We often carry notebooks into the field. But we wanted one that didn’t just collect information—one that helped us pause, look closer, and notice care in its quieter forms.
Introducing Slate: A Notebook for Noticing
Slate began with a simple gap.
We were spending time in places where care was happening—in anganwadis, homes, classrooms, kitchens, and corners under trees. We were listening to the people who hold childhood together. And we kept feeling the need for a tool that didn’t rush to collect data or measure outcomes—but helped us slow down, observe, and sit with what we were witnessing.
That’s how Slate came to be. A field notebook for reflection. A small, sturdy companion to carry into everyday spaces of care.
It was created as part of Voices of Care, an ongoing inquiry into the caregiving systems that shape childhood in India. This work is anchored by Devina at mudito, and shaped by conversations, observations, and long-term engagement with caring adults, educators, anganwadi workers, and field teams across contexts.
This notebook is shared openly—as a public good—for anyone who finds it helpful in their own noticing. You can use one page or the whole thing. Carry it digitally or print it as an A5 notebook. It works well for solo reflection—but also for group debriefs, post-visit conversations, or building a shared language around what care looks like.
You’re welcome to adapt it, translate it, build on it, or use its structure to create something of your own. It’s not meant to be precious. Just useful.
Because sometimes, it’s not the big stories—but the small details—that help us understand how care is given, received, and made to last.
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