Evolution of Rushikul Ideology
The inspiration for the Rushikul ideology came while going through the book, ‘How to teach your baby’ written by Dr. Glenn Doman which enabled me to pickup the essence of learning. I realized two clear messages from the above books:
Learning is most joyful, while examinations are most detrimental. Exams suck the joy out of learning, and push one to a point where one literally avoids learning and begins to hate it.
It is only when the teacher (giver) enjoys teaching that the student (taker)can enjoy it. If the teacher does not enjoy teaching, the student cannot enjoy the process and learn well.
These two fundamental and important revelations gave me an insight into the world of learning (education), and enlightened me and inspired me to start a school based on love and freedom for my own child. This experiment led to a path of enjoying and exploring learning. The love of the teacher for the child and towards teaching turns into love for learning, and freedom turns into wisdom; here ,we took away the focus from exams, and placed much importance on understanding of the concept.
Simultaneously, the quest for real education led me to give utmost importance to ‘thinking’. Encouraging children’s curiosity and inquisitiveness along with their aptitude for thinking ultimately results in their increased intelligence, a fact which has been totally ignored by the conventional Education system. This fact forms the fundamental principles of our school. This is what gave birth to ‘Rushikul’.
The amount of joy on a child’s face is the measure of how well he is learning, or getting a grip on what is being taught. At this tender age more than teaching, nurturing love and interest for learning is important. The realization of this single fundamental truth put me on the path of education. Besides, I am a deep thinker myself: I could foresee the extensive damage that the present education system would do to children. I found the system as, following many unnecessary things. I also observed how unconsciously we slip into burdening. I was fortunate that there was enough courage in me to bring my conviction to fruition. It was my good fortune that I got some conscious and aware parents who were open to understand the gravity of it and ready to entrust their precious children in my hands.
The real four pillar are Rushikul ideology are joy, love, freedom and interest. It is not just on paper but on the actual floor.
Joy is our first priority, and it starts with joy of teaching from teachers, which results in joy of learning in students. And children get on board to a joyful journey that nurtures much love for understanding the concept. ‘Understanding’ is the knowledge you possess and accompanies you every moment and stay with you forever. Focus on understanding and learning becomes joyful.
Love is our second pillar; love for children with utmost care of their emotions, runs in the veins of Rushikul and the teachers, which results in love of learning as well as love for everyone and everything. Yes, Rushikul kids love everything and everyone; this is the real magic achieved at our school.
Freedom is in the air of Rushikul Vidyalaya. Though not done consciously, this freedom is felt every moment by our students. This makes them tremendously powerful from within and gives them a different kind of joy about their own existence (vajood). This makes them thinkers: intelligent, clear and maybe wise, too. These invisible horns and tails in their body are felt by all of us teachers and parents who are in close contact with them.
The fourth pillar is child himself (child’s interest and likings). It simply means, who is the real boss? Not me, not you, child is the boss. If we have to decide anything what to do? Whom to ask ? Whom to listen? Simply, child’s unsaid words, feelings.
Children may not always express themselves in words, but if we pay attention, we can hear every beat of the sounds of their wishes, likes, areas of interest etc. at every age. If we can hear this and pay heed to this, we can become the best parents and the best educationists on the planet. I would like to state with pride that all of us teachers at Rushikul Vidhyalaya are masters at this.
– Raju Dharod,
Mentor of Rushikul Vidhyalaya
Author of Nurturing A Born Genius