Thursday, January 8, 2009

The educational institution of the future: A fantasy

Add another adult facilitator or so and add not more than a couple of children and there you have the prototype for the school of the future. 

What fun! 

It is foolish from our fast changing perspective today to predict the contours of a future even a few years ahead in time. But we have to begin the discussion somewhere. So listed out below is a random, incomplete look at the practical details of a school of the future.

  • No school has more than 10 students
  • There are no teachers (Only facilitators who speak only when they are spoken to :-))
  • The facilitators direct the efforts of the students when they can or pass them on to other facilitators who can guide them
  • Anybody above the age of 14/15 and who has been a student of this type of school from their first school days is considered qualified to become a facilitator (Till we get the first batch of such facilitators any industrial era trained person who has a high school certificate can become a facilitator)
  • All schools run in their local communities in a house or community area not more than a ten minute walk for any child
  • The minimum infrastructure in a school is an internet ready computer
  • The thousands of school buildings and their administrators that mushroomed across the world for the industrial era become sports and other similar educational infrastructure providers
  • The education of the future focuses on body, mind and spirit development (Includes things like sports, yoga, CBSE text books, meditation etc)
  • The education of the future also focuses on social and cultural development (Includes interpersonal growth, music, social service activities etc)
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8 comments:

  1. Aarohi, Open Learning CommunityFebruary 17, 2009 at 9:48 AM

    We were quite to happy to see that other people also think the same way. In our own small way we are extending our homeschooling to Life school ( http://www.geniekids.com/content/about-life-school) and working exactly on the similar lines - small group - 10-20 kids. Minimum infrastructure, no teacher, only facilitator and so on
    Regards
    Aditi-Ratnesh
    www.geniekids.com
    Thanks for sharing on your blog

    ReplyDelete
  2. itishreeFebruary 19, 2009 at 5:53 PM

    hi arun,it was indeed refreshing to read your views...satish(a common friend) from bangalore had earlier mentioned u n your wonderful homeschooling experience... then on alt ed group i came across a reference for this blog.I must compliment that it sure helps,guides n motivates people like me...

    by people like me i mean being parent of a young bright daughter of 3yrs,an enthuziastic n sensitive child who is now at a social school going age.As of now,ive come across a wonderful preschool to match my expectations n got her going for the coming session.However,beyond that im very convinced with the incapability of existing traditional schools in imparting the kind of education i envision for my child;perhaps the same kind of education u wanted for yr children n therefore chose homeschooling...

    im surely better off after reading your views as they say;straight from the horses mouth.Hoping that as time comes,things turn out the best for me too as they did for u....
    thnx for sharing n wishes always for the wonderful endevour..
    itishree
    (baroda)

    ReplyDelete
  3. MangoMarch 14, 2009 at 3:55 PM

    Hi,

    Almost exactly concur with your views. I too think the CBSE textbooks are very insightful and interesting. Do you know if itis possible for a small group of 5-6 children and a teacher register as a CBSE school and take the Board exams at Xth and XII? Provided they have the minimum, like laboratories, computers and a playground (a public ground which they can access)?

    Do answer my query, excuse ignorance..:-)

    Regards,
    Manju

    ReplyDelete
  4. ArunMarch 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM

    Hi Manju,

    I have no idea. Please do tell me if you find out. But why would you want to do that? Isn't homeschooling and then NIOS later less jhanjhat?

    Thanks,
    Arun

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownJuly 30, 2009 at 4:26 PM

    Hi Arun,
    I am Preetha Nair from Mail Today Newspaper, Delhi, which is an India Today publication. I am working on a story on homeschooling and would appreciate it if you could help me out with your valuable inputs. You can mail me at preethu20@gmail.com or gimme a call at 09910924866.

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownJanuary 16, 2010 at 2:14 PM

    Hi Arun,

    We have a son aged 8 years studying in an ICSE school in Bangalore.

    We are considering home schooling for our child (eventually to take the IGCSE exams). We would like to talk to you (through email) to find out the challenges and consequences of home schooling our child. Could you please take the time to share your experiences?

    My email id is sridhar.ramalingam20@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. giriAugust 16, 2010 at 1:23 PM

    Hi Mr.Arun

    We are a parent of a 8year old daughter studying in coimbatore.We would like to Home School our Daughter.Your Blog gives us a lot of encouragement to take it up..But we would like to talk to you about this as we have not come across any one in Coimbatore following this.
    Our contact - Giri / Melani - 9843016680 / 8015001945
    Email Id - leogirijw@gmail.com.

    Or please advice your contact number inorder to call you.

    Thanks & Regards
    Giri / Melani

    ReplyDelete
  8. IndhpravJanuary 12, 2012 at 10:34 AM

    Hi Arun
    glad to see your profile.I want to homeschool my 8 yr old son.Is there anybody in coimbatore whom i can contact for guidance ?.

    regards
    Praveen-indhu

    ReplyDelete

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