Footprints

Footprints
Anweshana - Alumni View
A typical mainstream school would
consist of chairs, desks,
blackboards, pen, paper and
exams. Well, this wasn’t the case
for me. I studied at Anweshana, a
school that followed the
Montessori methodology of
teaching. We sit on the floor on
mats and use a variety of
materials to develop not only our
education but other aspects of life
as well. Working with materials
gives us a freedom to work at our
own will and learn at our own
pace. At a young age, we as
children do not have the capacity
to concentrate on what the teacher
is teaching. We would want do
things ourselves and try out
things. Teaching on a blackboard
would seem very monotonous and
boring. Learning by working with
materials, makes it enjoyable for
the child and brings a sense of
pleasure as well. There is no
pressure of being forced to learn.
Why are children’s books colourful
and lively? Because children find it
more interesting to look at visuals
and extend their imagination. Just
like that I would gladly say my
education was also colourful and
lively. Like an old saying goes "I
hear and I forget. I see and I
remember. I do and I understand."
– Confucius. This is what the
Montessori system teaches us. We
learnt to do things ourselves,
stumble upon questions ourselves,
and discover the answers
ourselves.
Often, when talking about which
school I go to, I find myself
sharing that I did not have exams
in school. This is another highlight
of the Montessori system. Well
then, what’s the point of studying?
That is exactly what the
Montessori system has taught me.
Education isn’t about studying to
clear exams but to learn for the
joy of learning. We learn for
ourselves; not for the sake of the
teacher or our parents but for
ourselves. In fact, exams more
often than not, discourage one's
abilities and talent and hinder the
growth of a child. I can proudly
say, not having to write exams
helped me enjoy and cherish my
childhood, unlike many others. No
fear of failure, no pressure, no
stress; just like how a child should
be. One might question the
absence of exams in my childhood.
At some point in life, we should
get used to writing exams, isn’t it?
To answer that let us dig deeper
into what exams actually are
meant for. They are basically
meant to test our understanding
and knowledge of a subject. If we
are well prepared for an exam,
there is no need to fear it. It is
just a matter of displaying our
understanding on paper. Having
studied at Anweshana, I can say
that I did not have to put much
effort into exam preparation. My
way of learning was such that
what I learn will stay with me for a
long time and I did not have to do
any special preparation for exams.
Of course, from high school
onwards a minimal effort was
required but I feel I had it easy.
When one learns for the joy of
learning, the knowledge obtained
has more value and is retained for
a longer period.
- Navaneeth Holla, Batch 2002
There's joy and wonder everywhere when you see the world through the eyes of a child.