યા વિદ્યા સા વિમુક્તયે

Yes, it's homeschooling advantage!

2010-09-19T02:04:00.006+05:30

On 1st August , early morning we decided to go Dang and hurrey…..we got ready fast as this time after long we were going to Dang, our favorite place and that too in monsoon! That was beautiful rainy day, even though mostly passed inside car it was magic of rain+dang. We enjoyed beauty of nature singing/talking and just feeling high energy level! At Dharampur we visited ARCH, Nagaria…it’s a NGO working in the field of health, education and environment. Campus is at the bank of river Swargvahini and developed on a place which was originally mango farm…a beautiful place children enjoyed morning climbing mango tree, observing/identifying different plants and insects, visiting chekdam on river and then when Rashmibhai took us to Pitara…we all just gone crazy, collection of children books from almost all Indian publishers. As we could not found books from Pratham,Eklavya,Tulika etc at Surat, obviously it was treat for us.

During our Dang/Dharampur trip there was heavy rain, so could not get chance for trekking. All the way Megh was complaining about that and demanding to go for ‘trekking’ where there is no path! On our visit to Junagadh this March, my friend Nimit and Ankit arranged short trek to Upali Chhipar and since that day Megh was introduced to word ‘trekking’. So when told about trekking to barakhadi, he was very excited. He was the youngest participant on that trek and people were asking “will he complete it?”, I was bit worried as he was suffering from cough and cold. Heat and humidity level was high that day and it was tiring for adults too. He has lot to talk, lot to ask all the way and was in his favorite ‘trekking’ …so he completed without any complain. He found something and picked it up, then found it was a born…then many questions who’s that born? how it came to that place? how could you tell it’s of dog or goat and not of tiger? why pirates use born in their skull symbol? endless even after more than week at home. Though he kept himself enjoying bath under waterfall he taken luft of arranging stones and building bridge there. It was 15th August and we celebrated independence day there…it was first time for Ashna and Megh to salute flag and singing jan gan man… they will remember those moments for long.

During third week visited Modhera,Patan and Unza. After green dang and barakhadi, we have also found North Gujarat green which I was used to see dry mostly. We have seen ‘Tropic of cancer’ board at Bahucharaji , we have small geography lesson on the way. Modhera’s sun temple and Patan’s Rani ni vav….both left Ashna thinking how those people had done this? It was simply amazing for her. Work on stone mesmerized her completely. Megh loved climbing up and down steps of surya kund out side sun temple and Ashna enjoyed taking photo. Construction of vav and rain water harvesting took long discussion time. At sahastraling talao, there’s difficult to get clear idea of rudrakund and how sarasvati river’s water used to brought to sahstraling talao. There was no guide but a person told the place where we were standing was talao once ! Children enjoyed Harsidhdh Lake built by Sidhdhraj Jaysinh on the way to Patan. At Unza, we visited APMC market yard where trading of sesame seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, etc. does in bulk. On the way children found ONGC’s machines in and around farms and many crude oil questions clicked.

Historical places and nature attracts us equally and during this trip we enjoyed both…double maza! This monsoon made whole Gujarat real green. Sun temple compound was full of green big neem trees and hundreds of stork nestings on it. Inside temple there are hundreds of bats! At sahastraling talao parrots and myna fight caught children’s attention. During whole trip big number of Parrot, Myna, Collared dove and Jungle bubbler and sometimes Indian roller, White throated kingfisher etc kept Ashna busy observing birds. Found whole area of modhera/patan full of big neem trees and enjoyed climbing whenever got chance.

After reading Kakasaheb Kalelkar’s story of squirrel coming regularly and drinking milk from his bowl , she wish for the same. She tries sincerely for that, keeping dish with fruit and rice on terrace and sitting reading besides and observes them coming closer. Kamatibaug, Vadodara’s squirrels are very friendly and children enjoyed feeding them. At Natural History Museam, Vadodara – 71’ feet long whale’s skelton amazed them most. Museum is very rich and we passed 2 hours there but found it still incomplete. Children enjoyed whole day with zoo,museam, toy train and rain on the road. They have their cousins with them who are of their same age which doubled their maza.

Before two days, when I have given 4th std.’s book of environment study to Ashna to read chapter on ‘our gujarat’…..it sounds very familiar to her.

Jungle Stories

2010-09-18T16:30:00.001+05:30

Last month Ruskin Bond was at Mumbai and going to spend an hour with his readers.When I told Ashna about this news ,she was excited to go Mumbai even though she has to miss all her Saturday/Sunday class.

Sometimes ago we took ‘રસ્ટી નાં પરાક્રમો’ gujarati translation of ‘adventures of Rusty’ for read aloud story. Children liked it very much….after reading half for them left to Ashna to complete it. For them Rusty became a friend next door with whom they felt connection and bit envy of what he was getting! Home like Rusty, a town like him and many animals around - Ashna’s dream! Sometimes complain us too why don’t we have home like Rusty and why don’t we keep chemeleon,squirrels, birds etc. coming to our home as pet? Rusty and Daljeet’s escape from boarding school, Ruby aunty and Ken uncle’s funny stories, rusty’s friends, toto, python, Grandfather’s adventures and his love for animals, adorable grandma – they never feel bored with Rusty’s stories. She wish to meet her friend Rusty, no matter he is now of grandpa’s age!

Another book is ‘શેરખાન’ from Vijaygupta Mourya which was also read aloud book but children were so involved that as I call them “ Sherkhan ki sawari aa rahi he……..”, they are there! Heart touching story of sherkhan, from a cub learning hunting skills from mother ,circumstances forcing him to become man-eater and tragic end. Megh still relates Sherkhan, his mother and his sister with himself, me and Ashna! After that I brought many books from library of animal and hunting stories but somehow they couldn’t connect with them like ‘Sherkhan’.

Right now we are reading Jim Corbett’s stories translated by Vijaygupta Mourya and it’s his writing style which keeps them interested. This book is a collection of different stories from Jim Corbett’s books. Eight year old boy getting rifle and his life as hunter and then turn to conservationalist, his attachment to India and people, his jungle experiences, people’s life , their strengths and weaknesses, man eating tiger or leopard making life miserable and Jim corbett’s thrilling adventures to help those poor/weak people…………….all these are amazing and exciting for them. Ashna is reading this book and I have kept a surprise ready for her ‘કપિનાં પરાક્રમો’ (monkey’s adventure! ) again by Vijaygupta Mourya. Now She wish to visit Jim Corbett national park and places where he really lived!

Jungle, animals, nature and animal-human relationship are most attractive subjects for them. Movies like water horse, stallion, mighty joe young etc. are their favourite.

Pottery Fun!

2009-12-24T00:20:00.013+05:30

Learning pottery was a long term wish...finally we started with our other homeschooler friend. It's a two hour morning class, twice in a week. It's actually not class ...not have to worry from timing to which days we will attend , everything flexible and no class like environment.....it's just learning with fun.

Since Nagji kaka ( our pottery teacher ) complete his routine and prepare soil, children enjoy warming up with 'chulha' in his backyard, collect broken pot pieces, empty match boxes, used string rolls etc. They bake small pots they prepared in 'chulha' and many more fire experiments!!!. His backyard is very interesting for children as it has kitchen garden, lots of different size and shape pots, pottery kiln, place to prepare soil etc. So, many interesting things generates so many questions.

Then on pottery wheel children try to make many small pots under Nagjikaka's guidance. It is amazing thing for them that so many pots can be build from such a small lump of soil , slight pressure and angle of touch can make change on spinning soil and create different shaped pots. It requires good concerntration and control over hands. Nagjikaka has two students and while one is on pottery wheel other is playing with Megh or Nagjikaka's grandson or with puppies, experiment with 'chulha' or just take some snack bites.

This place is in Surat but locality and environment are different and children enjoys this difference very much. After pottery class sometimes we visits to cattle shed nearby. It's good chance to meet different people along with making friendship with cows and buffalos!

While returning. at river lots of seagulls adding beauty to the scene catches children's attention.

So, this is our typical pottery class morning.

Puppet mania

2009-11-04T06:48:00.014+05:30

In past we have made finger and straw puppets, and since long like I forgot puppets. Before Dashera I have visited Shreyas School, Ahmedabad. Puppets in museum suddenly awaken me and I fall in love with puppets. I was sure it will similarly affect Ashna too.

Started with making of Ravan. On Dashera we made Ravan (w/o crackers) and burnt it.

Downloaded and saw children some puppet shows. First experimented with shadow puppet…..as it is simple and surprising for children. Almost more than a week after darkness, shadow puppetry was our daily program. It was amazing for them to see how they can create different animal’s shadow with just their hands and how small things appears bigger on screen.

Then after making puppets is constant demand from Ashna. I promised them making more puppets after Diwali and they started collecting things. Small balls for heads, gloves,wool,googly eyes,lolly sticks,sketch pen etc….and almost everything which is trash now going to collection for puppets.

Once we made simple card paper puppet, found need of story. Ashna has big plan, making beautiful puppet theatre and making all characters of a story like snow white and seven dwarfts. She made some non moveable characters then found problem how to represent it. Slowly we came to face different aspect of puppetry. Whenever she asks me something I have to answer, “Beta, I don’t know more than you ”. With experience she learnt that we are still on the stage of A,B,C…need to learn more for big plan.

Then selected a story of three billy goats and she made three different sized goats from card paper, a troll and a bridge and represented story. But still needed something more…..moving characters!

We have seen movie “Kathputli”…though movie has few scene where can see puppet, Megh liked that kathputli song and picked up himself how they make puppets dance and sound related to it. He enjoys entertaining us by imitating kathputli.

We want puppet with speech and action now. We made glove and string puppets. Megh presents show with glove puppet without story. Ashna happy with her string puppets and in search of making simple story, song or jokes. Dreaming new kind of puppet and puppet theatre everyday…it’s like mania, always in thoughts of puppets. I am trying for arranging puppet workshop. Let’s see but right now we are learning, experimenting and enjoying puppets.

Joy of making

2009-09-05T15:52:00.003+05:30

Few days back Megh came to me and said “Mummy, see this is my simple JCB” he has a cloth pin in his hand and show me how it can pick, lift and place thing! After pretending play of animals and shop-owner now he is interested in different kind of vehicles… especially trucks & JCB!!! He tried making JCBs from different things…from shafts and some parts Nikhil use in his machine, sometimes using bamboo sticks & rubber bands etc. Love to play with car he make using Mechanix.

Ash loves to make drawings, making different kind of homes with her Architecture set and ornaments using beads, flowers and sometimes using beads from cutting papaya branch.

Apart from this we make many toys. Sudarshan Khanna’s book Joy of making Indian toys is good source for making simple toys and another very useful source is www.arvindguptatoys.com Many simple toys we make from trash ,some house hold things or sometimes buy cheaper items from hardware store and make toys which children loves most.

Children’s toy psychology is complex…..which toys they like or how longer will it be his/her attraction…difficult to say. When they select a toy from toyshop, we feel that they will use it fully but you found it somewhere roaming next day. Some children like passive toys like soft toys and enjoy imaginative plays and some like active participation with toys. Sometimes box of toy interest them more than toy itself. Cost of toy never matter or important to children obviously. Sometimes they break costly toys driven by their curiosity and sometimes a trash becomes their favorite toy!

Toys are their best friends and teach different skills with fun. But when you make toy yourself creativity involved will sensitized children. Shree Arvind Gupta is doing wonderful work in this field and his website has amazing collection of toys, children can make themselves or with help of adult.

Simple toys like marble train and spiral snake too kept Ash & Megh busy for hours. In fact, for days. It is interesting to see that they tried different tracks from broom sticks & clay and when marbles not rolling smoothly they troubleshoot themselves. With spiral snake too they were always experimenting why straw beads get struck or how can we move them fast or slow by stretching spiral.

Making toys encourage creativity and perfection. If design or measurement not proper it will not work and then they troubleshoot problem. It is amazing to see their cheerful faces while they are enjoying these toys. When they will come to know science behind these toys later, it will be more surprising for them. Today they are always busy thinking of making one thing or other and store trash for it. Y’day morning Megh came with straw and paper and wanted to make watch from it... I helped him by writing no. & attached straw with push-pin and here is his watch model!!!

Drama Workshop

2009-06-01T14:24:00.006+05:30

I came to read Gijubhai about importance of play, instead reading or telling story if children can play characters of story it is more enriching experience than just listening and imagination of story. We are used to play stories from Gijubhai's balnagari like Sassabhai sankaliya, Dalo Tarwadi etc at home. But I always wished Ash get such chance with someone attached to this field. From somewhere I came to know about drama workshop conducted at Pruthvi Theatre and was planning to go mumbai for it, was not aware that such activities going on in surat too.

So when I read about drama workshop at Sahitya sangam, asked Ash's opinion ,with my surprise she got ready immediately if timing does not effect her gymnastics schedule. She intended to spend some days at our village, but experiencing something new was more exciting...with all of us surprise she refused to go village with her grandpa.

Drama workshop conducted by Prakash Maheta and his assistants who has 30 years experience in this field. First day he introduced us subject of drama...a different view to the problem of child labours. Family conditions and poverty forces some children to work , they are not intended to work themselves.And if old age people can earn,women can earn then why children can't earn and help their family? A.R. Raheman earning money since he was 9 year old, even Abdul Kalam was used to sale newspaper in childhood. Children can earn money working in play,serial etc. Today's education is not less labour some...school,tuition,homework,exam. Then why children can't do labour work. Then employer take advantage and exploit such children.

Total three scenes in play. Ashna got role of Bilal's friend (Bilal is protagonist and in custody) and her entry in last scene. She thoroughly enjoyed this workshop except 4-5 days when she had to do nothing. Total 27 days of workshop, they learned lot about proper pronunciation, variations in sound & volume, timing and how to represent themselves on stage. Ash learned importance of clear pronunciation and now conscious about it. Children got aware of their body lang., walking style,talking style and some wrong habits they were following subconsciously. At last after 27 days hard work they presented play "Amane kam karva do" beautifully. This is team work and I must say everyone played their role quiet properly.

What changes it made in Ashna? She is bubbling all dialogues of drama whole day with all its variations and expressions. As I said proper pronunciation and other is she developed new interest in drama. Until now she was like drama is not my cup of tea but now she is very much interested to join any of drama workshop conducted by Prakash Sir. To direct children is not easy ,but Prakash Sir's dedication,discipline & perfection to his work must be praised. Children didn't mind if he got angry because they already know there must be their mistake. He even equally divided work so that every child get chance .

Thanks to Sahitya Sangam - Nanu bapa and Janakbhai, for providing such opportunity for children...they learned,played,made friends and enjoyed lot.

Medium of education

2009-03-07T01:11:00.004+05:30

Lot has been written on Gujarati medium v/s English medium. On 21^st Feb. this year we came to know about “world mother tongue day”. As usual column writers have written articles according to their different beliefs, at some places some programs and rallies. What will be the result?. Sometimes I doubt any usefulness behind celebrating such days.

Very controversial issue, though majority on the side of English medium! It’s surprising! Question is if majority on the side of English medium, why it is still a controversial issue?

Why people choose Gujarati medium?..... they don’t want to give more burden of education and mostly because Gujarati medium students can score better than English medium students! I appreciate concern of no more load parents but “score” is just ridiculous reason.

Now why English? They have thousands reason for it. English is an international lang., English learning students are more intelligent, better scope of admission for higher education, better for higher studies, we can teach Gujarati at home too etc. etc.

I accept that text books of our Gujarat board are just boring and Gujarati schools are not up to the level of today’s shiny English school and backward in adopting new methods and research.Digitization is not enough. Instead improving standard of education, schools and textbooks we are running behind English without thinking much.

People selecting English medium argues where is good Gujarati school? Let me ask them if you are polluting this earth at this rate where will you find better place to live?

Anyways I’m writing this post just for people who think we can teach Gujarati at home and let children study in English medium. Kanti Bhatt has suggested this solution to me years ago. And Bhaven Kachchi has written article which sounds same.

I was a person always complaining my mother for not selecting English medium but when I had to take decision as mother I studied deep and finally choose Gujarati, thankfully Nikhil who studied in English and thoroughly believed it must be English convinced and still firm on this decision and supported fully.

What made me change my view towards English medium? I know importance of English and have complete respect as a lang. same as I love my mother tounge. But when you are living in Gujarat in whole Gujarati environment and not possible to make English a family lang. then it must be Gujarati medium.

What is the difference between study in guj. & learning english at home and study in eng. & learning gujarati at home? It makes difference in early education. Medium of early education effects lot many aspects. Apart from emotional and cultural issues more important is scientific aspect. It’s minor but very very important difference.

Here is a link which helped us lot when we were in this dilemma.

http://www.und.ac.za/und/ling/archive/bell-01.html

If you are really interested to know difference pl. go th. this paper. How it adversely effect “conginitive skills” which are more important in academic than just learning a language.

Sandpaper letters

2009-01-26T11:21:00.012+05:30

We prepare some learning aids at home like Cuisenaire rods for multiplication/division, flash cards for english, fishing game made from magnets,paper & small nails for Megh to count 1 to 10....but Sandpaper Letters are different thing!

It is Madam Montessori's discovery. Gijubhai has written in detail about it in his book "Montessori Padhdhati". Knowing letters by vision, sound (phonic) and touch! Making sand paper letters is simple and cheap. Mirror printing of alphabets and stick it to zero no. sand paper sheet, cut and stick on hard paper covered with smooth paper. Letter and background should be in contrast.

Megh always enjoy touch of water,soil,mud,clay,flour or anything he is curious about. So I was damn sure that he will like sand paper letters. He likes to feel letters by fingers. But his interest to know different character is amazingly enthusiastic and energetic. Sometimes he comes with letters or whenever he see them in my hands or by accident found this snap above while watching butterfly pictures on pc or on the road/in newspaper wherever he find characters he know, smile comes to his face, eyes shine and with full of energy he initiate identification.
-----

Later I found wonderful book of Madam Maria Montessori "The Discovery of the Child", probably Gijubhai has written "Montessori Padhdhati" from this book. Methods for sense development,reading,writing,maths explained in details and feels simple th amazing.

First month of 2009

2009-01-24T16:26:00.009+05:30

Butterfly garden is a new passion we developed at the end of 2008. Since last month we all spent morning in garden...planning,digging,plantation,capturing butterfly pictures etc. Megh is more interested in digging, enjoys soil with all senses and very much surprised by growth of bamboo. He takes everyone to show how tall is bamboo today!Since last two days he dig and then by putting wooden stick across pit makes bridge, fill pit with water and surprisingly notice how speedily water absorb and then enjoy playing with mud. Ashna learned surface water and underground water previous day,so she got exact idea how soil absorb rain water and it becomes underground water. She is more interested in different flowers ,plantation and making mud puddle. We learnt from butterfly park that ripen fruits are butterfly delight and we already managing garbage dump (for compost) which almost always have peels and ripen fruits. So our butterfly garden is about to complete and many butterflies visits our garden during sunlight and found fluttering around us. New interest developed is identifying butterflies and capture their images. Butterfly garden is our team work and we all are enjoying it. Along with enjoyment children acquire many useful skills and knowledge.

Since this month Ash joined drawing class , so her saturday,sunday schedule became bit tight but as she enjoys all three activities kathak,drawing and gymnastics she don't mind it and waits for weekend. Drawing and gymnastics are her natural interests and interest for kathak cultivated by efforts. She was never interested in classical dance or any form of dance...before joining kathak shown her famous hindi film kathak dances. Earlier she formed idea that because mummy could not learn it so she wish that I go for dance,then one morning we have long discussion on our culture and heritage,what we need to change and what we should preserve,and advantages of learning classical dance and most important that because it is good for her she is learning kathak not only for mumma's wish. Our discussion started from use of vibrant colours in our dressing which is different from European countries. Touch of truly devoted Gurus (Smruti & Paresh Vora) to this art is helping lot to cultivate it. This month we attended our first classical dance program and she enjoyed Odissie.

Celebrating Uttrayan is special in Surat and Ash is very passionate about colourful different kites. Though could not succeed to fly kite she tried hard for 3-4 days and confident that upto next year she will learn it.

Ash's gymnastics coach Bharat Patel is gujarati-hindi teacher in his school and he has given some tips for teaching language. It is working and her reading-writing Gujarati is improved. In maths,learned division and introduced fraction. She developed interest in phonics and reading simple english so brought some good books.

Megh is enjoying Gijubhai's stories and "Undar bhai ne aankho aavi" from Dr. I.K.Vijaliwala nowadays. Some story books from National book trust are his fav. He is introduced to Gujarati alphabets this month using Navneet's hard cover book and sand paper letters. Now wherever finds them, point them enthusiastically and love catching letters in newspapers. He loves to sing english alphabet song and identify some of them too. Sometimes writing urges high,comes with pencil and paper and try to write or draw something,get excited if found some shape and enjoy Dora's magic pad and paint with water book.

Killing fears and exploring beauty of life......

2008-12-31T20:38:00.000+05:30

Words from Jay Vasavada , Kavishri Rajendra Shukla has provided seeds of inspiration for home schooling years ago. Being impress from an idea and putting it into real life are two different things, but I was firm about - study must be fun first. Not fully willing to send Ashna school at age of 2 1/2 ,but applied at one school nearby and got admission without donation. Frankly, school decision totally taken by watching other's example.Not happy with school environment,uniform etc. Playgroup passed without much problem. Jr. KG teacher started complaining about writing reluctance. Same complain in Sr. KG and in 1st too. Teacher's biased attitudes, no child-centered vision of school, age old teaching methods, more pressure on academic development and always blaiming parents responsible for child's poor performance....all these has vanished our hope that there may be some change in today's schools. Everyday feeling guilty for sending our child at school and killing her originality,curiosity,happiness and disturbing peace at home....still we could not think about leaving school.Why?

This school is counted as one of the best schools in Surat and that too near to our home.
No exams upto 1st standard unlike other schools.
Ashna never said she doesn't want to go school.
She was getting touch of her age children.

What if we leave school? Home schooling always attracted us but as I said to believe in something and to act upon it are different. Thousands of questions...and fears attached with them. Applied in same school for Megh and same as Ashna got admission without donation but before that decided to follow will and home school at least Megh. Then don't want to be in condition like hemlat,before school opening in June asked Ashna if she is ready for homeschooling, she agreed and big relief!

But following will is not so simple - have to be clear & firm in each and every aspects attached with homeschooling decision. What a child learn at school? Is it possible to teach everything being at home? We are never in teaching field, will we prove good teacher? What about methods of teaching? Will she miss school ever? What about socialization? Apart from courage to take such decision, dedication and responsibility are major criteria. Then what about my career? because with service oriented work it is not possible to home school children. Need to learn how to be effective teacher. How to control our own temperament? Provide them all facility to nurture their interests and keep away all our conventional parenting and teaching conditioning. When anybody ask about it we must be firm and confident to answer any question, so children too feel confident about it. Read lot (many home schooling websites, people’s experiences,Russell,Vasily,Osho.Krishnamurti etc.), thought lot....and was sure about this process will not end , but have to create our own unique way.One of my customer who is chairperson of a school trust asked "Don't you feel you are detaching your daughter from her school life?" A friend asked "Suppose in future you ever feel your children are lagging behind than other children then?" My uncle's first reaction "Are you crazy? I know a girl who was home schooled and can never mix with people" One of our friend's mummy who was teacher still try to convince us rethink about it. My parents who completely trust me and never resisted my decision were too bit worried but now happy. Thousands of questions (fears) - social, financial, psycological, educational, pedagogical etc. So,killing fear of future,fear of uncertanity in life,fear of any obstacle coming into way of following our will.

Killing fears has given us strength,courage and opportunity to explore beauty of life.We learn things at our convenience and pace,according to our interest. No duck and horse comparison,no compititon,no exam and minus points of school removed away.Have enough time for developing our interests. Children completely enjoyed last monsoon season-bathing in rain,playing with sand,taking rain-walk,learning about rain and water cycle etc.Megh leaisurely enjoys his gardening passion instead worry for school timing. Ashna is not tired during her gymnastics class like other school going children and enjoys it very much and in morning can take enough sleep!.Can apply our own innovative ideas to academic education too,no restriction of syllabus can go for any book or website which can satisfy our curiosity or thrust to learn.Can enjoy camp fire in winter.Can take equal part in matter of home from shopping,renovation,planning garden to cleaning and feel responsible. We are not worried about her performance at school and no hurry to start academic education for Megh.Most important is we have time ...children can come to us,ask and we too have enough time to answer & explain them,play with them...less chance to miss beautiful moments of life which we were missing because of hurriness and lack of time....advantage - more attachment between family members.Freedom of time,selecting syllabus,thinking,working,learning & enjoying!!! Open and aware to learn from everything -nature,book,website,life around or people around.So,this is beauty of life for us.

Butterfly Garden

2008-12-28T16:45:00.000+05:30

After we planted caterpiller host plants like milkweed and a kind of lily (we call it baby lily) we have noticed many caterpillers and their life on those plants. We decided to do something more in this direction and planned for butterfly garden. For butterfly garden one needs two kind of plants 1. nectar plants which can attracts adult butterflies and 2. host plant which can provide food to caterpiller. We already have barmasi (perwinkle) ,jasood (hibicus), plumbago and many other flower plants which atrracts butterflies. But when we came to know about and brought pentas,lantana,verbena,jetropha we have seen difference. Some butterflies sticks to these flowers such that we can do photography. Still we are learning together more about butterfly garden and different species of butterfly. Butterfly likes sunlight,wet places,flat stone to enjoy sun light on.

Nikhil a crazy plants buyer brings new plants for butterfly garden everyday. Ashna is learning about different plants ,their name and their speciality from our talks. Sometimes Megh too babbling some names but he is the most hard working person on this program! He enjoys digging for plantation. My work is research about different plants and butterflies.

Ash too joined digging and plantation work but while digging she found a small statue Megh has hide few days back in soil. And she reminded video she seen on net digging and finding dainasour's fossils and she has imitated those girls on video. Clean statue with paintbrush and collected broken parts of it.

Tides

2008-12-22T13:39:00.000+05:30

For Gymnastics class daily we have to cross bridge on river Tapi. Children are use to observe river and keen to notice water level goes up and down. Day after full moon day while passing from bridge Ash noticed water level was low. She asked why? I told her there are two tides everyday but on full moon day and new moon day you can see difference clearly in water level. Now, Why on full moon day and new moon day?

She was having knowledge about how day and night and how moon rotates around earth but not knowing how full moon and new moon occurs. Started experiment with globe and source of light. First experiment how day and night occurs by projecting her as Earth first and then using globe. Then using mirror as moon explains how full moon and new moon day occurs and how different phases of moon. Still her question was unanswered. And because it is difficult to explain her gravitational forces of sun and moon (though tried to explain with magnets), centrifugal force of earth and other reasons behind tides on full moon and new moon days. Answer in short ,because positions of sun and moon on these two particular days are so which causes tides. Though her curiosity half satisfied she was happy knowing something new about full moon and new moon day and enjoyed long discussion about how earth born and how life came into existence. Now we are going to take record of water level each day.

Mirror Magic!

2008-12-17T16:12:00.000+05:30

Making Patterns

2008-12-15T08:52:00.000+05:30

Shopping+Maths

2008-12-14T18:05:00.001+05:30

Yesterday we went for some shopping. We have learnt Line Symmetry recently so finding symmetries in buildings,flyover,vehicles,numbers etc. It was fun for Ash as she digested Line Symmetry perfectly. There was a cell no. on one advertise board 9377793777 …confused for a while then said “No”.

[ She has enjoyed following links to understand line symmetry.

http://www.linkslearning.org/Kids/1_Math/2_Illustrated_Lessons/4_Line_Symmetry/index.html

http://regentsprep.org/regents/math/symmetry/Lsymmet.htm

She like making 7 pins Polygon and finding symmetries in them. Is there any symmetry in Alphabet letters? Yes, then Vertical, Horizontal or Both? Found 3 Symmetry in Triangle,4 in Square, 5 in Pentagon , 6 in Hexagon – summarized the rule and most surprised by Circle! ]

Then we have purchased two kind of dates- Irani & Kapkap. Irani date box weighted 2 kg 600 gram and Kapkap box weighted 3 kg 400 gram. Irani – 40 Rs. per Kg and Kapkap 65 Rs. per kg. It was date and jaggery wholesale merchant- Ash noticed whole shop – big weighing scales, types of dates & jaggery. I have asked her amount of irani dates. She is familiar with kilo and gram words but not knowing relation and still unaware of division and fraction so got confused. On road I just told her 1kg=1000gram. Then she counted Rs. 110 but then left it pending to make it clear at home.

At home, we took 3 clay pot (diya pot) and marbles. For 1 kg took 10 marbles in one clay pot and explain her 1 marble=100 gram dates. So three clay pots containing 10,10 & 6 marbles. Now, for 1 kg we have to pay 40 Rs. Then how much for 100gram? To simplify divided 10 marbles in 5’s two group …now 20 Rs. for 500 gram and got answer 4 for 100 gram. And then final amount of Rs. 104 for 2 kg 600 gram dates.

Same way she found amount for Kapkap dates. Just simplified calculation by changing rate to Rs. 60. and She enjoyed it.

Saurashtra Trip

2008-11-21T17:25:00.000+05:30

Travelling is good way to know world. Since we have started homeschooling somehow could not arrange any field trip for children but saurashtra trip this diwali has given good chance to explore other part of our Gujarat.

They are too little to understand historical importance of Somnath or religious importance of Dwarka...they enjoyed it as just a different place and huge temples. They are fond of Krishna’s stories and Narsinh Maheta’s Jal-kamal….so Ash felt excited by visiting Dwarka-Bet Dwarka as Krishna’s city and Junagadh as Narsinh Maheta’s. When we visited Damodar kund…She reminded me my fav.- Gir taleti ne kund damodar tya mahetaji nahava jaay….Junagadh’s Uparkot has surprised her most…she wanted to explore Adi-kadi ni vav & Ra’navghan no kuvo more but climbing Girnar has made us disabled for it.

Upto Jamnagar …they have got experience living in Dharamshala,Ashram,Guest House. Have seen people’s faith or blind faith at religious places and diwali rush at such places. Saurashtra’s fafda-ganthiya-jalebi stalls every street. Groundnut fields on the way. Different taste of water at different place.They experienced what is high heat – when return from Bet-dwarka found water in bottle was boiling and bottle’s shape changed due to too much heat. Children were surprised when they see a sadhu walking fast in reverse! “Ahi nat-jat na bhed rakhva ma aavta nathi”- have to explain Ash when she read such instruction at some eating place. Shown and explained Ash ‘Paliya’ found almost at every village but could not remember any story.

Narara islandwas a most interesting spot for Ash. Upto now she has seen corals in pic. or movie…here she found different kind of corals of various colours. Sea cucumber ,sea flower,sea grapes, sea worms,crabs, different fishes along with her fav. puffer & star fish and Octopus- everything live and in touch! My little nature-lover just got crazy here. For Megh getting wet was biggest fun.

Next day visited Khijadiya Bird sanctuary. Have seen flamingo,stork and other birds near Porbandar and at salt fields near Narara too…but visiting this place itself was beautiful experience. Ash carefully listened forest officer about different residencial and migrated birds and their habitate and was missing binacular at such place. As here birds can have salty water and sweet water both kind of habitate Khijadiya is one of the rich bird sanctuary. We have found a nilgai and deers too.

Then on the way to Dhangdhra we visited Morbi. Children enjoyed lot at ‘Zulto Pul’ doing jumping. Next day Ash was very excited about visiting Rann (desert). When she came to know this desert was once a part of Arabian sea …it clicked many questions…left pending to answer until we reach home. Forest officer there gave her binacular. She found cracked earth and open landscape but could not found sand dune as she expected with the name of Rann. Randomly left boats at some places has given her proof that during monsoon this palce is full of water and upto december it becomes dry. Visited fields of salt. Found hundreds of asiatic wild ass. On Discovery have seen running Zebras in African jungles but watching this beautiful and powerful rare animal running at open land is amazing experience.

Our village was the last stop and children were very happy as they are going to live in village for few days. Visited farms and seen how they get rice. Visited village dairy and enjoyed riding on camel-cart. Meeting relatives and experiencing village life was great fun for them. They visited Kumbhar Vas. Ash taken photographs.

After returning she has question do people visit our Surat like we visited other cities? As we do not have any famous temple,fort,palace,jungle or even a dolls museam!

Change is in progress...

2008-10-29T04:08:00.000+05:30

When someone ask me how is homeschooling going on…I always have lot to talk about but a matter which can appeal most people is that we completed 2nd Std.’s maths syllabus within 2 month. Actually syllabus doesn’t matter but just to follow a direction in maths we use Gujarat Board and CBSE’s books.

I compared my this experience with last year’s school experience. She was good at maths since start,got full marks in first test then her performance became weak (her teacher blaimed our goa tour for it!) and it was difficult to tought her addition and subtration.

So…I am happy with homeschooling maths. Have done lots of practice and hands on upto now and idea of preparing a maths lab (don’t imagine hi-fi things…just want to keep some cheap things like marbles,bamboo sticks,straws,stones,thread and different things/ ways for measurement etc.) floating since few days and done some shopping for it today.

Maths is very interesting and easy for both of us. Eagerness to learn and methods are important. This is my experience and what I learned. Here is an article by David Greenberg about how he taught 9 to 12 year old children Maths 6 years worth in 20 weeks.http://www.mountainlaurelsudbury.org/Rithmetic.asp

Upto now we have 1 to 2 or 3 hour depending on interest/convenience study time daily for Ashna ,when Megh enjoy his afternoon nap. Mostly we start with maths as it’s most interesting subject. For Gujarati…reading/writing skill is our aim and touch of English…and this much time is enough.

Now, I’m thinking about cutting off this “study time” from our routine …..because devoting special time for study routine or taking learning subject wise or time which feel like school is not always interesting.Though most of the time we take learning as play, I have noted til it is play everything is fine but as soon as it become subject or matter of study it becomes bit boring.

If a movie is not interesting…

2008-10-21T16:45:00.000+05:30

If a movie is not interesting…how long you continue to watch or be concentrated on it? Lastly, we have seen “Drona”. No doubt it was very interesting for Ashna and she enjoyed it thoroughly though she said “it looks like pieces of story connected together”. Apart from story there was something that can interest her. For Megh…only fighting sequences are interesting and he was concentrated and quiet during that time only. For me …sometimes interesting sometimes boring. We were at theatre so seen whole movie but probably could not see if not in theatre.

What about breaking rules? If it is traffic,then rule must be followed but is it always good to follow rule? Osho has given simple definition of creativity…creating something that was never created before. Then without breaking rule or thinking out of box creativity is impossible. To discover something new,to create something never created before one needs curiosity,originality and out-of-box thinking.

If you are interested in any activity you will be concentrated and the moment you find something more interesting,new or which can make you more curious… you will diverted to that other activity…about adult person this might be not true always but what about little children? It is natural for them. It is age when they are driven by their own interest and curiosity. But short attention span and distractibility are symptoms of ADD/ADHD!

Misplace things and could not understand importance of time…are other symptoms. Disorganized behaviour…they says. I believe that if not imposed any kind of force or descipline children are like that naturally. Still their concept of time is under development. Organized personality have to be built after experiences of disorganization. And they learn it with time.

Can't sit still longer…some children are more energetic or more interested in physical acitivity and when they not found something interesting which make them quiet and sit longer they can’t.

Could not follow descipline/rule…it’s great characteristics,isn’t it?

Poor internal supervision…they are just kids!

So, this is ADD/ADHD!!!ADD and ADHD both different but using ADHD for both is confusing. ADD with Hyperactivity and ADD without Hyperactivity. One side there are thousands of websites about what is ADD/ADHD (They says it mental disorder…causes not clear but may be genetic, poor parenting, improper classroom techniques), types of ADHD,diagnosing ADHD (Diagnosing ADHD is highly subjective) ,treatment and medications of ADHD (horrifiying picture of American children taking medications ) , 504 plan and special arrangement if in US and how it effects relations. It is very confusing. Other side http://www.sntp.net/ritalin/myth_2.htm which I felt more closer to truth.

When Ash build different architecture models from blocks sitting for hours,can complete 300 pieces jiggshows,practice cartwheel or hand stand for hours or plays chess or cube…how can I say it is short attention span? She could not follow rule. For example…She likes to do drawing in her way only,no instruction require or accepted. Her drawing not sound techanically,but originality of idea always amaze us. Writing skills requires following some rules,and that’s why it’s boring for her. If she writes herself…without thinking of spelling mistakes,cleanliness,space or uniformality of letters than again ideas and using words are good.

They gives some causes for ADD/ADHD behavior are poor parenting and improper classroom techniques. About classroom technics,I can say it was improper and about poor parenting I’m responsible. I never wanted to nurture my children quiet and obedient like key operated toy. Never suppress their freedom,curiosity and originality in the name of manners or anything else. Someday her insight or vivek will develop and she will differentiate where to follow rule and where not or what is right and what is wrong.

So, as I know my child better than anybody else…diagnosed this myself and it is not ADD…It is just a poor parenting!

Day started playing with Ice!

2008-10-15T02:31:00.000+05:30

Day started playing with Ice!

Y’day Ash put a cake mould filled with water and different colour flowers in freezer. This activity is their favourite and they enjoy watching melting of ice while playing.

Then Megh want to make his ice and he filled water in a small vessel and put it in freezer but very impatient about freezing. He want it in few minutes and it is about to take more than hour. Could not wait and asking frequently…when will be ice ready? I know it was useless to say him but I answered “when water will reach at 0 degree”, now Ashna wanted to know it how? And what is degree? Shown her how tempreture measures with thermometer and then measured different temp. of water. Raising and falling of mercury was interesting for her.

Nikhil noticed Ash’s question what is degree left unanswered…explained her use of degree in measurement of temp. and angle. And shown her how angle measures. When she came to know about angle measurement of circle she relate it with watch and then some exercises about angles between two hands at different time.

At noon,during study time we read “Gavri gay no hinchko” a Rusian children story translation …about how Gavri is different from other cows and how she takes help of her friend Kagabhai for hanging swing on tree. All left pages read by me and all right by her. She was not worried by reading whole book herself, modeling myself for reading style,good practice for her and this is our favorite story. It was fun!

Then reminded her how we got 30 degree angle between any two no. on watch by dividing 90 into 3 parts. That was explained by 9 chocolates have to divide in Ash,Megh and Manu. When she came to know it is division,her eyes open wide and said “ohhho I thought it was like subtraction!” She knows multiplication but still does calculation by adding no….like if have to buy 4 pencil each Rs. 3 then instead multiply 4*3 she adds 4 three times. So,in her mind multiplication is like addition…so division might be like subtraction…like instead adding 4 three times..she has to minus or something like that unclear concept was there. Then explain her relation between addition & multiplication and what’s common. Same with subtraction & division.

At last in study time – a shopping sum…her favourite! She has to buy 1 KG Washing Powder,3 Bath soap and a packet of Chapta Chana and She has Rs. 200. At shop washing powder available in 500gm bag and 80 Rs. Each, soap Rs. 14 each and Chana packet Rs.22. Bit difficult for her…but she tried ,took enough time and got total bill of Rs. 224 then? What we have to remove from list? She was confused. Tried removing Chana Packet but no help, removed all soaps…..but soap is urgently needed at home…then at last remove 1 bag of washing powder and one more subtraction.

Study time over!

Honey Bee!

2008-10-13T05:29:00.000+05:30

There was a honey bee hive in our garden. Somewhere I read about dance patterns honey bee shows. To experiment and check how one honey bee find source of honey and inform other bees about it…we have taken some sugar mixed water (such idea found from net) and try to see practically how it happens.Was ready with binacular and constantly under observation for more than a hour our patience ended and left water there with hope that bee will find and use it. Flop experiment!

Then after some days found a book “Mathemagic” by Nagendra Vijay and found amazing facts about this great mathematician. I was in confusion how will I start this topic with Ash then found clue from that article only.

First I took paper,pencil,scale and compass and show Ash how mummy needs all these to draw perfact hexagone and then ask her to start drawing hexagone from two different points on paper. Then she amazed knowing fact that Honey bee prepare perfact hexagon cells without any instrument mummy have used and never do mistake even they start building hives from different points.

Then our discussion concerntrated on why hexagone only and not square,circle or triangle or not any other shape? It was became interesting episode for her becouse one by one amazing facts came in front of her about honey bees and their working just from this question why hexagone? !!!!!!!! How it save their costly wax? How it gives facility to save maxium honey in comparison to other shapes? How it gives strength to hive? How it is even useful in health of hive? Etc. How two hexagonal prizam joins back to back is shown in a picture in this book but it might difficult to understand for her but then her menifestation or what , all bees left hive in our garden. One day our gardener took it from outer wall of our house and then Ashna has real hive in her hands!!!!!

Then she came to know about three kinds of honey bee….Queen,Male & worker and find their role and very much impressed by worker’s role. How hard working and devoted they are! Their dance patterns,their working in co-operation,their care for larvah and how they find honey and produce wax. Though it becoming bit complex for her later I was so much mesmerized by this creature that could not left collecting more and more info about them and keeping Ash informed how much she can understand.

Earlier I have thought about taking this topic as a project and will prepare report like that….but Ash the craft lover made front cover page only and as writing is boring for her she left it in mid way. Anyways,knowledge is power ,to feel something is more powerful and keeping proof of everything not possible and not neccessary.

Article on our homeschooling

2008-10-11T22:15:00.000+05:30

Courtesy : Balmurti

Sorting by 4 senses!!!

2008-10-11T05:36:00.000+05:30

Sorting by observation

Sorting by touch

Sorting by smell

Some leaves are small so need to check by touch,smell and taste too!

Atlast after completing 'sorting'...He washed all leaves except Mhendi and chew them all! No worries...Ajwain and Tulsi both are good herbs!

"Butterfly"

2008-10-11T03:37:00.000+05:30

Since Nikhil brought more plants of vibrant coloured flowers and attraction for butterfly,there are increased no. of butterflies in our garden. Butterflies are centre of joy and curiosity for children. Then collected some videos/pictures from net and explained how butterfly's lifecycle progress from egg,caterpillar,pupae to colourful butterfly. It was amazing to see for them that how a tiny caterpillar eats crazily and becomes big! and how butterfly coming out from pupae!

We were searching for butterfly caterpillar. We have observed many pupae found on leaves,walls or different places. But they were not butterfly's. One day Ashna came very excited...."Mummy,I have found butterfly's caterpillars,come fast". There were 7-8 small caterpillars of beautiful dots of orange,black and white colours.

Then we observed them for few days and noticed their journey from small to big caterpillar. Megh has many questions ...Why it eat leaves only? Why they eats only,they do not do anything else? Where they sleep? etc. First day they were 7-8 then day by day no. decreased and they eat out those plants completely. Then we thought may be they are busy preparing pupae somewhere but could not found them or pupae after that.

Walls are dirty now!

2008-10-06T11:39:00.000+05:30

Nowadays my 3 year old don't like walls of our home. He wants to break all of them or wants new house!!! One of my friend visited our home after a year and she was shocked by looking at art work of my little one. Every wall honoured by his freedom of expression. I could stop him doing this,could explain to use paper instead of walls, or could shout at him for making walls dirty...but then he might loose the joy he was getting from natural force within him. Now we are happy that he himself realised that "Walls are dirty". Now no problem if we spend money in colouring walls and most important is he himself learnt what is dirty and what is clean!

Gijubhai's writings on this...without knowing dirtyness how can one know what is cleanliness? Without knowing what is unstuctured how can one know what is means of stuctured? Knowing something by own efforts is very much important, no matter how it is difficult or how much time it takes.

Balmurti

2008-08-30T21:16:00.000+05:30

I think this is the only Gujarati monthly of it's kind and not much popular. It's main purpose to spread awareness within parents of little children and teachers about pedagogy and psycology of child. It's small and simple magazine of 25 pages ,no picture,no colour,no glossy pages...in short nothing attractive for today's generation, but material is very useful for parents/teachers. Because principles of education and parenting are no different in any age..."Balmurti" remind us our role by providing articles from Gijubhai Badheka,Taraben Modak,Jugatram Dave and other educationalists from India and abroad. One can find articles related to children & education from Gunvant Shah,Dr. Raish Maniyar,Kiran Shinglot, Dr. I.K. Vijliwala etc. too in "Balmurti".

I strongly recommend to subscribe this magazine for parents and teachers who are sincerely thinking about child's development and especially interested in child psycology.

In India
Yearly Subscription Rs.30 to Rs.50
Rs. 300 to Rs. 500 Lifetime Deposite
For Abroad...By air yearly subsription Rs. 300

Address:-

Balmurti
Nutan Balshikshan Sangh
c/o, Lalbahadur Shashtri Vidhyalay
Harni Road
Vadodara 390 022
Ph. No. 0265-2464451

Creativity

2008-08-28T21:00:00.004+05:30

Me and my american friend Joe were at book fair. He suggested me to buy some drawing books for my daughter. My first response was like “She still need to develop passience and need peaceful concerntrated mind before getting advantage of such books”. He is artist (guitar player) and know what is art better than me and explained me “ I have seen her painting and you know what is art,person just express himself ”. Simple words and left me thinking.

After few days I met a famous artist Jagdeep Smart and have talk with him about how could I cultivate my daughter’s interest in painting? He said “ Upto 7-8 year just give her lots of colours and papers and let her express herself completely and then under proper guidance her art will flourish”.

What was situation at School? They have to draw perfact circle,have to fill colours under boundry,have to copy what teacher draws on board. Where is freedom to express oneself? Where is chance to develop creativity? Where is the joy which one experience with Art? At home she loves to draw,colour the way she like and at school she never like drawing!

Where was I? I have given excess books & colours to my daughter from start and she too naturally enjoyed colours. She loves painting. I have always encouraged her to express herself freely. Never suggested colour or never given readymade colouring books. But then I don’t know when I started following school’s rule- forced to draw perfact circle and fill colour properly. I didn’t want that my daughter’s performance look poor. That’s where all do mistakes-Comparison. According school’s standard she was poor is drawing , I was anxious and confused that is this the adverse effect of freedom I have given? Even though having natural interest for drawing will my daughter fail to develop it?

Probably, after homeschooling I come to know my daughter better. Have seen her getting uncomfortable adjusting rigid systems,but truly found her free spirit after homeschooling only. She never like to copy me,always creating something her own way. Never follow instructions about art or craft,always want to do her way. Never like that I pick any craft activity from net. Then I read Osho’s “Creativity”: Unleashing the Forces Within and found where I was wrong.

Today, she draws when she wants,whatever comes to her mind. Though techanically not so good ,but she express herself completely. More important is we are free and happy-essencial for any art!

Nature!

2008-08-26T01:05:00.000+05:30

“You learn science by keeping your eyes and ears open and looking around at this world. The real inspiration of science, at least to me, has been essentially the love of nature. Really, in this world, wherever we see, we see all kind of miracles happening in nature. To me, everything I see is something incredible something absolutely incredible. We take it all for granted. But I think the essence of the scientific spirit is to look behind and beyond and to realize what a wonderful world it is that we live in. And everything that we see presents to us not a subject for curiosity, but a challenge, a challenge to the spirit of man to try to understand something of this vast mystery that surrounds us.”

Prof. C.V. Raman.

Nature & science – When a kid asks thousands questions about everything around him it amaze us. But we hardly think he is trying to find truth – he is not less than a scientist or Rishi. Then under name of learning manners, descipline , safety etc gradually he gets detached to nature. We stop them getting dirty while playing in rain/mud,climbing trees,trying new ways to find something and then those children learn science/environment science- about rain,rainbow,trees,substances etc. in class using books! No they do not learn, they just come to know what other people has found in past,nothing new – any question,any doubt,any discovery added to something which is already searched in past. They remember facts upto exams and then everything disappear. Gradually they loose sight to see world around them and ways to enjoy nature. Do we realize to build scientific attitude we need to preserve our love for nature?

“I tried to get the children,before they opened a book to read their first world syllable by syllable, to read the pages of the most miraculous book of all,the book of nature.”

Vasily Sukhomlinsky

Nature & love for learning- Vasily has written nice book “To children I give my heart”. How he used nature to nurture love of learning in his student is spreaded in this book.

http://www.gyanpedia.in/Portals/0/Toys%20from%20Trash/Resources/books/Vasily.pdf

Just encourage your little one by giving answers to his questions about world around him and see how he continuously ask thousands of questions and spontenieously goes on the path of learning about science and life.

My children already fascinated by Aquarium shop near our home. We have built aquarium few months ago, many different kind of fishes,their life,food,habits etc. Roaming into different shops and meeting different people and talks about fishes has blast love for knowledge regarding fish in them. Moulie has given hundreds of kids first month ! They are trying breeding of more difficult fishes with their father. Feeding and observing for any disease/abnormality in fishes is sole responsibility they took themselves now. Their interest increased from aquarium fishes to other fishes and their life to other marine life to ocean’s on earth!. Trees/plants/flowers around and birds/butterflies/insects coming to garden are too their center of atrraction and always eager to know more. Can easily explain habitat and eco system and how everything in nature connected to and depend on each other. Apart from knowledge their kind feelings for different creatures and their love for nature amazes me.

Why we send our child to school?

2008-08-25T16:48:00.000+05:30

Do school really educate them? School may give them certificates,chance to cultivate various extra curricular activities, gives opportunity to socialize. But is it true for all students? Unfortunetly, “No” atleast in India. School where a child can develop love for learning and life instead became a place which is cause of stress and waste of very important years of childhood.

Teachers- their inclination to compare two students is very dangerous to normal development of any child. When teacher calls parent to school and show them workbook of their child along with another good writing work book of other student and tells …look,this is the difference! Or embarrassing moments when teacher/principal says your son/daughter is slow in writing. Slow compare to whom? Does they care for adverse effect it create on child’s mind? When we see their rough behaviour with little children I always remind Osho’s words : primary teachers are sadistic people ! A single good teacher can change student’s whole life, but unfortunetly today rarely one can find a teacher who is dedicated to their profession and understand child. Comparision leads them to partiality in extra curricular activities! For particular problem in child do they communicate with parent and truly try to understand child?

When we have to purchase/repair any electronic appliances or computer we try to know about company/person (technically or as a person) who is going to repair it, but when we go for school and teacher do we really care for it? We never demand to know qualification of teacher.

Curriculam- I strongly believe there can not be common syllabus or common way of teaching any two child. School can not follow their teaching according to student’s interest and speed. They even do not try to adopt innovative ways to teach boring curriculam stuff in interesting way. Curriculam are far from real life and it’s problem/solutions.

Some alternative schools are doing nice but other school are hopeless. They may build career but fail to build concrete character.

A film based on a book Danger:School

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=qhFueNOJyCU

First Post

2008-08-20T15:54:00.000+05:30

Hello Friends,

Vipul’s word “just start” clicked and here is my first post.

Being only daughter never seen any infant in home or in close relative…so almost knowing nothing about infant care and all. People had confused me lot by giving different unasked advices. Then started reading books and some really helpful sites and got new direction. And I found Parenting fascinating and challanging job.

Emotional and sensitive nature has made me extra caring mother , but it has given me chance to find creative/innovative ways for parenting issues. Like we were giving Ash bottled milk . The day I come to find how it affect teeth and other negative effects, I have decided to leave bottle within a week. From that day started giving mini choco bar when she ask milk and changed it to popcorn packet after two days and slowly before a week her habit of milk-bottle has gone!

In India elders gives lots of advices to keep infant safe and healthy. Hardly people think about intellectual development at such a small age. I was very much sure to introduce love for reading at early age and brought hard books for Ash at 5-6 month and surfing for good book sites. From Bruno Bear’s site found very important truth about 0-6 year’s importance. Later come to know Madam Mountessouri and Gijubhai, and come to know methods for sense development and how it affects intellectual development.

http://www.multcolib.org/birthtosix/braindev.html
http://www.brainy-child.com/article.shtml

All these readings and experiences tought me that Parenting is very important subject and we have taken it very lightly. Familiar parenting ways are not enough and not even effective. Finding better ways has lead me to endless searching for truths in this subject.

Here I would like to share my journey to parenthood and homeschooling with you all and kindly comment or suggest what you feel.

Thanks,

Sejal