Joy Of Learning Diaries

We learn by doing. There are many examples and situations wherein I felt the same. We go on vacations during summer break every year. Before the lockdown, we went to Rohtang pass in Manali. I have read in a book that we face dizziness and breathlessness at high altitudes but never experienced that. On that day, I had experienced this feeling, and from that day, I understood the concept of low air pressure. To date, I remember that.  One more incident that comes to my mind is….my Mama's (uncle) daughter Saanvi who has never been to school due to lockdown and studied online like we all did. Now she is in KG, and I always tell her about the classroom, school, teachers, friends, classroom rules, etc. But she was least interested in listening as she was so small and had never been to the school. She has started school, learned many things, and imbibed the items nicely. This proves that until and unless we experience the situations and explore them on our own…we can not know well. So,

  Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window is an autobiographical memoir written by Japanese television personality and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. The book was published originally as 窓ぎわのトットちゃん in 1981 and became an "instant bestseller" in Japan. - Wikipedia Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

Today when I went to school for the first time after 2 years, my sister and I were very excited to go to school. We even got excited hearing the school bus horn when we boarded the school bus. When we reached the school and I reached my class I saw all my classmates and my teachers in person after 2 whole years, who I had been seeing through my laptop screen. When we heard the school bell ring after the first period, it just added more melody to my ears. The small chitchat sounds of my classmates sounded so exciting. After that, the barren land of the noticeboard caught my attention and I could somehow empathise with the noticeboard and how it had been totally empty for the past time period and so to add to its vibrance so I decided to make it lively and give my splash of rainbow colours and draw some calligraphy strokes and make it a bit more vibrant and colourful, and so I thought that we weren’t the only ones excited to go to school. Even our class notice boards were excited for us

  Every Sunday at 11 AM, the reading session is a fascinating and unique place to be. Even though we could read the books we are reading in the session at home too, reading in front of a group of people is just so different. It helps improve fluency in reading, develops better pronunciation, and everything seems so much more fun! Even listening to other students and teachers read is enriching.  I am still not sure what attracts me to join this reading session, but I feel that joining this session just makes my day! Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

Honesty for me means being authentic and being who I am. Whenever I feel that I should not tell the truth, I just ask myself, do I want to live peacefully or in fear. If we say a lie, we feel regret, and then our minds cannot live peacefully. Being honest has helped me get many opportunities for my growth because of my teachers, coaches, friends, and parents' trust and confidence in me. I also get a good feeling and calmness in my mind by being honest. I have listened to many stories on honesty since my childhood and many parents' experiences where being honest has helped them in life. Even my experience of being open and getting appreciation from my teachers and parents has made me more confident and courageous to always be truthful and honest in life. So, we should always keep in mind that practising honesty will take us ahead in the future. By being honest, we are only being true to ourselves. Name: Arav Agarwal Grade: 5C Billabong High International School, Thane

Learning is a lifelong process. In books, classrooms and word-of-mouth, all we can learn is theory. But, the real learning comes from application and not just by memorising theories…..Like Issac Newton discovered gravity by merely watching an apple fall from a tree, with no aim or goal to find something.   Let me give you an example from my life - When I was in the 3rd standard, for classes 3 to 5 a ‘Rock sports camp’ was organised by our school. There were many activities, like zipline, Burma bridge, rock climbing etc. For the first time in my life, I got to experience walking over a Burma bridge. I was so hyped, and it was a much more thrilling experience than I had imagined. I also got to experience zip-lining over a bottomless, large pit. I was terrified and excited at the same time. After these two activities, I did rock climbing, and that was the part I was most scared of. But, the important thing is that until that time, I had only heard of these activities and heard other peopl

Reflection of the chapter Today Is The Day When You Define For Yourself from the book My Good School ~ Where Passion Meets Education by Sandeep Dutt. I was really inspired after reading the chapter - Today Is the Day When You Define for Yourself. The chapter is about decision making, and every day we have a choice to choose the wisest option for ourselves. The line with which I connected deeply was that whenever you make decisions listen to your inner voice to make the right decision. Also, the counsellor we need for counselling is our inner self, which helps us act as a counsellor; we only have to start listening to it. There have been many times when I also had to make decisions and choose for myself. As I reflect back, I think it has helped me become better and more confident. What I have learned is that when we make choices, we should be kind enough to think about ourselves and others. And this will keep us happy. Name: Arav Agarwal Grade: 5C Billabong High International School

The last two years have been a setback for everyone. Suddenly everything was shut down. However, no one can compare the hardships students and teachers faced during the pandemic to anything else. Some students took advantage of this by either skipping some classes or cheating on exams. Some people were still loyal and truthful towards the school and themselves.  The first year was skimmed through. The second year made everyone miss the school bus honking near their buildings. As offline school has resumed, students face issues regarding waking up on time for school. However, students can interact more with their teachers. Of course, we also missed talking to our friends during the online schooling.  The reprimands of teachers were something our ears had been waiting for. Muting and unmuting were complicated, and now we can speak whenever we want. So, this phase of students' hearts being broken and then put together again was a complicated but exciting journey. Aanya Kumar Podar Int

Books and characters take us to places where we have to stay where we are, and there are times when we are fascinated by the characters and their qualities that we aspire to be like them. If I were a character in a book, I would be Tom from the series Tom Gates by Liz Pichon. The character Tom inspires me because he does not have any superpowers, and Tom is like one of us. Still, he is active, intelligent, solution-oriented and loves trying new activities. In one of his books called ‘Super Good Skills’, things did not go the way he wanted, but he made it fun for himself and his family with his qualities. Tom transports me to his school, classroom, home, on his school trips and at his friend’s house, where he teaches so many life values like friendship, being courageous, communication ways and keeping a positive attitude. The most important thing is that he does everything in a fun and enjoyable way. With him, I get motivated to be a better person, give my best in whatever I do and make

                                                                         Great Leaders don't tell you what to do,  they show how it's done. There is always a significant role for the monitor in every class, and there are many criteria for selecting a monitor. Usually, a monitor is the most disciplined and ideal student, but a monitor cannot actually help anyone. A class needs a Mentor or a Student Leader, the one who can take up tasks with zeal, do them with endurance, and ensure contributions from each student. A Student Leader is not an ideal student, but it is someone who is appreciated by all for everything that they do.   A Real Leader should be the one who carries immutable values and respect for the past. A Real Leader may be older than you, but they will still treat you the same. Leaders should be amiable and charming personalities who are diplomatic in their terms. We all have a Leader within ourselves; we just need to recognise it. Student Leaders are within all of us

A class monitor. It is one of the most exciting things for me. The best day is when the teacher announces you as the class monitor. It's a feeling that you could lead the class. Writing names on the board is not a monitor, but helping students correct their mistakes is being a monitor. A monitor is not someone who brings a list of complaints to the teacher but finds out tricks to make other students listen to them.  Monitors are supervisors ad set an example.  A monitor is a young mentor. Imagine your teacher running in the corridors and not solving problems but even for the most minor mistakes giving their names to the Principal, won't that be odd? In the same way, we have to be the example for the class when the teacher is away.  As said, " When the cat's away, the mice are out to play". In the same way, when the teacher goes out of the class, the children start to play! We, as young mentors, should be able to handle the class in the similar way a teacher does.

       Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot,  the only home we've ever known. Earth Day, celebrated on the 22nd of April each year, should be actually recognised every day! The Earth is the only home we know, yet we are constantly demolishing this beautiful planet with our skyscrapers, machinery, industries and technology. The fun fact is that everyone knows this, but we all are just too busy to save the planet which birthed us.  Life originated from Earth, Humans evolved through earth, and today we are alive and breathing because of Earth. We should not just mark a particular day to save Earth; after all, Earth provides us food and shelter all year round and all days and has been doing that since the beginning of the human race. We can do our small action in return for this service by simply dedicating at least 5 minutes of our day to Earth.  Don't bite the hand that feeds you, and Don't Destroy the planet that Helps You!                                                 

                                                                 Sometimes it's the most minor decisions that can change your life forever. In life, you always have two things to choose, a right decision or a wrong decision, and you choose between right or wrong as per what you think is best. Well, I will tell you when I got stuck at my crossroad. I had a stomach ache one day, so I told my mother, and she said, “Go to the birthday party with your father and maybe you will be fine there and take a holiday from school.” But I thought deeply, in my mind there was only one question – Should I take a holiday and go to the birthday party or should I go to school? My mind was jumbled up with the consequences of school and birthday party situations. I thought that everyone in the world has a birthday and you just get food and food, and you eat food every day and skipping such an excellent educational day of school was something I didn’t like! So, I told my mom, “No, mom, I won’t take a hol

As I turned back, I found myself in the corridors of Max Hospital at Dehradun. I had checked my phone just before I came here; it was 15:07 PM, 10 th April 2022, but now, when I checked the time, it was 20:17 PM, 6 th October 2019, and I was like, “What the hell!” I was back in the time when my mom and I had met with a severe accident! As I walked, I recognised all the doctors and nurses and waved at them, but they were all in a rush, so they didn’t see or hear me. When I went to the fourth floor of the Neurology Department, I saw my family from my mom’s house and my dad’s house sitting there, weeping. I went near them, kneeled down near my grandparents and asked them, “Why are you crying?” They didn’t answer. I touched my younger sisters’ faces to see if they could feel my touch, which they couldn’t! My father wasn’t there, and neither was my mother. I shivered at the thought of being back in our dark past, advanced towards COMA and saw my father sitting on the bench with tears flow

The book My Good School reminds us that no school is perfect.  Students receive more appreciation for past achievements. Educators will have to understand the pupils and plan interactive activities to raise the enjoyment level of learning. We must find our true identity because that is what truly matters.  Deciding for ourselves and learning while experiencing real-life instances will help our holistic development. Often, fun examples given by mentors may not clearly tell us that they are related to studying topics, but as we grow up, we seem to understand that what our teachers have taught us stays with us our entire life.  Understanding topics with fun and learning to the fullest is the Joy Of Learning. Aanya Kumar,  Grade 6B, Podar International School.

Decision making and trusting our inner voice is indeed an art. The actual counsellor we have is our inner voice, our soul that understands our feelings and situation better than anyone.  Making decisions and choosing the right path is essential. It is better to choose a lonely path rather than a crowded path. Even as a child, when you try to stay on the right way, you feel the peer pressure, and due to that, you cannot make the right decisions. It's better to have one good friend than a group of bad friends.  Therefore it's better to go along the road less travelled. It means that we should not get influenced by others on the wrong path but should always trust our voice because it knows it all and protects us. Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

My best friend is Totto-chan. She is a sweet, loving and adventurous girl. She wants to be a spy and a ticket collector too! She is funny and has a great sense of humour, and always makes me laugh.  She is the most caring person I have ever met, and she knows how to make me laugh when I am not in the mood. She is so cute! My heart melts when I look at her, and I can possibly never say no to her wish. At the same time, she is naughty, too, but not in the wrong way.  She is an innocent girl who looks at the world with eyes filled with love and care. Never has she broken anyone's trust or hurt someone. She is truly the best friend possible! Totto-Chan's best friend - Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

    Real-World Learning and Reel World Learning are the sides of the same coin. Real Learning is necessary, but Reel Learning is what seems necessary. We cannot be aware of our education unless and until we are put in a situation to test our learning. Exams are the only way to test understanding these days, but there are numerous other ways to check our education. School Trips are an excellent way to assess students' global perspectives and core values. Gathering in one place and deciding what to bring. The memories of dancing on the bus, eating on one plate and being friends with teachers are the recreations of my school trip. Schools trips may be educational, but they truly make learning fun! Some trips are just unforgettable because they are lived full-heartedly with the best ones, and the best thing is that while coming back from these trips, we have an extra-large suitcase full of all the memories in our Hearts. Anvesha Rana,  Grade 10-B,  Gyanshree School

 We all may be a different fish, but at Gyanshree School, we all swim together! Today, April 15, is the day when Gyanshree was born. As our school completes its 9 years of excellence, we all celebrate its Founders Day. The School that started in 2014 with a fixed vision and mission is today a place where all children love to go.  The vision of Gyanshree school was to prepare each student for a rapidly changing world by equipping them with critical thinking skills, a global perspective and respect for core values and the mission of the school was to ensure 'Effortless and Meaningful' learning. The qualities are inhabited by the teachers and the many students, who respect the school and share its spirit among themselves.  As Gyanshree enters its 10th academic year, the school continues to excel and reach new heights. I have seen the school's growth from an early stage to what it is now, and the credit goes to every person associated with the school. So, Happy Birthday, Gyansh

Honesty, for me, means to be truthful, authentic and genuine to yourself and to others. It's like the foundation base of any relationship.  Being honest makes us feel mature and responsible person. Let me share a minor incident.  While playing with my friends in our living room, I accidentally broke a photo frame. I did not know what to do. Seeing the broken frame pieces on the floor, all my friends disappeared. I quietly cleaned all the mess and quietly went to my bed with tears in my eyes. That photo frame was my mom's favourite piece. I felt very guilty. When my mom returned home from the office in the evening, she noticed something was missing from the corner table. But she didn't say a word. After dinner, I quietly went to her and confessed to her what had happened and said sorry. She looked at me and gave me a tight hug, and said she appreciated me for being honest and taking responsibility for the mistake. I promised her that henceforth I would be more careful.  Admi

The best element of School is the teacher. The way each teacher manages the class is remarkable. Every single teacher has several qualities. Along with taking care of students, they ensure that they are comfortable; when one does something very naughty while the class is studying, they are firm with that student.  No matter how firm the teacher is, with most teachers, you will get this sense that you are safe and you can trust our teacher because she is a teacher; when mother and father are gone for the day, she becomes both! Teachers are parents, and we must never disrespect them. They are always there for you and to help you out. Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

' If I'd Known It Then.' When midnight dawns and I lie in my bed, When all is quiet, safe yet dark, I travel to places near and far But perhaps my favourite is a land called 'The Past', Where there are no deer, no ponds, no trees, Many and much has been lost here, for here it floods memories. And as I swim my way through the past, I wish I'd known it Then That a merry day too shall face an end, For Fate and Time will take it away That later, I'll wish but every day 'If I'd known it Then ….' And I think how selfish of Time it is, For it keeps what is gone, all to itself And what is to come, it refuses to tell And yet how generous of Time it is, To give us what we have Now, to provide us with what we have in hand, We can choose to make it a mere 'now' or decide to make it grand. And this I shall not forget, So, for now, I'll be happy, I'll smile, I'll take a step down a road that is long a hundred miles, For I know, I'll wis

A Sibling is a lens through which we see our Childhood, Today, April 10, is national Sibling's Day, and I bet that most of us were not even aware of it. Siblings are those special friends that God has selectively chosen for you, and I believe there are no better friends than your Siblings.  Siblings are the people we practise on, who teach us about fairness, cooperation, kindness, and caring - often the hard way. I don't have any siblings, but my cousins are just like my real sisters, and I can't imagine how boring my life would be without them? Like Sugar and Spice, your siblings make things extra nice. All the mischief, damage and devastation that I have ever caused is on the compulsion of my siblings. So wish your brother or sister this sibling's day and thank them for all the notorious stuff because, like they say, it's better late than never.  Anvesha Rana,  Grade 10-B,  Gyanshree School

The Honest Boy Once, there was an impoverished boy named Paul. He lived with his family. His parents worked hard to raise their son. Paul was a very good boy and always spoke the truth. His parents taught him that "Honesty is the best policy!" One day, the King visited Paul's small village, and all the villagers came out to greet the  King. The King was giving away cookies and candy. Paul and the villagers crowded near the  King's carriage to try to get some gifts from the King.  Finally, the King got to Paul and gave him a box full of cookies and candy. Paul was so excited that he immediately rushed home to share the candy with his family. When Paul returned home, he noticed a beautiful ring among all the candy.  He thought to himself that this ring could make him rich. And he and his family no longer had to worry about having enough food to eat. After thinking about what to do all day, Paul decided to return the ring to the King. Paul went to the palace and returned

        " A Good Education can change anyone, but a Good Teacher can change everything. " When we go to school, we go with the mindset to learn whatever is taught but seldom do we ponder upon the lives of those who come with the vision to give others as much knowledge as possible, our teachers. A Teacher is a crucial part of any child's development, and they play a vital role in success. Wherever I am standing today, it is all because of my parents and teachers, who never gave up on me and constantly encouraged me to walk forward and never look back again.  Since childhood, I have always felt connected to all my teachers and share a special moment with each one. I cannot describe it accurately in words but simply say that My Teachers are the Best. A few instances where my teachers are still travelling with me are:  When I was young, I loved art and would almost draw anything in sight. One day when I went to the fruit market with my mother, I had set my eyes upon a green a

Hi! I am Lily. I am a tree; I don't have leaves, just me and my children (the branches). My best friend is the snow. It's always around us; never have we felt the loneliness with her. Just because we don't have the definition of beauty people want doesn't mean we are not beautiful. We are just what being pretty means. It means that the happiness in our life shines in you, authentic beauty. Just because we don't have leaves and flowers doesn't mean that we are not worthy. We are just as good as other trees but are just different and unique.  Like we say, equality in humans, shouldn't there be equality in trees? Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

Anyone who meets me probably knows that Dance has a special place in my heart. I don't think there was ever a time when I wasn't dancing, and I can't imagine how my Life would be without Dance. I started learning Dance at the age of 6; initially, I used to learn Kathak, and after completing Kathak, I pursued another classical dance, Bharatanatyam. Both Bharatanatyam and Kathak are ancient classical dances with diverse backgrounds and styles. I love all types of dances, be it western or classical, because Dance is one of those ways through which I can express myself freely. To Dance is to be out of yourself. Be Larger, More Beautiful, More Powerful, and this is the power; it is glory on earth, and it is yours for the taking. All of us need to dance; it is a true joy. Dancing takes place not only on the stage, but it actually takes place in Life, as we dance and leap through all the problems we face. When we dance, our purpose should not be that we are seen; instead, it sho

We learn almost everything from nature. The way trees sway, we might learn a dance move from them. Some birds even dance in coordination with their very own dance teacher! ( I am not joking) . The way the weaver bird weaves its nest is so mesmerizing, and if you observe them closely, we humans knit the same way as them, except we use needles, and they use their beaks!  Noticing the movement of birds, we made aeroplanes. We learned about hibernation because animals don't move or eat much in winters.  Nature gives us education and other necessary things we need to live. When nature is so kind to us, why are we so rude to it? Why don't we care for the outdoors the same way nature cares for us? Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

My Good School Season 2, Episode 2 Happiness is perhaps the most multi-faceted feeling. The most fundamental aspiration in the hearts of all human beings is to be happy. We all want to be satisfied, but we are not! But what is happiness? Happiness is an emotion, a feeling of contentment. The most trivial things can brighten our day, bring us joy and make us happy! May it be good weather, a good grade in an assessment, being able to befriend a stranger, calling a friend or a relative, looking at the stars, playing a sport with someone, listening to music, and the list goes on. Happiness is not something that we can achieve with various materialistic items. True happiness comes from within. If we are not happy where we are, we won't be satisfied anywhere. Happiness is the first step of the ladder as we climb up to peace, sanguinity, sagacity, and finally, equanimity. In the words of Albus Dumbledore, "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, only if one remembers to

Never Stop Learning because Life Never Stops Teaching. We might complete our school years, move on to college, and then get a job, but the perspective that School is the only place to test our knowledge is incorrect; every little situation in Life tests our character. We should get over the idea that only children should study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, which will mean for your Life. Surprisingly, we face actual knowledge application only after our school years. Education is not a part of life, it is Life itself, and the School Of Life is an environment where we are students forever. For the whole purpose of Learning, we must never graduate from the School of Life. If we are unwilling to learn, no one can help us, and if we are determined to learn, no one can stop us. Learning is not an event; it is a continuous process that most strive for. How long can we know as an individual? Most of the Learning done in isolation is theoretical and has no actual

"We had a GSA presentation at Ahlcon Public School . It was attended by 150 staff members.  The content  and delivery of the presentation were appreciated by each attendee. Thanks to Sandeep sir and all the interns involved - Rishona, Anvesha, Simar, Ananya, Vanshika, Akshat, Shirin, Jayesh and   Shaiva. Here is a glimpse into the video made while presenting". Ananya Bhatia, Ahlcon Public School and My Good School Intern.

Community Reading Program It will inspire you by reading and reflecting, sharing examples of where children and adults in real life are using values and is very useful to stimulate discussion and philosophical debate.  The Joy Of Reading Program is only one part of our standard core curriculum or the Life Skills Program - Reading, Speaking and Writing.    On Sunday mornings at 11.00 AM, you can join us for live reading sessions. Best you attend with a copy of the book and experience the Joy of Reading.  Post the session, the readers reflect and share their real-life experiences on our blog Joy Of Learning Diaries - writing, audio, video, graphic, and poetry. #JoyOfLearning Mentors Sunita Mehta is a dedicated educator and is the Headmistress at Gyanshree School Noida. She has had the opportunity of teaching in schools all over India. Sandeep Dutt, School Improvement Coach, has empowered thousands of teachers and touched the lives of near a million children. For details www.GoodSchools.i

Do we ever graduate from the school of learning? Not really; we might graduate from school but never from the learning society. Learning is a process and not an event. It's an experience that can never end... It is the change we go through in our life.  Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.  Learning is the biggest giver of joy and freedom. The school is not a building but an ecosystem that says that life is the school for a living. Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

Courage, Bravery, we all must have heard these terms; a question might come to our mind: What is the most significant act of courage? The answer could be: Climbing Everest? Being a soldier? Well, it is actually none of those...it is honesty. Honesty is being truthful not to anyone but to ourselves. We deceive ourselves when we lie to others and think that we have fooled them. We can lie to others but not to ourselves. The trust that one builds on the other is because we will be honest with them. We often lie to fit in the society, but that is not needed; we should be who we are.  You might be surprised to hear, but I figured out it wasn't needed even though I lied to fit into society. I don't play video games and don't know a thing about them, but all my friends lied that I knew how to when I had no idea! If I say that I don't know about it, they make fun of me, but that does not matter. What matters is what I think of myself. I believe that video games harm our creativ