6 January 2023

Dear Parents,

A very happy new year to all of you. This is the first week of LC and we have started it with some bang! Have you heard of the tainted and dark phase of Indian democracy? Yes the Emergency. When trains ran on time, etc. That’s what we are planning for LC’s democracy.

We all have decided to run LC like a school for the whole of next week (only!). This would mean that we will have rules and regulations like any proper school. You might wonder why? This drastic decision was taken because of the many impending issues that were disturbing us, (meaning facilitators) for quite some time. Many issues on several fronts have culminated into this understanding that facilitators have to police the kids to get them to do the work that they have chosen or agreed to do. Basic civility, respect and manners are lacking and even after discussions there isn’t any improvement.

There are many pain points but largely they revolve around these issues:

1. Defaulting on consequences

To begin with many children are not doing their consequences even after reminders. These are consequences which they have selected. Some of them have consequences pending from the past few weeks. Writing of complaints is in vain because the usual offenders are sitting on a pile of consequences.

2. Individual Time

Barring a few who are interested in doing their work, majority of the rest are busy trying to fool the facilitators. Since sessions are not compulsory this one hour can be used for self development. Mind you, everyone agreed for this, at least a majority. Here’s a snapshot of how a typical individual time looks like:

12:00 - Announcement is made, which is repeated a few times.

12:10 - Only a few pick their books and start working.

12:15 - Again a reminder for those few who are still busy either talking to their friends or watching something on the computer (which is usually unrelated) or avoiding/hiding. Meanwhile a couple of them remember to eat their snack. 

12:20 - By this time everyone has taken their places in one of the rooms with their group of friends. Some are reading and some are acting of reading. Some are glad to have their friends with them so they can chat. 

12:30 - Now a few will get up to drink water or sharpen their pencils, or look for empty sheets of paper or just go for a walk from this room to the other. Facilitators are constantly telling them to mind their work, if that’s not possible at least avoid disturbing others. 

12:40 - By now everyone must have asked the facilitator what the time is? or how much more time is left?

12:50 - All are restless now and kids with watches keep announcing that there’s so much time left. Countdown begins.

12:58 or so - Everyone launches out of the room. 

I wonder how they would have sustained in a school. Not even for an hour they could work on things for their liking. Btw, there are a few who sleep during this time, which the facilitators have never objected. 

3. Behaviour

Increasingly we have observed that mutual respect towards facilitators and other children is on a decline. Many discussions and talking with specific individuals is not helping abate the harsh usage of language and mannerisms. Hitting each other has become Using profanities is a style among a few. The better and creative you get at it, more audience will laugh at your jokes. An instrument to get popular. 

4. Misuse of resources

Careless handling of stationary and toys. Even after frequent reminders and discussions there still remains a callous attitude towards preserving resources for future use. Few kids throw them too, I guess throwing is easier than keeping them away.

5. Doing housekeeping

After finishing lunch, it is an observation that bits and pieces of food are strewed across the floor. It’s left uncleaned until usually the facilitators who play detective to find out who sat here and who’s mess this is. This call the person a few times until a shoddy attempt to clean up is made.

This is just one example. Bags, books, toys, board games, stationaries, etc. are always lying on the floor unattended. It is difficult to find the culprit because they don’t leave any traces unless its someone’s bag. 

We were wondering, how do we finally get heard and where do we put our foot down. What do we do that children adhere to the basic norms of coexistence. When we treat them like adults the basic expectation is that they reciprocate in a similar fashion. Why do we need to police them? Why can’t they have any self control? Don’t you know that you can’t hit someone? Do you need an adult to tell you that? What about the freedom of facilitators?

One of the ideas that came through discussions is that we should all leave things the way it is. No one will say anything. If the place goes to the dogs then let it. We did try this idea once during the initial years and I don’t remember it worked. So, we decided try the extreme. How about we curb all the freedom for a week? Will they then value what we do here? It’s matter of wait and watch. 

But unlike “The Emergency” of Indian democracy, this decision was voted for by kids and facilitators. 

We would like to recommend this book by AS Neill, founder of Summerhill. Its titled Freedom- not License. Here’s the pdf, http://playpen.icomtek.csir.co.za/~acdc/education/Dr_Anvind_Gupa/Learners_Library_7_March_2007/Resources/books/Freeneillfinal.pdf

I go back to this book quite often to understand where it is that line of freedom ends and taking for granted begins. I can’t insist more that all of us should read this book and have a discussion during one of our LSH. 

I am sure you all are eagerly waiting for the next week’s newsletter already. 

Until next week (fingers crossed!)