Auroville Education Survey...
Transcript of Auroville Education Survey...
AurovilleEducationSurvey(1968-2013)
SurveyDesign:DeeptiTewari
ResearchTeam:Anandamayi,AshwinE.,Aurévan,ÉricA.,
Kripa,ManjulaA.,Shrishti,Smiti,SouryaS.
AnalysisandReview:SuryamayiClarence-Smith
December19th,2016.
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TableofContents
Preface……………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….……….6
TheSurvey:Design,Framework,Methodology,Demographics….………..6
AnalysisofResponses……………………………………………………………………….10
SalientCommonalities……………………………………………………………..10
I. AnAurovilleEducation&Upbringing……………………..……….10
1)Beneficial………………………………………………………………......11
2)FormativeLifeEducation……………………………………………11
3)ValuedCharacteristicsofAurovilleEducation……………..12
4)Deficits……………………………………………………………………...16
5)CharacteristicsValuedOutsideAuroville…………………….17
II. BeingAurovilian…………………………………………………………….17
1) ConnectionwithAuroville’sIdeals…………………………..…17
2) Feeling‘Aurovilian’…………………………………………………....20
3) AnAuroville‘Type’?........................................................................22
III. Recognition&SuggestionsfortheFuture………………………..24
1) Recognition……………………………………………………………….24
2) Suggestions……………………………………………………………….28
SynthesisandRecommendations….…………………………………………………..32
APPENDIXA:AurovilleEducationSurveyForm…………………………………39
APPENDIXB:AurovilleCharter………………………………………………………....41
APPENDIXC:ToBeATrueAurovilian…………………………………………….....42
APPENDIXD:HistoricalContextofEducationinAuroville………………….43
APPENDIXE:GlossaryofSchoolsReferenced…………………………………….46
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………….49
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Preface:WhythisAurovilleEducationSurvey?
Fromitsveryinception,therehasbeeninAurovilleavastcontradictionbetweentheidealtoberealizedandtheactualityofthegroundreality.Auroville’saimisvast,itisaslargeashumanlife,butthematerial,socialandpsychologicalconditionsprovidedfortheexperimenthavebeenquiteother.TosumupsomeoftheapparentaimsofAuroville:Tobuildacitydedicatedtothefuture,notrepeatingtheerrorsofthepast,buttodoso on a dry barren, socially deprived corner of rural South India. To let theexperimentbepeopledbyarandomnatural'selection'ofthosewhochancetoshowup, carryingwithin themselvesmerely awish to try suchanexperiment inhumanunity. To locate the experiment in an inhabited area that has a resident localpopulationwithlittleaccesstothebasic lifeamenitiesofthemodernworld:water,healthcare and education, yet to insist that Auroville’s intention is to co-evolvetogether.And, if these material conditions were not challenging enough, there was aninsistence that no 'rules or laws' be framed for this fledgling society’s governance,that no one be placed ‘in charge’; but rather to expect that all who choose toparticipatewould consent to let the underlying principles of the experiment growand develop, creating thereby the flexible working structures necessary for anorganicgrowth. Inaword, to insistprimarilyupon 'agrowthofconsciousness'butprovidenoprescriptivesystemsandmethodologiesforcreatingsuchagrowth.
Initsearlyyears,Aurovillehadtosecureitsphysicalbase.Aswithall
pioneeringsocieties,thenatureofthematerialenvironment-adryredlateriteplateaufacingadvanceddesertification-required'doers'notthinkers.Oncethelandwasgreenedandlifebecamemoresettled,ashousingshiftedfrombambooandthatchtothepermanenceofcementandconcrete,sotootheseekingforcoherenceinitssocialandpsychologicalcollectivestructurescametotheforefront.Thiswasthespiritandatmosphereinwhichtheearliestschoolexperimentemergedin1970.Thefirst'students'werethechildrenofthosewhohadjoinedtheexperiment,theiragevaryingfromtoddlerstoteenagers.TeachersweretheAurovilianswhowerethere,inclinedandavailable.
Inthisearlyenvironment,theverypassionfora'newsociety'createdadynamismthatactedasadissolventforstability.Thisfirsteducationalexperimentfounderedonthecontradictionsofthemoment.Itseemedthenthattobuildasettledschoolenvironmentwastobuildonshiftingsands.Thus,between1975andtheemergenceofCentreSchool(aprimaryschool)intheearly1980stherewerenostructuredschoolenvironmentsforAurovilleyouthtoattend.Youthhadtomakeshiftwithadhocandpersonalarrangements.
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ItisatruisminAurovillethatorganizedstructuresemergelongafteran
activityhascomeintobeing.Thusitwasin1984thattheSriAurobindoInternationalInstituteofEducationalResearch(SAIIER),thebodythatisnowtheholdingagencyforallofAuroville’seducationalactivities,wasformallycreated.Allthemanifoldexistingactivitieswhichhadaneducationalorientationwereincorporatedwithinit.
Butthisorganizedstructuredidnotstopthedebateaboutapproaches.A
multi-nationalcollectivity,withmembersinfluencedbytheirdistinctivecultural,social,moralandeducationalbackgrounds,seekingtocreateacommonapproachthatwantstoworkfromwithinoutwards,doesnotfinditeasytoagreeonmethodologies,oncontentsandstructures.Whatshouldbethecontoursofan'AurovilleEducation'?Thisremainsananimatedpointofdiscussionyet.Ithasbeenrelativelyeasiertoarriveatfunctionalagreementsinrelationtotheeducationoftheveryyoung.Itiswheresecondaryleveleducationisconcernedthatattitudeshavedivergedvastly-shouldAurovilleaffiliateitselftosomeexistingboardorexamprogramme,orshoulditretaina'freeprogress'approach?Thisargumenthasbeenatmomentsacrimoniousandevenledtoclosuresofparticularexperiments.
In1985,itwastheteenagersthemselveswhosucceededintheirdemandtohavean‘organized’schoolenvironmentdedicatedtotheirneeds.Butthestabilityofthisexperimentlastedlessthanadecadebeforeitseparatedinto2streams:ontheonesideintoaprogrammewhichofferedthepossibilityofstudyingandpassingforoneorotherofexternalschoolboardexamsavailablethen;andontheothertoanopen-ended,creative‘freeprogress’approach.Forthelast2decades,thisseemstohavebecomethesettledshapeofeducationonoffertoteenagersandyoungadultsgrowingupinAuroville.Buttheargumentationonapproachesremains.
Inanyonewhohasworkedwithteenagers,thequestionnecessarilyarises:whatistheirviewofgrowingupinAuroville,particularlyoncetheyhavethematurityandperspectiveofageandhindsight?Afteralltheywerethesubjects,theguineapigs,ofthisexperimentation.ThewishandintentionofAurovilleistocreateasenseofuniversality,totakeyououtofyournarrowsocial,familialornationalbackgroundandgivebirthtoanewandwiderconsciousness.Howsuccessfulhasthisbeen?Aurovilianstendtohaveasubjectiveimpressionoftheeducationalprocesstheyouthundergo,andanecdotalevidencethatoftenconfirmsone’spointofview.Buttogetsomeempiricaldatawouldbethought-provokingindeed.
ThustheideaofasurveyofAurovilleyouthincubatedforsomeyears.
Becauseofthiscontinuingquestionwithin,Iputtogetherasomewhatdesultorylistof(psychologicalratherthanmerelypractical)questions.Itwasinthesummerof2013thatagroupofyoungadultAuroviliansexpressedenthusiasmaboutsuchaself-analysisandalsoofferedtohelpcontacttheirfriendsandfellowyouth.Atthispointthesurveybegantoorganizeitself,tomanifest.Aone-pageintroductionthatdescribedthespiritandintentionofthesurveywasaddedtothelistof12questions.Itwassettledthatthequestionswouldbeinwardlookingandpsychologicalbecause
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thatwaswhatneededtobemeasuredmorethanthepracticallifeskillsthatAurovilleautomaticallyseemstoawaken.Thesecouldbeexploredatalaterstage.Noprescriptivedirectionwasspecifiedandtherespondentsweredeliberatelyleftfreetounderstandandreplytothequestionintheirownway,highlightingjustwhattheychose.
Thatsummerandthenextyeartoo,theteamcontactedpeopleeitherpersonallyorthroughinnumerableemails,repeatedlyrequestingtheircontactstofilloutthesurvey.Onlyeightyoddofthehundredscontactedresponded.Interestingly,manyofthosewhodidtakethetime,expressedtheirgladnessattheeffecttheprocessofdwellinguponthequestionshaduponthem.Becausethesewereinwardlookinganddemandedanintrospection,alookingbackandanalysisthisgavebirthtonewinsightsaboutgrowingupinAuroville.Theanswersthemselvesmorethanfulfilledexpectations;growingupinAurovilleisanexperiencethathasshapedlivesandprovidedtheirfuturetrajectory.Auroville’sfounder’swish“Tohavealifethatwantstogrowandperfectitself,thatiswhatthecollectiveidealofAurovilleshouldbe,andaboveall,notinthesamewayforeveryone–eachoneinhisownway”seemsachievable.
Deepti
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IntroductionAurovilleisanexperimentalcommunityaspiringtowardstheevolutionof
consciousnessinlightofthereveredIndianyogi,philosopherandrevolutionarySri
Aurobindo’sIntegralYoga.Hisspiritualcollaborator,TheMother,foundedthe
internationaltownshipinsoutheastIndiain1968,withtheendorsementofthe
GovernmentofIndiaandUNESCO.Approachingits50thanniversary,Aurovilleisthe
largestintentionalcommunityintheworld.1
TheMotherwroteandspokeextensivelyabout‘IntegralEducation,’2
educationinthecontextoftheIntegralYogaofSriAurobindo,andencouragedits
developmentinAuroville,inwhichitremainsafoundationalandaspired-towards
conceptandpractice.3Hundredsofyouthhavebeenraisedandeducatedinthe
community,andthissurveysoughttorevealtheinfluenceandcharacteristicsoftheir
uniqueupbringing,aswellastogivevoicetoanysuggestionstheymayhaveforthe
futureofAuroville’seducationalprocesses.
TheSurvey:Design,MethodologyandDemographicsThesurveywasdesignedbyoneofthecommunity’slongest-standing
educatorswithan“inward-lookingandpsychological”emphasis,giventhespiritual
aimsoftheAurovillecontextandthemanyeducationalexperimentsthathavebeen
inspiredbyandsoughttofosterthese.4Thecoverletteraccompanyingthe
questionnairehighlightedthatnoempiricaldataofthesubjectiveexperiencesof
Aurovilleyouthexisted,andthatthiswasacruciallensthroughwhichtogaininsight
intotheAurovilleexperienceaswhole,andhoweducationalpracticeshave
participatedinshapingit.5
1SeeSuryamayiClarence-Smith,“Auroville:APracticalExperimentinUtopianSociety”(BAInterdisciplinaryStudiesThesis,UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,2015).2See,forexample,TheMother,Education(Pondicherry:SriAurobindoAshramPress,1981).3SeeAppendixDforabriefhistoryofAuroville’seducationalendeavours.4SeePreface.5SeeAppendixA.
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Participantswereaskedtoanswerthefollowing12questions6:
1. WereyouborninAuroville?Ifnot,atwhatagedidyoucometoAuroville?
2. Kindlydescribeyourschoolingdetails,bothinandoutsideAuroville.
3. Wheredoyoucurrentlyliveandwhatisyourcurrentwork/sphereofaction?
4. Whichpartofyoureducation,whetherinAurovilleornot,hasbeenthemost
formativeforyourpersonality?
5. Whichaspectofyoureducationhasprovedthemosteffectiveforyourlife
andaction(whatskills,perspective,ideasdoyouusethemost)?
6. InwhichwaydoyoufeelAurovilian?Whatarethesignsofthisfeeling?Canyou
identifyitscharacteristics?
7. Doyouhaveasenseofconnectionwiththeideaforcesasembodiedin
Auroville’sfoundingtexts(suchas“TobeaTrueAurovilian”ortheCharter)?
Inwhatwaydoyouconnectwiththem?
8. DoyoufeelthatyouhavebenefitedfromtheAurovilleexperience/upbringing?
9. Wouldyousaythatthereisan“Aurovilletype”and,ifso,howwouldyou
describeit?
10. WereAurovilletocreatesomeformofrecognitionforitseducationalprocesses,
whataccordingtoyou,couldbeitscriteria?
11. DoyouhaveanywishesorsuggestionsforthefutureofAurovilleeducation?
12. Wouldyoulikeustokeepyouinformedaboutthesurveyanditsresults?
Note:Namesandagesoftheparticipantswererecorded,butthesurveywascirculatedwiththeagreementthatthenamesofparticipantswouldbekeptconfidentialinanyreportorpublication.Throughoutthisdocument,quoteswillbereferencedusinganumberassignedtotherespondents,indicatingthebirthyearandschoolingdetailsasrelevant.
BetweenJune2013andAugust2015,thequestionnairewascirculatedbya
groupofcurrentandformerAurovilleyouthtotheirpeersresidinginthecommunity
andabroad.Alistofeligibleparticipants–peopleagedeighteenandabovewhenthe
6Forthefullsurveyform,pleaseseeAppendixA.
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surveywaslaunchedin2013,whohadexperiencedanAurovilleupbringingand
participatedinanyofthecommunity’seducationalexperimentssinceitsfoundingin
1968–wascompiledfromtheAurovilleArchives’registersofresidents.Thisinitial
archivalresearchwascomplementedwithadditionalnamesobtainedfromthe
surveyteam,whocontactedanumberofAurovilianyouthaskingthenthemtorecall,
identifyandtraceanycontemporariesthatmighthavebeenmissed.Thisfinallistof
nameswasthensharedoutbetweentheteamwhodecidedamongstthemselves
whomeachwouldcontact,basedonpersonalconnectionsandrelationships.Initially,
oralinterviewswereplanned,andthereweresomecompletedtostartwith,butthis
wasfoundtobetoolabourintensiveandveryquicklyitwasagreedtoshifttoan
onlinesurvey.
ThecollectionofresponseswasanalysedbyaformerAurovillestudentwho
participatedinthesurveyherselfandiscurrentlyundertakingdoctoralresearchon
Auroville.Assuchthisresearchisauto-ethnographic,qualitative,andsubjective;and
giventhatmuchofthedatacontained,andlentitselftoformulating,
recommendationsforAuroville’seducationalpractices,itintendstobecome‘applied
research.’
Demographicsofthesurvey:
• SurveyresponseswerecollectedbetweenJune2013andApril2015.
• 81answeredthesurvey,72byemailand9inperson.Thisfigure
representsatleastathirdofallAurovilleyouthovertheageof18in
2010,7possiblysignificantlymore.8Thelowestresponseratereported
bythosewhocirculatedthesurveywasonethird,thehighestresponse
ratedescribedas“most”ofthosecontacted.
• Spanningover40years,theoldesttofillinthesurveywasbornin
1959,theyoungestin1991.16werebornbetween1959and1969,25
between1969and1979,25between1979and1989and14between
7Theyoungesttofillinthesurveywerebornin1991,andthuswouldhavebeen18in2009.8BasedondataofyouthraisedinAurovilleobtainedfromtheDataManagementGroup.
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1989and1991,sothat,presumablysufficientdatawascollectedto
identifyanypotentialdiversityinresponsesacrosstime.
• 41respondents(approx.50%)wereborninAuroville.Theremainder
movedtoAurovillebetweentheagesof6weeksand14yearsold.
• 46ofrespondentsweremale,35female.
• StudentsfromacrossAuroville’skindergarten,elementaryandhigh
schoolsresponded,presumablyenablinganysignificantdivergences
accordingtoschoolsinAurovilletobeidentified.
• Onethirdofrespondentscompletedtheentiretyoftheirprimary
throughhighschooleducationinAuroville(born1972onwards).
Another9respondents(born1959onwards)completedallbutoneor
twoyearsofprimaryschoolinAuroville(eitherabroadorinthe
Ashrambeforejoiningthecommunity,orat“EqualsOne”intheearly
years).Thesumis44.4%ofrespondents.
• 58respondents(71.6%)wentontopursuehighereducationoutsideof
Auroville.Ofthose,34hadattendedhighschooloutside,and24inside
Auroville.
• 36respondents(44.4%)livedoutsideofAurovilleatthetimeoftaking
thesurvey.
• Respondentswereactiveinanumberofdifferentfields.Interestingly,
closeto30%(24people)listedteachingasatleastoneoftheirroles.
• 91%ofrespondentswereinterestedinhearingoftheresultsofthe
survey.
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AnalysisofResponses
SummaryofSalientCommonalities:
o Thevastmajorityofrespondentsfeeltheyhavesignificantlybenefitedfrom
theirAurovilleupbringing.
o TheAurovilleupbringingasawholewasconsideredaneducational
experience,reachingbeyondschooling.Responsesdidnotdiffersignificantly
accordingtotheschoolstudentsattended,oreveniftheycompletedtheir
secondaryschoolingelsewhere.
o ThequalitiesofAurovilleeducation/upbringingthatarethemostvaluedare
freedom,openness,support,well-roundedpersonaldevelopment,exposureto
theyogaofMotherandSriAurobindo,andamulticulturalandmultilingual
environment.
o ThevastmajorityofrespondentsfeelveryidentifiedwithAuroville.Whether
theyliveinthecommunityornot,theyconsiderthemselvesAurovilianin
resonatingwith,aspiringtowardsorpracticallyapplyingitsideals,infeeling
connectedwithothercommunitymembers,andinconsideringAurovilletobe
“home.”
o ThemajorityofrespondentsrecommendthatAurovilledevelopinternal
formsofrecognitionfortherangeofeducationalexperiencesofyouthwithin
thecommunity,andmovetowardsinternationalaccreditationforthese.
o SuggestionsforthefutureofAuroville’seducationincludeupholdingdiversity,flexibilityandorientationtotheindividual,andthatitcontinueto
experiment–responsibly–bysupportingtrainingofteachersanddrawing
inspirationfromdevelopmentsineducationalprocessesworldwide.
I.AnAurovilleEducationandUpbringing:Benefit,CharacteristicsandDeficits
Commonthemesrelatedtothebenefits,characteristicsanddeficitsofthe
upbringingandeducationofAurovilleyouthemergedintheresponsestoQ.4,Q.5
andQ.8,whichspecificallyaddressedtheseinterrelatedpoints.
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1)Beneficial
InanswertoQuestion8“Doyoufeelthatyouhavebenefitedfromthe
Aurovilleexperience/upbringing?”71participants(87.65%)answeredthatthey
felttheyhadbenefitedfrombeingraisedinAuroville.58respondents(71.6%)
stronglyexpressedthisandmanywenttosomelengthtoqualifyandsupport
theiranswer.Manyexpressedhow‘grateful’and‘lucky’theyfeltaboutbeing
raisedinAuroville,describingitas‘invaluable,’‘immeasurable’and‘priceless,’
somethingtheywouldrepeat,wouldnevertrade,andcouldneverrepay.A
significantnumberofrespondentsexpressedastrongidentificationwiththeir
Aurovilleupbringingandcouldnotconceiveofputtingitsbenefitintoquestion(it
isinterestingtonotethatthistypeofresponsecamefromtheearliergeneration
ofAurovilleyouth):
“Yes!That’sastupidquestion,that’slikesaying‘howdoyoufeelaboutbeingyourselfat42’?Imean…it’scompletelyconnectedsomehowtowhoIam”9“Noquestionaboutit.ItISwhoIam”10“CouldIhavebeenraisedelsewhereandstillbethepersonIamtoday?Unlikely…Ihaditall–thefreedom,thegenerosityofhumanity,andthetoleranceofothers.WhatmoreCOULDoneaskfor?!”11“Yes,ithasformedwhoIam.IamthankfulallthetimethatIhadtheeducationandchildhoodthatIdid.”12
2)Formative“LifeEducation”
InanswertoQuestion4“Whichpartofyoureducation,whetherinAurovilleor
not,hasbeenthemostformativeforyourpersonality?”themajority(50out81,
61.72%)respondedthattheireducationinAurovillewasthemostformative.19
(23%)citedacombinationelementsfromtheireducationinAurovilleandoutsideof
Auroville,sothatintotalAurovillewasidentifiedasformativein69,or85.17%of
answers.ResponsestoallthreequestionshighlightedtheAurovilleexperienceasa
wholeasformativeandeducational,withlifeskillsreachingbeyondschooling.
9#62,1973,FertileSchool.10#3,1967,FertileSchool.11#4,1964,FertileSchool.12#28,1972,AspirationKindergarden,CenterSchool,FertileSchool,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.
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“LivinginAurovilleisaneducationalexperienceandhasbeenformative.”13“MyeducationinAurovillereachedfarbeyondjusttheschools.Iwasgiventhefreedomtogrowasaperson;wasgivenresponsibilityinmyownlife.Thesethingshelpedmelearnfrom all my experiences... Growing up in Auroville prepared me more than justacademicallyfortheworld.”14“The 'out of classroom' learning that tookplace in every stageofmy life - growingupwithadiversegroupofpeople,beinginvolvedindifferentaspectsofthecommunity,andbeingassociatedwithmentorsthatgavealotofindividualattention.”15
“The most formative part of my education for my personality was being engaged inbuildingandcreatingAuroville.”16
TheearlyyouthofAuroville-borninthe1960sandearly1970s-who
answeredthatAurovilleeducationwasformativeoftheirpersonality,statedthatthis
wasduetothelackofstructurededucation,whichpushedsometoseekformal
educationelsewhere:
“My timewithout a formal education in Auroville taughtmemore thanmy attendingschoolcouldeverhavedone.Iamamaverick,alateralthinkerandprettyfearless.Lifeskillshavemadeanythinglifetodayhastooffereasytodealwith.”17
“My formal education in Auroville was almost non existent but Auroville providedmewithawealthofexperiencethathasinfluencedwhoIamtoday.”18
“Ithinkthatmylackofeducationhasmademesoeagertowantto learn,andwanttoachieve.IreallyworkedhardtogetmyBAandMA,notforthesakeofgettingadiplomabuttohaveagoalandreachit.”19
3.ValuedCharacteristicsofAurovilleEducation
Answerstoallthreequestions(Q.8onbenefit,Q.4onformative,Q.5on
effectiveness)highlightedcommonaspectsoftheAurovilleeducationandupbringing
asstrongpositives,notably
Ø Thequalitiesofopennessandfreedom:
13#32,1964,AspirationSchool,KodaiSwedish.14#28,1972,AspirationKindergarden,CenterSchool,FertileSchool,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.15#49,1986,TransitionandFutureSchool.16#15,1964,Aspiration,Fertile,LastSchool.17#4,1969,Kindergarden,LastSchool,FertileSchool.18#38,1961,AurovilleSchool.19#9,1975,Centre,Transition,LastSchoolandhomeschooling.
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“Children can express themselves freely. They can discover on their own what theylike/don'tlike.Theyarenotformattedina"shouldbe"mould.Wewerefree.”20“Even though many 'experiments' could not be sustained the knowledge gained, theopennessandfreedomtothink(evenatthatyoungage)hasstoodmeingoodstead.”21
“Theopeningupofmythinkingtoaskimportantquestions,thefeelingofbeingallowedtobewhooneis,andatthesametimethegoodpreparationforwhateveronechoosestoendupdoing.”22“ThefreedommadepossibleinAuroville,toexploreone'spotentialsandskillsenablesthestudentstototallyfocustheirattentiononthethingstheylovetolearn.Theresultformepersonallywas…theabilitytostayintouchwithmypassions.”23
Interestingly,freedomwasoftenpositivelycorrelatedwithresponsibility:
“Freedomineveryway,earlyresponsibilities,beingonebigfamilyfeelingresponsibleforothersandsurroundings.”24“IreallyenjoyedthefreedomofchoosingwhichsubjectsandcoursesIwantedtofollowwhichdefinitelyincreasedmysenseofresponsibilityformyownlife.”25
Ø The opportunity for authentic and well-rounded personaldevelopment:
“Being in Auroville has givenme somany opportunities to discover various aspects ofmyself,hasgivenmetheconfidencetobetruetomyself.”26
“The toolsandunderstanding I havegainednotonly covered thebasic knowledgeandskillsofeducation,butalsodevelopedmybeingintoamoreroundedindividualstrivingtoprogress”27“TheeducationinAurovillehasbeenmostformative,becauseitisgearedmoretowardsthegrowthoftheindividual,tosparkaninterestinasmanyvariedtopicsaspossibleandtodevelopnotonlytheacademicbuttheathleticandartisticsidesofourpersonalityaswell.”28
20#75,1986,Kindergarden,Transition21#2,1959,AspirationSchool22#54,1989,Kindergarden,TransitionandFutureSchool23#66,1980,Kindergarden,Transition,LastSchool.24#10,1966,LastSchool25#79,1986,Kindergarden,Transition,FutureSchool26#55,1981,Kindergarden,TransitionandLastSchool27#81,1987,TransitionandFutureSchool.28#44,1990,LastSchool.
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“ThebroadspectrumofskillsthatAurovilleeducationprovides.AndbythisIdon'tmeanjust practical/intellectual skills, Imean a richness of thought, a deep awareness ofmyself,mysurroundingsandarichperspectiveoflifeandourexistence.”29
Ø Theinterconnectednessofteachersandstudents,asareflectionof
theirembedednessinthecommunityatlarge:
“Ifeelthebestpartofmyeducationwasthebalanceoffreedominaverynurturingenvironmentthatfosteredacloseandpersonalrelationshipwithonesteacherswhileatthesametimedevelopingastrongsenseofself-responsibility.”30“Growingupwithaverysupportiveandopen-mindedteachingstaffhasallowedmetotrulyallowmetobeme.”31“Theapproachtostudentsandthegeneralatmospherecreated…Iwouldsayamodelofhumaninteractionforme.”32“Thesenseofcommunity,friendship,andequalitybetweenteachersandstudents.”33
Ø TheexposuretotheyogaofMotherandSriAurobindo:
“ThemoreuniquecoursessuchasAwarenessthroughtheBodyandAurovillePhilosophyclasses…Throughamore theoreticalunderstandingof theworksof SriAurobindoandtheMotheraswellaspracticalexercisesthatimplementedtheseconceptsonaphysicallevelenhancedoneslearningabilityaswellasdevelopingoneselfasanindividual.”34“I would say that living in Auroville and being schooled in Auroville has allowed theteachingofMotherandSriAurobindototakeholdinme,andthesehaveformedalargepartofmyoverallperspective.”35“IfeelIhavebenefitedbytheknowledgeofMotherandSriAurobindo'syoga.ThiscouldhavebeenlivedanywherebutbybeinginAurovilleonecansharewithotherAurovilians,whichenrichesourknowledge.”36“The philosophy and ideals of Sri Aurobindo, The Mother and Auroville, which onebecomesawareofandissurroundedbyhaveanimpactandinfluenceononeslife.Iamhappytohavebeenexposedtothesefromayoungageandsomehowtheyhavebecomeanaturalpartofmylife.”37
29#70,1984,Mirramukhi,Transition,Last,FutureSchool.30#81,1987,Kindergarden,TransitionandFutureSchool.31#54,1989,Kindergarden,TransitionandFutureSchool32#47,1989,NewSchool,TransitionSchool,FutureSchool.33#64,1987,Kindergarden,Transition,FutureSchool.34#81,1987,TransitionandFutureSchool.35#82,1975,AurovilleSchools.36#78,1973,LastSchool.37#80,1966,LastSchool.
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“Thespiritualopenness(asprimarilyisthecaseintheclassAwarenessThroughtheBody)issomethingthatIamfurtherpursuingandwillmostlikelybedoingfortherestofmylife.”38
Ø Learningtolearn,forthesakeoflearning.
“IlearnedthateveryskillislearnableandsoinlifethereisnothingIwillnotattemptasIbelieve Icando/learnanything, the freedomtodowhat Iwishnotonlywhat I'vebeentrainedtodo.”39“I would say the most important skill/idea that I have learned is that, with enoughinterestandeffort,onecanlearn/doanything.Anditisnotwhatonedoesbuthowonedoesthatmatters.”40
“IpassedeverycompetitiveexamIsatforandIthinkAurovillehadahugeroletoplay.Itgavemethefreedomtolearnunencumberedbytheexpectationofresults.”41“Itsomehowtaughtmehowtolearn-thatispricelessinmycareerasIconsultandIneedaquickgraspoftheessentials.”42
Ø Thinking‘laterally,’‘creatively,’and‘outsidethebox,’aswellasthe
opportunitytoquestioncritically.
“Thinkingoutsidetheboxhelps ineverydomainof lifeandI'mgratefultoAuroville forthat.”43
“AVeducationwasextremelyformativeinthatittaughtmetothinkoutoftheboxandmorecreatively.”44“InAurovilleIlearnedtoquestionthestatusquobutinmyotherschoolsIlearnedtogoaboutitinarespectfulandpositivemanner.”45“I have noticed that I'm quite adept at thinking laterally and clearly, and I think myeducationinAurovillehasallowedthistodevelopwell.”46
Ø Thediversemulticulturalandmultilingualenvironment.
“Aurovillewidenedmyperspectiveandhelpedmeformanoutlookonlife.Itbroughtmeincontactwithdiversepeople,opinions,waysofbeingandfunctioning,ideas…”47
38#54,1989,Kindergarden,TransitionandFutureSchool.39#29,1980,Kindergarden,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.40#35,1990,Kindergarten,Mirramukhi,Transition,LastSchool.41#7,1959,AspirationSchool.42#7,1959,AspirationSchool.43#16,1974,Transition,Center,LastSchool.44#16,1974,Centre,Transition,LastSchool.45#17,1968,Aspiration,Kindergaden,LastSchool,CentreSchool.46#82,1975,AurovilleSchools.
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“Learningdifferent languageswasdefinitelyavery importantpartofmygrowthhere.Witheach languageIknow, I feel connectedto thatcultureandcanbetterunderstandthepeoplespeakingthatlanguage.”48
“Beingadaptableandabletolearninwhateverenvironment,multi-lingualexpressionandthought.”49
4.Deficits
9answerstoQuestion8,“DoyoufeelthatyouhavebenefitedfromtheAuroville
experience/upbringing?”weremixed,withsomepositiveandsomenegativeaspects
expressed.50ThesecamefromAuroville’searlystudents,hencethenegativeaspects
expressedpresumablyreflecttheearlyyearsofeducationwithinthecommunity.The
positivepointsweresimilartothosealreadyhighlighted;thenegativepointsraised
werethelackoftrainingoftheteachers,thelackofstructureandcontinuityof
educationalopportunities,andthelackofguidanceforyouthinthecommunity.
“I was influenced by adults who had many idealistic views and ideas, some were myteachers. Not being qualified or trained educators they probably had no idea of theinfluenceandimpacttheyhadonyoungimpressionableminds...manyyearslaterwhenIleftAuroville I realizeda formaleducationwasrequired tobeable to function in life…onecouldnotbutfeelasenseofabandonmentandevenofhavingbeencheated.”51“Handicap:nocommunicationwithoutsideworld,educationseparatedwithcareer,notconnected, no follow-through, hard to perfect any talent (sports, music) because ofsmallness,closed.Norolemodels.”52“Nothavingaccesstoschoolandthestructureofregularadultteachersmademelongforthatinmylife.IamverydisciplinedwhenIworkorstudybecauseIhavehadenoughchaostolastalifetime.”53
Anon-goingconcernforyouthinAurovillethatdidnotariseinanswerto
thesequestionsbutbearsnotingisthelackofrecognitionforAurovilleeducation,
whichwillbeaddressedinthenextsection.
47#44,1990,LastSchool.48#39,1968,AspirationSchool,Self-Schooling,FertileSchool,Kodai.49#15,1964,Aspiration,Fertile,LastSchool.50Ifthesewerecalculated,onthebasisofthebeneficialaspects,intheoverallstatisticofthosewhofelttheyhadbenefitedfrombeingraisedinAuroville,itwouldrisetoalmosta100%(80outof81respondents).51#80,1966,LastSchool.52#71,1973,CentreSchool,LastSchool.53#17,1968,Aspiration,Kindergaden,LastSchool,CentreSchool.
17
4.CharacteristicsValuedinEducationalExperiencesOutsideAuroville
InanswertoQuestion5“Whichpartofyoureducation,whetherin
Aurovilleornot,hasbeenthemostformativeforyourpersonality?”4(5%)of
peopleassociatedthemostformativeaspectsoftheireducationwith
experiencesoutsideofAuroville.5419(23%)citedacombinationelements
fromtheireducationinAurovilleandoutsideofAuroville.Throughoutanswers
toallthreequestions,thefollowingcharacteristicsweresought,developed,and
valuedoutsideofAuroville:
• Disciplineandstructure(oftenactivelysought)• Organizationalskills• Professionaltraining• Scientifictraining• Analyticalthinking(whileinterestinglycriticalthinking,thinking
outside the box, and creative thinking were listed ascharacteristicsdevelopedandvaluedinAuroville).
II.BeingAurovilian
1)ConnectionwithAuroville’sIdeals
InanswertoQuestion7–“Doyouhaveasenseofconnectionwiththeidea
forcesasembodiedinAuroville’sfoundingtexts(suchas“TobeaTrueAurovilian”55or
theCharter56)?Inwhatwaydoyouconnectwiththem?”–thevastmajority(66,
81.5%)feltstronglyconnected,10wereunsureorsaidtheywereworkingonit,and
5saidtheydidnotfeelaconnection.
Most(36,44.4%)expressedtheconnectionassomethingtheyembodiedand
appliedintheirdailylives,whethertheywereinAurovilleornot:
“I feelthataschildrenofAuroville,wewerebroughtupwiththe ideasofAurovilleandtheCharter.Whatevermuchorhowevermuchweunderstandfromthewrittencontext,IbelievethatweexpresstheCharterortheideasofAurovillebetterthroughouractionsinourday-to-daylifebecauseit'spartofus,it'sdeeplyembeddedinuswhetherweknowitornot.”57
543oftheseweresomeoftheearliestgenerationofAurovilleyouth(bornin1961,1966,1972),andthefourth,bornin1985,wastheonlyrespondenttohavenotexpressedanybenefitfromtheAurovilleeducationinanswertoQuestion9.55SeeAppendixB.56SeeAppendixA.57#48,1989,Crèche,Kindergarden,TransitionSchool,FutureSchool.
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“Theidealsandspiritareautomaticallyengrainedintoallwhochoosetostudyandliveherewhethertheyconsciouslychooseto“betrueAurovilians”ornot.”58“It’s not on a philosophical level, the level of ideals, it’s muchmore like an instinctivecode.It’sanimprint,it’ssomethingthatexistsinyournature.”59
“WhatlinksmetotheidealofAurovilleisnotreallywhatonefindsinthetexts,butmorelivingandbeinginvolved/partoftheexperiment.”60“ItrytopracticallyimplementandlivetheidealsofAuroville.IworktocreateandgetinvolvedinprojectswheretheidealsofAurovillecanmanifest.”61
Somehighlightedspecificconceptsfromthetextsindoingso:
“Iconnectwiththemonaneverydaybasis,whetherIaminAurovilleornot…Icarrythatatmosphereandthosewordsinme.ItrytoletthatfeelingoutandItrytoexpressitinmyeverydaywork. IamnotatrueAurovilian, Iamnotsurewhatthatmaybe,but Iworktowardsiteveryday.”62“AservitorofthedivineconsciousnessissomethingIamnotalwaysreadyfor,tosaytheleast...ButIknowthatthemainseed,themaindriveisthere,itisdeeplyrooted…Ifeelitistheideaofmylifeonearth.”63
“TobeatrueAurovilian:Auroviliansmust loseproprietarysenseofpossessionCharter:unendingeducationandconstantprogress.Itrytoapplythemeverydaytomyself.”64“From Charter: ...but to live in Auroville, one must be a willing servitor of the DivineConsciousness. This is the only point I can relate to and see as realistic in the presentmomentinAV.“TobeaTrueAurovilian”:Iresonatewiththewholetext,itdescribesthewayIamtryingtolivemylife.”65
Othersexpressedtheir identificationwiththe idealsandspecificconceptsof
thetextsasbelief,eventhoughsomehadleftAurovilleseveraldecadesago(13):
“After seeing so much strife over differences in religion, race, caste, denominations, Ibelieve Auroville can prove to be beacon. With all my heart I believe in the ideal ofAuroville.”66“IfeelthattheAurovilleCharterandotherfoundingtextssimplymakesenseandarethewayforwardsforhumanity.”67
58#79,1986,Kindergarden,Transition,FutureSchool.59#62,1973,FertileSchool.60#53,1984,Kindergarden,TransitionandLastSchool.61#60,1964,LastSchool.62#59,1991,Crèche,Kindergarden,Transition,Kodai.63#47,1989,NewSchool,TransitionSchool,FutureSchool.64#75,1986,Kindergarden,Transition.65#77,1982,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.66#7,1959,AspirationSchool.
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“‘Aurovillewillbeasiteofmaterialandspiritualresearchesforalivingembodimentofan actual Human Unity.’ I connect with this as I fervently believe that all Humansregardlessoftheirownthoughtsarethesameanddeserveequalrespect.”68
Afewhighlightedseverallevelsofconnection:
“Ihaveasenseofconnectionintwoways:-Alogicalunderstandingthroughreadingthem-AinherentexperiencethoughthecommunitylivinginAuroville.”69“YesIdohaveaconnectionwiththeideaforces,firstlyIconnectwiththemmentally,andinrareoccasionsIconnectwiththemspirituallyandwithmysoul.”70
Fortheremainder,thetextsactasapersonalandcollectivereferencepointforwhattheyasindividualsandthecommunityasawholeaspiretowards(14):
“ItissomethingthatIalwaysaspiretowards–Itryandchangemylowernature-IthinktheaimsoftheAurovilleCharterhavesustainedme,it’sagoalworthlivingfor.”71"TobeatrueAurovilian"makesmeaspire,andIbelieve ifonehasn'tgotthereyetbutaspirestoitorevenjustrecognisesitsmeritstrulyonecanstillbequitealignedwithitsideal.”72“IusedtheCharterfordefiningmyowncredoasaseniorincollege. IbelievewemustreadthemregularlytoalignourselveswiththepurposeofAurovilleandourcommitmenttothisspecialplace.”73“Theyareadirectreminderofthehighestaspirationsandthe limitlessdiscoveriesthatcanbemadewithinandwithout!Andalsoareminderofthereasonforwhicheachofuschosetocomehere.”74“Ifeellikethesetextsarelikearoadmap,aguidinglightattheharbour.Theyarehighidealsand,althoughtheymaynotallbeliveduptobyeveryone,ormyself,Ifeelthattheyare the glue that holds us Aurovilians together. They create a common aim and acommonlanguagegivingauniquesenseofcommunityandcomradeship.”75“IseeitasagreatprivilegetobeinaplacethathasthesetextsatthecentreofAuroville'sandonesownexistence.”76
67#81,1987,Kindergarden,TransitionandFutureSchool.68#27,?,Kindergarden,TransitionSchool,LastSchool,Kodai.69#49,1986,TransitionandFutureSchool.70#59,1991,Crèche,Kindergarden,Transition,Kodai.71#15,1964,Aspiration,Fertile,LastSchool.72#82,1975,AurovilleSchools.73#39,1968,AspirationSchool,Self-Schooling,FertileSchool,Kodai.74#44,1990,LastSchool.75#70,1984,Mirramukhi,Transition,Last,FutureSchool.76#65,1978,TransitionandLastSchool.
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Afew(4),however,feltpersonallyconnectedwiththeidealsbut
disconnectedwiththeirbeinginterpretedinadogmaticwaybyothercommunity
members:
“Yes,butinaveryprivatewayandIoftenfeeldisconnectedfromthewaytheyarepubliclyairedinAuroville.Ifeelwehaveturnedwhatwasonceanopenandfreesenseofadventureandquestintosomethingofarigidreligionwithdogmaandrules-Idon'tidentifywiththatatall.”77
“Yes.Thesetextsboildowntobeingtruetoyourself,beinghonest,andopentotheworld.IfeelIdoembodythosetraits.However,Idohaveanaversiontothedogmathatsuchtextstendtoinciteinsomepeople.”78“IbelievethatthehigherconsciousnesswhichMotherandSriAurobindospeakaboutisnotconfined in Auroville. And I definitely can connect with this and I try to live it everyday.Howeverpeoplewho live in thecommunitypreachMotherandSriAurobindo'swordsandbelieve they are superior and righteous. This creates a barrier of ignorance and does notwelcomeknowledgeandinputfromoutsideofAV.”79
2.Feeling‘Aurovilian’
InanswertoQuestion5–“InwhichwaydoyoufeelAurovilian?Whatarethe
signsofthisfeeling?Canyouidentifyitscharacteristics?”–allbutthreepeople
identifiedwithfeeling‘Aurovilian.’Threecommoncharacterizationsofthis
identificationemergedthroughouttheanswers.Themostsignificantwere:
• AsenseofbelongingandofAurovillebeing“home”(27,33.3%)
“I feelAurovilianbecause even though I haven't been there for years, it is still home….Morethananythingitisaninternal'knowing'thatmyraisond'êtreisintimatelylinkedwiththeraisond'êtreofAV.”80“Afeelingof‘belonging’,likeIaminthepresenceofsomethingthat-althoughmuchtooprofoundformetounderstand-isfundamentaltome.”81“Aurovilleisliketheelectricitythatflowsthroughmeitisnotvisiblebutwithoutitmostthingsarenotpossible.IfindthatwordsalwayslimitmydefinitionofAuroville,AurovilleismeandI'mAuroville.”82
77#16,1974,Transition,Center,LastSchool.78#28,1972,AspirationKindergarden,CenterSchool,FertileSchool,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.79#66,1980,Kindergarden,Transition,LastSchool.80#50,1975,CenterSchool,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.81#44,1990,LastSchool.82#29,1980,Kindergarden,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.
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Thiswasastrongfeelingevenforpeoplewhohadnotlivedinorvisited
Aurovilleforyears:
“Itismychildhoodhome.IcannotbenotAurovilianbecauseIcannot(andwouldNOT)change my history. I remember the smells, the sights, the sounds as though it wereyesterday(itisnow33yearssinceIleftAVanditis22yearssinceIwastherelast).”83“Ihavenowlived in7citiesandtravelledtheworld. I leftAuroville in1976anddonotevenvisiteveryyearbutitisstill"home."IalwayslistAurovilleas"nativeplace”."84
• Anattitudeofstrivingforprogress,individuallyandtowardstherealizationofAuroville(26,32%)
“IfeelAurovilianinthesenseofastrongspiritualopenness.ThismaterializesintheformofalongingtoreachahigherconsciousnessandaquestioningofthewaythatIandtherestofsocietyoperates.”85“IthinkthatthecharacteristicsofanAurovilianisthissensationof lookingtowards,toalwaystalkaboutwhatcanbeorwhatcouldbecome.”86“IfeelAurovilianinthewaythatIwanttogivemyserviceforahigherpurposewithoutexpecting anything in return just like many other Aurovilians. I want to never stoplearningandprogressing.”87
“Thefeelingofbeingpartofahugedreamwhichisbeingrealizedbyeachandeveryoneofus.Inworkingtogether,workingasanindividual,andworkingtobetteryourselftothegreatergood.”88
• FeelingconnectedwithotherswhoshareAuroville’sidealsandexperience(16,20%)
“I feelconnectedtopeople. IfAuroville isaboutHumanUnity,thenwemustcareabouteach other at any cost.Wemust be of service to humanity, going beyond our comfortzonesandboundaries.”89“A senseof sharingacommon languageandvisionwithagroupofpeople,whetherornotourspecificinterpretationofthisvisionvaries.”90
83#4,1964,FertileSchool.84#6,1959,AurovilleSchool.85#54,1989,Kindergarden,TransitionandFutureSchool.86#62,1973,FertileSchool.87#43,1989,UdaviandFutureSchool.88#48,1989,Crèche,Kindergarden,TransitionSchool,FutureSchool.89#39,1968,AspirationSchool,Self-Schooling,FertileSchool,Kodai.90#76,1975,Center,Transition,Fertile,LastSchool,BlueMountain(Ooty),Kodai;#46,1963,AurovilleSchool/Noschool.
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“The resonance I feel with other Aurovilians is a sincere aspiration to live beyond theconfinesoftheindividualself-bothbyaspiringforspiritualgrowth(bothpersonalandcollective)aswellaswithatruesenseofcommunity,andthatthisexistsinthecontextofdailyliferatherthanremovedfromit.”91
“Mypersonal,aswellasthecollectiveaspirationtowardsaDivinelifeonearthisanotheraspect of being Aurovilian. The sense of brotherhood and family towards otherAurovilians,friendsandwellwishersofAurovilleregardlessofwhereintheworld.”92“Ireally feelaspecialconnectionwithpeoplewhowerebornandgrewup inAuroville,basedonsomethingdeeperthanwordsoractions.”93
3.AnAuroville‘Type’?
Despitethepositiveresponsestotherelatedquestionsintheprevious
sections,asignificantproportionofresponses(30,37%;5declinedtoanswer)to
Question9“Wouldyousaythatthereisan“Aurovilletype”and,ifso,howwouldyou
describeit?”negateditspremise.Theyhighlightedthediversityofpeoplein
Auroville,andreflectedafeelingofinappropriatenesswithregardtodefiningan
Auroville‘type.’Thiswasevidentinassociationswithtermssuchas‘stereotyping,’
‘labelling,’‘limiting’or‘generalizing’:“Asweareallsodifferentandalltryingtoachieveourgoalsinmanydifferentways,IamhappythatwedonothavetostereotypeourselvesasanAVtype!”“There are certain people that are attracted to this place that share commonvalues/ideals...butattachingawordtoitseemswrongtome.Itseemsdangerous.Sono.ThereisnoAurovilletype.Aurovilleisaplaceforalltypes.”94“No,thereisnoAurovilletypeforthatwouldlimititspossibleexpressionseverythingispossibleinAuroville”95
Responsesalsoreflectedtheinappropriatenessofdefiningan“AVtype”asan
isolatedphenomenonofhumansociety:
“The Auroville type is everywhere and not only to be found in Auroville. Auroville justprovides a more "open" and accepting environment for the inner being to develop inpractice.Howeveryoucanfindthisinindividualpeopleandplacesaroundtheplanet.”96
91#64,1987,Kindergarden,Transition,FutureSchool.92#55,1981,Kindergarden,TransitionandLastSchool.93#9,1975,CentreSchool,TransitionSchool,LastSchoolandhomeschooling.94#59,1991,Crèche,Kindergarden,Transition,Kodai.95#29,1980,Kindergarden,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.96#32,1964,AspirationSchool,KodaiSwedish.
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“No.Nolabels. IhavemetpeoplefromabroadwhichI findtobewhatyoucouldcalla'trueAurovilian'andAuroviliansthatarebarelyconsciousofwhatitshouldmeantobeone.”97“I believe there are many who are not Aurovilians who are completely aligned withAurovillesideals,sothetitleofbeinganAurovilianissecondarytobeingaservitorofthedivineconsciousness.”98“Auroville isa smallermorecompactversionofwhat ishappeningworldwideso inmyviewIdon'tbelievethereisanAurovilletype.”99“BeingAuroviliantomeisaninnerstateandisnotlimitedtogeographicallocation.Itisaviewonlifeandainnerdesiretogrowandevolve.”100
Anadditional10peoplemaintainedthattherewastoomuchdiversityto
ventureintodefininga‘type’assuch,butpointedtoasenseofconnectionas
unifying:
“I thinkweareall verydifferent individuals,butweallhaveAuroville incommon,andthatisalreadyalot.”101“No,herearemanytypes.Butmaybe theconnectionbetweenusall iswhatmakes theAurovilletype.”102
Theremainderoftheresponsesmadeamixedattemptatdefiningan
Auroville‘type.’8listedtraitsofanidealtype,whichincluded“goodwill”103,acalling
andconnectiontothevision,104ideals,105andcharterofAuroville106,an“individual
opentochange,”107a“willingservitoroftheDivineconsciousness,”108“integral
sincerity”andthe“aspirationtoworkinAuroville.”109
35listedavarietyoftraitsfromtheirexperienceofAurovilians.Although
thesewerepredominantlypositiveandechoedresponsestothepreviousquestion
97#77,1982,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.98#82,1975,AurovilleSchools.99#38,1961.AurovilleSchool.100#70,1984,Mirramukhi,Transition,Last,FutureSchool.101#72,1979,TransitionSchool,LastSchool,Self-Schooling.102#63,1976,Center,Transition,LastSchool,Kodai.103#82,1975,AurovilleSchools.104#76,1975,Center,Transition,Fertile,LastSchool,BlueMountain(Ooty),Kodai;#46,1963,AurovilleSchool/Noschool.105#55,1981,Kindergarden,TransitionandLastSchool.106#69,1972,CentreSchool,TransitionSchool,LastSchool,AfterSchool.107#9,1975,CentreSchool,TransitionSchool,LastSchoolandhomeschooling.108#58,1989,Kindergarden,TransitionandLastSchool.109#14,1972,AshramKindergarden,Udavi.
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(Q.5)andsection(I),nonewerelistedincommoninmorethan12.5%ofcases.An
attitudeofstrivingforprogresswashighlightedin10responses,ofopennessin9,of
beingofservice/helpful/friendlytoothersin5.Environmentalawarenessalso
figuredinanumberofresponses(6).6responsescontainednegativeattributes,such
as“egocentric,”“ego-battling,”“arrogant,”“spirituallyconceited.”
III.RecognitionforAurovilleEducation&SuggestionsfortheFuture
1)Recognition
InresponsetoQuestion10“WereAurovilletocreatesomeformofrecognition
foritseducationalprocesses,whataccordingtoyou,couldbeitscriteria?”21people
explicitlystatedthattheyfeltitwasimportantthatAurovillemovetowardssome
formofrecognitionforyoutheducatedinAuroville,15ofthemhighlightingthe
importanceforyouthtobeabletopursueeducational,professional,andlife
experiencesoutsidethecommunity,andthebenefitsofinteractionbetweenyoung
Auroviliansandtheworldatlarge.Thesepointswerealsomadein12answersto
Question11“DoyouhaveanywishesorsuggestionsforthefutureofAuroville
education?”
“Ithinkitisveryimportantforallthekidstostudyandbeabletoleave.ThisopensyourmindandgivesyoutrueperspectivetowhatAVisaboutandcanbe.Soforthatreasontheeducationhastoenablethestudentstobeabletoenteruniversity.”110“It is good that this education of Auroville works towards being recognized by otherinstitutions/boardsand the rest of theworld.Thiswill allowandhelp thepeople fromAurovilletointeractandbepart/beconnectedwithactivitiesallovertheworld.”111“WellIthinktheworldislargeandstudentsshouldnotfeeltrappedhere...studentsneedto be able to survive outside Auroville should they wish to experience something else.Moreexposuretootherstudents,schools,exchangeprograms.Auroville's idealsneedtobesharedandspread,youngmindsareopen.”112“I have a deep interest in education and especially the experimental education inAuroville. While informal metrics to evaluate performance and student progress arebeingdevelopedand should continue tobedeveloped in every conceivablemanner,wehave to realize the importance of "certification" or "examination" in the conventional
110#3,1967,FertileSchool.111#60,1964,LastSchool.112#67,1978,Center,Transition,LastSchoolandKodai.
25
sense because without it I would probably still be in Auroville feeling a bit "stuck"withoutpapersthatformallycertifymyeducationglobally.”113
Anadditional42responsestoQuestion10wentontodescribecriteriafor
recognition,intimatingthattheydidsupportthedevelopmentofrecognitionfor
Aurovilleeducation(intotal63,78%).Themajority(38,47%)describedcriteriafor
aninternal‘Aurovilian’system.Thesuggestionsmadeincluded
Ø Abroadinclusionofeducationalexperiencesfromacademictoextracurricular,topersonaldevelopment,socialskillsandlifeskills:
“Itwouldhavetoevaluateonmuchwiderscale-academic,athletic,artistic,capacity,theabilitytothinkout-of-the-box,toadapt,tofunctionasanindependentpersonaswellasinateam,toorganizeprojectsorevents,theenthusiasmtopursuetheirinterests…”114“Thecriteriawouldhavetobeverybroad.Fromlifeskills,academics,physicalactivities,languages,arts&music,theabilitytoworkinagroup,andtheabilitytoinnovate.”115“I would say that apart from academics, overall development of a person’s or child’spersonalityhastobetakenintoaccount,Iknowthis ishardtocalculatebutaperson’sattitude to life, their involvement in the communitywill give a glimpse of the person’spersonality. Apart from that sports, dance, music and other extra curricular activitiesthat make Auroville education unique should be given more importance andconsidered.”116“Itwouldalsohavetoincludeasocialskillscomponent.IfindthattheAurovilleschoolsactuallystressthat–tolearntoworkasapartofateamandtoaccomplishwhatyou’vestarted. Auroville also teaches a lot of good life skills like getting along with people,communicatingcorrectlyetc.”117
Some listed educational approaches themselves as the basis on which an
Aurovilleeducationcouldberecognized:
“Aurovilleeducationshouldberecognizedforitsrichnessanditsfocusondevelopingthechildasawhole,tendingtoallthepartsthatmakeupahumanbeing:physical,mental,emotional,vital,psychic...”118“Itscriteriacouldbethequalityofeducation,because:=>Theenvironmentisbetter.=>Thestudent-teacherrelationshipisstronger.=>Theabilitytostudywithoutanypressure.=>Theabilitytoperceivesomethingofinterest.”119
113#56,1985,Kindergarden,Transition,FutureSchool.114#44,1990,LastSchool.115#35,1990,Kindergarten,Mirramukhi,Transition,LastSchool.116#43,1989,UdaviandFutureSchool.117#45,Kindergarden,Transition,LastSchoolandLycéeFrançais.118#70,1984,Mirramukhi,Transition,Last,FutureSchool.
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Ø ValuesthatreflectedAuroville’sspiritualitybedrockandethos
“Itcouldincludea"worldcitizen"criteriaaswellasthatofhavingsomeenvironmentalawareness,honestyandethics-someinner(spiritual)knowledgeandawareness.”120“Thecriteriashouldbefocusedonthespiritof learningwhichwouldfollowanIntegraleducation.”121“Sincerity, courage, effort, confidence & humility, kindness, joy, wideness of the mind,diligence, the capacity to take up responsibility, adaptability, and the quality of beingcantered.”122“HumanunityConstantprogressOpen-mindedness”123
Ø Anindividualizedcertificationthatwouldhighlightthestudents’rangeofeducationalexperiencesandcouldbedevelopedintoanin-depthportfolio.
“A certificate that listedwhat the student had participated in and achieved over theiryearsatschoolwouldbeagoodstart.”124“Aportfoliowithspecificfinalprojectsinanumberofsubjectsthatonewoulddelveintodeeper.Itwouldincludearangeofwrittenandoralworkandofcoursepotentiallyvideo,artetc.Iwouldalsohaveanexamsbasedsectionaspracticeforthosewishingtoattenduniversityandasagoodenvironment inwhich toexperience stressand timedeadlinesandhowtocopewiththese.Therecouldalsobea‘workexperience’parttoitaswell,soastogainfamiliaritywithaworkingenvironment.”125
Onepersonhighlightedthefactthatsuchaformofrecognitioncouldbesubject-oriented(insteadofschool-oriented),sothatanyformofeducationordevelopmentinagivenfieldacrossAuroville’sformalandinformaleducationallandscapecouldbeincluded:
“It could be really interesting if it was more subject-oriented (as in this person hascompleted education in this field). That would be more relevant because of thespecialized attention you can get and the diversity of fields and so many experts inAuroville.”126
119#48,1989,Crèche,Kindergarden,TransitionSchool,FutureSchool.120#15,1964,Aspiration,Fertile,LastSchool.121#60,1964,LastSchool.122#41,1990,Kindergarden,Mirramukhi,NewSchool,Transition,Deepanam,LastSchool.123#75,1986,Kindergarden,Transition.124#67,1978,Center,Transition,LastSchoolandKodai.125#80,1966,LastSchool.126#45,Kindergarden,Transition,LastSchoolandLycéeFrançais.
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Self-evaluationwasalsosuggestedforinclusioninarecognitionprocess.
Manyhighlightedtheimportanceofstrivingtowardsinternational
recognitionforthisinternalsystem:
“IstronglyfeelthatthenextstepforAuroville’seducationistosetupaninternalformofrecognitionforitseducationsystemthatisinternationallyaccepted.EssentiallyIwouldseeitasanaccreditedqualificationthatrecognisesthesuperiorleveloflearninginAurovilleandatthesametimepreparingstudentstobeabletoworkorstudyabroadiftheysochoose.”127
Afew(6)pointedtodrawinginspirationfromotheraccreditedalternative
systemsandcontributingtowardssucheffortsworldwideingainingrecognitionfor
Auroville’seducationalprocesses:
“I think that Auroville needs to look at other countries, where the diploma that thestudents receive is not based on exams but on their development, and how they haveworked towards their set up goals. Sweden has a system based more on this way oflookingatlearning,andIamsureothercountriesdoto.”128“Auroville has a lot to share with the world in helping develop new educationalcurriculum/methods/etc.Weneedtocontinuetorecognizethepositiveaspectsinallandwork togetherwith the outside to encourage this growth for theworld at large.... It isalsoimportantnottoforgetthattheoutsideworldhasalottosharewithusinAuroville.Let’swelcomeeducationistsandworktogethertocreatenewlearningenvironments.”129
Therearemanycurriculumsallovertheworldwhicharebeingdeveloped/changedverysimilar inspirittothatofAurovilleIntegralEducation.Auroville/wecanbe involvedinactivelyacknowledgingthesechangesincurriculumfromoutsideandworkwiththeminbringing in aspects of Integral Education learning rather than supporting schoolscentred around exams. Auroville’s educational ideal has to be thatwhich supports thecontactandbeingpartoftherestoftheworldandnotjustAuroville.130
7mentionedaligningwithformalsystemsofaccreditation–eitherIndianor
internationali.e.IB/GCEs–inmovingtowardsrecognitionforAurovilleschooling,
althoughemphasizingthefactthisshouldnotstymietheeducationalprocesses
withinAuroville,orbeamandatorypathwayforallstudents:
“OnemethodwouldbetoobtainrecognitionofAuroville'seducationprogramsfromthestategovernmentsothatAurovilleschoolscan"certify"certainprogramsasequivalentto international standards. Schools might still be able to experiment with differentmethodsandstructuresofeducationbutwouldhavetosomehowascertainthatstudents
127#81,1987,TransitionandFutureSchool.128#63,1976,Center,Transition,LastSchool,Kodai.129#59,1991,Crèche,Kindergarden,Transition,Kodai.130#60,1964,LastSchool.
28
reachalevelofdevelopmentcomparabletonationalstandardswithintheexperimentalframework.”131“Ithinkhavingadiversesystemlikewhatissetuphelpseveryone,youhavetheschoolslookingat securingdiplomas for kids thatwant and the other schools that give kids adifferent kind of education that helps the kids that are not cut out for a formaleducation.”132“What makes sense to me is a branching out system, in the form of a tree where anindividualcandecideonthepaththeytake.Oncetakenthispathhastobegonetotheend.Thedifferentbrancheswouldbedifferentapproachesordifferentprocesses.”133
Another7respondentsfeltthatAurovilleshouldnotmovetowards
recognitionbutuseestablishedexternalsystemsforthatandremainfocusedon
educationalexperimentationwithinAuroville,withonepersonexpressingthat
Aurovilleeducationwasnot‘ready’forarecognitionprocess.
“IdonotthinkAurovilleneedstogodownthatpath.Therearecountlessinstitutionsthatcreate recognition certificates for educational levels attained. I think forAuroville it ismore important to focus on the inner education and desire to explore it rather thancreatingrecognitiononouterforms.”134“I'm not really sure AV needs or should seek formal recognition. Students can alwaysentertheformal,degreesystemata lateragebytakingthenecessarytestsandexams.But Iwould prefer to leave theAV system free from formal processes in the formativestagesofachild'seducation.”135“Idon't thinkwe'rereadyyet. I thinkAurovillehadan impactonme, justbecauseof itbeingAuroville.ButIdon'tthinkwe'rereadytoputanytrademark/formalrecognition[oneducation].”136
2)Suggestions
Asidefrommovingtowardsrecognition,whichwasreiteratedinanswerto
Question11“DoyouhaveanywishesorsuggestionsforthefutureofAuroville
education?”othersuggestionsmadeacrossbothquestions10and11were:
Ø Toremainflexible,diverseandorientedtotheindividual(21)
“Keep it flexible.Peoplewantdifferent thingsandAurovillecouldbetheoneplacethatoffersthatchoice.”137
131#56,1985,Kindergarden,Transition,FutureSchool.132#22,1981,Kindergarden,Transition,CFL,LastSchool.133#47,1989,NewSchool,TransitionSchool,FutureSchool.134#21,1985,Transition,NewSchool,FutureSchool.135#16,1974,Centre,Transition,LastSchool.136#51,1978,Centre,Transition,LastSchool.
29
“I wish that it will stay flexible and rich in its expression permitting different kind ofexpressionandexperiences Ihope that itwillneverget fixed intoasystemwithout theflexibilitytoseetheindividualandteachthatindividualnothumanityasawhole.”138“Oneofmywisheswouldbethatitdoesnotbecomestandardized.OneofthebedrocksofAuroville philosophy is that it is about innerdiscovery, and this journeyandprocess isuniquetoeachindividual.”139“Ithinkthatavarietyofmethodsshouldcontinuetobepracticed,fromconventionaleducationtoalternativemethodsdependingonthestudentandhis/hercharacter.”140“MywishforAurovilleeducationwouldbethatallthedifferentstylesofeducationcouldbe accommodated for in Auroville and that the students don't have to look outside ofAuroville to fill their needs unless of course itwas experience outside of Auroville theywerelookingfor.”141“Iwishforittocontinueevolvinginawaythatprovidesanexcellentlevelofeducation,butatthesametimeretainingthecareandindividualattentiontostudentsthatmakesitsospecial.”142
Ø Tokeepexperimenting,includingbydrawinginspirationfrom
educationaldevelopmentsworldwide(11)
“Onlythat itremainanAurovilleeducation-that itcontinuetoexperimentandevolve.The education I got in Auroville has preparedme for theworld a hundred-fold betterthantheAmericansystem. I trust itwillcontinuetodoso,nomatterhowitevolves, solongasit'sintheAurovillespirit.”143“Mywishandardenthopeisthatweneversatisfyourselveswhichthatwhichwealreadyknow and believe 'works'. My wish and ardent hope is that Auroville courageouslycontinues(or takesup)aconstantsearch intonewwaysof functioning,ofgoingabouteducation–usingtheopportunityeachchild,youthbringsforthbyhisuniqueness,tofindnewwaysofbringingforwardthosequalitieswhicharetrulyvaluableinahumanbeingwhoistomarchtowardsanewworld.”144“Carryonbeingexperimentalandbeingdifferent fromothereducational systems. It isimportanttogivestudentstheskillstosurviveandadaptwhentheyleaveAuroville,butitisalsoimportanttoprovidethemwithaspecialupbringingthatwillmakethemexcelevenmore.”145
137#7,1959,AspirationSchool.138#29,1980,Kindergarden,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.139#64,1987,Kindergarden,Transition,FutureSchool.140#12,1977,KindergardenandTransition.141#38,1961,AurovilleSchool.142#33,1989,TransitionandFutureSchool.143#28,1972,AspirationKindergarden,CenterSchool,FertileSchool,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.144#41,1990,Kindergarden,Mirramukhi,NewSchool,Transition,Deepanam,LastSchool.145#33,1989,TransitionandFutureSchool.
30
“Auroville should be seen to be a leader in child education and there has been atremendous amount of research and progress in the education of children around theworld and, if we follow our charter, we should be keeping abreast with it andincorporating this into our education system, as well as contributing to the body ofresearch.”146
Ø Tosupportteacherdevelopment(8)“To be able to be recognised, and to be able to develop Integral education we needqualifiedteachers.ThatisaMUST!”147“Moreandmorededicated,knowledgeableteachers.AdultswhoareembodyingMotherandSriAurobindo'sYoga,andarewellversedonthetopicsoastoverysimplyperspiretheiratmospherewiththechildren.”148“I see the need to improve its academic curriculum and involve trained and qualifiedteachers to do so. I think that the strength ofAuroville educationdefinitely lays onallotheraspectsofdevelopment.”149“There should also be away to evaluateAuroville's schools and teachers. Even thoughAurovilleisanexperimentandIagreethatthereshouldbeaconstantsearch,Ifeelthiscan only be done in a very responsible and controlled manner. There have been inAuroville's history too many individuals that have tried out systems and ways ofeducationbasedon theirpersonalconvictionsand ideas,oftenwithnegativeresultsonthestudents.”150
Ø Toemphasizepracticalskillsandincludeworkexperience(9)
“Morevocational training,morepracticality,more touchand in tunewith theneedsofthecommunity,ex.Builders(carpenters,electricians,plumbers),socialskillstodealwithmeetings,betterorganizingskills”151“Itwouldbegoodtoslowlyhavemoreapprenticeshipprogramsforpeoplethataremorepracticalthanacademic,andthiswouldalsohelptostartgeneratingourownworkforcesothatwebecomelessdependentonoutsidelabourtobuildAV.”152“Preparingforalife:practicalskills,spiritualskillsGivevaluetohandsonskills,workingwithone'shands.”153
Ø Toworktowardsauniversity(7)
146#50,1975,CenterSchool,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.147#63,1976,Center,Transition,LastSchool,Kodai.148#11,1974,Udavi,Centre,Transition,LastSchoolandLycéeFrançais.149#70,1984,Mirramukhi,Transition,Last,FutureSchool.150#79,1986,Kindergarden,Transition,FutureSchool.151#5,1977,Kindergarden,Transition,LastSchool,AfterSchool152#79,1986,Kindergarden,Transition,FutureSchool.153#71,1973,CentreSchool,LastSchool.
31
“There are many universities around the world that work and use other pedagogicalmethods.IfeelthatAurovilleneedsandshoulddevelopanaccreditedUniversitysystem.This would allow Auroville youth to be able to get a higher education that wasacknowledgedoutsideAurovilleandbringinstudentsfromtheoutsidethroughexchangeprogramsandcourseoffering.”154“Auroville has a countless number of activities from various disciplines that are notconnected to each other. It would be better first to sort them out and interlink themunderoneumbrella.Then,gatherinformationabouteachandeveryactivityandmakeitavailabletoeveryone. ThiswouldprovideamoreorganizedandstructuredviewofalltheactivitiesthathappenwithinAurovilleand,hopefully,couldleadustoourveryowninformaluniversity.”155
Ø ToimprovelinksbetweeneducationalactorsandinstitutionsinAuroville(6)
“IthinkthatAurovilleshouldconsolidatethevariouslearningandworkingexperiencesithas to offer, by encouraging more coordinated efforts, more networking andcommunicationsbetweenthevariousentitiesthatoffertheseexperiences.”156“More contact with the community. More cooperation between people involved ineducation: competing schools/methods are bad for students. Parents should be moreinvolvedintheschools.Moresharingofinfrastructure.”157“Oneofmywisheswouldbemorecooperationandcollaborationbetween thedifferentschools.”158“I think Last School and Future School should find a way tomerge and create a newschoolthathasthebenefitsofboth.StudyinginLastSchoolwasatreasureformeformyinteriordiscoverybutsowasstudyingabroad.”159
Ø Values(5)
“Our exposure here is unique - we should make that precious, by valuing and furtherincludingethicssothatitisapartofourreputation.”160“Thevalueswesharewithourchildren,thepublicattitudesweproject…Goodeducationisn'tjustaboutgettinggoodgradesandbecominganintellectual.Itisalsoaboutbeingabletoreasonthroughaproblem,talkopenlyandworkoutdisagreementswithothers,etc.–allskillswecouldreallyuseinAuroville.”161
154#32,1964,AspirationSchool,KodaiSwedish.155#48,1989,Crèche,Kindergarden,TransitionSchool,FutureSchool.156#16,1974,Centre,Transition,LastSchool.157#71,1973,CentreSchool,LastSchool.158#72,1979,TransitionSchool,LastSchool,Self-Schooling.159#77,1982,TransitionSchool,LastSchool.160#15,1964,Aspiration,Fertile,LastSchool.161#16,1974,Centre,Transition,LastSchool.
32
“Yes,focusoninnergrowthandvalueswhichwewouldliketohaveandseeinAuroville.Whatweaspireto.”162
Ø Academically,developingscientificeducationandfurthersupportthelearningofmultiplelanguages,withanemphasisonTamil,wasrecommended.
“I would also recommend more sciences. I missed pure sciences in Auroville likeChemistryandPhysics.IdidstudysomeinHighSchoolbutitwasalittlelate.Weneedtobemoreprecisewithourworkandwecanonlydosowhenweworkwithsciences.”163“IwasalwaysdisappointedthatmanywhogrewuphereincludingmyselfdonotspeakTamilfluently.Iwouldliketoseemorefocuslanguages,thatthechildrenschooledherereallyhaveaverygoodgraspofthelanguagestheyspeakwhichisnotalwaysthecase.AndIwouldliketoseetheteachingofTamilbeinghighontheprioritylist.”164
SynthesisandRecommendationsThethemesthatemergeinsynthesizingthesesurveyresponsesevokea
ratherstrikingresonancewiththefour-pointedframeworkoftheAuroville
Charter.165Inanswertohowtheyfelt‘Aurovilian’,Aurovilleyouthemphasizeda
callingandethicofservicetoa“higher”ideal;inresponsetothequestionofan
Auroville‘type,’theywelcomedadiversityofinterpretations.Bothcorrelatetothe
firstpointoftheCharter:"Aurovillebelongstonobodyinparticular.Aurovillebelongs
tohumanityasawhole.But,toliveinAuroville,onemustbeawillingservitorofthe
divineconsciousness.”Manyidentifiedas‘Aurovilian’theirattitudesofstrivingfor
progress,andAurovilleasaneducational‘life’experience,reflectingthesecond
point:“Aurovillewillbetheplaceofanunendingeducation,ofconstantprogress,anda
youththatneverages.”ThethirdpointoftheCharter,“Aurovillewantstobethe
bridgebetweenthepastandthefuture.Takingadvantageofalldiscoveriesfrom
withoutandfromwithin,Aurovillewillboldlyspringtowardsfuturerealisations”was
echoedinrecommendationsforthefutureofAuroville’seducation–tokeep
experimentinganddrawinspirationfromstridesinalternativeformsofeducation
worldwide–andinsupportofAurovilleyouthinterchangingandacquiring162#21,1985,Transition,NewSchool,FutureSchool.163#39,1968,AspirationSchool,Self-Schooling,FertileSchool,Kodai.164#82,1975,AurovilleSchools.165SeeAppendixA.
33
experienceinadiversityoffieldsandcontexts.Finally,thestrongfeelingof
interconnectednesswithfellowAuroviliansandvaluingofAuroville’smulticultural
environmentaregoodindicatorsfortherealizationofthefourthpoint“Aurovillewill
beasiteofmaterialandspiritualresearchesforalivingembodimentofanactual
humanunity.”Thefirstconditionofbeinga‘trueAurovilian’–innerdiscovery–was
alsonoticeablyhighlighted.
ThattheAurovilleexperienceasawholewascentraltothesynthesisof
responsestothiseducationsurveyisahopefulreflectionofoursociety.Auroville’s
‘schooling’methodsandcurriculadidnotfigureasprominentlyhowever–aside
from,notably,theAwarenessThroughtheBodyprogram,andtheexperiential
learningofearlydaysofAuroville’seducation.Thisinevitablyraisesquestionsasto
howthesecontributedtopeoples’educationalexperience,andwhatcouldbelearned
fromthat,toinformtheevolutionofeducationalpracticesinAurovilleandto
determinewhetheranyofthesecanbeappliedoutofcontext.Belowaresome
suggestionsforfollowupandfurtherresearch.
SuggestionsforFollow-Up:
Thisresearchisparticularlyrelevantinthatitisgenerativeofamultitudeof
insightsandsuggestionsthatareapplicabletoimprovingtheeducationalprocesses
andpracticesatworkinAuroville,aswellasourcommunity’sunderstandingof
these,andthroughthem,ofitself.Thisisarareandgoldenopportunityin
community-basedresearch,whichwillonlybeasvaluableasitisfollowed-upon.
Suggestionsbelowcoverthreeaspectsoffollow-up:thefirstrelatestothe
disseminationofthesefindings,thesecondtohowthisresearchcanbeengagedwith
andapplied,andthethirdtofurtherresearchthatfollowsfromthisanalysis.
Dissemination
• Sharewithallwhofilledthesurvey,withaninvitationtoparticipatein
agroupforumasanopportunityforacollectiveconversationandto
identifyelementstorecommendandperhapsundertakeforfollow-up.
• SharewithAurovilleeducators,alsowithaninvitationtoparticipate
34
inagroupforumforacollectiveconversationandtoidentifyelements
torecommendandundertakeforfollow-up,aswellastoformulate
strategiesforfollow-upactionandappliedresearchinthefield.
• SharethisdocumentwiththeAurovillecommunityatlarge,through
anannouncementintheNews&NotesandonAuronet,withthe
documentaccessibleonlineontheAurovilleresearchsite
research.auroville.organdonAuronet,andinhardcopyatSAIIERand
theAurovilleArchives.
• Tofurtherfacilitatethereachofthisresearchtoawideraudience,edit
thedocumenttoarticle-sizeforreadabilityandpublishinAuroville
TodayandAuronet,aswellasholdapublicpresentation.
• SharewithAuroville’sGoverningBoardandInternationalAdvisory
Council.
Application
Ø ExplorationintointernalrecognitionformsforAuroville’seducation
thatwouldmovetowardsinternationalaccreditation.
The individualizedcertificateof experience/portfolio formof recognitionproposed
bysurveyrespondentsareanaturalprogressionfromtheexperientialandpersonal
criteriaofrecognitiontheylisted,aswellasthehighlyvalued‘lifeeducation’ofthe
Aurovilleupbringingasawholewhichcouldeasilybeintegratedintosuchforms.It
alsofollowstheexistingportfoliopracticeatTransitionschool.Suchanexploration
could be undertaken by SAIIER/School Board/AV educators in conjunctionwith a
focus group of Auroville Youth who have experienced an Auroville education and
expressed an interest in this type of development, and including the suggestions
alreadymadeandhighlightedinthisanalysis.Collaborationwithanadvisorygroup
of educationalists well-versed in alternative forms of educational processes and
associated formsof recognitionworldwidewouldalso follow fromandhonour the
recommendationsmadebytherespondents.
Ø Furthersupportteachertraining,development,evaluationand
exchangeswithotheralternativeeducational‘systems.’
35
Ø Usethisresearchtoformulaterecommendationsforaffirmingsome
educationalpracticesorinventingnewones.
Ø Use this research – design and analysis – as basis from which to
developaself-assessmentprocess for individual schoolsoracluster
ofschools.
Ø Facilitate interconnectivity between schools and other educational
settingswithinAuroville.
FurtherResearch:
Ø Conductregularfollow-upresearchoneducationinAuroville.
Theyoungestrespondentstothissurveywerebornin1991,whichimpliesthatthe
lastsixyearsofschoolinginAuroville(calculatedonthebasisofagraduationageof
18), and any changes the educational landscape may have undergone during this
timeareunaccountedfor.Thisispotentiallysignificantgiventhatanexternal(GCE)
examination centrewas opened in Auroville; two of Auroville’s three high schools
(Future School and NESS) underwent changes in leadership; new schools (The
LearningCommunityandAha!Kindergarten)werejustemerging;aninternshipsand
apprenticeships program, ProSkills, is being formulated; a Teacher’s Centre for
training, exchange and resources opened; efforts towards higher education and
programs for visiting students are being undertaken by the Auroville Campus
Initiative, a new higher education department of SAIIER. Dynamic development in
andofitselfisnotanewphenomenoninAuroville–inTheEvolutionofSchoolingin
Auroville 1966-1980, Part I, Heidi Watts expresses being “struck by how much
happened so soon, so fast.”166This survey focused on the experience of youth
educatedinAurovilleinitsfirstfourdecades,andmanypointedtotheinfluenceof
Auroville as a whole as a learning environment. How the Auroville context is
fosteringofanoverarchingeducationalexperienceand“arenaforeducation,”167with
a creativemultiplicity of educational initiatives (the SAIIERAnnualReport lists 33
‘sub-units,’ educationalentities inAuroville that it funds,aswellasanevenhigher
166HeidiWatts,TheEvolutionofSchoolinginAuroville1966-1980,Part1(Auroville:SAIIER,2005),23.167Johnny,inWatts,TheEvolutionofSchoolinginAuroville,5.
36
numberof‘projects’),isaphenomenonworthexploring,withpotentialrelevancefor
other contexts that seek to become ‘integral’ learning environments, something
whichHeidiWattsalsohighlightsinLittlebyLittle.Hereitisimportanttonotethat
theexperienceof ‘unendingeducation’ isnotrestrictedtoAurovilleyouth,butalso
embodied by Aurovilian adults, as well as visitors to the community, for whom a
widevarietyofeducationalopportunitiesalsoexist–somethingdocumentedinprior
research.168
Ø CirculateanappropriatelyredesignedsurveyinAVoutreachschools.
Outreacheducation,servingAuroville’sTamilneighbours,hasalwaysbeenacrucial
area of the community’s educational endeavour. Initiatives of this nature were
launchedbyTheMotherin1966,twoyearsbeforeAurovillewasevenfounded.The
community has at present 12 outreach schools and educational centres. These
developed concurrently with Auroville schools, from the early 1970s to present,
offeringfreeeducationtochildrenfromnearbyvillages,aswellasthecommunity’s
hired local labourers. 169 Adult education, also provided by the Auroville NGO
AurovilleVillageActiontoAuroville’sneighbours,formspartofthecommunity’saim
tobealearningsocietybasedupon‘unendingeducation.’Thousandsofpeoplehave
been educated in these outreach schools, they are therefore a significant part of
Auroville’s educational landscapeandeffort.Educationandupbringingmaynotbe
synonymous, or as strongly identified with Auroville, for students of Auroville’s
outreachschools(mostofwhomarenotAurovilian).However, theextenttowhich
the Aurovilian environment – cultural, spiritual etc. – influences their educational
processescouldbehighlyrevealingof itscommunicablecharacteristics, tangibleor
intangible.
Ø Designandconductmorespecificresearchintostudents’
responsivenesstoteachingmethodsandcurriculaatdifferenttime
periodsandwithindifferentschools.
This could be as simple as adding a targeted question or set of questions to this
survey. When sharing the survey results with those who participated, these168Dominique,Chali,Rakhal,Jean-Yves,EducationalPracticesandResearchinAuroville(Auroville:SAIIER,2013).See“ResearchOutcome,”pages4-7.169“OutreachSchools,”www.auroville.org/categories/85/group,lastmodifiedAugust12,2014.
37
additionalquestionscouldbeattachedwithanexplanationofthemissingdataanda
requestforresponses.
Ø ResearchtheAwarenessThroughtheBodyprogramme.
As a unique programme developed in the Auroville context, and one of the few
specific ‘schooling’ experiences cited in common across the survey, Awareness
ThroughtheBodycallsforbeingresearched.
Ø Researchintothedevelopmentofqualitiesofindependent
assurednesswithinAuroville’seducationalenvironment.
The looseness of organization and informality of Auroville’s educational landscape
andinstitutionscouldbecharacterizedbybenignneglectorashaphazard.Although
leaving some students – especially the earlier generation – seeking structure,
direction,disciplineanddriveelsewhere,italsocorrelateswiththedevelopmentof
qualities such as personal responsibility, creativity and confidence, critical and
‘outside-the-box’ thinking. The latter merits investigation as a phenomenon that
could potentially inform and contribute to developments in education beyond the
Aurovillecontext.Thetensionbetweentheresponsivenessofstudentstothistypeof
environment – negative for some and positive for others –merits investigation in
ordertoresponsiblysupportthedevelopmentofthepositiveinallcases.
Ø ResearchintothearticulationofanAuroville‘identity’
WhilethepremiseofanAuroville‘type’wasrejectedbythemajorityofrespondents
– in so doing affirming the qualities they elsewhere stated that they value, i.e.
diversity and openness – the sense of connectionwith other Aurovilians andwith
Auroville’sideals,aswellastheoverwhelmingself-identificationofbeingAurovilian
and of Auroville being ‘home’, are strongly indicative of a shared sense of an
Auroville ‘identity.’This isahighlyrelevant topicofresearch for thecommunityat
large.
It also has applied research implications for the Aurovilian status of Youth who
‘leave’ Auroville, given that several youth expressed distress, in responses to this
survey,atthecontradictionbetweentheirstrongidentificationwithbeingAurovilian
andthelackofcontinuityintheirrecognitionasAuroviliancommunitymembersdue
to time spent abroad, as well as the psychologically and emotionally unsettling
38
necessitation of formalized re-entry processes forwhat they identifywith as their
home.
Ahistoricallensthatwouldcapturewhetherandhowthisidentityhasevolvedover
time would be important to utilise, especially given the strong identification with
Auroville expressed by the earlier generation (differences in education and
upbringing at different phases of community life could be examined to determine
whether and how this impacted students’ perceptions of themselves and of
Auroville).Thiswouldundoubtedlyberelevantresearchtopursuenotonlyamong
youth,butallAurovilianswho joinedorwereactivemembersof thecommunityat
differentphasesofitsdevelopment.
39
AppendixA
AUROVILLEEDUCATIONSURVEY(1968-2013) Aurovillehascompleted45yearsinmanifestationandmanyquestions,ofamoresubjectiveandpsychologicalnature,cometothefront.Fromitsearliestmoments,TheMotherinsistedthatAurovilleevolveitsowneducationalforms,constructeduponthespiritoftheexperiment,asitemergedprogressively:“Aurovillewantstobeanewcreationexpressinganewconsciousnessinanewwayandaccordingtonewmethods.”ThisApril2013,theGoverningBoardhadkepttimeforabroaddiscussiononeducationalexperimentsinAuroville.TheywantedtounderstandwhatmakeseducationinAurovilledifferentorparticulartotheAurovilleexperience.OneoftheirrequestswasforpresentnumbersasalsofutureprojectionsofchildrenandyouthinAuroville;figuresthatwillbesignificantforplanningthenextfuture.Butifanattemptismadetounderstandeducationaldevelopmentsfromahistoricalperspective,thereisonefacetofinformationcrucialtomakingsenseoftheAurovilleexperiencewhichiscompletelymissing.Thisisthedataandanalysisofthepast.Thereissomesortofhistoryofschools;butnotofindividualswhowentthroughthem.Thequestionis:Whathappenedto‘schoolable’personsfromthebeginningofAurovilletothepresent?Objectivelyspeaking,howhavethey'benefitted'fromtheAurovilleexperience/upbringing?AssumingthereISanidentifiable'AVtype'-canweseekitsspoor,sotosay?Thereforeweareundertakingthissocialsciencesurvey:EveryoneoranyonewhowasofanagetoreceivesomesortoforganizedtrainingoreducationwhentheycameorwereborninAurovilleisapossibleprimarysourceforthisresearch.Thishistoricalsurveyof'schoolable'youngstersfromthebeginningofAVtothepresentisasubstantialworkaswearespeakingofcontactingandinteractingwithsomehundredsofpersons.Wehopetogatherasmuchinformationasfeasibleand,whenpossible,makearecordingoftheconversations,sothatthesecanbetransferredintostorageDVDsandstayonrecordas'oralhistory'forfutureresearchers.IfyouwerebornorgrewupinAuroville,youwillbecontactedbyourteam,who,likeyou,grewupinAuroville.Ifyouarereadyfortheconversationthissummerorwouldlikeustosendyouthequestionnairetobefilledoutpleasecontactusatouremailgivenbelow.Nameswillnotappearinthefinalresearchdocument.Wethankyouforyourtimeandinputintothissurveyandwelcomeyourfeedbackandanysuggestions.Youmaycontactusatourgroupaccount:[email protected]
40
QuestionnaireforAurovilleYouth
Name:DateofBirth:Contactdetails(Email):Questionnaireconductedby(nameofinterviewer):Methodusedtofillinthequestionnaire:�DirectInterview�Email
1. WereyouborninAuroville?Ifnot,atwhatagedidyoucometoAuroville?
2. Kindlydescribeyourschoolingdetails,bothinandoutsideAuroville.
3. Wheredoyoucurrentlyliveandwhatisyourcurrentwork/sphereofaction?
4. Whichpartofyoureducation,whetherinAurovilleornot,hasbeenthemost
formativeforyourpersonality?
5. Whichaspectofyoureducationhasprovedthemosteffectiveforyourlife
andaction(whatskills,perspective,ideasdoyouusethemost)?
6. InwhichwaydoyoufeelAurovilian?Whatarethesignsofthisfeeling?Canyou
identifyitscharacteristics?
7. Doyouhaveasenseofconnectionwiththeideaforcesasembodiedin
Auroville’sfoundingtexts(suchas“TobeaTrueAurovilian”ortheCharter)?
Inwhatwaydoyouconnectwiththem?
8. DoyoufeelthatyouhavebenefitedfromtheAurovilleexperience/upbringing?
9. Wouldyousaythatthereisan“Aurovilletype”and,ifso,howwouldyou
describeit?
10. WereAurovilletocreatesomeformofrecognitionforitseducationalprocesses,
whataccordingtoyou,couldbeitscriteria?
11. DoyouhaveanywishesorsuggestionsforthefutureofAurovilleeducation?
12. Wouldyoulikeustokeepyouinformedaboutthesurveyanditsresults?
Note:Namesandagesoftheparticipantswererecorded,butthesurveywascirculatedwiththeagreementthatthenamesofparticipantswouldbekeptconfidentialinanyreportorpublication.Quoteswillbereferencedanumberassignedtotherespondents,indicatingthebirthyearandschoolingdetailsasrelevant.
41
AppendixB
AurovilleCharter170
1. Aurovillebelongstonobodyinparticular.Aurovillebelongstohumanityasawhole.But,toliveinAuroville,onemustbeawillingservitorofthedivineconsciousness.
2. Aurovillewillbetheplaceofanunendingeducation,ofconstantprogress,andayouththatneverages.
3. Aurovillewantstobethebridgebetweenthepastandthefuture.Taking
advantageofalldiscoveriesfromwithoutandfromwithin,Aurovillewillboldlyspringtowardsfuturerealisations.
4. Auroville will be a site ofmaterial and spiritual researches for a livingembodimentofanactualhumanunity.
170 The Mother, “The Auroville Charter,” Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 1968.
42
AppendixC
ToBeaTrueAurovilian1711.Thefirstnecessityistheinnerdiscoveryinordertoknowwhatonetrulyisbehindsocial,moral,cultural,racialandhereditaryappearances.Atthecentrethereisabeingfree,vastandknowing,whoawaitsourdiscoveryandwhooughttobecometheactivecentreofourbeingandourlifeinAuroville.2.OnelivesinAurovilleinordertobefreefrommoralandsocialconventions;butthisfreedommustnotbeanewslaverytotheego,toitsandambitions.Thefulfilmentofone’sdesiresbarsthewaytotheinnerdiscoverywhichcanonlybeachievedinthepeaceandtransparencyofperfectdisinterestedness.3.TheAurovilianshouldlosethesenseofpersonalpossession.Forourpassageinthematerialworld,whatisindispensabletoourlifeandtoouractionisputatourdisposalaccordingtotheplacewemustoccupy.Themoreweareconsciouslyincontactwithourinnerbeing,themorearetheexactmeansgiventous.4.Work,evenmanualwork,issomethingindispensablefortheinnerdiscovery.Ifonedoesnotwork,ifonedoesnotputhisconsciousnessintomatter,thelatterwillneverdevelop.Tolettheconsciousnessorganiseabitofmatterbymeansofone’sbodyisverygood.Toestablishorderaroundoneselfhelpstobringorderwithinoneself.Oneshouldorganiseone’slifenotaccordingtoouterandartificialrules,butaccordingtoanorganisedinnerconsciousness,forifoneletslifegoonwithoutsubjectingittothecontrolofthehigherconsciousness,itbecomesfickleandinexpressive.Itistowasteone’stimeinthesensethatmatterremainswithoutanyconsciousutilisation.5.Thewholeearthmustprepareitselffortheadventofthenewspecies,andAurovillewantstoworkconsciouslytohastenthisadvent.6.Littlebylittleitwillberevealedtouswhatthisnewspeciesmustbe,andmeanwhilethebestcourseistoconsecrateoneselfentirelytotheDivine.
171 The Mother, To Be A True Aurovilian, Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, June 13th, 1971.
43
AppendixD
HistoricalContextofEducationinAuroville
Itisnotinthescopeofthissurveyreviewtoprovideextensivecontextualand
historicalinformationregardingAuroville’seducationalexperiments.Whatfollowsis
abriefoverview;theprefaceandglossaryofschoolsoffersomeadditional
indications,andreadersarerecommendedtoconsultHeidiWatts’LittlebyLittle:The
EvolutionofSchoolinginAuroville1966-1980,PartI,forhistoricalinformationon
Auroville’seducation,andtheAurovillewebsite’s“Education&Research”pageand
SAIIER172AnnualReportformoredetailedinformationregardingcurrentschoolsand
educationalinitiatives.
Auroville’sfirstcommunitysettlement,Aspiration,hadaschool(startedin
1971undertheMother’saegis)forthefirstyoungAurovilianslivingonthebarren
plateauwhereAurovillewastobeestablished,aswellasthosestillresidingin
PondicherryclosetotheAshram,andlocalTamilchildrenfromtheneighboring
villages.AfterMotherpassedawayin1973,therelationshipbetweenAurovilleand
theSriAurobindoSociety–anot-forprofitresearchinstituteMotherhadestablished
in1960thatactedasthelegalumbrellaorganizationforAuroville173–became
difficultanddisruptiveforthecommunity.Thesocio-psychologicalclimateofthis
periodwasinimicaltomaintainingregularschooling,letaloneencouragingofits
evolution,andAspirationschoolclosedin1976,whileinternalideologicalconflicts
hadresultedintheclosureofLastSchool,thesecondaryandhighschoolat
Aspirationayearprior.Parentsorganizedplaygroupsandkindergarteninitiatives,
olderchildrenandyoungteenagersgatheredinFertile,aninformal‘learningby
doing’‘school’leadbyaparent.OtherswenttoUdavi,anoutreachschoolfoundedin
theearly1970sasperMother’sdirectionandintentiontooffereducationtothelocal
population(stillinexistencetoday),andyetotherstoEqualsOne,analternative
primaryschoolinPondicherry,ortheFrenchgovernmentschool,theLycéeFrançais,
172TheSriAurobindoInternationalInstituteofEducationalResearchisthegovernment-fundedumbrellaorganizationforeducationalactivities,includingschools,withinAuroville,andallocatesfundingforthese.173Robert Minor, The Religious, the Spiritual, and the Secular:AurovilleandSecularIndia (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1999).
44
inPondicherry.Inthelate1970sa‘morningschool,’CenterField,wasestablishedin
Auroville,forchildrenofkindergartenthroughmiddleschoolages.Thusthe1970s
wasanad-hoc,informal,andintermittentperiodforeducation,affectedbyboth
socialandeconomicconstraints,andbothinternalandexternalideological
challenges.
The1980ssawtheestablishmentofAurovilleasaseparatelegalentityfrom
theSAS,theAurovilleFoundation,undertheGovernmentofIndia(finalisedin1988),
oftheSriAurobindoInternationalInstituteofEducationalResearch(SAIIER)in
Auroville(in1984),agovernmentfundedumbrellaorganisationforitseducational
activities,and,concurrently,oflastingschoolsinthecommunity.In1985the
AurovilleKindergartenandTransitionSchool(aprimaryandsecondaryschool)
emergedoutofCenterSchool,andinthatsameyearLastSchoolwasre-instatedasa
secondaryandhighschool.Twomoreoutreachschools,NewCreationSchool(now
renamedAikiyam)andIsaiAmbalam,cateringtotheneighboringTamilpopulation,
werealsofoundedinthatdecade.Allarestillinexistencetoday.
WhileLastSchoolwasre-establishedin1985,andoffered‘FreeProgress’
educationbeyondsecondaryschooling,highschooleducationwasaconcernfor
Aurovilleyouthandtheirparentsfromearlyyearsofthecommunityupuntilthelast
decadeorso;therewaseithernohighschooleducationavailableinAuroville,orno
‘recognised’formofhighschooleducationthatwouldguaranteeaccesstohigher
educationoutsideofAurovilleforthoseraisedinthecommunity.Thusthroughout
the70s,80sand90s,manyAurovilianteenagerswhohad(usuallyfamily)funds
availabletothemfortheireducationattendedinternationalboardingschoolsin
TamilNadu,suchasKodaikanalInternationalschool,whilethosewhowerefluentor
atleastsatisfactorilyversedinFrenchattendedtheFrenchGovernmentschoolin
neighboringPondicherry.Inthetenyearhiatusbetween1975–1985,whenthere
wasnocommunityhighschooleducationavailabletoAurovilianyouth,thosewho
didnothaveaccesstooutsideschoolsweredeprivedofestablishededucational
opportunity.
Pursuingaformalandaccreditededucationrequiredvaryingdegreesof
separationfromAuroville,andthiswasanintenselycontradictorychoiceforanyone
45
raisedinthecommunitywithnowishtoleave.Somechosetopreparefor
internationallyrecognisedexaminationsasindependentcandidateswhileremaining
inAuroville,appealingtocommunitymembersfortutoring.Asthisnumberofself-
motivatedanddisciplinedyoungstersgrew,theCentreforFurtherLearningopened
in1997asatutoringcenter.Itgraduallydevelopedintoaformalschool,offeringa
hybridprogramofGCSEpreparationcoursesforstudentswishinganinternational
highschoolaccreditation,andavarietyofnon-exambasedcourses.RenamedFuture
School,itnowhousesaGCSEexaminationcenteronitscampusfacilities.
The1990salsosawtheopeningofanotherhighschool,AfterSchool,aligned
withprimarilyIndianexternalaccreditationssystems(StateBoard,NationalOpen
School,andalsoBritishGCSE).ItwasrenamedNESSwhenitbecameaffiliatedwith
India’sCentralBoardofSecondaryEducationin2008.Thishighschoollargelyserves
TamilteenagersfromAuroville’sneighbouringvillages.
Itisimportanttonotethatthenumbersofnon-IndianAurovilianstudents
leavingforinternationalschoolshavedrasticallyreduced,whileTamilAurovilians
whopreviouslymighthaveleftasearlyasthelastfewyearsofsecondaryschoolto
joinIndiangovernmentschoolsarestayingandattendingAurovillehighschools.
Throughouttheyearsandtothepresentday,therehaveregularlybeen
parentsandeducatorsdissatisfiedwiththeexistingeducationaloptionsinAuroville,
openingforvariouslengthsoftimeexperimentaleducationalalternatives(i.e.
Mirramukhi,NewSchool,andmorerecentlyTheLearningCommunity).Yeteventhe
schoolsperceivedtobethemost‘established’and‘formal’similarlydevelopedfrom
informalattempts,communitymembersandparentsvolunteeringtheirskillsand
knowledge,veryfewofthemprofessionallytrainedteachers.ThusallofAuroville’s
educationalendeavorscanbesaidtobe‘alternativeexperiments’;theyhavesought
invariouswaystoprovidefortheneedsoftheintentionalcommunity’syouthwhile
attemptingtoactualiseMother’svisionofintegraleducation.
Thesurveycapturesvoicesofthiswiderangeofexperiences.
Kripa&Suryamayi
46
AppendixE
GlossaryofSchoolsReferenced
AshramSchool:SriAurobindoAshramSchoolinneighbouringPondicherry.(Non-Aurovilleschool)
AspirationSchool:ThefirstschoolinAuroville,itwasstartedin1971atMother’surging,forvillageandAurovillechildrenaswellassomewhocamefromPondicherry.Closedin1976.
AfterSchool:Openedin1992,inFraternity,Auroville,offeringanacademicprogram,andskillstraininginaccountingandelectronics.TheschoolmovedtotheLastSchoolcompoundin1997offeringapurelyacademicprogramfrom9ththrough12thgradeusingStateBoard,NationalOpenSchoolandGCSE.In2008itbecameaffiliatedtotheIndia’sCentralBoardofSecondaryEducation(CBSE)andchangeditsnametoNESS(NewEraSecondarySchool).Currentstudentpopulationismostlyfromthelocalvillages,withsomeAurovilleresidents.
BlueMountainSchool:Foundedin1961andlocatedinOotyValleyintheNilgiriHills.Aresidentialschoolwithanalternativeapproachtoeducationforpre-schoolthroughhighschool.(Non-Aurovilleschool)Crèche:SeeCenterSchool/Kindergarden.
CenterSchool:BeguninCertitude,Auroville,in1978asa‘morningschool’,itmovedin1979toCenterField.Inearlysummerof1985,itsplitintoKindergarden(whichremainedon-site)andTransitionSchool.CFL/FutureSchool:Locatedinthe‘CurdPots’ontheAurovilleLastSchoolcampus,CenterforFurtherLearning(CFL)openeditsdoorsinJanuaryof1997asatutoringcenter.ThislearningcentergrewandevolvedandbecameFutureSchool,ahighschoolofAuroville,inanewlocationandcampusintheCulturalZonenearTransitionSchool,inJanuary2003,offeringahybridprogramofGCSEpreparationcoursesforstudentswishinganinternationalhighschoolaccreditation,andavarietyofnon-exambasedcourses.Futureschoolencouragesstudentstoforgetheirownpathforprogressanddevelopself-awarenessandself-motivation.Deepanam:AftertheAurovilleschoolMirramukhiclosed,DeepanamSchoolwaseventuallyopenedonthatcampusin2006.Deepanamcaterstostudentsbetweentheagesof7to14,givingeachtheopportunitytodevelopattheirownpaceandattemptingtobalancefreedom,creativityandjoyoflearningwithresponsibilityandindependence.
47
EqualsOne:EqualsOnewasanexperimentalschoolfoundedinPondicherrybyamemberoftheSriAurobindoAshram.ItwasactiveintheearlyyearsofAurovilleandattendedbysomeofitschildren,especiallyduringperiodswhentherewerenoschoolingoptionswithinthecommunity.(Non-AurovilleSchool)FertileSchool:Atthebeginningofthedecade-longAurovilleschoolinghiatus(1975-1985),Johnny,aparentlivinginFertile,Auroville,beganhome-schoolinghischildrenandsomeoftheirfriends.Theinitiativegrewintoaninformal‘school’intheearly1980s,characterisedbyacreativelearning-by-doingapproach.Kindergarten:TheAurovilleKindergartenbeganintheearlysummerof1985.WhathadbeenknownasCenterSchoolturnedintotheKindergarten,whiletheelementaryschoolwhichhadbeenthererelocatedtoitspermanentlocationandwasnamedTransition. Therearecurrentlyupto15childrenineachof4classgroups,andthechildrenarebetween21\2and6+yearsold.
KodaikanalInternationalSchool:Internationalboardingschool,1st-12thgrades,locatedinKodaikanal,inthePalaniHillsinTamilNadu,offeringIB.Foundedin1901.(Non-Aurovilleschool)
KodaikanalSwedishSchool:StartedbytheSwedishChurchtoprovide1stthrough10thgradeeducationforSwedishmissionarieswhohadcreatedasettlementintheKodaikanalarea.Schoolclosedin1983.(Non-Aurovilleschool)
LastSchool:Thisschoolhashadtwoincarnations,theearlierwasinauguratedin1971inAspiration,andnamedbyMother.Otherbuildings/schoolsplannedonthecampusweregiventhenamesAfterSchoolI,II,III,andSuperSchool.ASecondaryandHigherSecondarylevelschoolfacility,LastSchoolreopenedin1985andcontinuestofollowsa“FreeProgress”approachbyinvitingstudentstoprogressivelydefinetheirownrigorousprogramofdevelopment.LastSchoolisalsoknownforitsartseducation,andoffersadultlearning.In2014itrelocatedtoanewfacilitynexttoFutureSchoolintheCulturalZone.
LycéeFrançais:FrenchgovernmentschoolinneighbouringPondicherryofferingtheFrenchBaccalaureateprogram.(Non-Aurovilleschool)
Mirramukhi: MirramukhiopenedinAurovilleinJuly1989.Theschoolofferedaprogrambasedonfreeprogressandintegraldevelopmentwithstrongemphasisonartandsubtlesensesawareness.Itstartedwithasmallgroupofchildrenfrom7to10yearsoldandprogressivelywasenlargedtoincludefrom2to17yearsold.Itclosedintheyear1998/1999forchildrenaged8andabove,andclosedpermanentlyin1999/2000.
NewSchool:Ashort-livedprimary/middleschool,openedinthelate1990sandclosedin2000,NewSchool,locatedinthecurrentArtsandCraftsbuildingof
48
TransitionSchoolservedasanAurovillealternativetoTransitionSchoolforstudentsaged8-14whowerenolongeracceptedatMirramukhi.AfterMirramukhiandNewSchoolrelativelyconcurrentlyclosed,teachersfromNewSchoolformedpartofDeepanamschool,whichoccupiedthepreviousMirramukhicampus.
TransitionSchool:Begunin1985,TransitionisaprimaryandmiddleschoollocatedinAuroville’sCulturalZone,nearFutureSchoolofferingAurovilleyouthanintegraleducationthataimstodevelopthemental,emotional,andphysicalnatures,andtoopenstudentstotheirspiritualconsciousness.Theprogramischildandprocessoriented,andtheschoolfostersanatmosphereofprotectedfreedomandharmonyinwhichtheAurovillecommunity’smulticulturalstudentbodydevelopanunderstandingthatwearecitizensofoneworld.UdaviSchool:Openedin1972asAuroshikaSchool,oneofthefirstoutreachschoolsnearAuroville.ItwassupportedbytheAshramincensefactoryinEdayanchavadivillageandintendedbyMothertoprovideeducationtothepoorchildrenofthatvillage.Covers1stthrough10thgrades.Theschoolcurriculumincludesintellectualaswellasphysical,vocationalandartisticactivities,andmorningmeditation(AurovilleOutreachschool)
49
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