Education Unlocked – the science underlying education at Seth M.R. Jaipuria School

The mind of a parent whose toddler has just begun school is filled with queries and worries. Have we made the right decision? Will my child be able to adjust? Is this the right age to start school? The first steps in the education journey of a child may be small but they are also the most important ones, especially for their parents.

At Jaipuria, our parents are our partners. We foster open communication with them and organize many interactive sessions for them to be able to speak to us freely and resolve their doubts, if any.

In this regard, our Vice-Chairperson, Mrs. Anjali Jaipuria, graciously hosted Education Unlocked; a two-part interactive session for parents to understand the key tenets of Education at Seth M.R. Jaipuria School. She also answered several parenting-related questions and spoke at length on developing the intelligence, emotional and spiritual quotient of the child.

The sessions were attended by Mrs. Promini Chopra – Principal, Mrs. Archana Mishra – Head, Innovations & Academics, Mrs. Mitali Srivastava – Head, Playgroup and other teachers along with a staggering 99% attendance from Playgroup parents. The sessions were also streamed live on the school Facebook page and had more than two hundred views. As is the tradition in our school, both the sessions began with a minute of silence to invite The Divine.

Session 1: Saturday, 1stAugust 2020

Key take-aways:

• Education is not mere ‘literacy’
• Literacy by itself isn’t education
• Education adds culture; Education is the culture of the heart and the culture of emotions

• Education is not separate from playing

–      Learning is the outcome of happy moments

–      Every child is different and every child has a unique personality or ‘swabhava’ and that uniqueness must be catered to by the educationist

• Education is the Development of senses

–      Development of senses increases the consciousness of ‘self’

–      The natural spontaneity of a child is not killed

• Education is enhancing Scientific Enquiry and Joy of Discovery

–      A child’s curiosity must always be activated

–      The goal is to be scientific, whether one becomes a scientist or not is not important

• Education is not teaching through Punishment & Reward

–      Children must not be conditioned for short-term goals

–      A job well done is a reward in itself

• Education is living the adage Vasudhaieva Kutumbakum

–      Children must be taught that the ‘World is one Family’

–      Everything, living or non-living, has God inside and children should be made aware of His Presence

Session Link: https://youtu.be/Dq-xW-byAq8

Session 2: Saturday, 8th August 2020

Key take-aways:

• Education is understanding the ‘self’
• Infusing courage, valour and self-confidence in the child builds a positive

self-image

• Children have infinite potential and that needs to be realized. Education does

this by helping them dip into the ‘light’ within

• For education to be complete, it must cover all the parts of the Being

• Who am I?
• Four aspects of our being: physical self, vital or emotional self, mental self

and a spiritual self

• Aim of education is to consciously perfect each of the four aspects

• Education is nurturing the ‘physical self’

–      Physical education is governed by method, order, discipline & procedure

–      Sportsmanship, friendliness, observance of rules and fair play are important components of physical education that apply in life too

• Education is nurturing the ‘vital self’

–      Development & use of the senses

–      Conscious transformation of character

• Education is nurturing the ‘mental self’

–      Five faculties need to be developed to nurture the mental self

–      Control & patience are important skills to develop in a child

• Education is nurturing the ‘spiritual self’

–      Keeping the ‘light’ within alive by a constant connectivity with it

–      Education should be an organic process and not forced

Session Link: https://youtu.be/Oif0KVSue44