Category: Blogs

We explored tribal dance as a part of flocci. We watched few videos of tribal dance of different states of India. We discussed about their steps, costumes, rhythms and energy of the dance. We also compared different tribal dance based on three criteria: Energy, Fun and rhythm.We closed our flocci with making our own tribal…

As part of an activity children cut different photos from magazines and paste them in to their notebook. They came out with a story using those pictures. Have a look at Interesting three stories in the video attached. Child 1: Child 2: Child 3:

It was an outdoor day today. We all were aware that we are going to Ananya trust which is a NGO- which helps under privileged children to learn. All of us were excited due to various reasons. Few were excited because they met their peers after long time, few were excited about the bus journey,…

The week started with stimulation activities where we explored visual observations. We observed each other’s eyes, different liquid’s flow, weighing scale of grams, tattoo designs and map of different districts of Tamilnadu and so on. We planned our week and did some commitment to self for the week. In safety club we explored bullies, fire…

All walls done, worked for many months to make the structure – one heavy rain in the night and whole structure came down. The team worked again, this time learning from mistakes.

It was my turn to take parent workshop – we cooked together lunch for all of us.

Self learning in a democratic enviroenmnt – all learning together, all learning what they want to learn and how do they want to learn. Peer to peer learning is gift we give to each other – the feedback needs to flow in all directions. 17minutes video.

Aunty, do you have any wish? Last week I was greeted with this question during lunch. Oops!!! I did not have any wish – Are all my wishes fulfilled or have I stopped wishing ? Well, kids with super enthusiasm asked me “if you had to ask for 3 wishes what will ask for?” I…

The story of campus care began with a range of mop/brooms/dusters. Most of us at O-campus were excited with different types of tools to clean – the excitement lasted for few days and when the reality struck, the work of faculty started. Many times a task is started with lot of excitement and it fizzles…

As per dictionary “rapport – noun –a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other’s feelings or ideas and communicate well. So how do we build this connection with children? Interacting & Facilitating … as a means to empower childrento do what they want to do, learn what they…

Democratic learning

Making of wall painiting STORY of WALL PAINITING from participants – how does it feel?

I ponderI doI explore

What you do when a child comes to you and say “I have found a fossil of dinosaurs at the campus”. Well, one can say “Dinosaurs did not exist at campus ………………..”. OR ask “tell me more about it”. On one such occasion I came across a child who found a tooth while he was…

One child began his journey with sketching – He sketched things, people. He hated his own creation when he sketched live people. He continued. He started sketching (copying) cartoon (Pokemon) from internet. He sketched endlessly. He would sketch while we discussed, while we talked about planning, while we sang songs……………….he continues. He loves his own…

Music continues Often in the absence of enough exposure we are stuck with one way of doing things. The consistent question in mind – how much and how long the exposure? Here is one more story The story of sunshine at aarohi began with “music” in our sessions. Initially it was just faculty bringing songs…

Campus is beaming with birds, butterflies and dragonflies. Last week we spotted Munia, Minivet Dove, Bulbul, Drango, Bee Eater, Parakeet, birds of prey………..join us for a lovely morning and bird watching any day at campus.

We adults – Parents and teachers should go to school to learn that kids can learn by themselves – all we need to learn is two things Firstly, a democratic environment where kids have freedom to learn what they want to learn and how and from whom do they want to learn Secondly, responsibility for…

Again NehruPlanetarium? What? Again Nehru Planetarium? ….This was the expression on all faces when we announced the address of our Outdoor on 17th. What everybody missed was the word ‘opposite’. Our outdoor was going to the Outdoor Military Museum inside the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain compound. The sight of a gigantic Indian flag welcomed us.…

Our floucci of the week was ‘Debates’ . I announced the topic of the floucci and all but one child continued with their own work. This one child was interested to know more about debates. Together we explored ‘opinions’, ‘facts’, when, where and how of debate. We then shared examples of facts and opinion. During…

One child from village wants to learn English and Maths. His reasons are English – So I can understand what people talk, when I go outside Maths I want to work in shop, and I need to know addition to handle money. He is doing what he wants to do – small dreams, small steps.…

Onam celebration with Parents, initiated by parents. It was two days of living together, preparing for festival together, cooking together, playing game together and eating together. Previous day we began with shopping and then cutting vegetables. Next day one team went around to collect flowers to make Pookkalam, while some started with cooking, some kept…

It began with “design your own festival”. Last time we celebrated Baishaki at Aarohi – it was designed by faculty, we arranged all the resources, food items, music etc. During the session all the adults were busy arranging for material, putting up music, making Lassi and so on…………kids danced to the music we had selected………..they…

Often learning is confused with skills. During music week we did not work on skills, we worked on learning music. Deepa took us through various exercises to FEEL music, and experience music. Often when we talk about learning, first thing comes in mind is to develop that skill and next comes in mind is “learning…

Singing from heart

Guess the tune

It was a week FILLED with MUSIC. We sang, danced, lived, ate and drank music. Music was in air, music is still in air. Deepa opened up the world of Kabir, music, instruments, chanting, voice, and singing for us. While Smapoorna team made our day with melodious Violin, Carnatic music, Xylophones and various unique musical…

Five kids, one adult and two dogs on their way to veterinary hospiat for sterlization of two dogs. The whole event was led by kids and onwed by them inclduing fun on their way. Photographs tells the whole story.