– Every methodology has a criterion for evaluating its effectiveness.
In a regular modern school, a child’s achievements are assessed by the amount of information he has learned, his diligence, his achievements in other fields, such as competitions, and so on.
What are the criteria for measuring the efficiency and success on the integral method, and how should these criteria be implemented?
– First, we do not give any grades or evaluations. We develop people the way they are. Every person has his or her own rate of development and you cannot compare people.
With today’s children, the most important thing is not to suppress the new capabilities that are developing in them. That is why we should approach them without any grades or other measuring scales. The only criterion should be a person’s integration with his integral environment.
But everything is relative in this regard as well. I see this in adults as well: Some learn very fast and advance quickly, but at some point they stop progressing. Others start out having a very hard time agreeing, and understanding what the study is all about. It takes them a very long time, often years, to hear this call to unite with others into one, single, whole desire, similar to the common force of Nature.
We have to understand that we were created this way, so we cannot give people grades. Each of us is utterly unique.
When a child or any person at all participates in this process to the best of his ability, this alone is praiseworthy and should be the person’s only grade. Any kind of participation has to be valued because what’s important is not one’s success, but his participation!
– Suppose there were 10 meetings held with a group of children. One child participated in all 10 meetings and made efforts to create a common space, whereas another child showed up twice and was not very active. Can this be a criterion for assessing the effectiveness of the work?
– Definitely, because we are a product of society. If I am in this society for a long time, then of course I am influenced by it and become similar to it. 10 meetings with this society will influence me much more than if I accidentally show up there twice.
The number of meetings has to be fixed. And we have to view a person’s progress accordingly.
However, it is easier and simple for some people to learn this because their egoism is not expressed as vividly. It is weaker. They advance faster even though they might have participated in communication with others less.
We have to understand that success can only be achieved through daily studies that last for many hours and include physical games, all sorts of discussions, reading, trips, excursions, and other ways to gain familiarity with the world.