The Delhi branch of Sri Aurobindo Ashram organized a 7-day workshop on integral education and experiential Mathematics, designed for 27 rural and underprivileged school teachers. These participants represented 15 rural schools from various regions, including

• Karnataka (school 1, teacher 2)
• Odisha (school 7, teacher 12)
• West Bengal (school 1, teacher 2)
• Maharashtra (school 1, teacher 1)
• Uttarakhand (school 2, teacher 4)
• Uttar Pradesh (school 1, teacher 2)
• Rajasthan (school 1, teacher 2)
• Leh (school 1, teacher 2)

Objectives:
This workshop aimed to highlight the practical way of doing mathematics using concrete materials, how algorithms emerge while dealing with the Primary level, and how to move to abstraction in Middle School. This overall helps in problem-solving in different ways rather than following a single procedure or rules in mathematics.

The workshop was inaugurated by Tara Didi, Chairperson of Sri Aurobindo Ashram-Delhi Branch, Vijay Bharti, Narayan and Baren. The ceremony began with the lighting of a diya before the images of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, symbolizing the divine presence and guidance throughout the program. Tara Didi addressed the participants, emphasizing the importance of discipline and openness to learn in both personal and professional life, which set the tone for the entire workshop.

Yogasana by Dr. Aparna Roy and Basanti :

The sessions were facilitated early in the morning to give participants a positive start to their day. They were encouraged to practice with the intention of moving closer to the soul (psychic being).

Dr Aparna Roy explained the nature of physical, emotional/vital, mental and psychic beings of humans. Dr Roy provided an introductory overview of the concept of Integral Education, highlighting its holistic approach to learning. The discussions also focused on how education should be designed to nurture the overall development of children, encouraging growth not just in academic knowledge but also in personal and emotional well-being.

The sessions were conducted progressively. The first class involved gentle movements and a warm-up to help the body become accustomed to exercise. In our daily routines, people often struggle to find time for exercise, which can lead to stiffening muscles and a loss of strength. The sessions gradually advanced by adding different postures each day, in either lying down, sitting, or standing positions. Breathing exercises were also introduced progressively, starting with those that had no contraindications and moving toward those with certain limitations. On the third day, Surya Namaskar was introduced as a bridge between the warm-up and the traditional asanas.

Dr. Ramesh Bijlani conducted a session on Integral education in line with the teachings of Sri Aurobindo.

Learning to work without any expectations: Every day the participants offered themselves in a forty-five minutes shramdaan session after finishing their breakfast. They were divided into groups to perform different types of work like gardening and cleaning. These sessions are planned to give them experience of inner joy while working selflessly without any attachments and expectations. Dignity of labour and Karmayoga was inculcated in the participants through sharmdaan.

Sports and Games by Mr. Hira Das, Mr. Baren, and Team:
Mathematical games were played, including measuring distance using body parts. The "Fire on the Mountain" game incorporated numbers related to the four operations. The group also engaged in making a clock and setting the time according to instructions by moving the minute and hour hands. The participants played a variation of "Ram Ravan," using odd and even numbers, as well as prime and composite numbers. The teachers were introduced to activities such as spinning a disc, walking on stilts, using a pedalo, and rotating hula hoops on their waists. They also learned to make different shapes like triangles, squares, and rectangles using their own bodies.

Mathematics Sessions by Mr. Narayan Meher:

The resource person of mathematics was Mr. Narayana Meher. The former has been working in the field of experiential mathematics for the last 22 years, currently teaching mathematics pedagogy courses at Azim Premji University, Bangalore. His experience and understanding of mathematics helped each participant to enjoy learning difficult concepts.

The teachers often face challenges in teaching Mathematics in the classroom as the students find this subject difficult, boring and irrelevant in life. Due to lack of proper training and lack of resources, teachers were not able to help themselves. The workshop intended to make mathematics alive by enabling participants to experience the quantitative sense of numbers, and their operations and explore the space with manipulatives and visuals. The approach was to enable teachers to think mathematically rather than following standard rules and procedures.

During the Delhi Darshan, participants embarked on a journey that commenced at Qutub Minar. Here, the rich history and significance of Qutub Minar in Indian history were elucidated, offering insights into Delhi's Sultanate period.

The visit to India Gate and the opportunity to pay homage to the soldiers of India was a deeply memorable experience for all the participants. It offered them a chance to reflect on the sacrifices made by the nation's heroes, fostering a sense of patriotism and respect.

The visit to the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum was equally enriching, providing participants with an experiential learning opportunity that allowed them to connect with India's rich history and heritage.

The next stop was at the Akshardham Temple, where participants immersed themselves in the Sahajanand story. This narrative unfolded the transformation of a man and the inspiring tale of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. The journey continued with the evolution of a boy named Nilkanth into Swaminarayan.

Valedictory Ceremony:
The chief guest, Mr. Ravi Srivatsava, head of Boston consultancy group, inspired the participants with his presence. The ceremony began with a few minutes of meditation, followed by the warm welcoming of the chief guest, who was presented with a token of appreciation — a potted plant and a set of educational books. The participants then shared their experiences from the past seven days, which deeply moved everyone present. In addition, they showcased a role play demonstrating how to effectively use teaching-learning materials to make education more experiential and comprehensible for students. The chief guest then distributed certificates to the participants, concluding the ceremony with a speech that emphasized the importance of experiential learning and acknowledged the dedication of the participants.

Meditation: Another integral and essential component of our Integral Education and Physical Fitness Workshop is the Meditation session. This place has pious and serene vibrations and is inundated with Divine Presence. The participants meditated there in a dimmed light under the soothing and melodious bhajans and slokas running in the back ground.

Teaching-Learning materials and educational books were given to the participants to carry out the similar way of learning in their schools.