Democracy in the Montessori Curriculum Citizens of Courage Democracy in the Montessori Curriculum Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Democracy means more than: ≥ Elections ≥ Voting ≥ Leaders ≥ Students Council ≥ Mock Parliaments Any other associations ? ? ? Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Democracy means = ≈ Participation ≈ Responsibility ≈ Choice ≈ Leadership ≈ A democratic culture ≈ A structure to reflect the above Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Democracy in classroom and outside Participation - individual, group, collective Responsibility – of working, of interaction, of influencing, of conflict resolution Choice - of materials, activities, location Teacher – not authoritarian, a facilitator Culture - variety, diversity, flexibility – not sameness Culture also means Feeling right, successful, rigour & appreciation of all sub-systems Peace…calmness, confidence, clarity Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

I can influence… Participation & Respect Individual Group Collective Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Achievement by Gender, Location and Community - Class IV Mean achievement of children improved significantly in all groups and in all subjects Maximum improvement observed among SC/ST and MBC children in all three subjects Groups Tamil Mathematics English Baseline End term Boys 34.99 61.23 36.65 65.81 26.07 51.60 Girls 38.45 66.25 39.14 60.97 28.20 52.99 Rural 35.67 63.01 37.06 63.58 26.36 53.24 Urban 41.13 65.06 42.70 58.32 31.29 44.16 SC/ST 33.60 61.01 36.38 60.75 25.60 50.28 MBC 33.20 62.18 37.07 62.11 24.12 49.95 BC 43.47 66.51 40.33 66.43 31.92 57.62 OC 46.15 68.67 50.57 47.80 34.88 47.00  Significantly improved;  no improvement: ABL Base Year Study 2008

Constitution of the Nation Systemic Structures Pedagogy School Culture Child’s Potential Classroom Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Constitution of the Nation Not scattered… Child’s Potential Classroom Constitution of the Nation School Culture Democracy Pedagogy Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Constitution of the Nation Systemic Structures Pedagogy School Culture Child’s Potential Classroom Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Changed Culture: classrooms Movement in the class No heavy benches, no rigid seating Children not being pinned down Materials are in the class Textbooks, workbooks reformatted Discussion, decision-making Respectful to one another Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Changed Culture: children Talking, moving, freedom in the class Not fearful of visitors Not waiting for teacher, sitting quietly A naturalness in talking, discussing Confident Hungry to learn, thirsty to know Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Changed Culture: teachers Teachers not rigid and stiff Kinder to children An acceptance of children being active Spontaneity in children not stifled Using materials, activity, interacting Open for discussion Debate of current issues possible ‘Responsibility is ours’ Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2015

Links to Community Involvement in the school Casual visits Observation Attend meetings Feedback to school Panchayat discussions Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Challenges: Teacher’s Role Training and quality of program link? Notion of a child? Notion of learning? Notion of teacher’s role? Planning for individual learning Planning for group work Tracking & assessment Involvement of parents, community Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Challenges: Systemic Training to be based on participatory learning, on androgogy Acceptance of innovation as a means for bringing about change; 80/20 To move to quality of learning for the teacher and the learner Orientation of support systems: BRCs & administrative Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Challenges: Learning Consumers or constructors? Active Engaged Involved Absorbed Focused, Concentrating Enquiring, Exploring, Discovering Conceptual Clarity, Reflective Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016

Path forward………..for Equity Sustainability of quality over s p a c e & t i m e p e a c e & h a p p i n e s s ©Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape amukta.m@gmail.com centre for educators Amukta Mahapatra SchoolScape Feb 2016