Mainstream education system assumes that “All children are like machines who can learn a predetermined textual content in a predetermined time interval and in a predetermined way”.
But due to Lack of learning environment in school & home, Turbulent childhood and Insensitivity towards child’s varied emotions, abilities and interests, many mentally sound children are deprived of an opportunity to learn in regular schools.
Where is the School for these Children?
| A school dropout from the village Mellahalli in Mysore district, all he used to do is to play in fields and swim in village lake. Being parentless and staying together with his illiterate disabled grandmother, there was no one to assist him in education or make him understand the value of education.
When he arrived in Kaliyuva Mane at the age of 12 years, he could not even identify alphabets in his mother tongue. At this age, where is the school for him to teach the basics? Should he join in U.K.G in a free school, -which will amount to humiliation or should he join age appropriate 6th Standard only to drop-out again? |
A boy from a rural underprivileged family got admitted to a reputed CBSE School under RTE quota. But he could adjust to the strict regimen of a regular school and secured Grade “E” in the 5th Std. During his admission to Kaliyuva Mane, he couldn’t either read a 2nd std. kannada textbook nor he could perform a simple 3 digit by 1 digit division.
While in All India Institute of Speech & Hearing’s psychological assessment, his IQ is found to be 100, but his academic level is at 1st std. Should he be promoted to 6th std or an alternative school is required to teach him from the basics? |
Rural underprivileged children, Child laborers & school dropouts, Dyslexic children, children who are unable to adjust to regular schools etc., form this group of opportunity deprived children.
Instead of blaming children/parents, school/teachers, we have developed an alternative education system for these opportunity deprived children. These children accompany an academic lag or inability to adjust to the strict regimen of a regular school and hence a child-centric alternative school is the need of the hour. So we work on the philosophy, “School for the Children, NOT Children for School”.
An alternative school
Admission Process throughout the year: A dropout child can regain interest at any point of time. There is no fixed time for a child to fall into difficulties.
Adequate time for a child to feel comfortable and settle down: Utmost importance is given to the emotions of the child. The child is allowed to play in the school premises and feels comfortable with the environment.
Flexible teams rather than dividing children into rigid standards: Based on child’s age, knowledge and emotional acceptability, the children are divided into flexible teams, rather than dividing them into standards like 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on.
Curriculum tailored on the child’s current knowledge & age: Once the child starts showing interest towards the education, an informal assessment is conducted to identify areas where the child needs attention and an individual curriculum is fixed. Textbooks from state and central syllabus, reference materials and teaching aids are used in conjunction based on the child’s requirement.
No Fear instilling exams. Only informal tests: Regular informal tests are being conducted for children rather than annual exams, as memory-testing long duration exams will only instill a fear rather than an interest in education. Marks scored are not revealed to the emotionally sensitive children. Based on the performance of the children in these tests, new methods for teachings are worked out.
Individual attention: As happy minds learn faster individual attention is given to each child’s emotions, interest and abilities.
Neither a Kannada Medium School nor English Medium School: As children require learning English for wider career prospects, but most of them lag academically in English, methods are devised to teach English through Science, Mathematics and Social Studies.
10th Standard: Once the child has learned the necessary prerequisites required to comprehend the 10th standard syllabus, he/she gets enrolled for the 10th standard examination conducted by Karnataka Secondary Education Examination board as a private candidate.
In essence, we are running a free school-cum-home where innovation found its place in every aspect of education. With intense research at grass-root level, Kaliyuva Mane has evolved into a research center for child development and education
Kids are given accommodation, nutritious food, clothing, medical care free of cost, in an atmosphere charged with Love, Care & Empathy. Kaliyuva Mane is registered with Department of Women & Child Development, Government of Karnataka under the provisions of Section 34(3) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and Amendment Act, 2006 as a Child Care Institution.
An eco-friendly School: Environment is given highest priority, as along with education, eco-friendly practices like rain-water harvesting, solar-powered lighting, Biogas plant, eco-toilet & organic farming etc.., have been practiced to reduce the carbon footprint of the school on the planet. Children are taught and actively participate in all these eco-friendly practises of the school.
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