Skip to main content
  • Accessibility
  • Headlines
  • Coronavirus-News
  • Get-Hooked
  • Technology
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Parasports
  • Ask Bhavna
  • NHBrandView
  • Independent Living
  • Lifestyle
  • NH Videos
×
Newz Hook – Changing Attitudes towards Disability Logo
  • Stories
  • Videos
  • Inclusive
  • NH Voice
  • Login
COVID-19 Notification by Government in Accessible Format

Accessibility Tools

Text Size:

Contrast Scheme:

  • C
  • C

Reset

  • Home
  • Get-hooked
  • Puppetry musical The Learning Factory emphasizes importance of inclusion in education

Puppetry musical The Learning Factory emphasizes importance of inclusion in education

Get-hooked February 4, 2019
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
0

As lessons in diversity and inclusion go, George Reavis‘ classic The Animal School is renowned the world over. Written in 1940, it’s a story about a group of animals who, while organizing a school to help their children cope with real world problems, realize the wisdom of playing to people’s strengths.

A story that resonates at many levels for Ritika Sahni, special educator and founder of NGO Trinayani, who is committed towards creating awareness about disability and diversity issues. A cause especially close to her is making mainstream education inclusive, an issue she has raised on various platforms.

In Reavis’ story, Sahni found a compelling and creative way to take this conversation forward, into schools. And that’s how the idea of The Learning Factory, a puppetry version of this classic was born.

At Trinayani, we have been wanting to a puppet show for the last few years and the challenge was to find the right play that is conducive to the art form. While doing a campaign for an annual function of the Delhi Public School, I had to source out interesting stories to celebrate the theme of diversity and The Animal School was one of them – Ritika Sahni, Founder, NGO Trinayani

Sahni reached out to Charu Prasad, who has vast experience doing puppet shows in Mumbai. “We have been doing puppet shows and workshops for various schools in Mumbai and we teach mathematics through puppetry and storytelling methods. Ritika saw one of our puppet shows a few years ago at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) and approached us”.

Work on the project began in February 2018, the first challenge being the script, which has been done by Deepak Morris. Prasad and Sudipta Mukherjee Mandal handcrafted the puppets and trained the puppeteers. Why puppetry, we ask Sahni. “At Trinayani, we are constantly experimenting with using different kinds of creative media”, says Sahni,” and puppetry is as effective medium. It is a non-threatening art form and also a dying one. So, we decided to use this medium to talk about an important issue”.

Careful thought has gone into designing the puppets, which Sahni describes as marionettes on a string, with the puppets created such to signify their hierarchy in the forest.

Among the team members handling the puppets is Yojana Wavikar, a parent who is part of Sahni’s meet up group. Wavikar, who has some previous experience working with hand puppets, was more than happy to sign up when she heard about the project.

“Puppetry always attracted me as a strong medium to convey messages for a social cause through entertainment, so I happily agreed to be a part”, says Wavikar. “This show is professionally done with a wonderful recorded soundtrack compete with animal grunts and background music. Even the puppet theatre is beautifully made with two different backdrops”.

Shaifa Mubin Shaikh, a second- year student of psychology is also part of the team that handles the puppets. “I thought moving the puppets would be easy but there is a lot of hard work involved. We are still perfecting our work and there is a lot of scope for improvement”.

Seven songs have been used in the 35-minute show, of which four have been sung by Sahni.

The Learning Factory will make its debut at the Kalaghoda Festival in Mumbai on 5 February, followed by the Godrej Dance Theatre at NCPA on 15 February. That is not the end of the journey as far as Sahni is concerned.

“The focus in on making the general education system inclusive, which is the trend internationally. The education system is what we need to talk about because this entire conversation of ‘one size fits all’ does not work. The entire reason for doing this is to start a conversation on the state of education and we aim to take this to schools”.

Prasad hopes that the play will act as an alarm system for schools. “We cannot treat everyone equally and everyone has to excel at their own paths”.

A larger message that needs to be put out there repeatedly for adults, especially decision-makers in the education space.

Watch in Sign Language

0

Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today

We need your continued support to enable us work towards Changing Attitudes towards Disability. Help us in our attempt to share the voices of people with disabilities that enable them to participate in the society on an equal footing!

Contribute to Newz Hook

NH Videos

Healing pain through art - Dr. Anubha Mahajan, Founder Chronic Pain India

Read more on Newz Hook

  • Technology
    Check out these free apps that help develop fine motor skills in children with cerebral palsy

Contribue to Newz Hook. Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today.

Newsletter

 Subscribe to our Newsletter

Want to feature your inspiring story or share an event with the disabled community? Write to:

editor@newzhook.com

Related News

Matthew Walzer is wearing a blue shirt

Get-hooked

Matthew Walzer’s letter continues to make an impact nearly 10 years later

Close up of blind cook Christine Ha

Get-hooked

“Find ways to help yourself” – Blind MasterChef winner Christine Ha’s powerful message for women with disabilities

Christine Ha has covered her eyes and the words how you see me are on the back of her hand

Get-hooked

Blind MasterChef winner Christine Ha is the face of month-long campaign this International Women’s Day

Images of the 5 apps featured in article

Technology

Check out these free apps that help develop fine motor skills in children with cerebral palsy

Newz Hook - Accessible News

Download App Now!

Videos

View More

Get-hooked

Docudrama ‘Walking Mind’ about people with Brittle Bone disease releases on YouTube

Get-hooked

Understanding weighted blankets

Employment

La-Monnaie Skills enables disabled youth to flower into resourceful, contributing citizens

Get-hooked

Understanding disabled children & family dynamics

Newz Hook Logo

About Newz Hook

Newz Hook is a media site focusing on Changing Attitudes towards Disability globally. We highlight stories that share insights into the lives of people with disabilities, offer solutions and create collaborations. Our focus is to have Inclusion Champions from across the globe who share knowledge about disability, inclusion & accessibility.

Lets come together to change attitudes towards disability!

Newz Hook is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Follow us on:

Related Links

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Partner with Newz Hook
  • Embed Newz Hook Timeline
  • Affiliate disclosure
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Contribute to Newz Hook

Our Awards

Zero Project Award Winner 2018
Back To Top
© 2019 All Right Reserved. Inclusive News India Private Limited.

Ask Bhavna

All fields are mandatory unless specified as optional.