A Furthering Education Initiative
Parents
at TLC
At TLC, we welcome and seek parent participation, as we believe that only in partnership and understanding can we support our children best. We hope the following expectations of you, as parents of students at TLC will enable you to support us in providing a safe and cooperative learning environment for your children.
Underlying Vision & Values
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The Learning Centre aims to provide holistic education with equal importance being given to outdoor-indoor life and intellectual-experiential-emotional experiences. Knowledge includes conceptual understanding, practice and rhythm and a growing awareness of self and the world beyond. Skills include more than the 3 'R’s; how to communicate (listen and speak) with others and growing tomatoes are regarded as equally significant. We do not have rigid time frames for when any child will achieve these outcomes. The challenges of working alongside with others, tolerance of diversity and uncertainty, and the tentativeness of knowledge are what we take on when we enter TLC.
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Thus, do not expect continuous and comprehensive assessments; our feedback is more formative than summative and we provide this usually three times a year based on our observations and interactions with the children. We welcome one-on-one meetings with parents only after they have spent time at TLC (a whole day once every three months at least) and have observed how our programme works and how the children engage with it.
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We look towards creating an environment where we peacefully cohabit with each other and other creatures. Various programmes have been designed for all of us to learn and actively understand how to live this way but it also requires us to consciously engage with this on an everyday basis, be conscious of discrimination and our carbon footprint. We need to lead by our actions and for this to truly happen we need your unhesitating support in:
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Discouraging the unnecessary and excessive everyday use of plastic and other non-biodegradable materials. We also stress on the need to reduce, reuse and recycle materials both biodegradable and non-biodegradable. Therefore, we also encourage the practice of growing one’s own food organically as we have been doing on campus. So far, the children have grown cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, pumpkins and watermelons.
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Promoting and practicing the idea of eating healthy food; we discourage the consumption of refined flour, sodas, chips and other prepackaged foods.
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In keeping with our belief system and our responsibility towards the environment both physical and emotional, we request children and parents to keep celebrations warm, homely and to a minimum and share only homemade/healthy cakes or other eatables with the community at TLC rather than expensive and fancy cake/candies/chocolates and gifts. It would be a dream come true for us if we could look at ways to celebrate without a party with piñatas and going home gifts!
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Cleaning up after ourselves as there is dignity in everything that we do.
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Being conscious of our attitude and language. To be courteous of people irrespective of their status and using language that is not derogatory in any way.
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Keeping the campus smoke free. TLC is a no-smoking zone. There are no exceptions.
Time at TLC
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We require that you spend time at TLC (preferably a whole day) at least once every three months, if not more, so you can observe firsthand what the day and its programme is like for your child and others.
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Periodically (approximately once in two months) we like to meet parents as a whole group to discuss the way forward, new developments or other topics that impact us as a whole. You are expected to attend all such gatherings. We will inform you in advance so that you are able to fulfill the requirements of your participation in these gatherings and discussions.
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We have a parent-initiated discussion group that meets once a month to discuss topics on parenting, understanding oneself and others. Your regular participation in this forum would be greatly appreciated.
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We also have social gatherings, offerings by our children and performances by visiting artists periodically and it would be lovely if you could support these with your presence and participation when and where required.
Enriching your child's experience at TLC
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We are always grateful for your contributions of time, talents and funding to TLC. Your time and talent helps your child and TLC in multiple ways the most important being that you engage with your child differently, observe them in a different setting and have an opportunity to get to know your child’s friends personally. It also gives you an opportunity to understand how TLC functions as a team. Your passion and knowledge of a subject/topic/concept helps TLC maintain a vibrant curriculum at reasonable costs.
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TLC is a not for profit and all income received go right back into TLC. Our overheads are high as we like to maintain a compact facilitator student ratio (currently 1:6) as we believe in investing in our people and the space. Your financial contribution over and above the fees will go the extra mile in creating and maintaining our beautiful campus and making it self-sustainable, provide professional development for our facilitators, invite people for workshops and a small buffer for contingencies.
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We seek and greatly appreciate your involvement in any and all of the above avenues, as it is a journey we have undertaken together for your child. New parents may be interested in knowing that when we began in 2015 our Konkani and Art teachers were parents and even now the Arts and much of the landscaping and planting you see currently are being undertaken by parents.