What is Jeevana Vikasa Vidya Vanam
Jeevana Vikasa Vidya Vanam (near Adavinekkalam, Agiripalli Mandal) is a place of simple living and active learning for children pursuing their studies from classes 6 to 12.
JVVV community consists of students, teachers, resource persons and their families. We value cooperation, simple living, the dignity of all work, self-sufficiency, conservation of resources, elimination of waste and good environmental stewardship.
The spirit of democracy prevails in the community to enrich individual freedom and community living. We are a secular community that values our diversity and rejects discrimination in any form.
To uphold these values, all adults and children share responsibility for daily chores, governing the community, caring for the land and caring for each other, in addition to pursuing our academic and extra-curricular activities.
A typical day schedule
6:00 : Wake up
7:15 - 7:50 : Breakfast
8:00 - 8:20 : Kadambam
8:30 - 12:35 : Academic Learning - Math, Science, English, Telugu, Social Studies, etc..
12:40 - 2:30 : Lunch, Community Work and Personal Chores
2:30 - 3:30 : Arts, Crafts and Vocations
3:30 - 4:30 : Farm Work
5:00 - 6:00 : Games
8:00 - 9:00 : Dinner
9:30 / 10:30 : Bedtime
Academic Learning
We recognize the importance of high academic standards in our school curriculum. At the same time, we also know that creating pressure on students or focusing exclusively on academics does a disservice to the students learning and overall health and well-being. We strike a balance between academic instruction and other dimensions of a holistic education. Further, we engage academic instruction through a variety of methods that maximize opportunities for learning and for the application of knowledge.
Academic instruction happens through four 55-minute periods every day except the 2nd and 4th Sundays and holidays.
In addition to classroom instruction, we provide project-based learning and hands-on learning opportunities, as well as field trips and special workshops. Students are also active in designing their learning opportunities.
We have a variety of academic resources, including a library, classroom libraries, science laboratories, a computer lab, audio-visual facilities and high-speed internet.
By limiting class sizes to 24 students, we are able to provide quality instruction to every student.
Academic curriculum for Classes IX and above follows the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (ICSE & ISC). Classes VI, VII and VIII use NCERT/SCERT syllabus.
Arts, Crafts and Vocations
We believe real education that will serve both our students and our society must be holistic and well rounded. We practice and promote a well-rounded education through academics, non-academic requirements and offerings, special programs, games, farming, and community living. Through this holistic approach, we practice the values of cooperation, caring, diversity, sustainability and humanity.
Fine arts, performing arts, crafts and vocational training from diverse cultures and traditions are the cornerstone of our cultural curriculum (non-academic programs).
The music and dance programs are drawn primarily from folk, light, classical and semi-classical styles.
Cultural curriculum is given a minimum of 30% of the time allotted to academic programs.
All students participate in all aspects of the cultural curriculum, and are also given the opportunity to choose special areas of interest.
We create opportunities for students to interact with and learn from adults with diverse interests and from different walks of life.
The Living
The Living VVV community consists of students, teachers, resource persons and their families. We value cooperation, simple living, the dignity of all work, self-sufficiency, conservation of resources, elimination of waste and good environmental stewardship.
The spirit of democracy prevails in the community to enrich individual freedom and community living. We are a secular community that values our diversity and rejects discrimination in any form.
To uphold these values, all adults and children share responsibility for daily chores, governing the community, caring for the land and caring for each other, in addition to pursuing our academic and extra-curricular activities.
Healthy Cooking and Eating
We provide healthy, balanced, organic, seasonal and delicious food for every member of our community. We promote community by sharing responsibility for all aspects of food production from growing and harvesting to cleaning dishes, as well as by eating all our meals together.
All our dairy needs, fruits, leafy greens and 50% of our vegetables are provided by our own organic and chemical-free farm and gardens. When procuring foods from outside, we prioritize local, organic and seasonal to the greatest extent possible.
Our balanced menu includes two vegetable dishes every meal, along with curd, and sambar/rasam. In addition, we provide eggs daily and a modest serving of meat once a week.
To promote good health, we prefer steam cooking, brown rice and millets. We also minimize the use of refined grains, oil, salt, red-pepper and spices.
We eat only food cooked in our kitchen.
Meal Schedule
Breakfast: 7:15am – 7:50am Afternoon Snack: 4:30pm – 4:45pm
Morning Snack: 10:15am – 10:30am Dinner: 7:00pm – 8:20pm (in two slots)
Lunch: 12:35pm – 2:05pm (in two slots) Night Fruit/Snack: 9:30pm
Games and Sports
We value the vital role that games and sports play in the physical, psychological, emotional and cognitive development of children. Games and sports provide an important opportunity for “hard fun,” in which growth and learning takes place as children stretch their own abilities.
We provide an hour everyday for games and sports throughout the year.
Team Games include Soccer, Volleyball, Throw Ball, Basketball, Handball, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Dodge Ball, and Team Frisbee.
While students can choose which games and sports they participate in, we specifically promote a blend of same-class and mixed-age groupings to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to grow their skills and share their skills with less experienced players. We provide different games on different days so that children are exposed to a variety of options. We also encourage boys and girls to play games together and actively discourage exclusive games.
We value participation, good sportsmanship, inclusion and teamwork over proficiency in a particular game or individual expertise.
Self Governance
We believe that active, democratic participation by students in in the governance of our community instills a sense of purpose and civic responsibility for the well being of all. We also know that self-governance provides essential life lessons that cannot come from the classroom.
Every morning we have a 20-minute Kadambam session of the community to iron out day-to-day issues of concern.
Students also democratically elect a Student Cabinet which facilitates student participation in day-to-day governance of the school.
Velugu, the community parliament, which includes all the students, meets once a month to resolve issues brought forward by the Cabinet. Velugu can bring forward modifications to the community systems, so long as they are consistent with the vision and values of LVVV.
We also have a standing Menu Committee, consisting of students (4), adult staff (3) and kitchen staff (2), which meets once per month to address issues relating to the menu.
Work
We believe in the value and dignity of all work.
As an integral part of a holistic education, we share responsibility for the hard work it takes to maintain our community. All work is equally important and all labor is equally valuable, therefore we are committed to sharing responsibilities among everyone, adults and students alike.
Community work includes approximately two hours per day of shared responsibilities in the kitchen, on the farm and maintaining common spaces.
In the kitchen and dining area, students help cut vegetables, clean dishes, prepare eating areas and serve food.
In the gardens, students participate in all aspects of vegetable farming. They plant, water, weed, manage pests, harvest produce and build healthy soil.
All students wash and dry laundry, clean the dormitories and common toilets, and fill the drinking water pots.