SAIIER 2013:Dehashakti School of Physical Education
 Twelfth Night |
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 Aurolympics |
| Dehashakti School of Physical Education | ||
Introduction
Dehashakti is an overall physical education program for the Auroville students from age 7 up to 18 years. In this five days per week program children participate in gymnastics and fitness, athletics, team games and swimming. Through physical education children can be made to achieve higher values of self-control, respecting team members, and developing self-confidence. Along with the development of the body a greater mental strength can be achieved to provide a more complete education to children in Auroville.
Dehashakti had 215 students enrolled this year, including 55 new students. There are 4 full-time Aurovilian staff.
The programme
Children are divided in groups by their age and each group is named according to physical qualities to be developed. The groups are Perfection (15-18 years old), Courage (13-15 years), Knowledge (12-14 years), Force (11-12 years), Harmony (10-11 years), Beauty (9-10 years), Bliss (7-8 years) and Joy (6-7 years).
The programme of activities goes along with contemporary research work done in the field of fitness through cross training. Fitness has five elements: speed, skill, suppleness, stamina, and strength. Cross training means crossing all elements of fitness to acquire a balanced growth. Children get to work variously on each fitness element with exercises that are intense and yet joyful. This approach also helps to avoid the imbalances that single-sports participants show in their physical development, which can lead to chronic injury.
In the context of education in Auroville, physical education is as important as the mental and the vital. Just as we all study various subjects in school for a broader mental development, similarly at Dehashakti diverse physical subjects are offered to develop the child’s body more integrally. To keep the interest of the children alive, we switch between moderation and intensity.
The Competitions
We have two major competitions and they are divided into two seasons: the Aurolympics and Athletics.
Team Aurolympics events are competitions between houses, and the contribution of every member adds or subtracts from the total points chalked up by the team. The games are those that they have been training for in the months before the competitions. During the team competitions every match is evaluated by the teacher and referee to encourage sportsmanship spirit in the team. Winning is not the only criteria in the match; the team's positive attitude and understanding is given points in every match, and the total of these points are put together for Fair Play. (See separate report on Aurolympics.)
For Athletics we use the Shine award to provide opportunities for children ages 6 and up to try athletics through fun physical challenges and reward them for their efforts. This promotes an incentive to learn and develop individual athletic skills through four levels of activities. The children get coloured ribbons which are ranked: Gold (90%), Silver (80%), Bronze (70%), Blue (60%), Green (50%), Yellow (40%), Orange (30%).
- “We are here to lay the foundation of a new world.
- All the virtues and skills required to succeed in athletics are exactly those the physical man must have to be fit for receiving and manifesting the new force.
- I expect that with this knowledge and in this spirit you will enter this athletic competition and go through it successfully.
- My blessings are with you.” - The Mother
The Star Awards
Apart from the regular competitions a special note was made for each student's regularity and commitments to the program throughout the year. Each student was awarded weekly a star if they were present on time, in their sports uniform and had a positive attitude during their lessons that week. Thus their weekly stars were added at the end of the competitions these were then awarded as The Star Awards, for those who made it to the top at the end of 25 weeks.
It has been three years since we have introduced the Star Awards and this year we noted that 9 students have continuously received the awards for all the three years. So we honored these students with a special prize to note their efforts.
AV Athletics Meet
This year we organised an all Auroville Athletics Meet to bring together students and adults within the community to participate over a weekend in some dynamic activities. Auroville Athletics Meet is an occasion to collectively celebrate the development of consciousness of the body; an opportunity to bring out the champion in you for the sheer joy of progress.
We had over 60 participants from 4 years old to 50 years old. It was open to children from all Auroville schools and Outreach Schools, and open to all Aurovilians and friends. The activities were: 100m race, 800m race, and Long Jump. We wish to continue such events every year to encourage more collective sports.
Reflections
We have noticed that students who have set new athletics records are those who have pursued relentlessly the Dehashakti physical education program over a minimum of three years. Having undergone this training over these years their bodies have developed greater power and stamina which was so visible in their performances this year. These students in the beginning were very different and had to be pushed constantly to make more effort; over time they awakened the interest and passion for all activities.
Both girls and boys who continue with our programme over a few years start to show positive developments in body and mind – their confidence and spirit are higher and bolder.
We had overall a great year with very enthusiastic students, and teachers making great efforts in keeping up with the multiple demands from each student.
