25 Nov 2022

Dear Parents,

A warm welcome to Sahir, Shilpa and Pravin. We are happy to have you back. This path we have taken for our children is risky and uncertain, only because it still remains unvalidated by our past and current times. It isn’t risky and uncertain because it is not the right thing to do. For me this way just feels right. Surely, we haven’t figured it all out yet. We will make mistakes, but this is a long journey. In this place, where we reach is equally important to how we reach there.

Now, let’s what we did this week…

Judiciary

1. Everyone knows about the underworld Boomer Mafia in LC. This has become some what of a nuisance now. People complain of gum sticking on their feet and need I say that how disgusting it feels. It isn’t biodegradable so where to throw it after the use is over? It isn’t respectful to keep chewing when someone is talking to you. So few kids have opposed gum eating altogether. We haven’t come to any conclusion yet but have decided to debate about it during the debate club.
2. Few kids wanted to start NERF gun shooting in LC. It’s a play thing, we know but in the past we have observed that these kinds of playing things have emotionally affected kids and they carry the baggage. So we all agreed that it’s not the right time for it to start again.
3. Few blossoms noticed that their seniors are defaulting on doing the homework for Vipul’s math session and expressed their concerns. They were worried what might the facilitator be feeling, in this case Vipul. How unfair and unjustified is this whole thing, they argued. “How might he be feeling?” said one of the 8 yr olds. Poorva, Pinki and Rajitha were rolling their eyes during this time. However these few were gracious enough to admit that their reason for suffering is FOMO.

Seva

It is going on, the initial resistance is wearing off. But we are still figuring out how to manage it smoothly. While few of them are doing their seva the rest are engaged in a play in the compound, that way no one is coming in between each other.

Sessions

Two weeks of sessions are over and now it’s time for signing up. Those who sign up for the sessions have to follow certain rules which are primarily to complete the practice work, not eating chewing gum, not using bad/aggressive language during the session.

Garden time

We were bullied from the garden near Indira Market. All the folks who were playing cricket told us to move away, with no consideration or changes in their play. So we decided to explore the garden opposite SIES college. It is always empty in the morning, it feels like we have reserved it for us.

I can, therefore I ask

1. We had a very interesting encounter between one of our 5 yr olds and a parent who was visiting. The parent insisted that this child finish the tiffin. “I will eat how much I want”, she said. To this the parent said, “No, no during the latest judiciary it has been decided that everyone has to finish their tiffin”. She was perplexed. She went around asking, when did this happen? Why did you make a such a rule? She then asked the facilitator to write an agenda for next week’s judiciary that children should be allowed to eat as much as they want. When the parent said that, “I will come to check your tiffin in LC and also at home”, she knew that she had to negotiate. So she agreed on the terms that the parent will not come home to check if she finishes her tiffin in LC.

2. There was also another instance when a child questioned, why are you curtailing our freedom and making a rule when it was only a few who created the trouble? Why can’t you trust us? If you don’t trust us then how will we understand the boundaries? I was personally dumbfounded at this awareness.

3. The chewing gum discussion during the judiciary was on the basis that its not decomposable and is made of plastic. One child was rallying how bad it is for the environment, etc., while the other child argued that what if it is not my value system. It posed an interesting situation to understand even though one advocates something that seems for the larger good, can we really enforce it?

Circle Time

Talking respectfully to everyone around you, acknowledging others presence, greeting them and having a sense that I have been heard. This was the agenda for the circle time. Almost all of us agreed and admitted that we talk rudely with each other. This has created an aggressive way of communicating with each other. This also included facilitators. One of the elder ones also said why is it necessary to be all respectful? Can we not have some fun? If we talk all lovingly and patiently then how can we pull each other’s legs? Seemed logical, so we will try to not speak hurtful things and amend our ways. We all decided to speak what we will do to reduce this.We will be self aware, be present in the moment, think before opening one’s mouth. Few will need a reminder if the temperature rises in their head. Slowly but surely we hope to get there.

Clubs

Chess, drama, dance and movie clubs are going in full swing. There is also IPM math club. Reading club is in a dire state with only two showing up. We are thinking of how to spin it around. If you have any ideas, please let us know.

Movie Club

The Bicycle Thief is a 1948 classic Italian movie of a man whose finds a job as a poster hanging person on the streets. He bought a cycle to get this job. This is during the period after WWII. Incidentally his cycle is stolen and this is a story of him chasing the thief through the streets to find the thief along with his adorable boy. There were interesting discussions during the circle time after that. One that stuck me is when someone said that, no one in this movie is perfect. Neither the protagonist, his wife nor his son, everyone is in the shade of grey.

Friday Food

The food managers made frankie, which was quite a project. They tried to make the frankie cutlet, which was a fiasco, albeit tasting good.

Visit to Shantaba Vidyalaya, Bilimora

We leave for this trip next saturday, 3rd Dec and will be back on 5th Dec. So we will resume LC from 6th tuesday. Our blossoms are not joining this trip since it is an overnight one. It is a school for the tribal children, primarily belonging to the most economically weaker sections of society.

https://shantabavidyalaya.com

Guest

Shashwat is a 28yr old TISS student who is pursuing his Masters in Alternative Education. He has been spending time with us everyday since the beginning of this term. He has now become friends with all of us. Children pestered him to get them mints and candies. No idea so far what he is going to write about us?!

Calendar

29 th Nov Project day

3-5 Dec Bilimora Trip (announcements will be made by kids next week)

10 Dec 1st Let’s Samjhte He (Parents meeting at LC)

24 Dec - 1 Jan Christmas Holidays

8 Jan - Possible Trek with Parents (??yet to be discussed with children)

11 Feb 2nd Let's Samjhte He (Parents meeting at LC)

7 April Last working day of this term

8 April Annual Day

That's all for now, until next week!