Indian Children’s Perceptions of their School Environment

The chapter presents a brief overview of Indian education, both in regard to the historical past and the ever-changing present. Reference is made to two main educational philosophies-the nature-based education philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore and the Basic Education (nai talim) of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who were both influential politicians as well as intellectual leaders of their time. The current educational experience of our children is analysed using research evidence from a study conducted in a university school in northern India in summer 2009, where 60 5–6-year-old children, their class teachers and 18 parents acted as participants. Children's views in education are vital, especially in the light of ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) by the Indian government in 1992, raising the social and legal status of children from recipients of knowledge to important stakeholders in education. Equally important are teachers' and parents' views, not only as agents in education but also as agents of mobilising and realising children's rights, especially their rights to participate in education.

Outdoor learning, though not an explicit aim of the research, has become one of the most important aspects of the discussion. Findings from my research constantly show children's attraction to the outdoor environment, urging us to reflect on and attend to the explicit and implicit expression of children's voices. The representation of their wishes, through various research methods, clearly points toward their perception of an ideal school where the outdoors is an integral part of their education. The chapter, therefore, aims to showcase the historic context as well as children's perception of the current and ideal school experience. The ideals of children's perceptions resonate with the same philosophical principles that were debated decades ago in the 19th century by early education pioneers in India.