If alternative education had been a big-city idea till recently, it is now springing up even in small cities and towns. The alternative schools believe that every child is unique, and that her progress has to be free of any external pressure.
Remember Totto-chan? The perky little Japanese girl in the namesake book by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi? Totto-chan got expelled from every school she was admitted to, because the teachers did not know how to handle the bundle of unrestrained energy. Redemption came through school headmaster Sosaku Kobayashi, who had unshakable faith that every child is unique and he treated the little souls with due respect. The school Tomoe had no fixed timetable, kids learnt the alphabet by writing their friend’s name, they planned their own day, started with any subject they liked, spent as much time on it as they wished, and played to their fill.
All these may sound almost like a fairy tale. But, such schools do exist and their numbers are increasing in India. Alternative schools are child-centric, and they are based on the concept of free progress, where every child progresses at his or her pace, devoid of any comparisons or pressure. And, teachers never preach; they only inspire. The term Free Progress was first used by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother (his most prominent French disciple Mira Alfasa), while explaining the philosophy of integral education. Integral education regards every child as a growing soul, and helps her to bring out the best within, and develop all facets of her personality. Now, it is generally used to describe an educational system where there is no external pressure or comparisons, where every child is treated as a unique soul and the whole emphasis is on free growth and natural development.
This story is from the June 03, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 03, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
There Is A Wind Blowing Against The BJP, And It Will Only Pick Up Speed
Interview - Akhilesh Yadav, Former Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh
Between hospital and home
Transitional care centres can add a lot to India's health care system
EFFORT VS EFFECT
The government's attempts to ensure quality drugs is evident, but how well new policies can be monitored on the ground remains to be seen
A way to let go of fear
Accepting the use of adult diapers is a journey with various stages-denial, concealment, rejection and reluctance
Mandeeps & a miracle
Two strangers, one deadly disease and an act of kindness. How Mandeep Mann saved Mandeep Singh, an acute leukaemia patient, by donating his stem cells
The A, B, C of cosmetic surgery
Between eight to 10 lakh cosmetic surgeries happen in India every year. Who is an ideal candidate, and what are the risks and results you can expect?
Vaccines and meningitis
In sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, and encompassing the northern part of Nigeria, there exists a region known as the African Meningitis Belt (AMB).
Celebrating diversity and inclusivity
As Indians battle it out in our nation's 18th general election, it is again time for voters to reflect on the \"Idea of India\"-or rather, on two duelling ideas of India that are now before us and between which the nation must choose at the ballot box.
Defendant: an Hermès handbag
When Hermès was hit with a class-action lawsuit last month for \"antitrust\" activities, it didn't see it coming. Most of the luxury world has all eyes on this suit, filed by two interested consumers who claim they were denied a purchase, and whether it would go to trial.
A legacy, bound
Amal Allana's biography of her father, Ebrahim Alkazi, is as much personal as it is historical