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​​HARMONY is an educational practice designed for Peace education, the process of acquiring values, knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviours to live in harmony with oneself, others, and the natural environment.

 

HARMONY puzzles offer joyful, experiential and play-based learning. Puzzle pieces can be put together in infinite ways, like the turn of a kaleidoscope, to allow the mind to open up and become flexible, to see different perspectives, possibilities and solutions using imagination. It's Yoga for the mind - improve your concentration, creativity and spatial awareness through regular exercise. 

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"I experienced complete immersion into the material and it felt meditative." (Teacher reflection)

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" The activities allowed and enabled me to work with complete concentration, use my creativity and live the spirit of not to give up. I was doing each activity mindfully, hence was calm, involved and enjoying it fully." (Teacher reflection)

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Research 

 

Starting with inspiration from the original unfinished prototypes and sketches, extensive participatory research and development has shown us the potential and possibilities of this material. The past years moved the research from an explorative stage towards understanding the deeper values of this material as a as an educational tool for human unity. During 2022-2023 over 100 teachers explored HARMONY, giving valuable feedback that has been integrated.​ During 2023-2024  an in-depth study was done with 500 children and their teachers in different school settings. We investigated how to bring the puzzles as an integrated part of the school curriculum in India,  taking the experience of HARMONY into the mainstream classroom (NEP2020) by offering an enriched educational program. 

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Through this research we gained more clarity of the benefits of HARMONY in school settings, teacher and student motivation, joy of learning, concentration, creative thinking / problem solving  and spatial awareness. Using imagination (mental visualization), the materials explore geometric concepts such as rotation, symmetry, mirror images, pattern construction and deconstruction, can be included as a part of the mathematics curriculum, and work through art-integration.

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Teacher Workshops

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Professional development for teachers combines theory and hands-on learning. Through exploration with HARMONY puzzles, we facilitate self-discovery while exploring transformative education principles. These concepts can be applied to various teaching and learning contexts, enhancing your self-awareness and inspiring new teaching and learning approaches. With the training you not only widen your understanding of the foundations of an integral education, but also become well practiced in HARMONY puzzles.

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Through the workshop teachers learn to bring awareness to the operations of their consciousness. Learning and growth is the conscious work of self-discovery, increasing self-knowledge through interactions with the world.

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" I never knew puzzles could be so much fun! The material shared was beautiful. The integration of 3 main features of integral education was intriguing. It was so good to reflect on the same. The puzzles are engaging as well as a great leaning for mind and self. It definitely touched social as well as emotional chords in me. Using this as a tool to build consciousness, mindfulness and more aware individuals is the best part of it." (Teacher reflection)

 

It can not be taught, only experienced. Based on techniques for whole brain activation, the teachers exercise and stretch their mental faculties of seeing, thinking and understanding - to observe, consider and find solutions from many different perspectives. To develop flexibility and open-mindedness, the puzzles allow to decompose, create and recreate infinite patterns. Teachers learn to let go, become open to change, and see the beauty created in their own puzzles. The training will equip them to use puzzles as a tool for social and emotional learning (SEL) and education for sustainable development (ESD) by bringing focus to transformative qualities, and to systems-thinking through the kaleidoscope effect.

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Read more on our blog:

• An educational tool for the 21st century

• Education for human flourishing

• The Kaleidoscope effect

 

HARMONY puzzles can be used by educators outside of the school sector as well. Encouraging global education and lifelong learning, and are suitable for every culture, all languages, and people of all ages. They can offer meaningful exploration for immigrant and refugee children/adults, be used in community/after school centers, as well as for individuals in prisons. With their progressive levels and simple play, the puzzles also support mental agility and memory in aging adults and can be integrated into the activities offered in care homes for the elderly. ​​