Siragu Montessori School is a School in Chennai, India. It was started on June, 2003 to provide free education for homeless and under-privileged children

Early history

SIRAGU Montessori School is a unit of Suyam started in June 2003. It was started especially for children of the scheduled tribes (pavement dwellers and mendicants). Traditionally carrying on the practice of begging, this community never had any real opportunities for breaking out of their situation. Siragu was started with the objective of providing quality education to first-generation learners. SIRAGU started not only for street children but also for children from brick chambers and from various parts of the society.

The initial efforts of the team were met with antagonism and suspicion but sustained efforts caused a few parents to allow their children to attend school.

The success of these students at school helped other parents also to gather courage to send their children. Eventually the rush from this community as well as others became so much that it was felt the right time to start a school.

A school was begun in locally rented premises. The condition of the building was quite poor (eighty years old, poor upkeep, no roof, vermin infested) but volunteer assistance garnered by Suyam helped them make it habitable.

At present in our own land constructed 10 temporary classrooms and 200 children were studying in SIRAGU (out of which more than 50 children are from Brick Chambers). The school has adopted the Montessori method of education and other innovative and practical oriented methods with an aim to provide World Class Education at local costs. The school has 13 teaching staff and 9 non-teaching staff.

Nadaipathai Pookkal Program (Flowers of the Pavement)

This program is for the families having settlements in Palavedu Pettai, but residing in pavements around Kilpauk Water Tank for around 30 years. These families are involved in begging—because of various social problems. Since 1999, Siragu adopted these families (initially 50 families). Provided the community in Kilpauk and Palavedu Pettai with education, medical facilities (including family planning counselling), counselling for de-addiction, child care, resolution of family problems, and with empowerment through employment generation (self and external employment) schemes and setting up self help groups.

Impact in the Society

We have succeeded in stopping begging among children in the Nadaipathai Pookkal community, except for 3 children who are still begging because of parental pressure. These three children attend Siragu School , but are absent at times and also beg on Saturday and Sunday. We have 82 first generation learners, including those from Nadaipathai Pookkal program. We are, thus, able to prevent Child labour to an extent.

We also provide a 6 month bridge course for 50 children from 10 brick kilns in Palavedu Panchayat. We motivate them to learn, and to join mainstream schools in their villages.

In Shastri Nagar, among the Nadaipathai Pookkal, many families have started prioritizing their children-significantly without gender biases. They try and provide at least one quality meal a day to the children. Parents started keeping track of their child's [[development, and interacted with school staff and management to address child related issues. School has become a priority for the parents, even above their rituals and ceremonies, and the levels of absenteeism has come down.

Siragu provides a quality education for children who had minimal access to schooling. Children show overall development, much more than mere academics. They interact with role models and have the confidence to face life without feelings of inferiority. Siragu as a school for the community, has enabled 5 families to be self-employed and move away from begging

Teachers and teachings

Teachers are selected from the Palavedu Panchayath community, and then trained.

Teachers stay late in school discussing the day's activities, and planning for the next day. Difficulties faced, solutions and clarifications are discussed. The teachers also go through books on child development, a new book every month.

Teachers meet in the school every Saturday for training. Then they go through lots of reference books (on subjects, activities, child development etc.), and prepare for the next week's activities.

The activities are prepared based on each child's needs, to enable the child to learn spontaneously and according to their interest. Each child is given a choice from four or five activities in each session.

All the activities, for teachers and children, are based on

Visualization: of the theory in practical terms, accurately and attractively—to facilitate grasping and thinking

Concept formation: relating learning with concepts to facilitate deep understanding and not just memorizing

Values: personal and community values of love, sensitivity, honesty, integrity, unity, empathy, cleanliness, holistic development, confidence, punctuality, creativity, determination and persistence, respect, politeness, sharing, non extravagance and eco-friendy

Multiple dimensionality: of syllabus and of teaching methods, to explore beyond the present systems of education

Administration

Ms V. Uma, M.Sc (Maths), MBA, Secretary (Incharge of all academic activities - Designing the books, organizes training program)

Mr. R. N. Muthuram, M.Com (Commerce), Administrative Director (Incharge of the school administration and accounts)

Documentary films

Nadaipathai Pookal - Documentary Film by Uma and Muthuram Founders of Siragu

Wings Of Evolution - Documentary Film made 2007

External links

• Official Site of Siragu Montessori School
• Suyam Charitable Trust
• Blog by Siragu School kids
• Recent Projects and developments in Siragu