Aarohi Life Education

Aarohi Life Education (Hindi: आरोही) is an open learning community primarily for children. It is based out of a campus located in Village Bodichipalli, Near Kelamangalam town, near Hosur City - about 55 km from Bangalore, India. The learning space is managed by the children, adults, parents and facilitators on the principles of Sahamati. The community conducts an Open House, in which anyone, faculty, children, and/or parents, may attend, and raise a concern. The issues raised (or Cases) are discussed and resolutions passed based on consensus or Sahamati (Hindi: सहमति).

Learning Philosophy

Aarohi learning philosophy is influenced by theories and practice of child-led learning, Constructivism, Democratic Education, and Alternative Education. Aarohi does not have grades. The mixed-age sessions facilitate peer learning. Aarohi uses only self-assessment via daily, weekly and sometimes quarterly reflections.

At Aarohi, children own their learning, a concept in which children decide what they want to learn and how they want to learn.

Beliefs

Aarohi learning philosophy is based on the following six beliefs:

• Children are natural learners
• Children can own and construct their own learning
• Each child is unique
• Education should focus on empowering children
• Group learning has a positive effect on each individual's learner
• Children enjoy and learn better while 'doing' tasks

A Learning Campus

Aarohi Offers a variety of resources, exposure, and facilitation for all learners.

Democratic Environment

The Open House conducted on every alternate Friday, discussed issues and their resolution. Generally, Open House leads to the formation of new rules or modification of existing rules based on discussion within the community and general consensus.

All the children, faculty and visitors are expected to abide by the Aarohi Code:

• Take care of Self
• Take care of Others
• Take care of Resources

How Aarohi Works

Aarohi Objectives

learning Process

A focused space for the child to work on areas like logic, language, nature, the body and/or enhancing skills or doing a 'deeper dive' into a specific learning area through actual hands-on work or application.

The child decides on specific learning goals and works on these. Some examples are making a story, learn about addition, history of kings, learn to make origami, experiment with friction or know more about gravity, do some cooking, pottery, plumbing, carpentry, stitching, etc.

Various kinds of resources (books, activity, a computer, the Internet, people, facilitator as examples), stimuli, help on a need basis, peer discussion, etc. are available to the child. Faculty closely observes the child and provide assistance as needed. Unlike classroom driven learning, children at Aarohi do not work in a traditional classroom set up and are in a mixed-age group to enable greater cross learning.

Child chooses a topic from the content. Sets the goal based on this content. Decides what he wants to, how much he wants to and how he wants to do. While doing uses different M.I's to explore the content. Example child chooses Story as a topic from the content. Makes mind map of what is his understanding of story. Chooses what he wants to do in that. Read different types of stories/writers, write my own story, make a video of my story etc. Child moves to choosing how he wants to explore this content-could be make a song, meet different writes, see dramas, experience few things related to the story and share that experience etc. There is no specific time frame by when child decides he has to reach his goal. They pursue the same till they think they have got what they want and then move to something else.

Goal – do - reflect

Children decide their Goals. And part of Goal is what they want to learn (content) and how they want to learn it (process). Since the amount of content (knowledge in this world is huge - we do not focus so much on knowledge acquisition, rather use the content areas as a way to learn how to learn - that is the HOW part (process).

Typical Week

The learning environment at Aarohi is structured around three areas Self, Community, and the Campus. Campus is further divided into campus development and maintenance. The depth of involvement, time spent on each area (we call them buckets), varies for both the campus and depends on the amount of time one spend at the campus. Visit the link to see a typical week at Aarohi

Self Development - A focused space for the child to work on areas like logic, language, nature, the body and/or enhancing skills or doing a 'deeper dive' into a specific learning area through actual hands-on work or application. Campus/ Centre development (or Projects or land work) - Land work or campus development includes the need of the campus as per the child's interest. Campus/ Centre Care – Since the campus, the building, the vehicles etc. serve us, we spend 10 minutes as community taking care of the campus. We care of resources and other needs to run campus by taking various responsibility like resources, stationery, library, mainatainance, kitchen etc. Community Development – Social timings like sunshine, thought club, sports, open house etc. where all members come together and spend time together. Currently the learning opportunities come in the following form:

• Welcome - Quick multi dimensional exposure to begin the day
• Objective of the week - One objective per week from 35 objectives.
• Sunshine - Social space with special focus on Music Intelligence.
• Planning - Plan day and week and share with the community
• Project/ Land work - Work according to one's interest. Loads of diff exposures given to the child as background stimulation. Application of child's current learning, concepts skills, and abilities.
• Self Learning - Self work through self study, activities etc. on Word, Math-Logic, People-Self, Picture, Body and Nature intelligences to develop concepts, knowledge and skills.
• Outdoor and KAA (outstation trips) - Visiting places, meeting people to explore and learn.
• Contact Point- Interaction, reflection and planning ahead
• Live Station- Different professionals coming and sharing their journey, demonstration of their work.
• Thought club - Expression of thoughts, refection of the day and expression of dirt and appreciation.
• Reflection - Daily and weekly reflection to assess self.
• Open House - A judiciary system at Aarohi
• Floccinauccinihilipilification Time-Exposure to specific concept, idea, application etc. This is a time during which faculty picks a content area and provide the children exposure to a specific concept, idea, technique, application, etc. The topic is introduced in the form of an activity, reading material, worksheet, textbook, video or via an expert. Children choose to join this session based on their interest and get introduced to various topics/contents. This provides exposure to content beyond what the child is already working on Exposure to different ways of looking at and doing things.
• Campus Care - Social responsibility. Project or Land work for campus development, includes the need of the campus. Campus creates various learning opportunities. This can be ranging from setting up computer systems at the campus, making kitchen garden, solving parking problem, constructing a new building or making play ground or it can be as simple as repair of toilet flush or broken table. During the process, the faculty closely observes the child and provides assistance, as needed. Projects can be one day or a multi-day or multi-week activity largely dependent on the child's own interest and learning needs.
• Resources of the week - Exposure of various resources
• Learning Clubs - Different clubs as per the need and interest of the community.

Kaa

KAA is the term used to refer to the 2 to 5 day outstation trips. Each year, Aarohi does about 3-4 trips. Each year also has a KAA theme around which these trips happen

• 2010 - 2011 - Kaveri (refers to river that flows in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu)
• 2011 - 2012 - Architecture
• 2012 - 2013 - Forests
• 2013 - 2014 - History
• 2014 - 2015 - Soil Exploration

Oustation trips are called KAA trips, organised with children and aligned with a 'theme of the year', roughly 3 to 4 times in a year. These trips can be of 2 to 4 days duration, and have multiple goals, including building self-confidence in an environment a way from family, observation of skills, nature, and systems operating in a real world environment, working in teams and building their own sense of community, responsibility etc. In the past, children have visited places like the Timbaktu Collective, Buda folklore in Honnavar, forests near Tumkur and Nagarahole, the Sharavathi river valley etc. Children have very vivid memories and recollections of these places and also of overcoming their own personal challenges as an outcome of these trips. The trips are optional depending on the child and parents comfort with separation. However, these are highly encouraged and are very popular among Aarohi learners

KAA ++ trips are outstation trips which are specific to a learner or a group of learners intending to delve deeper into a specific interest. The learner may express this interest. Aarohi, in consultation with parents and child, can facilitate the learning framework and logistics of the trip with the help of faculty or an interested parent accompanying the child.

There are three stages

STAGE 1 - Preparation and Stimulation

Know the purpose of each trip, each child had individual goal, what to expect from the place/ over all visit. The trips start with preparation to children for what, where, we are going. What all to take - kids prepare their list as per the requirement What all expression - how to stay without parents and take care of your emotions etc. Also preparation of parents - child to stay without parents, manage self independently. STAGE 2 - Visits

What is my goal, how do I achieve my goal. We learn life skills - How to be in nature, how to take care of self, how to work in a team, how to manage emotions, how to live with minimum and still learn. We EXPERIENCE the real life. STAGE 3 - Reflection

What all we did ? We reflect by various medium - draw, write, speak, interviews, read, games, drama, poetry and so on (based on Multiple Intelligence). What all I could have done? How differently I could have What new I learned ? What more I want to learn?

Livestation

A “Live station” session is one in which individuals from different walks of life may spend valuable time with children at Aarohi demonstrating their skills, ‘in action’. The idea is to provide children exposure and a direct experience of the real world - something that they can watch, question, feel, do and understand. Anybody, including parents, a parent’s friend or anyone else who might be interested in sharing with children, is invited to conduct, perform or organize a “Live Station” at Aarohi.

A parent may reach out to any of the faculty to organize a “Live Station”. Sometimes a member of the faculty may approach a parent as well.

An invited expert in any knowledge area spends time with the children and shares about his or her expertise. Children interested in attending these talks or activity-oriented sessions interact and gain exposure to how things are done in real world situations.

Live station is all about people from different walks of life stopping by to spend some value time with children at Aarohi”. The station have “domain experts” coming and showing / sharing / working with aarohi children.

This is to give children a wide exposure; a direct experience of the real world - something that they can see, feel, do, etc. Anyone, parents, friends of parents, friends of friends, anyone who is so passionate about their work or anyone who likes sharing with children can be part of the live station @ Aarohi. So the discipline can be anything,

A gardener showing gardening skills, Home maker showing how to bake choco chip cookies, A person how he can juggle with balls, an electrician showing how to fix a fan, a computer geek showing how to make cute animations in flash, a doctor interacting and telling all about the profession etc. A musician coming and sharing what one musician can do, playing for children a piece and just spending some time with kids. Somebody with the skill of embroidery coming and working for few hours and demonstrating the skills. If any child wants to learn by their choice, they do with the expert. Some coming and assembling a speaker and children just get curious, get interested and may be assemble one with you :) A dancer sharing her dance..... A painter showing a painting demo..... A sales professional sharing his sales strategies.... ideas and opportunities are infinite....

Outdoor

Alternate Fridays are set for outdoors, where children visit a place of interest connected with the theme of the week.

Sunshine

Aarohi day starts with music. This is the time where all the groups are together. Birthdays are celebrated at this time. Faculty introduces the theme for the week through song or puzzles. Different week days have different activities: Rhymes on Monday, Yoga story on Tuesday, Exercise on Wednesday, and Dance on Thursday. The sunshine time ends with meditation.

Center Development

Project or Land work for campus development, includes the need of the campus. Campus creates various learning opportunities. This can be ranging from setting up computer systems at the campus, making kitchen garden, solving parking problem, constructing a new building or making play ground or it can be as simple as repair of toilet flush or broken table. During the process, the faculty closely observes the child and provides assistance, as needed. Projects can be one day or a multi-day or multi-week activity largely dependent on the child's own interest and learning needs.

Campuses

Aarohi functions out of two campuses. Sustainable Living

I-Campus

I-Campus refers to the Indiranagar campus. The I-Campus is a day school. The Campus is open for learners from Monday to Friday, between 8 AM to 4 PM.

O-Campus

O-Campus is an Off-the-grid campus located at Kelamangalam, Tamil Nadu which provides a boarding space for students. The campus generates its own electricity through solar panels. Solar lamps are commonly used within campus.

Parent role in Aarohi Community

The parent community of Aarohi contributes to the learning environment in multiple ways.

Workshop

Every Friday, parents take turns to work with children. They share topics of interest with the children.

One, approximately 90-minute session each week at Aarohi is set aside for what is called a “Parent Workshop”. A parent is invited to engage with the children in an activity of mutual interest. The activity might involve, for example, making something, cooking, hearing, learning and discussing a place or a culture, story reading or a performing music or just be with each other.

Parents are assigned workshop dates at the beginning of year at Aarohi. Check the section Information access for hyperlinks to parent workshop. If the assigned workshop date is not convenient, parents are expected to discuss this with another parent and swap dates, as convenient.

Manthan

Manthan (Hindi: मंथन) is the Aarohi community quarterly meeting of parents, faculty, and children of the Aarohi.

Manthan is the term the Aarohi community uses for an intense meeting of the entire community. MANTHAN - a churning of visions, wishes and ideas. A meeting to

Discuss Awareness of learning @ Aarohi Share thoughts 1. Information. The objective of this interaction is to discuss and understand the process and working of Aarohi. This also fulfills the need of new parents (one who has joined and one who wants to join) who wants to know more Aarohi. Parents, who have gone through this journey, share with others. 2. Churning – This “churning” of ideas in individual minds as well as collectively helps create a common, deeper understanding of Aarohi. The interaction could include - how children learn? Why cooperation and not competition, what If my child fails and not cope up with life after, before during Aarohi etc. 3. Connecting - Spend time together as community. 4. Reflecting – Reflect on ourselves. This interaction could include - What was learnt, What must continue and what must change in Aarohi.

All parents and children are expected to participate as these are a very key part of building the Aarohi community, sharing ideas, questions. concerns, experiences and to 'co-discover'. Visit information sheet for Manthan dates. Discussions on agenda occur on the Facebook parents group about the agenda for Manthan, etc..

Mela

A Mela is a fair. The Aarohi community enjoys this format and organizes melas about once a quarter. The mela is for children by parents. Melas often have a theme (for example a theme could be ‘music’). It can be a sports mela at Cubbon park or Story mela at the campus. Each mela is planned and implemented by group of parents and faculty together.

See also

• Collaborative learning
• Constructionist learning
• Democratic education
• Multiple Intelligence

References

External links

• Aarohi Life Education(Bangalore)