Explore: K12 schools focused on holistic learning

JUST imagine a school without walls, classrooms and corridors where the teachers are participants in a learning process decided by the children themselves. This is how Kunskapsskolan, a soon-to-be-launched experimental school in the Delhi/ NCR region has decided to impart education to children. School education in India is slowly but surely undergoing a transformation with parents and teachers gradually recognising the need to develop life-skills alongside with academic excellence in children, in keeping with the changing times.

Child-centric schooling
Traditional methods of learning are being re-assessed and in some cases customised for the different requirements of children. Terms like “experiential” learning, “child-centric” learning have become common among parents who are increasingly more inclined and open to experiment. One trend thrown up by the Education World Survey 2012 is that “alternative” schools like Rishi Valley School, the other Krishnamurty schools and Vasant Valley School, Delhi, have risen up in the rankings.

According to the Education-World C-Fore school rankings of 2012, the top spot has been bagged by the Vasant Valley School, Delhi which centres around collaborative and peer learning for students. This is followed by the Valley School in Bangalore which follows the liberal education principles of JD Krishnamurty. Parents, teachers and educationists have begun to realise that holistic learning does not necessarily come at the cost of academic success.

Harbinger of change
Of course, there are reservations as there always are, against anything new and experimental but the signs are there for a change in the offing. What is bringing about this welcome change in attitude towards education? One reason is that parents have become more open to experimenting after being exposed to different styles and concepts of learning in the last few years.

The other reason is the positive change they see in their children after a few years of studying in such a school. Dr Abhay Verma (name changed) whose two daughters  study at the Mirambika Free Progress School, Delhi,  Class 7 and 3, is pleased with the way his children have evolved. “It is a free environment. There are many meetings between teachers and parents. Teachers are mere facilitators and instil in the children, an urge to learn from within. My daughters are turning out to be confident and happy individuals. That is  important for me as a parent,” he says. Mirambika follows the system of integral education for children as laid down by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.

Flexible curriculum
The school situated at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram campus, aims to address the totality of the being.  Education works to bring out a child’s amazing hidden potential. The focus is more on doing, observing and reflecting rather than learning by rote. The curriculum is flexible and evolves according to the individual needs of the child. Children can study in Mirambika up to class 10 and take the examination organised by the National Institute of Open Schooling. Yet another chain of schools that celebrates the child’s individuality, keeping him at the centre of the system is the Swedish Kunskapsskolan school company which is about to launch its flagship school in Gurgaon this April.

Learning at one’s own pace
Kunskapsskolan has a chain of 37 schools across Sweden, the US and UK and is a tried and tested model that aims to keep the student at the centre of the learning process. While it follows the local board (CBSE in India), students define their own personal goals along with their personal coach and parents. The curriculum is divided into steps and themes. Subjects such as Maths and languages need to be learnt sequentially and are organised in steps. Each student progresses through the steps at his own pace. Students can join the Step course at a starting point corresponding to the knowledge they already have about it. Humanities, Arts, Sciences, Computers are integrated theme courses.

Mark Parkinson, Executive Director and Head of Schools for Kunskapsskolan Eduventures explains, “Right from an early age we are preparing them to take more initiatives themselves. Step subjects are introduced class 1 upwards. These are English, Maths and Hindi. The others are designed thematically keeping the NCERT and CBSE requirements in mind. The child is encouraged to assess his own abilities and is made to set some goals for the whole year.”

PROJECT WORK Children learn concepts through intersting activities and projects

Facilitating learning
Each of these experimental schools might be unique in itself but one common element between them is their strong focus on the child. The child is at the centre of learning. The Rishi Valley School in Andhra Pradesh, which is based on J Krishnamurty’s philosophy of education, also aims to create the right environment for the child to enable him to develop as a complete human being.

The stress is on order and freedom without any fear, and self-learning is encouraged. Instead of talking to students, teachers in these schools are encouraged to facilitate the process by being coaches and mentors who are involved in the development of the child. Parents too are expected to be involved and aware of their child’s individual needs and goals.

Discouraging the rat race
Yet another welcome feature of many of these schools is their stress on NO comparisons and NO competition. The Sunshine Worldwide School in Goa discourages the children from entering the rat race. Happiness for the students here is dependent on their personal success and endeavours. Many parents today prefer this lack of competition and would like to distance their children from the ruthless competitive approach still followed in many schools today.

Isha Kumar (name changed), whose four-year-old daughter studies in The Heritage School, Gurgaon chose the school for this very reason, “The teachers don’t encourage competition. They believe that every child has a different cycle of development and it’s not fair to compare them with each other. The school is genuinely interested in the overall development of the child.” The mantra for both the above mentioned schools is “experiential learning” and they try to put the child through as many real experiences as possible.

Mainstream schools
Transformation is taking place at many levels. On the one hand these experimental schools have gradually found their footing and on the other are those that are trying to imbibe the best features of experimental learning while maintaining their traditional stance towards education. One of them is the Shriram Group of schools that has established its reputation for academic excellence and innovation. While the child is given importance here, the stress is more on providing the right opportunities for children to achieve their full potential.

Even though the school has a carefully planned syllabus and conforms to the ICSE Board it also caters to students with special study requirements. The school is a study centre for the National Institute for Open Schooling (NIOS) and also offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). To top it all, it also boasts of a world renowned Special Educational Needs Programme (SENP). Patrons of the school find Shriram a balanced mix of the traditional and experimental forms of education.

Best of both worlds
For those who find it hard to accept the alternative system, Shriram poses as the next best option. Malvika Lal (name changed), a teacher at Shriram School, Gurgaon prefers this middle-of-the-road approach. “Shriram is a combination of both styles of teaching and that is very healthy. As far as informal schooling is concerned, too much freedom can also be detrimental for the child. Not all children can decide goals for themselves and some discipline is essential,” she says.

What also constrains alternative systems is that they stress the involvement of parents to a greater degree, many of whom find it hard due to full-time jobs. Avantika (name changed), a Chartered Accountant and mother of a 10-year-old finds Mothers’ International in Delhi perfect for her and her child’s needs. “I like this school as it is fairly mainstream in its style and yet does not burden the child. The stressful nature of my work leaves me with little time to invest in my son’s education which is why I did not choose any alternative school for him.”
 

Prepping for the 21st century
It is a healthy sign that Indian parents and educationists are opening up to different methodologies, and are not scared to experiment. At the end of the day, it is all about equipping their children to face new challenges. As Mark Parkinson sums it up, “Recognition is starting to come about in parents that it is not about sacrificing on academics, but it is about equipping the children with far more of the skills they need, to emerge into the 21st century.” 

Rashi Bisaria is a content consultant based in New Delhi