Aditi's 10th standard marks

That is an aggregate of 73% and if you take Sanskrit out of the equation we get a respectable 77%.

We WERE thinking that it would be in the 90's you know, just like what all the other intelligent and hard working children like Aditi appear to be getting in their 10th standard board results nowadays.

But this result probably proves that you cannot get 90% if you:
a. Prepare only 3 months for a public exam
b. Do not have practice writing exams

Well, the 90 would have been a story worth shouting from the rooftops but probably just as well. Just as well, I think, because I do not at all feel confident about inspiring any more befuddled and misguided homeschoolers like us.

:-)

Peace brothers and sisters! 

GreenScraps- Nature journaling workshop

About GreenScraps:

About the organizers:

Sangeetha Kadur and Shilpashree, artists with a deep interest and knowledge about nature. Check out Sangeethas blog here. 

About what our children experienced:

Epilogue:

Dear Sangeetha and Shilpa,

Thank you both for this wonderful initiative. Your 'art' and your 'science' and your ability to form relationships with the children is awesome. Yesterday I got the children to write about the workshop. This is what they had to say.

Aditi:
The GreenScraps workshop was about observing, recording and learning more about nature. I really liked the way that we not only drew the plants and creatures but were also told their names and interesting facts about them. Both Sangeetha and Shilpa know so much about trees, plants, birds and animals! They were both very nice and made the workshop very interesting and lots of fun. We also played lots of games and did some activities like taking impressions of tree barks, finding the things they called out and also identifying a tree after being blindfolded and led to it. The whole workshop was very memorable and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
 
Srikant:
GreenScraps is a 5 day nature journalling workshop by Sangeetha and Shilpa. Although I loved all the 5 days, I particularly liked an activity called 'nature bingo', in which you draw or sketch the things in a list given to you. The only thing I was sad about was that the workshop was so short. One of the most memorable moments was when we were sketching cormorants and pelicans by the Lalbagh lake. Both Sangeetha and Shilpa are very nice teachers and people.

Dinkar:
GreenScraps is a workshop on nature run by Sangeetha and Shilpa. I liked how Sangeetha and Shilpa showed us different birds, trees and plants. I liked everything. Sangeetha and Shilpa are very good nature teachers.

Thanks again to both of you,
Arun, Kanti, Aditi, Srikant and Dinkar

About Us: In the media

The De-school brigade- Malini Bhupta in 'India Today'

No kidding we don’t go to school- Preetha Nair in 'Mail Today'

Home school home- Preetika Mathew in Andpersand

Home furnished- Nisha Susan in 'Tehelka'

A small list yet, but Tehelka? I am honored :-) 

About Us: Aditi

Details:

Name: Aditi Elassery

Age: 14

Education: Homeschooled since 2006. Probably next year taking the 10th standard board administered by NIOS

Interests:

Reading, photography, drawing, history, music, nature

Sample of creativity:

A lit paper lantern photographed by Aditi

Family's Assessment:

Aditi is...

... an introverted teenager but is still very comfortable in her relationships with both children and adults. (Arun's opinion)

... a gentle, considerate girl who can be focused and efficient when situations demand it. (Kanti's opinion)

... always trying to become better, like not getting too angry, but often forgets. (Aditi's opinion)

... a very good person but sometimes gets on my nerves and irritates me. (Srikant's opinion)

... nice. (Dinkar's opinion)

One positive external assessment:

With the simple camera that she uses and with no formal learning I have not seen anybody else who can take pictures like Aditi. (Friend Surkhab Shaukeen a professional photographer who has studied and taught in the US)

About Us: Srikant

Details:

Name: Srikant Elassery

Age: 11

Education: Homeschooled since 2006. Going through class 6 material now

Interests:

Reading, music, drawing, geography, trains, planes, cooking 

Sample of creativity:

Ship made with the pod of the tulip tree

Family's Assessment:

Srikant is...

... physically strong, musically talented and has a vivid imagination. (Arun's opinion)

... a bit enamored with the trappings of money, extremely strong-willed, a talented musician. (Kanti's opinion)

... sometimes stupid and sometimes very sensible. (Aditi's opinion)

... a nice boy but sometimes he is very selfish and stubborn. (Srikant's opinion)

... interested in planes. (Dinkar's opinion)

One positive external assessment:

If he continues, Srikant can become a professional Tabla player. (Srikant's Tabla teacher)

About Us: Dinkar

Details:

Name: Dinkar Elassery

Age: 8

Education: Never been to school. Going through class 3 material now

Interests:

Drawing, cars, planes, nature

Sample of creativity:

Family's Assessment:

Dinkar is...

... mischievous and artistic and wise beyond his years. (Arun's opinion)

... creative and intuitive, appears insubordinate because he thinks totally out of the box. (Kanti's opinion)

... very troublesome sometimes but otherwise quite nice. (Aditi's opinion)

... a very good person but very naughty. (Srikant's opinion)

... interested in playing. (Dinkar's opinion)

One positive external assessment:

Many children come to me but nobody is able to think at this level. (Shashi Maheshwari, Dinkar's drawing teacher in Delhi talking to us)

About Us: Kanti

Details:

Name: SV Kanti Ratna

Age: 40

Education: Master of Computer Science (MCS), Pune university, 1993

Current work: Full time at home

Interests:

Cooking, growing plants, stitching, education, personal growth

Sample of creativity:

Sour dough bread baked by Kanti

Family's Assessment:

Kanti is...

... the real implementer of all our strange ideas and she is very good at this job. (Arun's opinion)

... an autocratic perfectionist. (Kanti's opinion)

... a nice person to be with, though she shouts a lot occasionally. (Aditi's opinion)

... a very lovable person but sometimes she shouts a lot. (Srikant's opinion)

... nice sometimes and bad sometimes (Dinkar's opinion)

One positive external assessment:
The only good thing that Arun has done in his life has been to get married to Kanti (Arun's friend, after he met Kanti)