Date: 24-Nov-2020 Location: Online Apart from felicitating teachers and educational officers for their leadership role and other innovative ideas during the Pandemic, Rupantar had organised a couple of other virtual events, like the launch of ‘Innovation and Leadership Casebook’, Launch of Research Report on ZIIEI by Cambridge University, Launch of AuroScholar Program, and Establishment of Role Model Schools in 300 Districts. Felicitation of Teachers & Education Officers for leadership role and innovations during Covid-19 lockdown period November 24, 2020: In the presence of thousands of education officers and teachers connected through digital platforms across the country, Hon’ble Education Minister of India, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ honoured more than 40 education officers for their leadership role and 26 teachers for their innovative practices during Covid-19 pandemic. The dignitaries present virtually at the event applauded ZIIEI for its role in transforming education. The esteemed list of our guiding forces who attended the event virtually include Shri. Vijay Poddar, Member Executive - Sri Aurobindo Society; Mr. Rod Smith, Managing Director, Global Education at Cambridge University; Mr. Manoj Ahuja, Chairperson, CBSE; Ms. Ashima Bhat- Group Head- Business and Finance, HDFC Bank; and Ms. Nusrat Pathan, Head- Corporate Social Responsibilities- HDFC Bank and Mr. Govindan TalianVeedu, Managing Director, Cambridge University Press, India. Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Hon’ble Education Minister, Government of India - “It’s heartening to know that the initiatives of Sri Aurobindo Society are in alignment with the vision of National Education Policy-2020. The year 2020 has taught us that the time to be bounded by old methods and limitations is over.” Shri Vijay Poddar, Member Executive - Sri Aurobindo Society - “All these initiatives are bringing us together in transforming education. Empowering through Zero is an attempt to practice and to create a movement which is in sync with our honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call to join the mission to create a new India which is arising.” Ms. Ashima Bhat- Group Head- Business and Finance, HDFC Bank - “National Education Policy-2020 is a path breaker in education which will set new milestones. For increased competencies in our students, it’s imperative that our teachers get a constructive environment to work with a collaborative spirit and gain collective successes. HDFC Bank and Sri Aurobindo Society programmes focus on building teachers’ capabilities and equipping them for fostering experiential and learning environment in classrooms through Innovative Pathshaala.” Mr. Manoj Ahuja, Chairperson, CBSE– “Competency-based education is based on learning outcomes and CBSE also emphasizes on the fact that pedagogies should be oriented around increasing learning outcomes. We should nurture a child in an environment where he or she could speed up individual skills and knowledge. The pedagogies undergo a change where the child is placed at the centre of education and we build up his or her natural curiosity. New education policy also talks about new ways of assessment that are more formative rather than summative assessment.” Launch of ‘Innovation and Leadership Case book- COVID Edition’ At the virtual National Conference, ZIIEI’s ‘Innovation and Leadership Case book- COVID Edition’ was launched by the honourable Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’. Two e-books, one- comprising the leadership role and efforts of the more than 40 education officers, and another- consisting of efforts and innovations of the 26 teachers were launched. Launch of Research Report on ZIIEI by Cambridge During the event, the research report prepared by Cambridge on ‘Zero-Investment Innovations for Education Initiatives’ (ZIIEI), a nation-wide education program of Sri Aurobindo Society and HDFC Bank, was also launched by the Honourable Education Minister of India. The report presents an in-depth perception of the various stakeholders of ZIIEI program. The event was also virtually graced by Mr. Rod Smith, Managing Director, Global Education at Cambridge University Press who shared the key findings of the report. Features highlighted by this research include: • Learning is more aligned with learner needs. • The teaching workforce is more motivated, confident, and respected. • The ZIIEI programme helps develop parental engagement and build communities. • The programme helps to narrow the gap between government and private school provisions. • Improved reflective practice, as well as the identification and sharing of best practice. Mr. Rod Smith, Managing Director, Global Education at Cambridge University Press - “The ZIIEI programme’s bottom-up approach creates social opportunities and transforms functioning into capabilities. ZIIEI programme has successfully created ‘teacher learning communities' to discuss, try out, and evaluate techniques for themselves. Clearly, this is a form of professional self-development, centered around innovating with teaching, learning and assessment practices.” Mr. T.V. Govindan, Managing Director, Cambridge University Press, South Asia –“Good quality education can transform individuals and societies. Unlocking the potential of every learner is the underlying principle behind whatever we do at Cambridge. I am glad to share that the NEP 2020 captured these values very well and focuses on making students as life-long learners. Projects like ZIIEI, IP and Auro Scholar are excellent examples of how teaching and learning can be made joyful and accessible using innovative ideas and technology.” The Cambridge University also felicitated the honourable Education Minister, Shri. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ for greatest innovation and comprehensive consultation about the reforms of the education policy of India. Launch of AuroScholar Program Hon’ble Education Minister launched AuroScholar Program, the world’s first micro-scholarship program that provides students the opportunity to win monthly scholarship worth Rs. One Thousand. The objective of incentivizing learning is to make students life-long learners and improve their learning outcomes. Establishment of Role Model Schools in 300 Districts By empowering the teachers, ZIIEI programme is in the process of establishing Role-Model Schools at the district level. These schools will become centres of excellence with tangible and sustainable source of inspiration for millions of teachers across India. In sync with the spirit of Nation-Education Policy-2020, these schools will nourish the students for their holistic development, giving equal importance to academics, extra-curriculum and values. Ms. Nusrat Pathan, Head- Corporate Social Responsibilities- HDFC Bank – “An empowered teacher will change the future of children and that belief is common with all of us present here. There is definitely a need to move towards competency-based learning. We are happy to be associated with ZIIEI program since 2015. The phenomenal work of the teachers and education officers is commendable. Despite the challenging atmosphere due to COVID-19 pandemic, ZIIEI is expanding its wings in reaching out to establishing role model schools in 300 districts. This will motivate other schools to come up and adopt these practices in future.” Mr. Sambhrant Sharma, Director-Education, Sri Aurobindo Society – “The ZIIEI programme has oriented around 2 million teachers for zero-investment innovation in education, and is in the process of establishing Role-Model Schools in 300 districts of the country. The education officers and teachers are the change-makers of the country and with collective efforts we aim to create such role model schools in all the districts of the country.”- Sri Aurobindo Society presented a token of gratitude to Hon’ble Education Minister for his guidance and support to education initiatives of Sri Aurobindo Society.

Date: Nov 01 - Mar 30, 2021 Location: Online SAFIER of Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry, organized an advanced workshop for children aged 10-13 years. Around 16 children participated in this workshop which was facilitated by Priti Umamahesvaram. The objective of the workshop was to continue and deepen the exploration of the beauty and refinedness of Fine Art in the light of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother‘s vision of Integral Education. Priti took the sessions facilitating the children to explore the world of imagination, colour, understanding line, spaces, symmetry and patterns in nature. The participants also learnt to observe everyday objects, their own body and flowers and express them in different medium and techniques. The children happily shared what they drew, how it made them feel and how they would like to go towards perfection. They understood that in order to observe anything, one has to make a friendship with it and spend time with it. Throughout the sessions the children were exposed to the flower language that Mother created to get inspiration and strength from flowers while they did their art work and to aspire for more and more perfection. Some feedback of the children when asked what are the things they liked about the session: Children shared that they had learnt many new techniques and were very happy to learn something new in every session. They expressed that the topic on 'Flowers' was also very interesting and some of them had started to develop a relationship of curiosity and sensitivity towards flowers. Some also highlighted that they loved to learn about the significances that the Mother had given to the flowers. Some of the art works of the children To have a glimpse of the workshop, click here.

Date: Aug 01 - Oct 31, 2020 Location: Online SAFIER of Sri Aurobindo Society (Puducherry) organized a workshop for children aged 10-13 years. The objective of the workshop was to introduce the beauty and refinedness of Fine Art in the light of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother‘s vision of Integral Education to this particular age group. Priti Umamahesvaram was the main facilitator and she was supported by Sushanto, Rathi and Kavita also took sessions facilitating the children to explore the world of imagination, colour, understanding spaces, calligraphy, design and patterns in nature, techniques and styles such as Pointillism introduced by George Seurat and Expressionism initiated by Vincent Van Gogh. The children happily shared what they drew, how it made them feel and how they would like to go towards perfection. They drew inspiration and strength from flowers and not only painted them in different ways, as they were the central theme but also learnt about the spiritual significances that Mother gave to them. Click here to jump into the creative world of the kids, for a short 4-min video summary.

Date: Jul 02 - Jul 03, 2020 Location: Society House, Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Integral Education and Research (SAFIER), the educational wing of Sri Aurobindo Society, conducted an introductory workshop on ‘Integral Education’, on 2nd & 3rd July, 2020, for the Svarnim, Rupantar and HR sections of Sri Aurobindo society, Puducherry. The workshop was attended by 18 participants who came forward to learn about different aspects of Integral Education. All the sessions were conducted by Shivakumar and Priti of SAFIER. The participants undertook a transformational journey through the principles and practice of Integral Education, as envisioned by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Getting to know each other – An icebreaker The participants played a naming game whereby they playfully learnt each other's name through a game. Thus everyone got warmed up to each other and were ready for the sessions. A look at the Present-day Education Shivakumar presented an intriguing relook at our current education system, which concentrates largely on subjects and methodology which are hardly of any value in our practical day-to-day life, except for the basics. This session was followed by an orientation on ‘What is Integral Education?’ and its need in the lives of teachers as well as students in the light of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Introducing Integral Education (Poorana Kalvi) The following topics were covered in this session: Why do we need Integral education for teachers? What is this Integral Education? Mother has beautifully answered these questions which was the basis of this session - The first thing to do in order to be able to educate a child is to educate oneself so that one never sets a bad example to one’s child. To educate ourselves, we need to know ourselves and eventually learn to control ourselves Then Shivakumar explained that it is not sufficient that education should be only child-centered, it should be teacher-centered too. The teachers need to educate themselves first in order to educate the children. For that they need to know themselves. In order to know oneself better a skit was performed “The three Monkeys and Psychic being” with the help of a magic mirror. Through the skit the four aspects of a human being were mirrored - The Physical, the Vital, the Mental and the important one, Psychic being or the Soul, which calms the other three. As the skit processed, Shivakumar addressed the different activities of the different parts of the being. Experiencing Integral Education Shivakumar made things more clear with the help of a questionnaire, which made the participants conscious about the activities related to different aspects of our being in everyday life. Priti continued the session with an exercise that made everyone aware of their physical, Emotional and Mental consciousness through activities. After the experience they had through each activity, the participants evaluated in which part of their personality their ‘I’ was located the most and wrote down the observations. By noting down their observations and sharing, they experienced the different parts of their being in a deeper way. Awareness Games Two awareness games were played so that through games the participants could turn their attention to what part of one’s being was being activated and thereby become conscious in order to use it judiciously. Played like this, the games release excess energy and create a jolly atmosphere while working on attention. However, it can also be played in silence to help gather the attention and create a concentrated atmosphere. Games like these also help to develop the faculty of concentration for better body and mind coordination. When played with awareness they further stimulate the Vital, the Mental along with the Physical parts of one’s being and create a more conscious atmosphere collectively. A peek into an Integral classroom The session began with an interesting real life story followed by a game which led the participants to have a glimpse of the working of an Integral classroom. The qualities of an Integral teacher were discussed. Then Priti gave an introduction to Project method with case studies of Project implementations in a free progress environment. She also enunciated the three principles of True Teaching given by Sri Aurobindo as a basis for project implementation. Conclusion The sessions were aimed at developing an experiential understanding of Integral education in the participants. This was done so that the participants understood the pressing need of a teacher-centric education in today’s world scenario: the teacher in order to create an appropriate physical and psychological environment in classrooms and in the lives of their students has to start transforming one’s own inner environment in order to be effective. The sessions also provided a glimpse to teaching methods in an integral environment. Some feedback by the Participants “I liked the skit the most. It touched the chord and revealed the truth in a simple and playful manner. I have experienced this but didn't know how it could be presented. This was the best gift I came home with.” — Devaki Nandi “The awareness games were super fun. It really added a delight in an unconscious turn of the mind around from outer focus to inner focus. I liked the workshop because I got to know the Svarnim team and the hidden gems they have. I also enjoyed it because I realised that I have to focus on myself instead of focusing on my students’/child’s shortcomings.” — Kavita Dutta “The way Integral education was explained was good, easy to understand. The story telling actually made me curious to know what will happen next. This is another way of learning. I’m happy to be a part of this, it’s a good experience for me.” — Vanitha “The workshop made me realize myself. I started to differentiate the Mind, Emotions and Physical and Myself (the inner friend). I also understood that to lead the team, we have to lead our three monkeys first. I would like to do a complete course in Integral Education, if possible.” — H. Karunakaran

Date: Jun 01 - Jul 31, 2020 Location: Online Sessions SAFIER, the educational wing of Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry, offered interactive online sessions titled ‘Rainbow Dreams 2020’, for children in the age group of 9–12 years (and who had attended our last year’s Rainbow Dreams programme) for two months starting from June 2020. A Special Parent interaction session was simultaneously organised. The workshop was coordinated by the team of Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Integral Education and Research (SAFIER). These sessions were organised in the light of Sri Aurobindo’s and Mother’s vision to always walk ahead on the path of progress despite difficulties. We have aspired since many years to give an integral platform to the children between the age of 9-12 yrs. The current aspiration is to carry it forward on the virtual medium which is the need of the hour, where the children experience inner joy by exploring their emotions, thoughts and body awareness through different mediums like Painting, Crafts, Storytelling, Chanting and songs, and Yoga asanas. There were six enthusiastic participants who had enrolled for the sessions. Chanting The children started the sessions with an invocation of peace by reciting Shanti Mantras lead by Priti, which helped them become peaceful with respect to their body, in their thoughts and emotions and towards each other too. Exploring Beauty of Nature Children have a spontaneous instinct for adventure to discover the new and unknown. Sushanto da tapped into this natural tendency of children to develop their faculty of artistic imagination and give them a visual experience. The group was led through a thrilling adventure trail in a dense and deep jungle where at each moment unfolds strange events often revealing the hidden beauty of nature. These imaginary visual experiences were given a concrete shape by painting and various activities carried out by the children simultaneously. These sessions inspired the children to stimulate their quick imagination power combined with the medium of giving expression to their creative ideas. Tales and Fables and Craft Waft The world of legends and fables attract children and adults alike, in a fantasy world where they can get lost and rediscover themselves through hidden meanings. Priti and Rathi narrated in detail the stories of the first four incarnations of Lord Vishnu – The Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (wild boar), Narasimha (lion-man). These stories were retold in a childlike way as a theatrical narrative; as the story of evolution keeping in mind Sri Aurobindo’s words. Rathi and Priti initiated Folk art styles and motivated the children to make puppets of the forms of Fish, Turtle, Boar and Lion (the first four incarnations) using the folk-art technique of Gond and Bhil art styles. The children enjoyed listening to the stories and were very keen to absorb the detailed narrative. They also relished making the different puppets and enthusiastically presented their own creative puppet shows. They also learnt how to create their own patterns using the Folk-art styles and use them functionally. Folk Art Expression and Origami Abhipsa started with elements of art - the basic understanding of line, patterns and colours, and through that created Madhubani art. Then she took up Origami, the Japanese art, starting from a very simple box to challenging levels. The children made things like lantern, box and a spinning top. It was a journey from knowing simple to complicated things. The children developed concentration levels, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and learnt how to tackle challenges when the folding became more difficult and intricate. They enjoyed the Origami challenge throughout the camp. Elements of drawing made them understand that by perfect lines and shapes so much one can create and paint. Their physical presencewas missed, but the virtual platform brought the learning to another new dimension. Fun with Math and storytelling Music makes everyone happy! So, with a short musical dance, Sumedha started the ‘Fun with Math’ session, where the children simplified mathematical multiplication problems using Vedic mathematical techniques and Finger Multiplication, solving them in seconds. The second session was about understanding the need of mathematics in daily life, inspiring stories of few mathematicians who changed the world like Friedrich Gauss and Ramanujam. The children identified mathematical patterns in the objects around them like the calendar, clock etc. and were introduced to a Japanese Arithmetic and Logical Puzzle KEN-KEN, which works as a Brain Booster. Sumedha also took a story from Upanishads to emphasize the importance of Self-Realisation, humility, Oneness and how Shvetaketu, a learned Brahmin who knew everything which was in Vedas learnt the above lessons. This session was combined with children drawing Indian cow using their imagination. Yoga-asanas The children were made conscious that an integral development was needed to feel happy and healthy. Shweta who is a trained Yoga facilitator playfully conducted Yoga asanas with the children making them do challenging postures. This brought about a cheerful and dynamic energy in the sessions. Understanding Our Children – by Shivakumar Shivakumar took a session titled “Understanding our Children” with the parents of the Rainbow Dreams online programme on July 26, 2020. During the session, he took up the poem of Kahlil Gibran “On Children” and explored his deeper way of looking at one’s own children. Children are not to be looked upon by parents as belonging to them, nor could they decide how their children will grow; children are Life’s longing for itself and that the parents are the bow in which the Divine Archer sets the arrows, the children, on their path of self-discovery and self-fulfillment. He followed it up with a passage from Savitri by Sri Aurobindo, where the children are looked upon as the “architects of immortality”, those who are here to realise the future of humanity. Shivakumar concluded the interaction with some tips from the Mother for the Parents.

Date: May 10 - May 18, 2020 Location: Society House, Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry [Important Announcement to all the Applicants of our Annual IE Course (dated May 05, 2020): The Covid-19 induced lock-down has now been extended further till 18th May, with some relaxation, but still a large number of areas are under great threat. In order to contain the threat and to get back to a semblance of normalcy, all of us have to avoid any possible way of coming under the influence of the virus. We have to ensure this in the midst of several responsibilities as taking care of the security and safety of our family members, our dependents etc. Considering all this, we have decided to suspend this year’s summer Course on Integral Education, scheduled to be held from 10 to 18 May 2020. Those who have applied for this year’s Course will be considered and given preference during our next year’s Course. We are also considering other ways of reaching out to a large number of educationists seeking for a deeper understanding of the Integral Education approach. We hope to engage them online and we will announce it on our website as and when it is ready. Until then stay safe: Outwardly, follow the recommended safety procedures, and inwardly by drawing out the strength & power inherent within all of us to conquer this virus. – Shivakumar, Course Co-ordinator.] Event: Basic Course in Integral Education – Theory and Approaches Date: May 10-18, 2020 Venue: Society House, Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry Course Contribution: Rs. 5,000/- Last date for applying: March 20, 2020 (under hold, see the note at the beginning) Organised by: Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Integral Education and Research (SAFIER) – An initiative of Sri Aurobindo Society Sri Aurobindo Society has been conducting annual workshops on Integral Education for the last 33 years. This year, it will be organized under the title ‘Basic Course in Integral Education – Theory and Approaches’ from 10 to 18 May 2020, for in-service teachers, school principals, administrators, trustees and parents caring for children in the age group of 3-12 years (Pre-Primary and Primary level). Study, discussions, exchange of ideas, and ways and means of implementing the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother on Integral Education will be taken up. You can download the following by clicking on the respective links: Info-brochure containing the full details of this Basic Course. It is mandatory for the applicants to read this very carefully before applying. The candidates have to fill-up the application form directly online or download in MsWord Format and submit at the following address by email/courier: Shivakumar – Workshop Coordinator Sri Aurobindo Society – Society House No.11, St. Martin Street, Puducherry – 605 001. M: +91-94426-25637 If by E-mail: sascamps@aurosociety.org The completed application forms should reach us latest by 20 March 2020. Selection will be intimated latest by 25 March 2020. Course Fee: On selection, the participants will have to register themselves by paying a Course Contribution of Rs. 5,000/-. Intensive Workshop in 'Art in Education – Approaches & Practice' Date: May 19-22, 2020 Venue: Society House, Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry Course Contribution: Rs. 3,000/- Followed by the above Basic Course in integral Education, there will be an additional, optional, 'Art in Education' workshop for those primary level teachers & educationists who are doing the above Basic Course in Integral Education with us! Those Primary level teachers & educationists who have attended our earlier workshop also can apply. Download the full Workshop Info Brochure here. Download the Application Form in MsWord Format here. Submit the filled-up Application Form at the following address by email/courier: Priti – Workshop Coordinator Sri Aurobindo Society – Society House No.11, St. Martin Street, Puducherry – 605 001. M: +91-93127 15557, If by E-mail: sascamps@aurosociety.org Those who are applying for both the workshops, the completed application forms should reach us latest by 7 April 2020 (revised date due to the Corona pandemic). Selection will be intimated over two rounds: first round of selection will complete latest by 27th March and we will inform the applicants at once, and the second round of selection will happen by 10th April for the late applicants.

Date: 28-Jan-2020 Location: South Boys Higher Secondary School, Mohanur Road, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu Thousands of teachers participated, Samagra Shiksha - Tamilnadu, Sri Aurobindo Society & HDFC Bank organised the exhibition. To recognise and promote innovation based ecosystem and foster joyful-experiential learning environment in schools, Zero Investment Innovations for Education Initiatives (ZIIEI) of Sri Aurobindo Society and HDFC Bank jointly organised a district-level exhibition at South Boys Higher Secondary School, Mohanur Road, Namakkal., Tamil Nadu. Shri. A. Kumar graced the event as the Chief Guest and other dignitaries also attended the occasion. The dignitaries felicitated all the exhibitors though certificates. Teachers in large numbers demonstrated their innovations as exhibitors and many other teachers, community members and aspiring teachers participated as visitors. Officers from administration and education department, local leaders and media also stepped in. ZIIEI and Innovative Pathshaala Exhibitions serve as an effective medium to bring innovative teachers together at the district level of the state. Addressing the teachers, members from the education fraternity, community and media persons, the Chief Guest said, “ZIIEI is contributing significantly in bringing a positive transformation in education. These exhibitions provide important opportunities for all to us to encourage good-work and promote experiential education. I congratulate all the teachers for putting up such inspiring innovative ideas. ” The exhibitors said that through exhibitions their hard-work gets acknowledged and recognised. “It is a unique opportunity for all of us. Moreover, when new or aspiring teachers watch our innovations, they also get motivated towards zero-investment innovative ideas.” ZIIEI and Innovative Pathshaala are part of Rupantar, and their aim is to create joyful and experiential learning classrooms. Rupantar is a multi-dimensional program of Sri Aurobindo Society, launched in 2015, to transform education across the country. The exhibitions conducted under ZIIEI and Innovative Pathshaala focus on promoting and recognizing experiential and innovative ideas. With exhibitions held in around 50 districts of various states, more than 40,000 teachers have found a constructive platform to showcase and demonstrate their zero-investment innovations at the local level."

Date: 10-Jan-2020 Location: South Boys Higher Secondary School, Mohanur Road, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu ZIIEI & Innovative Pathshaala Exhibitions to Promote Joyful & Experiential Learning. Thousands of teachers participated in this grand event. Samagra Shiksha - Tamilnadu, Sri Aurobindo Society & HDFC Bank organised the exhibition. To recognise and promote innovation-based ecosystem and foster joyful-experiential learning environment in schools, Zero Investment Innovations for Education Initiatives (ZIIEI) of Sri Aurobindo Society and HDFC Bank organised a district-level exhibition at South Boys Higher Secondary School, Mohanur Road, Namakkal. Shri.A. Kumar graced the event as the Chief Guest and other dignitaries also attended the occasion. The dignitaries felicitated all the exhibitors with certificates. Teachers in large numbers demonstrated their innovations as exhibitors and many other teachers, community members and aspiring teachers participated as visitors. Officers from Administration and Education Department, local leaders and media also stepped in. ZIIEI and Innovative Pathshaala Exhibitions serve as an effective medium to bring innovative teachers together at the district level of the state. Addressing the teachers, members from the education fraternity, community and media persons, the Chief Guest said, “ZIIEI is contributing significantly in bringing a positive transformation in education. These exhibitions provide important opportunities for all to us to encourage good work and promote experiential education. I congratulate all the teachers for putting up such inspiring innovative ideas.” The exhibitors said that through exhibitions their hard work gets acknowledged and recognized. One participant said, “It is a unique opportunity for all of us. Moreover, when new or aspiring teachers watch our innovations they too get motivated towards zero-investment innovative ideas.” ZIIEI and Innovative Pathshaala are part of Rupantar, and their aim is to create joyful and experiential learning classrooms. Rupantar is a multi-dimensional program of Sri Aurobindo Society, launched in 2015, to transform education across the country. The exhibitions conducted under ZIIEI and Innovative Pathshaala focus on promoting and recognizing experiential and innovative ideas. With exhibitions held in around 50 districts of various states, more than 40,000 teachers have found a constructive platform to showcase and demonstrate their zero-investment innovations at the local level."

Date: Dec 09 - Dec 10, 2019 Location: Sri Aurobindo School of Integral Education, Chandigarh Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Integral Education and Research (SAFIER), the educational wing of Sri Aurobindo Society, conducted a workshop on Integral Education organized by Sri Aurobindo School of Integral Education at their premises in Chandigarh, on December 9 & 10, 2019, for their primary teachers including the teachers taking Music, art and dramatics. The workshop was attended by 13 primary teachers and the principal, who came forward to learn about different aspects of Integral Education. There were also introductory short sessions conducted for the pre-primary and higher secondary teachers. All the sessions were conducted by Shivakumar and Priti of SAFIER. The participants undertook a transformational journey through the principles and practices of Integral Education, as envisioned by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Sessions with Primary Teachers Day 1 Prelude We started the day with chanting of Shanti mantras followed by their meaning. Before the chanting, Priti stressed on the importance of accuracy of pronunciation of long and short vowels, developing right attitude (bhaava) along with the knowledge of the meaning. The chanting created a peaceful environment, necessary for grasping the intensity of the sessions to follow. Knowing the meaning and concentrating on the pronunciation made the session more meaningful. We also understood that the chanting of ‘Shanti’ (Peace) three times signifies the calming of the Physical, Mental and Vital. The teachers then shared their names along with their favourite flower or any aspect of nature that they love, relate to and what it means to them, as an introduction. An introduction to Integral Education Integral Education is the total development of oneself, i.e., our physical, mental, vital (emotional) parts in the light of the psychic. It should be teacher-centric before being child-centric. A facilitator should know himself/herself before attempting to teach children. Shivakumar explained very explicitly about the Physical, Vital, Mental and Psychic parts of our being through the skit performed by the teachers of the school. Through the skit which was like holding a mirror in front of us, it became clear that one needs to be conscious of oneself and become aware of the physical, vital, mental and psychic aspects of oneself so as to attain an even alignment of all these aspects to bring about harmony and equilibrium within us. Body-Scan and Expression Through Drawing Next, Priti led us into a journey inwards where we did a body scan by focusing our attention on different parts of our physical body in the beginning and then we focused on the mind and heart spaces and finally shifting our attention to the quiet presence behind the heart space and then widened and spread outwards. Teachers were told to feel and experience, be aware intensively of every sensation, feelings and thoughts that awaken within them. This was a meditative reflection on how we were feeling in our different parts and also with reference to the world around us and then we translated the sensations and feelings and depicted them on a paper using colour and form. Turning Inward Shivakumar and Priti continued the session with three exercises that made us aware of our Physical, Vital, Mental and Psychic parts of our being by going into a deeper introspection and experience. Participants were asked to write the observations about the physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, and the touch of the Psychic being felt during the exercises. After each activity we evaluated in which part of our personality our ‘I’ was located the most and wrote down the observations. Thus by noting down our observations, we experienced the different parts of our being in a more profound manner.​ Day 2 Introduction to Vedic chanting The session started with meditation whereby all the thoughts and energies are centered so that the maximum benefits of our surroundings can be obtained. Discussions began about the various forms of energy around and within us. Life energy is a higher grade of energy than the physical energy. Our forefathers came up with the science of mastering the Life Energy (Pranic Energy). A natural control of this energy takes place during the Vedic chanting where the shlokas are chanted at various levels of voice modulations which is also a form of Pranayama. We also understood that according to our culture, the rhythm and sounds of mantras creates positive vibrations, peace and releases stress which in turn helps us to have better control over the emotions. Project Method Through an interesting game Priti led us into a detailed discussion about the know-how of Project Method as an experiential learning process in an integral education environment. We understood that in order to facilitate and integrate the ‘Project Method’ with the ongoing learning systems in the school, we need to first create an environment where the psychic being of the student has to be developed so that his body-mind-vital instruments are perfected in its light and the student can be inspired. For this, we facilitators have to work on the same for ourselves to be inspired with new insights. This harmonious and loving environment between the student and the facilitator cultivates a relaxed, unhurried environment which is a prerequisite for project method. We also understood that the three principles of true teaching as enumerated by Sri Aurobindo are the basis of project method: Nothing can be taught – the teacher can only facilitate The mind (i.e., inner nature) has to be consulted in its own growth – how we observe the inherent nature of the child To work from near to far - from concrete to abstract The teachers were made aware about the six facets of the Project Method: reading, writing, oral presentation, art and craft work, research, personal opinion. Aspects regarding resource management and assessment by the students and the teachers of how the project was progressing was also discussed. Through various examples it was clear how to make a beginning in managing individual and group projects with children at the primary level. Epilogue We concluded with a short body-scan where the participants were reminded of their learnings through a recap and then they again expressed their sensations, feelings and thoughts through an art expression to see how they have progressed in their state of being, in their awareness of themselves and their surroundings. Sessions with Higher Secondary Teachers by Shivakumar Day 1 An Introduction to Integral Education The session commenced with a skit performed by the teachers, facilitated by Shivakumar. The skit mirrored the three parts of our being: - The Body showing the need for food and comfort - The Vital showing ups and downs of emotions like happiness and sorrow - The Mind showing the need for perfection, planning and thinking Shivakumar explained that that every human being has also a fourth element i.e. the inner soul (Psychic) which is always ready to resolve the conflicts and maintain harmony and peace if we turn towards it. Later there was a discussion around some thought-provoking questions like ‘What is the meaning of integral?’ ‘What does child-centric mean?’, ‘Is education of present day child-centric?’ Through a meaningful quotation of the Mother “You can never give a good advice to anyone unless you are able to give it to yourself first, and to follow it.” we were led into a very stimulating conversation and discussion about how we can overcome extreme emotions through meditation and daily exercises. Later an informative film was shown which encompassed these aspects beautifully via a poignant short story. This was followed by a discussion about the importance of the psychic within us. The session ended with a documentary which gave us a glimpse of integral education being practiced by a Japanese school teacher where he blended the academic learning beautifully with values like compassion, sensitivity, insight and empathy. Day 2 Values A short recapitulation of learnings of the previous day was done through a questionnaire. Then the discussion was steered in the direction of state of moral education today and how values lose their merit if taught without practising them oneself. The values and traits of the Japanese teacher (from the short film aired the previous day) were reflected on. We reviewed the values we need in life and how they could help us become stronger than before, provided we lived them in our everyday life. Thus, we understood that as a teaching community if we teach values without practising it, doesn't make much sense. We also turned our attention towards positive values and negative values and how negative values were nothing but just a distortion of the positive values. Thus the emphasis was laid on fostering the positive which itself will lead to the decline of the negative. Sessions with Pre-primary Teachers by Priti Day 1 Introduction to Psychic Education The session started with chanting of mantras and understanding the significance of chanting with correct pronunciation and attitude along with the meaning. Then we were led to an understanding of ‘What is Integral education’ through a discussion. As little children are very close to their psychic being (soul) and their body, mind and emotions are still developing, it is important that the people around them are also in touch with their psychic being. Priti beautifully explained this through various experiential activities and songs and how we can easily make kids aware about their psychic being by being in touch with it ourselves. She also enumerated the importance of physical education and mainly developing a sound physical culture for the pre-primary children. Body Awareness In this session we played some sensorial, balancing and cooperative games in order to get conscious of our body parts and understand how they can be harmonised to experience the beauty and harmony at the physical level. The balloon game was played aiming at sense awareness, balance, coordination and focussing attention. Thus we learnt how to be alert and aware of our senses and body movements and conduct similar activities with young children as a body exploration for better control and harmony. Day 2 Weaving Stories We understood that so many ideas are within us, that we can create a story on any simple topic; our imagination is very strong. The session was very interesting as we understood how one can develop writing and listening skills through games and interactive activities with the children. The teachers were encouraged to write a story of their own and draw illustrations and they were even told the importance of story-telling for pre-primary students. A short discussion on Project Method The teachers were keen on how to implement project method at the kindergarten level so a discussion ensued to elaborate the need. We exchanged views on the possible themes that could be taken up at the pre-primary level and how the facilitator could conduct a whole theme throughout a month integrating various activities related to the different parts of the child like playing, eating, drawing and painting, theatre, songs, circle time value discussions, stories. The facilitators were keen to take up some projects immediately as they got a fair understanding through some case studies that were discussed. Conclusion The sessions were aimed at developing an experiential understanding of Integral Education in the teachers by being conscious and aware of the different parts of their being and thus being wholesome human beings and teachers, so that an appropriate environment can be created in classrooms. The sessions also provided a way to develop originality in teaching methods with the help of the project method. This would eventually enable the child to integrate his learnings with his immediate environment. The awareness games were very appealing as it would help the kids to develop their senses and faculties in an enjoyable manner and the discussions regarding ‘Applying Values’ were very meaningful. The teachers cheerfully participated in all the sessions and displayed their fullest enthusiasm in knowing more about Integral education practices and its implementation. The school management and teachers expressed a further need to enhance their understanding of the Project Method implementation in detail with the help of a practical approach suited to their school environment. They also felt a need for the body awareness and cooperative games as a part of their physical education programme. In a nutshell, the workshop was interesting, inspiring, thorough, well organized and based on interaction and sharing of experiences. It will definitely help in understanding the child in a better way. There was a lot of learning from the various activities done during the session. All the teachers particularly enjoyed the experiential sessions which made the content easily understandable.

Date: Dec 07 - Dec 08, 2019 Location: Auro–Mirra Centre of Education, Patiala Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Integral Education and Research (SAFIER), the educational wing of Sri Aurobindo Society, conducted a workshop on Integral Education organized by Auro–Mirra Centre of Education (AMCE), Patiala, at their premises in Patiala, on December 7 & 8, 2019, for their primary teachers. The workshop was attended by 16 teachers who came forward to learn about different aspects of Integral Education. There were also introductory short sessions conducted for the pre-primary and higher secondary teachers. All the sessions were conducted by Shivakumar and Priti of SAFIER. The participants undertook a transformational journey through the principles and practice of Integral Education, as envisioned by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Here is a report by the participants. Day 1 Chanting We started the day with chanting of mantras followed with their meanings. Before the chanting, the importance of accuracy of pronunciation of long and short vowels, developing right attitude (bhaava) along with the knowledge of the meaning was elaborated. The chanting created a peaceful environment, necessary for grasping the intensity of the sessions to follow. Knowing the meaning and concentrating on the pronunciation made the session more meaningful. An introduction to Integral Education In this session we understood: ● the need to educate ourselves first in order to educate children ● in order to educate ourselves, we need to know ourselves and eventually learn to control ourselves Shivakumar explained very concretely about the Physical, Vital, Mental and Psychic parts of our being through the skit performed by five teachers of the school. The skit presented was like holding a mirror in front of us. The participants could relate to it very well. Through the skit it was very easy to know the three parts of our being and their nature: The Physical, the Mind, the Vital, and our Best Friend Forever (the Psychic) deep inside our heart. The fifth was the ego who prevents the psychic from being seen and only when it turns within it creates space for the psychic to make its presence felt. Body Scan and Expression through Drawing We did a body scan by focusing our attention to different parts of our physical body in the beginning and then focusing on the mind space and heart space and finally shifting our attention to the quiet presence behind the heart space and then widening and spreading outwards. This was a meditative reflection on how we were feeling in our different parts with reference to the world around us and then we translated the sensations and feelings as a graphic expression on paper. Priti rejuvenated us by bringing a global awareness with reference to our body, thoughts and feelings. Project Method The session began with an interesting game which led us to understand one of the ways of implementing Project Method. Then Priti gave an introduction to Project method with case studies of Project implementations in a free progress environment. She also enunciated the three principles of True Teaching as given by Sri Aurobindo as a basis for project implementation. Body Awareness The afternoon session started off by playing awareness games with bean bags and tennis balls. This was an enjoyable game to develop the faculty of concentration for better body, emotions and mind coordination. Language Development A language game was played in the form of a story as a prelude to the session in order to develop the faculty of listening which is the foremost stage of language development. Priti took us through the various stages of language development and as a language enrichment exercise, we developed a creative story with the help of everybody’s imaginative ideas. Conclusion The sessions were aimed at developing an experiential understanding of Integral Education in the teachers by developing inner quietude and outer dynamism, and thus being wholesome human beings and teachers, so that an appropriate environment can be created in classrooms. The sessions also provided a way to develop originality in teaching methods with the help of the free progress environment. This would eventually enable the child to integrate with his true self, his surroundings and society to become the complete human being. The teachers cheerfully participated in all the sessions and displayed their fullest enthusiasm in knowing more about Integral education practices and their implementation. The school management and teachers expressed a further need to enhance their understanding on the Project Method implementation in detail with the help of a practical approach suited to their school environment. They also felt a need for the body awareness games as a part of their physical education program. ​Day 2 Sessions with Higher Secondary Teachers by Shivakumar Chanting The session started with chanting of mantras. Shivakumar also explained the meaning and importance of chanting mantras. We also understood that according to our culture, the rhythm and sounds of mantras creates positive vibrations, peace and releases stress, which in turn helps us to have better control over ourselves. An introduction to Integral Education Shivakumar elucidated the importance of integral education in today’s world as it helps to bring out what is best, most powerful, most innate and living in a child's nature. He covered the following principles of integral education through the skit performed by our school teachers. Physical education (body) needs body balance, coordination, stamina, energy, health etc. for its perfection. Vital education (emotions) focuses on developing sensorial development including the aesthetic sense and deeper values such as truthfulness, courage, compassion. Mental education (mind) revolves around the development of concentration, organization of ideas, analyzing and synthesizing, critical thinking etc. Psychic education (soul) teaches us the true motive of existence and harmonizes the body, mind and vital. Spiritual Education tells the main aim of education is to prepare man for the divine life. Shivakumar also gave some suggestions on ‘how to be with a child’, one of them being, not to scold the child without good reason as children are very keen and clear sighted observers, they soon find out your weaknesses and note them without pity. Body Awareness Some activities were also done to foster body consciousness. Emphasis was laid on balancing and coordination. These activities were experiential in nature. Cultivating values The twelve qualities of the Mother were discussed and the value ‘Courage’ was discussed in detail. It has been decided to take up one quality as a project work to do with the students of Class 8. Sessions with Pre-primary Teachers by Priti Introduction to Psychic education As little children are very close to their psychic being (soul) and their body, mind and emotions are still developing, it is important that the people around them are also in touch with their psychic being. Priti beautifully explained this through various experiential activities and songs and discussed how we can easily make kids aware of their psychic being by being in touch with it ourselves. Body Awareness We played a fun game with balloons through various ways like blind fold, guessing, balancing, coordination. Thus we learnt how to be conscious of our senses and body movements and conduct similar activities with young children as a body exploration. Story-telling, Tool for Language Development We understood that with so many ideas are within us, we can create a story on a simple topic, our imagination being strong. The session was very interesting as we understood how one can develop writing and listening skills through games and interactive activities with the children. Conclusion In a nutshell, the workshop was interesting, inspiring, thorough, well organized and based on interaction and sharing of experiences. It will definitely help in understanding the child in a better way. There was a lot of learning from the various activities done during the session. All the teachers particularly enjoyed the practical illustrations which made the content easily understandable. The awareness games were very appealing as it would help the kids to develop their senses and faculties in an enjoyable manner and the discussions regarding ‘Applying Values’ and ‘Parent Orientation’ were very meaningful, thus the teachers are looking forward to apply the same in the classrooms.

Date: Dec 05 - Dec 06, 2019 Location: Sri Aurobindo International School, Patiala Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Integral Education and Research (SAFIER), the educational wing of Sri Aurobindo Society, conducted a workshop on ‘Integral Education’ organized by Sri Aurobindo International School at their premises in Patiala, on December 5 & 6, 2019, for their primary teachers. The workshop was attended by 14 teachers including the Principal, Mrs Neerja Sethi, who came forward to learn about different aspects of Integral Education. There were also introductory short sessions conducted for the pre-primary and higher secondary teachers. All the sessions were conducted by Shivakumar and Priti of SAFIER. The participants undertook a transformational journey through the principles and practices of Integral Education as envisioned by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Day 1 Chanting We started the day with the chanting of the mantra ‘Saha naavavatu’ followed by its meaning. Before the chanting, the importance of accuracy of pronunciation of long and short vowels, developing right attitude (bhaava) along with the knowledge of the meaning was elaborated. Then Priti explained how to recite ‘AUM’. The chanting created a peaceful environment, necessary for grasping the intensity of the sessions to follow. Knowing the meanings and concentrating on the pronunciation made the session more meaningful. An introduction to Integral Education In this session the participants understood: ● The first thing to do in order to be able to educate a child is to educate oneself so that one never sets a bad example to one’s child. ● to educate ourselves, we need to know ourselves and eventually learn to control ourselves Then Shivakumar explained that education should be not only child-centred, but it should also be teacher-centred. In order to know ourselves better, a skit was performed “The three monkeys and psychic being” with the help of four teachers. Through the skit the four aspects of a human being were mirrored: the Physical, the Vital, the Mental and the important one, the Psychic Being or the Soul which can calm and guide the other three. As the skit progressed, Shivakumar addressed the different activities of the different parts. He made things clearer with the help of a questionnaire, which made us conscious about the activities related to different aspects of our being in everyday life. Turning Inward Priti and Shivakumar continued the session with an exercise that made the participants aware of their breathing. Participants were asked to write the observations about their physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, and the touch of the Psychic being felt during the breathing exercise. Next, a video clip showing emotions was played. Then an activity related to mental calculation was done. After each activity the participants observed in which part of their personality their ‘I’ was located the most, and wrote down the observations. By noting down their observations, they experienced the different parts of the being in a deeper way. Body Scan and Expression Through Drawing After lunch, the participants started with a body scan by focusing their attention on different parts of their physical body and then turning their focus on the mind space, the heart space and finally shifting their attention to the quiet presence behind the heart and then widening and spreading outwards. This was a meditative reflection on how they were feeling in their different parts with reference to the world around and then they translated the sensations and feelings as graphic expression on paper. Everyone expressed their feelings through beautiful drawings and shared the meaning behind their paintings. Priti internalized and energized all by bringing a widened awareness with reference to body, thoughts and feelings. Body Awareness In order to become conscious of our body parts and understand how they can be harmonized to experience beauty and harmony at the physical level, two games, the balloon game and bean bag/tennis ball game were played, aiming at sense awareness, balance, coordination and focusing attention. Thus the participants learnt how to be conscious of their senses and body movements and also to conduct similar activities with young children as a body exploration for better control and harmony. ​Day 2 Recapitulation Two more shanti mantras were chanted today and participants understood a little more about the inner attitude (bhava) which was essential to chanting. Then an energizing game was played to remove lethargy which sets in in the cold season. This also gave them a clue of how they can play energizing games with children to change the prevailing mood and create a refreshing environment. Shivakumar gave a brief introduction of the book “On Education” by discussing and revising the four aspects of our being: Physical, Emotional, Mental & Psychic. He introduced all to the chapter ‘The Science of Living’ which starts with the maxim given by the Mother ‘To know oneself and control oneself’. Values Shivakumar steered the participants to take a look at moral education as practiced today and how values if not practiced lose their merit. Participants reflected on the values they need in life and how these could help them become stronger than before, provided the values are lived in everyday life. Thus, they learnt that as a teaching community if they teach values without practicing it doesn't make much sense. We also turned our attention towards positive values and negative values and how negative values were nothing but just a distortion of positive values. Thus the emphasis was laid on fostering the positive which itself will lead to the decline of the negative. It was further discussed how teachers can inculcate any value in the child through various activities with the help of examples, stories, activities, songs, movies, theatre, etc. while following the third principle of true teaching ‘From the near to the far’. Integral Teaching After a short tea break, Priti resumed the session with an interactive song based on the Mother’s advice “Let beauty be your constant ideal...” for the inner preparation of a teacher in the integral classroom. Then after understanding the need to build an inner environment to create a beautiful, harmonious outer environment so that the psychic being of the child comes to the foreground, the work of perfection of the instruments - body, mind, heart can be taken up by the facilitator. For this the three principles of true teaching were introduced and the project method was discussed with several case studies. Through practical examples, it was further enumerated in the light of the three principles how the project method is based on discovery, experimentation and research and not by giving the answers but by observing the inherent nature of the child. This session ended with a beautiful interactive song invoking Shanti by calling peace in each and every part of the body. Session with Higher Secondary Teachers by Shivakumar The session began with a discussion on the purpose of education. Shivakumar elucidated the current scenario which is subject-oriented and based on the exercising only or mainly the mind. He also pointed out that though we talk about all round development of the child we hardly pay attention to the expectations and basic needs of a child. For e.g., no one asks a child whether he slept properly, what dreams did he see, but on the contrary we are intent on teaching some ‘important’ subjects which have very relevance in life, beyond its basics. Shivakumar also gave an example of what Swami Vivekananda once said to someone who asked him what he would like to learn if he went back to school. He replied that he would like to master the art of concentration and detachment. Later the teachers in groups made a mock curriculum of their choice of subjects if they were given the freedom to choose. Teachers enthusiastically came up with plenty of subjects like Time Management, Self-grooming, Gardening, Self-reliance, Communication Skills, How to control excessive emotions. Thus he emphasized that curriculum of the school should be based on the needs of the child. He also explained how breathing is directly connected to our emotions and how pranayama helps regulate emotions and how while sleeping we gather good amounts of energy; thus good quality of sleep is required too. He concluded the workshop with this assertion that this world can be more beautiful, if we learn to be honest, sincere, calm and composed and loving individuals which will play a great role in creating a beautiful curriculum and environment for the children. Session with Pre-primary Teachers by Priti Introduction to Psychic Education The session started with an understanding of ‘What is Integral education’. Then the participants moved on to understanding their inner nature and connect with their innermost core, ‘the Psychic being’, through a body scan and an experiential activity. As very small children are very close to their psychic being (soul) and their body, mind and emotions are still developing, it is important that the people around them are also in touch with their psychic being. Priti beautifully explained this through various experiential activities and songs on ‘how we can easily make kids aware about their psychic being by being in touch with it ourselves’. She also enumerated the importance of physical education and developing a sound physical culture for the pre-primary children. Conclusion The sessions were aimed at developing an experiential understanding of Integral Education in the teachers by developing inner stillness and thus being wholesome human beings and teachers, so that an appropriate environment can be created in classrooms, and in the school itself. The sessions also provided a way to develop originality in teaching methods with the help of an understanding of the three principles of true teaching and the project method. This would eventually enable the child to integrate with his true self, his surroundings and society to become the complete being. The teachers enthusiastically participated in all the sessions and displayed their fullest enthusiasm in knowing more about Integral education practices and its implementation. The school management and teachers expressed a further need to enhance their understanding of the Project method implementation and developing a values based curriculum in detail, with the help of a practical approach suited to their school environment. They also felt a need for the body awareness games as a part of their physical education program. It was decided that this will be taken up through further interactions with the SAFIER team.

Date: Sep 29 - Oct 06, 2019 Location: Society House, Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry Sri Aurobindo Society has been conducting children's workshops for more than 20 years. This year, it was organized under the title ‘Rainbow Dreams 2019’, from 29 Sept 2019 to 6 Oct 2019, for children in the age group of 8–12 years. Special Parent orientation sessions were also simultaneously organised in the mornings. The workshop was coordinated by the team of Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Integral Education and Research (SAFIER). The workshop was attended by 33 enthusiastic children. After registration, the children sat in a circle with their Tsunamika badges. They were eager to know more about the doll they just got as a badge. Later the children noted down one or two qualities that they aspired to gain from the camp and wrote it down on their badges after listening to the Tsunamika story and gathering all love that she wanted to share with them. Sessions for the Children The programme for children was encompassed in a manner that nurtures integral learning. They were given an exposure to diverse subjects that could imbibe their interest to make common learning more enriching. The following sessions and activities were just inceptions to profound values when inculcated in their truest sense. Art with a Storytelling Session Priti (SAFIER) took up folk tales and folk art with the children as a tool for creative expression. She introduced the children to the Madhubani and Bhil art styles of folk art and towards the end of the workshop, the children got inspired to creatively present the two stories that they had heard in a ‘kathakar’s way’ (the way of a storyteller) along with their beautiful paintings which sufficed as large illustrations. Yogasana Session The yogaasana sessions with Shweta everyday morning disciplined the physical bringing a calmer state of mind and focused energy to use for the rest of the day. It also gave the children a sense of poise and quietude. Chanting Session The chanting sessions by Manju Arya and Smt. Rajakumari was a significant addition in the programme wherein the children chanted simple Sanskrit slokas which in a way was a means to keep them rooted and connected to the essence of our culture and heritage and to essentially introduce to them this language replete with richness and poetic fluidity. The learning will also help to ameliorate the sempiternal language which by our own dereliction is on the verge of being lost as antiquity. Music and Dance Session The Music and Dance session with Surabhidi had activities galore, ranging from songs of patriotism to a ‘rainbow’dance along with various folk dance forms representing different states of India. The session whilst being enjoyable also intended to cultivate in the children beautiful expressions as well as grace and rhythm in their body movements. Maths-magic A session by Dilip bhai on Mathematics created the magic of making the seemingly tough subject more easy and approachable. He showed the children an alternative way of understanding mathematics by which it can become enjoyable and comprehensible to grasp and in the process discover the joy of learning. Science Session Hemavathy di conducted simple experiments with most commonly used objects to explain some of the fundamental concepts of science. This was also to promote the perception that one can always educate oneself with things found near and around us, as long as the eagerness and urge to progress is present. Embroidery Session Embroidery session by Bharati di assisted by Laskshmi was done to improve the power of concentration, hand eye coordination with intricate needle work and to develop an aesthetic sense that includes colour and design and composition. Games Session Educational indoor games helped the children to learn language, mathematics and many other faculties of observation, memory and quick skills by simple play way method. Besides these skills they were able to adapt to different challenges with a spirit of togetherness. Outings Outing in the garden on two full days enabled the children to be among tall tress, to admire flowers and listen to the songs of the birds and feel the gentle breeze. In the field, they felt the peace in silent communication with Nature. On the other days the children visited a park nearby and the beach where they enjoyed the most. These visits helped the children to exercise and engage their five senses to connect with the five elements of Nature. Session with candles In this session with Shivakumar the children were given a candle each to perform several complex movements with it. By focusing and making a connection with the candle flame with a steady gaze that will help to overcome all the distraction which would reflect on the dancing flame of the candle. This activity also guided the children to come in touch with their own inner centre Self Awareness session Self Awareness session by Sumedha focussing on a child’s ability to accurately judge their own performance and behavior, as well as their ability to appropriately respond to different social situations. Self-awareness is vital both to a child’s academic success as well as their social and emotional growth. Various activities were taken up to make children understand how to develop good Self- Awareness skills and understand their personal strengths and weaknesses. Concluding session On the final day the children presented before their parents all that they gathered and practiced during the camp that comprised of the beautiful paintings with the respective stories, Shlokas in Sanskrit and the songs and dance forms. This was followed by the presentation of their own talents and skills and the camp was concluded with a very happy and cheerful gathering. Report on parent sessions Day 1 “Understanding Our Children” by Shivakumar On 29th Oct. 2019, Shivakumar, Director, SAFIER, welcomed the parents and interacted with them on the topic of “Understanding Our Children”. He first took up a series of questions — like for eg. What are the responsibilities of parents towards their children? What is the best gift a parent can give to their child — which brought to focus the adult way of looking at life, their demands and expectations for their children. Then he brought to focus a deeper, psychological way of looking at children as growing souls, ready to develop their physical body to its utmost capabilities, their emotions to their utmost refinement and their mind to its utmost sharpness. He also emphasised on the need to help children develop their personalities by creating a most conducive atmosphere where the growth can happen with the help and guidance from each one’s inner self, a spiritual part that lies deep within all of us. Day 2 “Generation Next” by Dr Alok pandey Dr Alok Pandey gave a candid and interesting window to the inner being of the younger generation of today and how they are much more truthful and fearless in spirit and have an evolved potential. The parents of today’s children have to unlock and discover themselves in order to understand the generation next who have become more conscious and conscientious. Day 3 "Inculcating Indian-ness: Giving Children Roots and Wings" By Dr. Beloo Mehra Dr. Beloo Mehra set the context for the discussion by placing three key questions before the group: 1) Why is it important to inculcate Indian-ness in our times? 2) What is India-ness? 3) How can this Indian-ness be inculcated? As the discussion proceeded from one question to the next, the participants freely shared their ideas, insights, observations, thoughts and concerns. A list of key points emerging from the discussions was compiled on the board and clarifications given so as to deepen the shared understanding. Dr. Mehra also shared several resources that parents could use to work with their children. Role of story-telling and arts education as well as inculcating an appreciation for Beauty were highlighted. The parents appreciated the highly interactive nature of the session. Day 4 “Nature as teacher” by Aravinda Maheshwari The parents enthusiastically volunteered to go to Auro Orchard at Auroville which is maintained by Aravinda bhai and Jasmine. Amidst nature, there was a different mood where after sharing of Arvindbhai’s story and a glass of lemon jaggery water the participants were eager to explore the farm which had turned 100% organic and was initially started by the Mother to provide fruits to the people of Auroville. As everyone tread carefully through the bushes and vegetation, Arvindhbai explained the story of going organic and how it helped children to know how organic food helped them be more healthy and robust. In spite of being a sunny day, everyone braved the heat, inhaled the pure air and assimilated the whole experience of being with nature and nature enthusiasts as a learning to share with their children. Day 5 “How to choose the best food for one’s child” by Shivakumar In his second interaction on 5th Oct. 2019, Shivakumar briefly interacted with the parents on the topic of “Food” and explored answers to questions like what determines the quality of food, how to choose the best food for oneself. “Communicating with children” by Sumedha Bhargava An interactive knowledge sharing session with parents, which touched upon the importance of communication with your child. Few effective ways of communicating with children using skits was demonstrated. Parents enjoyed enacting the role play skits. The interaction also helped them understand different types of parenting and their use as the situation demands. In the end there was an open discussion as regards the concerns of the parents. “Natural food as a window to health” by Archana and Atul from Auroville Atul and Archana shared their journey to holistic health and connecting lifestyle choices. This was more to open a window for the parents and to create a space for their exploration to experiencing homeostasis and possibly also engage with their children on the same.