TOWARDS A NEW CURRICULUM
TENTATIVE IDEAS
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There is a need to formulate a new curriculum for our school education.
The assumption under which the concept of 10+2+3 was evolved had some justification at the time when the scheme of 10+2+3 was introduced. Since then the situation has changed and the following new demands have come into the forefront.
a) With the increasing explosion of knowledge and rapid transmission of knowledge through electronic media, we are obliged to have a curriculum which blends properly to equip our students with a wide spectrum of general knowledge covering many subjects and to offer them the possibility of specialisation at an early stage through a methodology which can make increasing use of online teaching and learning.
b) Value-oriented education has become today very urgent. It is being increasingly felt that the values of nationalism and internationalism have to be blended. The values of the quest for Truth, Beauty and Goodness need to be placed sharply as central springs of the teaching and learning process. In India our educational philosophy had a special emphasis on discovery of the soul and a sound knowledge, not of religion but of the quest and discovery of spirit. In our own times a new emphasis has emerged of blending spirituality with dynamism and higher concerns for the development of science, material development and social change aiming at the synthesis of liberty, equality and fraternity. These also include a special emphasis on physical education and knowledge of anatomy, physiology, hygiene, games, sports and integral health that synthesises physical health, mental health and spiritual health.
c) Irreversible globalisation necessitates a wide vision of the world, including sound knowledge of world history, world geography and urgent concerns for world peace and human unity.
d) More than ever, our world is becoming more and more technological. This implies a great need to impart to students skill-oriented education and increasing mastery over the use of modern gadgets which have now come to be used in a wide spectrum of professions and even in teaching-
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learning processes. This need also needs to be met by our educational system without delay.
e) Again, with the development of globalisation students are obliged to learn more than 4 or 5 languages. In our country there is an insistence upon the mother-tongue, the official language Hindi and Sanskrit. How to accommodate the demands of these languages and sufficient eloquence in these languages and the capacity to translate one language to the other language? Most of our students receive no training in writing skills, in summarising long passages into short paragraphs, and they are unable to achieve adequate fluency in any language as a result of which the same sentence contains words from 3-4 languages at the same time. How to tackle this problem requires a tremendous national effort, since there does not seem to be any easy solution and how shall we reflect this problem and its solution in our curriculum?
II
There are three important considerations, while framing a curriculum:
1) One can remain illiterate and yet can be Akbar or Sri Ramakrishna because mere literacy is not an indispensible qualification to understand life and to move towards fulfilment of life. Every student should be so helped that he or she can enter into life and move towards fulfilment. There is something in life for which there can be no books but there is something in life that pulsates and strives towards fulfilment. In India, we have the tradition of what may be called self knowledge and self control. Self knowledge can be aided by a number of instruments in the outer life. Environment can help, teachers can help, parents can help, great leaders can help, instructions can help, example can help, influence generated by deeper inner contact can also be most important instrument in diving into the self. Self knowledge has been made in India a scientific process which we call Yoga, and according to this science the self is like a bud which can flower by its own inner search. But even then the bud requires environment and a number of other factors that can facilitate the flowering of the bud. It is here that most of the students are all the buds can be aided by books, teachers and time process and rhythms of seasonal strivings and inner enthusiasm, which can be uplifted, nourished and awakened to a high point of strength that difficulties, inner or outer can
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be overcome and the self can flower like a lotus in its full bloom. Our curriculum, whatever its contents, must ensure that every child is facilitated to bloom in its full splendour. A curriculum which does not take this into account tends to mechanise education and can even be obstructive to the child's growth. What is called 'Learning to be' is fortunately UNESCO's best message, and whatever curriculum we frame must place 'Learning to be' in its very heart.
2) There are in our times three important themes which are holistic and which, if properly designed can help every child in the art and science of 'Learning to be'. These three subjects are: Evolution, Human Unity, and Integral perfection. Our curriculum should be so designed that these three themes are properly analysed, and students should not only be acquainted with them but they should attain some kind of excellence and even mastery over them.
3) Just as light kindles light, even the study of lives of those who have turned their energies towards what can be called fulfilment. Fulfilment can be understood in terms of self-possession or self-mastery and capacity to progress and influence circumstances. This was the ancient idea of India of Swarajya and Samrajya. Hence study of stories of lives of men and women who have entered into the secrets and success of Swarajya and Samrajya should be regarded as an indispensible part of the curriculum.
4) These three considerations, combined with all the subjects which are being taught in schools and colleges should give us a new framework which appears to be necessary at the present juncture of world development. The problem that we have raised in the first section should all be accommodated in the proposed new framework.
III
We may divide the curriculum into four broad areas:
1) An area of general knowledge concerning a number of subjects which can acquaint the student sufficiently well with our country and the world at large. It is for the curriculum maker to suggest the subjects to be covered and the length, breadth and depth which should be attained in respect of the subjects covered in this area. Some of the modern encyclopaedias for children contain excellent material and they also
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suggest number of subjects which are relevant to what every individual today in the world should be acquainted with. These subjects may cover a wide spectrum starting from astronomy and leading up to world history and world geography.
5) Details of these three subjects can be worked out and must be worked out carefully so as to emphasise comprehensiveness and the spirit of collaboration on which human unity can be built. A tentative programme concerning self knowledge is as follows.
TO KNOW ONESELF AND TO CONTROL ONESELF
(An Exploratory Draft Programme)
Classes I and II
1. Stories and plays to illustrate the following themes:
1. The ideal of truth: To speak the truth, whatever the consequences.
2. Aspiration for perfection: whatever you do, do it as perfectly as you can.
3. Dreams of the new world: Where truth alone prevails, where beauty and goodness pervade.
II. Special exhibitions on the above themes.
III. Teachers may recommend the following exercises and help each child to practise them:
1. Exercises in remembering and repeating noble aspirations and thoughts.
2. Exercises in observation and accurate description (leaves, plants, flowers, minerals, scenes, animals, figures, human body, artistic pictures, musical pieces, buildings, objects, events).
3. Art of bathing, art of cleaning the teeth, art of dressing, art of sitting and standing in right postures.
4. Exercises in control of the senses:
Control in regulating calls of nature, thirst and appetite;
Control in speech;
Control in behaviour;
Control in movement and action.
Classes III and IV
I. Development of the sense of wonder:
1. Examples from astronomy: distance, vastness, galaxies, expanding universe.
2. Examples from physics: what is matter behind what we see and touch?
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3. Examples from chemistry: what is water? Is it mere oxygen and hydrogen or something more?
4. Examples from other sciences: caterpillar and butterfly, language and understanding, outer man and inner man.
II. Training of the senses and their powers:
1. Knowledge of the senses: five senses of knowledge, five senses of action.
2. Exercises of vision and hearing: art and music as instruments.
3. Exercises of concentration in sense activities.
4. Inner senses: capacities to see the invisible and to hear the inaudible.
III. Awareness of the body: Elementary knowledge relating to health, strength and beauty of the body.
Art of relaxation and art of sleeping. The body as the temple of the spirit.
IV. Teachers may recommend, according to circumstances, the following attitudes and exercises:
1. One should study, not to pass examinations, but to discover the secrets the world.
2. Work with the body is indispensable for true knowledge and experiences.
3. Practice of concentration in every activity: concentration is the key to all progress.
4. Practice of quietude and silence in "Rooms of Silence".
5. Impromptu periods or moments when children are asked to be as quiet as possible.
Directions to Teachers
(Classes I - IV)
Some practical hints that result from the application of methods of psychological and value-oriented development are suggested here: (a)lt may first be noted that a good many children are under the influence of the inner psychic presence which shows itself very distinctly at times in their spontaneous reactions and even in their words. All spontaneous turning to love, truth, beauty, knowledge, nobility, heroism is a sure sign of the psychic influence.
(b) To recognize these reactions and to encourage them wisely and with a psychic feeling would be the first indispensable step. (c)The best qualities to develop in children are: Sincerity, Perseverance, Honesty, Peace, Straightforwardness, Calm, cheerfulness, self-control, Courage, self-mastery, disinterestedness, Truth, patience, harmony, endurance, liberty.
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(d)These qualities are taught infinitely better by examples than by beautiful speeches.
(e)The undesirable impulses and habits should not be treated harshly. The child should not be scolded. Particularly, care should be taken not to rebuke a child for a fault which one commits oneself. Children are very keen and clear sighted observers; they soon find out the educator's weaknesses and note them without pity.
(f)When a child makes a mistake, one must see that he confesses it to the teacher or the guardian spontaneously and frankly; and when he has confessed it he should be made to understand with kindness and affection what was wrong in the movement and that he should not repeat it. A fault confessed must be forgiven.
(g)The child should be encouraged to think of wrong impulses not as sins or offences but as symptoms of a curable disease alterable by a steady and a sustained effort of the will - falsehood being rejected and replaced by truth, fear by courage, selfishness by sacrifice, malice by love. (h)Great care should be taken to see that unformed virtues are not rejected as faults. The wildness and recklessness of many young natures are only the overflowing of an excessive strength, greatness and nobility. (i)An affection that is firm yet gentle, sees clearly, and a sufficiently practical knowledge will create bonds of trust that are indispensable for the educator to make the education of a child effective. (j)When a child asks a question, he should not be answered by saying that it is stupid or foolish, or that the answer will not be understood by him. Curiosity cannot be postponed, and an effort must be made to answer questions truthfully and in such a way as to make the answer comprehensible to his mental capacity.
(k)The teacher should ensure that the child gradually begins to be aware of the psychological centre of his being, the psychic being, the inner seat of the highest truth of our existence.
(l)With that growing awareness, the child should be taught to concentrate on his presence and make it more and more a living fact. (m)The child should be taught that whenever there is an inner uneasiness, he should not pass it off and try to forget it, but should attend to it, and try to find out by an inner observation the cause of the uneasiness, so that it can be removed by inner or other methods.
(n)It should be emphasized that if one has a sincere and steady aspiration, a persistent and dynamic will, one is sure to meet in one way or another, externally by study and instruction, internally by concentration, revelation or experience, the help one needs to reach the goal. Only one thing is absolutely indispensable, the will to discover and realize. This discovery and this realization should be the primary occupation of the being, the
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pearl of great price which one should acquire at any cost. Whatever one does, whatever one's occupation and activity, the will to find the truth of one's being and to unite with it must always be living, always present behind all one does, all that one thinks, all that one experiences.
All the above suggestions are to be implemented from day to day under various circumstances and in the context of living problems of the growth of children.
The role of the teacher is to put the child upon the right road to its own perfection and encourage it to follow it, watching, suggesting, helping, but not imposing or interfering. The best method of suggestion is by personal example, daily conversation and books read from day to day.
Class V
I. Science and Values
A simple statement of the major facts of evolution:
1. Emergence of matter.
2. Emergence of life in matter.
3. Emergence of mind in life.
4. Man is evolving.
5. Striking phenomenon of the mutation of a caterpillar into a butterfly.
6. Future possibilities of the evolution of man. Yoga is a scientific and methodized effort of the evolution of man.
Aids for the Development of Value-Consciousness and Experience
1. To ask oneself: what am I?
2. Story of the search of Svetaketu and Nachiketas.
3. Listening to music: selected ragas (Indian) and harmonies (Western).
4. Pictures of the beauty of nature.
5. Study of great personalities: the Buddha (a detailed study).
6. Need for physical fitness: what it means (topic for study and reflection).
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III. Teachers may recommend the following exercises according to circumstances and in response to the individual needs of each student:
1. Resolve daily to be truthful, to be free from fear and to have goodwill for everyone.
2. Works of labour and community service with an inner motive of dedication.
3. Clarity of thought: there is a distinction between appearance and reality. (Examples from science, history, literature and philosophy.)
4. Cleanliness and purity of the body, exercises for the body.
Class VI
Science and Values
Striking facts revealed by science:
1. Extraordinary phenomenon of intelligence in animals and birds. 2. Possibility of intelligence even in matter or material objects. 3. Complex organization of social life in certain species of insects, animals and birds. 4. Man's intelligence: is it superior to the intelligence of animals and birds in every respect? 5. Value-oriented methods of developing intelligence and knowledge:
Concentration; Silencing of the mind; Intense search for the truth; Sincerity in thought; word and deed; Deep humility
II. Aids for the Development of Value-Consciousness and Experience:
1. Introspection: distinction between thought, will, emotion, impulse, sensation, perception, and functions of the body.
2. Story of Arjuna at the beginning of the Mahabharata War to illustrate the above distinctions (other similar stories).
3. Determination of the aim of life:
The meaning of an ideal; Ideals of truth, beauty and goodness; Ideal of perfection
4. Study of great personalities: Jesus Christ (a detailed study).
5. Listening to music: selected ragas (Indian) and harmonies (Western).
6. Examples of poetic excellence: regional poetry, Sanskrit poetry, English poetry.
7. Need to control and master the lower nature (topic for study and reflection).
8. Diet and health.
III. Exercises to be recommended:
1. To make in daily life the choice for control and mastery, for regularity and punctuality; the choice for truth and perfection, for work and perseverance to the end of the work, for seriousness of purpose and inner joy and equality in all circumstances.
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2. To remember the aim of life and to:
(a) Review daily before retiring one's actions, thoughts, feelings, in relation to the aim of life.
(b) Try to harmonize thoughts, words, feelings and deeds so as to progress more in this direction.
3. To observe in oneself and to practise through daily effort and exercise:
(a) Creative urge towards poetry, music, art, crafts, dance, drama, reading, writing.
(b) Capacities to feel wideness, intensity and height of consciousness and experience.
4. Works of labour and community service with an inner motive of dedication — learning the art of sweeping rooms, courtyards, washing of dishes and clothes, and elements of first aid.
5. Enlarge interests: there is no subject which is not interesting. Will always for health, strength, agility, plasticity and beauty. Remember: it is not a virtue to fall ill. If ill: Examine diet; Examine habits; Examine feelings, thoughts and actions - correct them and recover health; Daily one hour of relaxation and games, etc.
Class VII
1. How are plants different from animals?
2. Do plants and trees have feelings?
3. Experiments of Jagdish Chandra Bose.
4. Experiments of effects of music on plants.
5. Study of flowers as symbols of psychological states and powers.
II. Aids for the Development of Value-Consciousness and Experience
1. Calm and intimate company of plants, trees and flowers.
2. A study of the:
(a) Stories of Bodhisattva from the Jatakas.
(b) Parables from the Bible.
(c) Questions put to Yuddhishthira on the bank of the lake and his answers.
(d) Messages received by Prophet Muhammad from the Angel. (e)Account of Rabindranath Tagore's experience of his opening to poetic inspiration.
(f) "Powers of the Mind" -from Swami Vivekananda.
3. Topic for deep study and reflection: how to progress continuously?
4. Study of great personalities: Prophet Muhammad (a detailed study).
III. Methods for the development of the following qualities and skills: Quietude, Interest in languages, Poetry and music, Clarity of thinking, Will-power
IV. Exercises to be recommended:
1. Develop awareness.
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2. Go deep, very deep within in search of the soul. (Concentrate on the region of the "solar plexus" and collect all your consciousness, and go deeper and deeper in that region, with quietude, and practise this often).
3. Study repeatedly and practise the message given in: (a)The description of the "Sthitaprajna" as given in the Gita (b)The Sermon on the Mount" from the New Testament. (c)"If thou hast the work, this is thy work" by Sri Aurobindo.
4. Works of labour and community service with an inner motive of dedication.
5. Daily one hour of exercises, games, etc.
Class VIII
1. Surprising mysteries of the human body as revealed by science.
2. Value-oriented concept of the body: (a) The body as the temple of the spirit. (6) The subtle body and its functions.
(c) The concept of chakras (centres of vibrations) and their functions.
(d) The concept of kundalini: how it can be awakened in different ways.
3. Yogic concept of the perfection of the body by a total psychological transformation.
1. The ideal and practice of brahmacharya (example of Dayananda Saraswati).
2. Study of passages from Plato, particularly from the Apology and The
Republic.
3. Study of passages from the Upanishads, particularly Isha Upanishad
4. Contemplation on the concept of "Universals".
5. Topic for deep study and reflection:' 'What is my role in the world?"
6. Reflection:
(a) What is the aim of learning languages? How to enrich knowledge of languages?
(b) What is the essence of mathematics?
(c) What is science? Is language a science?
Is mathematics a science? Is history a science? Is geography a science?
(d) What is the difference between science and art?
7. A detailed study of the life and work of Tiruvalluvar
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8. Daily one hour of exercises and games, etc.
Class IX
1. The concept of matter in modern science and in yoga.
2. The concept of life in modern science and in yoga.
3. Importance of the sun and its energy for the life on the earth.
4. The nature of the light of the sun (Saura Agni): how it is different from the light of ordinary fire (Jada Agni) and electricity {Vidyut Agni).
5. The concept of Agni in yoga.
6. Speed of light: its importance in science. Position of an object moving at the speed of light. The concept of the mobile-immobile.
Compare this with: "It moves, It moves not" - the Upanishadic description of reality.
7. The concept of time in modern science.
8. Speed of consciousness exceeds that of light according to yogic knowledge.
1. What is the process of thinking? How is thinking different in science from that in philosophy?
2. What is technology? How should technology be learnt?
3. What is the difference between art and technology?
4. Observation of the different levels of being in man: the distinction between the physical man, the vital man, the mental man, the spiritual man and the integral man.
5. Topic for deep study and reflection: "Unity of knowledge" or "All knowledge scientific, philosophic or yogic, tends ultimately to be identical".
Repeated study and contemplation of Chapter XI of the Bhagavad Gita Vow of the Buddha Selected Psalms Islamic prayers
Selected portions from Tulsidas
Songs of Mirabai, Surdas, Tukaram, Ramprasad, and other saints Prayer of Swami Vivekananda
Class X
1. Science and Values
Our knowledge regarding man:
(a) Man in evolution
(b) Has man made progress?
(c) Limitations of man
2. The phenomenon of death. What is death? (in the physical, psychological and yogic senses). Can death be conquered?
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3. Dependence of bodily life on respiration, food, blood circulation and sleep. Is this dependence necessary or indispensable?
4. The yogic powers of mastery over food, sleep, respiration and blood circulation. Limitation of these powers; dangers of these powers; real perfection.
5. The right attitude towards food, sleep, respiration and other limitations of the body. Need for temperance: avoidance of extremes. Need for change of consciousness. Mastery over bodily limitations possible only at the highest levels of yoga.
6. The concept of the divine body.
II. Aids for the Development of the Yogic Consciousness and Experience
1. Elementary powers of expression.
Necessity and methods of development of these powers, particularly in relation to:
(a) Faultless language expression.
(b)Faultless bodily expressions: recitation, singing eurythmics and dramatics. (c)Faultless deeper expressions: poetry, dance, art and craft.
2. Elementary powers of perception.
(a) Refined vision and audition, appreciation of art and music.
(b) Inner yogic visions and voices.
(c) Sympathetic feeling and understanding, experience of cooperation, harmony, mutuality and oneness.
3. Elementary powers of action.
Necessity and methods of development of these powers, particularly in connection with:
(a) The relationship between knowledge and action.
(b) The relationship between ideal and practice.
(c) The relationship between dedication and heroism.
5. Study of great personalities. (A detailed study of the life of Mahavira.)
6. Why and how to study? (A topic for study and reflection). Exercises to be recommended:
Remember and practise in daily life:
(a) Work, not to come first, but to do your very best.
(b) You have no right to criticize anybody, unless you can do better than the one whom you want to criticize.
(c) Cultivate in yourself those qualities which you want others to cultivate.
(d) Select books, magazines and films with utmost care, and under the guidance of some teachers whom you trust.
(e) Do not indulge; do not kill your emotions, but learn the difficult art of control, purification, mastery and transformation.
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(f) You have within yourself an inner soul, full of purity, joy and love and light. You are to discover it and bring it forward in all your activities, thoughts and feelings.
2. Continue to enlarge interests.
3. Continue to will for health, strength, agility, plasticity and beauty.
4. Daily one hour of exercises and games, etc.
IV. Programmes of Self-Education
The following exercises may be recommended:
1. Observation and development of the natural tendencies, preferences, inclinations and interests.
2. Where have I reached in my progress?
3. What are my defects?
4. How to face defects without depression?
5. What should I do to overcome my defects?
6. Preparation of a programme of self-discipline.
7. Am I talking too much? To learn to speak only what is necessary.
8. Am I lazy? To resolve to remove idleness.
9. How to organize my life and my activities?
V. Study of selections from Valmiki and Vyasa
VI. A detailed study of the life and work of Guru Nanak.
Class XI
1. The role of intuition in discoveries and inventions of science. Yoga as a conscious method of the development of intuition.
2. Ancient Indian sciences and yoga.
3. Ancient Indian knowledge and modern scientific knowledge: some striking examples.
4. Systems of yoga: Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Tantra, Integral Yoga.
1. Need for the systematic knowledge of the principles and methods of yoga.
2. Need for the Teacher: the real inner Teacher.
3. Need for inner aspiration in the student.
4. The right attitude towards time: to do everything as quickly and as perfectly as possible.
5. Study of great personalities: Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda (a detailed study).
III. Exercises to be recommended: Reflections on:
L Scientific and philosophical methods of knowledge.
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2. Can science and philosophy explain the ultimate reason of events and processes of the world?
3. Value and limitations of the philosophical concepts of: Deism, Pantheism, Theism, Monism, Omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence of God
4. Value and limitations of the philosophical proofs of the existence of God.
5. Can God be experienced? Affirmation of spiritual experiences; Varieties of spiritual experience; Yoga as a systematic knowledge of spiritual experience.
Class XII
1. Yoga as an exploration of existence by an enlargement of consciousness.
2. Yoga, like science, is a systematic body of knowledge. Yoga, like science, is non-dogmatic.
Yoga, like science, accepts the criterion of verification by experience.
Yoga is science, par excellence (statements from Swami Vivekananda on this
subject).
3. Materialism, science and yoga.
4. Need for the synthesis of science and spirituality.
5. Science and the discovery of the fourth dimension.
6. Discovery of the manifold dimensions of human personality.
II. Central Experiences of Inner Consciousness
1. Experience of true individuality:
(a) Experience of the Witness Self.
(b) Experience of the Psychic Being in formation.
(c) Experience of the discovery of the Psychic Being—experience of the second birth.
2. Experience of Silence or of nirvana.
3. Experience of the Cosmic Consciousness.
4. Integral experience of the simultaneous Silence and Dynamism.
5. Supramental time-vision. ,
6. Change and transformation of human nature.
III. Aids for the Development of the Yogic Consciousness and experience
A brief study of the following topics:
1. All life must be accepted, but all life must be transformed.
Works of knowledge, Works of love, Works of life-force, Problems in accepting and transforming these works.
2. Synthesis of the four main theories of the aim of life: Supracosmic, Supraterrestrial, Cosmic-terrestrial, Integral
3. Development of a vision of ideal perfection, individual and collective.
4. Man's present condition and possibilities of his further evolution.
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5. Psychological experiences of various parts and domains of being. Conflicts between the rational being, the aesthetic being and the ethical being. How to resolve these conflicts?
1. Sustained exercises of clear thought.
2. Intensive introspection
3. Progressive harmonization of various parts of the being
4. Creative work with sustained enthusiasm and the spirit of perfection in
expression.
5. Programmes of dedicated community service
6. Consistency in aspiration, effort and dedication
7. Equality in success or in failure, while working constantly for the triumph of the Truth.
8. Development of the powers of philosophical reasoning, scientific observation and experimentation, artistic expression, and technological skill. Harmonization of these powers by rigorous internal exercises of will.
V. Programme of Self-Education
To discover within oneself the secret guide and teacher and to take up the charge of educating oneself progressively and integrally.
As will be noticed this curriculum also includes the subject of evolution, but one can also add to it the story of evolution in a greater detail as is now to be found on internet which is full of beautiful pictures relevant to the theme of evolution.
As for the theme of human unity is concerned, we can pick up from the world history certain epochs during which East met the West and the West met the East. And this will also include such experiments as that of Roman Empire where large areas of the world were united, along with its merits and demerits. This subject should also project the problems of world unity as they confront us today and present as how they can be resolved with some futuristic visions. We must underline the fact that education must prepare the children in such a way that they look forward to the future in the making of which they can heroically participate. The third area should concern with a number of optional subjects, out of which a student can choose for deeper and specialised study. These subjects may be developed mainly through projects of various kinds which they can study on their own with the help of modem electronic gadgets.
IV
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It may be suggested that in order to lessen the burden and to make learning process more interesting, there should be a number of hobbies presented to them as optionals and utilise these hobbies, if they so like to specialise at higher levels. We give below a list of hobbies, and each school can decide what hobbies it can develop under its own supervision.
List of Hobbies
1. Chess
2. Reading book are treasure of knowledge and this hobby will certainly come helping a long way in life.
3. Playing the guitar
4. Ballroom Dancing
5. Wood working
6. Gardening
7. Car Restoration
8. Metal Working
9. Marksmanship (Marksmanship requires pure concentration and a steady hand.)
10. Collecting like postal stamps, first day covers, coins, ect.
11. Camping/ Backpacking
12. ship in a bottle
13. Whittling
14. Geocaching
15. Sport: Football, Hockey, Cricket, weightlifting, running, bouldering, kho-kho, kabbadi, Baseball, etc.
16. Model Building
17. Leatherworking
18. Bowling
19. Archery
20. Letter Writing
21. Martial Arts
22. Yoga - Asana, Pranayama, Meditation.
23. Hiking
24. Photography
25. Pool/Billiards
26. Mountaineering
27. Cooking
28. Blacksmithing
29. Flying
30. Magic
31. Learning a foreign language
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32. Blogging 33. Fencing 34. Drawing and Painting 35. Amateur Astronomy 36. Genealogy 37. Adventure Races 38. Knitting 39. Computer Programming 40. Aeromodeling 41. Amateur Radio 42. Animals/pets/dogs 43. Astrology 44. Beadwork 45. Beatboxing 46. Bird watching 47.Boating 48.Bonsai Tree 49. Bringing Food To The Disabled 50. Building A House For Habitat For Humanity 51. Building Dollhouses 52. Butterfly Watching 53. Button Collecting 54. Calligraphy 55.Candle Making 56. Canoeing 57. Car Racing 58. Cloud Watching 59. Collecting Antiques 60. Collecting Artwork 61. Compose Music 62. Computer activities 63. Crafts 64. Crochet 65. Crocheting 66.Crossword Puzzles 67.Dolls making 68. Embroidery 69. Freshwater Aquariums 70. Frisbee Golf-Frolf 71. Go Kart Racing 72. Grip Strength 73. Handwriting Analysis 74. Home Repair
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75. Horse riding 76. Hot air ballooning 77. Hula Hooping 78. Jewelry Making 79. Jigsaw Puzzles 80. Juggling 81. Kites 82. Learning An Instrument 83. Learning To Pilot A Plane 84. Legos 85. Listening to music 91. Pottery 92. Puppetry 93. Pyrotechnics 94. Rafting 95. Reading 96. Reading To The Elderly 97. Rescuing Abused Or Abandoned Animals 98. Robotics 99. Rock Collecting 100. Scrap booking 101. Skeet Shooting 102. Singing In Choir. 103. Skateboarding 104. Sketching 105. Sky Diving 106. Soap Making 107. Storytelling 108. Swimming 109. Tea Tasting 110. Toy Collecting 111. Tutoring Children 112. Video Games, such as Age of Mythology, etc 113. Writing 114. Scale Modeling/Dioramas 115. Beautician 116. Art of telling Jokes 117. Food Decorating 86. Making Model Cars 87. Matchstick Modeling 88. Papermaking 89. Parachuting 90. Piano
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118. Basket making 119. Rice sculpture 120. Animal communication 121. Hobbies related to the religions of the world 122. Fashion Designing (Specialised course) 123. Cosmetics 124. Making Perfumes 125. Child care 126. Diets 127. Natural remedies 128. Modeling 129. Patio art: how to make stained glass wind chimes for your home and garden 130. Mosaic Art and Style
I. DRAWING AND PAINTING (Specialisation in any of the five or six)
1. Surreal Painting 2. Romance 3. Madhubani Painting 4. Miniature Painting 5. Impressionism 6. Renaissance Art 7 Abstract Paintings 8. Semi Abstract Paintings 9. Mughal Paintings 10. Rajasthani Paintings 11. Mathura Art 12. Figurative Paintings 13. Landscape Paintings 14. Ceramics 15. Sculpture 16. Glass Painting 17. Basholi, Guler-Kangra and Sikh Lepakshi Painting 18. Batik Painting 19. Indian Murals Paintings 20. Indian folk Paintings 21. Silk Paintings 22. South Indian form of Painting ( Thanjauir) 23. Atavahana Paintings (2nd century B .C. to 2nd century A,D.) 24. Kushana School of Paintings (1st to 3rd centur) A.D.) 25. Gupta Period Paintings (4th too 6th century A.D.) 26. Vakataka Paintings (4th to 6th century A.D.) 27. Early Western Chalukya Paintings (6th to 8th century A.D.)
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28. Bhanja Paintings (8th century A.D.) 29. Pallava Paintings ( 7th to 9th century) A.D. ) 30. Early Pandyan Paintings (7th to 9th century A.D.) 31. Early Chora Paintings (8th to 9th century A.D.) 32. Rashtrakuta Paintings (8th to 10th century A.D.) 33. Chola School of Paintings (9th to 13th century A.D. ) 34. Hoysala Paintings (11th to 13th century A.D.) 35. Kakatiya Paintings (11th to 13th century A.D. | 36. Vijayanagara Paintings (14th to 17th century A.D.) 37. Nayaka Period Paintings (17th to 18th century A.D.) 3 8. Paintings of Medieval Kerala (16th to 18th century A.D.) 39. Pala and Medieval Eastern School of Paintings (9th to 16th century A.D.) 40. Medieval Western Paintings (11th to 15th century A.D.) 41. Pahari Paintings (16th to 19th century A.D.') 42. Peccant or Dakhani Paintings (17th to 19th century A.D.) 43. Mysore and Tanjore Traditional Paintings (17th to 19th century A.D.) 44. Gujarati painting—glass painting, Kalampari art 45. Fabric Painting 46. Encaustic Painting-involves working with pigment, wax, and heat 47. Chinese/Japanese painting (including Sumi-e), both of which are distinctly and very beautiful styles of brush painting. 48. Portraits individuals, groups of people, couples and self-portraits. 49. Comic animation
II COMPUTER RELATED COURSES (Five year course)
Computer Teacher Course (5 year course) 1st year 1. Computer Fundamentals 2. Operating System concepts Linux & Unix 3. Windows XP/7/Vista 4. MS Word 5. MS Excel 6. MS Power point 7. Access & Outlook 8. Bharatiya Open Office 9. Networking 10. Web Server Concepts 11. Introduction to FLASH 12. TALLY 13. Introduction to Basic Java
2nd Year Course;
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1. Page Maker
2. Corel Draw
2. Photoshop
4. Editing a layer mask
5. Opacity of Layer
6. Illustrator
7. FLASH
8. Leap Office/ Ism
Multilingual Web Technology
1. Software Engineering Technique
2. C/C++
3. CCB & MT
4. HTML/DHTML
5. JavaScript/VB Script
6. Asp.net
7. Front Page
8. Dream Weaver
9. Photoshop
10 Flash
11. GIF Animator Introduction
12. Internet / Project
13. Concept of Web Server
14. TCP/IP
15. Java Script
16. Oracle
17. SQL Sever
18. Project
3rd to 5th Year
MULTIMEDIA
1. Image Editing
CorelDraw
Photoshop
In Design
2. Advance Image Editing
Illustrator
3. 2D Animation
Flash
Swish MAX
GIF Animator
4. Audio
Sound Forge
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5. Video-Editing
Premier
6. 3D Animation
3DMAX
Poser
7. Maya Software
8. Animation Film Projects
9. Ecommerce III Computer Hardware (1 year Course)
IV Cooking (National and International Cuisine )
V Classical Dances ( Indian Classical e.g. Kathak , Manipuri, Kathalaki, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Oddisi etc.
VI Musical Instruments- Flute, Sitar, Santoor, Tabla etc.
VII Vocal Ragas (India Ragas)
VIII Agriculture
IX Horticulture
X Floriculture
V
Physical health is extremely important, and since longevity is growing into a great concern, every school should develop a program of physical education, and should not be limited to games and sports but should provide to every student a sound knowledge of anatomy, physiology, hygiene, first-aid and philosophy of ideal human body.
VI
Grouping of students up to class III, students can be grouped as we do it now in our familiar way, - that is age-wise and level-wise.
The familiar methodology, where the teacher can teach three tools of learning: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. (Four operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) The old idea of three R's is as valid today as it was earlier. But care should be taken by the teacher to observe each child and give special help to each one, and ensure the qualities of regularity, punctuality, neatness of the books and note books, and the habit of right postures of sitting and good manners of politeness and respect, not only to the teacher but also to the environment.
Teachers should also encourage the qualities of serious application to work, and qualities of deep reverence for the Divine consciousness, the presence of which is to be brought forth by quietude and silent prayer in the heart so as to come nearer in the inner relationship with the Divine, an ever present friend, teacher, guide and master of our life.
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At levels one, two and three emphasis should be laid on the learning of the mother tongue, Sanskrit as the all India language, English as the international language and French, which is very close in many ways to Sanskrit and is a language which is precise, majestic, and it will enable students to enter easily into the international atmosphere.
Methodology of teaching and learning of these four languages has to be developed with the help of masters of these four languages and who are acquainted with all the four and who can translate one into the other and who can teach children how the same thing is termed and spoken in all the four languages. This methodology can be made experimental on the basis of the view that all the four languages can be taught simultaneously (even now we find children in the cosmopolitan towns picking up 3-4 languages without blurring or confusion).
After class III, it would be useful to utilise the method of projects; every curriculum such as that of general knowledge, etc could be broken up into projects, and students should be encouraged to choose freely the work they would like to carry out for any project they may choose. Free choice given to students will indicate to the teachers the natural inclinations of each student as also hidden potentialities and talents, - all of which can be utilised by the teachers in counselling the students on what lines they should develop for specialisation. The courses for specialisation can be formulated in the form of projects by taking advantage of the information available in respect to the curricula which are available on the internet. The curriculum should be evolutionary, rather than rigid and fixed. It can evolve according to the pace of progress of the students and the lines on which the student is inclined to pursue a given curriculum or syllabus.
Teaching by lecturing to a common class can be replaced by changing the role of teacher from that of a lecturer to that of a guide and helper as also an observer who can encourage each one according to each one's needs of growth. Home work should be minimised and should be conducted in the class room itself under the teacher's guidance. If a student wishes to do more home work at home the same can be assigned on request. At every regular period of interval each child's progress should be recorded by the teacher and if any child has lagged behind special work should be given and normal methods of correcting should be employed, and teachers should take care to see that major or minor blockades that children confront in the process of their progress should be specially attended and broken through counsel and through stimulation which would enthuse the child to pursue the difficulties without depression or pessimisms.
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Quest for Truth, Beauty and Goodness could be enhanced by creating in the school a special room in which biographies, paintings and other stimulating teaching learning material would be readily available. Special atmosphere should be created in this room, and children themselves could decorate with flowers etc.
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SUMMARY
1.
Three R’s :
Particularly if in need of growing globalization, we have to undertake 5 language formula :-
i. Mother Tongue ii. Sanskrit iii. English iv. Hindi v. French
Mathematics in addition to Mental Calculation skills.
For classes 1 to 3 and beyond
2.
General Knowledge Course :
Classes 1 to 12
3.
Self-Knowledge and Practice of Self control
Study of the values of truth, Beauty and Goodness, mainly through short anecdotes, parables, aphorisms and biographies.
4.
Demonstrations :
(Question of How and Why? – An experimental and demonstrative approach) These activities will include : Physical Science and Geography, Astronomy (Skills to be developed for demonstration)
Classes 5 and 6
5.
Exploration :
(Stories of explorers: big or small) (stories of philosophical and spiritual exploration) (skills to be developed for exploration)
Classes 7 and 8
6.
Projects:
(Drama, Recitation, exhibition of Art. Mind and Poetry)
(Themes of higher levels of science, philosophy, religion, supernormal expression) (Themes of evolution, human unity, and development of India) (Themes of Home Science and 64 accomplishments.)
Classes 9 and 10
7.
Specialized courses :
According to free choice of students
For classes of 11 and 12
*
Throughout 12 Years
Physical education, Anatomy, Physiology & Hygiene and Environmental Studies
Atmosphere : Sincerity, Deep Reverence for The Divine.
Best stories of the World and Quest for Truth, Beauty and Goodness.
A comprehensive Vidya Niketan to be developed at the central campus of Children's University.
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