Abstract

An overemphasis on exams or tests marks the present educational scenario in India (Majumdar & Mooij, 2011; Mehrotra, 2007) and the United States (Eisner, 2002; Noddings, 2003; Pinar, 2004; Schubert, 2010). The mainstream schooling system in India disregards the student’s individual needs, abilities, and lived realities (Sarangapani, 2003; Thapan, 2015). My experience of schooling in a mainstream school in India was marked by a sense of monotony, boredom, disengagement, and drudgery. The search for a pedagogical site where the students’ experiences differ from mine motivates this research.

The Learning Home, an alternative school in Pune, India, is a pedagogical site where every child is nurtured, celebrated, and respected. Education is conceived of as a life-long pursuit rather than reproduction of standardized content at the Learning Home. This study examines how the Learning Home as a site of living curriculum (Kissling, 2012a, 2012b) and design process(es) informs and is informed by the lived experiences of the individuals there.

The central finding of this study suggests the curricular experiences of educators, facilitators, and children are enriching and empowering because curriculum is understood as a creative endeavor. This study advocates for teachers and students’ empowerment through creative agency in order to recognize and respond to the curricular potential of objects, place, people, and entities around them.

Keywords: Engaged Curriculum, Design, Place, Engaged Relationships, Ethnographic Case-study, India, Learning Home

How to Cite:

Thatte, A., (2017) “The Learning Home: An Ethnographic Case-Study of Curriculum, Place, and Design”, Marilyn Zurmuehlen Working Papers in Art Education 2017(1), 1-16. doi: https://doi.org/10.17077/2326-7070.1501

Rights: Copyright © 2017 Asavari Thatte