My name is Sonika Lakhera, and my work involves setting-up and running self-initiated and self-directed learning spaces called ‘Resource Rooms’, for children studying in Standards 5th to 7th.
The Resource Room approach strives to provide children with the opportunity to direct their own learning experiences. It enables children to pursue their unique interests, and shape their learning in a manner most meaningful to them. In effect therefore, unlike conventional schooling, the Resource Room approach enables children to craft their own curriculum, and in doing so, it not only fosters a deep commitment and love for learning, but also the development of long-term, independent learning skills.
My experience with the Resource Room approach has prompted within me, a re-think about the true meaning of ‘learning’, and my own role as a ‘teacher’. It has led me to think about the immense possibilities and benefits of a truly child-initiated and child-centered education, one which enables children to not only take charge of their own learning, but also contribute towards shaping the many factors which influence the same.
Through this website, I look forward to sharing my work and my experiences with you. It is my most sincere hope, that more and more children, with every passing day, will have the opportunity to benefit from an education that is both, personally meaningful and deeply enjoyable, and that more and more adults, will find themselves eager and equipped to provide such a rich and rewarding experience to the children, as also partner them through it.
Apart from the details of the Resource Room approach and my writings on my experiences of the same, I have also shared some of the learning material that I have used with the children, as also a list of reference books that I have found useful. I have also included a list of books on education, books that I have personally found to be very insightful, and which continue to guide me on my path.
In sharing all of the above, I also hope to gain from your own perspectives and experiences. I warmly invite you therefore, to go through the website and share your thoughts and ideas!
Thank you for your time!
My journey with the Resource Room, started in 2012 while I was working with the Aseema Charitable Trust in Mumbai. It was Aseema, with its deep belief in Montessori education, which gave me the opportunity to craft the Resource Room approach for children in Standards 5th to 7th. In the process, they helped me discover a whole new approach to teaching and learning, and I will forever be grateful to them for the same. In 2016, it was at VIDYA Mumbai, another non-governmental organization working in the field of education, where the Resource Room found another home. The experiences here have further refined and strengthened the Resource Room approach. The journey continues in 2018 at the Dhai Akshar Charitable Trust, a non-profit organization working towards providing both, educational support and a quality exposure to the arts to children from underserved communities, and at Udaan India Foundation (Udaan) also a Mumbai based not-for-profit organization working with children from low-income communities in the field of education.
Needless to say, the Resource Room approach has evolved over the years thanks to the combined experiences and learning of all involved, the organizational leadership,the teachers, and most importantly, the children, at Aseema, VIDYA Mumbai, and now, Dhai Akshar and Udaan.
I would like to take this opportunity to especially thank the key leadership at each of these organizations, Dilbur Parakh, Sanaa Shaikh, Shalini Modi, Andreia Nunes, Geeta Subhedar and Regina Rodrigues at Aseema, Sangeeta Gupta, Jayshree Murali, Anasuya Banerji, Manvi Singh, Geeta Thakkar, Pradeep Deshpande and Vaishnavi Vaidyanath at VIDYA Mumbai, Nyla Masood at Dhai Akshar, and Mamta Rangan at Udaan for their vital support and guidance.
I would also like to thank the teachers, who I have had the privilege to work alongside and learn from, and whose thoughts and contributions continue to refine and strengthen the Resource Room approach. Mahiwash Khan, Laxmi Khanal, Shaheda Shaikh, Krishna Purohit, Sana Ansari, Zakia Choudhary, Sana Sayed, Meenaz Khair, Shabana Qureshi, Nagma Hazir, Infanta D’Souza and Asma Shaikh at Aseema, all the teachers at VIDYA Mumbai, most especially Sachin Kanade and Amit Tiwari, Ekta Lade at Dhai Akshar and all the volunteer teachers at Udaan.
In addition, I am very thankful for the help, support and encouragement I have received from all my fellow colleagues especially, Durva Rane, Shibbani Nambudiri, Namrata Zagade, Mehul Londhe, Mamta Temkar, Maithili Upadhye Gujarathi, Joshua Thomas and Kosha Bathia, at Aseema, Khyati Momaya, Bhasyati Sinha, Pallavi Mallya and Swapnalee Gurav at VIDYA Mumbai, and Sushree Mishra and Deepali Barapatre at Udaan.
Even as I am writing this, I am thinking of the many others who have contributed to this effort, one way or another. While I may not be able to thank each one of them individually here, I remain grateful to all of them for their help and support.
Last but not the least I would like to thank Beena Choksi for her unwavering support, and even more so, for her valuable guidance and mentorship right through these years. I consider myself truly lucky to be able to benefit from her wise and learned counsel.
It has been a privilege to be a part of this incredible journey, and I look forward to all that lies ahead.
Sonika Lakhera