4S) Internship Report (02-Apr-2018) Bharghava Shyam

 INTERNSHIP PROJECT REPORT

(02-Apr-2018)

TOPIC

Arts, Aesthetics, and Authentic Education

Declaration:

I declare that my internship work entitled “Arts, Aesthetics and Authentic Education” is an experiential internship with the record of observations, interpretations and experiences done by A.N. Bharghava Shyam in the valley school under the supervision and guidance of Professor Mr. Amman Madan. I am submitting this internship report for academic purpose.

Acknowledgment:

First and foremost I am thankful to Azim Premji University for putting internship as part and core of our academics. I am grateful to my mentor Mr. Amman Madan for guiding and supervising my internship. I do appreciate for sharing his knowledge, questioning me, guiding me into the right path of my internship.

I do express my Heart felt gratitude to Professor Kaustuv Roy, to all participants in the internship site those are children, friends, teachers, management, etc. for their support in completing my internship “Arts, Aesthetic and Authentic Education” in alternative school particularly in junior school.

Contents:

Rationale

Introduction

Abstract

Conceptual framework

Literature review

Objectives

Setting of the school

My daily activities

What they are doing

My Experiences in the school

Problems & Limitations

Reflections

Learnings

Rationale:

I am the victim of my past formal education system, I saw some problems in myself and in Education system also. I want to be critical and skeptic on Education and my perceptions on Education. After listening discourses and reading books in my M.A. Education Program, I was exposed to different ideologies in education and fascinated by these philosophical ideologies on education by the writings of different philosophers like John Dewey, Rousseau, Rabindranath Tagore, M.K. Gandhi, Aurobindo and J. Krishnamurti for being skeptic and critical on education and trying to solve the problems in Education. I also saw some problems in education system. I have some experience in normal conventional schools, now I want experience in philosophical and ideological alternative informal setting school, how they are trying to solve some problems in Education.

Introduction:

Arts, Aesthetics and Authentic Education is an experiential internship paper. Trying to view and experience Education as an art with aesthetic teaching and authentic learning to solve some mechanical problems in students and teachers life. This report mostly focus on Education with reflective analysis from the different sources of literature and experiences.

Abstract:

This report tried to experience and understand Education as an art, with aesthetic teaching and authentic learning to solve some mechanical problems in life. This education as art I experienced in junior school setting of an alternative School through the observations and interpretations. Authentic means undisputed origin, authentic learning focus on origin of subject. The source of Science is observation, language source is expression, mathematics source is logics and pattern, social sciences source is understanding individual and society.  These are focused on student’s phenomenological aspects in the curriculum. Authentic learning will happen also through aesthetic teaching. Aesthetics means concern with the beauty, aesthetic teaching focuses on beauty without judging the student, but by guiding and facilitating them. In internship I tried to experience these phenomenal aspects of the curriculum in the students and teachers, and how this school is working/helping students learning the subjects. I tried to focus on source of these subjects, student’s observation (Science), expression/communication (language), understanding others (social) and teacher’s logic and pattern (Math’s).

Conceptual Frame work:

I am using Education as an art, with aesthetic teaching and authentic learning. Here I mean art as a creative-skill which means bring something into existence to solve problems. Aesthetics means concern with the beauty without judgmental attitude in the teaching, but by guiding and facilitating the children. Authenticity as undisputed origin in learning the things. Main characteristics of Education is teaching and also learning. Teaching of subject and learning of knowledge I am using education as enlightening experiences, makes conscious on our life experiences, teaching means as making realizing knowledge through activities and by questions and learning means as discover the knowledge by activities.

One of the prime reasons for going to school is to get knowledge, the sources of knowledge is Mind/Intelligence which is mostly based on experiences. Example I say this is paper, paper object is outside, but the name is created by mind and the image is also in my mind, we need experience and intelligence for this acquiring knowledge.

I have taken phenomenal aspects of “Arts, Aesthetics and Authentic Education”. Not the image/product of this arts, aesthetics, authentic and education. For me phenomenon is like situation that is observed to exist.

I took these phenomenal aspects in this internship topic to solve some mechanical problems in life.

Mechanical activities are mostly focus on temporary outcome than individual work and concerns. For example core of the Social subject is understanding Individual and society; and its Nature/roles/duties. Temporary outcome of the social subject is score marks, if we understand mechanically we may secure marks by by-hearting or repeating the matter from the text, it might give good temporary outcome, but if we focus on understanding of core of the social subject that is understanding Individual and society we will understand the subject. Mechanical activities might happen in very formal setting, we may feel pressurize, because we need focus on outcome/marks not more on education. Most things will depend only on the temporary marks/grade/outcome, than on the Education/individual efforts, if we focus on outcome then the education might become mechanical and later it causes frustration in later life. There is no value will be there for mechanical activities/outcome, but we think that there will be some value with outcome. Ex. In mechanical process if we lose anything, nothing will not affect us (but we pretend like affected) e.g. If lost I lost my phone, my life may not become reverse, but I feel disturbed/reverse, but nothing is might be there & when I get new phone I will forget about old phone after some time. But in organic process if we lose something that affect us a lot e.g. If I lose my hands I feel disturbed/reversed, If I get artificial hand also I feel I really lack something.

By focusing on outcome if we consider individual efforts/works/concerns then it might help in achieving that permanent outcome which includes temporary outcome also. This might happen in informal setting, not in formal setting nor casual setting.

In formal setting you (I) will be under the control of some authority, there you need to completed your work by given time, here some fixed outcome will be there, here is there is no value for individual concerns. Second is informal setting, here is also you (I) will be under the control (guidance) of other, this is also like formal setup but individual concern will take into the consideration. Third is causal setting, there no will control you, if you are interested only, then only we can work without any supervisory. This is mostly not outcome oriented nor process orientated.

I selected the literature in which the authors/philosophers/practitioners are interested in informal setting in education that means focusing on outcomes by considering individual interests and concerns.  Through the classroom discourses I got to know about this. In the class with the help of facilitators I was exposed to these Tagore, Gandhi, Aurobindo, Rousseau, Krishnamurti and John Dewey philosophies and ideologies on Education.

Literature Review:

Rabindranath Tagore:

Problem: Tagore was unsatisfied with western age of enlightenment and Education which is driven by purpose and profit not by truth. Western enlightenment has scientific laws, a rational system and certain kind of humanism. These scientific laws, rational systems in school is making children as ‘Mini Adult’. He says child is flourishing flower with open-mindedness with acceptance in the nest and Adult mind is like ripen fruit with close-mindedness in the cage. (Tagore, 1947)

Ideology: The Highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence. Through the principles of freedom, that are freedom of mind, freedom of heart & freedom of will. Freedom of mind talks about the ability to arrive at independent decision. Freedom of will tell about in making authentic goals and aspirations. Freedom of heart says about becoming creative in your relations with nature than world. For this we need to make an environment with openness. (Tagore, The Teacher, 1931)

John Dewey:

Problem: John dewy was disappointed with education system which is making sugar coating to poison, here poison is false pedagogy which makes child and curriculum as separate beings/things. In the false pedagogy only abstract knowledge will be there curriculum which makes contract affect with education after some time there will be no use.

Philosophy: Education is the process of living and not a preparation for future living by synthesizing the child and curriculum. For him child is like psychological being and curriculum is like logical being. Child/Psychological being is driven by personal experiences, emotions, natural curiosity, etc. these are raw instincts in child/psychology and curriculum/logical being is driven by facts, abstracts, etc. these are fragmented and beyond the experiences. Here synthesizing means we need to “Logicizing the child innate capabilities” & “psychologize the curriculum”. (Dewey, 1902)

Aurobindo:

Problem: Aurobindo was unhappy with focus on knowledge, fixed curriculum and work from far to near. He says these as received things in education which is making individual as physical, political, biological being with the interaction of efficient nation-state which deals with economic, trade transactions. 

Philosophy: Education is that which provides a free and creativity, mental, moral and aesthetic sense finally lead to spiritual growth. Through the 3 principles, first one is “True teaching can’t be taught”. Second one is “Mind has to be consulted in its own growth” and third one is “Education is to work from near to far”. These all can be done when you know about your own Human mind power. The power of Human mind is “Antahah Karana”. Antahah Karana has four layers that are 

1)    Manas – Sensory data- Translating of collected data/actions to mind

2)    Bhuddi- Memory- To record everything in the mind

3)    Chitta- Intellect- Real instrument to think.

4)    Ahamkara- Ego- Process of I Making in the mind (We make universal self- I)

These all are focus on instruments of knowledge which helps in training the senses that means mind focusing on its own growth for becoming free. “Works from near to the far”. This means work from personal knowledge to abstract knowledge. (Aurobindo, 2003)

M.K. Gandhi:

Problem: Gandhi was opposed the British literacy training with only symbolic learning in India from the west. He told that western thought as an imitation, which is based on representation, hierarchy and social contract. These state policies are controlling the self. He says that self-control is very much better than state controlling you.

Philosophy: Education is the physical, intellectual and moral development of individual with the medium Head, Heart and Hand coordination in handicraft work, by following the ideology of “Swaraj”. The science of ideas of Swaraj means self-rule. With the values of Swadesh, Sarvodaya and Satyagraha in Education.

1)    Swadesh: It is spirit in us which restrict us (our psyche) to immediate surroundings for service through craft education.

2)    Sarvodaya: It means welfare/upliftment of all, through Ahimsa (Non-Violence) in Education. Ahimsa means looking for the truth of others (whole universe). We need voluntary suffering for attaining the Sarvodaya.

3)    Satyagraha: It means grasping/asking the truth of the situation and being. For grasping the truth with self-suffering.

This Swaraj is a process of willing ness to suffer our self, giving profit to others. Nai-thalim consists bodily activities which consists of 3H (Heart, head & hand) coordination. Swaraj helps in character building, than literacy training. Learning through authentic experiences (Gandhi, 1937)

Jiddu Krishnamurti:

Problem: J. Krishnamurti discussed that modern education is moving around conclusions and security with the authority, competition, discrimination, learning from only books, memorizing the facts, etc. He says these are the problems in education. Because of this you will not enjoy the life as fresh, innocent, young, ever acceptable mind, because of stagnant and concluded mind. Which makes and restrict us into the mechanical life without enjoying the life and nature.

Philosophy: Education is the understanding of oneself by bringing the change in your mind through the observing the observer, which means observing once own activities and nature without any conclusion. Ex. Watch tree without any image mean this is tree, you need to observe the each part of the tree and its surrounding creatures. This will help you in understanding self without any conclusion. (Krishnamurti, 1974)

Jean Jacques Rousseau:

Problem: Rousseau says that adults are meddles for children development because of adults hypocrisy/dualities and also by giving unnecessary knowledge to children.

Ideology: Jean Jacques Rousseau says that the source of child (Humans) learning is from nature, man (Human) and things (Experiences). But these 3 things contradict with other for the most of the time became of man’s hypocrisy (Dualities). Children are naturally good, adults are meddle and destroying their innate goodness. We need to protect the child innate goodness from this hypocrisy and unnecessary knowledge. Children are naturally good learners, observers, investigators, artists, etc. we/adults need to develop their innate characters instead of destroying it. The children need to know their personal capacities by us. They can learn naturally nature promotes for their development. Rousseau explained how children from nature by making an imaginary role Emile. He complete his education through experiences. (Rousseau, 1911)

These all philosophies are skeptic and critical on problems of Education when it only focus on reading, writing and repeating knowledge. Tagore viewing Education through freedom works that means freedom of mind/heart/will. John Dewey is viewing Education through synthesizing works that means synthesizing logicizing the child innate capabilities and psychologizing the curriculum. Mahatma Gandhi says Education through 3H (Head, Heart & Hand) coordination activities. Aurobindo says Education through training the senses and mental facilities activities. Jiddu Krishnamurti says Education trough observing the observer and nature. Rousseau says education through Human, Nature and experiences. These all philosophies are saying Education through work, not the Education and work & Education for work; Whenever there is a relation between self and knowledge then education will happens, that means enlightening experiences will happen, which means we will become conscious on our experiences.

Philosophy will arises when the people will be more critical and skeptic in understanding the problem or situation. If situation or problem is clear, we are not skeptic and critical know. These all philosophers Dewey, Tagore, Gandhi, Krishnamurti, Aurobindo and Rousseau found the problems in education and gave their own philosophies on education to solve the problems in Education. Here art is there. Art means creative skill, Create means bring something into existence and skill means work used to solve the problem. Education as art to solve some mechanical problems in life. Here these philosophers saying their philosophy in artistic/creative skill way that bringing philosophy into existence to solve problems in education.

Methodology of selecting School: Based on this I selected the philosophical ideology based school, which is learning centered than marks, grades centered. That means focusing on Education through work, not the Education and work & Education for work;

I selected and went into the alternative school which is working on the philosophy of J. Krishnamurti, which is near to me.

Objectives:

·        To experience the Education as art with aesthetic teaching and authentic learning to solve some mechanical problems.

·        To know how aesthetic teaching helps in authentic learning of the students in an artistic manner.

·        To know expose and experience myself to/in the alternative ways of education.

·        To know how this institution is managing the social plane and phenomenon plane. Social plane includes how individuals relate with society and phenomenal plane relates with one’s own self.

·        To explore and develop my innate capabilities of self for learning the social and phenomenal things and for teaching to the children.

Nature and setting of the junior school:

(Through Orientation, Observations and interpretations)

I selected and went into the alternative school which is based and working on the philosophy of J. Krishnamurti on Education. This school was constructed in outskirts of the forest area in more than 100 acres with trees, water buns, lakes, art village, agriculture fields, retreat centre, hostels, etc.

Junior school subjects are English, Kannada and Hindi; Mathematics, Games, Environmental Science Land care, Nature walk, Yoga, Library and Art village with music, dance, pottery, painting, carpentry and theatre.

In Each junior class room there are only 20 children with mixed age group are there with five small tables in each junior school classroom 4 people sit on each table with different directions while doing classroom exercises. For only reading the text, they sit different places of room. The room is with some fine arts drawn by the students, and timetables with different chart papers. It is kind of aesthetics in class by balancing diversified condition.

In all junior school classes same curriculum is there with different pedagogies by the teacher’s. Each junior school teacher has a mentor, to guide them in teaching. 

There they are mostly focusing on activity and reflective based learning, in all conventional subjects that means Hindi, Kannada and English language’s classes, Mathematics class, Environmental classes there are activities in inside and outside classrooms and they need to reflect in class and also in notebook. Activities are mostly common, but each student’s reflections are different, here reflections will come from self, each self is unique know, their learning are also authentic, and teacher are not judging these activity based reflections that means some aesthetic teaching is also there.

In school and classrooms there is informal nature between students and teachers with flexibility and freedom. Students call teachers as Aunty and Bhaiya/uncle; and staff as amma and uncle, not only in this but also in learning they are considering individual also.

In each junior school classroom diversified culture students are there mostly based on languages, castes, religions, slightly different classes etc. there the students are coming from Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Odiya, and Kannada & teachers are also from Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali back grounds. Hindu’s Muslims and Christians are there, without insulting others beliefs and not judging this is good and bad among students also. Here aesthetics are there. Here they are balancing self with world/diversity with informal nature.

This school concerns on education and its characteristics teaching and learning and to help teachers and learners to discover a whole way of living with freedom and flexibility. The students don’t have formal exams till 8^th class.

My Daily Activities in the school:

The school management gave me a timetable based on my concerns; Attending assembly. Participating in classes according to the given time table. Helping teachers in arranging tools and helping students in their work by raising questions. Being part of the children games as umpire and referee. Interaction with students and teachers. Participating in nature walk period. Art village/Study center visit along with children on Friday and Wednesday. Participating in open seminars especially on every Thursday’s and Saturday’s.

Experiences in internship on Education as art with authenticity and aesthetics

I participated all subjects of junior school classes based on my timetable that are English, Hindi, Kannada, Mathematics, Games, Environmental Science Land care, Nature walk, Yoga, Library and Art village with music, dance, pottery, painting, carpentry and theatre. To experience education as an art to solve the mechanical problems for not alienating form the self.

In assembly they expect Tuesday’s and Friday’s all the students use to five songs in all different languages such as Sanskrit, English, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi songs. In Tuesday’s junior school and Friday’s Higher schools will play skits which is countable to their languages classes. Here I experienced aesthetics by balancing cultures without judgement.

This school mostly focus on activity and reflective based learning in an informal way without any punishment neither verbal nor physical, with non-judgmental attitude towards both teachers and learners. They give equal priority to conventional subjects as well as unconventional subjects along with circle time. I only categorized these into two buckets based on taking notes.

Conventional Subjects- English, Kannada and Hindi; Mathematics, Games; Unconventional Subjects- Environmental Science Land care, Nature walk, Yoga, Library and Art village with music, dance, pottery, painting, carpentry and theatre.

In junior school English language class the teachers are teaching ¾ of lesson and making them to complete the story with their own imaginations and later telling them to write in their book, and later they need to share their concluded story in the class. These all process was done in 4 classes, later asking they are words on small paper chits and making them to pronounce properly and making them to keep in order and making them learn spellings.

Here using Language is an art, by making them to think, express and communicate in presenting our thoughts, communicating our ideas, criticizing and presenting our their arguments etc. Here authentic learning is happening from their intelligence.

Mathematics Education for Logic, pattern, etc. Means solving some problems gives a kind of aesthetic or satisfaction

Science Education for observation, etc. getting and knowing something new or amazing facts always an aesthetical experience without alienating from self.

Art Education for Aesthetics, means to feel the beauty of the nature by pottery with mud, carpentry with wood, etc.

Nature Walk for almost all subjects, means observing, expressing, understanding logic, etc.  

Games for health and enjoyment, means doing bodily and mind activities.

 

My Experiences as an Intern (Findings)

Teachers are guiding the students without judging but by correcting.

Teachers are focusing the intelligence and sensitivity of the students by questioning them and also them to think emphatically.

Teachers are trying to un-cover the knowledge.

There is no competition between children (Self-competition is there) in academics, there is no boundaries for knowledge.

Students are constructing the knowledge very happily.

Equity relation between the students and teachers. They don’t have more blocks in their mind.

The students are skeptic on their learnings and teachers teaching.

Learnings:

Aesthetic teaching will help in create hope in student future.

{Aesthetic teaching and Phenomenon of Teaching both are similar}.

Authentic learning help in becoming more conscious in life.

{Authentic learning and phenomenon of learning both are similar}

Informal culture helps to work better.

There is no such thing called this type of education is good and this is bad.

Learnings are not restricted to classroom only.

Problems:

It’s mostly serving one type of social class.

Diverse culture between school environment and social environment

Complexities in pedagogic planning and choosing materials

Finding an activity for teaching.

Limitations:

Based on my short term experiences I giving this conclusions.

I viewed this phenomenal aspects based on my own perceptions (close minded)

Reflections:

Here school is like nest not as a cage for education

Children mind is like flowers, it want surprises, and my mind is crowded dangerous past experiences.

Knowledge is inherent, environment and experience is trigger to bring that knowledge out.

If teacher is the better learner then the student will be learn from better

If student loose intelligence, then there might me knowledge.

NOTE: These are not conclusions these are thought process.

References:

Aurobindo. (2003). Early Cultural Writings (Journals).

Dewey, J. (1902). The Child and the curriculum. In J. Dewey, The Child and the curriculum.

Gandhi, M. (1937). Towards New Education. In B. Kumarapa, Towards New Education .

Krishnamurti, J. (1974). On Education. Chennai: Sudarsan Graphics.

Rousseau, J. J. (1911). Emile or Education.

Tagore, R. (1931). The Teacher. In R. Tagore, Religion of Man (p. 16). New York: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.

Tagore, R. (1947). Thoughts on Education. The Visva Bharati Quartarly, 8.