Student Intention in Education

Intention is life inside-out
that which waits to sprout
grow, seek truth, manifest.

Since we moved to Austin my little one has been attending a school called Sankalpa. Sankalpa in Sanskrit means intention - a determination that stems from the heart and the mind. Tapping into our highest intention helps us stay true our mission and navigate the everyday. Intentions are usually more abstract and goals more concrete. Intentions are higher than goals - they help us determine and develop our purpose/higher calling in life. They help in setting goals and adjusting goals if they are not inline with our highest mission. Intention helps us shed ego, look at the big picture and collaborate in spirit to operate holistically.

Relevance of intention to Learning

At the highest level all of us aspire autonomy to live life to our fullest potential. How each person views - living life to his/her fullest potential varies. Tapping into student intentions can be nuanced - especially for younger children but it can be very powerful to help children be self-directed in a school setting. For instance if a preschoolers highest intention is to be a super-hero - to explore, rescue and help, they can be made to see how foundational skills help them better achieve their goals. A teacher can personalize their learning by embedding it into rescue missions or explorer expeditions that keep their learning relevant to their highest intention. Tapping into ones highest intention also develops holistic practices in education as intentions are not single dimensional - they require your head, heart and hand to work in harmony. Intention combined with reasoning helps a child self-regulate - understand what is in alignment with their highest good and what is not.

Time frame - short-term and long-term intentions

Intentions are continual - they allow for continuous progress and groom life-long learners. They are not short-term, but you can be more mindful about an intention for a specific duration. You can be more mindful of your intention for a day, week, month, year or longer. At Sankalpa they set daily intentions and help children reflect on their intention. Students typically think of something they want to be more mindful of during the day and in the afternoon reflect on how they have done on their intention. Since the age group here is 2nd and 3rd grade - this encourages group participation, discussion and writing. The very habit of reflection - is useful to encourage introspection.

How teachers/parents can help

Intention is the result of motivation. When you lack motivation, you cannot always be aligned with your highest intention. When a child is unwilling to share, discuss or form an intention, it is most likely because a basic need is not being met. When working with such children, you need to tap into what makes them joyful, focus on care and giving them a sense of belonging. Only a person who is inwardly happy and motivated can engage in intentional learning. Once a child sets an intention for himself/herself - learning can be personalized to give them a combination of sound fundamentals, personalized projects and a holistic education that aligns with their intention. A teacher or parent can help design a context that best supports each child and trust that every intentional learner can self-regulate. A teacher or parent also needs to be mindful of their highest intention of helping the child discover what is within - they need to set their ego aside and strike the right balance between empathy, judgement or simply letting the child be.