Winding past villages and open spaces, and tucked away on the outskirts of Bangalore is the Centre for Learning – a school that started out in 1990 when a group of adults got together to explore what an education deeply involved with life could be.

The teachers at CFL are inspired and guided by the ideas of J. Krishnamurti. The school reflects Krishnamurti’s views on education – education should give us the means to live intelligently, creatively and responsibly. The school today has 60 children and 15 teachers. Children are organised into groups based on their age, with a teacher to co-ordinate the curriculum and programmes.

Teachers at CFL do not follow a given syllabus or textbook. In creating an education for life they are free to design the curriculum. Teachers sit together for three weeks every year before school opens to plan the next year’s curriculum. They are broadly guided by what they would like children to learn at each stage. So for the younger ones, the focus might be on activities that sharpen the senses, such as outdoor activities, long walks and observation.

The range of skills taught at the school is wide – from swimming, pottery, bird-watching and music to the more formal academic skills. The unhurried pace encourages true understanding and exploration. A year-long exploration that brought teachers, parents and children together was in Mathematics. From the branching of a tree that children captured in photography, or repeating patterns that they expressed in art, to learning about puzzles and riddles handed down as folk wisdom. The culmination was a Maths Mela where students shared their work with friends and family.

Krishnamurti believed that it wasn’t enough to merely be a good mathematician, dancer or singer. He said: “The highest function of education is to bring about an integrated individual who is capable of dealing with life as a whole.” And so, balancing the academic rhythm of the day at CFL are equally important times set apart for other kinds of inquiry and work.

One such space that has been set apart for children to bring up real-life fears or questions is the “Dialogue Class” or “Culture Class”. A teacher describes one such class, on happiness: “One child said money brings happiness. Another child asked us whether we as teachers had found happiness. They had no fear in asking these questions. The questions themselves led into an interesting discussion.”

The first 45 minutes each day are set aside for the “Work Period”. At this time, one group in the school takes responsibility for keeping the place clean – from clearing up the huts to cleaning the toilets or picking litter. The school has no “employees”. This emphasis on a non-hierarchical way of functioning extends to the way the school is run – there is no principal and decisions are taken collaboratively by the teachers and students after discussion.

In an attempt to slow down the pace and rhythm of the students, the school initiated a Leisure and Observation” period once-a-week. This was created as a completely unstructured space, a time to be quiet, to watch, to listen. Some teachers found it as difficult as children to “just be” – busying oneself in activity had become a habit. It was precisely this concern that had prompted the school to focus on leisure; a concern that being physically caught up in the hurly-burly of life can be a depleting experience.

Observation and leisure were not just confined to this period. Last year all groups of children spent time at a Botanical Sanctuary in Wynad, Kerala. They watched birds and insects over long stretches of time. And as they learnt about the web of relations in the rain forest, they learnt about themselves as well. In fact, each year the groups go out on excursions to various places – from the Himalayas and Narmada Valley to the Western Ghats and Goa. These trips are seen as essential to the child’s physical and psychological growth.

In its belief that children learn best in an environment free from pressure, CFL does not believe in competition and nor does it promote an examination fear among children. As a teacher said: When I’m constantly interacting with a student, guiding her, and suggesting improvements, where is the need to have an exam? I’m closely involved in the entire learning process so an exam seems redundant.”

As the students complete school, they appear for the National Open School exam (Std 10) which is conducted by the Central Government. They can further opt to do the “A Levels” of London University. A post-school programme has been started for the 19-22 year olds. The school thought older children also needed to be supported in their individual inquiry. They needed the time to explore their three or four interests in an unpressured way. Under this programme, Nikhil pursues his interest in cooking and ants, while Sandy follows his interest in land issues and agriculture.

Parents, teachers and children at CFL share a unique relationship. Parents are invited to the school once a month for parent-teacher meetings, where they discuss issues related to education and living. Parents are invited to discuss the curriculum that their children will be taught. They are also free to bring up any matter that might be bothering the child. As one parent put it: “It might be something as small as telling them that the cat has died. But that is also something that can upset my child.”

There’s no doubt that the parents who send their children to CFL are somewhat unconventional by today’s standards. Most are averse to competition. One parent said he liked the fact that “the starting point at this school is the child. The school understands the child’s natural interests, and tries to foster that, so that the child can excel in it.” Other parents like the small size of the school, as it allows individual attention and ensures high academic standards. A student says: “What I like most is that I can have friends of any age. I know the whole school by name. It’s like a family where you help and know one another. It’s not like a school with 350 kids where you only know people in your own class.”

While the parents agree that they may be like-minded, they are quick to point out that “it is not like a cult. CFL’s unique strength is its flexibility in accommodating dissent. The teachers are very self-critical of themselves. That’s what gives them energy and coherence. It is like an ongoing experiment.”

Many small schools are considered to be elitist and unaffordable. CFL has evolved a flexible fee structure, so that parents pay according to their capacity -- from Rs 3000 to Rs 10,000 per year. As a teacher says: “ Fees are the last thing we talk about when parents come for admission.”

CFL as a living example of Krishnamurti’s philosophy reflects what pedagogues have spoken of across the world: child-centred education, a high teacher-student ratio, the importance of ‘life skills education’, parental participation, the need to learn by questioning without fear, the need to learn for intrinsic joy rather than extrinsic rewards. One hopes that schools like CFL that are spoken of today as alternative schools will one day be the norm.