Educational Approach

 

A brief, ‘accessible’ explanation is given below as a ‘small glimpse’.

Approach: ‘Human-centric view’

  • Integral role of the ‘seer’ as the one that is experiencing, living (study of the human, not just abstraction of bodily physiology, anatomy, etc)
  • Includes all phases and dimensions of human life, human happiness
  • Includes all aspects of nature, reality the human needs to understand, and is related to, and affected by.

Curriculum & classroom practices

  • Based on a deep direct-understanding of the nature of existence (reality) and the human being & universal human purpose.
  • Integrated view of all subjects as seen from within the experience of actual human living (the way the child, youth, and adult see and experience the world) & their interconnection in nature/the world, not ‘external’ disparate pieces of info
    • Addresses all aspects of individual living: spiritual, experiential, intellectual, behavioural, material. Subjects are taught as seen from within this ‘human-frame of living’.
    • Includes laws in the natural sciences, laws of behaviour, social laws, and law in intellectual spheres.
  • Addresses universal human aspirations of happiness, peace, understanding, prosperity, good character, etc.
  • Includes expectations of the Family, Society and Nation from the student, and vice-versa and their interactions thereof.
  • Needs, Capabilities & commensurate learning & practices in the life stages of the human: childhood, youth, adult and old-age; whilst living in the Individual, Family, Society, Nation and Inter-Nation spheres.
  • Reduce info load, increase practice of relevant skills (math, science, geo) and ‘core-concepts clarity’ focus

Pedagogy & School environment

  • Based on a deep understanding of the conscious aspect (chaitanya jeevan and its precise functioning) and the true nature of ‘spirituality’ based on actual existential knowledge, not just mystical intuition or estimations.
  • Enabling to ‘see & live’ instead of only ‘learn & reproduce’: guided exploration
  • All enviroments the child lives in are take into consideration – in the school, and outside.
  • School is an extension of the behavioural environment at home, including affection, care, mutual respect, cooperative responsibilities, seva etc.
  • Teacher is in the role of the guru and is responsible for the overall development of the child to to fruition as a complete-human being. Based on personal ‘guru-shishya sambandh‘. The childs development forms part of the teachers practice towards their own personal improvement. Teacher addressed as acharya, or adhyapakji
  • Our Understanding of the child’s development is – ages: 0-5: emulation, 5-10: pursuance (obeying), 11-16: discipline, 16-18: self-discipline.
  • Although they are English medium schools, all instruction and interaction is bilingual.
  • The child’s attention is guided in such a manner that they can address the various elements of their ‘being’ and ‘living’ appropriately.
  • Concept-based approaches to math and sciences, where it is first instilled in imagination, the utility & observational in nature is taught, then the theory
  • The syllabus is also planned such that the words for concepts they will require to understand later are introduced a few years prior.
  • Our Methods of Teaching
    • Meaningful Dialogue
    • Appreciation
    • Guided Practice
    • Collaborative Project – project based learning
    • Peer Learning and Higher Learning
    • Life-long learning concepts, social-character, daily routine (health & work)
    • Connect content with living – living in a family and participating in family vocations – increase production + physical work mentality.
    • Math Practice at the beginning of every day
    • Village Surveys
    • Production Activities – to meaningfully use the organs of action
    • Non-competitive games and sports – self competitive not with each other
    • Debriefing
  • Bother teachers and parents are facilitated via Jeevan Vidya workshops and the understanding of the underlying philosophies to get this integral-view.

Assessment approaches

  • Both quantitative and qualitative methods of assessment are used, as needed.
  • Comparison for competition not done. Used as tools for personal improvement. Others successes are celebrated and emulated.
  • Covers the following areas.
  • Material Aspect
    • Healthy development of sensory aspects, brain, body strength, agility, etc.
    • Skills learning, willingness for physical work, sincerity
  • Behavioural Aspect
    • Tendencies, bhaavas, expression – verbal and others, commitment to relationship
    • Participation at home in multiple dimensions – behaviour & seva
    • Societal interaction, character, appreciation of place in Human society.
  • Intellectual aspect
    • Memory and recall
    • Language & Math, computation
    • Critical reasoning, understanding
    • Qualitative application in life: wisdom/ viveka.
  • Spiritual, Existential Aspect
    • Clarity on human life, consciousness, goals, purpose
    • Existential nature of the Universe and its components
    • Knowledge of laws of the Material world
    • Clarity on how all this information and knowledge is related to individual, familial and societal happiness, contentment & well-being

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See inputs provided to the National Curriculum Framework as part of the National Education Policy for India (NEP) 2022

Also see concept note on higher education: Value Education for Consciousness Transformation


shriram n / student / june 2022 / based on inputs from education team in the schools.