Shikshamitra
Open Learning & Education Resource Center
About Shikshamitra
Every child has her or his own individual way of learning, expressing, and assimilating knowledge. Hence, learning methods must differ according to the needs of each child. The single curriculum for all students, as has been the trend in India, has often failed to engage the full spectrum of learners within the education system and many often end up falling out.
Since its inception in 2005, Shikshamitra has worked towards assimilating education with a larger vision of society, emphasizing creativity and equal respect for both humans and the natural environment.
Teacher Training
Shikshamitra offers teacher trainings for the elementary group, mainly in languages (English and Bengali) and mathematics. We work across West Bengal with both government and non-government school teachers and also with other organizations working in similar fields. Our work has spread to other Indian states in the east, north east, north, north west and down south.
Open Library Space
Shikshamitra has a library that serves children in the local community of our current office. Children of age group 8 to 16 come every Saturday. There is open access to books and material for all children. It is an open time for them to explore.
The library is a free space designed in a way which enables room for varied activities. Books are shelved in movable bookshelves; the shelves are on wheels for flexible manipulation of its arrangement.
TLM & Publications
Our low-cost materials are all designed to facilitate classroom learning in ways that can be used parallel to chapters/topics of the textbook. They are now used widely by teachers all over India. Many of these materials can be used by children independently. Shikshamitra aims to use diverse substances and things used in daily life, not only to make it interesting for children, but also so that teachers can make the materials themselves. For some, we have developed materials based on ideas we picked up along the way, while others have been uniquely developed by our team.
If you are interested in the publications and materials Shikshamitra develops, please click below to see our old catalog. We are currently updating this. Thank you.
Shikshamitra
Alternative School
Shikshamitra began as an experimental upper primary-middle school for first generation schoolgoers. The school project was built under Swanirvar, an NGO founded in 1990 and aimed at establishing a comprehensive rural development program in the North 24 Parganas district. For six years, Shikshamitra school offered children a supportive, artistic, and magically creative environment where they could discover their personal strengths and weaknesses, explore and develop their individuality, and grow in confidence and understanding.
Holistic Education Consultations
The idea that children should be encouraged to learn at their own pace is the foundation of the child-centric type of learning process promoted at Shikshamitra. Learning activities must be customised to meet the individual needs and be inclined toward a child’s own strengths and interests. If you are a teacher, parent, guardian who would like to know more about how to bring these ideas into practice for a child/children you mentor, we can provide consultations and materials to help get you started thinking about education in a new way.
Our Team
-
Sudeshna Sinha
Founder & Head -
Biswajit Chitrakar
Coordinator -
Maura Hurley
Design & Art Education Coordinator -
Mahua Dutta
Library Arts Director -
Dr. Aniruddha Deb
Publications Advisor -
Babai Das
Productions Assistant
