Ignite Imagination Workshop
Empathy can be developed in a child by “Nurturing imagination”. Imagination is what makes a child, “A Child”. We also believe that Imagination is more important than knowledge. The prevailing upbringing pattern is obstructing the inculcation and growth of imagination process in children. Therefore the main challenge is to nurture and ignite imagination in order to create a more empathetic world. Most famous inventions are created from the inspiration of one's imagination. So, in a nutshell, the call is to ignite the young minds to imagine, so that they contribute in constructive creations, that at large, helps in a strong foundation of society.
Igniting Imagination is a program designed carefully to be included in schools which understand call for empathy in children. The curriculum will be for teachers, students and parents.
Goals of ‘Igniting Imagination’ program:
- Emotional literacy in schools
- Safeguard childhood
- To reduce levels of aggression, violence and intolerance in children.
- To develop pro social behavior in children
- To create more responsible Parents and teachers
'Igniting Imagination' curriculum focuses on:
- ‘Kahaani on Wheels’. SPRIHA has created the concept of ‘Kahaani (stories) on Wheels’. We have open- air story sessions by well trained story tellers of different age groups who can reach out to children with their interesting stories and ways to narrate them. Our stories try deconstructing the stereotype and give a new dimension to the story. The story does not end there. We have developed mechanism for the maximum involvement of children. Thus, we distribute colors and canvas to the children to paint after listening to the stories. This practice evokes them to paint their fantasies and fear and help the children to emote their sensitivities in their unique way.
- Reinvention: We try to share interesting stories with them which has been burdened by age old ancient preaching and morals. Our efforts are certainly not to De- Moralize the said stories but to reinvent the moral which makes it light and acceptable and therefore also develop a sense of humor in children. For e.g.: Like age old of story of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ should have never gone alone moral or ‘Cinderella life was sad because she had a stepmother’ can be told in a more thoughtful ways and Morals can be played with to make it more real day life like or by adding humor to it .
- Culture of appreciation: No drills of Mathematics or Grammar or Geometry. We do activity based learning where the instructors seeks participation by encouraging the quite one or inhibited ones by not praising but by giving gratitude to them.
- Maladaptive Parenting to Power Parenting: A number of researches have shown that most of the kids who experienced high levels of maladaptive parenting during childhood suffered from psychiatric disorders in adolescence or early adulthood.
Inclusion of Parents in ‘empathy in school’ program will help parents to become a responsible parent. It is not what you teach your children - children can learn for themselves, rather it is the way you train their thinking ability; the way they perceive that which they see. The program will get them Power Parenting.
