No matter where the school is, Outdoor Classroom Day matters to all Children!
Children playing “Khola Khoja” behind their school.
Godabar Junior High School is a government school in a rural area under Sundarbans (famous for the world’s largest coastal mangrove forest) in the state of West Bengal. The school building is located in the midst of paddy fields with a large playground in the front and a pond at the back. Children have to walk on a muddy tract for about 2 kms to reach the school from the nearest paved road. There is no electricity in the school.
Two hundred children study in this school and many of them are first generation learners being the children of daily labourers and farmers. The children help their families in the brick kilns and accompany them to neighbouring towns to play music instruments when demand for such work arises.
Everyday is an outdoor classroom day at Godabar Junior High School. Children love to play outside and particularly enjoy playing in water.
Children locate water holes/puddles which are knee deep, and mark them with sticks. They bring broken pieces of tiles or “khola” (used for making the roof of the houses in that area), and throw them in the water. The children then set up a treasure hunt and get into the water to find the pieces. Children love splashing in the water. This game, called “Khola Khoja”, is typically played during recess and also after school.
Godabar Junior High School has signed up for India’s first Outdoor Classroom Day!Share
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