Hello all,

Another good news this week. We have another addition to LC family. Lets welcome Priesha and her parents and wish them lots of joy and unlearning-relearning on the path of self-directed democratic education!

Important Notifications

We have decided the time slots for semester end review and goal setting meetings between Parent-Child and Facilitator as follows. If you need to exchange the time slots please coordinate with respective parents and let us know in advance

1. Presence of both the parents is highly recommended.
2.  Child’s worksheets and review will be sent by 23rd October. Parents can go through in advance.
3.  It is expected that they have a general talk with the child over a weekend and during review meeting come up with short-listed 2 to 3 goals/ achievements the child would like to pursue over next semester. It could be academic or non-academic as per wish of both parents and child. 
4. In the meeting we can discuss how to go ahead with the set goals

Pre-Diwali Let's समझतें हैं

Last year we had bimonthly informal get together of all parents and children. Children had coined the term for these meetings as Let's समझतें हैं. This is an apt term as its an opportunity to know each other. Due to pandemic we did not have any meetings this semester. But before we break for Diwali, lets meet on Saturday 7th November 10 am to 1 pm and have a chat over Samosa. Please book the date in advance.

Glimpses of this week

Weekly Meeting

Weekly meeting had following points on agenda

1. Learnstorm challenge review: The Learnstorm is a group challenge via Khan Academy platform. The objective is to gain expertise in Maths and build a team spirit. Only when all the members of the team finish assignments within given timeframe, the group can proceed to next level. It was observed that a few were not taking interest in this challenge. It was told to everyone that a group needs to have minimum 10 members to be part of Learnstorm. And if someone wishes to backout, this is the time. A couple of children said they wish to opt out. Now a critical number of 10 is left. If any further backouts, then LC is disqualified as a team
2. Review of closing time: It was observed that in spite of wind-up alarm ringing at 12:45, children do not start to wind-up. Many a times closing person himself requires reminders, sometimes even when closing person requests others to help, people do not finish housekeeping. Sometimes parents have to wait longer. Sometimes some of the children escape without doing their bit of housekeeping. So, everyone was reminded and requested to take up wind-up alarm a bit seriously.
3. Review of Friday food: When asked how was the Friday food activity going? Children were quiet satisfied. The food-partner system was also better in terms of organization and lesser chaos. But it is observed that in spite of reminders by food minister some children fail to bring the required item. Sometimes parents call facilitators to ask what needs to be sent. Henceforth, it will be child’s responsibility to inform parents on time and get the required material from home on Friday. 

Judiciary Meeting and complaints

This week some complaints were regarding throwing balls towards a cat, not letting someone know the correct password and deleting the passwords someone had typed. A lot of discussion happened on this and it was decided that "this too amounts to bullying" and that is not acceptable in LC.

There was another topic brought to our notice regarding someone watching ‘middle finger being shown’ to someone. For this discussion, it was found comfortable to break the group into 2, and only 8+ children were allowed in the group. The discussion went on from meaning of showing someone middle finger, how it anatomically resembles male reproductive organs but what is the cultural connotation to that sign. The topic also moved to F**K word and children told where all they have observed it written and have heard someone using it. One of the learners opened the dictionary to check the meaning and it was found that one of these was to damage/ to ruin. It is also used to ask someone to go away. 

This discussion further extended to the function of ovaries and testes in the body, and how hormones synthesized by them play a role in changes happening during puberty. It also followed that, though the use of F**** word is not considered civil, in the worst cases some may occasionally use it. Many a times making it a taboo increases the urge of uttering it. 

Overall discussion ended smoothly. In fact one of the children thanked that this topic came up and they got an opportunity to understand so much. As facilitators, we feel the beauty of LC is in talking freely about all the so called censored topics, understanding what goes on in children’s mind and making environment so easy that rather than hiding anything children will come ahead to seek help in understanding.

Story of Makers

Zubin Savla and his team leads a library and tod-fod-jod laboratory which is known as story of makers. Premjibhai connected us to him. He had visited LC twice before and showed an interest to conduct few activities for our children. Last Wednesday he got a lot of stuff and 6 volunteers along. They opened different sessions like_ Carpentry, pottery, electronics and soldering, 3D printing and gave opportunity to children to have a hands on experience. The complete environment was so charged, children were excited throughout and wished to explore everything. 

Post this event we took a feedback from children and found out that electronics and carpentry is in most demand. Later we had a meeting with Zubin. He has also shown readiness to come to LC twice a month and guide children in these skills. 

We found Zubin to be completely in-sync with philosophy of alternative and democratic education. He has a skillset which is complementary to ours. He and his team has enthusiasm and they carry their energy along. We are looking for the long term relationship and lots of learning

Other sessions and clubs:

This week we had a couple of sessions on Mathematics (one child expressed interest in algebra and a group of 5 then followed her), English Grammer (adjectives and active-passive voice), Hindi reading. In book club, story of O Henry (the leaf) was narrated.

Gardening

The bed preparation for planting has been done. Soon the planting will begin.

Friday food

This week’s dish was Poha. It was interesting to observe children maneuvering the utensil and ingredients. The partners successfully made poha in two batches, we all loved it. 

Thats all for the week.

Stay tuned for further updates

Cheers!