Traditional schools  with their lectures, homework, and report cards  aren’t for everyone!  Some people feel that the traditional education model, with its structured lessons and teacher-driven curriculum, inhibits a child’s natural development.Here is a school that offers an alternative approach to education.

Vision Rainbow – a center for life coaching for people of all ages is co-created by a team of caring, courageous and compassionate life coaches. Each one of the children make the most of their innate abilities and talents. They have created a sense of well being and freedom for everyone to do the work at hand. They help kids to apply logic, reality and language to execute their assigned tasks. This opens a child’s mind to aspiration, co-creation and self expression at an intellectual level. Children live in awareness and oneness.  Thus, experiencing insights and guidance on this unique journey. Their main intention is to bring about a whole new world and a wave of awakening in all of humanity. 

To understand this unique concept of teaching and learning, KidEngage interviewed Team Vision Rainbow and this is what we found out about the new age teaching method that they apply for all their students and teachers. Read below for the detailed conversation:

Q 1. What is a new age method of real world education? Can you highlight how it is different from the Montessori education system?

V R : The world we live in is always changing. As new children come in, a new age method forms and re-forms itself. So it is essentially a reform, constantly catching up with what’s happening in the real world. Education in this context is the life lessons learnt during the growing years.

Montessori philosophy is the birthing place of Vision Rainbow and continues to play a very significant role. However, we felt the need for a more open and evolving possibility and chose to document what’s working now.

 

Q 2. Traditionally classrooms have been organised by children sitting in rows with the teacher at the front of the room, directing learning and ensuring a disciplined classroom environment. How does a typical classroom at Vision rainbow work?

VR: A typical classroom at Vision Rainbow is never the same thing. You are likely to find children working on individual goals, or studying in a group, or experimenting with an idea. You might find a tribe watching a movie or some children practice handwriting. Some may be having a serious conversation while others pretend play between themselves. We believe “learning” is inevitable. To follow a certain course or measure progress are not our primary objectives. Instead, we work closely at a ratio of 1 learning companion and 1 learning assistant for every 8-16 children. We get to know who they are as people. So we connect and learn and grow together. Its a heart smart approach to make childhood a time of true discovery.

 

Q 3. There is no denying the fact that we still are clinging to our image of a class room but have also learnt to accept and enjoy all the methods that schools and colleges have employed in making learning an experience worth cherishing. The new age education techniques, where teachers facilitate instead of teach and praise students on the basis that all must be winners. How does this help in the overall growth and development?

 

VR: Teachers anywhere can only actually facilitate learning. Learning is a very personal process and greatly dependent on individual choices. These choices are explored, then owned once chosen. Since, all of life is choice making, learning to learn is mostly a discovery of one’s preferences. As awareness of the self develops, a child can effectively work on growth and development.

 

Q 4. The lack of grades, tests and other forms of formal assessment helps ensure that classes remain non-competitive? How will a child survive in this competitive present world scenario?

VR: Children in a place of peace left to themselves tend to have higher learning capacities. All they need is adult learning companions and a rich diverse learning resource.

To name a few aspects, this helps them develop

1. will power through free choice
2. intuition through self guided discovery
3. concentration through repetition
4. conceptual awareness through self correcting activities
5. empathy through open conversations
6. innovation through fluid learning models
7. collaboration through self grouping mechanisms

The life skills enlisted above support excellence in learning which is a great alternative to merely competing with others. Competition at this point, becomes personal choice. Children can choose when, where, what, why, who they wish to compete with.

As for grades, tests and assessments, we all know the limitations of those systems. Measuring and improving just the memory, speed or comprehension of the individual is an incomplete idea. It can lead to the misconception that only these things matter. Those of us, interested in our children living wholesome, purposeful lives are considering a lot more. And hence, a learning environment that offers a peaceful, progressive space continues to be an unfolding journey.

Q 5. Educators are painfully well acquainted with the phenomenon known as “burnt out”. How does Vision Rainbow cope with this?

VR: Vision Rainbow has 7 energy centers in their academic curriculum. These energy centers manage our lives for us. Each energy center supports, nourishes and develops a different life area. We have identified them as

1. well being (supports ability. provides foundation. cultivates stability)
2. freedom (supports talent. provides fun. cultivates spontaneity)
3. aspiration (supports logic. provides value. cultivates power)
4. co-creation (supports reality. provides vitality. cultivates presence)
5. expression (supports language. provides avenues. cultivates potential)
6. insight (supports awareness. provides perspective. cultivates innovation)
7. guidance (supports oneness. provides peace. cultivates harmony)

Using this to guide us, we have our on-going processes, research of different modalities, findings about life balance, self-directed work profiles. This paves a path of self discovery that helps us energize ourselves. We do experience burn out and are learning as we go to manage it.

Q 6.  Students are rarely invited to become active participants in their own education. Schooling is typically about doing things to children, not working with them. An array of punishments and rewards is used to enforce compliance. How does the new age method help the child?

VR: Our fourth energy center also called the heart chakra is at the core of our work. We have named it as co-creation. Our dynamic, ever evolving dream is to hold each other in balance. Balance allows a living atmosphere where we can be with each other while supporting oneself fully. For truly, real discipline arises within.

For this possibility to translate into reality we need a new age method. Our intent is to co-create a world of individuals each willing to participate in this grand opportunity called “life”. After all, our experiences determine the quality of our lives. And when we live and learn, we can reach out and share.

These are some ways in which the new age method is helpful.

1. The experience of listening to each other.
2. The skill of being stable yet flexible about our choices.
3. The balance between leading and following, giving and getting, observing and performing.

 

 

Vision Rainbow core team members are Nausheen Ahmed, Danish Ahmed, Areefa Ahmed, Saeed Ali, Tasneem Ejaz, Ejaz Ahmed, Riti Kanodia, Shikha Kanodia, Anshu Agarwal, Fakeha, Jabeen,Sunita Adapa, Amit Agarwal, Snehalata Kedia, Neelima Goel.

Would you like your school to be featured here? Mail us at sammy@kidengage.com