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#37 From: "Ashok Vijayavergiya" <infuse@...>
Date: Thu Feb 13, 2003 5:01 pm
Subject: Re: enquiry ashokvijyave...
Offline
Send Email

Dear Suresh,

If you cared to go through the annexures I sent describing MaxPot, there was a mention of our Education Knowledge Base. This is a huge and comprehensive resource that can answer questions of the kind that you have.

If you let me know a little more about your plans, and vision perhaps we can help you.

Regards,

Ashok Vijayavergiya

CEO

Infuse, Inc.

301 A/C, Vasant Kunj

New Delhi - 110070

26890365

----- Original Message -----

From: sumesh mangal

To: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 10:29 PM

Subject: [alt-ed-india] enquiry

Dear all,

we are planning to start a new alternative kind school.

we need some information on Syllabus(not formal),exam methods(open),teaching methods etc.

pls help us

love

sumesh

Catch all the cricket action. Download Yahoo! Score tracker
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate. The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational questions, to learn together, to share, and to support those who are home educating. If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to: alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com There are associated web pages at: http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with others who live nearby. list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com **********************************************************************

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

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#36 From: sumesh mangal <sumeshmcitra@...>
Date: Fri Feb 14, 2003 2:26 am
Subject: enquiry sumeshmcitra
Offline
Send Email

Dear klive,

sorry for the incomlete enquiry

We are planning to start school in Kottayam,Kerala for rural poor children.

it will be free education kindof model.we are planning to limit it the very first year for 25 numbers.We are looking for an integrated education.i am willing to visit and collect more schools,who are doing the same way.i need more such addresses.

love

sumesh

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Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (8)

#35 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Thu Feb 13, 2003 7:27 pm
Subject: Re: enquiry jevans@...
Send Email

Hello Sumesh

Won't you give us some details of your proposed school? Like what principles will it be based on, how big is it, where is it, etc?

Regards

Clive

----- Original Message -----

From: sumesh mangal

To: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 5:59 AM

Subject: [alt-ed-india] enquiry

Dear all,

we are planning to start a new alternative kind school.

we need some information on Syllabus(not formal),exam methods(open),teaching methods etc.

pls help us

love

sumesh

Catch all the cricket action. Download Yahoo! Score tracker
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate. The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational questions, to learn together, to share, and to support those who are home educating. If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to: alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com There are associated web pages at: http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with others who live nearby. list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com **********************************************************************

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (8)

#34 From: sumesh mangal <sumeshmcitra@...>
Date: Thu Feb 13, 2003 4:59 pm
Subject: enquiry sumeshmcitra
Offline
Send Email

Dear all,

we are planning to start a new alternative kind school.

we need some information on Syllabus(not formal),exam methods(open),teaching methods etc.

pls help us

love

sumesh

Catch all the cricket action. Download Yahoo! Score tracker

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (8)

#33 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Thu Feb 13, 2003 7:59 am
Subject: Re: Re: any home educators in Bangalore? jevans@...
Send Email

Hello Prashanth

Well, really it is up to the home educators themselves to reply to you,
rather than for me to let you know. I do actually know of one family, and I
have invited them to join the group. But the lady will soon be busy
producing some new material for home education - she is soon to give birth.

I take this opportunity to remind people that at the website for this group
: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india
there is a data base that I designed to enable home-educators in India to
contact each other. Especially to look for others in the same geographical
area as oneself. However, at the moment there is only one person listed in
this data base, although there are 30 members in the group. May I suggest
that people use this data base?
Regards
Clive

----- Original Message -----
From: <prashvis@...>
To: <alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 4:26 AM
Subject: [alt-ed-india] Re: any home educators in Bangalore?


>
> Hello Clive,
>
>  We will be moving between Bangalore and Tiruvannamalai. My father
> lives in Bangalore. Please let me know if there are other home
> schoolers in Bangalore
>
>  KRGDS
>  Prashanth
>
> --- In alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com, "Clive Elwell" <jevans@t...>
> wrote:
> > Hello Everyone
> >
> > If there are any families home educating in Bangalore, or any
> contemplating
> > home educating, or if you know of any such, would you contact me?
> >
> > Regards
> > Clive Elwell
>
>
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home
educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all
those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate.
The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational
questions, to learn together, to share, and to  support those who are home
educating.
>
>
> If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the
Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india
>
> To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to:
alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com
>
> If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe
by sending an email to:
> alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> There are associated web pages at:
> http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com
>
> Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data
base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with
others who live nearby.
>
> list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com
>
> **********************************************************************
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#32 From: "Ashok Vijayvergiya" <infuse@...>
Date: Wed Feb 12, 2003 4:51 am
Subject: Re: Fw: MaxPot ashokvijyave...
Offline
Send Email

Dear Group,

Clive has just posted details of MaxPot on the group. Things are happening fast our end, if number of enquireis is any indication. I am taking the liberty of posting an updated version along with this mail.

Regards

Ashok Vijayavergiya

----- Original Message -----

From: Clive Elwell

To: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 8:31 AM

Subject: [alt-ed-india] Fw: MaxPot

Hello Everyone

Recently there was an enquiry on the group about learning programmes. I have been sent the enclosed information lately, and I thought I would pass it on, at Ashok's request. I have not studied the material myself, and this posting in no way constitutes an endorsement of the programme

Regards

Clive

----- Original Message -----
From: Ashok Vijayvergiya

To: jevans@...

Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 4:02 PM

Subject: MaxPot

Dear Clive,

I don't know if you cared to go through our initiative MaxPot. Just in case, you haven't, I am attaching two files.

Won't you like to share it with the group?

Ashok Vijayavergiya
CEO
Infuse, Inc.
301, Sector A, Pocket C
Vasant Kunj
New Delhi - 110070
26890365

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate. The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational questions, to learn together, to share, and to support those who are home educating. If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to: alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com There are associated web pages at: http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with others who live nearby. list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com **********************************************************************

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (2)

#31 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Wed Feb 12, 2003 3:01 am
Subject: Fw: MaxPot jevans@...
Send Email

Hello Everyone

Recently there was an enquiry on the group about learning programmes. I have been sent the enclosed information lately, and I thought I would pass it on, at Ashok's request. I have not studied the material myself, and this posting in no way constitutes an endorsement of the programme

Regards

Clive

----- Original Message -----

From: Ashok Vijayvergiya

To: jevans@...

Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 4:02 PM

Subject: MaxPot

Dear Clive,

I don't know if you cared to go through our initiative MaxPot. Just in case, you haven't, I am attaching two files.

Won't you like to share it with the group?

Ashok Vijayavergiya
CEO
Infuse, Inc.
301, Sector A, Pocket C
Vasant Kunj
New Delhi - 110070
26890365

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (2)

#30 From: "Jane Evans" <jevans@...>
Date: Mon Feb 10, 2003 7:19 pm
Subject: Re: New Here jevans@...
Send Email

Thank you for your posting.

To put it simply, isn't the fundamental problem of education that it fails to awaken intelligence in the young? Without that intelligence, human problems are bound to multiply.

Regards

Clive

----- Original Message -----

From: jinankb

To: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 12:52 AM

Subject: Re: [alt-ed-india] New Here

De- intellectualizing knowledge.

We must seek for knowledge that will sustain and continue life. The egocentric knowledge after the 17^th century increasingly destroyed other forms of life. To the westerner to know means to conquer to control. But for the indigenous people to know means to be blessed. Knowledge was always sacred which helps in sustaining and continuing life.

Indigenous and traditional communities have created knowledge that ensures the sustenance of life on the planet not just for the Europeans and their pets. But for all forms of life. Knowledge in Natural learning process is like a sprouting seed. The way people build their settlements; adults deal with life has biological element. This is seen in the way various game children play in villages. All meant to make them true learners. There are games for sensitizing all the senses, balancing of the body, planning, and coming to know of the life and environment around them. This biological element is visible even in their sense of beauty.

I call this the natural learning process. Just as a tree bends to access the sunlight or a bird looks for an appropriate place to lay eggs.

All forms of life access this knowledge for sustaining life.

This knowledge has a biological element and is generated from the experience of authentic living and intuition in the tool for accessing this knowledge. Reason is used well with in the framework of wisdom, which prevents the creation of destructive knowledge.

This knowledge is the truly scientific, holistic and objective knowledge, as nobody owns this knowledge.

Western knowledge can be called reason knowledge as opposed to the intuitive knowledge of the traditional communities which most of our grandparents possessed.

Holistic knowing is a result of intuition. Intuition is possible only in experiential process where the whole being is involved. And only in Natural learning process experience itself becomes the context for learning. Authentic living is learning. Modern Education has shifted the center of knowledge from Nature to human, from collective to ego, from heart to intellect/mind, from intuition to reason, from experience to information. From holistic to compartmental. The effects of the modern education on the individual are compartmentalization, Alienation, Intellectualization, Conceptualization etc. The Larger and more dangerous effects of modern education on the planet are that we have destroyed its ecosystems, finished non-renewable wealth, made extinct many animals, plants etc.

The worst pollution is the pollution of words and concepts and books. Knowledge evolved out of experience is meaningful and is within the context of living. But the concepts created from abstraction are endless and most often meaningless.

One culture talks about self-expression where the other has selfless expression. One uses non- �renewable resources for living where as the other use renewable resources. One 'plans' their doom through there "efficient planning and management" and the other plan for eternity.

Human centered knowledge can not become holistic. Only by accessing the natures knowledge which is accessed by all life forms can there be holistic knowing. This knowledge is also evolutionary and has a biological element to it. The only way to access this knowledge is to de intellectualize and listen deeply and honestly to experience. Deeper and authentic experience can evolve deeper knowledge.

Holistic knowledge is not a matter of more information, sensitive or other wise. What is required is a qualitative change. Budhist master Milerappa says that spirituality is the last ploy of the mind. Modern education and the culture it has created have generated more than enough words and concepts to play with and to continue to dodge the real questions.

We must find ways to move out of the modern educational system and the knowledge it propagates because it will only lead us to our doom. We need to de-intellectualize our present knowledge to start engaging in holistic knowing and intuitive knowledge.

----- Original Message -----

From: altlearn@...

To: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 2:45 AM

Subject: [alt-ed-india] New Here

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here, though living in The Netherlands. The reason I have joined is
to become more familiar with the variations of "home education" practiced in India.
I learned of this group via the "Alternative Education in India" web site which is
linked to the "Altlearn Map"

I will include a signature which describes that project, and look forward to sharing
perspectives on "Natural Learning"

Sincerely, Kent Eaton
(founder A.L.O./S.A.L.)

"Altlearn Map"
More than a link site!
www.alternative-learning.org/international/international.html/
A worldwide "Natural Learning" network, linked by map.

A work in progress of the "Alternative Learning Organization"
http://www.alternative-learning.org/
Click on the globe and follow the maps to your country, state or
province, to see links for that area.

Linking by map;
"Natural learning" "home based learning***" and "unschooling"
organizations and support groups, which have no
political or religious affiliation.
***not to be confused with school at home, though we do recognize often
school at home, homeschooling is a step in the process to unschooling
and "Natural Learning"

If you like this idea and would like to be help, please add a link to us
on your site, and tell people what we're doing.
Comments, suggestions, questions and ideas are welcomed.
TIA, altlearn@ alternative-learning.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate. The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational questions, to learn together, to share, and to support those who are home educating. If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to: alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com There are associated web pages at: http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with others who live nearby. list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com **********************************************************************

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate. The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational questions, to learn together, to share, and to support those who are home educating. If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to: alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com There are associated web pages at: http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with others who live nearby. list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com **********************************************************************

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (4)

#29 From: "jinankb" <jinankb@...>
Date: Mon Feb 10, 2003 11:52 am
Subject: Re: New Here jinankb
Offline
Send Email

De- intellectualizing knowledge.

We must seek for knowledge that will sustain and continue life. The egocentric knowledge after the 17^th century increasingly destroyed other forms of life. To the westerner to know means to conquer to control. But for the indigenous people to know means to be blessed. Knowledge was always sacred which helps in sustaining and continuing life.

Indigenous and traditional communities have created knowledge that ensures the sustenance of life on the planet not just for the Europeans and their pets. But for all forms of life. Knowledge in Natural learning process is like a sprouting seed. The way people build their settlements; adults deal with life has biological element. This is seen in the way various game children play in villages. All meant to make them true learners. There are games for sensitizing all the senses, balancing of the body, planning, and coming to know of the life and environment around them. This biological element is visible even in their sense of beauty.

I call this the natural learning process. Just as a tree bends to access the sunlight or a bird looks for an appropriate place to lay eggs.

All forms of life access this knowledge for sustaining life.

This knowledge has a biological element and is generated from the experience of authentic living and intuition in the tool for accessing this knowledge. Reason is used well with in the framework of wisdom, which prevents the creation of destructive knowledge.

This knowledge is the truly scientific, holistic and objective knowledge, as nobody owns this knowledge.

Western knowledge can be called reason knowledge as opposed to the intuitive knowledge of the traditional communities which most of our grandparents possessed.

Holistic knowing is a result of intuition. Intuition is possible only in experiential process where the whole being is involved. And only in Natural learning process experience itself becomes the context for learning. Authentic living is learning. Modern Education has shifted the center of knowledge from Nature to human, from collective to ego, from heart to intellect/mind, from intuition to reason, from experience to information. From holistic to compartmental. The effects of the modern education on the individual are compartmentalization, Alienation, Intellectualization, Conceptualization etc. The Larger and more dangerous effects of modern education on the planet are that we have destroyed its ecosystems, finished non-renewable wealth, made extinct many animals, plants etc.

The worst pollution is the pollution of words and concepts and books. Knowledge evolved out of experience is meaningful and is within the context of living. But the concepts created from abstraction are endless and most often meaningless.

One culture talks about self-expression where the other has selfless expression. One uses non- –renewable resources for living where as the other use renewable resources. One 'plans' their doom through there "efficient planning and management" and the other plan for eternity.

Human centered knowledge can not become holistic. Only by accessing the natures knowledge which is accessed by all life forms can there be holistic knowing. This knowledge is also evolutionary and has a biological element to it. The only way to access this knowledge is to de intellectualize and listen deeply and honestly to experience. Deeper and authentic experience can evolve deeper knowledge.

Holistic knowledge is not a matter of more information, sensitive or other wise. What is required is a qualitative change. Budhist master Milerappa says that spirituality is the last ploy of the mind. Modern education and the culture it has created have generated more than enough words and concepts to play with and to continue to dodge the real questions.

We must find ways to move out of the modern educational system and the knowledge it propagates because it will only lead us to our doom. We need to de-intellectualize our present knowledge to start engaging in holistic knowing and intuitive knowledge.

----- Original Message -----

From: altlearn@...

To: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 2:45 AM

Subject: [alt-ed-india] New Here

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here, though living in The Netherlands. The reason I have joined is
to become more familiar with the variations of "home education" practiced in India.
I learned of this group via the "Alternative Education in India" web site which is
linked to the "Altlearn Map"

I will include a signature which describes that project, and look forward to sharing
perspectives on "Natural Learning"

Sincerely, Kent Eaton
(founder A.L.O./S.A.L.)

"Altlearn Map"
More than a link site!
www.alternative-learning.org/international/international.html/
A worldwide "Natural Learning" network, linked by map.

A work in progress of the "Alternative Learning Organization"
http://www.alternative-learning.org/
Click on the globe and follow the maps to your country, state or
province, to see links for that area.

Linking by map;
"Natural learning" "home based learning***" and "unschooling"
organizations and support groups, which have no
political or religious affiliation.
***not to be confused with school at home, though we do recognize often
school at home, homeschooling is a step in the process to unschooling
and "Natural Learning"

If you like this idea and would like to be help, please add a link to us
on your site, and tell people what we're doing.
Comments, suggestions, questions and ideas are welcomed.
TIA, altlearn@ alternative-learning.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate. The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational questions, to learn together, to share, and to support those who are home educating. If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to: alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com There are associated web pages at: http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with others who live nearby. list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com **********************************************************************

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (4)

#28 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Fri Feb 7, 2003 10:41 pm
Subject: The web site alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com jevans@...
Send Email

Hello Everyone

Since I developed the web site alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com. (which of
course carries details of how to join this group) it has been hosted for
free by a friend in Australia, who has the domain aardvarkglobal.com.

As he has other domains registered, he would like to relinquish this one,
which implies a change of URL for the website (maybe). I have been thinking
over the options, and would like to present them to the group for their
opinion and comment.

1) Take over the registration of aardvarkeglobal and keep the URL unchanged.

2) Use of my friends other domains (free of charge)
     a)aardvark.biz
     b)aardvark.com.au.
These don't seem suitable names to me.

3)Register another domain entirely. Some ideas are:
alt-ed-india.org
alternativeeducationindia.org
homeeducationindia.org
etc etc

That is assuming these domains are available. The old domain still has 2
months to run, so if we started a new one soon, a redirection could be
posted at alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com

So please give me your comments. I am not very experienced in IT, and some
of you may have better ideas.

Regards
Clive

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#27 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Wed Feb 5, 2003 7:22 pm
Subject: Re: Introduction from Prashanth jevans@...
Send Email

Hello Prashanth

And welcome to this group.

I am concerned that you were searching for months and didn't come across
this site. When I search for "home schooling India" in Google it shows up as
forth listed. It used to be first, in fact. I wonder why you couldn't find
it?

Good luck on your home schooling when you return to India, and I am sure if
we all put some time and energy in we can create dynamic home educating (my
preferred term) networks in India. I feel this group is a good base for
that, I get a slow stream of enquiries, but it needs to be backed up with
some advertising other than the net. As I no longer work in India, this is
difficult for me to do.

Warm regards

Clive

----- Original Message -----
From: <prashvis@...>
To: <alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 4:24 AM
Subject: [alt-ed-india] Introduction


>
>  Hello All,
>
>  It is after months of searching / surfing, I found a group interestd
> in Home Schooling in India. My wife Shobana and I homeschool our kids
> in Ann arbor MI. We are relocating to India in May 2003. We will be
> settling in Tiruvannamalai about 3  hours from Chennai. As Mrs. Ahmed
> mentioned, we believe in experience based education as well. We plan
> on Homeschooling our kids in India. I know that it will not be as
> amicable as in the US, but we surely want to try.
>
> Please share any experiences, groups etc.
>
> Thanks
>
>  KRGDS
>  Prashanth
>
>
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home
educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all
those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate.
The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational
questions, to learn together, to share, and to  support those who are home
educating.
>
>
> If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the
Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india
>
> To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to:
alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com
>
> If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe
by sending an email to:
> alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> There are associated web pages at:
> http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com
>
> Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data
base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with
others who live nearby.
>
> list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com
>
> **********************************************************************
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>

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#26 From: "prashvis <prashvis@...>" <prashvis@...>
Date: Wed Feb 5, 2003 3:26 pm
Subject: Re: any home educators in Bangalore? prashvis
Offline
Send Email

Hello Clive,

  We will be moving between Bangalore and Tiruvannamalai. My father
lives in Bangalore. Please let me know if there are other home
schoolers in Bangalore

  KRGDS
  Prashanth

--- In alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com, "Clive Elwell" <jevans@t...>
wrote:
> Hello Everyone
>
> If there are any families home educating in Bangalore, or any
contemplating
> home educating, or if you know of any such, would you contact me?
>
> Regards
> Clive Elwell

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#25 From: "prashvis <prashvis@...>" <prashvis@...>
Date: Wed Feb 5, 2003 3:24 pm
Subject: Introduction prashvis
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Hello All,

  It is after months of searching / surfing, I found a group interestd
in Home Schooling in India. My wife Shobana and I homeschool our kids
in Ann arbor MI. We are relocating to India in May 2003. We will be
settling in Tiruvannamalai about 3  hours from Chennai. As Mrs. Ahmed
mentioned, we believe in experience based education as well. We plan
on Homeschooling our kids in India. I know that it will not be as
amicable as in the US, but we surely want to try.

Please share any experiences, groups etc.

Thanks

  KRGDS
  Prashanth

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#24 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Wed Feb 5, 2003 1:49 am
Subject: any home educators in Bangalore? jevans@...
Send Email

Hello Everyone

If there are any families home educating in Bangalore, or any contemplating
home educating, or if you know of any such, would you contact me?

Regards
Clive Elwell

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#23 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Wed Feb 5, 2003 1:02 am
Subject: Re: (unknown) jevans@...
Send Email

Yes Indeed, education has much more meaning when it is born of direct
experience, and when it is seen as relevant to a child's life.

If you get a satisfactory answer to your original enquiry, please share it
with the group.

Warm Regards

Clive


----- Original Message -----
From: <ahmed9522@...>
To: <alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 9:00 AM
Subject: [alt-ed-india] (unknown)


> I truly appreciate your replies, thank you, Mr.Clive & Mr.Ashok.
>
> Yes, Ahmed is my husband.
>
> My girls refuse to go to 'regular school' even though (!!) our
> families have been running 'quality' schools & universities in
> southerrn India for the last 4 decades. It's the entire atmosphere -
> heavy with obsolete teaching methods. We travel extensively, HK,
> Europe, the US, etc. We choose to teach our children via first hand
> experience - meet the people, culture, cuisine instead of just
> reading about it through subjective eyes.
>
> Thank you once again. God bless.
>
>
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home
educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all
those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate.
The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational
questions, to learn together, to share, and to  support those who are home
educating.
>
>
> If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the
Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india
>
> To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to:
alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com
>
> If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe
by sending an email to:
> alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> There are associated web pages at:
> http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com
>
> Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data
base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with
others who live nearby.
>
> list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com
>
> **********************************************************************
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>

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#22 From: "lovehomeschooling <ahmed9522@...>" <ahmed9522@...>
Date: Tue Feb 4, 2003 8:00 pm
Subject: (No subject) lovehomescho...
Offline
Send Email

I truly appreciate your replies, thank you, Mr.Clive & Mr.Ashok.

Yes, Ahmed is my husband.

My girls refuse to go to 'regular school' even though (!!) our
families have been running 'quality' schools & universities in
southerrn India for the last 4 decades. It's the entire atmosphere -
heavy with obsolete teaching methods. We travel extensively, HK,
Europe, the US, etc. We choose to teach our children via first hand
experience - meet the people, culture, cuisine instead of just
reading about it through subjective eyes.

Thank you once again. God bless.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#21 From: "Ashok Vijayvergiya" <infuse@...>
Date: Fri Jan 24, 2003 4:28 am
Subject: Re: Hello there! ashokvijyave...
Offline
Send Email

How about MaxPot? I am attaching the essentials below.

----- Original Message -----

From: lovehomeschooling <ahmed9522@...>

To: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 12:33 AM

Subject: [alt-ed-india] Hello there!

I bumped into your great site as I was searching for homeschooling options in India. I currently homeschool my children here in the US.I'm from Madras and hope to return there soon. I would greatly appreciate any ISP - Independent Study Programs out there. Much regards!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate. The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational questions, to learn together, to share, and to support those who are home educating. If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to: alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to: alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com There are associated web pages at: http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with others who live nearby. list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com **********************************************************************

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

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#20 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Thu Jan 23, 2003 10:58 pm
Subject: Re: Hello there! jevans@...
Send Email

Hello, Ahmed, is it?

Welcome to the group.

I personally cannot advise you on "ISP"'s. I have never found it useful to
home-educate using programs, it seems destructive of the mutual enquiry
which to me is a crucial part of education. Perhaps others can help you. It
might be useful if you explain more fully what you are looking for.

I am the initiator of "alt-ed-india", although that was a few years ago, and
I have tended to leave it, and the group, to tick over by itself. I was
hoping to give it more publicity by writing articles for
newspapers/magazines, but I no longer work in India. I am in New Zealand in
fact.

Anyway, if you come across any information that you consider useful, please
share it with the group.

If there are any others who have joined the alt-ed-India group, but haven't
made them selves known, why not introduce yourselves; send an email.

Regards to Everyone
Clive Elwell

----- Original Message -----
From: <ahmed9522@...>
To: <alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 8:03 AM
Subject: [alt-ed-india] Hello there!


> I bumped into your great site as I was searching for homeschooling
> options in India. I currently homeschool my children here in the
> US.I'm from Madras and hope to return there soon. I would greatly
> appreciate any ISP - Independent Study Programs out there.
>
> Much regards!
>
>
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> This mailing list is primarily for the use of families who are home
educating in India, and those who are considering doing so. However, all
those with a deep interest in serious education are welcome to participate.
The list's intentions are to facilitate enquiry into fundamental educational
questions, to learn together, to share, and to  support those who are home
educating.
>
>
> If you have a web-based subscription, you can learn more about the
Alternative Education in India group, and view the archives, by visiting:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alt-ed-india
>
> To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send emails to:
alt-ed-india@yahoogroups.com
>
> If you do not wish to belong to home_educating_india, you may unsubscribe
by sending an email to:
> alt-ed-india-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> There are associated web pages at:
> http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com
>
> Here you can if you wish add yourself to the local contact groups data
base, which is to enable members of the group to make personal contact with
others who live nearby.
>
> list owner: home_ed_india-owner@yahoogroups.com
>
> **********************************************************************
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>

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#19 From: "lovehomeschooling <ahmed9522@...>" <ahmed9522@...>
Date: Thu Jan 23, 2003 7:03 pm
Subject: Hello there! lovehomescho...
Offline
Send Email

I bumped into your great site as I was searching for homeschooling
options in India. I currently homeschool my children here in the
US.I'm from Madras and hope to return there soon. I would greatly
appreciate any ISP - Independent Study Programs out there.

Much regards!

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#18 From: altlearn@...
Date: Mon Dec 16, 2002 11:25 pm
Subject: ad>Nanda's "Unschooling Adventure" al_org
Offline
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Hello Everyone,

Nanda,  and family  left the Netherlands and moved to the USA to be able to
un-school their children.  She wrote 'An Unschooling Adventure'  and
continued to write related articles
as, the "Unschooling Adventure" Series, which appears weekly on the
"Alternative Learning Organization" website

It's about their un-schooling life; what they do and don't do and why it
works for them.
If you have not read these, now is a good time to be inspired.
Just on line today: "Strong Personalities"
http://www.alternative-learning.org/ale/us-series.html

Kent

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#17 From: altlearn@...
Date: Thu Dec 12, 2002 8:36 pm
Subject: News & Things Scotland al_org
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Hello All,

We just posted an interesting perspective regarding a large organization "helping with HE",
but with doubts about sincerity of its efforts and those it is supposed to assist.
To find out nore just go to our main page http://www.alternative-learning.org/ click on "Update/News & Things" and follow the links as far as your interest takes you

Kent

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#15 From: altlearn@...
Date: Tue Dec 3, 2002 9:15 pm
Subject: New Here al_org
Offline
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Hello Everyone,

I'm new here, though living in The Netherlands. The reason I have joined is
to become more familiar with the variations of "home education" practiced in India.
I learned of this group via the "Alternative Education in India" web site which is
linked to the "Altlearn Map"

I will include a signature which describes that project, and look forward to sharing
perspectives on "Natural Learning"

Sincerely, Kent Eaton
(founder A.L.O./S.A.L.)

"Altlearn Map"
More than a link site!
www.alternative-learning.org/international/international.html/
A worldwide "Natural Learning" network, linked by map.

A work in progress of the "Alternative Learning Organization"
http://www.alternative-learning.org/
Click on the globe and follow the maps to your country, state or
province, to see links for that area.

Linking by map;
"Natural learning" "home based learning***" and "unschooling"
organizations and support groups, which have no
political or religious affiliation.
***not to be confused with school at home, though we do recognize often
school at home, homeschooling is a step in the process to unschooling
and "Natural Learning"

If you like this idea and would like to be help, please add a link to us
on your site, and tell people what we're doing.
Comments, suggestions, questions and ideas are welcomed.
TIA, altlearn@ alternative-learning.org

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#13 From: "geoff probert" <geoff@...>
Date: Wed Aug 14, 2002 4:45 am
Subject: Design and Technology for home education gdprobert
Offline
Send Email

I am managing director of a company writing web-based educational material aimed at Design and Technology which we are beginning to licence into schools.

This material may be of value also to those of you who are educating their children at home, particularly as it uses simulations to get around the problem of buying lots of equipment.

You are welcome to browse as UseName: guest Password: guest at www.purpletiger.com/sch_technology

Regards,

Geoff Probert

Teacher and Director,

Transilk co Ltd.,

Thailand

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#12 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Tue Jul 16, 2002 9:03 am
Subject: To Maryann jevans@...
Send Email

64 Ryburn Road

RD4 Hamilton

New Zealand

ph: 07-8566523

E-mail: jevans@...

12 May 2002

Dear Mary-Ann

I was a member of staff at "Centre For Learning", India, in 2000/2001, when Bill Taylor visited the school. I was a joint coordinator of the junior school in fact. At that visit Bill passed on to us - Radhika Neelakanthan, the other coordinator and myself - a letter written by you, asking Bill to put certain questions to junior school teachers. I have always intended to respond to you. In fact I have recently returned from a visit to India where I "retrieved" your letter from Radhika.

Some of the questions concerned curriculum and timetable matters, which I won't attempt to respond to. For one thing I no longer teach there, and such issues are generally in flux. It is one particular question which has remained with me all this time, concerning an issue which is somewhat more eternal. You asked about the sacred in Education.

I have found myself pondering this many times since I saw your letter - in fact long before that time. Apart from a couple of teaching spells at schools in India, I have always home educated my two children, and probably I have been concerned with similar issues as you are, issues that are central to the existence of Brockwood, I imagine. However, I'm not saying that I'm particularly "qualified" to answer your question. Indeed, I'm not sure that any past experience whatsoever is a help in considering this matter. I have no pat answers.

So what is "the sacred"? I presume we can put aside what the so called organised religions have to say on this, with their rituals, their prayers and sacrifices, as being irrelevant to this enquiry? As far as I can see, such things have not really put people in contact with the sacred, after thousands of years of trying. Can we also put aside any regular practice of "meditation"? That is not so clear, although such things play no part in my life. Given that, I ask again, what is the sacred? And can it be encouraged in others, in children and indeed in ourselves? I have to ask, do I have a sense of the sacred?

I doubt if it is anything anyone can possess, as such.

I would like very much a non-theoretical answer for myself, that is, to actually touch the sacred.

I think at times I have equated, approximately, imprecisely, a sense of the sacred with enquiry (not necessarily a purely intellectual enquiry). Well, there may be a correlation between these things, and if so we need to ask if enquiry can be encouraged, nurtured, in children. That seems within the bounds of possibility, in various ways. And the nurturing is helped by the fact that children seem to be born with an enquiring spirit - but that is so easily bruised or destroyed.

Then there arises the question "can enquiry be curricula - ised", as it were. Perhaps you can tell me if this has been attempted at Brockwood, and if so, how.

I would say - very tentatively - that enquiry must somehow permeate all one's interactions with a child - in a genuine way, not artificially. If there is not at least a spark of it in the teacher, it is hard to see how it can be encouraged in the child.

There is so much to go into, impossible in a letter!

Does it help to examine the lives of those in the past who, it is claimed, were actually in touch with the sacred? The Budda, Jesus, various Indian "saints", etc. This would be close to the classical religious studies of conventional schools. I tried this with my son when he was 15, The process was not a success, he just wasn't interested; it seemed to have no relevance to his life. But I won't draw any conclusions from this little experiment. And perhaps your question is more concerned with younger children - is that the case? Then maybe the reading of stories about great religious figures may have a value, though probably it would be difficult to find suitable texts. Perhaps greater value might be found in discussions after the stories. But I can see that a danger might lie in making the idea of the sacred rather distant from our everyday lives. Making it into an idea in fact.

I pause, and ask myself again, what is the sacred? It seems that the only possible answers are negative ones - what it is not. Can we say clearly that it is not contained in the field of knowledge, of thinking, memory, words? Would you accept that? If we work from that basis, where are we? It seems to imply that the whole of conventional education is not concerned with the sacred at all. Is that fair?

So I ask, is it possible to encourage children, and myself, into an area which is somehow outside of thinking and knowing? Outside of measurement, of comparison.

Looking, seeing, listening and learning. Are these the things we need to be concerned with? I see no other portals into the unknown - and surely the sacred is in the realm of the unknown?

It may be that God is trying to speak to us whenever the wind rustles the leaves, wherever the rain falls on the Earth, or a stream pursues its path to the river. The sacred might be all around us, but how can we know it is there if we cannot see it, or listen to it?

As you may have gathered, this letter is more than just (what a strange word that is) my replying to your letter. It is also part of my own enquiry, my investigation. It is perhaps an ingathering of perceptions, old and new, an ingathering perhaps, prior to letting go. What I will do is type this out and put in into the mail on the understanding it is probably episode one. I probably won't have the leisure to continue for a week or so.

How to explore seeing, listening, and learning with children and ourselves, as a possible entry into the sacred? Knowing there is no path to follow. It is an enormous topic, and I don't know a more important one. I hope we can go into it together.

With warm regards

Clive Elwell

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#11 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Wed Jan 9, 2002 8:19 am
Subject: testing jevans@...
Send Email

test message

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#10 From: Clive Elwell <home_ed_india@...>
Date: Tue Dec 18, 2001 11:11 am
Subject: school and young children home_ed_india
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Dear Suseela

Thank you for your comments on my article.  They were
especially interesting to me, coming as they do from
your experience with preschool and young children.

Yes, there is a large body of research that suggests
that forcing a young child to learn to read and write
at too early an age is actually very detrimental to
their development. The young brain is just not ready
for it. Apart from the wider implications, the early
start often does not even succeed in its limited
intentions -  the early impetus often falters at an
older age.

Reading your letter, I realised that when considering
the harm that school can do to children,  I generally
focus on psychological and emotional harm - damage to
their minds.  But you are quite right to mention the
damage done to their developing minds, as they are
made to sit at desks and tables for long periods, in
stuffy classrooms, with admonitions to "sit still and
concentrate on your work".  Yes, this is entirely
unnatural for developing children, who are much more
physical than intellectual.  Small wonder that so many
children grow up with "behavioural problems".  Again,
I have come across scientific research in this area
which has quantified very definite damage to
children's overall development, by the physical
straitjackets they are put in.

One factor that I can definitely comment on is the
damage done to children's eyesight by such a lot of
"book work".  Have you noticed how many young children
wear glasses  these days?

Suseela, you talk about the sacrifices the parents who
home educate might have to make.  In one sense that is
true. And yet doing what is right, doing what is
necessary and appropriate in life, is not really a
sacrifice. Or I would say it is only the inessential,
the unimportant things that are "sacrificed" and one
is left better off after letting go of these things.

Probably if home educating is going to lead the
parents into a sense of resentment, into regretting
what they have had to give up, it is better not
attempted in the first place.

I would welcome further participation in discussion
from you on the mailing list, but I know that your
teaching work keeps you fully occupied, and you rarely
have access to a computer terminal.

Kind regards

Clive


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#9 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Sun Dec 9, 2001 1:28 am
Subject: Clive's Article - Clive's reply to Arati jevans@...
Send Email

Dear Arati

Thank you for your comments on my article (http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com/article.html). I reproduce them below. They are exactly what I wanted, to start off a discussion on these issues. And I value your Indian perspective because although I have spent some time in India, and have taught there, I know my everyday experience of the country is limited.

Of course a good physical environment, including natural space, is very important for children, and it is something that is very much lacking in many of the cities of the world, not just India. But do you feel that in general schools provided a good, spacious environment for children? The answer, I suppose, depends on the school. Certainly CFL has succeeded admirably in this aspect, and the KFI schools are also outstanding. But in general? I don't have enough experience to make a definitive statement here, I presume more expensive schools have rather better physical environments than others. But one thing is clear to me, 30, or 40, or 50 or more children spending longer hours sitting crammed up in desks in a classroom ( no matter what the decor) does not constitute a healthy physical environment.

You mentioned the difficulties of commuting within a city and after travelling in Bangalore I certainly appreciate that! The pollution, the noise, the chaos is horrendous (unfortunately or fortunately, I don't know, people "get used to it" that is, become insensitive to it). But I would have thought that the commuting would be a strong argument against having to attend school, rather than a problem specifically for home educating, when one doesn't have to make the trip to the school, which may not be at all close by, ten times (or is it 12?) each week. As home educators, or even as part of a home educating network, the choices are one's own, are they not? - to travel or not, when to travel, how often, etc.

You say that filling a whole day at home is difficult. I have to say this is not my own experience. The children, not having been conditioned into dependency on teachers, not having their basic enthusiasm for life seriously damaged by dreary lessons at school, are over brimming with ideas on how they want to spend their time.

Also, when parents know that the child's life is going to centre on the home rather than the school, naturally they will put a lot more energy into providing an appropriate space for learning, with interesting material for the children (with some of the money saved on school fees?!). Of course I know that many people live in very inadequate dwellings. But what is preferable - a " concrete cubicle" like you mention, where a child feels secure, where he or she is nourished by the care and affection of his parents, or a school, which may be materially well equipped but where the child's emotional sensitivity is generally trampled upon?

This issue of the importance of a wholesome, natural environment for children. Like you, I do feel it is tremendously important. You and I are both fortunate in this respect - and yet I'm not sure it has been a matter of fortune or luck in my case. Because I have seen the importance of it, I have naturally given it priority in my life, putting aside other, non-essential things.

Arati, I have absolutely no problem with the idea of setting up "small, non - formal, educational systems". This is obviously an intelligent and natural way to go. Let two home educating families get together, a third becomes interested..... this is how good "schools" grow organically. And in such a process there is tremendous learning to be had. With such groups, while they are small, it is natural that they should function from someone's home - this is how CFL started, was it not? I think many good schools have started in this fashion.

I can appreciate that anyone contemplating home educating for the first time, or withdrawing their child from mainstream education, may feel pretty apprehensive, imagining all sorts of difficulties. Whether one acts or not will mostly depend on how strongly one feels about one's children's welfare. I think if there is a clear perception that some action is needed, that one's children are being seriously damaged at school, then the passion to carry things through will not be lacking. And then the difficulties one may experience will not overwhelm one.

Once again, thank you for your comments and I look forward to your reply

Best wishes

Clive

(December 2001)

*********************************************

Here is Arati's original letter:

Dear Clive

I think one of the major pitfalls in the Indian context is going to be the

lack of physical and natural space for the kids to grow up in. As my sisters

remark when they visit us at IISc - that if their kids had enough nature and space then

they invariably play (and learn) even if left to their own devices. However, in their homes (concrete cubicles) keeping them happy is a major challenge, especially if TV is not allowed. They can read, play boxed games, be persuaded to try crafts, painting etc. - but filling a whole day is difficult. Their social environment (on Mumbai streets) colours their imagination in fairly violent ways so they play games of toys killing each other, toy cars and motorcycles destroying in collisions...etc. In fact these two nephews trekked with us in Nepal with their GI-joes (is that how they spell) in their pockets making sounds of machines guns and colliding motor cycles.

The other point that occurred to me was concerning the social aspect. Even if home schooling networks could be set up commuting within the city would be horrendous - either for networking or children participating in outside activities that they might want to enjoy. Further, I feel that skill building is not the reason why many parents might want their children to be part of a larger group learning process-

I think its mainly the exposure to diverse interests, viewpoints, talents, backgrounds that a group can in principle provide.

I would agree that in absence of any alternative to a mainstream education system. home education might be the safest recourse, but within the Indian context I still feel it might be better to set up more small non-formal educations systems (like CFL, Poorna, Vikasana...) than to go about it alone at home.

Looking forward to remaining in touch.

Best Wishes,

Arati

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#8 From: "Arati" <jevans@...>
Date: Sat Dec 8, 2001 12:56 am
Subject: your home educating article jevans@...
Send Email

Dear Clive

I have read the article on home educating on website alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com/article.html

Here are some comments from me on it

I think one of the major pitfalls in the Indian context is going to be the

lack of physical and natural space for the kids to grow up in. As my sisters

remark when they visit us at IISc - that if their kids had enough nature and space then

I think its mainly the exposure to diverse interests, viewpoints, talents, backgrounds that a group can in principle provide.

Looking forward to remaining in touch.

Best Wishes,

Arati

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#6 From: "Suseela Kumaravel" <suseela_kumaravel@...>
Date: Thu Dec 6, 2001 1:36 am
Subject: Clive's article - some comments from Suseela suseela_kuma...
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Dear Clive

I have some responses to your article on home educating, "Home Educating- an option for you?"

In India many, almost every child, that is sent to school at the age of three is taught to read and write. They are often made to sit at a desk in a small room. But for the young child play is the most important work; movement is a natural way to be. Can parents understand that much of the damage is then done before the age of six? No wonder the child has an aversion for learning thereafter. This point I feel needs to be driven home, even if parents are not able to home educate, can they at least not send their children to school before they have turned at least five+, preferably six?

On page 2, you list the fears that may arise. You seem to have forgotten that in many middle-class families in India both parents go to work to make ends meet. I suppose to be able to home educate, at least one parent should be with the child. It could be pointed out that the enormous school fees could be saved by not sending the child to school, and therefore it may not be necessary for both parents to work.

Being totally responsible for one's child might demand certain sacrifices on the parents part - perhaps this should be pointed out.

In India, I don't think lack of socialisation can really happen, one always meet up with cousins, friends, other children etc.

Warm regards

Suseela

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#4 From: "Clive Elwell" <jevans@...>
Date: Tue Dec 4, 2001 3:49 am
Subject: up and running jevans@...
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The web site at http://alt-ed-india.aardvarkglobal.com/index.html is now up and running. I wouldn't say it was complete; work can continue in an ongoing sort of way, in various directions. More information can be gathered and presented, more links found. I really want to emphasise that this is not a one-man affair, I hope very much that others will participate and help in its development.

I hope people are not put off by the newness of it all; by the fact that there are hardly any people who have joined the list yet, hardly anyone in the database. These are very early days. The web site is still not listed by any search engines. In any case, I do not think we should be concerned with mere numbers. I don't think about significant change in the world has ever been brought about by mass movements - people may disagree.

I think what is important is to ask ourselves if we are serious in an attempt to bring about a change in education. And in ourselves. If our actions are right, they will have their own effect, not to be judged by mere numbers.

Clive Elwell

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