Category: Open Learning FAQ
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Examinations and Open learning
How does a Aarohi student write/appear for Std 10/12th exams in the mainstream system? There are many options of giving the board exams as an open or “independent” candidate. Indian boards like NIOS – National Institute of Open Schooling by Central Government of India, and some states allow private candidates.You can look into international certifications…
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What if my child has special need? Does Open Learning work for children with LD, DYSLEXIA, ADHD, ADD, Autism etc
In open learning there are no expectations that a child will behave or learn or do the same things as other child. There are no milestones or benchmarks or references. The only reference is the child. And each child has great life within. Open learning accepts and expects child as unique. The child creates his…
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As a parent of an open learner, what is my role?
Think of yourself as a co-passenger. So more than a parent, you yourself become an open learner. Yes you would guide and support your child, but please expect your child to guide and support you equally. If we can interact everyday, sharing as well as listening, understanding as well as challenging, co-creating our life together…
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I am not a good teacher, nor qualified, how will I teach my child?
It’s actually a good-news that you are not a good teacher, else we would end up teaching. We aren’t supposed to teach children, rather guide and support them and they will find out from whom and how and using what they want to learn and do what they want to learn.
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What skills do I need to develop to be able to support my child in their open learning journey?
Actually none. Just be with the child: listen, understand, discuss, debate, argue, and mostly allow them to fail. And since you already have all these skills, you are ready!
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What if when the child becomes an adult, questions our decision of choosing Open Learning?
Two important points here – Any child can actually question any decision of their parents at any point of their life. That in itself does not mean that we need to take all right or safe decisions, because perhaps any decisions which might look right or safe can be questioned and seen as otherwise later.…
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What role does the extended family play?
It is a Co-creation journey and whoever in the extended family is ready can be a co passenger, more the merrier. Open learning invites all in the family to become open learners.Also do invite them to play the role of questioner – constantly questioning the child and the parents. Perhaps that is the most important…
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What kind of environment should we create at home to foster open learning?
Simple – a learning environment: Where your children see you as a learner (and only as a teacher), where failures, mistakes, incapabilities are seen as much part of our life. Where each one is W.I P – Work in Progress.
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I am in sync but my spouse or the grandparents or the relatives are not in favour of this decision.
Super – this means there can be so many discussions, explorations, perspectives etc. The idea in open learning isn’t to convince others (since we are not wiser or smarter). The idea is to even see this as an opportunity to learn and explore and discover.
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Can my child go back to a regular school / college at any time during open learning?
Surely. So many children have moved freely between school/college and open learning. Getting an admission is not so difficult in today’s world where schools/colleges far outnumber the demand.Most schools do not insist on TC (Transfer Certificate) when they know the child has been doing pen learning. They may however demand an entrance test / interview…
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Isn’t the child’s future in open learning insecure?
Here is a reply by Asawari, an open learner who has not given 10th/12th, no degrees… “When I read this question, I was wondering if everything in my life is a gamble? My friendships, my relationships, marriage, career, even choosing a dish to order in the restaurant. So when I make a decision it’s the…
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Do open learners give 10th / 12th / go to college?
This is something we all need to realise that getting a certificate is a CHOICE. No certificate is mandatory in our country and hence the moot question is why one wants to give 10th / 12th / or go to college? If a child has a reason, then definitely the child would and can give…
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If we / my child wants to, how can an open learning child give 10th/12th to join a college?
These are the current options available:The child can give 10th/12th via the central government’s NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling). Some state boards also allow private candidates.Another interesting option is to join a school around 9th/10th grade so that that child can give 10th via CBSE or ICSE or state board.If a child is considering…
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How will the child build a career without going through college?
Simply put there is no one way, rather many organic ways. First the child develops basic skills in his or her field using loads of self work, coaching, projects, courses and workshops. Most children, once ready in terms of their skills and age, hop onto internships, apprenticeships, mentorship or even taking jobs. Rest is learning…
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What if the child is denied job opportunities etc because he/she does not have a degree?
This is possible, though rare. Usually people in today’s world are denied jobs only if they do not bring the requisite experience and expertise. Since open learners would not have the degree to prove themselves, they will have to present their portfolio of experience and expertise.Also note that without a degree children may not be…
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How can open learners go abroad (out of India) for higher education or career?
The options here are not just defined by the field but more by the country which the child wants to goto. Many universities abroad offer open courses, where selection is either open or based on the child’s portfolio. Or the child may give an entrance / qualification examination.The child can also, based on his or…
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Do open learning children only go for the art /music kind of fields?
Open learning is not limited to any field – one can go ahead and build one’s professional career in any field right from tenchinoly, to finance to art to business to writing to … You would realise almost all fields lend space for entrepreneurs, freelancers as well as jobs.
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How can we evaluate the child’s progress without any exams?
The Child here evaluates his or her progress. The child’s work and portfolio are normally the major source of progress tracking. Also since the child would be interacting with the world at all the times, the world may give appropriate feedback. For example somebody interested in writing would get feedback from say a newspaper or…
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How do you bring the environment of excellence, how does a child get motivated to excel?
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I am in sync with the philosophy of open learning but have fear of the future?
Please note fear will be there whether you take the school-college route or you go self directed. Fear, fortunately is not out there in the world. And since it’s only in our minds, we can use understanding of ourselves and the world around us to work on it. Fear is also used as a tool…
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What is open learning?
In open learning the learner decides what all to do and learn, creates his or her own structure and even decides how he or she wants to learn / do something. The learner reviews and reflects on a continuous basis and revises his or her plan accordingly.The whole process is supported by the family /…
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How is open learning different fom homeschooling or unschooling or free schooling?
Since the above terms are used in different ways by different people, let’s not bother about them. Rather, what is important is how much the child follows institutional (school or college given) structure as compared to how much the child / family decides and designs their own learning journey. Typically in homeschooling while the child…
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How is open learning different from other types of alternative education models like Montessori, Waldorf, Krishnamurthi, etc ?
Broadly, education models like Waldorf or Montessori, etc. follow a different process and approach towards learning, though they still follow the curriculum / subjects (at least for ages over 9 years) outlined by various educational boards. Also usually, alternate schools group children by age / class. In open learning obviously there is no given curriculum…
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What are the pros and cons of open learning vis-à-vis conventional schooling?
Pros: Learning is based on a child’s interest Space to both explore many interests as well as deep dive into one or few – at any age. Wide range of life skills as the child leads their own self, social, and learning journey including the ongoing cycle of planning, doing and reflecting. So many options…