On December 15, 2018, Sri Aurobindo Society conducted an Art & Craft in Integral Education programme in which 55 pre-primary teachers of the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Lawspet, in Puducherry participated. The session was conducted by Art in Education Enthusiasts Kiran and Hrishikesh – both practitioners in the field of Integral Education. The programme focused on how to develop an aesthetically rich and age-specific environment in school based on a relevant context wherein children naturally become more inquisitive and volitionally come forward to learn. During the session, participants were also given an experience of integral development via Arts & Craft.

The session started with a discussion on the need for creating the physical environment and on how to make teaching contextual so that the learning process becomes joyful and interesting. Teachers were exposed to several physical games which were focused on eye–hand coordination, ear–hand coordination, alertness, awareness, etc. and could be played inside and outside the classroom. They also learnt how to create a few artifacts related to Christmas as the festival was approaching and children always need some context to do any activity with joy and enthusiasm.

During reflection, all the participants realized that these activities could help promote a sense of beauty and harmony in work, body, mind and emotions.