For Disha India, learning is...
Learning is real
Students work on real life issues of their local communities. Experiences from the local context of the child serve as a source of teaching and learning. It helps children understand their community better, and makes learning real, authentic and exciting for children.
Learning is active
When student work on real-life issues of their community, it not only help them understand their community and its challenges better but also empower them to take responsibility for it. They experience and learn how to make a difference in their community. This makes them active citizens.
Learning is authentic
Students working in/for the community have authentic purpose and audience for their learning. They work on real issues.
They can see how their work will make a difference in the community. It engages them and makes them responsible for their learning and its outcome.
Learning is doing
Children work with their hands. They do things. They experiment with new ideas. Children work with real artisans on real problems and in the process they experience craftsmanship, self-reliance and conservation. They create with hands and experience possibilities and abundance.
Learning is challenging
Real life is complex. It does not work linearly. It is connected and there are loops within loop. It is dynamic. Children experience true challenge when they work on real-life problems.
Learning is collaborative
Children work together as a crew and take shared responsibility for the
outcome. Working in crews enhances their capacity to learn and create.
Learning is connecting
While learning children see connections. They connect the present experiences with the previous knowledge. They make new connection. Leverage for growth and change lies in connections.
Learning is public
Children share their learning with community members. This not only validates the usefulness of their knowledge but also helps the latter understand the teaching and learning process in schools. This engages the community in school and bridges the gap between school and society.
Learning is immersion
While learning children get completely immersed in the experience. They flow with it. This helps children in figuring out and making sense of the world around.
