US

Colletive Consciousness – Human Unity

The second principle “The mind must be consulted in its own growth“

For Human Unity we need to build our relationships with others. We need to learn to value that we are all different, unique and inter-independent. When education allows each one to be consulted in their own growth, through acceptance, empathy, deep listening, collaboration, non-judgment and compassionate communication, we experience unity in diversity.

Therefore, TLC is not a school but a community offering learning through real-life experiences to grow together.

Adults strive to be role models, being present in the moment as observers free of judgment. Through active participation, and working together in community, facilitators and parents create a learning environment for the children to learn by example and real life.

For the children to experience unity in diversity, we offer mixed-age learning environments and individualized programs where each child is encouraged to follow interests, passions, and learn by working through challenges. Then the learning environment in itself supports collaboration, acceptance and value of differences.

For each one to be free to follow that which is alive inside, requires liberation from inner and outer conditioning. Freedom in Integral Education is learning to choose one’s actions with awareness and responsibility. Thereby Free Progress is the ability to act guided by one’s psychic being (inner truth). Participatory processes allow children to take have a voice in community life, and in their own learning, thereby empowering them to become agents to transform both themselves and society.

Free Progress in TLC

TLC’s practices to build Colletive Consciousness

Mix age groupings

We are a mixed-age community, valuing the diversity of interactions across ages and generations. Groupings form organically in different constellations at different times and for different learning situations. We have three main groups with different developmental needs: 0-6 years, 6-14 years, and adults. These three groups have different educational programs but are also integrated with each other.

Service

• Every day we take care of our materials and shared learning environments.
• Once a month we have a WorkDay together with facilitators and parents, to take care of our Base Camp.
• A few times a year we offer service to other projects in Auroville,
• We support educational projects around the world through mentoring and sharing our experiences.

Qualities Tree

A collective work to bring more awareness to some of our qualities and core values in daily practical life. The idea manifests in drawing a tree on a big paper and then choosing a value to focus on. For example, the first quality we chose was kindness. The ‘game’ consists of: Observing, noticing during the week acts of kindness (or any of the qualities we choose) that you saw in someone or in yourself. Once a week we have a circle where everyone can share which act of kindness they saw and in whom and give a flower or a leaf or a fruit to that person. These are then pinned onto the tree. When we reach a hundred (leaves or flowers or fruits) we celebrate by planting a plant or a tree to represent this value.

Community Gathering

The TLC Community Gatherings is a time and space to share, reflect and process together. To openly and with care share progress, conflicting issues, and problem-solve together. We work with consensus, unless the group decides to a vote on a specific matter. Through the community gathering we develop deep listening skills, creativity, patience, compromise, openness and flexibility. Those who choose not to addend meetings need to trust and accept the decisions of the group.

Once or twice a week the children facilitate a community gathering for all children and facilitators. The children who are a part of the community gathering team prepare the meeting by collecting points for the agenda, facilitating the meeting, holding decision-making processes, and taking meeting notes.

Once a month, an ALL TLC community gathering is facilitated by the adult community team. All parents and facilitators are expected to attend these meetings. For children it’s optional.

TLC’s agreement to take care of myself, others and enviroment

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