How to start enjoying school?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar came to the youth meeting with a clown hat. He sat on the stage and started to swipe his smart phone. It was obvious – he knows how to create a connection with youngsters. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living programmes for young people are widely known all over the worlds. Teenagers who participate often quit intoxicants and dance in their yoga rave parties listening to mantra music.

Famous Indian Guru shared his views about modern education system. His interview for LiLa is short but very precious. He claims that the methods are not the main part in education. The most important thing is to teach the joy of living.

– I would like to ask how to transmit this state you are in. you know, the teaching, I understand, that we should teach is this. But how to transmit it really in life?

– How to transmit depends on the student who wants to receive. See, Sun is shining. How much of Sun you want to take is up to you. The flower spreads its fragrance, how you take it’s fragrance it’s up to you.

– So we should teach them to be good students?

– Correct. All the knowledge is available, all you need to. All you need as a person is how to be a good student.

– Where should it be the start? Should we train the teachers at first?

– See, it is a catch 22. We need both good teachers. They should be sensitive and caring. But just having good teachers are not enough. The students should have right attitude.

– And parents?

– Yes, parents also have to go learn that. That is why we have done courses for parents. This is a programme.

– So, this is not about the methods, it is beyond the methods.

– Yes, it is about the attitude of the person.

– How much value methods have? There are many talks here in my country that this  method is good or bad. For example, some say that children must have more freedom. Others disagree saying that strict discipline is needed.

– See, every method has got some advantage. Every method has a disadvantage also.

Having exlude totally discipline also has advantage. I am having those schools which leave children to learn by themselves. They also have advantage. But both have disadvantages. If you just leave children to learn by your own, what might learn in one year, it might take five years to learn.

What they could learn in a short period of time, it might take much longer.

Also they can become very lazy if there is no discipline at all. So every system has got some flaw.

So what I would say take the best from every system.

– Should we teach silence. Or should we teach chanting, dancing, moving, games. How much focus should be of silent meditation?

– It is good that they can have a little taste of it. But of course meditation would be good for children because it helps the brain to develop.

– Do you have meditation classes in your school?

– Yes, everywhere. Today in India in all schools almost meditation is in the curriculum. The government in India has made it. And the grades of children are better. They are able to study better, to focus better. Their energy level is higher.