Hugs and Happiness

Happy to interact with you - I enjoy dialogues, challenging my thoughts or just sharing my thoughts.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Self directed learning

We propgate self directed learning at Aarohi
We all at Geniekids learn thru consdueted sessions and training :(

So initited the "self directed learning".

Objective - to understand open and self driven learning in a group setting.

  • All of us have done TTT - that were conducted classes :-(
  • After TTT we have been attending meeting where agenda is fixed and focused.
  • After TTT we have also been attending training sessions (on fridays last year and wed this year) which are also facilitated :-(
  • We have not experienced TRUE open learning in a group setting.
How will it work
We will keep 5 continuous Wednesdays training sessions aside for this. The first four sessions we will be open sessions and 5th will be the reflection session.
  1. Some random resources - reading (articles / book extracts) and viewing (videos) will be circulated in advance by any of the members who are to be part of the training. These will not be tied to any one topic - so any resource is fine. There will be no compulsion on anybody to go though the resources.
  2. In the session the participants can do anything - they can talk, eat, sleep, argue, fight, sulk, laugh, dream, write, dance, browse internet, read alone or to all, play music, do drama - actually anything that anybody wants to do. So all could also be doing many different things at the same time.
  3. The only commitment everybody who signs up for this training does is that we will ALL be inside the session for the all the Wednesdays. (if somebody is absent due to medical reasons that is fine)
  4. You can bring in your own goal, agendas, readings, opinions, movies, bed, food, beliefs, music, games - whatever - to the session.
  5. The mother code will apply - you cannot harm yourself, others and environment physically. You are however free to attack others emotionally and mentally.
  6. You are free to exchange anything.
  7. If after 4 sessions we all think 4 are not enough we can extend the number of open sessions to 5 or 6. However open sessions have to be followed by a reflection session.
  8. The 5th (or last) session will be the reflective session - each one of us will present in a 5-10 minute window our experience, learning etc. Again up us what we share, how we share.
Notes from session one
My thoughts on today's session on Self Directed Learning.

I started with excitement
First ten minutes were nice, as the group was settling, finding space to began...........
Then the frustrations started - there was anger, anxiety, feeling of waste of time.........urge to leave for home in the middle of the session and thought of better spend time with my ailing daughter or finish my work.

But to have faith in the the process - I stayed.
Slowly the group unfolded
Looking forward to the next session.

I was personally uncomfortable with the actions "started reading or doing self work".
I was fine with "silence".
I was fine with discomfort of few "why nothing is happening".
I was fine with efforts of people to do something or "initiate the conversation in many ways".

I am initiating the expression as a part of the process. I am also initiating the thoughts about self, about others, about journey.  My expression are not to establish wrong or right, dos and don'ts - they are just HONEST expressions, Normally I do not share these expressions and take it as acceptance of all the actions, But to be true to the process and honesty of the expressions, I allowed myself to be true to myself (no violence to me) and let all emotion flow with my awareness.


Consciously me and Ratnesh decided to not to lead - hence did not initiate the reflection in the session "what each one of us had the responsibility in the process". Just to clarify the sessions are not on learning but in "group, community, responsibility, expression............... a long mail in circulation earlier". 

1 comment:

Aditi and Ratnesh said...

Each individual in the group had the freedom to express or not express their thoughts / feelings and also how to express and to whom to express (to 1-2 people or whole group).
So this LAB setting helps us become aware of these options, how we and others are choosing and using them and what does each choice lead to.
So do become aware of the options you and others chose and how did they help you and the group.