SAIIER Annual Report 2014-2015: Kindergarten
 Kalabhumi Open Art Studio |
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 Kuilapalayam Cultural Centre |
| Kindergarten | ||
Activities of the year - some glimpses
Play of painting
This year at the Entity::Kindergarten , for the annual Christmas exhibition for the parents, a 15 minute film on the Play of Painting was made and shown on a big screen borrowed from the Auroville Film Festival. It showed the children and adults who come to paint here. It was a peep into a class in session and the parents were delighted. They also appreciated our exhibit in the Play of Painting room which laid special emphasis on the concept of non-judgment.
The Play of Painting Team additionally gave a presentation at the Teachers’ Center which emphasised the negative effects of giving either too much praise or too much criticism to a child, with alternative approaches to developing respectful relationships.
Swimming Lessons
This year we were successful in enabling 14 of the 15 children of the oldest group to become swimmers. We achieved this during the last three months of the school year. In February we were joined by two volunteers who wanted to teach swimming, so the children had 3 weekly sessions with them: one lasting about 45 minutes and the other two lasting half an hour.
To enter the pool we follow a set procedure for the sake of safety. The kids undress, put on their swimsuits and line up outside the pool gate. Then they shower and sit down until everyone is ready. Then the children go to sit down on the edge of the pool and at a given count they slide into the water.
The volunteers used a simple signal to get attention from the children in the water: “Streamline!” This meant every one must lift their arms above their heads, both palms touching, with straight arms. This immediately stopped all noise enabling everyone to listen to instructions.
Another useful strategy they used was “Washing Machine”. This meant the teachers would stand in the water in front of the children who were sitting on the edge of the pool, and ask them to vigorously kick the water to try to splash them. This energy outlet was needed for them to subsequently be able to await their turn for the upcoming activity.
A third activity had the children swim one by one from one corner of the pool to the side, then to the middle, from there on to the far side and to the far corner. The bottom of the pool had imaginary boiling lava and at the stations you could cool your feet on imaginary ice in case you did not succeed to swim without touching the ground. The stations were demarcated with small rubber rings. The children loved this game.
A fourth game was: “What is the time mister shark?”. In this game one child/shark was alone on one side of the pool and let the others approach to steal the large floating ring he was guarding. He counted out loud the time. If it was three o’clock the others had three counts before the shark would awake and come to catch them. They could take refuge in their house on the far end of the pool. If caught while attempting to steal the ring they would have to join the shark as catchers. One of the volunteers organised new materials such as rings that sink, balls in a sock-like netting that float, pillows filled with styrofoam and a large hoop which is hollow and partially filled with pebbles to make it sit upright on the bottom of the pool. This hoop was used for the children to dive through under water. The children enjoyed floating on their backs with the help of some of these various floaters.
After the volunteers left we took the children to La Piscine for about five sessions of 45 minutes. Eventually everyone was able to jump in at the deep end and manage to swim, except for one boy who still had not overcome his fear of water.
Building a House
Every year the oldest group gets to build a small hut (2m by 3m). The floor is plain earth, the walls are brick plastered together with mud, and the roof is of branches and keet (coconut palm leaves). The process of this construction demands a lot of cooperation and plenty of patient effort. Most of the children enjoy participating in this experience and it gives them a strong sense of achievement.
Step 1: The Foundation
- In the first session we take about 8 children and we demarcate the foundation in a rectangular shape. The corners have to be at 90 degrees. Wetting the ground first we scrape out the rectangular outline. Into this we insert a line of bricks held together with mud.
Step 2: The Plaster
- The mud used as plaster the children prepare by actually wading in a pile of red soil with water added to it. The sticky substance we create is used between the bricks to hold them together.
Step 3: The Walls
- Once the foundation has been built the walls rise upon this base. We use a mason level to make sure we are making straight walls. The mud once prepared is carried in round trays and plastered on by hand or with a trowel. The children love using these tools because it makes them feel like real masons. We leave openings in the structure for the door and 3 windows.
Step 4: The Roof
- The gardener makes a frame for us of 4 logs connected with beams, which is planted outside the corners of the house. Upon this he puts another frame for the roof. The children standing on stools put in cross beams on which we tie the keet leaves. We use jute rope and the children have to tie many knots to hold it all together. The keet is tied on starting from below and working upwards.
Step 5: Completion
- Once the keet is in place we have to clean up the construction site and then we decorate the house with paper garlands and balloons and flowers. We invite the other children group by group to visit and together we sing songs and eat sweets. The children feel they have achieved something and are happy.
| Kalabhumi Open Art Studio |
Kuilapalayam Cultural Centre |