We started home schooling with a rough agenda of what we thought we should cover. Coming from our past experience, initially the schedule was packed with plenty of literary education. We found ourselves stressed out and our children tired out at the end of each day. In spite of keeping the agenda flexible for the children we found that any prescribed textbook was only a guide and there was a lot more to discover by looking out for things ourselves. This curiosity usually got killed if we restricted our search for experience and knowledge.

1) It forced us to comply to a pattern.
2) It encouraged us to think appropriately.
3) It sparked competition amongst us. Which alternatively also meant each person only tried as well as his/her neighbour!
4) It pushed us to give our best.
5) It had prescription methods.
6) There was very little meaning for an integrated development.
7) It taught us to be individuals instead of developing a togetherness.
8) There was no scope of understanding our true nature.

Upon reflection and particularly taking cue from the great thinker of yesteryears J. Krishnamurthy, we completely changed the focus on allowing ourselves, both the adults and the children, to learn through process of discovery. Learning by doing took sail yesterday. The initial feeling is that this is lot more enjoyable. Our broad agenda looks something like this:

1 Thinking Skills
Research Skills
Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
Creative Thinking
Memory Training
Puzzles and Riddles-making and solving
Cryptography
Analytical Skills

2 Life Skills
Coping Skills
Team work
Stress Management
Who Am I?
Decision Making
Communication Skills
Interpersonal Relations
Capacity To Feel Empathy
Handling Emotions

3 Language Skills
Reading, Speaking, Writing: English, Tamil, Hindi, Sanskrit and 1 more language of choice
Composing, capping and Reciting poems
Oratorical Skills
Story Telling
Literary Recitation
Tongue twisters
Journalism and writing for publishing

4 Performing Arts
Theatre
Dance
Music
Magic
Instrumental

5 Fine Arts & Crafts
Drawing and Painting
Sculpture
Craft
Stitching
Weaving and Spinning
Furniture Making
Embroidery

6 Design Technology
Material Science
Designing and Engineering Processes
Architecture and Building Construction
Making Mechanical Devices,
Electrical Devices,
Electronic Devices,
Eco-Friendly Devices.
Graphic Design

7 Spiritual Orientation
Spiritual Education
Meditation
Introspection
Cause and Effect
Yoga
Ayurveda, home remedies and self healing techniques
Value education
Veda Chanting

8 Scientific Enquiry
Hands-on-Physics
Hands-on-Chemistry
Hands-on-Biology
Practical Astronomy
Basics of Astrology
Hands-on-Home Science
Learning Science the fun way

9 Mathematical Enquiry
Practical Arithmetic
Practical Geometry
Computer operation and programming
Accounting
Vedic Math and equivalent

10 Time, Place and People
Research Projects drawing lessons from History
Research Projects outlining policies based on Geograhical locations
Practical exposure to Social Dynamics
Practical exposure to Importance of Psychology
Practical exposure to Child Development

11 Physical Training
Cycling
Swimming
Indoor Games
Outdoor Games
Self Defense

12 Environmental Management
Natural Farming
Environmental Conservation and Protection
Ecology
Living with Nature-animals, birds, trees and plants
Sustainable Technologies

13 Survival Skills Cooking
Housekeeping
Personal Hygiene and grooming
Entrpreneurial Skills
Sex Education
Dexterity
Surviving in different environments
Learning to fix basic things
Learning to use basic machines
Learning to be resourceful
Wealth from Waste

14 Personalised Survival Skill for Livelihood
Spot Individual Talent
Provide the Environment to Develop the Talent

You see this agenda gives us the freedom to be ourselves. Each of us could choose what we want at any given point of time. We do have a rough schedule. You may find it interesting that we have a two week schedule as compared to a weekly schedule of a regular school.

Essentially we intend to cover the fourteen learning areas in fourteen days, not exactly one day per area. Each of us is given the freedom to choose what he or she wants to do on a given day. In order to avoid chaos we will encourage ourselves to follow the schedule guideline but not at the cost of stressing us out. There will be enough flexibility to 'walk out' of a session and 'walk into' another.

We are having fun.