Sunrise: A Different Kind of Playschool
by
Kaija Aho
The
Sunrise Playschool is a place for the child, where the soul rests. Curly haired,
energetic Mandla, aged six, helps three-year-old Amari gently into a better
lotus position in the Sunrise Playschool morning circle. Every morning a few
moments are spent in meditation at this playschool situated in Olari, Espoo,
in Findland. Even the smallest ones manage to be silent for a moment in the
small compact circle.
A visitor wonders at the silence and peacefulness of the playschool. During
the visit, lasting more than four hours, the children don’t quarrel, raise
their voice or run around. Television isn’t an option. Music plays quietly
during the visualizing session that follows morning circle. The children lie
on a mat, heads together with their eyes closed. The teacher, Sanna Akg, guides
the children to glide as birds over the sea, forests 
and
fields.
After a while everyone tells what they saw and experienced: the children saw
blue reindeers, mouse families, children playing in the beach, horses, red lions,
boats, families swimming…
The children love imaginary travels and report them enthusiastically.
"Listening to one’s inner voice in the age of videos and computers
is enriching. Visualization sensitizes and opens the mind and the world of thoughts.
It also adds self confidence and belief in oneself", Sanna says. The good-natured
co-existence continues during the crafts session and casual play. Sanna let’s
us know, however, that the children are no angels. Sometimes, when there are
stand-in teachers, the boundaries are tested.
But now the interview can be continued in the office. The children carry on
their playing in the next room.
"I trust the children implicitly. If someone makes a face or takes a toy
from someone’s hand, they come and tell me, Sanna smiles. "Everything
can be told to a reliable adult. After the weekend the children have lots to
tell."
The
magic words 'sorry' and 'thank you'
At Sunrise the children also learn not only to respect one another, but also
about table manners and the magic words. These are “sorry”, “thank
you”, “you’re welcome” and “may I”. These
magic words work miracles.
In the everyday routine of the playschool the children learn that matters are
handled by talking not by violence. They learn that everyone is equal. A love
for nature is also learned in the same manner. Ants are not stepped on, nor
are branches broken off trees during forest outings. Twigs, pinecones and leaves
are gathered from the ground for research. Flowers and vegetables are grown
in the courtyard of the playschool. Also, the plants inside are tended to and
looked after with care.
“Baba Nam Kevalam”, whichh is Sanskrit for Love is all that
is, is sung in the playschool daily. Regular daily routines also build
a sense of security in the children. The playschool makes all the vegetarian
food eaten daily. Sanna believes this aids both the children's physical and
spiritual well being.
Having completed upper secondary school, Sanna went to the US to work with
different families. After then dropping in at her home in Helsinki, she took
off for Dusseldorf in Germany, to study the language and culture. It was there
that she became with Rudolph Steiner's ideology and enthusiastically sent her
enrolling application from Germany to the Snellman College. Sanna completed
her grammar school teacher’s arts and crafts and teacher’s studies
in four years, but chose to become a kindergarten teacher.
"In the development of a child the first years are the most important.
The child is like a stem of bamboo, easy to bend. Playschool aged children can
be shaped towards better humanity," Sanna says.
"When a child receives love and security, the strong base carries through
the future years of study. In the words of a philosopher, university education
is wasted on violent and criminal youths."
Sanna
finds it awfully hard to believe that the children of Sunrise playschools might
err to take the “wrong “ path in life. She believes that the ideas
in Steiner pedagogy could easily be applied in all schools. "The children
are accepted here as they are. Not every one learns at the same pace or at the
same time."
Sanna loves her work. "When I draw and tell stories to the children at
the same time, it also inspires my own creativity."
The Sunrise Playschool is maintained by a yoga community, Ananda Marga, which
also maintains anotherr playschool in Lauttasaari, Helsink, which opened in
1984. Christianne Fajardo, the Filipino director of the Lauttasaari playschool
is herself a Yoga teacher.
The Sunrise Playschools are run in English for children aged three to six years
old. The children are often from families of two languages and the parents wish
for the children to learn both Finnish and English.
The playschools follow a precise weekly program, and the older children attend
pre-school. They use Montessori materials, and the basis for teaching is a Neo-Humanistic
concept of Neo-Humanism relates to all creation and is, in essence, a humane
consideration of the universe.
“Ananda
Marga” means a road to inner happiness. It’s the oldest organization
teaching Ashtanga Yoga in Finland. It was registered In Finland in 1972. Maharishi
Patanjali (who lives some time between 200BC and 400AD) gathered together the
exercises in Ashtanga Yoga and created the consistent Yoga of eight degrees.
The first Ananda Marga schools were founded in India in 1963. The Neo-Humanistic
movement soon got air under its wings and in 1975 there were as many as 600
of these schools. At the moment there are 750 playschools in the world and around
two thousand schools. The teaching is based on the idea that humans are physical,
mental and spiritual beings. All these aspects are taken into consideration
in the teaching. Children learn better and faster if they have a wholesome,
secure environment and a respect for all of Creation.
This article, which was translated by Juha Danson, who is an official translator,
writer and glass-art designer was first been published in Minä Olen (I AM) Magazine which is the
leading spiritual publication in Finland.
© 2006 Kaija
Aho
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kaija Aho is a journalist
who recently retired from "Helsingin Sanomat", the leading daily newspaper
in Finland. Now, she is concentrating on writing spiritual articles to aid people
in their spiritual growth. To find out more about the Sunrise Playschool
in Finland, visit www.sunrisefinland.org.
