What is STEP?
STEP means Students Teachers Educators and Parents. We believe that when these four groups join together and act in harmony, only then can real change come about in education and life.
What is the change that STEP envisions? STEP has set out with a grand vision, a vision to create a NEW MIND, A NEW WORLD.
The NEW MIND is an attention, it observes, feels, thinks from a deep silence that comes about when all fear, all pain, all guilt has been SEEN IN ATTENTION to be false. In ATTENTION, the mind discovers itself and flowers naturally to the rhythm of life. The ‘me’, the conditioning of years, born out of isms, beliefs, thought dies a natural death. This leads to an infinite energy that flows from deep silence and is never ending. In this state, everything is seen in its true meaning. The feelings flowing out of the silent mind are real, true. True meaning is found in living and there is no division between thought and feeling, mind and body.
This mind is at once spiritual and rational. It does all activities without time, without memory, with deep energy and joy.
In education this means we look at the child’s real nature, the nature that is boundless, hungry for real learning through real activities and exploration. It is to have a deep respect, even reverence for the child.
Thus all Students Teachers Educators and Parents join together and live a true life, without “self”, bringing in a new world that is eternal.
This is the vision of STEP. Nothing less would do.
What Has STEP been doing?
STEP has been concerned with creating awareness of thinking processes to bring about desired changes to approaches in learning and the life styles of children and adults. The continuous dialogue we have been conducting over 20 years has shown a little change in people and institutions. Even though we struggled to survive all through, the changes we see gives us tremendous strength and energy to continue with this work. Lack of funds has slowed down our pace and limited us to a certain area.
There is an immense need for STEP to become active because apart from STEP no other organization is concerned about dialogue, which is the only way to awaken people to the realities in their lives and truth. It is my view that books, tapes or multimedia cannot bring about awareness as well as the process of dialogue can.
Dialogue with Krishnamurti literature brings about much better results. Continuous
dialogue over a certain period of time inspires a change in the attitudes , thoughts , and actions of the participants.
We also need a training center at Madanapalle where we can conduct workshops, orientation programmes, and training programmes for students , teachers , educators and parents.
The present education system does not help the student to develop thoughtfulness, logic, rational thinking, analytical mind, independence but pampers emotions and creates an apathetic dependent nature. Hence violence has increased and human values are clearly at a stake. This is a serious problem and it needs to be addressed without delay. STEP is deeply
concerned about this issue and we believe that we can tackle this problem
with certain clarity by introducing people to Krishnamurti’s approach to learning through observation using inquiry, exploration and discourse.
Conditioning starts even before the child enters kindergarten. The child is not allowed to be natural. The entire school programme is designed to condition the child to do things as instructed by the adult. Parents as well as the staff do not understand the physical, intellectual and emotional needs of the child. People are lead by their religious beliefs, which are never questioned. They are deeply conditioned to follow others. Parents and teachers try to fulfill their dreams through the kids. They have high hopes and expectations on the children. There is a continuous pressure and stress on the child to live up to the hopes and expectations of the adults. The entire academic programme is designed to fulfill the expectations of the adults. Hence the child is not given an opportunity to think and be the self. The school life is full of pretentions for the child. The parents and the teachers expect the child to perform the best(best grade and best rank), where as the atmosphere created for the child to learn is substandard, lifeless, dull, full of boredom and monotony and mechanical. The child suffers a lot to bring out the best from nothing.
STEP is concerned about the child growing and learning naturally to become a balanced, sensitive, thoughtful, rational, unconditioned human being. STEP has a great role to play in creating the right atmosphere for the child at school. The situation needs a holistic approach to bring any positive result. Hence STEP works with students, teachers, educators, and parents to bring an awareness and to change the way they think. Then the changes we propose for school learning programme will be welcome and the results would satisfy them. But all this is easier said than done. Without sufficient financial support these efforts cannot be consistent. So the kindergarten, primary school, high school, college and university must be constantly and consistently kept in touch to conduct workshops, training programmes dialogue and discussions to bring a radical change in the way people think and live.
Schools are not willing to spend money on child centered quality education. It takes a lot of effort and time to convince the school management to spend money on workshops and training programmes. If we can conduct workshops, orientations and training programmes without expecting the school management or teachers or parents to spend money many people are willing to participate. Which means a self sufficient organization should take up this responsibility ( we did this for the past 20 years without funds and we know how difficult it is.). If STEP has a good financial support it has enough resource people to render unhindered services to society by kindling the spark of observation in every individual taking educational institutions as centers.
Kindling the spark of observation and attention in the mind might be possible through
A: STEP is a registered organization under Registration of Societies Act(XXI of 1860) 35 of 2001. STEP as an idea and philosophy was coined and worded by shri Sivaram 20 years ago. He being inspired by JK worked in Rishi Valley School for a couple of years. He was the founder of the Rural Education Programme in Rishi Valley. He has completely dedicated his life for K’s teachings. Sri Sivaram is a bachelor aged 74. He has inspired many people and educational institutions. STEP has been very active for the past 15 years.
Q: What has been the response of the Teachers and Educators in number and their appreciation of the ‘philosophy’.
A: STEP has conducted countless workshops, seminars, orientations and training programmes for Teachers, Educators and Parents. The response has been overwhelming from every participant. Dialogue with students has been a regular feature. Thousands of students have taken part in the dialogues. Over 1500 schools have participated in STEP programmes. Thousands of teachers were given orientation & training. Over 100 schools have responded seriously to implement STEP ideas in their schools. Over 25 schools have changed their school programme to suit STEP proposals and have proved successful and different. Hundreds of teachers have changed their attitude and work style which has given them a different identity and respect. STEP has initiated several Krishnamurthi Study Centers in many places. Weekly discussions and dialogue are conducted in these centers.
Q: How many teachers shown interest to help you in organizing the meeting?
A: Many teachers have shown interest to help organize the meetings. In fact without such teachers STEP wouldn’t have survived and grown. It is the teachers who have helped STEP to spread to different districts. Now it is known state wide.
STEP invites friends who might be interested in this project to enroll membership. You could take part in these progammes as a resource person or as a facilitator or even as promoter. Since STEP is a non-profit organization your involvement is most appreciated. We urge you to help us in whatever way you can. You could help us by donating, collecting donation, direct participation and so on. Noble causes can be successful only with united efforts.
STEP means Students Teachers Educators and Parents. We believe that when these four groups join together and act in harmony, only then can real change come about in education and life.
What is the change that STEP envisions? STEP has set out with a grand vision, a vision to create a NEW MIND, A NEW WORLD.
The NEW MIND is an attention, it observes, feels, thinks from a deep silence that comes about when all fear, all pain, all guilt has been SEEN IN ATTENTION to be false. In ATTENTION, the mind discovers itself and flowers naturally to the rhythm of life. The ‘me’, the conditioning of years, born out of isms, beliefs, thought dies a natural death. This leads to an infinite energy that flows from deep silence and is never ending. In this state, everything is seen in its true meaning. The feelings flowing out of the silent mind are real, true. True meaning is found in living and there is no division between thought and feeling, mind and body.
This mind is at once spiritual and rational. It does all activities without time, without memory, with deep energy and joy.
In education this means we look at the child’s real nature, the nature that is boundless, hungry for real learning through real activities and exploration. It is to have a deep respect, even reverence for the child.
Thus all Students Teachers Educators and Parents join together and live a true life, without “self”, bringing in a new world that is eternal.
This is the vision of STEP. Nothing less would do.
What Has STEP been doing?
STEP has been concerned with creating awareness of thinking processes to bring about desired changes to approaches in learning and the life styles of children and adults. The continuous dialogue we have been conducting over 20 years has shown a little change in people and institutions. Even though we struggled to survive all through, the changes we see gives us tremendous strength and energy to continue with this work. Lack of funds has slowed down our pace and limited us to a certain area.
There is an immense need for STEP to become active because apart from STEP no other organization is concerned about dialogue, which is the only way to awaken people to the realities in their lives and truth. It is my view that books, tapes or multimedia cannot bring about awareness as well as the process of dialogue can.
Dialogue with Krishnamurti literature brings about much better results. Continuous
dialogue over a certain period of time inspires a change in the attitudes , thoughts , and actions of the participants.
We also need a training center at Madanapalle where we can conduct workshops, orientation programmes, and training programmes for students , teachers , educators and parents.
The present education system does not help the student to develop thoughtfulness, logic, rational thinking, analytical mind, independence but pampers emotions and creates an apathetic dependent nature. Hence violence has increased and human values are clearly at a stake. This is a serious problem and it needs to be addressed without delay. STEP is deeply
concerned about this issue and we believe that we can tackle this problem
with certain clarity by introducing people to Krishnamurti’s approach to learning through observation using inquiry, exploration and discourse.
Conditioning starts even before the child enters kindergarten. The child is not allowed to be natural. The entire school programme is designed to condition the child to do things as instructed by the adult. Parents as well as the staff do not understand the physical, intellectual and emotional needs of the child. People are lead by their religious beliefs, which are never questioned. They are deeply conditioned to follow others. Parents and teachers try to fulfill their dreams through the kids. They have high hopes and expectations on the children. There is a continuous pressure and stress on the child to live up to the hopes and expectations of the adults. The entire academic programme is designed to fulfill the expectations of the adults. Hence the child is not given an opportunity to think and be the self. The school life is full of pretentions for the child. The parents and the teachers expect the child to perform the best(best grade and best rank), where as the atmosphere created for the child to learn is substandard, lifeless, dull, full of boredom and monotony and mechanical. The child suffers a lot to bring out the best from nothing.
STEP is concerned about the child growing and learning naturally to become a balanced, sensitive, thoughtful, rational, unconditioned human being. STEP has a great role to play in creating the right atmosphere for the child at school. The situation needs a holistic approach to bring any positive result. Hence STEP works with students, teachers, educators, and parents to bring an awareness and to change the way they think. Then the changes we propose for school learning programme will be welcome and the results would satisfy them. But all this is easier said than done. Without sufficient financial support these efforts cannot be consistent. So the kindergarten, primary school, high school, college and university must be constantly and consistently kept in touch to conduct workshops, training programmes dialogue and discussions to bring a radical change in the way people think and live.
Schools are not willing to spend money on child centered quality education. It takes a lot of effort and time to convince the school management to spend money on workshops and training programmes. If we can conduct workshops, orientations and training programmes without expecting the school management or teachers or parents to spend money many people are willing to participate. Which means a self sufficient organization should take up this responsibility ( we did this for the past 20 years without funds and we know how difficult it is.). If STEP has a good financial support it has enough resource people to render unhindered services to society by kindling the spark of observation in every individual taking educational institutions as centers.
Kindling the spark of observation and attention in the mind might be possible through
- Regular dialogue.
- K’s literature and articles by friends in the flame of attention(STEP publication).
- Regular workshops, orientations and training programmes at STEP Resource center(we need to create one in Madanapalle. We have one at Thettu near Rishi Valley.).
- Regular visits to educational institutions to provide institution centered programmes involving students, teachers, educators and parents.
- Conducting residencial camps for students, teachers, educators and parents to provide first hand experience of nature, self discovery, observation, silence, living together in harmony, breaking conditioning, etc. at STEP Retreat and resource center, Thettu, near RVS.
A: STEP is a registered organization under Registration of Societies Act(XXI of 1860) 35 of 2001. STEP as an idea and philosophy was coined and worded by shri Sivaram 20 years ago. He being inspired by JK worked in Rishi Valley School for a couple of years. He was the founder of the Rural Education Programme in Rishi Valley. He has completely dedicated his life for K’s teachings. Sri Sivaram is a bachelor aged 74. He has inspired many people and educational institutions. STEP has been very active for the past 15 years.
Q: What has been the response of the Teachers and Educators in number and their appreciation of the ‘philosophy’.
A: STEP has conducted countless workshops, seminars, orientations and training programmes for Teachers, Educators and Parents. The response has been overwhelming from every participant. Dialogue with students has been a regular feature. Thousands of students have taken part in the dialogues. Over 1500 schools have participated in STEP programmes. Thousands of teachers were given orientation & training. Over 100 schools have responded seriously to implement STEP ideas in their schools. Over 25 schools have changed their school programme to suit STEP proposals and have proved successful and different. Hundreds of teachers have changed their attitude and work style which has given them a different identity and respect. STEP has initiated several Krishnamurthi Study Centers in many places. Weekly discussions and dialogue are conducted in these centers.
Q: How many teachers shown interest to help you in organizing the meeting?
A: Many teachers have shown interest to help organize the meetings. In fact without such teachers STEP wouldn’t have survived and grown. It is the teachers who have helped STEP to spread to different districts. Now it is known state wide.
STEP invites friends who might be interested in this project to enroll membership. You could take part in these progammes as a resource person or as a facilitator or even as promoter. Since STEP is a non-profit organization your involvement is most appreciated. We urge you to help us in whatever way you can. You could help us by donating, collecting donation, direct participation and so on. Noble causes can be successful only with united efforts.