Uncertainty can be unsettling. But it can be rewarding too for the few
who dare to face the challenge. Uncertainty, not necessarily out of
confusion, but out of a deep urge to find out what life means beyond the
academic route, to explore within and find their true vocation. And
what better time for that than the transition phase from school to
college!
How can a Class XII student find his innate interests before pursuing
one seriously that will define his happiness quotient for life?
Teachers, parents and students who have given serious thought to this
have come up with the concept — Gap Year! Take a break after the hectic
academic phase, explore to experience the real world, discover yourself
and go ahead seems to be a good idea for them. Says G. Gautama, Director
- Secretary of The Chennai Education Centre KFI (Pathashaala &
Outreach), and former Principal, The School KFI, “In India, the pressure
to be on the treadmill, from school to college to work is heavy.
Creating room for the students to get a breathing space to get their
bearings is necessary for the journey of a learner, for a human being to
find his passion and avocation.”
But why take a gap year for having such a breathing space? Can't the
regular academic stream accommodate that? “Over the last two to three
decades, while the timeframe (12 years from Class I) has remained the
same, the information to be processed has gone up manifold. Ideally,
this should lead to extending K-12 to K-14, but the alternative is to
give students a gap year to think, in an unstructured manner, what kind
of career and life they would like to have,” says Sriram Naganathan,
southern India coordinator for IGNUS ERG, an initiative that aims at
improving the quality of education for marginalised students.
And learning is not limited to processing information. By and large, it
happens through direction in schools. “Life teaches in a 'non-directed'
manner. One goes through experiences and one absorbs, learns through
trial, failure, observation, participation and assuming responsibility,”
explains Gautama.
Breaking free
For Lakshmi who finished her Class XII in a CBSE school in Chennai in
2012, this “directed learning” and the consequent academic pressure was
stifling. So much so, a bright student who aspired for a medical seat
and even got it, she decided to break free and “take the baby steps to
the beginning of a life with meaning.” Looking back, she says, “I was
irritated with people expecting too much from me and I had submitted my
exam papers blank once.” What has this gap year done to her? “It was a
gift I gave myself to find out who I am, step out of my comfort zone,
explore, experiment and learn new things. At school, we are always fed
with information, ideas, and perspectives of how others have made sense
of the world, what we should eat, buy and so on. We are never given the
time or freedom to have our own perspective. The gap year is that
breathing space.”
This breathing space has expanded the frontiers of learning beyond the
academics for Anant Singh, now an organic farmer and a sustainability
consultant. He took a gap year in 2006-07. “It is the time you give
yourself to find out what kind of work you would like to do for the rest
of your life. Meeting new people, travelling alone, getting hands-on at
a job, immersing oneself fully in a hobby... the benefits are endless.
You get to spend quality time on what you are deeply interested in,
build your worldview and learn to be part of the solution to the world's
problems and not be part of the problems!,” he goes on about the merits
of a break from the academics.
For some it is a pilgrimage and a period of unconditioning oneself of 12
years of schooling. Says Madhur Anand who took a year off in 2012, “It
helps to let down the lenses and the conditioning you have acquired at
school. At school I was in a 'race' to win. But my gap year took me into
a pilgrimage. Where your journey is yours alone. It brought me face to
face with the world. Without any institutional backing. And I feel more
empowered now.”
New opportunities
Gap year is also seen as an opportunity for trying out unconventional
skill-building and career choices. Chayant Gonsalves, now a II-year
student at Madras Christian College, Chennai, justifies his gap year in
2011-12: “My interest was wildlife. In my gap year I volunteered at four
NGOs, 4 - 6 weeks each. That gave me clarity as to whether a career in
conservation would suit me. That would have not been possible had I
followed the conventional academic route.”
There are also students who initially felt they had failed in the rat
race, took a year off to study more and re-appear for the exams, only to
realise this 'gap' has opened new doors of learning for them, as in the
case of Rahul Hasija. “After college, I took a year off and wanted to
reappear for my CAT exams. But that idea stayed barely for two weeks. I
realised decisions were being taken by others for me and my mind was
influenced by societal pressures. And there began a journey to reclaim
my life. I never went back to a four-walled classroom. I saw life exists
beyond the 3 - 4 streams taught in school.”
The gap year has not always been a smooth ride for these students, faced
with peer pressure and criticism that they could “waste their time.”
So, how did they spend their time and respond to these challenges?
Lakshmi's answer puts gap year in the proper perspective: “The key is to
spend a lot of time doing nothing if that's what one wants, only then
can one make sense of what he has already experienced, start
questioning, look inward. Most of the year, I learnt nothing new (from
outside, but I did about myself), which gave me clarity on which
direction should I move on.” Just how after his gap year, Chayant
realised his direction lay in wild life studies. “It's up to the
individual. The learning curve is incredibly steep but once you've
caught on, it's a fantastic journey,” he says.
It's Year On
To challenge the notion that gap year is a “waste of time” and only
those who are not “smart” take it, Swaraj University which offers
various self-designed learning programmes, has done a campaign called
the ''Year On.” Says Rewa Dandage, one of the co-founders of the
university: “It is not a Year Off, it is Year On. It nurtures the seed
of learning forever. A period of time with no agenda is healing and
gives one the opportunity to question things around him. By the age of
16 or 18, youth are expected to decide the field of study, but they
don't have the opportunity to experience how this field of knowledge is
actually applied in the real world. By taking a break, they can
apprentice in an area and find out if that is what they would like to
devote their energy to over the next few years.”
It is a new life opening up for these students as they break the
academic barriers. A life with never ending learning opportunities as
they unfold themselves and travel a wonderful journey, with clarity and
confidence. As Gautama puts it: Students who dropped off the treadmill,
breathed easier, were not afraid of the criticism that they knew would
come and they smiled.
Lakshmi
-After completing Class XII in Chennai in 2012, spent two years at Swaraj University.
-At present managing/mentoring and organising various new projects at
reStore, an organic store in Chennai; Freelance Facilitator,
co-facilitates workshops/events about localisation, sustainability,
alternative education, sexuality and sexual health, alternative therapy.
-Has launched a project called COW (Conscious Workplaces) to help
start-ups/companies create a culture that promotes happiness and
prosperity of everyone in the company.
-Also part of different groups such as Vikalp Sangam, International
Alliance for Localisation, Learning Societies UnConference, Economics of
Happiness Conference.
Anant Singh
-Organic farmer and a sustainability consultant. Lives in his
grandmother's farm, working towards making it fully economically and
ecologically sustainable. Conducts cycle tours of Srirangapatna. Runs a
company producing virgin coconut oil.
-After completing Class X in Chennai, took gap year in 2006-07. Later
completed Class XII through the National Institute of Open Schooling.
Then joined a self-designed learning programme at Swaraj University.
-During his gap year, volunteered at the Marudam school farm in
Tiruvannamalai, participated in the Landscapes and Lifeskills course at
the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Wayanad; Volunteered at Auroville's
organic farms; cycled around the city, apprenticed at an electronics
shop, did experiments with his own solar panel, worked on his own
self-watered rooftop garden.
Rahul Hasija
-Now works as a Lead Facilitator at Swaraj University, does freelance writing, editing, translation, storytelling.
-After completing graduation in 2009, took gap year before joining Swaraj University as a learner in 2010 - 12.
-During his gap year, learnt about bird watching, terrace garden, insect
life, organic farming, unschooling, gift culture, dance movement, body
intelligence, consumerism.
-His present role at Swaraj includes designing and implementing the
structure of the programme, developing facilitation tools, hosting
sessions on team-building, cooperative games, circular dances,
reconnecting with the ancestral roots, re-thinking development and
connecting with the nature.
-His TEDx talk on 'What if learning was possible without degrees' at http://www.youtube.com /watch?v=RYL_vleJd3k
Chayant Gonsalves
-Currently studying zoology at Madras Christian College, Chennai. Wants
to pursue master's in wildlife ecology/conservation, sustainable
development or social entrepreneurship.
-Graduated from Centre for Learning, Bangalore in 2011.
-Took gap year in 2011 -12. Joined MCC in 2012.
-During his gap year, worked as Research Assistant on different wildlife
projects in the Western Ghats, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Madhur Anand
-After completing Class XII in Bhopal, underwent a gap year programme at Swaraj University.
-At present, facilitator, working on rethinking development at
Sambhavnaa Institute of Public Policy, Himachal Pradesh; assistant
editor, Enlivenedlearning.com
-How he generally spent his gap year: Walking in the woods, cycling,
journaling, working on a film project, cooking, storytelling,
participating in community meetings, working in farms.
-After his gap year, got working with an international documentary,
‘Enlivened Learning’, which is about questioning the purpose of
universities and exploring experiments in higher learning in USA, India
and Latin America.
Useful links
yearon.wordpress.com
swarajuniversity.org
lsuc.weebly.com
banyantreebookstore.weebly.com
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