- Issue 21- Oct 2005 Contents
- Ongoing Programmes, Updates, and Announcements
- NHE Educators Summit
- 15 Years of Ananda Marga Gurukula
- Renaissance Universal Speech
- Update on the Acupuncture Institute and Free Community Clinic at Ananda Nagar, India
- The Abha Light College of Natural Medicine Opens in East Africa
- Microvita Research Institute and AMGK Faculty of Microvita Studies
- Bio-Psychology Intensive Seminar, CNS Sweden
- Theatre in Education (TIE) Workshop, CNS Sweden
- Social Ethics in a Multicultural World in Ydrefors
- CNS Croatia
- CNS Asheville, USA
- A Bridge to a Bright Future for Humanity and the Earth
- A Call to Action
- PROUT’s Vision of Sustainability
- Families and Intentional Communities
- Supporting Innovative Efforts Towards Sustainable Development
- Teaching English at the Ananda Marga Kindergarten in Albania
- Namaskar School is Changing
- New Dawn School Brazzaville , Congo
- Lotus Centre and School Ulan Bator , Mongolia
- The Child is PreciousCosmic Academy Neohumanist Children’s Centre Accra , Ghana , West Africa
- NHE Conference Taipei , Taiwan
- Education Education Training Camp Madhu Karuna , Germany
- Progressive School of Long Island
- School PROUT
- Update on the YES Programme in Italy
- YES in Portugal
- YOGA AND ARTS FOR CHILDREN
- STUVOL – Student Volunteers
- ELF – Earth Lovers Family
- Georgetown Sector
- Manilla Sector
- Berlin Sector
- Hong Kong Sector
- Delhi Sector
- New York Sector
- Neohumanist Education for All
Neohumanist Education for All
Notes from a presentation given by Didi Anandarama at the Berlin Sector ETC
July 2005
Neohumanist Education is firmly rooted in the philosophy and principles of Neohumanism which is defined as the practice of love for all creation including plants, animals and the inanimate world. Neohumanism stands for the liberation of intellect from dogmas and limiting sentiments and extending one’s loving heart to all and everything in this universe. It is a harmonious blending of oriental introversial philosophy and occidental extroversial science.
NHE has four pillars
Philosophy – Principles – Methods- TeacherI. Philosophical Foundations of NHE are based on the definitions of philosophy as given by Shrii P. R. Sarkar which comprise the following:
Ontology – Oneness of existence
Epistemology – Absolute and relative knowledge
Axiology – Cardinal human values
Psychology – Expanded view of the mind
Metaphysics – Cycle of creation
Spiritual Practise – Yoga practices
II. NHE Principles
From the above philosophical components we derive practical guiding principles for NHE, which are:
Universal Love (Ontology)
Knowledge of Self and World Applied for universal welfare, ecological and social consciousness, academic, practical and personal skills (Epistemology)
Cardinal Human Values and Universalism (Axiology)
Holistic Development of the Child(Psychology)
Unique unfolding of the Individual(Metaphysics)
Astaunga Yoga (Spiritual Practice)
NHE is empowering children in two ways: internally through personal development with the goal to realize oneself; and externally through acquisition of worldly knowledge with the goal to serve the world in a better way. NHE strives for a harmonious balance between subjective inner development and objective adjustment in the world. Personal development is the backbone of the curriculum and therefore the NHE curriculum places subjects of self-development at the core, such as Supra Aesthetics, Music and Arts, Language Arts, YES-Astaunga Yoga, Philosophy, Biopsychology, Physical Education, Communication and STUVOL.
Other subjects come at the periphery such as earth sciences, maths, history etc. The core subjects ensure the desired outcome as envisioned by Shrii P. R. Sarkar in the Education anagram:
Enlargement of mind
Discipline
Universal outlook
Character
Active habits
Trustworthiness
Ideation of the Great
Omniscient grace
Nice temperament
III. NHE Methods
While the philosophy and principles of NHE are fixed, its methodology is flexible, creative and culturally sensitive. NHE curriculum specifics are emergent and integrated, tapping into the interests of the student and meeting the needs of real life in the locality. A few significant highlights of NHE methods given by Shrii P.R. Sarkar are what he calls the ‘Fundamentals of Learning’ which are:
- 1. freedom from dogma
- 2. awaken thirst for knowledge
- 3. freedom from distractions (internal,external, societal, emotional, etc)
Students are best taught through:
- 1. the exemplary role of the teacher
- 2. The current of joy – stories, play, games,
- rhythm, movement, repetition, project work.
- 3. Inquiry by students
- 4. Idealism and realism
IV. Teachers are Social Leaders
They embody the noblest qualities of humanity:
personal integrity, strength of character, righteousness, a feeling for social service, unselfishness , inspiring personality, leadership ability, high professional standard