Confucius beautifully said, “don’t do things, which you don’t like to be done upon you.” I hated to go to school, I hated to carry the heavy load of books behind my back, I hated the home works, I hated mugging up things, I hated examinations, and I hated teachers being extra good to students who scored more than rest of the students. Hence long back I had decided that I won’t be sending my children to school, if this continues to remain the pattern of education. Education of course is necessary for children, but it need not happen in schools - It can happen at home too.
If I ever had to put my children in schools, I was very clear about two important factors- firstly I won’t be corrupting the system in the name of forcible donations and then ask my children to be uncorrupt in their lives, and also I won’t be letting my religion and caste written on the application forms and then ask my children to be secular in their lives. These were the reasons I never bothered about searching any schools for my children – they will study under me I thought. Just a week back my sister asked me to come to a school run by KFI (Krishnamurthy Foundation of India) in Chennai. And I bought the application form paying Rs 300. The school’s name is The School – they don’t have uniforms, they don’t take donations, they don’t have exams till 8th grade, and they don’t ask for the applicant’s religion and caste in their application forms.
Also I was impressed by the nature of questions they had asked in their application forms, here they are and the replies I had given. I hope my child gets the admission, if not it is fine – she will continue to learn under me – no other schools for sure.
Q1) What qualities do you see as important to your child in life?
A1) First of all we (me and my wife) would want our child to be a good human being, who can dedicate her life for the betterment of people around her, and the society she is brought up in.
We would appreciate if she believes in one world & one humanity philosophy than trying to tag herself with a particular nation, a particular caste or a particular religion.
Q2) In what manner do you see yourself participating in this development?
A2) Our job starts and ends at providing her an environment where in she can interact with people belonging to the same age group. And also our child is like a sapling - who just needs our support & nourishment in the initial period of her life – later she will grow and understand things on her own. So for now we just want to participate as supporters and exits as facilitators for her.
Q3) What would you not like your child to learn though school?
A3) Competition
Q4) How would you define success?
A4) Success is an individual search and is in doing something your inner voice tells you is right. Success cannot be measured against the amount of money or fame an individual has gathered. It is all about living your life in perfect harmony with nature, and doing things that isn’t against the divine will.
Q5) Please comment on the following
Q1) Academics as the main aim of school eduation
A1) Memorizing things is an age old technique where in by constant repetition and revision – people can memorize anything and everything. And this should not be confused with intelligence or knowledge a child possesses naturally.
We personally feel that answers should be provided only after the questions are asked. And these questions should come from the inner being and not from bookish information.
Hence academics can be known and by-hearted anytime, but intelligence and sharpness of minds comes through life’s experiences, and from the environment a child is subjected to.
Q2) Peer influence and the growth of the child
A2) Every individual is born with a specific purpose in life. Hence a child and the school should concentrate more on bringing individual purpose to fore, than wasting time in comparing things with others who altogether has a different purpose in life. Peers can only ‘supplement’ individual’s growth, and should not ‘influence’ growth.
Q3) Demands of parenting today
A3) Most parents try living their children’s lives these days. If the parents failed to do their MBBS, they want their children to become a doctor. If they fail in passing the UPSC, they try making their children an IAS officer - which according to us is not correct.
In our opinion responsible parents should allow the child to follow his/her own dream and passion, and should only take effort in providing an environment that facilitates this process – rest everything is taken care by the divine.
Q6) What do you see this school being able to offer given its philosophy?
A6) The school will be able to provide an open & free environment that will help the child to grow & find his/her purpose in life – effortlessly.
Q7) What might it not be able to offer?
A7) The school won’t be able to make my child memorize nursery rhymes or would not force my child in learning to read and write as efficiently as children in other schools do. Also the school will be not able to make my child competitive and exam oriented.
Q8) In relation to the above how would you ensure that your child does not lose out in the long run?
A8) As the famous Hindi saying goes – daane daane mein likha hota hia khaane wale ka naam, it is just an illusion that there is a competition for food and survival in this world.
The divine that provided the child free air and free milk from the day it was born, will surely provide all that the child deserves in life – without any effort or without even participating in the long run.
Q9) Any other information that you would like to give us, regarding health of the child, family or other special circumstances
A9)
*About the child’s health - she had ‘primary complex’ when young, now she is perfectly cured of the same
*Family – our parents had an inter-caste and inter-religion love marriage, and also me and my wife had a love marriage
*Special circumstances – after 8 years of working in an IT industry I quit my high paying 9-5 job in the year 2004 to take up astrology as my profession, just to follow my inner voice.
Q10) Have you applied previously in this school for your child? If yes please indicate year and class applied for. Please mention if you have attended an interview.
A10) NO
Q11) Any other information that you would like to share with usA11) I would just like to share something that changed my perception about children. These lines are by Khalil Gubran -
Your children are not your children.
They are sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodes but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the Archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.