This question made everyone think quietly for a moment. Many people believe that talks about bodies and growing up only begin when children become teenagers. But the truth is, we are born with bodies that are special and natural.

From a very young age, children are curious about their own bodies — just like they are curious about their hands, feet, or how their voice sounds.

What can make this natural curiosity difficult is the feeling of shame or silence around it. In many families and schools, people feel uncomfortable talking about bodies. Because of this, children sometimes learn to hide their questions instead of asking them openly.

Many of us assume that conversations about bodies and growing up only begin during puberty. Yet we are reminded that we are born with bodies, and a natural curiosity about them appears from early childhood. As children grow, this curiosity evolves — becoming more conscious during adolescence.

What often makes this natural process challenging is not the curiosity itself, but the shame and discomfort we attach to it. Much of this comes from cultural silences and the way adults sometimes find it difficult to talk openly about these topics.

This is where the principles of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) become valuable. CSE helps children and young people develop a healthy, respectful, and informed understanding of their bodies, relationships, and personal safety. At its core is respect — for one’s own dignity and for others — and the belief that knowledge brings confidence and empowerment.

As the conversation deepened, it became clear that these ideas reach far beyond a single topic. They connect with our values, our sense of self, the way we relate to one another, and the power dynamics present in families, schools, and society.

Dr. Saxena brought a biological and evolutionary lens that helped make many aspects of growing up clearer. One important thread was our relationship with our bodies. In daily life, casual comments about appearance — height, skin tone, weight, or looks — are very common. Over time, these remarks can lead children to tie their sense of worth too closely to how they look.

This led us to reflect on the question:
“What happens when our worth becomes closely linked to our appearance?”

We considered how this association can quietly affect self-esteem and body image. The session gently invited us to move toward a wider understanding of self-worth.

A helpful idea here was the bell curve. For traits like height or looks, most people fall in the broad middle range, with only a few at the extremes. Nature thrives on diversity and variation rather than striving for one perfect ideal. Rigid labels are often human creations.

The conversation then turned to the feelings that arise during adolescence. Puberty brings physical changes as well as new emotional experiences — those familiar sensations of excitement, shyness, or being lost in thought when someone catches our attention. These shifts are a normal part of development.

During this time, it becomes especially important to talk about boundaries, consent, and personal values. Young people need safe spaces and the right language to understand and navigate these new feelings.

The session also addressed some topics that can feel uncomfortable, framing them as natural parts of growing up without judgment.

To help create a culture of respect, the session clarified some of the language young people often encounter today:

• Sex refers to the biological characteristics assigned at birth — male, female, or intersex.

• Gender identity is a person’s inner sense of being a man, a woman, both, or neither.

• Sexual orientation relates to who one feels emotionally or physically drawn to.

The discussion emphasised respect for every individual’s personal journey and the importance of autonomy in matters of identity and expression.

Throughout, the value of open communication stood out — not the kind that demands immediate answers, but the kind that creates safety for sharing. Adolescents are more likely to speak openly when they feel heard rather than questioned or dismissed. Their experiences matter deeply to them, even if they seem small to adults.

One practical suggestion was to create a “value contract” together — a shared understanding of what matters most, such as respect and kindness — that can be revisited during moments of difficulty. In such times, restorative practices can help shift the focus from blame to reflection, accountability, and repair.

The session also touched on power dynamics in relationships. While values like respecting elders are foundational, the session explored how to combine that respect with open communication so that children feel safe speaking up if they are uncomfortable.

Power can be used to nurture qualities like empathy, resilience, and courage. Drawing from the idea of multiple intelligences, we were reminded that every person brings different strengths, all valuable to a thriving community.

Finally, the conversation returned to safety. Simple frameworks like “No-Go-Tell” remain powerful for children. Yet what matters most is the ongoing conversation.

Are we truly tuned into the lives of our children?
Are we creating spaces where they feel heard?
Are we being honest and open in our interactions with them?

Comprehensive Sexuality Education is not a one-time discussion. It is an ongoing journey of trust, openness, and reflection for all of us.

Further Resources (Click/tap) :

• Enfold Trust Website

• Demystifying Sexuality Playlist

• Leave a follow-up question here

Light up a candle in a hall of mirrors, one flame would reflect infinitely, symbolizing how we are all connected. This interconnectedness is a reminder that our individual actions contribute to the collective experience of happiness and suffering worldwide. It is with this fundamental acknowledgment that we started our journey of purpose (community) projects.

But aren’t we too small to bring a big change? Logically, our learners asked. Our learners reasoned themselves; every action, no matter how minuscule, can affect others in ways we may not immediately see.

Just as a butterfly's wings can influence a tornado's path, our actions contribute to the larger tapestry of existence.

With this understanding, our learners in Grades 6 to 9 and 11 embarked on Purpose Community projects. As facilitators, we felt that this will be the opportunity to understand what they observe as the pressing problems of the world. For us, this was the opportunity to build courage to solve complex problems around us. With faith in the process of creative interaction, we began. We were helped in steering the projects by one of the parents in our community Deep Jyoti bhaiya.

During the majority of the last five months, learners had been exploring the issues through observations during OLEs, or interactions with the diverse community at school. A wide and deep exploration ensued that they could define the problems they wished to solve quickly. We pushed back to provide evidence that these problems existed, to which they brought in surveys, interviews and pictures. Over the last leg, they developed prototypes to show how they will solve the problem. The learners have developed solutions that can first be implemented at school as well as in their homes, and then expanded to the larger community.

Problems Our Learners Picked Up

Grade 6 students felt strongly about the issue of ‘pollution’, specifically, that caused by the dumping of food waste (anaerobic decomposition). They believe that simple steps can go a long way in solving a large-scale problem. They therefore started with the composting of organic waste at school.

Organic waste, in particular, accumulates in landfills and produces methane gas. Composting can help reduce, reuse, and recycle organic waste. Reflecting on the effectiveness of their action, many students have volunteered to set up composting pits at their homes as well. Guiding their solution-building process was the enterprise project of Grade 10 students who have set up auto-segregating bins powered by technology.

“Urban Water Scarcity” is an issue that troubled Grade 7 students the most when they went to their OLE at Dehradun, where they saw local efforts in conservation. They realised that just because they do not encounter this problem does not mean that it does not exist. They understand their privilege and also recognise that if they do not act, they may soon become its victims too.

To explore the problem further, they researched global statistics on water cleanliness and shortage. They also attended a talk by one of Prakriti parents, Bhawna didi, who works with the Piramal Foundation. She shared her experiences from her field visits to rural areas and how access to potable water is a challenge there.

The solution the students wanted to offer was one that builds on existing solutions, and their exploration led them to the Jaypee Sewage Treatment Plant in Noida. Here, water is filtered and made reusable for landscaping, industrial processes, and groundwater recharge. Realising that water is the most overused yet essential commodity, the students thought of minimising its use. They therefore proposed the idea of ‘waterless toilets’. They learnt that such toilets are used while travelling or camping. They have concluded their research and have built a prototype to show the maintenance of these toilets. Their plan is to build a stationary waterless washroom at the school. They have also built a model for it. As an immediate next step, they will test its feasibility and explore the logistics involved.

Grade 8 students offered a diversified range of solutions to quite a few pertinent set of problems linked with pollution. Some of them identified with plastic waste as a continuing big problem and the need to promote biodegradable crockery, paper and cloth bags. One group came up with creating and distributing paper bags to replace the conveniently available plastic bags. They plan to provide these self-created bags for carrying stationery and light books. They also made paper mâché bowls that can replace plastic bowls. They now want to test their usability in the school dining area for serving snacks.

Another group saw inorganic detergents contributing to pollution in a big way. They set out to test bio-enzymes and homemade chemical-free washing soaps. Once again, they have developed interesting prototypes and have committed to producing enough to sell at school.

One of the groups focused on rabbit care. They have spread awareness within the school community on how to handle rabbits if and when required. They are also researching their other needs, such as nutrition and safety. The larger goal is to make people empathetic towards animals, and not just rabbits in general. A small group of learners is also working on social discrimination.

Grade 9 students aim to provide solutions to common problems faced, particularly by the underprivileged. They are working towards providing low-cost solutions to reduce air pollution, reducing illiteracy, and preventing common diseases in the nearby village areas and creating employment by upcycling clothes.

Their approach is all about community outreach and interaction to bring behaviour change. They believe that interacting one-on-one at the ground level and conducting awareness campaigns will lead to greater acceptance. They are now building campaigns that will incentivise people to change their behaviour.

While working on their projects, the students have been mindful of the fact that to solve problems at a national or global level, they first need to address local issues.

Therefore, they have offered solutions that are simple, pragmatic, yet effective. They have faith in their vision and in their actions.

Grade 11 learners have already identified developing critical awareness in under-privileged students about potential risks to lives- cyber-crime, bullying, abuse, sexual and substance abuse. We have already written about it. Click here.

Gearing up..

We, as facilitators, are inspired to see an intensity in their work for the local community, whether as schools, neighbourhoods or villages around us in Noida. We are gearing up to support them in testing their ideas and driving social change, as they return in April.

Through the ‘Nourishing Futures’ project, our school terrace (Grades 3–5, with facilitators and Mahender Bhaiya, our in house gardener) has become a vibrant winter tapestry: colorful edible flowers (nasturtiums, marigolds), hardy root vegetables, lush leafy greens, and herbs that fill the air with mint and basil. What began with humble seeds and shared intention now teaches us something deeper: every small garden is also a mirror.

It reflects the choices we make every day — the food we buy, the waste we create, the convenience we sometimes choose over consciousness.

This isn’t just a garden; it is a living classroom practicing “Alive Farming” — a philosophy that sees soil not as dirt to exploit, but as a complex, breathing community to cherish.

A Lesson in Coexistence: We Don’t Grow Alone

Our children are discovering a simple, profound truth: to grow food is to enter a sacred partnership with nature. In a world that often treats us as masters of the environment, the terrace gently reminds them to be humble collaborators.

A diverse cast now calls this space home.

Pollinators — bees and butterflies dancing between flowers, showing that even the tiniest creature carries outsized responsibility.

Underground engineers — earthworms turning scraps into “black gold” (vermicompost), proving the beauty of quiet, unseen service.

Sentinels — local birds arriving with song and natural balance, teaching that a healthy system welcomes everyone, from sky to subsoil.

By nourishing the soil first, the soil nourishes the plants — and us.

This cycle of reciprocity whispers: you cannot take from the Earth without first giving back.

The Journey of Nurture: Patience in a Fast World

Watching a seed push through soil as a fragile sapling remains a quiet miracle. In an age of instant everything, the garden refuses to be rushed. Growth demands consistent care, attention to nutrition, and real compassion.

Children learn to “read” leaves — spotting thirst, mineral hunger, or crowding — turning nurturing into a form of moving meditation. Through this, they build emotional intelligence: all living things thrive when truly seen, understood, and respected.

The Ethics of the Harvest: Treating Food as a Gift

Harvesting here is never grab-and-go; it becomes a ritual of mindfulness. We practice selective harvesting — taking only what we need today so the plant continues giving tomorrow. This small discipline teaches:

Sustainability — respecting resource limits.

Gratitude — honoring the energy in every radish or spinach leaf.

Zero waste — turning imperfect shapes or stems into broths or compost.

When a child brushes soil from a bright orange carrot they helped grow, the pride and wonder are palpable. This is food that feels truly clean, pure, and earned.

From Terrace to Table: Intuitive, Seasonal Nourishment

The journey continues in our terrace kitchen, where science, creativity, and ancient wisdom meet in “Intuitive Cooking”:

Follow your gut — “What does this herb smell like with the beet’s sweetness?” Children create chutneys, dressings, stir-fries by instinct, building body awareness and confidence.

Hyper-seasonal — Menus follow sun and rain; eating in-season delivers peak flavor and nutrients exactly when the body craves them.

Bio-availability & Ayurveda — We blend modern nutrition (fats for vitamin absorption) with warming spices (ginger, turmeric for digestion), always keeping meals delicious — because joy is the first step in nourishment.

Grounding Our Thoughts — and Our Choices

Hands in soil bring a unique calm (science calls it the microbiome-gut-brain axis; we simply call it grounding). After time on the terrace, the classroom feels quieter, more present. Students aren’t just growing vegetables — they’re growing themselves, realizing they belong to a vast, interconnected web that flourishes through harmony.

Yet the garden also asks bigger questions:

When did we start seeing food as something that begins in supermarkets rather than soil?

Why does waste feel like it disappears when there is no “away”?

Are we growing convenience… or consciousness?

Small Ripples, Living Impact

If one school terrace can become a sanctuary, imagine what happens when the awareness spreads:

A pot of coriander on a windowsill reconnects a family to life cycles.

One compost bin keeps peels from becoming landfill.

A single native flower feeds bees for weeks.

One mindful, seasonal meal shifts habits for life.

One child who touches soil and watches insects can quietly influence parents, siblings, and neighbors.

Change doesn’t need grand gestures — just consistent, kind ones.

Participation, not perfection.

Nourishing Our Futures

When we grow, cook, and share food in rhythm with nature, we do more than feed bodies — we nourish futures. We raise Earth-Stewards who know planetary health and personal health are inseparable.

As the sun sets over the terrace, the scent of fresh mint, basil, and damp earth lingers. Every seed planted is both a vote of confidence in tomorrow and a gentle promise: to consume less carelessly, waste less thoughtlessly, live more consciously.

From seed to soul, this journey is about growing food — and growing awareness. It reminds us that we belong to the Earth… and the Earth belongs with us.

One leaf, one choice, one child at a time.

We are grateful to our farming team of Harpreet Ahluwalia, Aastha Mishra, Suhasini Pandey & Mahender Bhaiya) for enthusing our learners all the way.

The harvest from our farm.

When I was first told to make the baton, I didn’t assign it to one of my learners. Usually, we do as that’s the culture. If something needs to be built, it becomes a student project. A shared process and a learning opportunity.

But with boards approaching and final exams in full swing, everyone was already stretched. And somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, this baton quietly became mine.

IDEATION

With the days getting warmer, I took my sketchbook outside and sat in the subtle winter sun. The shade of the tree above me moved gently with the wind. I began sketching.

When your school is called Prakriti, you cannot hand over a plastic cylinder as a Baton. Can you?

Prakriti means nature. I looked around me. The ground. The light. The branches above. And I kept coming back to one form.

‘A tree.’

We had some old tree branches kept aside in the school’s maker’s lab. At Prakriti, we don’t throw things away. Things wait. And they return in unexpected ways.

I picked up one branch and began sketching ideas around it.

But then doubt crept in.

Is a baton a tree?
What baton looks like this anyway?
Where do the leaves go?
How will it be held?
Is this symbolism overtaking function?

I had to return to design. So I observed the tree again. Not leaf by leaf — but as layers.

If you stop looking at leaves as individuals and begin seeing them as clusters, you notice something interesting. There are layers. Some big, some small. Some in light. Some in shadow.

And suddenly it made sense. Our learners are like leaves — individual, distinct.

Yet they grow in bunches. In houses. In friendships. In classrooms. They form layers.

A canopy, a family…

Yes... That’s it.

Hmm. Now to the design.

THE DESIGN

I built layers into the canopy. Big curves. Smaller overlaps. Depth.

Now the real question — How do we get our little leaves on? Our learners.

Well… let’s write their names.

Yes. All 350 of them!

I made a quick cardboard prototype and walked straight to our leaders — Shilpa didi and Sushmita didi.

They looked at it, They paused, They liked it…

‘Approved.’

I floated back to the D&T lab like a victorious architect who had just secured funding for a national monument.

And then reality entered the room. I have to execute it!

EXECUTION

AHHHHHHHHH.

Three hundred and fifty names.

What was I thinking?

That’s when the scale of it hit me.

At around 3:30 pm, alone in the lab, staring at my screen —
I did briefly question my life choices.

One by one, I opened the school database.

Ctrl + C… Ctrl + V… Spell check… Re-check…

“Is it Aarav with one ‘a’ or two?”
“Wait… is this Grade 4 or 5?”
“Why are there so many Vihaans?”

At one point I genuinely felt like I was preparing a voter list.

But something strange happened. The names stopped feeling like data entries.
Each one carried a face… A voice… A memory.

The Arjun who runs like the wind.
The Vihaan who sketches in the margins.
The one who forgets their shoes.
The one who will hold this baton one day.

And suddenly, 350 didn’t feel like a burden. It felt like a canopy.

I converted the canopy into vectors. Clean lines. Measured curves. Ready for laser cutting and engraving into acrylic.

Oh no… The acrylic!

I had completely forgotten about the acrylic.

Cue mild panic.

I opened Amazon at the speed of regret and ordered sheets on Prime. Next-day delivery. It was Tuesday. I needed everything ready by Wednesday.

Because Wednesdays are special.

On Wednesdays, my Design & Technology learners and I go to Design Village in Noida.

The Design Village is a college right in the heart of Noida that feels like an extension of Prakriti. It carries the same warmth — where design is not taught as a backup plan or a corporate ladder, but as a way of thinking, questioning, and making sense of the world.

They have very kindly opened their makerspace to our learners.

And on that Wednesday, they opened it to our tree.

With freshly delivered acrylic sheets and files nervously double-checked (and triple-checked), I got the canopies laser cut and engraved there.

The machine hummed… the names appeared… one after another.

All three hundred and fifty of them.

Stacked neatly. Transparent. Fragile. Real. I brought the pieces home like treasure.

Now came the part to assemble it.

Glue gun, Jute thread & Patience.

One by one, the acrylic canopies found their place. Layer over layer, they began forming a whole.

And somewhere between balancing hot glue and aligning edges, my five-year-old joined in.

He was fascinated, he held pieces, passed me the glue stick.
Looked closely at every engraved name.

“Mama, where am I ?” as he too is part of the Prakriti family.

He scanned the layers carefully, searching.

That moment shifted something.

If he was this excited to find his name, I could already imagine what would happen in school.

Learners rushing forward, fingers tracing letters, calling out to their friends —
“Look! There’s yours!”

The baton was no longer just a design object. It was becoming a mirror.

THE STAND

Now the stand. The baton needed somewhere to rest. Not just be placed — but arrive.

We needed something dramatic. Something that could hold a top-heavy tree without wobbling under pressure.

Back to the sketchbook.

I drew… And drew… And drew.

The baton idea had come easily — under a tree, on a sunny afternoon.

The stand?

The stand demanded engineering. Angles. Weight distribution. Base width. Centre of gravity. This one stretched into the night.

With the final specs ready, I went back into the makers lab and built it.

Any free slot in my day, I would rush down from the second floor to the basement workshop.

Cut… Drill... Adjust... Test... Repeat.

A few days of this — in between classes, meetings, and everything else — and the stand was ready.

Solid, balanced, steady. Ready to hold a tree that would run.

THE BATON

Finally, at the Sports Day

This phrase is oddly familiar to many of us. For some, it may even bring up a mental image—along with a feeling of shame, guilt, or the sense that something needs to be hidden or covered up. Often, embedded within this is a quiet message: there is something wrong with my body.

These feelings are not innate. They are the result of the meanings we absorb as children through the explicit and implicit messages given by adults and society. Many of us grew up surrounded by cues that suggested the body, especially its sexual aspects, is something to feel awkward or ashamed about.

This mapping is largely socio-cultural. Had we grown up in a no-clothing tribe or in closer alignment with the natural world, these associations would not exist. As adults, this means many of us are on a journey of unlearning, so that we do not unknowingly pass this baggage on to our children. Yet, while unlearning, we often feel unequipped to talk to children about our bodies and sexuality, and the discomfort quickly surfaces.

Acknowledging Adult Discomfort

Our own beliefs, experiences, and discomfort as adults inevitably shape how we speak—or avoid speaking—with children. While we may not have all the answers, keeping Personal Safety Education principles at the center will help us communicate with honesty and discernment.

Breaking the cycle: Replacing the silence and discomfort of our own upbringing with the warmth of honest, age-appropriate connection. (Illustration generated with AI assistance).

When schools and families work together, children receive a consistent message: your body is yours, your feelings matter, and you are allowed to ask questions and seek help.

Why Comprehensive Sexuality Education Matters in Schools

Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is not about introducing children to adult concepts of sexuality. At its core, it is about helping children understand themselves—their bodies, emotions, relationships, and boundaries—in a way that is respectful, age-appropriate, and grounded in safety.

The “Whole-Child” Approach: This illustration shows how Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is about more than just biology—it is a framework for emotional safety, healthy relationships, and self-awareness. (Illustration generated with AI assistance).

From early childhood, children begin forming ideas about their bodies, gender, relationships, and what is seen as “acceptable” or “shameful.” When schools do not provide accurate, calm, and age-appropriate information, children often fill these gaps with confusion, fear, or messages picked up from peers, media, or even silence.

Children and adolescents naturally turn to adults and peers to talk about things that confuse or intrigue them. During adolescence, even as young people seek more independence and privacy, they continue to look for trusted adults to talk to. Teachers, counsellors, and other school staff are often easier for them to approach. A school that is informed by Comprehensive Sexuality Education creates space for these conversations, grounding them in respect, responsibility, and personal safety.

Importantly, CSE supports personal safety education. When children are taught correct body names, the concept of private and public boundaries, the right to say no, and the ability to seek help from trusted adults, they are better equipped to recognize unsafe situations and speak up.

Concrete tools for empowerment: A visual guide to the core principles of personal safety that help children recognize boundaries and seek help confidently. (Illustration generated with AI assistance).

Research consistently shows that children who receive age-appropriate sexuality education are more likely to report discomfort or abuse, and are not less protected.

Seen this way, CSE naturally aligns with Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). Skills such as self-awareness, emotional regulation, decision-making, communication, and respect for others are central to both SEL and CSE. There are other cultural contexts around these discussions and CSE enables us to have these authentic conversations without disturbing these contexts. When integrated thoughtfully, CSE strengthens a child’s emotional literacy and sense of self rather than standing apart as a “special” or uncomfortable topic.

Integration Within the School Curriculum at Prakriti

At Prakriti, sessions on CSE are generally conducted during circle time or are integrated with science. Following an incremental curriculum, concepts are introduced gradually and revisited as children grow—through stories, classroom discussions, life skills lessons, health education, and everyday interactions. This allows children to learn in ways that feel natural, safe, and relevant to their developmental stage.

International curricula, including the Cambridge framework, emphasize learner well-being, personal development, relationships, and responsible decision-making through subjects and cross-curricular themes such as well-being, PSHE-aligned learning, and global citizenship. While the terminology may differ, the underlying values—self-understanding, safety, respect, and emotional competence—are strongly aligned with the principles of CSE.

In this sense, Comprehensive Sexuality Education is not an “extra”—it is a vital part of raising children who are self-aware and align themselves to safe practices.

(Credits for the illustration: https://enfoldindia.org/)

For further information you can refer to:

• Bal Suraksha App – Information on preventing and responding to child sexual abuse.

• Surakshith App – Personal safety guidelines for children aged 6–18 years.

• A video on how to talk to children about personal safety

• PPT on development of sexuality in children and adolescents

• Follow-up question form – If you still have questions after reviewing these resources please submit them here.

• Enfold Proactive Health Trust – This website has many PPTs, videos, writings on themes related to sexuality.

Learners were invited to create a sculptural work responding to a single prompt: Tree of Life. The conditions were clear—the sculpture had to be made entirely from waste and discarded materials and had to be at least 3 feet tall.

This limitation was not presented as a restriction, but as a starting point. It asked learners to think beyond form and aesthetics, and to engage with ideas of regeneration, responsibility, and transformation—not only in concept, but through material itself. What could a Tree of Life look like when built from what society throws away? What stories could emerge when waste became the medium?

From this prompt emerged The Life Altar—a collaborative, interdisciplinary exploration where process, philosophy, and material choice became inseparable.

Learners share their journey building the “Tree of Life Altar” from recycled waste.

Process: From Idea to Meaning

The process began with a blank canvas. Learners started by brainstorming what Tree of Life could mean, moving beyond the familiar image of branches and growth to consider how life branches into choices, actions, and consequences.

This shift in thinking gradually led to conversations around dharma and karma—not as fixed ideas, but as reflections on responsibility and consequence. As these discussions deepened, the concept of the altar evolved into a two-sided form, allowing the sculpture to hold multiple perspectives within a single structure.

Learners spent time reflecting on what dharma might mean in the context of their own lives, and what consequences—intended or unintended—may arise from human action. This reflective phase became central to the making process.

Is this not the role of art—to pause, to question, and to reflect? Through this project, learners discovered that art is not only about creating an object, but about telling a story that invites reflection. If the artist does not reflect, the viewer is unlikely to do so. And if an artwork does not create space for reflection, its purpose risks being diminished.

With the intention clearly set, learners moved into the finer details of the work. Together, they identified and listed smaller sculptural elements that could embody the reflections and ideas emerging from the larger concept.

This marked the point where the real challenge began—translating philosophy into tangible form. Moving from thought to material required careful experimentation, decision-making, and revision. Art & Design classes shifted from discussion and planning into hands-on exploration, where ideas were tested through making.

Each learner selected an aspect of the narrative and began developing it individually, contributing a distinct voice to the collective sculpture. Through this process, learners experienced how meaning is not simply imagined, but built, shaped, and refined through material engagement.

A concept sketch was then made culminating all our thoughts into the Altar idea.

Why Narration Became Central

From the outset, it was clear that the sculpture could not exist as a static object. The theme Tree of Life demanded more than form—it required meaning that could unfold, be read, and be experienced over time. This naturally led us to place narration at the core of the work.

As conversations around narrative began, we realised that we did not need to look far for inspiration. Instead, we chose to go deeper into our own roots. Exploring Indian folk and tribal art traditions revealed ways of thinking about art not as isolated imagery, but as layered storytelling—where symbols, patterns, and figures carry memory, belief, and lived experience.

We were particularly drawn to Sohrai art, a tradition deeply rooted in nature and cyclical ways of living, where narration is embedded in rhythm, repetition, and symbolism. Rather than replicating the style, it became a point of inspiration—allowing us to develop our own visual language and narrative vocabulary. These traditions do not explain; they suggest, repeat, and accumulate meaning. This approach aligned closely with the intention behind The Life Altar: to allow viewers to move around the sculpture, encounter different moments, and construct understanding gradually.

To retain the visual language of folk art, we drew from Warli art, reinterpreting its two-dimensional triangular human forms in three dimensions. Using egg cartons, these simple shapes were transformed into sculptural figures, allowing flat symbols to gain volume while remaining rooted in folk aesthetics.

Rather than illustrating a single story, the sculpture was conceived as a narrative space—one that holds origins, the present, and the possibility of renewal within the same form.

Material as Philosophy

The requirement to work entirely with waste materials became a defining philosophical anchor. Materials were not chosen to imitate permanence or polish, but to reflect transformation and regeneration.

Paper mâché emerged as the primary medium due to its adaptability and symbolic resonance. Made from waste paper, it allowed learners to build volume, texture, and surface while remaining lightweight and responsive. The repetitive acts of layering, drying, repairing, and rebuilding mirrored the ideas embedded in the sculpture—of cycles, patience, and change.

What was discarded was not hidden, but reclaimed and reimagined, reinforcing the idea that renewal is both material and conceptual.

From Structure to Surface: The Making

The physical making of The Life Altar began by looking closely at what already existed. Learners explored the school basement in search of reusable materials, remaining open to discovery rather than following a fixed plan. A discarded structure from a previous school event emerged as the perfect armature—sturdy, tall, and adaptable. It was cleaned, repaired, and reinforced to form the backbone of the sculpture.

Old cardboard boxes were used to create branching elements. The intention was never to imitate a literal tree, but to create branching spaces that could later house smaller narratives. One side of the structure was designed to feel upright and stable, while the other was intentionally heavy and drooping, reflecting imbalance.

One of the most labour-intensive stages followed. Learners tore kilograms of newspaper by hand, soaking the fragments over the weekend before beating them into pulp. This slow, repetitive work demanded patience and endurance, allowing the pace of making to slow and create space for reflection.

Achieving the right consistency for such a large batch proved challenging. While online resources and AI tools offered some guidance, they fell short at this scale. The most valuable insights came instead from within the school community. Maali Bhaiya, the school gardener, along with other ground support staff, shared practical knowledge rooted in artisanal generations where paper mâché techniques were learned through practice rather than instruction. Their expertise proved invaluable.

With this shared knowledge, Multani Mitti (Fuller’s Earth) was added to create a strong, workable paste. Layer by layer, the pulp was applied to the armature, transforming fragile waste into a unified, resilient form. Drying took time—especially in the cooler winter weather—introducing natural pauses into the process.

Detailing and Narrative Painting

While the main structure dried, learners shifted focus to individual sculptural elements. Waste aluminum foil, often used to cover food, became lightweight armatures for delicate forms such as fish bones and skeletal structures. These were reinforced with paper mâché, each piece developing its own identity.

Once assembled onto the branching base, the elements came together cohesively. Narrative painting followed, clarifying the two movements of the altar. Scenes of harmony with nature were contrasted with images of imbalance and excess. A man fishing on one side is mirrored by a fish consuming the human on the other, suggesting reversal and consequence. The birth of a child appears alongside skeletal remains, reminding viewers of shared physical realities beneath all lives. Vehicles, pollution, and crowded forms disrupt the surface, while circular motifs echo cycles of life, death, and regeneration.

Through painting, individual stories were bound into a single visual language that could be read gradually, from multiple viewpoints.

Collaboration and Making

The Life Altar was realised through close collaboration between Art & Design and Design & Technology learners, where structure and surface evolved together. Design & Technology learners ensured stability and balance, while Art & Design learners focused on sculptural detailing, painting, and narrative cohesion.

As the project progressed, learners took increasing ownership of both process and outcome—often working beyond class hours, including weekends and late evenings. Through collective decision-making and sustained commitment, the sculpture evolved through making, discussion, revision, and reflection, embodying the very cycles it seeks to represent.

What is our version of the Tree of life Really About

The Life Altar is an altar one can move through, not just observe. One side reflects life in balance with nature, while the other reveals a reality shaped by overconsumption, speed, and consequence. As viewers walk through the space between these two worlds, the sculpture creates a pause—an invitation to reflect on the choices we make and the consequences they carry. At the top, the metamorphosis of the caterpillar reminds us that life continues in cycles, that change is inevitable. Yet within this ongoing flow, responsibility remains. The altar asks a quiet but persistent question: what are we here for, and what is our dharma within the cycle of life?

Our recent journey with the Grade 7 and 8 learners at a debate competition hosted by Shiv Nadar School, Noida, was one such time.

Competing against nearly 30 teams from across the Delhi-NCR, our middle graders stepped into a space very different from the ones they are used to. At Prakriti, we consciously try to move away from competitive environments that pit learners against one another or invite constant comparison.

And yet, we often find ourselves wondering — how do our learners carry themselves when they step outside this familiar, nurturing ecosystem? What happens when they encounter pressure, opposition, and judgment in unfamiliar spaces?

Dialectic Dash — an annual debate competition organized by Shiv Nadar School, Noida for middle graders — offered us a window into these questions.

The Weeks Before: Preparing the Ground

The weeks leading up to the competition were filled with energy, curiosity, and quiet courage. As a facilitator, it was heartening to watch learners stretch themselves — some cautiously, some with surprising boldness. Their willingness to learn, unlearn, and practice was unmistakable.

We began with a skill module on public elocution and debate, grounding our work in the art of discursive learning and the power of dialogue — where speaking became a way to think aloud and listening became an act of learning.

Learners explored the pillars of persuasive language — logos, pathos, and ethos — and gradually moved into understanding how arguments are built, how rebuttals function, and how ideas are strengthened through evidence.

Warm-up discussions started light: What is the best color? What is the strongest natural element? What is the most useful piece of clothing? These seemingly simple questions opened doors to structured thinking, reasoning, and respectful disagreement. From there, we moved into debates closer to their lived realities — Should teenagers have personal devices? Should learners choose their own subjects? — inviting research, multiple perspectives, and deeper inquiry.

Eventually, learners encountered the structured format of the Asian Parliamentary Debate — the format used at Dialectic Dash. For many, this was their first experience with debate as a formal mode of expression. Alongside technique, they learned something just as important — how to give and receive constructive feedback with openness and grace.

Practice sessions became collaborative spaces. There were moments of hesitation and moments of breakthrough. Some learners struggled to find their voice; others learned to slow down, organize their thoughts, and speak with intention. Peers listened, challenged ideas respectfully, and encouraged one another. The spirit of the middle school corridors felt alive with thinking.

Stepping Into the Arena

The competition space felt alive with nervous energy — a place of seasoned speakers, sharp rebuttals, and thinking on one’s feet. And yet, our learners rose to the occasion with remarkable composure. They listened attentively, responded thoughtfully, and spoke with a confidence that had been carefully built over weeks of preparation.

What stood out was their composure. Even during heated exchanges, learners remained respectful and grounded. They accepted feedback with maturity and held themselves with authenticity. Their arguments were not rehearsed performances; they were rooted in personal experience, reflection, and real-life connections.

This authenticity did not come by accident. Our learners are accustomed to contextualized learning — questioning why something happens, connecting ideas to the world around them, and critically decoding information rather than memorizing it. During debates, this showed clearly in how they unpacked motions, examined assumptions, and engaged thoughtfully with opposing views.

Outcomes, and What Lay Beneath Them

All our teams cleared the first knockout rounds, with one team advancing through every round. Among 30 teams, our learners made it to the top eight — an achievement worth celebrating. But beyond results, it was the learning beneath the podium that lingered.

What intrigued me most was how present our learners were throughout the experience. After intense rounds, their first instinct was not to dwell on outcomes, but to share observations and questions.

“Didi, did you notice what they did just now?”
“Why do you think they framed that argument that way?”

They were processing the experience as an ongoing conversation — curious, reflective, alive in the moment.

Reflections flowed freely; learners building on one another’s thoughts, drawing connections, and naming their own growth.

“Didi, this was the most articulate speech I’ve ever given.”
“I know exactly where I went wrong — I misunderstood the motion.”
“I got so excited about my ideas that I jumped in too quickly. I know I do this often.”

These reflections revealed growing self-awareness — an ability to recall earlier feedback and apply it meaningfully.

What was equally striking was the spirit of teamwork. Learners processed judges’ feedback together, added their own insights, and shared thoughtful observations about one another.

“She set the tone perfectly; it gave me space to build my argument.”
“He made such strong connections.”
“She was fierce with her rebuttals.”
“That comment really strengthened your argument.”
“Didi, you would have been so proud of Avneesh (one of the participating learners) today. He was so quick on his feet.”

Their focus extended beyond the self; they were thinking as a unit.

One moment, in particular, stayed with me. After the quarterfinals on Day 2, a team approached me — slower in step, carrying quiet disappointment. I offered the familiar reassurance: “It’s okay. This is part of learning.” A while later, one learner said gently, “Didi, you seem disappointed.”

When I asked why, they replied, “We can feel the change in your energy.”

I realized that while they were still holding the moment, I had already leapt ahead — thinking about logistics, next steps, messages to parents. In doing so, I had momentarily left the present they needed me to stay in. That moment reminded me that learners don’t always need explanations or encouragement — sometimes, they need us to simply be there, fully.

What This Journey Taught Me

These weeks offered deeper insights into my learners — how they think, speak, and make meaning. Their responses to motions revealed which topics felt familiar, which were shaped by social media narratives, which opinions were firmly held, and which needed broadening through research and opposing perspectives.

Debate became an inquiry for them, prompting questions like: What informs my opinion? Is it logic, lived experience, values, or popular narratives? Am I informed? Am I willing to question my beliefs?

Each practice session became a unique intellectual exercise, opening space for conversations that matter: learner perspectives on female rage in popular media, sibling comparison, interference by relatives, the influence of social media, courage versus obedience, and the dignity of making mistakes.

Sometimes discussions grew intense; brushing against personal experiences. Some learners felt unsettled, pushed beyond comfort, asked to argue positions they did not immediately agree with. Yet each session revealed something new. Everyone, without exception, had something valuable to say.

Learning Beyond the Podium

What stayed with our learners was not just fluency or vocabulary, but confidence, perspective, and self-belief. Some who once hesitated to participate in class spoke with clarity during school assemblies. Others, who often defaulted to what felt “politically correct,” discovered nuance when asked to argue the opposite.

For our learners, debate became less about speaking well and more about solving an intellectual puzzle: How do I build the strongest argument? What am I missing? What does the other side see that I don’t?

One moment captured a different type of personal growth. Before a round, a learner shared:

“Didi, the other team was rude. They called us ‘not-so-worthy opponents.’”
“How did you respond?” I asked.
“We didn’t. We stayed respectful. We let our arguments speak.”

Later, after exiting the quarterfinals, our team returned to the common room as instructed. Though they knew they wouldn’t advance, they stayed back, listened to subsequent motions, and thanked the hosts and fellow participants before leaving. As we walked out, a learner paused and said quietly, “Didi, we did the right thing.”

In that pause, it was clear — they were learning far more than debating skills.

One learner, returning for his second year, described the experience as his “redemption arc.” Reflecting on the previous year, he shared insights about linking arguments back to the motion and building coherence. Then, without prompting, he added, “Didi, you can train others now. I’ll help the juniors. I know what to do next.” Turning to his younger teammate, he smiled, “The baton is with you now.”

Looking Ahead

This journey reaffirmed for us that debate is not merely a competition. It is a powerful space for nurturing critical thinking, empathy, and courage — inviting learners to question the world around them and engage with it thoughtfully and responsibly.

The ripple effects extend beyond those who stood on the debate floor. A student-initiated debate club has begun to take shape, with middle graders eager for more spaces to dialogue, question, and challenge ideas.

This was learning by doing; learning that asked: Do we believe what we speak? Can we research unfamiliar ideas? Can we push ourselves to think differently?

I remember teaching a class of Grade 9 which had considerable number of the infamously so-called ‘notorious’ boys. Yes, these were fidgety boys who wouldn’t stay put and were always on and off ‘red cards’. I remember one day walking to their classroom during my lesson and as I walked in one or two heads of these tall boys were staring out the high windows, with a captive stare in their eyes dreading the Math lesson to follow (at least that is what I felt).

While our school is guided by an Integral Education philosophy that includes a focus on movement, these moments—like the Grade 9 boys staring out the high windows—highlight the sheer, powerful, instinctive yearning for space that often clashes with the necessary structural constraints of a classroom setting. It is this fundamental tension our pedagogy seeks to address.

I entered and couldn’t help saying, with a smile “You guys staring out the window make me feel so guilty in taking your class as if you are held captive by force and have not seen freedom.”

Them being them, laughed, joked, settled down with some difficulty. These were the chaps who could handle my sarcasm well, my firmness without breaking down and somehow could make me grin even after an angry outburst.

This was followed by another time when the whole school was celebrating for the Founder’s Day and at the fortnight of the event, Dry Run was to take place. Learners were let loose as the events’ final practice happened. And within a matter of minutes or seconds the Grade 9 learners (especially boys) didn’t lose a moment’s time to jump onto the primary section swings- in the tunnel, inside the tube, onto the monkey bars, climbing onto the poles and all else. Having done ratio and proportions their size and the swing size and its dynamics didn’t quite make sense to me but it was hilarious. And before they could explore jumping beyond the school boundary walls, of course, the guards ushered them away. I remember expressing to my fellow member the desperate need of freedom and space they need, somewhat as a joke, but I was simultaneously amazed and amused.

Back to the current present, where I teach in classes with huge windows, just the other day, amidst the daily news of pollution, sudden gushes of wind had brought out the afternoon sun shining the actual golden colour vs the hazy yellow sun December brings.

Circumstances, opportunity, and the need of the hour had our Grade 7 learners spend some time learning and emotionally connecting with water in an afternoon session. What better way to learn about water than in nature itself. As learners painted and wrote poems, one could sense the physical flexibility of movement.

Learners chose shade or sunshine to settle with their pairs. You could find them perched on rocks or swinging on tyres as they created. This led to a discussion with a colleague on how nature helps learners learn and gives movement flexibility. Now as my respectable colleague, who also happens to be my source of inspiration to write this narrative, mentioned the impact is not only on learners but on educators as well. We accept that open space will automatically invite body movement, flexibility and the need to find your own space so it is natural for the educator to not be so irritable. Whereas in a small classroom with fixed seats and structured tools even movement from desk to the door can deter the normalcy of a class and appear as havoc leading to frustration in teachers and distraction among learners. But learners will find a way, always a way to be kinesthetically be productive or destructive (as one may like to see it).

The next day, I suddenly noticed something I had failed to see with a specific eye throughout the duration of the pollution.

It was a phenomenon, perhaps a subconscious result of the previous day’s conversation, occurring in a homeroom of Grade 7 learners. In the absence of outdoor activities (particularly football), they had found an indoor area (which we like to call the lookout terrace, or what my geometric instinct used to call the hexagonal area). There, they divided themselves into teams and were playing with a balloon.

This instantaneous creation of a movement-based game is a beautiful illustration of how our movement curriculum has influenced their innate problem-solving.

The game was not to let the balloon touch the ground as one team hit it to the other. And whoever dropped the balloon lost the point or the other team gained the point. So, our learners found the flexibility and movement and of course a tool to play with even if they could not indulge in football or immerse in a big field. This was instinctive to them! Every now and then there would be the loud pop of the balloon bursting and a new one would take its place, but the movement remains.

This theme was reinforced recently when my sister sent me a video of her two young daughters, video-recorded in adjacent rooms.

In one room, the one-year-old was climbing onto the bed headboard to peek out of the attached window; simultaneously, and not so coincidentally, the six-year-old in the other room had already climbed her window and was hanging on the sill, mission accomplished, gazing at the wonders outside.

All fancy toys, touch books, paraphernalia left behind for the wonders that lay beyond the wood and iron rectangles.

Almost instantly my muse had thoughts flowing in words and this was my exact response to the video to my sister.

As I transition from observing senior grades to infants, the message is clear: the need for outdoors, movement, and space is instinctive across all ages. Moving forward, I now strive to contemplate over how best I can manage my learners and teaching Math, not merely by adhering to a curriculum, but by genuinely capitalizing on the natural opportunities presented by our integral philosophy—always keeping in mind the instinctive call of the outdoors, spatial flexibility, and spontaneous motion in every lesson.

This new cohort significantly enhances our capacity, bringing a specialized blend of primary pedagogy, focused support in Special Education, and expertise across core subjects and the arts. Their diverse backgrounds will deepen our commitment to providing an inclusive, child-centered, and richly enriching learning experience for every learner.

We welcome a facilitator who brings advanced academic research and international curriculum expertise to our middle and senior grades.

Hello! I’m Dr. Rishika Singh, joining Prakriti to facilitate Humanities and Environmental Studies

I hold a Ph.D. in Urban Planning and have 5 years of experience as an IB/Cambridge learning Facilitator in Psychology & Humanities. This background allows me to bring advanced academic research and international curriculum insights to the classroom.

I will be facilitating IGS, GP, and EVM (Environmental Management) for Grades 6 & 7, 9, and 11, respectively.

I believe in creating interactive, learner-centered classrooms where discussion, inquiry, and collaboration drive learning. I approach every learner with empathy, understanding that emotional well-being is essential for meaningful academic growth.

I am motivated to join the school because its focus on environmental consciousness and sustainable learning aligns deeply with my values. I am equally inspired by the school’s commitment to inclusivity, where every learner is supported, respected, and given the opportunity to thrive.

We welcome an expert who will expand our capacity for holistic learner support and interdisciplinary learning.

Hello! I’m Parul Julka, joining Prakriti to facilitate Primary years learning of literacy and numeracy

I am an educationist with expertise spanning the field, starting with a Bachelor’s in Education from Delhi University, a Master’s in Education from Jamia Millia Islamia, and I will also be completing my Ph.D. in Education.

I will be facilitating English, Hindi, and Maths for Grade 2 and 3 learners.

I believe that children learn best when they are active participants in their own learning journey. Each learner is capable and intrinsically motivated if the learning space allows them to explore, observe, and construct meaning through their own experiences.

What motivated me most was Prakriti’s unique definition of a facilitator. I love the idea of enabling learning rather than controlling it—of asking questions, observing, and encouraging independent thinking. The facilitator model at Prakriti reflects the kind of educator I aspire to be.

Hello! I’m Pooja Sharma, joining Prakriti as a Middle School Art Facilitator

My academic background is uniquely interdisciplinary: I hold Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration before pursuing my passion for art, completing a Bachelor’s in Fine Art from College of Art, Delhi University, and a Master’s Degree from Santiniketan, Visva Bharati University. My artwork has been recognized and selected for prestigious exhibitions, including the Bombay Art Society and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). I work across a wide range of mediums such as oil, acrylic, woodcut, and lithography.

I will be facilitating Middle School Art.

As an Art Facilitator, I believe that true learning begins with experience. When a child observes, sees, touches, feels, and questions, the understanding becomes deeper, personal, and unforgettable. My classroom is a space where children observe, imagine, explore, and discover their own perspective, naturally realizing the need to refine skills, think creatively, and develop patience and discipline.

I was motivated to join Prakriti because it embodies the vision where learning is not forced, respect is felt naturally, and mistakes are embraced as part of growth. It is a space where learners learn with freedom, curiosity, and responsibility, encouraged to think independently and explore openly.

Hello! I’m Shivani Kadam, joining Prakriti to facilitate ESL and Special Education

My academic background is highly multidisciplinary, including a Master’s in Finance and Control and a Master’s in Psychology. Crucially, I hold an RCI Diploma in Special Education with a specialization in Autism.

My role at Prakriti will focus on facilitating English as a Second Language (ESL), General Proficiency (GP), and providing Special Education support.

My teaching philosophy centers on teaching things that matter (connected to real life), and promoting the Indic Values of caring for others and the world by being respectful and empathetic, and ensuring to have fun while learning.

My motivation is rooted in the school’s commitment to Indic Values and its holistic approach to child development.

We welcome three new educators who are joining the team to support our primary school learners in their core subjects and project-based learning, fostering curiosity and independence.

Hello! I’m Prabhjot Kaur, joining Prakriti as a Primary Years Facilitator

My academic journey includes a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from the University of Delhi, followed by a Master of Arts in Education from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi, where I engaged critically with multidisciplinary educational perspectives. I also hold a qualification for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET). Previously, I worked as a PRT EVS and Social Science teacher, creating interactive, theme-based lessons.

At Prakriti, I facilitate Grade 2 Homeroom subjects, including Hindi, English, Project, and Math.

My teaching philosophy centres on creating a safe, respectful, and engaging learning environment where children feel confident to explore, question, and collaborate. I see myself as a facilitator who supports learners in making their own connections through inquiry, hands-on experiences, and developmentally appropriate practices. My aim is to make learning meaningful, joyful, and inclusive for every learner.

I was motivated to join Prakriti because of its child-centred, inquiry-driven approach to learning, which aligns closely with my own beliefs as an educator. I value environments where children’s voices, curiosity, and independence are at the centre of the curriculum.

Hello! I’m Mahima Tomar, joining Prakriti as a second-grade homeroom teacher Primary Years Facilitator

I “accidentally” fell in love with education and pedagogy while completing my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education (B.El.Ed.). I have supplemented this with a Master’s Program in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) from AUD, Delhi, a diploma in French Language, and training through fellowships with TISS, Mumbai. My background is enriched by internships at VERS and Pratham, where I supported inclusive education practices. In my free time, I enjoy knitting, painting, and theatre.

At Prakriti, I am the second-grade homeroom teacher, responsible for facilitating English, Project, Math, and also Grade 1 English.

My teaching philosophy centers on creating a nurturing and inclusive classroom where every child feels supported and inspired. I believe in using an age-appropriate curriculum combined with diverse teaching strategies such as project-based and inquiry-based learning. I also emphasize social-emotional development through storytelling and collaborative activities, aiming to cultivate each child’s autonomy and holistic growth.

What motivated me to join Prakriti School is my passion for early childhood education and the opportunity to be part of a school that values inclusive and dynamic learning environments. I am committed to continuous professional growth and look forward to creating meaningful educational experiences.

When asked to imagine the world as a blank canvas, learners’ responses were full of hope, creativity, and care. Themes of nature, safety, equality, compassion, and freedom stood out.

Click/tap on the image above to see how other learners envisioned their perfect world

Many envisioned a world in harmony with nature: clean air, flowing rivers, thriving forests, and animals living safely. One child wrote, “A world full of trees and water, safe for everyone, with bright, pastel thoughts for all,” while another imagined oceans alive and forests protected out of love rather than obligation.

Other students focused on fairness and equality: a world without poverty, discrimination, or war, where everyone has access to resources, education, and opportunity. One reflection read, “A world where every person, every animal, and every corner of the earth feels cared for…compassion would be the foundation of every choice we make.” Safety, fairness, and kindness were central to almost every vision.

Play, curiosity, and creativity also emerged strongly. Some responses were whimsical—flying cars, Hogwarts-inspired schools, or basketball courts in the sky—while others imagined freedom from strict rules and pressures, spaces to learn, explore, and enjoy life. Taken together, these responses paint a picture of a world that is safe, just, inclusive, and full of possibility.

These ideas remind us that children value joy, curiosity, and wonder alongside fairness and safety.

Home: Choices, Freedom, and Safety

The survey showed that children feel most confident making decisions about education and play at home. For example, 85% said they have a say in what, when, and where to study, while 72% can decide when and what to play. Other areas like food, screen time, or outings saw less participation, but students still feel home is a space where they can express themselves, do what they like, and be who they are.

Decision-making at home often blends guidance with freedom. Students are aware of rules around saving, spending, meals, and screen time, but the overall sense is one of safety and inclusion. Many wrote that home allows them to explore ideas and hobbies without fear, giving them confidence that extends into other parts of life.

Learning by Doing

At school, learners emphasized hands-on learning and creative engagement as the most significant ways with which they learn.

When asked about how they prefer to study, almost 70% favored learning by doing, a preference further underscored by the over half who enjoyed making things with their hands.

Students still value structure, but they also want opportunities to experiment, create, and contribute ideas.

These insights reinforce the philosophy we hold: learning is strongest when it combines guidance with agency, structure with creativity, and curiosity with support.

Recognition and Belonging

The survey shows that, irrespective of how students participate or express themselves. A majority feel recognized and heard at school, experiencing a sense of acknowledgment for their efforts and contributions. Achieving a 100% participation in these parameters is our goal.

This highlights a fertile foundation of recognition and belonging, creating a supportive environment where every learner feels seen and valued.

Community and Country: Awareness and Connection

Learners also reflected on their communities and the country at large. About half expressed interest in learning from the community, through interaction or problem-solving. Many noted that spaces to play freely, safety, and opportunities to thrive vary across neighborhoods and the country, showing thoughtful awareness of real-world conditions.

When asked how they see their country, over half said they love it, but many also highlighted challenges such as safety concerns, pollution, and limited play spaces. This is a reflection of our society today, something both parents and educators must be mindful of while creating experiences for children.

These reflections reveal that children can hold both pride and critique—they recognize the strengths of their surroundings while imagining how they could improve.

Why Student Voices Matter

The survey shows that children’s opinions are more than responses—they are insights into how to make schools, homes, and communities better. At our school, these perspectives guide how we structure classrooms, projects, and learning experiences, ensuring that every student feels seen, heard, and empowered.

Listening to learners helps us create environments that encourage curiosity, creativity, and confidence. By responding to their feedback, we ensure students are supported in exploring interests, expressing ideas, and contributing meaningfully to their world.

Children’s voices show us what matters to them—the freedom to explore, the ability to express themselves, and a world where kindness, curiosity, and care for each other and the planet are the norm.

- John Dewey

Education is not limited to classrooms, textbooks and exams. Learning happens continuously through everyday experiences, through relationships, work, challenges, failures and real world engagements. The world in which we live today has grand challenges but human creativity provides a hope.

With this belief, we created spaces for students to engage creatively and meaningfully with society — a journey we call our ‘Purpose Projects.’ While we had an emphasis on service always, the idea of Purpose Projects is to empathise with social and environmental problems by seeing our role in it and make a humble attempt to solve those. These projects have commenced from Grade 6 to Grade 12 at our school.

The High-Impact Mission: Grade 11 & 12

As a part of this Grade 11 and Grade 12 have chosen educating and spreading awareness on various complex topics.

For our senior learners, the ‘Purpose Project’ elevates to tackling complex social topics. Our Grade 11 and 12 students commit to researching, designing, and delivering awareness campaigns on critical subjects that shape the modern world. Their focus areas include:

• Gender & Identity

• Neurodiversity

• Safety in Digital Spaces (Cyber-crime & Cyber-bullying)

• Legal Framework & Provision for the rights and the safety of the children in India (Child Rights)

In the video above, you can see our learners in action, engaging with students from OM Foundation. This is where theory meets reality—where complex concepts are translated into accessible, impactful activities designed to educate and empower.

On 8th November, our senior learners facilitated their first life skills session with the students of OM Foundation.

This year, the senior learners embraced “Life Skills Facilitation” as their core project. Following a successful internal workshop series on cyber-bullying, we created a significant opportunity: a partnership with OM Foundation to facilitate these life skills sessions with their students.

The Counsellor’s Lens: Courage and Context

Our school counselor, Arshia Vij, co-led the project and provided a deeply heartening account of the learners’ performance. Her observations confirm that the project was a success not just in content delivery, but in the authentic growth of our students.

“What stood out most was their consciousness of context — how spontaneously and sensitively they adapted their sessions to match the group’s profile, awareness level, age, and engagement.”

The students tackled themes that were entirely new to the OM Foundation participants, such as Neurodiversity and Gender & Identity. The counselor noted the courage and empathy demonstrated by the Prakriti students:

“They held space for difficult ideas with courage and empathy, even choosing to self-disclose and share their own lived experiences around special needs when faced with prejudiced ideas due to limited awareness. It may have been their first time facilitating, and there was a certain rawness to that but what shone through was the heart, purity of intention, and genuine effort they brought into it.”

This willingness to be vulnerable transformed the teaching moment into a powerful, shared human experience.

Validation from the host: OM Foundation

The success of the project was strongly validated by the receiving community. Ayush Kedia, Director of OM Foundation, provided outstanding feedback:

“It was truly a pleasure hosting the children from Prakriti at our school. Based on the feedback we received from both students and teachers, the sessions conducted by your students were excellent - they were well-prepared, confident, and able to meaningfully engage with our students, who asked several questions throughout.”

OM Foundation’s Principal Dr Veena Tyagi has acknowledged the work of our learners with certificates of high appreciation.

The Learner’s Reflection: Humility and Growth

The most powerful evidence of learning came from the students themselves. In a follow-up note, the Student Council, representing the collective sentiment of the group, expressed their gratitude and reflective spirit.

This note encapsulates the true goal of ‘Purpose Projects’: not perfection, but reflection, ownership, and a deep understanding of responsibility. They acknowledged the challenge, the need for sensitive language, and the continuous nature of learning.

A Significant Milestone

The OM Foundation project is a significant milestone, underscoring the profound value of student-led work when guided by reflection, authenticity, and care.

Our senior learners demonstrated that their purpose is not merely the acquisition of facts, but the courageous, empathetic application of knowledge to real-world issues. They are evolving into contributing citizens, embodying the Prakriti belief that purposeful education truly changes the world, one thoughtful conversation at a time.

We warmly invite parents and families to visit Prakriti and experience our way of learning — a gentle, mindful approach that nurtures each child with care and purpose.

Venue: Prakriti School Noida, Sector 128
Date: Saturday, 29th November 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

To confirm your visit or for any questions, drop “Open House” on 92895 30103 and our team will get back to you or click/tap on the image below to register.

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing our community with you.

Grades 8 and 9 were immersed in the serene surroundings of Madhuban, Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Ramgarh from 3rd to 7th November. Here, learners engaged with forests, rivers, and orchards as a living classroom, participating in hands-on service, creative projects, and community interactions that encouraged collaboration, responsibility, and reflection.

Nestled in the serene Kumaon hills, the venue offered a peaceful sanctuary away from the distractions of daily life. The forested surroundings, orchards, rivers, and mountains became a living classroom, where every trail, tree, and community interaction became a lesson in connection, responsibility, and observation.

The OLE was structured around authentic service-learning projects that encouraged learners to step into meaningful roles. Learners engaged closely with local communities, artisans, and school children through activities like:

• Educational Outreach: Teaching and designing bilingual learning materials for local school children, bridging language and cultural gaps.

• Community Storytelling: Performing vibrant street plays (nukkad nataks) to raise awareness about social and environmental issues.

• Environmental Action: Designing informative signage, cleaning hiking trails, and participating in flower plantation drives — contributing to the ashram and the surrounding landscapes, inspired by the colors and diversity reminiscent of the Valley of Flowers.

• Women’s Empowerment: Collaborating with local women on food preservation, financial literacy, and traditional craft workshops, supporting skill-building and self-sufficiency.

• Cultural Documentation: Capturing local heritage through art, murals, storytelling, and short films, preserving traditions while celebrating creativity.

Learners learned to co-design sessions, plan projects, and collaborate in teams, developing leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Throughout the expedition, learners engaged deeply with the work: during the street play on water conservation, the group organized dialogues, coordinated roles, and practiced stage movements, focusing on clear delivery, stage expression, and timing to convey their message effectively.

On trail cleanups and flower plantation drives, learners encouraged one another, managed tasks safely, and completed physically demanding work as a team. Reflection sessions provided space for learners to consider both community needs and peer contributions, fostering self-awareness, empathy, and thoughtful planning.

Each day followed a purposeful rhythm: morning Shram Daan to contribute to the campus and village, project blocks for hands-on CAS (Creativity, Activity & Service) work, afternoon hikes and games for vitality, meditation and journaling for reflection, and circle time to integrate insights and share learning.

By the end of the expedition, learners had not only contributed tangibly to the local community but had also grown in self-awareness, empathy, and resilience. Madhuban became more than a destination; it was a space where learners discovered purpose through action, reflection, and connection — embodying the principles of integral education in mind, heart, body, and spirit.

Click here for a glimpse into a transformative rural immersion experience

Exploring Wings and History: Grades 4–6 at Keoladeo National Park & Fatehpur Sikri

From November 3rd to 6th, Grades 4 to 6 learners visited Bharatpur, Rajasthan, exploring the wetlands of Keoladeo National Park and the historical sites of Fatehpur Sikri and Agra. They observed birds, studied ecological patterns, and connected these experiences with lessons in history and conservation.

The journey began with immersive exploration at Keoladeo National Park. After orientation, learners joined evening and early-morning birdwalks, spotting species such as owls, herons, and forest hens.

The rickshaw rides across the park became impromptu classrooms, as local drivers shared stories about the “tarter bird,” antelopes, and wetland ecology. A poignant moment arose while learning about the Siberian cranes — once migratory visitors to India, now absent due to hunting — sparking reflection on the fragility of ecosystems and the importance of conservation.

Following the ecological immersion, learners shifted to cultural exploration. On the third day, they visited Fatehpur Sikri, witnessing grand Mughal architecture and the temple built for Jodha Bai. Guided discussions brought Akbar’s lineage to life, while stories of the Black Taj Mahal and Shah Jahan’s later years deepened their appreciation of history.

Learners observed local customs respectfully, taking off their shoes before entering sacred spaces, connecting historical knowledge with ethical awareness.

On the final day, the group visited the Taj Mahal in Agra, marveling at its architectural brilliance and the stories of love and legacy it embodies. Observing its symmetry and intricate craftsmanship, learners reflected on history, culture, and human creativity, bringing classroom lessons into vivid, real-world context.

Throughout the expedition, learners exhibited curiosity, patience, and empathy. They helped peers when needed, resolved minor conflicts with maturity, and bonded across grades. From observing birds and trekking trails to exploring heritage sites, each experience nurtured observational skills, emotional intelligence, and ethical awareness — key outcomes of the OLE program.

By the journey’s end, the learners had not only discovered the natural and cultural wonders of Bharatpur, Fatehpur Sikri, and Agra but had also grown as compassionate, reflective individuals, ready to carry these insights into their everyday lives.

Discovering Purpose Amid the Hills: Grades 3 & 7 at Bodhigram, Dehradun

From November 3rd to 6th, our learners from Grades 3 and 7 embarked on dual Outbound Learning Expeditions to Bodhigram, Dehradun, where they explored forests, collected and observed natural specimens, participated in reflective walks, and engaged in creative expression activities over four days.

Bodhigram welcomed both groups with bamboo huts draped in clock vine creepers, offering open rooms that overlooked the lush green forest. The dining hall faced rolling hills, and even the resident dog and cat became part of the shared space — simple reminders of coexistence that enchanted learners of all ages.

While Grade 7 learners began noticing the quiet beauty and reflecting on the expansive surroundings, Grade 3 learners approached everything with wonder and delight, marvelling at leaves, insects, and the textures of the forest floor.

The first day focused on grounding and sensory awareness. A silent forest walk encouraged them to listen, breathe, and attune to nature. Grade 7 learners reflected on the stillness and the wisdom of mystic saints during the Shabadshala session, while Grade 3 learners explored the forest with curiosity, collecting leaves, spotting birds, and noticing small details. Younger learners also engaged in nature scavenger hunts and intuitive stone painting, creatively capturing their observations and emotions.

On the second day, learners visited the Forest Research Institute (FRI). Grade 7 learners explored timber and non-timber forest products and considered how museums foster environmental awareness. Meanwhile, Grade 3 learners were captivated by the variety of plants and animals, asking enthusiastic questions, and delighting in tangible discoveries — from leaf patterns to small birds nesting nearby. Later, a village walk revealed flowing mountain water and centuries-old ruins. One Grade 3 student carefully collected water to take home for her family, while Grade 7 learners reflected on the deeper ecological and historical context — a perfect example of age-specific engagement in the same environment.

Day three tested physical endurance and observation. Trekking narrow, rocky paths, Grade 7 learners balanced resilience with reflection, navigating thorns and exposed roots while absorbing the surrounding beauty. Landslide remains, native plants, and farming tools became hands-on lessons in ecology and history. Grade 3 learners approached the trek with excitement and teamwork, building focus and endurance while learning to navigate the terrain safely. In the afternoon, both groups engaged in creative reflection: Grade 7 learners through Mandala art and discussions on social entrepreneurship, and Grade 3 learners through expressive activities, connecting their experiences to feelings and discovery.

A shared anecdote captured the spirit of both groups: during the scavenger hunt, a Grade 3 learner proudly carried a smooth stone to paint later, while a Grade 7 student nearby paused to reflect on the patterns of the forest floor — a quiet reminder of how the same space nurtured wonder and contemplation differently across ages.

Students brought clean packets of their favorite packaged snacks, chips, biscuits, instant noodles, granola bars, and chocolates.

But we weren’t going to eat them. We were going to investigate them.

The First Spark of Curiosity

We began with the entire packaging itself. Students examined the front- the bright colors, catchy slogans, “healthy” claims, then slowly turned to the back. Step by step, we unpacked what the wrapper was telling us: storage instructions, expiry dates, serving sizes, marketing labels.

Only then did we turn to the ingredient list. For many, it was their first time noticing ingredients are listed by quantity. What looked like a simple biscuit suddenly revealed a long chain of oils, sugars, and additives. Students leaned in, pointing, asking what each word meant, not with surprise but with eagerness to understand.

Discovering the Hidden Story

Questions emerged. Why was sugar listed before flour in a cookie? How many oils could one packet of chips have?

Then came the nutrition tables. With calculators and curiosity, students began decoding the numbers.

The real turning point came with Nutella. For many, it was a comfort food that felt harmless in small spoonfuls. But when they measured the sugar content, the numbers were startling, more than half the jar was sugar, with just a few spoonful’s exceeding a large chunk of the recommended daily intake.

One student whispered, “It’s like we are welcoming diseases through our snacks.”

The room grew quiet. To see their favorite spread suddenly linked to risks of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease was both shocking and eye-opening.

The Additive Alarm

As we dug deeper, unfamiliar names jumped out. This led us to explore common—and concerning—additives hiding in everyday snacks:

MSG (E621) in instant noodles and chips- linked to headaches, nausea, and potential brain health concerns.

Tartrazine/Yellow 5 (E102) in bright snacks- associated with hyperactivity, allergic reactions, and asthma.

Propyl Gallate (E310) in chips- can cause stomach irritation, liver problems, and potential carcinogenic effects.

Sodium Benzoate (E211) in ketchup- can convert into benzene, a known carcinogen, raising DNA damage and cancer concerns.

BHA/BHT (E320/E321) in cereals and granola bars- classified as possible human carcinogens.

Beyond the Body: The Planet Connection

The class was divided into groups, each investigating one snack deeply: Masala Lays, Nutella, Maggi, tomato ketchup, and “healthy” BRB chips. They shared not just additives but their health impacts, excess sugar, MSG, preservatives, and artificial flavors.

One student went further, discovering palm oil’s environmental impact: deforestation, biodiversity loss, and habitat destruction. It was no longer just about what a snack does to the body, it was about what it does to the planet.

Suddenly, a packet of chips became a symbol of health, lifestyle, and environmental responsibility all at once.

A Look at Our Own School

Students also presented on our school’s food choices, observing how the canteen deliberately avoids processed snacks and serves fresh, homely meals balanced around carbohydrates, proteins, and fruits/vegetables.

The contrast was sharp: packaged snacks filled with hidden sugars, fats, and chemicals versus the school’s quiet, consistent choice of simple, fresh food supporting health and learning.

The Power of Awareness

The learning didn’t come from lecturing, it came from students’ own discovery. They found the hidden sugars, traced the sodium overload, questioned the chemical names, connected E-numbers to real health risks, and linked food to forests.

The takeaway wasn’t fear, it was awareness. Many students said they would still enjoy their snacks, but mindfully. They now know a packet of chips isn’t just a crunchy delight but a story about health, environment, and lifestyle.

A voice from the learner

This quest for knowledge was already a reality for one of our Grade 5 learner, whose curiosity led her to conduct a personal project focused entirely on ingredient awareness. Hear her describe the motivation behind her independent work and the unexpected things she uncovered:

Why This Matters

This activity reminded me why I love teaching Food and Nutrition. It’s not about memorizing vitamins, it’s about connecting food to life. When students ask, “What am I eating?” they’re learning to read the world around them, make choices with awareness, and see themselves as part of a larger whole.

“You can’t understand a system until you try to change it.”
— Buckminster Fuller

Not every learner dreams of designing buildings or engineering machines.
But every learner should know what it means to notice something broken, wonder how it could be better, and try to fix it.

They should get to ask, Why is this like this?
They should get to sketch an idea, test it, remake it — not for a grade, but to see what happens when thought meets action.

This isn’t about becoming anything. It’s about learning to see clearly, think critically, and build with purpose.

When we think of Design and Technology (D&T) as a subject, it’s often reduced to the idea of “making” — designing a product, building a model, crafting a structure. But this subject, when taught with intention, is about far more than aesthetics or form. It is, at its core, a training ground for engineering mindset, practical intelligence, and inventive spirit.

Much like the NCC prepares youth for national service, Design and Technology prepares young minds for real-world problem solving — for observing, adapting, designing, and even failing until the solution fits.

Image 1: Hemang Garg’s project that received an A* in IGCSE, 2025: An interactive location guide for Connaught Place, designed in a hexagonal form that echoes CP’s architectural layout.

Every object, space, and system we interact with has been designed consciously or carelessly by someone. Helping students notice this is the first step. Teaching them to question it and then reimagine it is where the real learning begins.

This kind of thinking often gets boxed into a single subject, dismissed as “just making things” — a product, a poster, a prototype. But taught with care, it becomes something far more powerful. A training ground for systems thinking, engineering logic, and creative action. A place where ideas are tested, broken, rebuilt — and sometimes even work.

A Lesson from My Time at NID…

As a learner at NID (National Institute of Design), I was surrounded by learners from varied disciplines — product designers, engineers, visual communicators, film-makers. This cross-pollination was powerful. It trained our minds not just in image-making, but in systems thinking. It encouraged us to be technologists as much as artists.

One memory stands out clearly after passing out from college-

I was assigned to photograph a Redbull marathon event called Wings for Life. Unlike a regular race, this one had no fixed end — the race would continue until the runners were caught up by a moving car. My job? Capture every moment, till the very end. I was placed on the back of a motorbike following runners through long stretches of road. But the problem? The race would continue into the night — and there were no streetlights for miles.

No one had thought of this.

The challenge wasn’t photography — it was visibility. I needed to build a lighting system that could attach to the back seat of the moving bike, stable enough to survive potholes, bright enough to light the subject, and mobile enough to follow the runners. I rigged a system using battery-powered LED panels mounted to an adjustable frame, tested it across terrain, and it worked. In fact, it worked so well that Redbull bought the system from me after its success in the run. This secured my job with them too for all their assignments in Delhi NCR.

I wonder if I got that job for being a good photographer or an engineer with the lights?

That moment taught me something profound…

The job wasn’t just about taking great photographs. It was about solving a design and technology problem.

And for that, I silently thanked NID — for placing me in the company of thinkers who viewed the world through the lens of “how might we?”

Image 2: Ayu Gupta’s D&T IGCSE 2025 project that received Grade A: A healing journal designed as a real-life game—where one can not only record difficulties but also work through and overcome them in play. A journal that reimagines what journaling can be. Phoenix — a journal where you rise through ashes.

We often imagine engineers and designers as two separate worlds. Design & Technology collapses that boundary. In today’s complex reality—climate change, urban sprawl, ageing populations, inequity—we need minds that can see what others miss, repair what’s broken, and create what’s new.

Image 3: Noor from Grade 9 experimenting with wood and its properties in the school’s makers lab.

When learners say they want to be designers, they usually picture fashion, logos, or apps. Those drawn to engineering think of machines, code, or rockets. But at the heart of both lies the same impulse: to understand people, and to craft solutions that truly work. Design focuses on improving human experience; engineering ensures systems work reliably in the real world.

Both begin with the same habits: observing closely, identifying real needs, thinking critically, and testing ideas. That’s where Design & Technology comes in. It gives learners a space to practise those habits early through their hands, tools, and imagination long before they have to pick a “side.”

I teach them that the very first step in designing is empathy. Whether you’re creating a logo, building a car, or developing an incubator for a rural hospital, the process is surprisingly similar. IDEO, the global design consultancy, calls this design thinking. I break it down for my students like this:

– Start with empathy: understand the real needs.
– Define the problem: clearly and specifically.
– Generate ideas: wide and wild.
– Prototype fast: work with your hands.
– Test and refine: repeat
- Repeat the cycle again and again — iterate, iterate, iterate: the mantra of design.

This process doesn’t just belong to designers. It belongs to problem solvers. And the sooner learners practise it, the more equipped they’ll be to navigate whatever comes next — whether that’s architecture, robotics, sustainability, medicine, or industrial design.

Image 4: Namah’s D&T IGCSE 2025 project that received Grade A: A flipbook-making kit that stores everything you need—including the workstation—inside one compact box.

Yet in the flurry of modern life, we rarely pause to consider: What is this food? Where did it come from? What systems brought it here — and at what cost? At Prakriti, we believe that food is not simply a necessity. It is an educator, a storyteller, and a silent yet powerful curriculum. Like education, food is a universal right, but also a profound responsibility. When we begin to understand food in this holistic light — not merely as nutrition or pleasure, but as an integrated part of a child’s learning journey — it reshapes how we think about growing, cooking, and serving it.

The Hidden Curriculum: Food as a Pedagogical Practice

In many conventional settings, food is often outsourced — a logistical task, detached from the core of education. At Prakriti, we reject this separation. We assert a central truth: Food is not to be outsourced; it must be managed in-house. This belief is not just about logistics — it's philosophical. The care of food is deeply, inherently linked to the care of children. To educate a child holistically means to engage with everything that nourishes them, including what’s on their plate.

Key Insight: Children and the people who care for them — teachers, mentors, caregivers — should also be the ones who care for the food they consume.

This intertwining of education and nourishment gives rise to what we call the hidden curriculum of food — a lived, sensory, and relational pedagogy that runs parallel to formal learning. It’s in the choice of seasonal produce, the rhythm of planting cycles, the scents wafting from the school kitchen, and the quiet patience of composting waste. All of these become lessons, not just about food, but about life.

Pleasure, Culture, and Conviviality: The Prakriti Philosophy

Our approach is grounded in the philosophy of Slow Food International, which reminds us that food is never just functional — it is cultural, social, and joyful. We see food as a communal experience: a conversation with the soil, the seasons, and one another.

It is a tapestry woven with stories, values, and inherited wisdom. Yet, our choices are increasingly shaped by invisible systems — industrial supply chains, processed options, and marketing. This is why education is our most vital tool — to illuminate, to reconnect, and to reclaim.

Real and Unreal Food: Teaching Children to Discern

At Prakriti, we make a clear distinction between real and unreal food — a conceptual framework that empowers children to be discerning eaters. Real food is alive, connected to the land and prepared from scratch. Unreal food is processed, commodified, and alienated from its origins. Helping children understand this distinction is akin to teaching them the difference between original thought and rote memorization.

Just as designing a meaningful curriculum requires starting from the ground up, so does cooking. Cooking from scratch is the culinary equivalent of designing curriculum from first principles — both require care, context, and creativity. This analogy becomes especially powerful in Grades 9 and 10, where students can be encouraged to take ownership of both food and learning, building complex meals and ideas with intention.

Panchamahabhuta to Plate: The Experiential Journey

Our food journey begins early. For our youngest learners, the journey is rooted in the Panchamahabhuta — the five great elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space. Through sensory walks, storytelling, and interactions with soil and plants, children begin to see food not just as an object, but as an elementally interconnected phenomenon.

In Grades 2 to 5, this evolves into deeper engagement with farming. Children will be growing food with their own hands, and will witness the delicate balance of natural ecosystems. They will learn how compost from the school kitchen becomes nourishment for the soil, and how that nourished soil returns the favor in the form of saplings and harvests. They will come to understand food as a cycle of reciprocity — not a product, but a relationship.

Contextualizing Food: Regional Wisdom and Relevance

True food education must be contextualized to local ecology. What grows here? What do people in this region traditionally eat? How does the climate shape food habits? These questions allow children to engage with regional vegetation and traditional practices, anchoring their learning in both place and culture. Instead of a generic approach to food, we aim to make food place-specific and memory-rich.

Progressive Pedagogy: Building Skill and Autonomy Through the Years

We envision food education not as a one-time intervention, but as a scaffolded journey across age groups:

• Grades 4 to 6: Foundational exposure to farming and food origins through experiential sessions.

  Discover our Grades 4-6 farming curriculum in a dedicated article

• Grades 6 to 8: Interactive workshops and masterclasses with farmers, chefs, nutritionists, and food historians deepen their understanding and allow exploration of food through multiple lenses — science, health, culture, and justice.

• Grades 9 and 10: Students begin designing meals and learning to cook full recipes from scratch, integrating nutritional science, culinary skills, and cultural context. For an in-depth look at how the IGCSE Food & Nutrition Course further empowers our senior students, including insights from our facilitators and student testimonials, explore this dedicated article.

At each stage, the child is not just learning to eat; they are learning to choose, to care, and to act with awareness.

Mindful Eating: Fuel, Fun, and Fog

We also teach children to recognize different modes of eating: fuel eating (for nourishment), fun eating (for pleasure), and fog eating (mindless consumption). By learning to distinguish these patterns, students develop gut intelligence — the ability to listen to their internal cues and make conscious food choices. This emotional and bodily literacy is as important as academic achievement.

The Heart of the School: Kitchen and Garden

Our school kitchen is not an isolated service center — it is an extension of the classroom. Our school garden is not just green space — it is a living lab. Together, they form a continuous, living curriculum that teaches care, interdependence, and stewardship.

Weekly circle time becomes a space to reflect on food habits, nutritional insights, and collective cooking experiments. Whether it's assembling meals, crafting recipes, or understanding the chemistry behind fermentation, food becomes a portal into science, ecology, and ethics.

Conclusion: Reclaiming Food, Reclaiming Responsibility

At Prakriti, we believe that cultivating a deep, lived relationship with food — from seed to soil to plate — is one of the most powerful forms of education. When children and their caregivers engage together in the growing, cooking, and understanding of food, they are not just consuming nutrients; they are absorbing values.

Some are obvious—ordering food instantly, connecting with friends or family, using them for work, learning or entertainment. Others are more subtle—seeking validation, filling a void, or escaping the present. The screen can be christened as the Magic Gateway of the era, a constant companion allowing passage at whim.

This relationship with the screen is a complicated one. The best way to understand ourselves in relation to something—or someone—is to watch ourselves in action. Catch yourself in the act! Pause, notice. What exactly am I doing? Why am I doing it? What am I feeling as I do this? Am I exercising a choice, or is it a habit—something mechanical I do? And while habits or patterns serve a purpose, they may or may not be healthy.

A neurological feedback process known as the habit loop explains how habits form and are maintained:

• Cue: Feeling bored, stressed, or low → pick up the phone
  

• Craving: Desire for connection, entertainment, or validation
  

• Response: Open an app, scroll, like, comment
  

• Reward: Receive likes, comments—quick and multiple dopamine hits

So, while the digital space can be incredibly flexible and open for exploration, it can also bind us—something that becomes apparent only when we begin noticing our behavior around it.

We think we’re choosing to pick up our phone and exercising our freedom to do so.

But try this: put your phone in another room for an hour. See how many times you think about it. Or notice how often you open your phone in a public space when you're bored or waiting. Mark this on a piece of paper, and against each mark, write down whether the urge was related to an actual need or if it was just—out of habit.

In an insightful conversation (see here), a school senior shared that adolescence is a stage of exploration, where one is trying to figure out: "Who are we?", "What do we connect with?", "Where do we fit into the world?" For digital natives, the boundaries between online and offline are often blurred, as the digital space is a big part of their reality. For them, navigating these questions becomes even more complex. Being able to express oneself in the online space through posts, joining communities, and exploring varied identities can be freeing, but it can also be confusing and destabilizing.

However, this is not new. Media has always been an entertainer, a distractor, and an influencer: radio, comic books, magazines and television—all of which we have been suitably ‘warned’ against through the ages.

What’s different today is the pace of changing trends, the accessibility of devices, and the wide-ranging, algorithm-driven content found in the digital space. Content is not curated by people who have our best interests at heart, but by algorithms designed to benefit platforms. As a result, there is an easy access to content that is often not accurate or balanced in the representation of perspectives, worldviews, and lifestyles. This is fodder for the cognitive biases that taint our thinking—such as confirmation bias, created by echo chambers; cynicism, reinforced by the negativity bias in news; or a loop of social comparison as we scroll through our feeds every day. All of this could lead to isolation and a need for instant gratification as is delineated in this reel.

Furthermore, the plethora of short, dramatic nuggets of information appeals to our lowest instincts—gossip, indulgence, distraction. It requires minimal mental effort and gives us quick hits of gratification.

It is a passive, almost slumberous ‘interaction’—if one can call it that. It is irresistible, taking away control. And somewhere, we are aware of this lack of control. It brings with it an internal conflict: we know this isn’t good for us, yet we keep doing it. A guilty pleasure, one that often leaves us feeling worse.

And as many of us have experienced, screen use can disconnect us from our bodies—hypnotically, almost. We leave the present and retreat into the mind.

So next time, let us pause mid-scroll and ask:
Who is benefitting from this?
Is this intentional or habitual?

What are some other habits around our screen use?

Are we multitasking constantly? Opening two or three windows at a time? Are we checking our phones constantly while trying to focus on something else? How many hours are we spending in front of the screen? Are we using the screen as a means of escape or a tool for procrastination? Are we passive consumers—just watching whatever comes up—or active participants who try to "beat the algorithm" and curate content intentionally?

And let the answers decide if a healthy purpose is being served—then continue or stop with the screen interaction, and in doing so, exercise our freedom and choice.

Purposefully tweak the neurochemical responses in the body. Decide whether you're ‘choosing’ a dose of dopamine versus oxytocin: watching something alone (like endless reels) often releases dopamine, while watching something with family or a friend, and discussing it, releases oxytocin as it builds connection.

Ensure safety in the digital space—the same way we do when we step out of our homes.

Intentionally enrich our work with online tools to deepen our understanding, steering off the temptation of getting quick answers.

Reflect and share together—as families, communities, and institutions—on the delights, insights, discoveries, disappointments, and dangers encountered in daily digital journeys.

And finally, be open to consistent and honest conversations as we learn together how to balance our screen use to meet our evolving needs.

For English version click here.

प्रकृति विद्यालय जो छात्रों की स्वतंत्रता का केंद्र है यहाँ के छात्र आत्मविश्वास से परिपूर्ण होकर अपने हुनर और कुशलता को बखूबी प्रदर्शित करते हैं। प्रकृति स्कूल ‘’OLE (Outbound Learning Expedition) अर्थात बाहर सीखने का अनुभव’’ के अंतर्गत छात्रों को व्यक्तिक रूप से अधिगम (सीखने) का सुनहरा अवसर देता है।

जैसे ही मुझे यह अवगत हुआ कि मैं भी कक्षा 5-8 तक के 48 विद्यार्थियों के साथ OLE पर उत्तराखंड की गोद में छिपे गगनचुंबी पर्वतों पर स्थित शीतलाखेत पर जाने का सुनहरा अवसर मिल रहा है, तो मेरी खुशी का ठिकाना न रहा । पहाड़ों की सुंदर वादियों में जाने के लिए मेरा मन बेचैन हो उठा । मन में तरह-तरह के प्रश्न मेरी व्याकुलता की डोर को खींच रहे थे।

आखिरकार वह दिन भी आ ही गया जब 5 मई को प्रातःकाल 7:20 की शताब्दी एक्स्प्रेस रेलगाड़ी मेरे विचलित मन को त्वरित कर रही थी । जैसे ही मैं नई दिल्ली रेलवे स्टेशन पहुँचा मेरे समूह (कक्षा 7) के छात्रों के उत्तरदायित्व के साथ मेरी यात्रा का श्रीगणेश हुआ ।

रेलगाड़ी में देखा कि छात्रों के चेहरे उत्साह और जिज्ञासा से परिपूर्ण थे । सभी छात्र पहाड़ों को देखने के लिए उत्सुक थे । दोपहर 12 बजे काठगोदाम रेलवे स्टेशन पहुँचे । स्टेशन पर हमारी राह देख रहे Youreka team के प्रशिक्षकों ने हमें 7 गाड़ियों में बैठाकर हमारी पहाड़ी यात्रा को हरी झंडी दिखाई । जैसे-जैसे हम पहाड़ों की ओर बढ़े, रास्तों के घुमावदार मोड़, देवदार और चीड़ के पेड़ों की कतारें, और मंद-मंद बहती ठंडी हवा ने जैसे हमें किसी दूसरी ही दुनिया में पहुँचा दिया।

अधिक ऊंचाई वाले टेढ़े-मेढ़े रास्ते पर गाड़ियों की गति धीमी होने लगी।

घुमावदार खतरनाक रास्ते प्रतिक्षण - प्रतिपल इस बात का संकेत दे रहे थे कि किस प्रकार इन पहाड़ों को काट-काट -कर इन सँकरे रास्तों तथा पुलों का निर्माण करने में हमारे देश के श्रमिकों को खून-पसीना बहाना पड़ा है।

एक तीव्र घुमावदार मोड़ पर देखा कि गिरि को यांत्रिक उपकरणों द्वारा काटा जा रहा है वृक्षों को भी छिन्न-भिन्न किया जा रहा है अर्थात उनकी वास्तविक प्रकृति से खिलवाड़ किया जा रहा है । प्रकृति ही हमारी मूलभूत आवश्यकताओं का प्रमुख संसाधन है । लेकिन हम इन प्राकृतिक संसाधनों (जल, वायु, थल, वृक्षों ) का दुरुपयोग कर इन्हें इतना असंतुलित और प्रदूषित कर रहे हैं कि भूकंप, सूखा, सुनामी और बाढ़ इसी का परिणाम है।

जैसे ही हम अपनी मंजिल के समीप पहुंचे कि तीव्र वर्षा ने हमारे सँकरे रास्ते को अवरुद्ध कर दिया वर्षा के जल ने चिकनी मिट्टी को इतनी शक्ति दे दी कि गाड़ी के पहिये आगे बढ़ने की बजाय पीछे फिसलने लगे हम सभी की साँसे अटक गई क्योंकि दूसरी (बायीं)तरफ गहरी खाई थी जो एक क्षण भर में ही हमें पाताल लोक की सैर करा देती… परंतु ड्राइवर भैया ने तुरंत ही अपनी चतुराई का परिचय दिया और उन्होंने असंतुलित गाड़ी को संतुलित अवस्था में पहुँचाया। इस प्रकार गाड़ी सामान्यावस्था में बढ़ने लगी । सबकी जान में जान आई और हम बाल-बाल बच गए।

अब हम अपनी मंजिल के एकदम करीब (समीप) थे ।

जैसे ही हम शीतलाखेत के INME कैंप पहुँचे वहाँ के ऊँचे-ऊँचे वृक्षों की हरियाली, सुगंधित शीतल वायु तन-मन को भाव- विभोर कर रही थी ।

पहाड़ों की गोद में बसा शीतलाखेत का INME कैंप एक उच्चतम बिन्दु पर बना एक पौराणिक क्षेत्र है जो कभी अंग्रेजों के पर्यटक स्थल का एक आकर्षण केंद्र रहा है। अब यह अचरज भरा स्थल अपने शांत वातावरण और प्राकृतिक सौंदर्य से हम सभी को मंत्रमुग्ध कर रहा था।

शीतलाखेत एक अनछुआ और कम भीड़-भाड़ वाला स्थल है। यह स्थान पक्षी प्रेमियों, प्रकृति के अनुरागियों और साहसिक गतिविधियों में रुचि रखने वालों के लिए एक आदर्श स्थल है। यहाँ की जलवायु ठंडी और ताज़गी से भरपूर है, जो छात्रों के लिए एक स्वास्थ्यवर्धक वातावरण प्रदान करती है।

INME संस्था ने पर्वतों से घिरे इस शीतलाखेत कैम्प पर छात्रों को टेंट में सामूहिक रूप से जीवन व्यतीत करने का भाव जागृत करने की प्रेरणा दी ।

Youreka द्वारा संचालित गतिविधियाँ

हमारे भ्रमण का सबसे रोमांचक हिस्सा था – Youreka कंपनी द्वारा आयोजित साहसिक गतिविधियाँ। उनके प्रशिक्षकों ने छात्रों को विभिन्न टीम बिल्डिंग और आउटडोर लर्निंग गतिविधियों में भाग लेने का अवसर दिया।
इनमें शामिल थीं:

1. रॉक क्लाइम्बिंग (Rock Climbing): छात्रों को छोटे पहाड़ी क्षेत्रों पर चढ़ाई कराई गई, जिससे उनमें साहस और आत्मविश्वास का संचार हुआ।

2. रैपलिंग (Rappelling): एक सुरक्षित प्रणाली के तहत छात्रों को पहाड़ी की ढलान से नीचे उतरना सिखाया गया।हवा में लटकी रस्सी पर फिसलते हुए छात्रों ने रोमांच का भरपूर आनंद लिया। यह चुनौतीपूर्ण था, लेकिन छात्रों ने पूरे जोश के साथ भाग लिया।

   

3. Cooking : यह गतिविधि छात्रों को वन के खुले वातावरण में सामूहिक रूप से प्राकृतिक वस्तुओं के प्रयोग द्वारा खाना बनाकर मिल बाँटकर भोजन करने और परोसने के कौशल को बढ़ावा देती है।

   

4. Shelter Making : यह क्रियाकलाप छात्रों को वन के खुले वातावरण में अचानक बारिश आने से बचाव हेतु सामूहिक रूप से प्राकृतिक वस्तुओं (रस्सी, लकड़ी)के प्रयोग द्वारा अस्थायी आश्रय बनाने का तरीका सिखाना।

5. Friendship Ladder : इस गतिविधि द्वारा दो छात्र सीढ़ी (Ladder) पर ऊपर चढ़ते हुए एक दूसरे को सहयोग से ऊंचाई पर पहुँचकर अपना लक्ष्य प्राप्त करते हैं ।

इन गतिविधियों का उद्देश्य छात्रों में नेतृत्व, सहयोग, धैर्य, और प्रकृति के प्रति प्रेम की भावना को विकसित करना था। प्रशिक्षकों ने सुरक्षा के पूरे उपायों के साथ हर गतिविधि कराई, जिससे शिक्षकों को भी संतोष और गर्व की अनुभूति हुई।

शैक्षिक महत्व

यात्रा के दौरान छात्रों ने सिर्फ मनोरंजन नहीं किया, बल्कि बहुत कुछ सीखा भी। उन्होंने पहाड़ों की पारिस्थितिकी, वहाँ के वनस्पति एवं जीव-जंतुओं के बारे में जानकारी प्राप्त की। स्थानीय संस्कृति, रहन-सहन और भोजन की शैली को भी नज़दीक से देखने का अवसर मिला। यह सब अनुभव पुस्तकीय ज्ञान से परे था।

स्मरणीय क्षण

शीतलाखेत में बिताया गया हर क्षण विशेष था। सुबह की खुली हवा में विभिन्न क्रियाकलाप , ताज़ा भोजन, सूर्योदय तथा सूर्यास्त का दृश्य – सब कुछ मन को छू लेने वाला था। भैया और दीदी ने कैमरे से दृश्य कैद किए, लेकिन जो अनुभव मन में बसे, वे शब्दों में बयाँ नहीं हो सकते।

Rooted in freedom, the school provides an environment where learners gain the confidence to fully express their skills and expertise. Prakriti School, under its 'OLE (Outbound Learning Expedition),' provides learners with a golden opportunity for individual learning.

As soon as I was informed that I too would get a golden opportunity to visit Sitlakhet, nestled in the towering mountains hidden in the lap of Uttarakhand, along with 48 learners from grades 5-8 for an OLE trip, my joy knew no bounds. My heart grew restless to visit the beautiful valleys of the mountains. All sorts of questions tugged at the strings of my eagerness, pulling at my restless mind.

The Inauguration of an Unforgettable Journey

Finally, that day arrived. On May 5th, the 7:20 AM Shatabdi Express train accelerated my agitated mind. As soon as I reached New Delhi Railway Station, my journey began with the responsibility of the learners from my group (Grade 7).

On the train, I observed that the learners' faces were filled with enthusiasm and curiosity. All of them were eager to catch a glimpse of the mountains. We reached Kathgodam Railway Station at 12 noon. At the station, the Youreka team instructors, who were waiting for us, seated us in 7 vehicles and gave the green light to our mountainous journey. As we advanced towards the mountains, the winding turns of the roads, the rows of deodar and pine trees, and the gently flowing cold breeze seemed to transport us to another world altogether.

On the higher altitude, crooked roads, the speed of the vehicles began to slow down.

The winding and dangerous paths, moment by moment, signaled how much blood and sweat our country's laborers must have shed to cut these mountains and construct these narrow paths and bridges.

At a sharp, winding bend, I saw mountains being cut with mechanical equipment, and trees also being fragmented, meaning their true nature was being tampered with. Nature is the primary resource for our fundamental needs. But we are misusing these natural resources (water, air, land, trees) to such an extent that we are making them so unbalanced and polluted, the result of which are earthquakes, droughts, tsunamis, and floods.

Just as we neared our destination, heavy rain blocked our narrow path. The rainwater gave such power to the slippery mud that instead of moving forward, the car wheels began to slide backward. All of us held our breath because on the other (left) side was a deep gorge that could have taken us on a trip to the netherworld in a mere moment… But the driver immediately showed his cleverness and brought the unbalanced car to a balanced state. Thus, the car began to move normally. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and we had a narrow escape.

Now we were extremely close to our destination. As soon as we reached the INME camp in Sitlakhet, the greenery of the tall trees, the fragrant cool air, everything was captivating our minds and bodies.

The INME camp at Sitlakhet, nestled in the lap of the mountains, is an ancient site built at the highest point, which was once a captivating tourist attraction for the British. Now, this amazing place was enchanting all of us with its peaceful environment and natural beauty.

Sitlakhet is an untouched and less crowded place. This location is an ideal spot for bird lovers, nature enthusiasts, and those interested in adventurous activities. The climate here is cool and refreshing, providing a healthy environment.

The INME organization instilled in the learners the feeling of living collectively in tents at this Sitlakhet camp, surrounded by mountains.

Activities Conducted by Youreka

The most exciting part of our trip was the adventurous activities organized by the Youreka company. Their instructors provided our learners with the opportunity to participate in various team-building and outdoor learning activities. These included:

• Rock Climbing: Learners were made to climb small rocky areas, which infused them with courage and confidence.

• Rappelling: Under a secure system, learners were taught to descend the slope of a hill. Sliding down a rope suspended in the air, they thoroughly enjoyed the thrill. It was challenging, but everyone participated with full enthusiasm.

• Cooking: This activity promotes the skill of cooking and sharing food collectively by using natural items in the open environment of the forest.

  

• Shelter Making: This activity teaches learners how to collectively build a temporary shelter using natural items (rope, wood) in the open forest environment to protect themselves from sudden rain.

• Friendship Ladder: Through this activity, two participants climb up a ladder, reaching a higher point with mutual cooperation to achieve their goal.

  

The objective of these activities was to develop leadership, cooperation, patience, and a love for nature among the participants. The instructors conducted every activity with full safety measures, which gave satisfaction and a feeling of pride to the teachers as well.

Educational Significance and Memorable Moments

During the trip, the learners gained knowledge about the ecology of the mountains, their flora, and fauna. They also had the opportunity to closely observe the local culture, lifestyle, and food habits. All these experiences were beyond textbook knowledge.

Every moment spent in Sitlakhet was special. The various activities in the open air in the morning, fresh food, the sunrise and sunset views – everything was deeply touching. The brothers and sisters captured scenes with cameras, but the experiences that settled in our hearts cannot be expressed in words.

One of my fondest childhood memories is of running wild through a cozy bookstore in Connaught Place. I’d dart from shelf to shelf, arms full of books, and return to my father, who would check if they were age-appropriate, discuss why I wanted each one, and then add them to our growing purchase pile.

Another memory: when people asked me what I liked to read, I’d simply say “everything.” And I meant it—I’d devour anything I could get my hands on, from the morning newspaper to magazines in the dentist’s waiting room.

My parents never controlled what I read. Perhaps they kept a watchful but gentle eye, yet they never imposed their choices on me. That freedom shaped me into who I am today—a published author, a creative writing coach, and a lifelong reader.

As someone who cherishes the creativity and independence that reading nurtured in me, I strongly advocate the same approach for anyone looking to cultivate a love of reading in their children.

Getting kids to read in today’s screen-saturated world is hard enough. But we make it harder by forcing them to read books we think are “good” for them. When adults dictate what’s appropriate or useful, we risk draining the joy from reading altogether.

Instead, let’s allow children to choose their own books. That’s how real reading habits are formed—through curiosity, not compulsion.

Why reading for pleasure matters

Reading for pleasure took me to magical worlds and taught me to be independent (Tracy Whitney from If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon was my role model for years!), imaginative, and creative. It sharpened my mind and softened my heart. Most importantly, it helped me build empathy for lives and experiences far beyond my own.

Unlike school reading, pleasure reading is voluntary. It’s driven by interest, not obligation.

According to the Scholastic India Kids & Family Reading Report (2019), 92% of children aged 6–17 said they loved or liked reading books for fun. But that number drops as they grow older. Why? Because reading starts to feel like homework—useful and educational, yes, but no longer fun.

When children choose their own books, they feel empowered. They find stories that speak to them. That’s when the magic begins.

Better readers make better learners

A 2021 study by NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) found that children who read for pleasure performed better in language and comprehension skills than those who read only textbooks.

Think about it. Vedansh, who loves cricket, might pick up a biography of M.S. Dhoni, a comic about IPL heroes, or a novel about a boy obsessed with cricket. None of these may be part of the school syllabus—but they will get him reading. And that’s the goal.

The power of choice

When parents or teachers insist that Riya must read To Kill a Mockingbird or The Gita for Children, she might lose interest altogether. But if Riya chooses Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Amar Chitra Katha, or Tinkle, she is still reading. Whether it’s a graphic novel, fantasy, or a joke book, the important thing is—it was her choice.

Examples from real classrooms

At a government school in Pune, a reading corner was set up with a mix of books—folktales, comics, and regional language stories. Children were free to choose. Within a month, library usage tripled. Teachers noticed greater engagement and improved attention spans in class.

In Bengaluru, a mother named Neha allowed her 11-year-old daughter Tara to read romance and fantasy novels instead of pushing "educational" books. Tara, who once hated reading, now finishes a book every week.

What the experts say

UNESCO states that children who enjoy reading are more likely to become lifelong learners. The UK's National Literacy Trust found that children who read for pleasure perform better not just in reading, but also in math.

Reading by choice, rather than force, strengthens the brain. It boosts vocabulary, memory, imagination, and empathy. Studies show that kids who read for fun score higher not only in language, but also in math and science. Why? Because regular reading builds focus, comprehension, and critical thinking skills. It helps the brain absorb and connect information.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Reading builds bridges—to other people, cultures, and ideas. An 8-year-old in Delhi reading A Cloud Called Bhura doesn’t just enjoy a thrilling climate-fiction story. They begin to understand pollution, climate change, and civic responsibility. A child in Chennai reading a translated story from Assam learns to respect cultural differences. Reading helps kids relate to characters unlike themselves—and sometimes to characters just like them who rarely appear in books.

These stories cultivate understanding, kindness, and open-mindedness. And that’s what the world needs.

Reading for pleasure makes children smarter, more creative, more resourceful, more independent. But most importantly, it helps them grow into better human beings.

So what can we do?

Create access: Keep a variety of books at home (yes, even Diary of a Wimpy Kid), or visit libraries. Include comics, magazines, and books in different languages.

Respect choice: Don’t mock or restrict what children want to read. Even a cricket magazine counts.

Be a role model: Read yourself. Talk about books you love.

Celebrate reading: Encourage kids to share what they liked—even if it’s a picture book or Chhota Bheem.

Give space: Offer a safe space to discuss sensitive topics like death or violence—when they’re old enough to handle them.

How to Encourage Children to Read

If you want to nurture reading habits in children, make reading a shared experience. Read aloud to them—this works wonders not just with toddlers, but also with older kids. Choose a book together and take turns reading. Use different voices, dramatize scenes, and make it fun. Surround children with books: create cozy reading nooks, visit libraries, and leave books in places they frequent. Encourage conversations about stories. Ask open-ended questions like, “What did you like about the character?” or “Would you have done something different?” Most importantly, let them see you reading. When children observe adults genuinely enjoying books, they’re more likely to see reading as pleasurable rather than obligatory.

The Final Word

When adults decide what children should read, books become burdens. But when children choose, stories become adventures.

Let’s stop worrying about what they read and start helping them discover why reading matters. Because a child who reads for pleasure today is tomorrow’s thinker, dreamer, and changemaker.

History can be learnt by covering its breadth across nations, time periods or diving deep into a thematic area and making connections with its emergence and creating new knowledge for the community. Ultimately, the right fit in a study cohort depends on its research readiness, base knowledge for critical thinking and independent working.

We centered World History studies in Grade 8 on KNOWLEDGE- its origin and proliferation. The first of this had to be the spread of knowledge from ancient India to the rest of the world.

"A comprehensive understanding of Indian history isn't always readily accessible, and this can influence how individuals view their own identity."

We sought to create a learning experience that acknowledged and valued the diverse contributions of various cultures, moving beyond a Eurocentric perspective.

The project unfolded in two phases. The first focused on India's contributions to fields like performing arts, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, philosophy and belonging to environment. Learners weren't simply told stories. Instead, they chose a topic that sparked their interest from a well-researched Grade 11 NCERT textbook (a 2012 edition featuring contributions from scholars like Kapil Kapoor and Michael Danino). For this, the learners’ choice was crucial as it immediately gave them ownership of their learning.

Armed with their chosen chapter (around 40 pages), learners embarked on independent research, diving deep into their chosen subject. They wrote summaries, formulated research questions, and then chose one to explore in a more in-depth essay. The learning process was as important as the final product. "If they came back and told me, 'I don't understand this, can you give me another book? For me, this curiosity deserves extra marks," Vidya Didi, their IGS facilitator shared, emphasizing the importance of active inquiry.

But the learning didn't stop there. Learners created visual galleries to share their findings with their classmates and parents, fostering peer learning and sparking conversations beyond the classroom. They then presented their research, further developing their communication skills. Finally, they reflected on their learning journey, solidifying their understanding and identifying key takeaways. One learner, for example, discovered the practical applications of Ayurveda in daily life, while another traced the origins of modern mathematics back to ancient India.

The second phase of tracing the history of knowledge delved into the Renaissance period. To study this important period of world history, the students chose a figure that intrigued them – be it a scientist like Newton or Vesalius, an an artist like Michelangelo or Rembrandt, or a thinker like Machiavelli.

The group discussed the translation of texts into Latin and the influence of these ideas on classical Greek and Roman thought, which were rediscovered during the Renaissance. The role of trade and wealth in this period was also explored. Individually, the students documentaries, analyzed original books, other sources, and then connected it to the Renaissance, explaining how knowledge from India, transmitted through the Islamic world, might have played a crucial role in fueling the European intellectual and artistic revolution. They presented their findings on charts and presented to their peers. Click here to watch our learners share their journey of learning.

Students, in groups, were tasked with designing a "school" that embodied the values and ideas of their chosen Renaissance figures. One group, inspired by Robert Boyle, designed a school with a state-of-the-art laboratory where learners were encouraged to experiment and explore. This experiential learning allowed them to truly "get under the skin" of these historical figures, understanding their motivations and contributions on a deeper level.

More than just learning facts, the projects helped learners discover that history isn't a collection of isolated events; it's a tapestry woven from the threads of diverse cultures and eras. These projects, bridging ancient India and the Renaissance, demonstrated that the pursuit of knowledge is a global and timeless endeavour.