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 your book? What are these habits and how are they formed? The day was filled with HABITS, just an awareness that they are part of our living!
Habits of mind are like a handkerchief in the pocket – we all have it, it’s just that we don’t always use – sometimes not even aware that we have it. The week of HOM was not about learning about habits of mind, but to be aware that we all have it and we use it with different intensity. Imagine Aarohi, where the Self Discovery is part of the curriculum.
Playback theatre session was to explore the world of breaking habits – what is fear? Is it just fear or specific fear? It is an abstract or it has a face? How about giving a form to our fear? – We experienced – Finding Humor, Thinking Interdependently, Open to lean, Creating, Imagining, Innovating, Responding, Applying past knowledge, Empathy, Thinking Flexibly,
Sang this song and we experienced Humility and Humbleness in the lyrics
Watched a movie together and discovered HOM of “Responsible, Questioning, CLarity, Flexibility” exhibited by the characters of the movie.
Just one game with few balls and experienced various habits of minds – Communication, Alert, Observe, Patience, Coordination, Responding, Verifying, Clarifying, Accepting, Strategising, Control impulsivity, Following instructions, Acknowledging, Listening, Responsible, Controlling Temptations to talk, Interdependent, Independent, Adaptable, Caring, Perseverance
What all went into this dish
Letter writing with Lakshmi in Jaatre this week – a forgotten art. But imagine a handwritten letter – it shows “efforts”. Does getting a letter makes us feel valued, acknowledged and loved – We experienced Open to lean, Creating, Responding, Applying past knowledge, Empathy,
And we did a reflection on:
Where did you see acceptance in your day?
One event in your day when you felt acknowledged?
Anything you felt in kitchen strategizing?
You wished you had perseverance in that task?
Any place in nature you experienced adaptability?
How did clarifying helped you in a day in any task?
Anywhere you felt the consequence of comparison
And we experienced – Thinking Interdependently, Imagining, Responding, Responsible, Questioning, Applying past knowledge, Clarity, Thinking about Thinking
Guru Purnima was just a reason to celebrate and CREATE! One of the family thought of Celebrating at the campus. Few more joined in the preparation – Decoration planning, singing, poetry, gifts, showering love and that’s all! And we experienced community, culture, empathy, love planning, cooperation, and LIFE!
Teenager stories with Richard – One 8yr old asked another child to another to show the body – was it innocence or curiosity or sexual act? When we are young, talking about sex is very innocence. When we grow either it is funny, or embarrassing. How does it make it feel to know the stories of sex, harassment, exposure, etc? Boys, girls, Nudity – but we do it all the time. Programming STOPS or does not allow us to play the game of life – never talk to boys, never play sports, etc. Judgment stops us to participate in life – this is boring, this is not cool stops …this is leading to missing out a lot of fun in life. Have you forgotten making friends, socializing? As an adolescent, teenagers – there are a lot of questions we do not ask or we do not know that we do not have those questions. What if we have someone to share/listen to talk about our confusion in a safe space. Such topics are sensitive to talk, but one can always make a beginning! And we experienced – Finding Humor, Open to lean, Imagining, Questioning, Applying past knowledge, Impulsivity, Empathy, Thinking about Thinking
Tween Cafe served some food for thought to brew in young minds – things in advertisements are fake, some are real! Watch the ads together to ANALYSE what you think is fake and what is real – all thoughts are fine (no wrong, no right). And we experienced – Finding Humor, Thinking Interdependently, Open to lean, Creating, Imagining, Responding, Taking a risk, Applying past knowledge, Clarity, Impulsivity, Empathy, Thinking about Thinking
Session on “why to travel? Or where to go for an outstation trip?” brought the opportunity to bring clarity, ask questions, listen, plan, communicate, etc. How do we decide where to go? How to go? What If I don’t want to come? Can I bring my money? Can parents come? Can a friend come? Can I carry my phone? Where do we stay – hotel or dormitory? Separate rooms or one? What all fears? What if something is stolen? What if my eyes get hurt? Not get food of choice? Will I be scared of the dark? And we experienced – Thinking Interdependently, Responding, Responsible, Questioning, Applying past knowledge, Clarity, Empathy, Thinking Flexibly, Thinking about Thinking
And the community went ahead with our own curriculum – Making fish tank, Website designing, dance practice, making songs, try poetry, history, website designing, repairing laptops, maintenance of the campus, internship follow-ups, fish tank, drawing, designing, celebrating Guru Purnima, running, aerobics, football, dodgeball, games, reflecting, exploring technology and slacking, planning for travel, fighting, screaming, laughing, crying, visiting nearby govt school, shopping, carrom tournaments, studying for 10th exams, studying just like that, documenting and living together!