Towards an Organic Learning Community
By Shilpa Jain and Manish Jain
In 1998, a few friends got tired of hearing that
they were “too idealistic”. Every time they raised critical questions about the
dominant thinking on education and development, they were either asked for the magical
all-encompassing Solution (to be given in thirty seconds or less) or pushed
aside with comments like, “That’s all true, but how will we financially survive
without the System?” They came from
different contexts – UNESCO, a very large NGO in
That became Shikshantar Andolan: the Peoples’ Institute for Rethinking Education
and Development. Named by an eminent Gandhian elder, Shikshantar is composed of two words, shiksha (learning as living and
living as learning) and antar
(transformation or difference). Andolan is a short form for jeevan andolan, which can be translated as ‘an agitation
or movement which starts with and shows up in our own lives’. Put these
words/concepts together in various combinations and you have Shikshantar. We are based in
Shikshantar draws its deepest inspiration from the concept and practice of Swaraj. A
Sanskrit term, Swaraj
can be translated as ‘radiance of the self’ and ‘rule over the self’. It
was re-invoked during
What does Swaraj mean
today? And how can each of us learn and live into it in our own lives? are some of the core questions Shikshantar
started with (as opposed to launching with a mission statement!). For us, the concept and practice of Swaraj connects three dimensions of resistance
and regeneration: the personal, the local and the systemic. We notice that all
three are present at each moment, yet like a kaleidoscope, we shift focus from
one to another. With Swaraj as a foundation, we want to share two aspects
of our spirit-work: our personal unlearning-uplearning
community, which in turn, is nested in a larger local effort called
All our efforts
are meant to strengthen an emerging larger movement towards justice, balance
and meaning. Our activities evolve out of (and change according to) the energy
of this movement and the vibrancy of co-learners within it.
Doing
Together in an Organic Un-Learning Community
Over the past eight years, Shikshantar
has supported the growth of co-creators in many different organizational and
community contexts. During this time, we have also tried to develop our own
space as an organic learning community to nurture fellow co-learners. It is a
space for doing, for discovering one’s own path — not an individualistic path
(which breeds selfishness), but one that is deeply re-connected with all beings
in a web of life. From the very beginning, we have focused on creating spaces
in which people can start to reclaim control of their own shiksha. This is done in two ways:
1) by exposing the culture of schooling[2]
and unlearning the damage it has done to us; and 2) by exploring and
regenerating spaces for sharing-uplearning outside of
the culture of schooling.
It is difficult to describe what Shikshantar is, as
it does not fit neatly into a single category. In time, it has evolved into a
hybrid organization – a research institute, library, community meeting space,
publishing house, filmmaking studio, zero waste upcycling
center, organic farm, self-healing center – to allow it to cater to varying
needs and experiments of the larger movement. People from ages 3 to 85 years
informally volunteer (real or virtually) with Shikshantar.
This group includes those who go to schools and colleges, those who have walked
out of or never gone to school, working people, housewives, retired people,
people from different parts of
At any point in time, Shikshantar also formally hosts
8-12 full-time learning activists on our core team. As learning activists, we
are actively involved in exploring ourselves and our local surroundings vis-a-vis the big questions/debates of our times. We are
also involved in inviting others to consider their own unlearning and uplearning, which in turn adds to the larger Shikshantar movement.[3]
For this, it is critical that the learning activists develop themselves into
co-learners. They are leaders without followers, each weaving together their
own specific jeevan andolan.
There is no formal selection process for learning activists. Nor are any
degrees or formal qualifications required. Learning activists emerge out of
their own declared interests and intent. Whenever any new volunteer comes, we
ask them to share what is special or unique about them and about their community
or village. We also ask them to share meaningful questions that they are
exploring and concerns they have about what’s happening around them in the
world. They are invited to get involved in some specific aspect of the work of Shikshantar and to understand the vision and activities of
the movement as a whole. If and when they feel that they would like to make a
full-time commitment to Shikshantar, they can apply
to be a learning activist by sharing their ideas about what they would like to
do to contribute to the movement.
There is no pre-set curriculum
for the learning activists. Rather, the learning agenda (learning goals,
environments, styles and pace, resources, evaluations) emerges from mutual
dialogue among all of the co-learners. We have learned that there are, however,
some processes that can assist in their deeper exploration:
- revisiting
and (re-)valuing their own life experiences and intuitions;
- critically
reflecting on their experiences with school, newspapers and TV and expressing
their feelings and ideas through self-created media;
- exploring
their ideas about concepts like leadership, swa-anushashan (self-discipline),
social justice, voluntary simplicity, collaboration, creative self-expression, ahimsa (non-violence/love/respect);
-
engaging in intense interaction with dissonant and paradoxical people,
contexts and ideas;
-
reconnecting with their hands and bodies and the beauty/power of physical work;
-
re-examining institutionally-declared ‘problems’ (such as, Population, Politicians
and
-
re-examining institutionally-declared ‘solutions’ (such as, “You need a
lot of money to do anything.”);
- thinking
as a jugaadi,
which implies resourcefulness, creativity, starting with what materials,
contexts, etc. exist (especially with so-called waste) and finding solutions
from there;
- learning
with multiple generations – from the very young to the very old;
- discovering
the possibilities of the local – desh bhakti (devotion to the local – not to be confused with
patriotism or nationalism), local language, local media, local governance,
local economy, local history, etc. – and understanding its links to the global;
- creating
and carrying-out authentic work on local concerns, which is later shared with
people around the sub-continent.
We have learned that there is no particular order
or time-frame or even specific exercises for these processes to take place. Rather,
they are explored with the individual learning activists’ own needs, capacities
and dreams in mind — along with the flow of activities and new opportunities in
the Shikshantar movement. We try to identify together
what each of us is passionate about and what each of us holds as our strengths
and weaknesses. On a daily level, learning activists read and share articles,
books, videos, art, theatre, songs, etc. that inspire/challenge them; devise
their own projects according to their interests and talents; meet, interview and
hang out with diverse local people; create, as well as attend,
workshops/conferences; and host learning journeys with other groups. At the
core, it is assumed that the responsibility for one’s own learning and
motivation rests with each and every individual. It is also understood that our
own learning process is enhanced by supporting the learning processes of other
friends. There is no hierarchy in learning together -- every human being
(regardless of formal academic qualifications) possesses important learning
resources (and can deepen and widen these). And every kind of work, if done
honestly, is a spiritual act.
Much of the day-to-day efforts of learning activists are plugged into our work
in
* Pannalal is working on regenerating the local Mewari language and the tradition of story-telling; he has
published several books in Mewari. Pannalal is also an organic farmer. He is building a
network with local farmers to obtain produce for an organic exchange hosted
monthly by Shikshantar.
* Vidhi is nurturing a local and country-wide network of
‘families learning together’; she also collaborates with local artists to
invite them to share their talents and time with children.
* Vishal, Guddi and Shilpa are designing and running creative expressions workshops
for children and families using waste materials. Together, they are trying to
expand the notion and practice of zero-waste in
* Ramawtar is
delving into traditional knowledge around herbal plants and natural medicines;
he is planting herbal gardens with local families and preparing remedies to
share with the wider community. He also edits the Hindi issues of Swapathgami magazine, which shares peoples’ unique stories
of walking out and walking on.
* Sunny and
Manoj are cooking healthy food (no oil, no white
sugar, no wheat, no preservatives or chemicals, no milk) and sharing their
creations, along with their ideas about food, nutrition and healthy living, in
various corners of Udaipur. They also enjoy creating
community street theater with local children and youth.
* Nirmal is working
with local families to develop murals on public/private walls, so as to explore
both community expression as well as the aesthetics of urban spaces. He also
produces his own zine.
* Manish
is supporting the community video resource center, to make more available our wide
collection of films and support more people who are interested in making films
about their lives and communities.
Learning activists design and manifest their own
learning webs (the various people, places, kinds of interactions, use of
materials, etc.). But all of it is flexible and shared, and we take the time to
give feedback and support each other’s work as it develops. It is important to
note that we do not pigeonhole or compartmentalize ourselves in anyway, nor do
we have any departments like “Research,” “Administration,” “Computer
Operations”, “Publications,” etc. Unlike most professionals and
institutions, we see ideas and practices as linked, and we strive to
link our personal lives with our public work. Play, learning, working,
creating, expressing, are all intertwined. And,
oftentimes, core-team-wide collaborations bring together different strengths
and interests. A current example is the monthly organic exchange, Hamo Desi Mela, which everyone participates in by hosting a booth
and/or coordinating additional participants from the city, to share different
aspects of organic living in the city.
In all of the activities, learning activists are
encouraged to identify new resources (beyond money) in
It is critical that learning activists feel that they have full access to the
learning environment and the ability to add to/change it. So, everyone has their
own key to Shikshantar. Everyone has the power to
convene a meeting when they feel it is needed. We can post things we find
interesting on the walls. Everyone is encouraged to bring new ideas, new people
and new possibilities into Shikshantar’s work.
Learning activists are also encouraged to share problems they are having with
their work, as well as personal problems. Nearly every day at lunch, there is a
Circle Check-in, in which everyone present shares what is on his/her mind or
heart. Learning activists also spend time in short internships to learn how others
manage (or mismanage) their organizations, and to get ideas on how we can
further grow Shikshantar.
We use and share our skills and knowledge across
domains – to take Shikshantar’s spirit into other
spaces and communities: our own families, friends, neighborhoods, caste and
religious communities and other circles. For instance, Pannalal,
following his experiences with local communities and the Mewari
language, is working with his caste community to organize their community
events in Mewari. Learning activists have also
contributed to new experiments with our different partners around the country
and the world, especially related to creative expressions, zero waste and
learning without schooling. We also go on team learning journeys (with
the dual intention of both being provoked and provoking) to places like Narmada Bachao Andolan and Auroville. From time
to time, different individuals and groups come to
If it wasn’t obvious by now, it should be
clarified that there are no ‘teachers’ or faculty at Shikshantar.
Each of the learning activists is a co-learner. We are not given grades; we do
not graduate or get a certificate or take attendance. There is no threat of
compulsion or use of punishment. Neither are there any financial rewards to
look forward to. We make no attempt to quantify or rank the learning or growth
that occurs among us. We simply observe each other as we grow and try to
encourage ourselves to engage in continual self- and peer-reflection. This
ensures that the power dynamic among us is always changing. At times, different
people (depending on their knowledge, skills and insights) organically emerge
to play the role of ‘guide’ – to help facilitate deeper exploration, better
communication and new connections. The temporary guide tries to make clear their
role, their commitment to other co-learners, and their expectations. They also make
themselves vulnerable to critique from others and to the possibility (and
necessity) of their own unlearning and new learning.
What perhaps makes us most unique as a community is our collective openness to the different kinds of things we need to unlearn from the culture of schooling. For example:
- unlearning the culture of blaming others, in order to be honest with our own mistakes (and even more, celebrate them!);
-
unlearning the school- and media-induced embarrassment
of using our hands, doing physical labor and appreciating our local culture;
-
unlearning our modern, urban disconnect from Nature,
her language and power;
-
unlearning the
deference, submission, control or oppression which defines institutional
relationships;
-
unlearning our own biases around caste, gender, race,
socio-economic groups, age, sexuality, religion, etc.;
-
unlearning the laziness and disrespect of taking the
easy-way-out, with readymade solutions, pre-packaged responses, master plans
and other forms of monoculture.
All of this
unlearning is important, if we are to recover our innate capacities to nurture
healthy relationships with one another, to give and receive with authenticity
and integrity.
Shikshantar is not an isolated space. The main stomping ground for all our
reflections, actions and inspirations is the city we live in, beautiful
These
principles came out of a few years of dialogue with local people, and were
articulated by volunteers at Shikshantar during the
process of conceptualizing ULC in the year 2000. Given the openness and the
spirit of the principles, they have not led to debate, but rather have inspired
the community’s imaginations to make them manifest in practice. They have been,
and continue to be, integrated into each activity that emerges under
ULC. Such activities include:
Intergenerational Community Reflections and Dialogues: Festivals have traditionally been potent
opportunities for deep reflection and social engagement. With this in mind, ULC
has hosted interactive dialogues on both local and international festivals,
such as Rakshabandhan
and TV Turnoff Week. Posters, cooperative games, discussions and hands-on
activities are combined to explore the meanings and life-actions of such
celebrations. Public dialogues are also supported both by hosting
conversations/events on prominent issues, like water conservation/restoration
and pedestrian-friendly roads, and by screening thought-provoking films, like Baraka and Modern Times. Producing a variety of
community media not only helps
Unlearning and Uplearning Workshops: These
particularly relate to critical media awareness and creative expressions --
people making their own music, dance, dramas, films, puppets, masks,
sculptures, especially using so-called ‘waste’ materials. The underlying
intention of such workshops is to actively nurture peoples’ capacities to say
‘no’ to the consumeristic, competitive and compulsory
institutions/ attitudes/ behaviors/ structures that enslave us, and to instead
organically construct spaces and relationships that do serve them. Such
workshops predominantly occur within local neighborhoods and are hosted by
families at their homes, in empty lots or temple spaces. Questions raised
during such workshops include: How can we
share our feelings, stories and ideas through our own expressions? How are
our creations different from the readymade world of mass media? What do notions
like beauty, leadership, success, freedom, justice, peace, security etc. mean
to each of us? What are our creative capacities and power (beyond
institutions), and how do we unleash them to make the kind of life we want?
Natural Living in a City: ULC is currently exploring ways that
city-dwellers can reconnect to their hands/bodies and to nature, through
organic farming on their rooftops, rainwater harvesting, solar cooking, herbal
gardens with medicinal plants, spinning cloth and other such efforts at
home. Natural living efforts also give city people a chance to ‘get their
hands dirty’. The soil and the sacred get reconnected in the most basic aspects
of human life, like health, food, water, clothing and shelter. These processes
enable city folks to link local culture with spirituality and the physical ecology;
for example, the wisdom in Mewari is intimately connected with an ethical lifestyle and
natural balance, which are essential for challenging urbanization.
Learning Exchanges: ULC seeks to move beyond NGO/Government institutional
boundaries and agendas and directly involve local artists, organic farmers,
artisans, businesses, healers, etc. in questions and experiments related to
regenerating urban life. It also encourages youth who are not interested
in school or college (or those who want to change their career) to create their
own meaningful paths of living, livelihood and learning, by trying out exciting
apprenticeship opportunities. We encourage people to reclaim their own
learning processes by building their own learning webs (diverse networks of
co-learners and spaces) around the city.
These different elements of ULC are
geared towards regenerating the cultural commons. They stand in direct
challenge to the violence of Development, Progress and Modernization, which has
severely devalued local people and their knowledges
and experiences and has led to high levels of dislocation, isolation and
alienation. We are trying to revalue those things which are important to our
collective well-being but do not have direct economic value to the State or
Market. The activities of ULC are entirely off-line, as internet use and access
is quite limited in
People join ULC either through an
existing activity, which has been initiated by the interests and questions of
others, or by sharing their own curiosities to start something new. It is
self-organizing, and the core team of Shikshantar
plays a role in fleshing out, supporting, and deepening the emergent
activities. This is why the work of ULC is so broad and deep, spanning
everything from vermicomposting to anti-globalization
campaigns to learning with local artists. Many people join in ULC for
this spirit of bridge-building, border-crossing, intercultural dialogue and
relationships. We ask people to freely share what they have with each other in
the spirit of gratitude, thus aligning with an ancient Indian principle against
the commodification of knowledge.
This is a fundamentally different
orientation from many other learning city projects in the West, where the focus
is on expanding technology (computers and internet usually). In those
cases, the definition, purpose, means, and ends of ‘learning’ are often rooted in
the military-industrial paradigm of development and rarely ask questions about
the direction of this paradigm. ULC is also very different from the
popular notion of public-private partnerships, where ‘public’ only refers to
government bodies, and ‘private’ only to corporations. ULC is trying to
transcend these categories of public and private and to appreciate and
integrate the authentic concerns and strengths of local people. In other
words, in
Over the last six years, we at Shikshantar have been astonished and inspired by the
directions ULC has taken. We have realized that the more closely we work with
individuals and families in neighborhoods rather than with formal institutions,
the more motivated and invigorated we feel. Also, it is more self-sustaining
than forced plans or formal arrangements. For example, our interactive dialogues
in public spaces have been very effective. These are at a human- scale and
have enabled our network of children and families to expand (much beyond normal
NGO circles). Our resourcefulness with space and materials has also
inspired and reminded people that they do not need a lot of money to do
wonderful things in their lives and community.
Shikshantar Andolan
Layers
upon layers upon layers — like a crisp red onion (grown organically, of
course!) — is a good way to understand Shikshantar Andolan. Our personal learning community of learning
activists and volunteers are nested in the larger local effort of
-
The Learning Societies Network: Beginning with the question, “If not a
schooling society, then what?”, this network seeks to break the monopoly of education
experts by engaging the unusual suspects in the dialogue around education and
development: artists, parents, farmers, activists, craftspeople, business
folks, youth, elders and more. It focuses more on conceptual questions around
the nature of human learning, policy options for learning communities, tools
for dialogue and various experiments happening in the world. www.swaraj.org/shikshantar/lsdialogue.html
-
Walkouts-Walkons
Network: Also known
as the Swapathgami
Network (one who makes his/her own path and walks it), this collection of
people are engaged in exploring individual pathways outside of
institutionalized structures, attitudes, lifestyles, products and much more.
They actively challenge the existing label and connotations of ‘drop-out’.
Rather, they are walking out of the Readymade World and walking on to endless
possibilities of their own and other friends’ creation. The network features
many non-commodified learning resources and
apprenticeship opportunities. www.swaraj.org/shikshantar/walkoutsnetwork.htm
-
Families Learning Together Network: A group of families from around India
are interested in learning and living beyond the boundaries of
factory-schooling, home-schools, mass media and other forms of
institutionalization. They are exploring dynamic notions of ‘family’, of joint
families, of friends and families, of adults and children learning from each other.
They believe that families can be foundation for learning and sharing skills,
ideas, practices, love and friendship. www.swaraj.org/shikshantar/familieslearning.htm
.
These
networks,
[1] See Hind Swaraj by MK Gandhi or various articles on www.swaraj.org to learn more.
[2] Visit www.swaraj.org/shikshantar/resisting.html to see a list of the different dimensions of the culture of schooling.
[3] One
space where this movement is located is in