The Awakened Citizen Program, Ramkrishna Mission – Relearning learning

‘A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down just to feel its warmth.’ – What does it mean to raise a child, apart from food, clothing and an education? In the times of tablets and TVs, learnings through real life are minimised. How does a child understand stacking legos on the glossy screen of an iPad, if he never steps on one by mistake and experiences that horrendous pain, or if it fits tight, then it’s

probably not right.

During this pandemic, children’s interactions with the outside world are even further reduced. What can we do as parents to allow them to develop in a wholesome and more productive way? Piya Chakravarty, an educator, has been looking into these very questions while

working with the Awakened Citizen Program, conducted by the Ramkrishna Mission, New Delhi. This program aims at introducing or perhaps, re-introducing value education for children in schools. Values can range from honesty to being a kind person and it seems as though schools do not press as much on this as much as they should. But it’s not just the schools that are responsible for this kind of development in a child, the first and foremost teachers for children are her immediate caregivers (in most cases, parents). Although a child spends a significant amount of time in school per week, he is more likely to have ideas and beliefs influenced by his caregivers more than his math teacher.

A large part of value education is also teaching children to be their own voices and allowing them to express themselves freely without the fear of being corrected or ignored as simple child dialogue. The Ramkrishna Mission has conducted over a 1000 workshops for parents and teachers on how to do the same. After research, nearly 90% of student behavioural issues with authorities have reduced. This indicates that

the communication among the both is currently flawed and largely one-sided.

The Awakened Citizen Program follows a happiness curriculum that is aimed at improving teacher-student relations and communication. These workshops for teachers allow for open conversation about common problems faced by teachers and addresses them. Many teachers struggle with classroom control and the frustration that comes with it. This program has helped teachers tremendously in how to approach this issue from a different perspective, resulting in a much calmer and healthier means of communication. The workshops conducted for students in schools have also shown signs of success and growth. For instance, in one such school, a Kendriya Vidyalaya, one student gained such an insight about what it is to be a citizen to a larger people, that she even changed her casteist mother’s views on the world!

Children are truly remarkable learners (and teachers).

It takes much more than a traditional education, food and clothes to raise a child. It needs empathy, care, love and togetherness for a child to thrive. Although these are not rocket sciences, these values have been shadowed by history and science classes. They are as important, if not more. It does take a village to warm a child, however you may take it.