On 24th
January 2024, there were 40 Students and Teachers from Rishi Valley School in
Andhra Pradesh who came to visit STEM land. The Mathegramming team conducted a
two-hour session with them. First, we started the session with Stand and Fear in
“Radical Transformational Leadershipâ€. Technology is value neutral and we
talked about the values that we would like to embody when we use technology and
also my socialized fear that does not support me being my full potential or
embody my stand.
These sessions help to break our silos and work as a team in groups. Each student shared their name and qualities in different ways.
Explored STEM Activities
Following
the workshop, the children were asked to challenge themselves and take up
something they had not done before and the group explored various STEM
activities. The students choose activities based on their interests. The
categories included Puzzles, Mindstorms, Materials, Craftwork, Electronics, Scratch,
and Games.
Showing STEMland concept materials like Integers, dines blocks, and Algebraic Identities to children they can see how these concepts are related to everyday life. Teaching students makes a big positive impact and it helps them to think critically and problem-solving skills. This way of approach not only benefits the children’s educational development but also makes collaborative learning with others.
In the
electronics section, students were able to understand the uses of electronic
devices such as voltage, resistors, and current, along with a multimeter. They
gained knowledge in drawing circuit diagrams and calculating the daily
consumption of current in their surroundings.
In the Mindstorm section, we had fun with robots. Step by step, we guided each other on how to build a simple robot, the connection of all the parts, and how to control our robots. It creates enthusiasm and joy in learning.
In the craftwork section, students and teachers participated in crafting Kirigami balls. They started by painting their sheets and observing the connection between creativity and critical thinking. After finishing the Kirigami balls, they made everyone happy.
After
completing the learning experience students and teachers shared about what they
learned and how it connects to real life.
Reflection from our
Organization’s member
My name is Sharmila. I stand for courage and patience for
myself and others. On January 24, 2024, a group of students, accompanied by
their teachers, visited STEM Land. I volunteered to guide them in exploring the
games. The students were enthusiastic and thoroughly enjoyed playing the games
introduced to them, which were focused on logic and strategic thinking. It was heartening to witness their engagement
and enjoyment throughout the exploration. I believe that the gaming session at STEM
Land provided a perfect platform for both fun and learning.
Udavi school conducted a fair on 26.01.2024. Students from different schools took part and many also conducted games from their side. Some games were based on physical activities and others involved a certain level of critical thinking. Some of the teachers from STEM Land supported children at Isai Ambalam School by making games that they wanted to present. We could see the efforts put in by the students for the preparation of each game. Many teachers and alumni also took part in the event. The participants happily took part in all the games they wished to play and appreciated the involvement and the commitment behind the hard work of the children. The school also organized lunch for all the children and all the participants. We had a nice time having food together. As a whole, the event turned out to be a good learning platform for everyone who took part in it.
Udavi school conducted a fair on 26.01.2024. Students from different schools took part and many also conducted games from their side. Some games were based on physical activities and others involved a certain level of critical thinking. Some of the teachers from STEM Land supported children at Isai Ambalam School with making games that they wanted to present. We could see the efforts put by the students for the preparation of each game. Many teachers and alumni also took part in the event. The participants happily took part in all the games they wished to play and appreciated the involvement and the commitment behind the hard work of the children. The school also organized lunch for all the children and all the participants. We had a nice time having food together. As a whole, the event turned out to be a good learning platform for everyone who took part in it.
Sundaresan:
When I was supporting children in making projects for the Udavi School Fair, I was able to notice the depth to which they can think and apply. While helping, I was able to give inputs to them and based on what they did on their own, I also learned different methods of approaching a task. I saw unity among children when they were allowed to work in groups. I also observed that many children came forward to contribute their best in completing the work. I was able to notice the acceptance among children as each of them shared their ideas for their projects. This was very different from what usually happens in classroom-based education.
Because of such events, unity, and courage to create were built among children from different schools. They were able to gain knowledge by observing and taking part in the games organized by their co-participants. I noticed the quality of leadership among children while conducting the games which usually doesn’t come if they just participate in the games organized by others. The efforts and interest levels of the kids went high as they prepared for the event. Irrespective of whether the project was complicated or simple, each child did their best. I even asked for the project’s use when they were designing. This made them think of the actual purpose of the work they were doing.
Santhosh:
For the Udavi school fair, we decided to make games with our Isai Ambalam school children, in my team I had 2 girls from 7th grade and 2 boys from 8th grade so we decided to make a game with magnets named “Magnetic Game”. In this game we can play with two players, First, we will give 15 magnets to each player so the total number of magnets is 30. we have a square base in cardboard on which a square margin is drawn so now without touching that margin we have to place these 30 magnets one by one, we can place the magnets anywhere within the square, at the same time when a player places a magnet on his turn it might get attracted with magnets placed before so in such case that player should take all attracted magnets. Finally, which player places all 15 magnets without any attraction, they are the ones called the winner.
I have participated in
all other games that were organized by children and they were more logical and
fun games and I had new ideas of games in this fair. In our school our children
participated in this fair and they kept a magnetic game.
Ajay:
I supported Isaiambalam
children in preparing games and purchasing materials for the Udavi School fair.
The children shared their ideas and created new games. We had only two days to
prepare, so the children worked with full potential to make it happen in such a
short time. During the preparation, they worked as a team and supported each
other. I also learnt some new games at the fair, which were challenging and
required logical thinking. Everyone enjoyed the fair and participated in almost
all the games and puzzles. This experience taught me the importance of
preplanning for every activity I undertake.
Jayabharathy:
The school fair gave me
an opportunity to mingle with children. Children from different schools came
forward with interesting games. Every time I played a game, I appreciated the
child for being creative. I even encouraged other children, who were participants
just like me, to be at their full potential while playing the games. When I saw
them feeling bad for not winning in a particular game, I talked to them and
motivated them to be a little more concentrated when they go to the next game.
I noticed the quality of happiness, equality and confidence within myself and
people around me. I observed unity and joy among children and adults during the
entire event.
Sri Bhavani:
In Udavi school Fair, children and teachers were worked together and created wonderful space for the children from other school to engage and participate in the thoughtful games. Children were created games like maze using hydraulic pressure, recreating the animals using shapes like different types of triangles, quadrilaterals etc. All the children were engaged in participating and showcase their creative ideas with other school children. In this event, every child was able to engage themselves through psychic, mental and physical being.
Poonguzhali:
I enjoyed the fair games
with the children. Children were creating many games. They were all united despite
of distinct organizations. Children were at their full potential. I took part
in many games. I won in button game. It involved a lot of concentration. I was
given a handful of buttons, all mixed in colours. This game involved collecting
buttons of same colour and putting them in separate bowls within the given
amount of time. I felt that it was a good exercise for both my hands and my
brain. I noticed that when I played this game, I gained more confidence and
concentration.
Sivaguru Prasath:
It was really fun and entertaining to participate and play the games conducted by our school kids. I learnt how to compete to win each game, not in a single attempt but many trails. Children were really good in conducting games in disciplined and sportive manner. The children prepared game kits and crafts on their own, without anyone else’s help. That was one thing I admired about self-learning.
Narmadha:
The school fair began
with an exciting tug-of-war game, it was quite interesting to see everyone
getting involved. Following that, students from other schools started
organizing games in their stalls. These games tested both physical and mental
abilities and were open to everyone – kids, teachers, and others.
What stood out was that
there were no prizes for the games, but everyone was still eager to join in.
Children were helping each other out and arranging various games. I got a
chance to be part of all the games, and it was quite interesting. The main thing
I learned from this experience is that I shouldn’t just stick to what I already
know. I should explore new opportunities and support others along the way.
A group of homeschoolers along with their parents visited stemland on Thursday – 28th december 2023 to explore new ways of learning. The Mathegramming team welcomed them wholeheartedly. We started the session with Stand and Fear, through stand they get to know who they are and what they deeply care about. And while doing fear they get to know about their socialized fears.Â
Through Scratch, kids
get to be really creative and have a lot of fun. They learn how to think in a
different way and solve problems by making their own stories, games, and
animations. Scratch helps them understand simple coding ideas like loops and
sequences while having a great time.
Reflection from Ilakyaarasi
My name is
Ilakyaarasi. I stand for patience and courage for myself and others. I learnt
that I need to think of a more creative way for children to have an interest in
working with scratch. I worked with two children from scratch, I gave an
introduction of how it works then gave a task to them. Then, they were able to
think and complete it on their own. I saw the feeling of accomplishment when
they completed the task. I also learned different ways to solve the given task
by myself.
ELECTRONICS
Parents and childrens
from homeschoolers explored electronics. They learnt Concept of Body resistance
using conducting gel. Simple circuit using LED, Resistor,
switch and battery. How to find the Breadboard connection using a connectivity test in the multimeter. With a Multimeter how to measure the battery voltage, To check the working of LED, How the 7 segment display works and given tasks which alphabet can’t be displayed in the 7 segment.
Reflection from Dinesh
My name is
Dinesh,I stand for peace and Perseverance for myself and for others. While
starting to explain the concepts to the group I was little bit nervous and when
they started to ask questions about concepts I gave my answers with an analogy
that made them understood the concepts and I felt confident on myself and
started to answer for their questions confidently .While introduced the concept
of body resistance ,everyone in my group was excited (especially children)to
know their body resistance that gave an idea how can I change my way of
explaining concepts to the children I am working with.
SOLVING CAST PUZZLES
When kids and
parents solve a cast puzzle, it seems challenging to them. First off, it helps
them figure out problems and think really hard. They were patient and did not
give up, even if the puzzle is tricky and they start noticing how shapes fit
together. It’s like a fun game that makes them focus and pay attention, and
when they finally solve it, they feel really proud of themselves.
Reflection from Premkumar:
My name is
Premkumar. I stand for self-confidence and happiness for myself and others. I
supported the Mathegramming team in this workshop. I got to engage with a lot
of new people and I had a wonderful experience. When I show the Cast Puzzle to
others, I notice each person thinks in different ways and possibilities to
solve puzzles. I also learnt how different people solve problems. I enjoyed it
a lot throughout this session.
EXPLORING MATH
MATERIALS
         When we explore math materials, the parents and kids find it more interesting that they are able to learn math with things they can touch and move around. It makes learning more fun and helps them understand the concept even better. When kids use objects like blocks to learn math, they get to remember the ideas more easily.
Reflection from Soundhariya
My name is
Soundhariya. I stand for care and perseverance for myself and others. Showing
STEMland concept materials like Fraction, Integers, and Dines blocks to
children and their parents they can see how these concepts are related to
everyday life. Teaching with students makes a big positive impact and it helps
them to think critically and problem-solving skills. This approach not only
benefits the children’s educational development but also makes collaborative
learning with others. When parents actively participate in all the STEM
concepts, they become more aware of their child’s improvement.
GAMES
         The children and parents explored a few games in stemland like Azul, Dimension, sputnik and kabaleo. When they explore these games, they pick up skills like logical thinking and problem-solving and also they learn about patterns and strategies. These games teach them to work together and have fun as a team. So, while enjoying the game they end up picking up skills like strategy, creativity, and teamwork.
Reflection from Sharmila
My name is Sharmila, and I deeply care about
courage and patience, both for myself and others. I introduced some selective
games to the students and their parents. Initially, I felt anxious and nervous
about interacting with them, but when I focused on my stand, I was able to
overcome the fear and engage with them. While playing the games, I noticed that
almost everyone enjoyed themselves, and some parents even took note of the game
names due to their cognitive engagement. I also observed that some students
enjoyed playing a particular game multiple times, while others were keen on
exploring all the games I had prepared for them. The enthusiasm and energy
shown by them during the exploring the games, left me astonished. I am
delighted to be a part of this experience.
KIRIGAMI
 As they start to fold and cut, they also learn about shapes, symmetry, pattern and coordination. Kirigami helps them understand how different folds and cuts can turn a simple piece of paper into amazing 3D creations. It’s like learning a special kind of art that combines creativity and a bit of paperwork.
Reflection from preethi
My name is
Preethi. I stand for courage, kindness and perseverance for myself and others.
I taught kids and parents how to make Kirigami balls. Before we started making
kirigami balls the parents were more excited about how we are going to make a
ball with a few pieces of paper. First we started with coloring the paper, some
colored the paper some drew the patterns in there paper. It’s kind of like
playing with colors and shapes to make their own special designs. And also they
were more focused and patient in what they are doing and when we completed I
saw the satisfaction and joy in their faces. I personally enjoyed the session
and got to engage with new people.
MINDSTORM
Through constructing
and programming their robots, children develop essential skills in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It helps children with logical
thinking, teamwork, and perseverance. Mindstorms provides an engaging and interactive
platform that makes learning enjoyable and effective for young minds.
Reflection from Sivashankar
My name is
Sivashankar. I stand for courage and equality for myself and others. Playing
with things like Mindstorms, which involves building robots and programming
them, is really good for kids. It helps them understand science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM) in a fun way. It also teaches them how to solve
problems and not give up when things get tough. When they make mistakes, they
learn from them and keep trying. Overall, playing with Mindstorms doesn’t just
teach technical stuff; it helps kids become well-rounded and ready for a world
that relies a lot on technology.
We work on beautifying our campus at Udavi. Do you all
remember that old conical cement slab lying left outside the office by the last residents? I had a vision of turning it into a small
pond, and with the help of a few friends in an organization, we dug the soil
and found some granite stones. We utilized them and placed them around the
plants to make them visually amazing. We washed the slab and placed it in the
hole we dug, filling it with water.
The next day, I brought a lotus plant and soil from my
village pond, poured the soil in, and planted the lotus. To enhance its
appearance, we also added four fish we caught from the kitchen pond. Days
turned into weeks, and weeks into months.
About three months later, I got a lily from Uthamaraj Anna
and planted it in the pond. Now, the lily started to bloom with a beautiful
white and purple colour. The population of fish inside the pond drastically
increased, and now more than 40 fish are swimming around. With the sunlight,
the little pond we made looks so appetizing to the eyes.
Every four or five days, I added more water to the pond. It
was not just for the fish but also for birds, dogs, and cows to drink from it.
Sometimes, the water would go down a lot when the big cows drank a bunch, but I
always made sure to fill it up again. This way, it helped all the animals
around by giving them water to drink.
Our old cement bowl, once lonely and forgotten, is now a
mini-pond wonderland. It serves as a reminder that even the dullest things can
transform into something magical with a little love, care, and sunshine. So,
the next time you encounter a neglected old thing or a dusty pot, remember: a
bit of imagination and some friendly plants can turn it into a joyful oasis!
The Mathegramming team at Vasavi International School taught new ways of decimal multiplication using graph sheets. Before we started the session, we introduced what is decimal multiplication and students said it’s regular multiplication but with numbers that have dots (decimal)in them. We just have to multiply the numbers like normal and then figure out where to put the dot in our answer. We believe that learning should be fun and interactive.
Graph sheets provide visual ideas that make an understanding of decimal multiplication
and the grid lines help to understand the placement of whole number and decimal
values. The graph sheet has horizontal and vertical lines, creating boxes for
each digit. Use different colors to mark them as 1,1/10, and 1/100 on the graph
sheet.
Draw the first whole number with a decimal value on the horizontal side and another with a decimal value on the vertical side. Now extend both decimal values and make it as an area.
Add the total number of decimal
places in both numbers. This will determine the placement of the decimal point
in your final answer.
1/10 – 1 means the whole part is divided into ten equal parts on the
graph sheet. It means 1/10 moves the dot one place to the left.
1/100 – Now combine all ten pieces and each piece as one part. (i.e.) 1/100 moves the dot two places to the left.
In the normal way of teaching decimal multiplication, students feel like overwhelmed and disconnected. Our Mathegramming team filled the gap by combining the principles of mathematics with the creativity and logic of programming. Through the collaborative efforts of the Mathegramming team, the process of teaching decimal multiplication to Vasavi students using graph sheets has more to be highly effective.
                       A child from the 7th grade from Study international school has come to STEM Land for making a vacuum cleaner robot as part of her school project and she wanted to make it by her own with some guidance from STEM land. At the beginning her parents were told to buy the required components for the project then SHIVASHANKAR a member of Mathegramming Academy has volunteered to help that student in the project and the student started working on the project. At first, We started to create the basic structure of the robot with 4 wheels and a gear motor for each wheel and we fixed an Arduino Uno board for the programming of the robot and they have also fixed Arduino motor shield for controlling the motors and then they have fixed the wires correctly to make it work and they have also used Ultrasonic sensor to identify the objects or barriers in front of the robot along with Ultrasonic sensor we have used Servo motor to rotate the Ultrasonic sensor left and right. We have used Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for the power. We have used a 6V DC motor for the vacuum cleaner to suck the waste from the floor using a water bottle and some PVC pipes to make some shape so that could suck the waste. The design of the vacuum cleaner is very simple and easily arrangeable by anyone and also the circuit is also easy to fix so anyone with required materials can make this vacuum cleaner robot. The Robot design was taken from YouTube and we have got the information of required components from the same. We have changed something according to our needs and we have made it in our own style.
Coding:
The Arduino board has been
programmed with some code to make the robot work. We are using the Arduino IDE for
programming the Arduino board so that it could do the things we code in it.
The shift in
the education system:
                                                               Normally most of the schools don’t really emphasize on the practical education of the children they only focus on theory and the marks, STEM Land a place of Unending Learning and a place of co-creation we are making so many efforts to bring a change in students life as we are more concerned about what they like instead of what the school likes to do so we have a place where students come and learn by themselves we do have many games over here in STEM Land to increase the critical thinking of the children and we also do some electronics with children to make them apply what they have leant. The shift from theoretical to practical way of learning makes STEM Land a Unique place in Auroville for people who want to learn new things. Stem land also emphasize on Equality so that everyone gets a chance to learn what they want and its open for everyone who truly wants to learn something. Nowadays, the technology is getting too much updated so the students should be skilled enough to abide with the technology so we have the sophisticated environment here in stem land to help children to get in line with the modern technology.
Emphasis on
skills:
Stem
Land emphasizing on mastering skills rather than marks-based learning like most
of the schools doing we ensure creativity, critical thinking, Communication and
adaptability in students who is coming to stem land and we also give
flexibility on fields so that children can choose to learn what they want to
learn. Stem Land stands as a place of openness so that the children can learn
many things and they also teach other people. To master the skills the children,
need to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
Conclusion: The
vacuum cleaner robot project clearly shows that learning can be fun and
creative and also interactive. The girl and her family were also happy after
completing the project it also created a space for co-creation and we hope her
project will also inspire other children to make one on their own and we hope
it will make a great impact on Mathegramming and also in children lives by adding
values to learning and application of that learning in life
On November 8, 2023, For the first year BVOC students we (Second year’s and C3streamland) conducted Fresher’s Day and the second-year students spoke to Dr. Sanjeev Ranganathan and he suggested them the system game (String game) which they learned from the Integral Education workshop and the game involves better understanding of themself and their fellow mates  it results in teamwork and creativity.
At first Sanjeev joined them online to explain the rules and give some introduction to the game and the game organizers were Durai, Ajay, Sandhiya, Premkumar and Sanjeev. The game had three rounds at the beginning of the game they were confused and stuck with some common shapes like circle, square, like that. at the end of the first round, they were asked to see the score and shapes they were disappointed and got low score and in the second round they started with the same but ended with some shapes like trees, mountains and at the end they were able to see the difference between the first and second game and some of them were able to identify why they got these differences and they discussed. At the third round they were able to see the creativity and team coordination and communication among themself was improved much more than the beginning of the game.
Once they completed the string games and they were asked to share their reflections about the game with Sanjeev and how they can relate it to the real world.
Overall reflections and learnings from
students:
The importance of deep
listening.
Importance of adaptability.
Value of collaboration and
coordination.
Acting over my background
conversation.
They felt the essence of
teamwork and the fun it gives when they work together.
We attended a 3-month course on grammatically correct English conducted from July 28 to October 27, 2023 conducted by Ms. Vatsla Sharma at SAIIER and Coordinated by Sanjeev. Around 15 teachers from Auroville attended.
We learned topics like Apostrophes, Use of Articles, 12
Tenses and Rules, Modals, Prepositions and Conditional clauses.
Tenses help convey the timing of an action or
event in a sentence.
While practicing the exercise of storytelling
with the team we learned to choose the right tense to express ourselves.
When we practiced, we got more confidence. Madam gave homework and drill practice
exercises.
It was awesome to see the new way of learning
and expressing our ideas. As a team, we shared conditional clauses one by one,
and we noticed everyone was learning new things
Conclusion:
In this three-month journey of English class, we have not
only improved our written and spoken communication, but also gained confidence
in expressing ourselves effectively.
This course is beneficial and wonderful opportunity for us.
Thanks to C3STREAM Land and SAIIER.
The core values of Mathegramming Academy are responsibility, equality, and courage to create. The team wanted to bring a change in the systematic thinking of the children who were introduced to visual mathematics using scratch by the Mathegramming Academy. The team wanted to have the following shifts:
Mediocracy
to excellence
From
rote learning of concepts to looking at visualization of the concepts and encouraging
critical thinking.
From
Disempowering isms like classism, groupism, and genderism to a creative space.
The Mathegramming Hackathon was organized with each step
designed to foster creativity and learning.
94 students from 6th to 9th grade enrolled in this tournament from different schools in and around Auroville. On the day of the event, 87 students came. The children who had registered had been organized with groups that cut across grades and schools so when the children came in they received their group number. In addition, many youth and children who had been exposed to STEM land in the past including our B.Voc students volunteered as mentors to each support a team. It was enriching to see that we had reached out to so many children/youth in the past who were enthusiastic to support others learn. There was an equal mix of boys and girls at the hackathon and they all worked with each other harmoniously.
We started the day with an introduction to sourcing our inner capacities which they also used to introduce themselves to the other members of their team. This was followed by a session on to power of modular design and providing the children and mentors with general modules created by Mathegramming Academy which could make their coding faster. Breaks were placed to ensure the children remained energized and focused.
We had invited judges from various organizations- Lopa from Ashram, Sanjay, Pratap, Vasanthraj, and Duraiswamy from C3StreamLand Designs, ShankarDevi from Thalam, Julian from Vaasavi International School, Arun from Aura semiconductor, Bridget from Thamarai, Bharani from AIAT and Chitralekha from Pondicherry University.
The themes were prepared from the 7th-grade textbook by the Mathegramming team which are Pythagoras theorem, Pascal’s triangle, Fibonacci series, Integers, Mean Median Mode, Congruence of triangles, Algebraic identities, Decimal number on a number line, and Fraction division.
The tournament showcased the values of equality, responsibility, and the courage to create. It demonstrated the transition from individual to group learning, with strong communication between mentors and mentees. The exchange of ideas between different age groups was a testament to the Academy’s commitment to holistic learning. It was heartening to see the breaking of barriers and the shift from silos thinking to interdependence. The rule for the mentors was that they were not allowed to
Some reflections: My name is Durai.I deeply care about dignity, wisdom, and freedom for myself and others. I was invited to assess the Scratch programs with children based on the following criteria: concept understanding, teamwork, interaction, presentation, and project completion. I found that all the children had the courage to speak in front of a larger audience group and were able to explain their projects more precisely, often using real-world examples, which was impressive. The children could also respond to queries raised by the audience and judges, and the overall assessment session went well. I am delighted to be a part of the assessment team. They were able to connect real-time examples with the concepts.
My name is Pratap. I care about equality and responsibility the program gave me a chance to contribute to the larger picture beyond my work. This program broke the casteism, groupism, and genderism by working with their team on the theme that was given to them. Moving from silos to dependent to independent to interdependent. From the theory what they learn in school to apply to it by making a project and showing their mastery in the theme that they got. To be a judge I learned all the theme concepts and revisited them. I was in my stand to give scores to them and avoided being biased even though I knew all the children. I interacted with the mentors and also explained the criteria for scoring. I also got an opportunity to choose the two best charts in 33 charts and I see my sincerity and happiness. As a senior, I see my presence was very important and I was valued I held integrity in all I did for that tournament. Even though I encountered so many background conversations and I was able to silence all the background conversations and deeply listen to the children. The gifts were super and the participant certificate was encouraging.
My name is Rajesh. I deeply care about Integrity for myself and others. I volunteered to be a mentor. I was able to see the Team had diversity, they broke disempowering isms of classism, groupism, and genderism to form a co-creative space. I employed conversation for action by speaking to children.
My name is Vasanth.I am able to see the values of STEM Land throughout the tournament: Equality responsibility and courage to create. I am able to see individual learning to group learning. There is good communication between mentors and mentees. During the workshop mentees also gave some thoughts about the projects and mentors also without any hesitation, incorporated that in the projects. There is learning across different ages. Mentors also learned something from mentees. I was able to witness Students shifting Theoretical learning — visual proof maths learning (both chart work and animation in Scratch).
I am able to see the equality in the group, different children from different schools work together, and this form of new interaction works with other people to make friends. I was able to see the quality of perseverance, determination, and confidence while they worked on the project. I have learnt that when I am on the judging panel I should overcome my background conversation and deeply listen to the children who presenting the project. I also noticed the joy of learning while the children worked on scratch projects.
My name is Poonguzhali. I deeply care about Love and happiness for myself and others. When I participated in the tournament, I experienced a sense of anxiety. However, the “Stand and Fear” session helped me consciously identify my values and felt a strong desire to align my actions with them. I was determined to respond in accordance with my values. I operated at my highest capacity, giving my utmost effort. In my role as a mentor, I actively enhanced my leadership skills and qualities.
The Mathegramming tournament set an example of how education
can inspire excellence, equality, and courage in the hearts and minds of our
future leaders.
We had a three-day workshop on integral education conducted
from October 4th to 6th at Bharat Nivas campus, unity
pavilion and amphitheatre in Matrimandir. Around 140 teachers from schools in
and around Auroville and others working on education participated in this
workshop. It was a residential gathering where people were engaged in different
activities from 6AM to 7 PM.
We had a three-day yoga sessions at 6AM, which gave us a different and energizing experience. It helped us develop qualities like unity, responsibility, integrity, joy, happiness, balance, care, and peace.
We want to make positive changes in ourselves. This means
moving from being scattered to unified, from an unhealthy to a healthy life,
from a wandering mind to a focused one, from laziness to being proactive, and
from restlessness to peace.
We also want to share what we’ve learned with others. This way, we can all grow together, promoting unity and peace.
The activities in our yoga sessions include music therapy for concentration, pranayama to refresh our blood, Surya Namaskar for energy, and various asanas (sitting and standing poses) for flexibility.
Yoga has been a transformative journey for us, both mentally and physically. We aim to continue these sessions and expand our circle to spread the benefits of yoga to more individuals.
Integral Education Book reading session:
In our interactive reading sessions, we had the privilege to explore “On Education” by Mother and “Three Principles of Education” by Sri Aurobindo. These sessions were much more than reading; they were discussions where we shared our thoughts, challenges, transformations, and solutions in the realm of education, especially in supporting children.
Here’s a summary of what we’ve learned and discussed:
A Holistic Perspective: Mother emphasized that
education is not just about academics. It should encompass four essential
aspects: the physical, mental, vital, and psychic dimensions. For education to
be truly effective, these elements must align harmoniously.
Teaching vs. Supporting: We’ve realized that teaching
isn’t about imposing our ideas on children. It’s about guiding and supporting
them in pursuing their interests and passions, making their learning experience
beautiful.
Beyond Knowledge: Education isn’t limited to
imparting knowledge alone. It’s about nurturing individuals with good
qualities, helping them become strong, responsible, and disciplined, and
encouraging them to live with a sense of purpose.
Empowering Choices: As educators, our role is not to
dictate but to empower. We should give children choices and make them aware of
the consequences, allowing them to choose the path that genuinely interests
them.
The Art of Connection: Connecting with children is an
art we must master. By linking new knowledge to what they already know, we can
make learning feel familiar rather than foreign.
Love and Care: Showing love and care is crucial in creating a comfortable and joyful learning environment. When children feel cared for, they embrace learning more beautifully.
System(String) Game in IE workshop:
This was a fun activity where we could see how I engage with my activity, with my team and with systems in general when we deal with complexity
The
qualities that we saw throughout the activity were equality, care, full
potential, unity, leadership, and creativity. Though we were from different
backgrounds, we were all given equal importance throughout the entire workshop.
We learned to care for ourselves and others around us. The activity unleashed
our full potential by communicating with others, creating new patterns, and
working unitedly to bring out innovative ideas.
This activity helped us
to address the isms related to gender, age, and nationality. The different
ideas shared by each person in the group were very effective in achieving the
goal. We were able to realize the importance of independence to
interdependence. It was clearly seen that each and every individual took part
as a learner and leader. There was no hierarchy. It created space to move from
rigid to flexible mindsets and break the silos and work as a whole group rather
than smaller units alone.
The three principles of the
teaching of Sri Aurobindo were clearly brought out through this activity.
Nothing can be taught –
no one told us what the game was about we needed to discover it ourselves.
The mind must be consulted in its own growth – we learned to create our own patterns and we created our own self-assessment criteria for the game.
Near to far – started with what we had and extended it to new ideas
We were able to bring out what we expected through non-verbal communication. It allowed us to accept that there can be multiple solutions for any aspect.
