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Located in Tamil Nadu, India, the Transition School has served the community of Auroville well since 1984. Referred to as the "City of Dawn", it was developed in 1968 as an experimental township in the Viluppuram district near Puducherry, South India. A primary and middle school for child development, it provides four groups to teach a total of 46 children in Kindergarten class alone.  Ten nationalities are represented here, yet over half are Tamilians cared for by a coordinating team of seven main and assistant teachers, which includes five specialized teachers in the fields of music, Sanskrit song, swimming, and body awareness.

India's Transition School was developed in order to provide a special learning environment for children 6 to 14years of age—child and process driven. In the United States, we would consider their 1st through 8th grades a combination of grade school and junior high. The total capacity for the school is about 160 students, being educated in the manner of holistic and integrated educational systems. Each class is developed within a limit of 20 students in order to create an environment for teachers to specifically follow each child on an individual basis.

The students arrive in India at the school from over 15 different countries in order to learn several objectives. Much attention is focused on the child's academic progress through their motivation levels, attitude, and ability to work in a group. The school places high value on practices that promote their observation levels, concentration, self-awareness and creativity.  Teaching involves each subject taught as a specific tool for self-discovery and as an aid that will assist each child in learning to express themselves, while simultaneously gaining knowledge. Of course, the traditional subjects are taught – reading, writing, social studies, math, arts, crafts, physical education, computer and science. A wide variety of languages involve Auroville, Sanskrit, English, French and Tamil with English as the medium of instruction while French and Tamil taught as the first and second languages.

But what makes the school standout over others are the less traditional classes of such things as "Awareness Through the Body" or "Sandbox".  The children are taught how to share and simply be together while learning to express themselves and be responsible for their individual actions. The philosophy of the school involves several unique things, such as these principles of approach and focus will allow each student to become effective, self-directed learners who eventually will have the ability to function in an independent and cooperative manner.

LANGUAGE – According to India's Transition School, language is considered a pathway to communication and cultural understanding while eventually ending in human unity. The school aspires to develop their children's capacity to learn many languages and to fully understand different cultures.

LANGUAGE ARTS – Taught in English for a minimum of four hours per week, Language Arts is also provided with French and Tamil speakers taking an additional four hours of their "mother tongue" on a weekly basis. Second languages are taught from two to three hours a week, with Sanskrit learned though songs.
 
MUSIC – The students of the Transition School take one hour of music every week.  This will include playing recorders, rhythm and coordination, singing, musical games, music appreciation, and dancing.  Composer's works are presented occasionally, with discussions following the presentation regarding their musical contributions. An opportunity to explore music from various cultures, a wide variety of pop, folk, classical, Indian and jazz are introduced with musicians regularly invited to the classrooms.

AWARENESS THROUGH THE BODY – This class is provided to give all students an opportunity to expand their individual consciousness. It also provides the ability for them to discover their inner self, in order that they many learn to steer their lives correctly. Through the use of games and exercises, the children are taught to come into contact with different aspects of their inner being. Basic themes consist of breathing, sensory awareness, the subtle body, balance, relaxation, and their the physical structure in order cultivate an awareness of oneself within the group, an awareness of oneself, and an awareness of the group.

ARTS AND CRAFTS – The aim of this learning class is to develop an aesthetic sense, an awareness of the quality of their work, and the ability to improve upon it. Through these things, the children will learn to persevere, to learn to concentrate, and to learn to trust their own judgment. By using tools and materials on an individual and collective level, they will develop trust and a sense of responsibility for their learning environment. Two approaches are used: (1) the children are given a task or a problem, and then given time to find its solutions; or (2) the teachers will provide specific step-by-step instructions to the student. These instructions require excellent concentration and good listening skills, along with manual dexterity.

SANDBOX – Two 50 cm X 70 cm boxes are filled with sand: one box of sand is wet and the other is dry.  Hundreds of ribbons, feathers, figurines, rocks, shells, and cardboard are nearby for each child on an individual basis to create. This creation is an instantaneous process of their inner world at the moment they are creating. While the child is busy, the teacher is sitting nearby observing the child silently, listening to what she/he is saying without interfering—simply taking notes on the child and the created work.

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