Curated Observation Visit – B.El.Ed. Students, Mata Sundri College
‘When Theory Met Practice: A day at Shikshantar Spaces’
On 11th November 2025, we welcomed eleven B.El.Ed. (III Year) students from Mata Sundri College for Women, University of Delhi, for a curated observation experience. What unfolded over five immersive hours was not simply a school visit- it was a shared inquiry into what progressive, child-centered education looks and feels like in practice.
The morning opened in the Baradari with Circle Time and tea. This intentional beginning reflected community before curriculum. In the circle, hierarchy dissolves. Every voice matters. Listening is as valued as speaking. The visiting students did not begin by observing; they began by experiencing belonging.
The school tour across Pre Primary, Primary, and Middle & Senior School offered more than a structural overview. Classrooms were alive with conversation, exploration, and thinking, demonstrating how pedagogy can move beyond instruction towards engagement.
“We’ve read about child-centered pedagogy for years, but seeing it unfold so naturally was transformative,” shared one student.
“It felt like the textbook had stepped into real life.”
During their immersive observation in Primary and Middle years, the B.El.Ed. students witnessed the rhythm of progressive education in action.
“There was intentionality in everything- from classroom layout to the way facilitators listened,” reflected another participant.
“It helped us understand that progressive education is not an add-on. It is a way of being.”
Lunch shared at Daana Pani with assigned groups further dissolved boundaries, allowing authentic conversations with and amongst children to ponder upon learning, voice, and how the day went by !
The visiting students expressed deep appreciation for witnessing Shikshantar’s core values embodied so consistently across spaces. Many were especially inspired by Seema Didi as she welcomed them into the spaces and the vision of Minoti Didi, experiencing that philosophy translated into practice offered a rare coherence between belief and implementation.
The closing Circle Time and Sharing created space for honest questions, thoughtful responses, and shared vulnerability. The openness of our team transformed the visit from observation into collaboration.
“What inspired us most,” one student noted,
“I was seeing belief and practice aligned so clearly.”
At our Shikshantar spaces, learning is not confined to children alone. By opening its spaces to emerging facilitators, we also reaffirm our commitment to collaborative growth within the larger educational ecosystem.