##### What is the handbook? In this handbook we present learnings and reflections from our eight year journey working with over thousand children in oppressed communities across South India. The examples and ideas presented in this handbook are not a prescription of what to do. We strongly believe that each community and learner is different and our hope is to stimulate discussion on different approaches in education, grounded in principles of equity and democracy. Whether you're a learner, a learning facilitator, a researcher or a philosopher we urge you to reflect on your own experiences and create your own truth. We welcome any and all feedback particularly those that challenge our notions and ideas so do write to us if anything comes to mind. Best, Team Vismaya Kalike ##### What is the purpose of education? Before we proceed further we must first understand what is the purpose of education - Paulo Freire education as a means of liberation - Education to provide happiness for children - Progress for humanity The philosopher Gert Biesta posits that education serves three interconnected purposes: - qualification (acquiring knowledge and skills), - socialization (integrating into culture and society) - subjectification (developing agency as a unique self in the world) ##### Why do we need to explore new approaches? No matter what view you take on the purpose of education it's safe to say that the current system is failing - - Inequities and how the current system reproduces them - hegemony etc. - The design of the current system to produce factory workers - AI and digital technologies creating even more extreme outcomes and divides - Eric Hanushek - “If we look at all the inventions in the past, they’re complementary to the high-skilled people and substitutes for low-skilled people.” - Children are not enjoying - philosophically touch on happiness Touch on Freire's work here as well. Education as a means for liberation. ##### So what kind of approaches will help? Coming back to the three Biestan purposes. We believe that there needs to be a better balance between the three. Right now it's a lot of qualification and very little socialisation and subjectification. Particularly agency has not been built at all. Talk about why agency is super important and why we think it's going to play a critical role. ##### What is agency? Need to find a bunch of papers and provide a robust definition of agency here and how to define it. ##### So how do you propose that we develop agency? Through open, joyful and self-determined learning spaces. ##### Are you suggesting that children stop going to school? It's hard to challenge the system particularly as the world continues to emphasise qualification. The best approach as of now is to explore self determined spaces in the after school setting. ##### What is an after school learning center? Enter Vismaya Kalike - explain what a ViKa centre is. The rest of the handbook will go into how to develop a Vismaya Kalike learning centre. Particular emphasis on community and situating within it. ##### Who can come to the learning centre? - Emphasis on openness - Seeding with the most marginalised - Mixed aged groups and openness ##### Why is community so important? ##### How do we get started? - Identify space - Space design - Community walks - Partner organisations - Identify facilitator - What is a facilitator - Who can be a facilitator - Support system around - Volunteers - Parents and community - Suggested material list ##### How do we get children to come? - Play play play play ##### Why is play so important? ##### What are some activities that can be done at the learning center? - Link to book of wonder ##### Is it just all play? Are qualification and skills not important at all? - Of course they are but not at the cost of the other stuff ##### So how do i build qualification in self determined spaces? - Children are only playing not doing anything else - Worksheets and learning material ##### How do i know that vika is happening? - Some pushback/activity in the community - Children are talking about their learning and brining friends - Stops feeling like a job and you enjoy going to the centre ##### How do i measure progress? - Field Notes - facilitator and coordinator - Children feedback / presence - Children portfolios - Coordinator reports / observations ##### What safety measures do i need to take? ##### How can we support our facilitators? - Training and workshops - Support groups and discussions ##### Fractal theory - vika happens at all levels not just with children ##### Other missing stuff - Field trips - Programmes - Parent meetings - Action research and Participatory action research