Tell me and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I'll understand. - Native American Saying


Approach and Class Groupings
The ambience at Poorna invites you to look more carefully at the things around you, like the child who may be busy gathering seeds to sow and water, or his or her friend who may be excitedly observing insects feasting on nectar.

The attempt here is to return to the basics, to create an education where children can explore and begin to understand the world around them, and learn in a meaningful way. Such education is not linked purely to material gain.

Poorna tries to bring learning closer to the life of a child. The stress is on self-learning, with the child working at his/her own pace. There is not much imposition through curriculum or timetables. These are decided by sitting together and discussing what works and what does not, and, keeping in mind the group's emotional and developmental characteristics. Acceptance of the child forms the basis for an education program that is focused on the needs of the learner.

Children are loosely grouped by age. Each child has plenty of space to work at her own pace and in accordance with her own interest. This is possible because there are no rigid tests or exams which the child is compelled to face. The number of children in a group is deliberately kept small in order to facilitate individual development.

Work is done in Mixed age group settings with an average of 15 children. Communication skills are enhanced through free interactions, free writing, and reading. The emphasis is on conceptual clarity and rote learning is minimized. Learning of science is seen as an experiential process. Creative activities are part of school and not considered extra curricular.

Syllabus
The school prepares the children for the National Open School examination or the IGCSE, but since we don’t believe in just training children to pass the examination, we don’t feel bound by the syllabus.

Conflict Resolution
We have a clear policy against violence of any sort - physical, verbal and emotional and therefore avoid punishing the children. A lot of time and thought goes into conflict resolution, discussing conflicts openly in groups with the aim of better understanding our behaviour and relationship with others. Children are encouraged to cooperate freely with each other and to take responsibility for their own actions.

Outings and excursions
Visits to places of interest or relevance to topics being discussed or raised by the children are an important part of the curriculum. Children have in the past visited gardens, organic farms, NAL, museums of art and science. Even the neighbourhood banyan tree, blacksmith's shop, aquarium shop and post office have become field trips for the nursery section. When children experience first-hand and see these for themselves, they remember and recall details for a long time to come, and, relate these to other experiences.

Children have also gone on rock-climbing and adventure trips, as well as to wildlife sanctuaries. Taking photographs, writing travelogues, taking part in quizzes and discussing these visits in the class serve to internalise these experiences and deepen their learning of the world around us. All trips and outings are discussed, planned and supervised by teachers.

Student exchanges, volunteering and visits
We expose the children to social issues by enrolling children from different backgrounds and honestly discussing issues of bias and prejudice that may arise within the school. Children are taken to institutions which work with disadvantaged groups and in the past children from Poorna have interacted with children from Baba Amte’s Ashram, Bosco mane (a shelter for street children), Association for Physically Disabled, Christel House and Parikrama. They have volunteered to provide teaching help for Christel House and Parikrama, both of which have children from poor families. We have also hosted tribal children from Kanavu School in Wyanad, Kerala, and, Poorna children have spent time at Kanavu School. In 2007, seven children from Puvidham school in rural Tamil Nadu spent one month at Poorna, and Poorna children are equally keen on spending time at Puvidham school.

Apart from exchange visits and interactions with other institutions, topics relating to social issues such as human rights, environmental degradation, child labour, communal conflicts and war are actively taken up for classroom discussion and project work.

Sports and outdoor activities
Children enjoy playing football, basketball, volleyball, cricket and various other traditional as well as newly invented outdoor games. Trees allow ample opportunities to learn climbing and several tree houses have been built and occupied over time. Children have also been taken swimming to Sadhashivnagar swimming pool and in 2007 the nursery section (4-6 years) started pool activities under the care of their teachers. We hope to continue swimming activities after our move to the new school site, however, it will depend on the availability of and access to a swimming pool.

Spiritual education
No formal religion is taught in the school. Children are encouraged to talk and explore their own or their parents' religious faith and beliefs. The concept of God is neither denied nor vehemently asserted. If a child wants to explore this in the group, opportunity to do so is created. Children are encouraged to share songs or prayers from their faith with the group.

Seasonal festivals of various faiths are celebrated. The mythological significance of the festival is explained with the help of stories or drama. Children sometimes prepare and share special foods or sweets associated with a festival as part of their celebrations.