At Cabella International Sahaja School we interact with our students in a variety of ways, be it either in the classroom, at the dorms, during meditation, or on excursions. At each instance we are given the opportunity to observe the behaviour of the children as they navigate through these first crucial years of primary school.
Many can attest to the fact that each child, albeit unique in their fair share of flair and character, faces obstacles and hurdles that are common.
As a boarding school, we truly get a glimpse of the complex characters of our students in a holistic manner. Over our decade of service to students in the Borbera Valley, we have tried and tested many methods to create actionable insights that aid both us as educators, but also parents in cultivating a character which can stand the test of time by fostering core qualities of innocence, dignity, fortitude, and pure joy.
In this manner, quantitative records such as academic results can, on the one hand, provide an indication of what a student is made of. Yet, it falls short of giving us a glimpse of what a child sees, does, knows and loves.
On the other hand, to complement the quantitative analysis of our students and in addition to separate weekly meetings amongst caregivers and educators, we have implemented a thorough qualitative analysis that leverages the multitude of perspectives that we garner from each interaction and engagement we have with our cohort. In short, this is also known as the 360° method.
In practice, each three terms at CISS opens with a thorough review of the 360° log for each student, and ends with the 360° session. These sessions have both teachers, caregivers, health coordinators, and management team present. The formula of input→interpretation→insights is followed for about an average of 20 minutes per student during which teachers shed light on the academic performance of the student at hand, while the caregivers provide their side of the story as well.
It is the occasion to gather at Shri Mataji’s Lotus Feet to understand a child at every level, be it academic, emotional, social, behavioural, or vibrational to see how we can best support them in their growth; how to involve the parents in that journey; and what to put in place at the school to make sure that each child has an optimal condition to flourish. These actionable insights can take the form of individual support in or out of the class, sessions with our psychologist to allow the child to express themselves, meditation workshops, follow up with parents, or even placing extra attention on a point of improvement such as tidiness, hygiene, time management, friendship or social interactions. It is a unique occasion to use the powers of collective attention and to surrender any challenges to the Paramchaitanya.
These sessions last for a good part of the pre and post-academic week, but provide invaluable insights with which our staff can determine the best course of action for particular students in specific interactions, and points of improvement for parents to take home during holidays. Moreover, staff are often surprised by the differing character of the children depending upon the scene of interaction.
The 360° method is but one of the methods we implement at Cabella International Sahaja School. It has proven to give us a good grasp on how to best address our students, and guide them in their growth during the term. For a parent, it can be both a wonderful and confronting moment to have one’s child under the microscope in such a way. However, when challenges are met head-on, we have had the privilege to observe the beauty of maturity that has been imbibed by students when afforded with time, care, and, of course, a healthy dose of love.
The 360° method is one of the occasions to acknowledge the evolution of a child and to witness the amazing power of transformation when they evolve in an environment deeply nourished by Paramchaitanya.
