This blogpost attempts to answer some frequently asked questions about Aurinko. Many families love what they see on our Facebook page or in our youtube videos. The smiles on our children’s faces and their twinkling eyes draw many people to our website. However, when they read through and understand that we are a child-friendly, child-led, stress-free, and fear-free learning environment, a sense of doubt shrouds them. Since traditional methods of education are discarded here at Aurinko many fear that children might not be competent enough or curriculum may be compromised or the transition may be difficult. We understand this feeling and hence this post will help you clarify some of your initial doubts by me, Dr. Chetana Keni, the founder of Aurinko.
- Philosophy and Methodology – Aurinko is a competency-based school and follows the co-constructivist approach. We offer personalized learning experiences and assessments to ensure our child is always on the path of mastery in learning pathways that are chosen by them under an invisible structured construct designed by the National Curriculum Framework. Teachers and children explore and discover concepts through real-life learning experiences and thereafter use books and resources. We believe in co-parenting children so parents are an indispensable part of our team. Aurinko is a 100 percent transparent community that operates on mutual trust and harmony. The Aurinko Ecosystem is the child’s first curriculum and thereafter books. We do not consider ourselves an alternate school or a mainstream school and do not want to stand apart from anyone system. We are progressive and just focus on being child-led and child-centric to help them build their toolkit for life.
- Academics – We follow ICSE Curriculum and have devised an award-winning innovative methodology in which we just spend 20-40 % of our time on academic classes (Grades K to 12) and children learn in a stress-free, fear-free, and self-led ecosystem. We have daily, weekly and monthly assessments that are diagnostic in nature and help us in fine-tuning our approach. We do not expect children to be coached for these assessments. Using a unique Teacher-Taught-Connect approach they work on themselves to keep raising the bar to achieve perfection. Homework is minimal, logical, and that which the child can do independently. Behaviors needed for academic excellence are given a high priority and are considered as skills and tools. Teachers, Peer, and Parents join hands together with the child to enable these behaviors. It is a misconception that such a child-friendly school might have to compromise on academics, instead, our children excel at concept understanding, application, exams, and life. We are the only school that has a vast subject choice Grade 9 to 12 and have launched India’s first career focussed junior college ( 11th and 12th ) in 10 career streams.
- Extracurriculars – At Aurinko we take every moment seriously and hence everything that we undertake is taken as skill development whether it is eating food, playing soccer/lagori, learning music, sweeping the school, or our carpentry workshop. All the skills are facilitated by professionals that are passionate about bringing a change in the education system, are child-centric and child-like! Our children have continuously shown us how they can combine passions in academics and non-academics and come up with unique career choices! As a school, we focus on sports and performing arts equally with academics as we believe in working on both sides of the brain.
- The expectation from Parents – Parents are an integral part of the entire ecosystem, They are given utmost importance, help, and guidance to evolve according to the child’s age and needs. We handhold families on their journey, the entire Aurinko family comes to aid when a new family joins our fold. Parents become mentors for all our children as and when needed on various topics. They even bring in friends and family into our fold. At home, we expect families to carry forward the Aurinko Philosophy virtues – Mutual Respect, Peace, Harmony, Balanced Diet, Focus on Fitness, Skilling, Community Initiatives, Sustainability etc. We accept each individual’s journey in this family and help and support as and when needed. Academically we do not expect anything from our parents unless we specifically need support that is communicated to them when needed.
- Transition – Aurinko children are extremely competent academically due to the real-life experiences, the hands-on, inquiry-based learning explorations, and the application-based assessment systems they have. They are also very active and know how to balance several things along with academics. Their emotional and spiritual quotients are very high as they are raised with a community approach. They are coached and mentored by experts from the industry as well as we are career-focussed. Due to these and more, our children are able to go back into mainstream at any grade and excel there. We have been contacted several times by the schools our children go-to for the amazing gifts they’ve received in the form of our children. Yes, they do miss the Aurinko family but it remains a fond memory in their hearts, while the Aurinko values continue to give them strength lifelong.
- Fees – We are a self-funded school that is run by us completely with the fees that we receive. This allows us to keep being progressive without any interference by anyone. We do what is best for the children in our community. Our parent community not only helped us build an award-winning unique infrastructure but also devise innovative processes and methods that make us a most loved learning community. We have several seekers from all over the world come and learn our methodology. Fees might seem more than some of our counterparts but is actually at par because we offer a 1:5 to 1:8 teacher-child ratio, excellent teachers for academic and non-academic pursuits, field trips/ learning experiences/ workshops on a monthly basis, no need for external tuitions or classes for any subject, no projects/project expenses sent home, etc. This saves a lot of money monthly that usually is factored in as additional costs in many schools.
- Admission Criteria – We welcome families that are willing to be on a learning journey rather than look at outsourcing education. While we do respect parent’s lifestyle and their inability to spend time with us at all times, we expect them to be with us in spirit. While our approach ensures academic success, ranks, certifications, and likes, we consider them as milestones in the journey of each child. So families that are only looking for academic output may not find the Aurinko experience useful or valuable. We respect each child and look at them holistically and hence do not assess them academically. However, suitability to and interest in the various pursuits of Aurinko will be assessed as we do not like to waste any child’s time. If we feel the child will thrive in any other learning environments, we willingly refer so the child gets what he/she is seeking and is comfortable with
- Reviews and Feedback – While everyone who comes in touch with Aurinko falls in love with the ecosystem, there have been and will be people who did not find it suitable for them or affordable in the long run. It does not indicate good and bad.. it just says that we weren’t able to meet that family’s needs. While we respect personal choices and as a school community wants to part amicably, it may not always happen that way as not everyone is not comfortable in having transparent, open communication.
- Aurinko Learning Community – Aurinko Academy is not just a school, it is a community. You can be associated with us at many levels and not just via your child’s admission. If you are interested in exploring new age teaching-learning methodologies and experience what is a progressive NEP compliant, competency-based education environment you are more than welcome to like our page and get engaged
Thanks for reading. Join us, Keep loving us and referring like minded families!
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