Patriotism and me

Way back in 1996, when my parents were looking for a suitable groom for me, there was a major exodus to other countries. Especially United States of America.

Everyone was relocating themselves there

But I was very adamant that I had will not leave my motherland. My logic was that I had studied with the Tax money of my country so I should contribute back to my country

Luckily, my parents did not force me. And they supported me although my marriage was delayed a lot

Today, my two ventures - GlobalIndianTech and Malarum Thottam - An Indian Family Initiative are giving back to my country

Check the link for the philosophy with which GlobalIndianTech works

Founders note-Global Indian Technology Solutions

Jai Hind ! Valgha Vazhamudan !!!

Let's awaken and refresh our knowledge imparting method...

Our forefather India and Indians knew the importance of every living organism and had adapted their lifestyle to it.

They were hugely successful. Can say this with confidence because my history teacher told me that India was a successful Agro economy society which exported Non perishable agro products like Spices...

Our traditional Agri method does not kill pests but manages them with a highly evolved scientific and economical manner.

All this was suddenly disrupted by way of western education. Which marketed itself so well that it first made us feel that we were fools.

Now, with in a span of 2 centuries we are with a lot of currency in the world but have lost Humanity, Fresh air, Fresh water , Disease free physical and mental health, comfortable weather and so on....

My dear friends, the western education, after spending millions of money are now proving what are forefathers said by using common sense...which is built on wisdom derived from knowledge of self and awareness of our human body which communicates to 'Us' through our senses and our inner voice...

Research findings on importance of micro biome in our daily life...

Do watch the video where in the they talk of the findings of research that Microbiome is very important to our lives...all this while the industries are producing anti biotic materials in food, medicine, agriculture...everywhere.

Let us awaken and ensure that children are not lead in the same path as us...

Why you have specifically mentioned the “Montessori method” ? Are there no better ones?

This post is my response to the earlier one.https://nalinirrajan.blogspot.com/2019/06/mixed-age-group-and-sensorial-education.html

Many asked me the question which is the title of this post. And below is the anwer.

Education has been happening even before civilisation happened. It is because of education that civilisation happened.

The current system of education is a result of Industrial revolution.

It factors majorly on chronological time. It assumes that every individual is the moment of receptivity at the same time. It does not consider the human factors such as emotions and individual capacities and inner desires and goals.

This educational method was termed successful as the Industrialisation grew in large bounds and the world got connected due to the Technological revolution.

Yes it was successful. It triggered a sound economical revolution in terms of Money. But what about all the rest of the assets such as Natural resources. Today they are in dire state.

And it also triggered Stress in the society as a whole and Chaos in the inner space of individuals.

Today, many educationists are in looking out to bring back the Holistic education. It is not that they did not do it before. But they were in minority.

One person who had done it earlier is Dr Maria Montessori. Her method is a result of 22 years of her personal research. She was so spiritual about it that she did not patent it. She wanted it to grow and adapt as the world grew. She knew that nature has a way of getting upright whatever be the situation.

A system gets perfected and honed when it is used consciously.

When I think of such a system in education where Time is a factor, it is Montessori method that comes to my mind.

If Time is not a factor, Homeschooling which is parallel to the Gurukulam system of ancient India is the BEST.

Valgha Valazhamudan !!

Mixed age group and Sensorial education

Way back in ancient India which was the bed for educational system, the method of knowledge impartation was Mixed age grouping and very much sensorial.

Even at homes, when the children asked questions, they were told 'Adhai patha theriyalaiya? Thottu paru." Which translates to, "Can't you observe it ? Touch it and see" or rather feel it and see.

I remember way back in 2007, I had a maid who helped me with cooking. One day I asked her to measure the rice grains which was left in the box so that we could plan what to cook.

I asked her to see if 2 cups of rice grains remained and she immediately replied saying that much will not be there. That triggered my irritation and told her to first measure and then tell.

She then measured and what she had told was proven right and at that time, she mentioned a Tamil proverb starting from "Kannu..." which in english translates to something like What the eyes measures or does not measure, can tools do better.

At that moment I thought "Wow, there is so much more to life"

In today's modern system of education, I deeply recommend the true Montessori method of education. Though there are many schools sprung with the name of Montessori, unfortunately very few truly adopt the entire philosophy and the system of hers.

Some of the uniqueness in that system is that it is Mixed age group wherein the children learn not just by listening and observing the adults but also by observing and listening to the other children.

They have the freedom to move. Of course they maintain the decorum as they do not want their freedom to be curtailed. This develops discipline which is not enforced by the outside but rather their inner self.

It is Democratic. Please read my previous blog http://nalinirrajan.blogspot.com/2019/02/democraticing-education.html

The young and tender children, their exposure to all the vocabulary that we use is limited so it is difficult for them to grasp it in abstract manner and hence they learn with concrete materials using their senses.

Senses are the input organs for the brain and wisdom emerges when education is gained with the completeness

Another encouraging news is that what has been charted in the draft of the National Education Policy which says that Anganwadis will be integrated with the main schools.

Which makes me happy. As it means a truer effort towards RTE (Right To Education). Quality education would be imparted in not just expensive schools. But also free of cost at Public schools.

Also, Tamil nadu government had earlier experimented offering Montessori method based education system but due to lack of trained teachers that could not sustain. But they are still working on it.

Does it make you think "I wish I could implement this"?

Don't despair, your home is itself a natural Mixed age group and you can always start Sensorial learning from this moment itself.

Nature is very kind and benevolent.  Yes, we are also Nature. Let's rediscover it within ourselves and experience the bliss that comes with it

Valgha Vazhmudan !!

One of the things...

Success in worldly deeds is in one way a failure, as it is an obstacle to character building, thereby stunting infinite growth. That is why such apparent success is nothing short of the false glory of an ignorant child. With this little play of imagination, of having attained success, one halts on his way, avoiding further steps. On the other hand, the more failures, the greater shall be the successes. A failure should serve to make a man strong where he is weak. But a man is never free as long as this final aspect of life exists, with success and failure dogging the steps of the other.

- Words of a Wise Indian Saint whose depth I deeply admire

Understanding the above is the education which was prevalent in the Indian culture a few centuries ago.

Am doing my best to do my little bit by taking tiny steps to bring it back by enriching the Education system present currently

If not a Good child then what ?

This post is in continuation of Does world really want a good child

A child grows in the womb of the mother, hearing all the sound of the mother's internal organs and feeling its rhythm.

Once it is out, it recognises the mother and soon starts accepting those around the mother with the feeling that they are well wishers.

Till the age of seven, the child is very closely attached to the close family circle.

During this time, the child learns about its environment and gets familiarised and comfortable with it.

Very soon, it leaves the comfort zone and starts making friends and explores the world more daringly.

By the time it is a teenager, the child starts developing its own personality and also its inner consciousness.

Once the child has crossed the adolescence, the child has developed its own inner world which is a bundle of its consciousness and memories and an outer world where it lives.

So what should we do as a parent ?

As I mentioned in the previous post, the child has entered your life as an carefully wrapped up Gift. As it opens, watch the gift and try to understand the gift.

Don't push your memories onto to the child. Please remember your memories were valid in your timeline. It may or maynot be valid in their timeline.

So it is best to offer them facts.

Don't protect them too much and at the same please do not ignore them

Does the world really want a Good child ?

Sometimes when I reflect on what is happening in the world, I tend to often think that we are outdated in the common fashion - Raise our child as "A Good Girl, A Good Boy"

Maybe it worked well in the olden days but is it working now ? Will it work in future ?

Right through their childhood, they are taught to be obedient. And and told that if they are obedient and follow what the elders say, they are Good children... their innate thinking is suppressed. This continues to their adolescence too...

Then suddenly when they are Young youth, they are expected to come with unique ideas, unique solutions and lead others !!!

Don't you think that it is outrageous.

Poor kids, their innate nature was suppressed and they don't learn how to handle it and then the BIG vast load of being Responsible citizens is thrust on them 😑😑

Isn't this the root cause of the now most common disease called STRESS...

My dear parents, guardians and teachers, first please unfold the gift - your child. Peep into to see what the gift is and then plan on how to shapen it in such a way that it does not break.

That alone is enough...the child knows how to do the rest...

Jai Hind ! Valgha Vazhamudan !

My introspection on current education system

This is a followup to the blog Free...Free...Freedom and Democraticing education.html

Ideas are very easy to generate... Just sitting idle for few minutes ruminating on the problem, which is also called meditation results in a lot of ideas.

But generating workable solutions is a different game altogether.

After writing blogs and getting feedback from the readers, I had gone deeper to introspecting, analysing and strategising and gathering feedback.

Here are few of my thoughts on which I am planning an Action plan.

1. Though we think that we have won independence as a nation, we are still colonised. Yes, we are colonised by the method of education. We are all forced into following a single method of education. Only the selected elite have an option to get educated as per their wish

Education is not marks. That is academics. Education is a lot more...

2. Why should a child only learn the conventional method of basic mathematical operations. Why cannot they perform the operations in the method that is comfortable to them. There are some many options available - Abacus, Trachtenberg method, Russian Peasant method, Vedic maths etc

That too when finally they are going to use devices and tools.

Why should the children made to feel like a failure when they actually are not.

3. When it comes to Science, why should the children only repeat standard experiments. Why cannot they be made to encouraged to structure their own experiments

4. Social science is such an important subject which they understand well gives them a lot of Life skills. But unfortunately, this subject along with Literature is only taught and learnt for scoring marks

Yes, the above are only few drawbacks of education system. Have highlighted them as I have joined with an energetic team MyOpenSkool.in and together we are chartering tangible and measurable action plans that can be documented, is scientific, repeatable and scalable too.

Will be penning about them soon...

Jai Hind ! Valgha Vazhamudan !

Free...Free...Freedom

Freedom…is meant for everyone isn't it?…

During my school days, we learnt that school is a second home and is meant to be like that… during those days, there was lesser syllabus as there were lesser documemted discoveries, lesser theorems and lesser technology to study. Now the load has almost tripled !!!

Also, earlier the children were taught so that they learn whereas now the focus is scoring marks and making the parents and school proud.

Isn't it our responsibility to ensure that the children enjoy the process of going to school and feel Free.

Today that is the only way they can socialise and make friends and relationships...

Yes, there a few schools. But they are accessible only by economically privileged. What about others ? Should we not scale it so that it reaches everyone?

Can we do something so that they begin to enjoy the process of being educated.

Firstly, should only a single adult be a teacher of a particular topic? Why can’t the children be put into “Mixed age group” as prescribed by Dr. Maria Montessori

In a Mixed age montessori group, a student takes the roles of being a student and a teacher at the same time. The adult becomes a facilitator.

The word “Montessori method” was not patented as the visionary Dr Maria Montessori wished it to grow and mould into different generations. But unfortunately, the word has become highly corrupt and many say that their school adopts Montessori method whereas it does not follow the spirit to its entirety.