#6 DESIGN - Stories

 PRANAV DESIGNING HIS DOING of PAINTING

Once we designed - he was on his own, exploring the doing in his own way.

Design -Discuss-Do is an ITERATIVE process

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyfpery5R8

The session was about Introduction to the process of Design, Discuss, Do

Design - Any Project we take, we start with the exploration of the idea called Design which includes What we want to do? Why do we want to do it? What resources do we need? Who all are teams? what role each one play in a team? What all work is involved? Whose permission do we need to start the work? Where will we do? Who will maintain the project?


Discuss - is all about to get more ideas, to find alternates, to share our doubts or what are we stuck with.

Do - Action. Get onto your job of doing.

Children were receptive to design their project, they discussed and discussed their plan, roles. They all started with what to do until how to do it. They were asking doubts, sharing problems. made their mind maps, questioned each other, made fun of each other ideas, worked together, some ideas accepted and approved in the group, some discarded.

Blog - https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/introduction-process-design-discuss-do

A group of Children volunteered to set up a library in a class.

This decision left them with pondering questions - about the location for the library? where do we get books for the library? what kind of books? Can we get books from the library? what if the library does not have books? can we get our old storybooks from home? can we ask our teachers and collect books? How do we maintain books? how to share responsibility ? what if children took books home / tear the books / lose the books? Whom to ask permission? will the teacher permit?

Blog - https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/learn-doing-setting-library-classroom

My journey of drumming - As a group, we started on the drum pad practicing whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note for two days with a metronome, which was slow and increasing the speed. At that time I was wishing to play on the drums and try the sixteenth note. Finally, we got on to the drums it was hard than I expected the coordination was important, starting with just the snare drum and the bass drum to get the coordination going it was a bit tricky to coordinate the leg and the hand, slowly adding the high hat to get used to it. At that time my wish was to play fills. Understanding the notation was not that hard it was simple.

Read my Year Journey - https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/my-year-journey

Stories on how children learn and each story is different. But each story reminds us that each child is unique and learn in their unique way.


How a child Learn?
How a child Progress?
How a child Struggle?
How a child Explore?
How a child Discover

How a child Supported?
How a child Understand Self?
How a child Experiment?

Read The Stories - https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/learning-stories

The freedom of “I decide” does not come without any responsibility. And it is not easy to be free - this requires choices to be evaluated, decisions to be made, consequences to be lived - while being questioned from every corner.


Add to freedom is the responsibility that one has to have not only of oneself and one’s actions but of the various tasks that you have chosen to do, of resolving all possible conflicts, of taking and giving feedback, of raising one’s voice, and be heard and finally responsible of making oneself happy.

It is our belief that only when we are out of our comfort zone, only when we stretch ourselves, only when we grope in the realm of unknown and unfathomable - we learn.

Read Blog - https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/expeiencing-open-learning-summer-week-3-2018

We have no dish to offer. We do not serve our children any learning on a platter. We aren't cooking to satisfy the children.

We're like a kitchen: Raw material and tools (resources) of all kinds are available. Children are challenged to cook for themselves, to create their own learning, to explore, experiment for their own reasons, to satisfy their own hunger.


Read Blog - https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/kitchen-or-restaurant

A thought - Do you see SHAPES in MATHEMATICAL TABLES?

We watched a video showing a visual board of a mathematical table.

Making of this board itself took us time - first, we had to think what material, we worked on few materials like cardboard, wood etc but it did not suit our needs.

Then a spark came and we used old lid of paint bucket, Now it was all about nailing and using geometry tools to make marks. Once we succeed doing this in two days, we played with color yarn to explore shapes. We were mesmerized to see beauty in mathematical tables!

Blog Link  - https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/dry-toilet-action

It began with a desire to PAINT
Then paint on the WALL
They searched and selected a suitable wall

They made a design
Given other art styles - Warli, Madhubani, Zentangle, Mandala, etc
Both made their own design

Made a couple of designs
And decided to paint on two different surfaces
Again searched for another surface
So now we have two wall painting

They drew, they practiced, they referred to books, they relied on their imagination, they were open to trying new fonts and lines...and they began their journey. Both made their first Solo wall painting

#6 SDL - DESIGN-DISCUSS-DO

If children are DOING by themselves then what is our role? Today in the DESIGN session, let’s explore our role in adding value to this doing process. 

POSSIBILITIES with DESIGN

SESSION PRESENTATION

SESSION RECORDINGS

Session #6 recordings are available as part of this youtube playlist. Pl do not share this playlist with anybody outside SDL group

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL95z55j-O_ewGYeeEIHP-texalZBRmCEN

The videos are unlisted - pl refrain from sharing with your friends. Instead, share your learning with them. The recordings are only meant for the participants and not to be made public .

#5 DOING - Worth

Somehow we are made to believe that the worth of any things is only when it is GOOD. In a way appreciated by others, used by others, or paid by others. 

Some of us continue to believe
Anything I make needs to be perfect
Anything I do needs to be good
Anything I talk about needs to be understood (appreciated) by others
Anything I write needs to be correct (nice)
Anything I say needs to make sense
Anything I post needs to be recognized (seen, responded, thumbsup)

And we pass this limiting thought process to our children too :)

What we shared in the DOING SESSION is just a collection of our experiences - when we were making them, documenting them never thought that one day Corona will come and we will use it to share with others. We have created more than 5000 blogs, more than 800 videos of various experiences of learning, around more than 1000 videos of various programs, 100’s of articles, 100’s of newsletters, few podcasts, 1000’s sessions designs, 100’s of programs, a few public talks...all are not being used/monetized/apprenticed by others, For that matter not even of good quality - in some video the lighting is dark, some blogs are not even read by others, in some article, there are spelling mistakes, in some talks we just talk nonsense ...but we continue to produce. When we are producing we are actually not thinking - will people like it, are we right, is this politically correct, what will people make images about us...all we do is just create. INVITING you to DOCUMENT your MOMENTS.

#5 DOING - Resources

 

Doing is a complex process; it involves observing, trying, failing, and perhaps succeeding. It invariably generates peer interaction. It requires the application of a complex set of thinking skills. It is nonlinear and often the learning is not obvious but deep. 

The week was not only about doing but discovering what doing does to my mind, body, and soul!

Herramientas, our tool room was busy designing a Bamboo chair, making joints which will last longer, making wooden dice to just play and experience carpentry, make dumbbells for fitness

Ambrosia, our kitchen was busy cooking a variety of meals to cater to different tastes, special food for b'day celebration, pickle, salads, kheer, and cake are just some of the items from our list.

Aarohi ki Dukan was busy developing products, packaging, and labeling.

Apollo, our dome was busy with pretend and play, explorations with blocks, and maintain the resources.

Athena, our library was involved with choosing books of different choices, dusting, organizing, and repairing books.

Acropolis, our music hut was busy drumming practice, inspiring a few more to drum and singing together.
Read the blog: Read the blog for more https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/doing-0

How children learn can be summed up in two words - by themselves! As they take ownership of their learning and then seek different ways to get it - use different resources, choose different goals, get taught by somebody, seek demonstration,  ... and the list goes on.

So Children decide what they want to do/learn (content) and how they want to do/learn it (process). Often these goals involve making (a cake), creating (a movie), building (a house of pets), exploring (gardening or poetry), researching (about Ashoka the king), and so on.

Most of the endeavors span multiple contents, skills, and abilities.  

Most of the endeavors necessitate many methods, tools, resources, and interactions. It's a very dynamic process with peers, facilitators, and anybody else constantly adding value and challenges and sometimes guidance to it. 

At the end of the day, I can reflect back what I did, liked, found tough, want to do more and so on. Reflection can be on what they did, how they did, resources used people interaction, emotions, etc.

#5 DOING - Some Stories

The journey of a 12yrs old, who grew up with a love for vehicles. As a child of 4yrs old, he would draw and draw jeeps and buses and trucks. He even started to save money to buy a bike when he would be 18urs old.  Soon he grew out of vehicles and started making sandcastles. The play will go on with wars, enemies, bridges, and strategies. As a child of 5yrs old, he never sang nursery rhymes, nor wrote alphabets.  But he would spend a lot of time with books and insist on us reading books daily for him.

His interest in books remained but he grew out of sandcastles and making bridges. His interest in Army grew as he grew up. He would buy dresses of different defense forces like Navy, Army and pretend to be like them. He visited a few army areas and got more inspired by their courage. Soon he grew out of that. He got into making models of ships and airplanes. He did not know when he got drifted towards planes and pilots. The visit to airports and the airplane museum became part of our curriculum.

Read the full blog -  http://aarohilife.org/home/blog/ever-changing-learner

to see beauty in mathematical tables!

Our Tippy Tap broke.

He was given the task to repair.

He was given the ideas.

He just needed to work (hands-on).

He postponed for few days.

Finally, he started.

He was surprised with self when he cut the first box.

He did not stop after that.

He made it. We used it and tested also. 

He is happy for self!

Blog Link  - Challenging to do https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/challanging

#5 DOING - create WEALTH

 

How do we become wealthy?

The equation of wealth is pretty simple - produce more than consuming and we ALL be wealthy.

Inviting YOU to make this PROGRAM WEALTHY with your
Sharing - what you are doing
Sharing - what are your struggles
Sharing - your questions
Sharing - your experiences
Sharing - your actions
Sharing - your moments

Noone gets poorer by sharing - in fact, this is one wealth that multiplies when shared. And mutated and reproduced in many different forms faster than any Virus.


Let’s PRODUCE
Not only read blogs - Let’s write some
Not only watch videos - Let’s just make one video
Not only ask for a design - create a design
Not only read the books - but also make a summary and share
Not only listen to the thoughts - Make your own theory
Not only listen - talk your thoughts

It’s not about the OUTCOME, it’s about the good and bad - it’s about DOING!
Doing is POWERFUL - let’s PRODUCE, let’s make all RICH.

#5 DOING - Intangible Learning

Often we set larger goals like becoming a pilot or an artist or even short-term goals like make a painting or bake a cake.

And often this doing is result-oriented.

And then Either my painting is good or bad, my cake is nice or horrible.

But there is something else happening apart from the end results.

DOING and this doing is doing something to me

Bake a cake and discovered the texture of the barter

Making a song, in the process developed the skills of mixing

Made games and developed confidence

Practiced dance and got introduced to a new rhythm

Spoke to grandparents - that brought joy to me

Helped mother in cleaning the toilet and developed kindness

While making a painting, used different strokes to experience texture


Often these INTANGIBLE things are not considered learnings as they are invisible (like magic). But they are the stepping stones of something bigger to emerge. Are they worth CELEBRATING! What do you say?


BLOG LINK - https://aarohilife.org/home/blog/what-doing-doing-me

#5 DOING - Session Notes and Recordings

Doing is a complex process; it involves observing, trying, failing, and perhaps succeeding. Todays’ session is all about DOING as part of the Self-Directed Learning ingredient.  

Session #5 recordings are available as part of this youtube playlist. Pl do not share this playlist with anybody outside SDL group

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL95z55j-O_ewGYeeEIHP-texalZBRmCEN

The videos are unlisted - pl refrain from sharing them with your friends. Instead, share your learning with them. The recordings are only meant for the participants and not to be made public. SESSION PRESENTATION

Here is the playlist of all the videos of this session

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL95z55j-O_eyVmWaJO0c7gYp6oaSH7tCB

#4 SDL - 10 LEARNING NEEDS

 

#4 SDL - UNDERSTAND 10 LEARNING NEEDS

Let’s discover 10 ingredients of SDL to make learning more meaningful and the environment more empowering. 

Session #4 recordings are available as part of this youtube playlist. Pl do not share this playlist with anybody outside SDL group

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL95z55j-O_ewGYeeEIHP-texalZBRmCEN

The videos are unlisted - pl refrain from sharing them with your friends. Instead, share your learning with them. The recordings are only meant for the participants and not to be made public. Session Presentation

#3 Possibilities - Resources

 

The child decides what to do/learn based on the multitude of exposures the child has. Here is what we offer - a world map - where the 'world' is defined by whatever one can learn in this world!

We have divided all learning content into NINE categories. Pl note as with any other categorization - there will be many overlaps - finally it is not important which category the child's goal lies - till it excites the child.

READ MORE ...Blog Link https://aarohilife.org/home/i-decide-content