At Mirraloke, children come to enjoy learning. Their day begins with a quiet moment—a prayer, followed by a short meditation session and at times some mindfulness session—to help them centre themselves and prepare for the day ahead.
Learning sessions follow, but they are not always conventional. Mathematics, for example, isn’t confined to chalk and board. It comes alive through games with play money, activities involving measurements, real-life comparisons, and mental arithmetic challenges. Often, they use simple or improvised instruments to explore concepts in a hands-on manner.
Children study two languages: their mother tongue, Bengali, and English. Other subjects like Science and Social Studies are made interesting by hands-on experiments and tools involving documentaries, project work, and real-life exploration to connect learning with lived experience.
Children take care of the space where they spend their time—practising responsibility, mindfulness, and community living.
Learning isn’t limited to four walls. There is a garden where they can play, sit, or lie down on the grass, gaze at the sky, engage in gardening, art and craft, or free play. They often gather in circles to tell and listen to stories or play games designed to sharpen their senses and awareness.
Eminent Resource persons visit and interact with the children on their areas of expertise, share their experiences and motivate them.
Children are also taken on camping trips outside the city. Also, at times, children are taken to and classes are held at venues like the Indian Museum and the science museums in Kolkata. These trips give them the chance to observe and learn directly through their senses and experiences.
For these children, learning is presented as if not a burden but a delight. It sparks curiosity and encourages continuous questioning. They seek to understand not only the world around them but also their own inner selves.
Here, education is not separate from life. Children are encouraged to experience, observe, and live fully—helping them grow into responsible, open-minded, and confident individuals, ready to embrace the many shades and challenges of life.
