Began the learning journey with living together in the community, Some were old, some joined new.
Learning while living came to us in many different forms. Starting with personal hygiene to enjoying music in many different forms. From sharing views in thought club to reflecting at the end of the day to understand own interest and self designed day. Expression of emotions from missing home to feeling of achievement were expressed and acknowledged to explore learning to understand self emotions.
Spotting of a baby snake created excitement to fear and learning opportunity to know more about snakes and knowing our own connection with snakes. Knowing campus in orientation to earn independence became important and essential – how does kitchen work, what are the roles and responsibilities in maintaining clean living spaces and toilets, what does pet at campus needs, how to take resources and how to use them, what to do when hurt by others (physically, emotionally or sexually) and take help of adults…
The day began with bringing dreams alive by talking about them and sharing by drawing and writing. We together dreamt, we together connected with each others dreams. The dreams were ranging from making a rocket and robot, write a book, fly in air, travel,
Ropes were part of welcome. Day one was just simple rope tied on two stones, day two added thick ropes with few knots, day three we added articles with ropes. Well, the ropes were used to play horse cart, walk on the ropes, throw a knot on the tree, make swing with tree and use rope for jumping.
It began with experiencing insects in the night which wandered in our terrace after rains, One child started catching them in bottle and watching them. Next day he was again set to catch more insects….catching them bottles (some bottles with hole, some without hole). Few more kids joined him…and they all were running behind bugs and butterflies. They continued throughout the week running and catching butterflies….catch them, click photographs, see them in light, look through books and release them. They observed colors, size, patterns and their habitat. Safety codes were set to run into bushes.
Few kids were set to make ‘marble ramp’ from a book. First day they made some other model, because the original looked difficult. Second day they again were set to make the ‘exact model’ they achieved 45% exact model. Third day they again made the same model and they achieved 90% exact model. “Exactly same’ was the key word – they had their own share of frustration, excitement, hopes, hard work, searching of material, achievement and failures. Not only they played, few more joined them to play and enjoy Marbles -Most of the material was reused. Importance of collecting ‘empty toilet paper roll’ was felt when we ran out of empty rolls. We wondered where all can we find these rolls, one child said ‘I will ask my neighbours’, another one said ‘hotels will have many empty rolls’.
‘Pass to team members’ was the key word when we played football. Eye on the ball’ was the keyword when we played Cricket. ‘Ouch and wow’ were the words when we went for trekking to concur rocks and thorns. ‘fun’ was the word when we played frisbee.
This was special on Friday. Together decided to do nothing 🙂 and ended up doing many things.
Enjoy some mashups (mixed songs) and music jamming.