, harvesting Ragi, going for film making workshop, attending…

Our first crop – we got the sack of hay in bonus along with the Ragi. After cutting it the hay sack was veryinviting to jump and play and just connect with. We have never touched a sack of hay or jumped into them. It was softer, it was bouncy, it was pure fun playing…

Ever since we started the journey of open learning, few questions are often asked, one of them is “If kids are allowed to learn on their own then they may miss learning everything?” Yes, one cannot learn everything at once and that’s not the idea also. But one can learn when the need arises. Our…

Carpentry with Murali…He creates wonder with coconut shells. He came to the campus to share his skills, joy and connection with coconut shells. He patiently guided each child who wanted to create with coconut shells. He shared the usages of various carpentry tools with passion and enthusiasm. He says “it’s not important what you do,…

14 adults from Russia to understand learning/ unlearning, visited Aarohi. They stayed for a week toexperience Aarohi. They were on their learning journey to India. Each one brought a different energy – While we continued with our life at the campus, they became part of us. Some joined us, some held themselves while some shared…

Bird race experience What is bird race? Bird race is an event that happens every January from 6am to 6pm it is a twelve hour event where anybody can join and do bird watching in Bangalore for the whole day. This event happens in many cities. The whole concept of the bird race is for…

A Jatre on Indus civilization with Advik.His first presentation.He was nervous to do in front of 14 guests at the campus, along with other kids.He planned for an hour but it got over in 20 minutes. But the topic of “Town Planning” triggered the curiosity to explore further more. We dealt with understanding our own…

Outdoor to planetarium We went to planetarium to watch a show about stars and our solar system. We left in the morning and caught the 8:40 train in the train we had lots of fun playing cards taking playing games reading etc. After the train journey we got off at Hebbal railway station and took…

We observe thing around us, what about observing inside us! Observing my thoughts, my feeling, my actions, my needs, my wants … just observe. No need to analyse what am I observing.

Just pause and Wonder! Just stop and Wander! Spend five minutes on wondering and wandering on the topic/task you start with. Why there is hurry to just start and stop the work? Let’s spend some time in wondering and Wandering. I wonder If my heart was outside my body! I wonder If mud was available…