It’s 9am in the morning and Aarav has just put away an activity. He hears the door-bell and watches didi as she walks in with a bunch of flowers. Didi places the fresh flowers into a vase near the windowsill.
The time is perfect. Aarav has just finished his task and is ready to arrange flowers. He puts on his Apron, picks out a rose and gets working. First the leaves are removed one by one (The rose stems are always dethorned when they come in class). He then brings water in the tumbler and fills it in the glass bowl. He places the stem in the bowl since it must be cut only when wet. This helps enhance the life of the flower (aunty had told him that on another day) He works the scissors, but the stem does not cut. It is too thick and perhaps a bit dry. He wonders what to do. Aunty has an eye on him but does not jump in to help. He puts the flower back in the vase and takes another one. This one has soaked some water and feels more pliable. The stem is cut successful. Aarav first cuts the stem all the way down. Just right to fit in the vase that he has chosen. But cutting the stem was fun. He cuts again, making the stem shorter. He cuts again and again till there is no stem left, only the flower. He realizes that no more cutting is possible.
He pours the water from the glass bowl to the tumbler. With a funnel he pours some water from the tumbler into the flower vase he has chosen. He places the flower in it. But since there is no stem, he struggles to place the flower on top of the vase. He manages the balance. He picks out a coaster. He places the coaster on the dining table. He put the vase and once again balances the flower on it. It topples over again but it works.
He goes back to the flower arrangement setup. He pours the left over water in the bucket. He empties the bucket in the basin. He has already thrown away the extra leaves. He uses a drying cloth to wipe the bowl, the tumbler and the bucket. He wipes the mat on the table too. There isn’t much water there any way since he has worked with skill and has not spilt water. Everything is now dry. The activity is ready for his friend to use.
He starts to remove his apron but Aarav has a need for more water work today. He adjusts it back on. It’s time to wash hands. Aarav spends almost 20 minutes working through all the steps as he washes his hands. He spends many minutes rubbing his hands with soap and making foam. As I leave the classroom I watch him scrubbing his hands which are now full of foam. As he admires the foam on his hand I wish I could stay on to see what he did next!
What did Aarav get from these activities that he did today:
- He experienced the joy of freedom of choice. He felt a sense of independence and confidence when he chose his activity and worked without any interruption.
- He felt satisfied as his need for work was met. Nobody clapped; nobody gave approval to his work, but he didn’t’ need that. In fact, he didn’t even want it. His satisfaction came from all the work he did – the cutting of the stem, the flower in the vase at the end of the activity, the foam on his hands and so much more.
- Aarav followed all the steps in the activities with precision. One after another. Lessons in logical reasonings, sequencing of events.
- Aarav was focused on the tasks for almost 30 minutes. He wasn’t distracted, he wasn’t looking around. He could concentrate on the task at hand effortlessly.
- Aarav felt a sense of responsibility and delivered on it when he put everything away just as it was.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Each of the above help him become a confident, independent and responsible individual. His satisfaction and joy come from his work and not external appreciation. He has learnt to solve problems on his own. The focus and concentration he develops, will flow into all his academic work – long math problems, compositions and whatever else he undertakes in the future.
And you were thinking this child spent over 30 minutes just washing hands and arranging a flower!
~Ashani