Play, Curiosity and Enthusiasm: Ajay Vijayvargi

The simple notion strikes our mind when we hear the word 'Play' is about sports and the programs in schools that help students to be fit. What is play? Is it a sport, a game or an activity around a table? Yes, it is but more than that is about pretending, trying things out and making mistakes without having to lose anything. Even in it teaches us how to lose with good grace, how to think strategically, how to give and take, how to be fair. 

The activities help a child to acquire motor skills, kinesthetic response, balance, patience, communication, strategy and many more skills that are required to us in life. The learning to make mistakes in play, losing in sports and games builds our confidence, increases the capacity to solve problems and to push our cognitive-linguistic development forward. Picasso said that every child is an artist; the trick is making sure that they don't stop being artists. The same is true with curiosity and enthusiasm. Curiosity is something that can be nurtured and developed. With practise, we can harness the power of curiosity to transform everyday tasks into interesting and enjoyable experiences. 

We can also use curiosity to intentionally create wonder, intrigue and play out of almost any situation or interaction we encounter. A simple meaning for the word enthusiasm is to have a keen interest. It means we demonstrate eagerness and a joy that fills us with energy. 

Ajay Vijayvargi

The Fabindia School, Bali

avi4fab@gmail.com
#HappyTeachers

EI Dialogues with Saransh Vaswani, Saajha

What role can parents play in their children's learning? Does it require them to spend time teaching their children? Or, does it mean going to school and interacting with the teachers? Does it call for them having to help out with homework? Or, does it have more to do with asking after their children's day at school?

Saransh Vaswani, the co-founder of Saajha and our latest guest on EI Dialogues, demystifies this for us. He shares how, rather than assuming the responsibility of teaching, parents can play a bigger role in their child's learning by taking an active interest in the governance of schools. Saransh further reveals how misunderstandings/mistrust among parents, teachers, and the community regarding each other's roles lead to pent-up frustrations, with the focus moving away from what matters most - the child's learning.

This is where the School Management Committees (SMCs) come in. The Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 mandates that public schools form an SMC comprising the school principal, a teacher, parents, a local ward councillor, and an educationist. The question arises, therefore, that when our policies provide for improved collaboration, why don't we take the opportunity to hold each other accountable and push for reforms?"

This is precisely what Saajha is persevering towards by building leadership capacity in SMCs and working with each stakeholder community to make them feel empowered towards improving children's learning. Listen to Saransh and a special guest as they unveil more, especially about their before/after experiences with SMCs in Delhi.

Because Saransh is also my senior from the Gandhi Fellowship and the Young India Fellowship, I asked Pranav if I could host this episode. Do check it out, and feel free to share your feedback, including how we can make EI Dialogues better.

Ritesh Agarwal <impact@ei-india.com> via mailchimpapp.net