Deschooling Workshop

Deschooling Workshops :

RIPeducation is happy to announce its new Deschooling Workshops. This initiative has been taken to expand the work beyond internet and online community and start working on the grounds. Please go through following FAQs to get an idea about the workshops. For any further details, please write to us at ripeducation<a t>gmail<dot>com. We look forward to your support and encouragement.

Question 1: Why these workshops ?
Response : Mass education and factory schooling is here to stay for sometime. Inspite of all efforts by alternative educationist and all educational reforms, schools remain as ineffective and harmful as they used to be. While it is important to look for alternatives, we feel it is also equally important to work with(rather against) the system. Is it worth waiting till all schools are alternative, while most of don't even have agreement on the meaning of "alternative education" in the first place. We need start with what we have and where we are.

We have experienced that there are many good educators are in our present system, we have seen that students are capable of understanding and acting courageously. We have found many schools that are ready to dare beyond mediocre and challenge the status quo. These workshops will try to open a window for such schools, students and teachers.

Question 2: What are the objectives of these workshops ?
Response : Certainly not to convert anyone to any ideology. These workshops do not intend to create any strong opinions or change other's view. All these workshops intend to do is to pose questions, start discussions, encourage dialogues, facilitate changes and raise awareness about issues with our schooling system.

Question 3: Who is this meant for ?
Response : Teachers, Administration, Students and Parents. However, the approach and content for each will have to handled differently.

Question 4: How will the workshop be conducted ?
Response : Workshop will not be lecture oriented. It'll use variety of tools like constructivism, active learning, creative dance and drama, group discussions, role plays, movie/music appreciation to engage the group with the questions of schooling and its relevance to society.

Question 5: What is the duration of the workshop ?
Response : Ideally, the basic workshop will be around 10 hours. It will be spread over number of days. We recommend at least 3 days. Additionally, one day prior (Prep Day) to workshop will be for understanding the target school. This is important because, each school is unique in its own way and to have an effective approach it is essential to understand the existing culture. You'd need to allow us to attend classes, go through notebooks/works of students and teachers, meet teachers individually or in group during this day. The workshop commences the next day.

Question 6: What is the cost of workshop ?
Response : The workshop is free of cost, however the institute/audience is requested to support our expenses (travel, stay and food).

Question 7: What kind of travel,stay and food you expect ?
Response : Very basic. Sleeper class train, local buses, stay in guesthouse/hostels or budget hotels and local food will all be very much welcomed with gratitude.

Question 8: What can one expect to gain at the end of the workshop ?
Response : A basic understanding of pros and cons of current education and schooling system. Exposure to current ideas of alternatives in education system. New and fresh perspectives on old ideas. Become a part of network of progressive education network.
Students will be better equipped to choose their future path of education and will be more ready to deal with schooling process.
Teachers will get ideas on how can one teach without schooling students. This could be the beginning of a new journey on becoming a better teacher and a better human being.
Administration will be better positioned to take future course of the school. They will be better equipped to take decisions and apply meaningful reforms in schools.

Question 9: What happens after workshop ?
Response : We can help you organize advanced workshops if your team is interested in going deeper into the questions and ways to answers. You become part of our family which will allow you to expand your network and learn more.

Question 10: Can you give some clear idea of what this workshop might be like ?
Response : Workshop will include intense discussion and debate on questions like " What is meaning of intelligence? ", "What is the aim of current education system ?" , "What is the relationship between schools and society ?" . There will be screening of movies related to education like - "Schooling the world", "2 million minutes" or " Tare Zameen par". (depending on the context and our observations on the "Prep day")

Question 11: What are some of the ideas that we will come across in the workshop ?
Response : Deschooling, Alternative education, Environmental education, democratic education, Nai taleem, vision of educationalists like John Holt, J Krishnamurti, Gijubhai Badeka, Ken Robinson. Introduction of ideas of Systemic thinking and Biomimicry in education. Constructivism, activity based learning, self study modes, education for heart and soul.

Question 12: What is the need of "Prep Day" ?
Response : One size fits all is the core schooling philosophy. Deschooling workshop does not adhere to it. We take each workshop, each group of participants differently. We need to know who they are, what are they doing, what are their challenges, world views and aspirations before we can talk to them about deschooling or any relevant subject. This is why "Prep Day" is very important. We spend one entire day in school trying to get a pulse of various things. Ofcourse, no one can understand everything in one day, but it does give us a broad idea to customize and tailor our workshop content and delivery mode in order make it more meaningful and effective.

Question 13: I like your workshop idea and wish to be a part of the team, is it possible ?
Response : Absolutely. We would love to have you with us. Just write to us.

Question 14: Why is the workshop free of cost ?
Response : First of all, its not totally free as the organizer usually takes care of our expenses. We just don't charge for our labor and time, which we consider as our contribution to the educational movement, our tiny bit in trying to create a better world.

Question 15: What if after the workshop, we find the workshop useless for us ?

Response : This is Quite Possible. We will respect your experience and accept our failure at it. In lieu of wasting your time, we will not charge you anything at all and bear our own expenses of travel and stay as well. We shall offer you our sincere apologies and only expect your critical feedbacks.

Question 15: Who are the facilitators ?
Response : Shashi Bhushan Singh will be the facilitator and there could couple more facilitators which will depend on the place/availability/dates. Shashi is a learning activist. He is a blogger, school teacher, educational consultant. He is an electronics engineer and MBA by education. He chose to walk out of corporate life and unsustainable lifestyle to work in education sector in India. He now engages with various schools and learning societies in order to deepen the dialogues in educational reforms.

Question 16: I still have some questions. What do I do ?
Response : Just write to us at ripeducation<at>gmail<dot>com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

To read more about deschooling, please try following links :-

http://www.21learn.org/site/archive/deschooling-our-humanity/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deschooling

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-illic.htm