A tale of two mela

The Dhamtari field institute of APF has organized a series of bal-mela in primary schools around Dhamtari district in preparation for the official launching of the district institute wherein a mega-mela was organized.  

One of the major objectives of the melas was to provide children with an environment where they can have fun and learn at the same time.  In the melas, various stalls were organized based on a theme or subject.  We had six stalls, viz. science/math, language/art, mask-making, origami (hat making), clay modelling/pottery and fun corner.  Each stall was coordinated by resource persons from the foundation where they prepared various activities aimed at certain learning benefits for the students.

Between the first and second mela, we have changed our approach towards the organization of the mela, and the differences that changes in approach make to the children, the environment and the learning is, in one word, amazing!

The first mela in Doma was a well-organized, well-coordinated mela where each and every student had the opportunity to participate in each and every activity.  Before the start of the mela, the students were divided into six groups based on six stalls, and the groups were rotated every 45 minutes during which they participated in all the activities planned by that stall and then moved to another stalls. The final outcome is that it was a well-orchestrated mela where each and every student got a chance to participate in every activity and learn what was planned for them to learn.

The second bal-mela in Mandroud was based on our experience in Doma. There were no changes in the stall and activities planned, and the resource persons were the same but our approach was different. Children were no longer divided into groups, and we set them free.  They were free to go wherever they want to go, and do whatever they want to do. The children can drop-in and join in the activities, or leave the activities when they want to. The final outcome was that it was a major success with fun-filled learning and exploring experiences for both the students and the resource persons.

Why I said the mela at Mandroud was a major success compared to the well-coordinated mela in Doma is that children in Mandroud are free and happy, and most importantly they learned what is interesting to them.  Even though the students in doma are happy and learning, they were no free to do what pleases and interest them; they are bound by the group and its schedule.

If we are talking about the accumulated learning, the one in Doma will perhaps be a better mela because each and every student participated in all the activities planned for them, and learn what is planned for them to learn.  But that learning is of the resources person’s and the students never owned the learning outcome and process.

 

But if you look at the meaningful learning that occurred, the learning in Mandroud would be more meaningful and useful for the children because a free and happy learning environment is an ideal and priceless environment!