Last week we went to a beautiful place
with my learning group, that was not a picnic spot or not a hill station but I
felt it like heaven in earth. Do you know what was that place? That was a
beautiful school; you might be wondering how a school can be so beautiful. I am
also wondering how did it happen when I was there, I saw what a decent place that
was where all kinds of children studying and learning through environment,
through their own knowledge or experience with the help of
their friends of friends, you know who were their friends? They were
their teachers. In a sociological view I found there teacher as a romantic and
entertainer guide of students.
We know that
school is one of the places where child grow up his/her knowledge and learning
ability. The main aim of education is improve child critical thinking ability,
use their own knowledge and experience. School should create better homely
environment for students learning and overall development. Unfortunately our
school system not clearly follows this aims. But some people invent a new way
of learning, learning by doing.
In our visit of
that alternative school was amazing and inspired me a lot. This school has
hundred students capacity up to tenth standard, beautiful environment,
beautiful building, beautiful children and beautiful teaching method. There was
a common platform and opportunity for all kind of diverse and different socio
economic background children. You can't imagine any building without door,
window and electricity but in this school no need of these things. All
classrooms were opened you can see one classroom to another easily. All
children were freely walking anywhere in school.
When I entered in school I saw some
children playing cricket, some were playing basketball, some were playing
volley ball and some children were doing craft and other creative work. Principal
told us Tuesday they have extracurricular-activity like sports and outdoor visiting
day so higher class students went to visit a museum with their one teacher, all
junior class students were there in school and were involved in different kinds
of activities. She also told about history of school and how they were able to run
this school through alternative teaching method. She said in our school children
are independent to do all kinds of learning activities; we have diversity among
students and we try to focus all children equally and giving them opportunity
to learn different things. During our conversation it is also know that there
were not any competition between students in any field like music, singing,
exams and sports also. They focused to student’s participation in all school activities;
here students learn cooking and farming also.
When we asked her about curriculum of schools,
she said our school following a similar curriculum as mention in NCF 2005. There
was no any academic class running in school so we went in art class where
students doing clay modelling with art teacher. I observe child frankly ask
questions with teacher, teacher looks like their guardian and facilitator, some
time she gave some instructions for making clay model. But child used their own
thought to shaping their model.
We talked her about their class and art,
she told lot of earlier experience of her life. She said I have long years’
experience to work with different aged children, I understand how child learn. She
said when a child come to school there are different kind of knowledge and
capacity. They know lot of thing, but after entering the school they have no
space to express their earlier knowledge and experience in classroom. In art
class she tries to make a curriculum to consider child psychology. Child has
capacity to know what is wrong and what is right, he or she also knows about
colours. She said in her class she using different alternative and innovative methods
for teaching art and craft. She has some guideline frame work child follows
these guide line and use their own thoughts for making drawing and craft work.
During the visit I also interact some
students and talked them about their school. How they feel at there? They all
said we are happily learn all the things both academic and creative activities
in our school. One interesting thing happened there, when I was entered in a
library of school some students were jumping and playing at there, I asked this
is your library, they said no this is our circus room. It shows how child
freely feel in their school.
It was great experience for me as an
education practitioner I learnt lot of new things, thanks to all school staff
and all students.
