the music be a creative lesson in discovering sound effects
to match the words. Learning an Indian language or
understanding India's religions would be incidental to the
creative or practical activity.
It would also mean that a child would get an opportunity to
gain in self-confidence while speaking an Indian language.
The lesson would not be a language lesson. The Indian
cultural experience of language and religion would be
the unfolding of a story through mime or drama;
the creation of sound effects to match words;
the expressiveness of a piece of art or craft;
the excitement of sounds and textures.
All this would be a favoured learning environment. The
audience is the peer group. The performance area is the
classroom.
Large halls should be avoided. They can be intimidating
because they are linked with serious occasions like
assemblies, prize-giving, Founder's Days, speech-making or
whole-school
scolding days, when everyone but the
teachers know the truth. (20)
Art work should be displayed prominently. Classrooms,
corridors and entrance foyers to the schools should support
the students' talent. Most Anglo-Indian schools have
showcases of polished sport's trophies and group
photographs of students dressed
... to meet the inspector in our best
uniforms . (21) .
The schools rarely had exhibits of drama, dance, music,
art, craft, design and technology. There were no
photographs of children working on a community project, or
on a work experience. The schools should support the doing
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