Date: Aug 22, 2015 Place: Auro Mirra International School, Bengaluru
Twenty-seven teachers at Auro Mirra International School, Bengaluru, actively participated in an Integral Education Workshop on Preparatory Theatre and Creative Teaching, organized by India Council for Integral Education (ICIE, an initiative of Sri Aurobindo Society), on August 22, 2015.
This was conducted by Ravi Shanker—an ardent learner, educator, stage & voice actor, creative director of theatre and now a part of ICIE. The Workshop began with concentration and meditation. Thereafter, all the participant teachers and facilitators began with a freewheeling discussion on the given topics. Gradually exploring the same topics through the processes of theatre arts, they came to experience their transition from where they were to where all they could go to. Aspiring to realize their ideal selves, they ascended with various activities, discovering their higher ways of being with others and experienced the delight of teamwork and ownership. The Workshop also enabled teachers to have more clarity on their role as teachers, instilling in them a lot of confidence and enthusiasm.
In the beginning, the participants and facilitators discussed about the main goals and purposes of the workshop, deliberated on the topics to be explored and examined what is expected by the end of the sessions. Various topics such as ‘Teachers as Supporting Actors’ and a myriad of media that can be used by teachers to teach were reviewed, experienced and examined through different perspectives. With a view to expand in confidence, creativity and consciousness, each of them underwent certain core processes of theatre arts, exploring matters that concerned the participant teachers.
After experiencing five hours of intensive action-packed series of acts, all the teachers emerged as more confident, proactive and creative beings, bringing a novel and imaginative aspect to mundane teaching. Some of the participants expressed their amazement at how they had started up with inhibition and doubt, and how they were ending the workshop performing confidently.
Finally, the whole group was requested to pen the entire experience of the workshop. There were again brief moments of silence and meditation and the workshop ended.
Feedback:
“It was good to have Kiran and Ravi at AMIS. They interacted with the teachers and students for three days. I could only attend Ravi’s workshop (5 hours) partially as an observer and not as a participant, much as I wanted to. I found his workshop engaging and experiential in nature. I also saw a certain spontaneity and an approach that encourages, challenges even forces the participants to think creatively and on the spot. The sessions were lively, and Ravi has a happy presence. I would encourage him to conduct sessions like this to develop creativity and team spirit.” — Harvinder, Director, AMIS Bangalore