BhāratShakti department was invited to design and conduct a 6-day intensive workshop series for about 350 students and 80 teachers of Sri Aurobindo Center of New Education, Jodhpur on the theme: Education for True Progress.

Following key themes were selected in discussion with Mrs. Meera Singh, Director of Sri Aurobindo Centre of New Education; several sub-topics will be explored under these themes.

What am I? – Knowing & managing myself

What are friends for?

How not to get bored

My dharma as a student & as a teacher

Progress & purpose in life

What does Bharat mean to me?

My responsibility as a Bharatiya

During the six days these topics were explored through a combination of interactive discussions, individual and group reflective work, short videos followed by sharing, and other creative activities. A detailed schedule for six days was prepared for the entire workshop by the school administration. Dr. Beloo Mehra in discussion with them fixed specific topics for different sessions – keeping in consideration the age-group of the students and some prior concerns brought to attention by the school teachers.

The entire programme included several 1 to 1.5 hour-long sessions with students from grades VII to XII. Later, a session with grade VI was also added at the request of some students and teachers.

Separate sessions were planned with teachers working with different age-groups as well as taking up different kinds of subjects, such as arts and physical education. An exploratory session with invited parents was also planned during this period.

Dr. Beloo Mehra was the designer and facilitator for the entire workshop series. Each session – whether done with students and teachers – included sharing of some key insights from Sri Aurobindo and the Mother relevant to the topic. These were explained – in an interactive manner – with age-appropriate examples in order to highlight their practical value in the participants’ contexts.

A total of 15 sessions were conducted with the students. In addition to interactive discussions, these sessions also included several engaging activities, including silent reflective writing, introspection, practicing silence and building concentration through games.

Some of the complex ideas were taken up using simple exercises. For example, students were asked to reflect on basic self-awareness questions such as – identify the values they consider important, their strengths and weaknesses, friendships they cherish, need for self-discipline for organising their day, facing peer or societal pressure, managing time etc.

Some activities involved students working in small groups and discussing on specific topics. A few fun games were also incorporated for students from grades VI to VII. Some of the topics explored through these activities included:

Developing Faith in Oneself

Developing Observation and Deepening Concentration

How Well Do I Know About Myself?

Knowing My City and Country

Walking the Path of Right and Light

For the older students, some of these activities were used to gradually open their minds to deeper insights on self-knowing and self-mastery using insights from Indian cultural and spiritual tradition. For example, the Mother’s prayer given to the students was used to highlight some of the Vedic concepts as explained by Sri Aurobindo but keeping the explanations simple and relevant to the students’ practical concerns.

Topics such as strengthening one’s aspiration and deepening one’s faith in one’s capacities were discussed in interactive manner through such activities. Complex themes such as The Aryan Way were also introduced through simple examples and in a practical manner.

Other important topics discussed with students through age-appropriate examples and in a fun interactive manner included the value of friendships, practicing discernment when choosing friends and spending time with them, why do we get bored and what does boredom have to do with lack of willingness to progress. Students found these topics highly relevant and engaged with deep interest.

A total of 10 sessions were conducted with teachers. Most of these sessions were organised in small groups of 10-15 teachers; a few were with larger groups. All were kept interactive though a few initial ideas were shared by Dr. Mehra to get the discussion started.

Following key topics were discussed in interactive manner:

• Psychic Education – the Core of Integral Education
• Discipline and Freedom – How to Harmonise the Two
• Creating a Joyful Learning Environment
• Concentration as the Key to All Good Learning
• Arts Education for Building Character
• The Sacred Dimension of Teaching
• Understanding Work as Means for Inner Growth
• Communicating with Parents
• School as a Place of Progress for Students and Teacher
• True Role of Teachers in Times of Digital Revolution
• Significance of Teachers’ Inner Work

Teachers and school administrators appreciated that throughout the sessions Dr. Mehra was able to bring relevant light and insight from the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, particularly explaining the practical and applied understanding of these insights.

During the workshop, some time was reserved for interaction with individual teachers who wanted to discuss some specific concerns. During such sessions, Dr. Mehra was able to share some specific suggestions related to pedagogy or curriculum rethinking in the classroom.

During the last session with teachers, a few questions from the teachers concerning Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Philosophy were also taken up. This discussion helped the teachers see how their work is part of the larger work of transformation that Sri Aurobindo and the Mother envision for humanity and earth.

On the last day, a special session was organised to meet with a small group of invited parents with whom Dr. Mehra briefly shared in a simple manner a few fundamentals of the educational philosophy which guides all pedagogy at the school.

While addressing some of the questions and concerns raised by some parents, Dr. Mehra connected some of the basics of Integral Education with the fast pace of changing times especially in its implication for education. She gave specific examples and kept the discussion practical and relevant for the parents’ concerns.

In an interactive manner Dr. Mehra brought out the understanding that subject-oriented learning is fast being replaced by learning that helps develop students’ faculties and capacities. Some of the school administrators were also present at this session.

For more BhāratShakti works under the project-theme ‘Education for New India’ click HERE.