The Power of Reading and Reflection in Student Growth- Sunbeam Hostel Lahartara

 

Sunday School Reflection by Manisha Khanna

Reading and reflection play a vital role in a student’s growth. Through regular reading, students gain knowledge, imagination, and empathy, while reflection helps them think deeply about what they have learned. Together, these practices encourage self-awareness, emotional understanding, and critical thinking. As students read, reflect, and relate ideas to their own lives, they gradually evolve into thoughtful, confident, and sensitive learners.

Teaching of Guru Nanak Dev Ji - Sunbeam Gramin School

Introduction –

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the founder of Sikhism and the first Guru of the Sikhs. He was born on 15 April 1469 in Talwandi, which is now known as Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. He was a great spiritual leader who taught people to live a truthful, simple, and meaningful life.

Early Life –

From childhood, Guru Nanak Ji was very intelligent and thoughtful. He was not interested in rituals or material things. He believed in equality and asked deep questions about God and life. His parents noticed that he was different from other children.

Teachings of Guru Nanak Ji

Guru Nanak Ji taught that there is only one God, who is present everywhere. He believed in:

• Equality of all human beings

• Honest living (Kirat Karo)

• Sharing with others (Vand Chhako)

• Remembering God (Naam Japo)

He strongly opposed the caste system, superstition, and discrimination.

Travels –

Guru Nanak Ji travelled to many places in India and abroad to spread his message of love, peace, and unity. He spoke to people of different religions and encouraged them to live in harmony.

Later Life and Legacy –

Guru Nanak Ji settled at Kartarpur, where he spent his last years teaching his followers. He passed away in 1539, but his teachings still guide millions of people today.

Conclusion

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was a great saint and reformer. His life and teachings inspire us to be kind, truthful, and respectful towards everyone.

Swati Tripathi

गुरु नानक देव जी की जीवन-गाथा पर आधारित यह श्रृंखला केवल एक प्रस्तुति नहीं, बल्कि आत्मचिंतन की यात्रा रही। इसने मुझे यह गहराई से समझाया कि सच्चा धर्म बाहरी आडंबर में नहीं, बल्कि प्रेम, सेवा, समानता और मानवता में निहित है। गुरु हमें सही दिशा दिखाते हैं, ताकि हम अपने भीतर झाँक सकें। यह अनुभव मेरे लिए भावनात्मक, प्रेरणादायक और एक शिक्षक के रूप में स्वयं को बेहतर बनाने वाला रहा।

न मंदिर में, न मस्जिद में,

ईश्वर बसता है हर एक दिल में।

गुरु नानक जी ने राह दिखाई,

मानवता ही सबसे बड़ी सच्चाई।

सेवा में शक्ति, प्रेम में प्रकाश,

यही जीवन का सच्चा आकाश।

रवि प्रकाश

गुरु नानक की शिक्षाओं ने मुझे सिखाया कि सच्चा आचरण करने के लिए चेतना को चंचल मन के विचार ,विकारों से बचाना आवश्यक है। जब मन विचलित होता है तो वह हमें सही मार्ग से भटका देता है, लेकिन जब हम अपनी चेतना को जागरूक रखते हैं ,तो हम सच्चे आचरण की और बढ़ सकते हैं। मैं अपने जीवन में इस क्षण को लागू करने का प्रयास करूंगी, और अपने मन को शांत और जागरूक रखने का प्रयास करूंगी गुरु नानक की शिक्षाओं ने मुझे अपने जीवन में एक नए दृष्टिकोण को अपनाने के लिए प्रेरित किया है ।उनकी कहानियों ने मुझे सिखाया की जीवन में सबसे बड़ा धन दूसरों के लिए करना है, और सबसे बड़ा सुख दूसरों के साथ जीने में है। जीवन में सकारात्मक आशा और विश्वास को बढ़ाने में मदद की । मैंने सीखा की जीवन में सबसे बड़ा धन आत्मविश्वास है। अपने जीवन में सच्चाई न्याय और समर्पण के महत्व को समझने में मदद की। 

 सुनीता त्रिपाठी

Sunday Reading Session and YES Workshop - Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Today, we learnt about the foundations of effective communication in the YES workshop by Kartik Sir. I learnt about the importance of maintaining humility and sensitivity to become a better speaker. Other than this, being alert to factors like positive body language, eye contact, and smiling makes us connect better with our audience.

Then, in the chapter Artificial Environment, we learnt how urban spaces can actually contribute to preserving animals, especially the endangered ones. I learnt about agrarian deserts, which changed my idea about deserts being arid regions and lacking trees.

Shristi Prasad

VII

Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

In today's YES workshop by Karthik Sir, we got to learn about the importance of maintaining communication skills. We also learnt about the various essentials of communication, like sensitivity, humility, and sounding compelling enough to ensure effective, positive communication. If one maintains eye contact, body language, appropriate hand gestures, and a smile on one’s face, along with being aware of the content one is speaking, one will engage the crowd better. To become a better public speaker, besides understanding one’s crowd or audience, one needs to develop these qualities in oneself.

In the chapter Artificial Environment, Brinda Ma’am read out the disadvantages and advantages of artificial environments that affect animals. Besides talking about pet houses, cages, and zoos, we also learnt about deserts like agrarian deserts that have thousands of plants and house several animals, making us call them animal farms.

We also learnt about the role of animals in human activities like farms for grazing and logging. Sometimes animals are not happy because no one asks them whether they wish to work or not, so we as humans should not lose our humanity while forcing animals to work for us.

Gauri Agrawal

VIII

Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

In a world where AI is taking the lead in guiding the generation on how to present themselves suitably—be it an office presentation, a simple debate, or a speech delivery at the morning assembly—genuine human communication is suffering a setback. Humans are failing to communicate their emotions to each other through words. Wasn't verbal communication a primitive method among humans? So why are we failing today?

We had Kartik Sir in the Sunday YES session with us to tell the generation the basic pointers for effective communication—things like sensitivity, humility, being astute, sounding compelling enough, and such that one remembers our words and understands us.

Today's generation is indeed very sensitive. So, to convey our thoughts without hurting anyone's emotions is a big deal. Social media is a boon and a bane that way. Chatbots are there to emotionally sustain us as well as destroy us. Therefore, it is indeed very important to ensure that we are becoming better at communicating so that we have less dependency on AI for communication.

Lavanya Jaiswal

VIII F
Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Learning Through Communication and Conscious Listening - Sunbeam School Ballia

In today's session, we had the great personality Mr. Kartik Sir. He told us about the types of communication and gave us more knowledge about communication. He also guided us on how we can communicate with different types of living beings on Earth, like animals, humans, etc.

He also played a song which was about emotions.

He told us about the benefits of conscious listening.

I am really happy to get this beautiful ❤️ opportunity to join this webinar, understand new things, and improve my vocabulary.

In the second session, there was a ma’am, Mrs Manisha Khanna. She read a story called "Taiyar Ho Jao". It was a very interesting story related to scouts — an amazing session indeed.

Both sessions were really awesome, and we learned many new things.

I really thank Sandeep Dutt Sir and Jugjiv Sir for encouraging us to come and enjoy this platform. 🌸

Thank you,

Talat Bano, 5C

Through this session on Communication Skills and Conscious Listening,

I understood that communication is not just about speaking, but also about listening with full attention and awareness. I learned about different types of communication—verbal, non-verbal, visual, and written—and how each plays a unique role in expressing ideas and emotions.

The session also highlighted the importance of being a conscious listener, which means understanding before responding and being aware of what the other person truly wants to convey.

Developing conscious listening skills helps in avoiding small misunderstandings that can turn into big mistakes later. I realised that when we listen carefully, we can interpret messages better, form relevant opinions, and respond thoughtfully.

This class taught me that effective communication is a fundamental skill that empowers us in personal, academic, and professional life. Overall, it made me more aware of the value of mindful communication and how it can positively impact our interactions with others.

Arushi Srivastava, IX A

Today’s Good School Alliance session was really insightful. Mr Kartik talked about speaking skills and helped us understand that everyone thinks differently, which affects how we communicate. His tips on coping with the fear of public speaking—like focusing on the message rather than worrying about judgment—felt practical and easy to try.

After that, Ms Manisha shared a story titled "अब तैयार हो जाओ". Her storytelling was lively; it highlighted the importance of being ready and taking action.

Overall, the session prompted me to reflect on how I approach communication and fear, and I feel motivated to speak more confidently while being aware of different perspectives.

Janvi Singh, IX F

Communication is More Than Words

Communication is more than words — it’s understanding, observing, and connecting. This was the spark that Kartik Sir ignited in our communication session. What struck me the most was the power of being a good listener. Listening actively, noticing subtle details, and valuing every perspective are the foundations of meaningful communication, and Kartik Sir made this idea come alive with real-life examples.

I sincerely appreciate the example explanation of my question by Sandeep Sir, showing how our Good School Alliance itself is an example of how one can build a career in social media on the platform of mass communication.

Astha Mishra, IX D

In today's class, we had the great personality Mr. Kartik Sir. He informed us about the various types of communication and provided us with additional knowledge on how to communicate effectively with animals, humans, and others. He also played songs that were about emotions and explained the benefits of conscious listening.

I am really grateful to have this opportunity to join this great webinar, as I got to learn new things and improve my vocabulary.

The second session was by Mrs Manisha Khanna. Ma’am, read the story "Taiyar Ho Jao", an interesting story related to scouts.

I really thank Sandeep Sir and Jugjiv Sir for creating such an interactive platform.

Thank you,

Riffat Bano, 6D

Jai Hind!

Dear readers, I am Aayush Kumar Singh of Class X-A, and this is my reflection.

The session began with a short conversation between me and Manisha Ma’am about Diwali and the excitement of buying things for the festival. We talked about how everyone gets busy preparing for the celebration and how the festival brings a happy spirit everywhere.

After that, Kartik Sir showed us two versions of the same video, each with different background music. It was surprising to see how just changing the music could completely change the feeling and message of the video. Through this, we understood that communication is not only through words, but also through emotions, tone, and expression.

Sir then explained how humans and animals communicate in their own ways — humans through language, and animals through gestures and sounds. This helped me realise that real communication comes from understanding feelings, not just speaking.

Overall, the session taught me about empathy, connection, and meaningful communication — lessons that help us express ourselves better in every form of life.

Aayush Kumar Singh, Class X-A

In today’s session, we had the privilege of learning from the inspiring personality, Mr Kartik Sir, who taught us about various methods of communication and their objectives. He also explained the importance of conscious listening and how we can become better listeners.

One of the most interesting parts of the class was when he showed us a video that demonstrated how changing the background music can completely alter the interpretation of a scene.

After Kartik Sir’s class, we had Manisha Ma’am’s session, where we read the story ‘तैयार हो जाओ’. I really enjoyed this class and found it both engaging and meaningful.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Sandeep Dutt Sir and Jugjiv Sir for giving me this wonderful opportunity to learn and explore new ideas on this platform.

Thank you,

Adrika Sahu, Class 8 A

Growing with Confidence: Understanding Puberty at Lotus Petals Foundation

 

Puberty.pdf by Manisha Khanna

Students from the Lotus Petals Foundation recently came together to share their thoughts and understanding about puberty, a vital stage of growing up. Through open discussions and interactive sessions, they expressed how their bodies and emotions are changing, and how gaining knowledge about these changes helps them feel more confident and prepared. They talked about physical developments like height, voice changes, and menstruation, as well as emotional shifts such as mood swings and growing independence. The students emphasized the importance of hygiene, healthy habits, and respectful communication during this phase. Their reflections showed a strong sense of curiosity, maturity, and the positive impact of a supportive learning environment.

Shining Through: Sunbeam School Lahartara

 

Through the Sunbeam Lens: My Learning and Growth by Manisha Khanna 

Learning doesn't end when the lesson is over—it continues when we take a moment to pause and reflect. At Sunbeam School, reflection has become a powerful tool in helping us connect with what we've learned, how we've learned, and who we've become through the process. By reflecting on our past experiences, successes, and even failures, we gain clarity, insight, and direction for the future. Reflection allows us to understand not just the what, but the why behind our learning. It turns information into wisdom and routine into purpose. Whether it's a class project, a group activity, or a personal challenge, reflecting helps us recognise our growth and identify where we can improve. In doing so, we become more mindful learners—more thoughtful, confident, and self-aware.

My Good School, Sunday the 1st June 2025

Screening of Episode 18 सुमेरू (चेतना): Allegory: A Tapestry of Guru Nanak's Travels by Amardeep Singh 

The Sunday School began with introductions and technical setup, followed by a presentation of a documentary series focusing on northern Pakistan and Tibet, exploring Guru Nanak's teachings and historical connections in the region. Discussions covered various geographical, cultural, and spiritual aspects of the area, including Mount Kailash, Baltistan, and the India-Pakistan border region. The conversation ended with an overview of Guru Nanak's travels and teachings, emphasizing the spiritual wisdom he documented rather than historical details of his journeys.

Next steps

• Amardeep: Continue filming and production of the documentary series on Indic aims as mentioned in the discussion
• Kunal: Write and share the impact study report about Guru Nanak allegory's influence on My Good School's growth with Amardeep
• Amardeep: Schedule and conduct Episode 19 viewing session after July 15th due to travel commitments

Summary

Meeting Setup and Participant Introduction

Jugjiv opens the meeting and greets participants as they join. He confirms that he has host controls and discusses scheduling with Amardeep for future meetings. Jugjiv then asks participants to rename themselves with their names and schools for easier identification. As more people join, Jugjiv decides to start the meeting, noting that it will be a long session and others can join as they proceed.

Documentary on Pakistan-Tibet Border Regions

Amardeep introduces episode 18 of his documentary series, which focuses on the northern regions of Pakistan and Tibet. He highlights that these areas are less accessible to Indians due to political boundaries. The episode, which is over an hour long, begins with a message about the essence of Guru Nanak's teachings, emphasizing the importance of intent over rituals. Amardeep also touches on themes of religious commercialization, the power of creation, and the historical connections between regions now separated by political borders.

Historical Border Freedom and Diversity

Amardeep presents a video about the historical freedom of movement across borders in the region, particularly focusing on the now-extinct settlement of Boogie Kingdom at Saparag. The video, which is in a language other than English, appears to discuss cultural and religious diversity in the area, mentioning Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and British. Amardeep plans to end the episode after showing the extinct settlement and then move on to Kailash man server.

Multilingual Meeting With Limited Context

The meeting transcript appears to be a mix of different languages and disjointed phrases, making it difficult to provide a coherent summary. The only clear segment is at the end where Jugjiv speaks in English, mentioning that participants can ask questions in the chat and starts to ask Amardeep a question. Without more context or coherent discussion, it's not possible to provide a meaningful summary of decisions, alignments, or action items from this transcript.

Guru Nanak's Spiritual Journeys

The discussion covers Guru Nanak's travels to Kailash Mansar over and Baltistan. Amardeep explains the spiritual significance of Mount Kailash as a gathering place for ascetics and its importance in feeding the Asian subcontinent's water systems. He highlights Guru Nanak's dialogue with Nath Jogis at Kailash, emphasizing the importance of respectful discussions in spiritual matters. The conversation then moves to Mansar over and Rakshastal lakes, representing wisdom and negativity respectively. Amardeep also discusses the challenges of filming in these high-altitude areas and the profound messages conveyed through Guru Nanak's travels in Ladakh and Baltistan.

Soham Mantra and Mount Kailash

Amardeep explains the meaning of the mantra "Soham," breaking it down to "So" (that) and "Hum" (me), emphasizing that the cosmic energy resides within oneself. He then attempts to play an audio or video clip about Mount Kailash, but encounters technical difficulties. The clip, once playing, describes Mount Kailash's geographical and spiritual significance, mentioning its height, surrounding rivers, and importance in various religious traditions.

Multilingual Meeting Summary

The transcript appears to be a mixture of Korean and Romanian languages without a clear topic or coherent conversation. Due to the lack of meaningful content and the language barrier, it is not possible to provide a summary that meets the given guidelines.

Baltistan: Borderland Cultures and Landscapes

Amardeep discusses various geographical and cultural aspects of the India-Pakistan border region, focusing on Baltistan. He mentions mountain ranges, glaciers, and the Line of Control that passes through the area. The conversation touches on religious diversity in the region, including Hindu and Muslim populations, as well as linguistic elements.

Guru Nanak's Spiritual Journeys Overview

Amardeep presents an overview of Guru Nanak's travels and teachings. He explains that Guru Nanak did not write about his own life or travels, but left 928 verses of spiritual wisdom in scripture. The details of Guru Nanak's journeys come from hagiographies written by followers 60-150 years after his life, based on oral traditions. Amardeep emphasizes that Guru Nanak's focus was on documenting spiritual insights rather than historical details. He notes that Guru Nanak's verses demonstrate deep knowledge of various religious traditions he encountered in his travels, showing how travel broadened his wisdom.

A Recording Of The Session

Reflection questions that will help deepen your understanding of yourself and the world around you.

1. Thinking about your awareness
   What does "consciousness" mean to you, and how do you stay aware of your thoughts and actions in daily life?

2. Recalling a deeper moment
   Have you ever experienced a time when you felt truly connected to something bigger than yourself—nature, people, or a quiet inner feeling? What was that moment like?

3. Considering your daily interactions
   How can you become more mindful and present when you're talking, listening, or spending time with others?

4. Exploring the idea of unity
   Guru Nanak spoke of a universal consciousness that exists in everyone. How can understanding this help us become more empathetic and accepting of people from different backgrounds?

5. Reflecting on your inner world
   In what ways can taking time to reflect on your thoughts and feelings help you understand your values, goals, and purpose better?

Reflection helps us pause, understand ourselves better, and grow through our experiences. We invite you to share your takeaways or reflections as a post and send it to mk@learningforward.org.in.

Through Our Eyes: Sunbeam School Lahartara

 

Shining Within: Insights from Sunbeam Learners by Manisha Khanna

At Sunbeam School Lahartara, every reflection is a step toward self-awareness and growth. As our students pause to look back on their experiences, they are not just recounting events—they are learning to understand themselves, their emotions, and their journey. With each thoughtful word, they demonstrate how reflection helps shape responsible, empathetic, and mindful individuals.

It is truly heart-warming to see how wonderfully our students have captured their thoughts, turning everyday moments into meaningful insights. Their reflections speak of curiosity, learning, challenges, and triumphs—woven together with sincerity and depth. This process of thinking, feeling, and expressing is not only helping them grow as learners but also as thoughtful human beings.

Purpose To Live - Arfa Khan

We all have a purpose. Our purpose gives us a reason to wake up each day. Without a purpose, our lives feel meaningless. Our lives become equivalent to wandering on a crooked path with no destination. In a world where money, power, and status are chased, we often forget what truly matters: a meaningful life. These pursuits don’t fulfill our existential emptiness; after all, there is always a question of why we ‘need’ power or status. To boast about it? Is that our purpose? Of course not! Our purpose plays a role here too; just chasing after material wealth won't solve the lack of meaning. Without awareness of the motive, our lives would be stuck in an endless cycle, waking up without a goal and then working a regular job to support a meaningless life financially. To find a reason to work, to live, and to keep going, we must find our purpose, but how?

Imagine you are held at gunpoint. While you’re begging to be set free to live, the criminal says, “Give me just one reason why I should let you live”. What would be your answer? That’s your purpose. A soldier’s purpose is to protect his nation’s land; an artist’s purpose is to amuse everyone’s eyes with their art; a doctor’s purpose is to save lives; an activist’s purpose is to fight for equality; and a mother’s purpose is to care for her child.

Finding our purpose takes time and requires a lot of pondering. Maybe it resides in one’s passions—to care for a loved one or to fight for justice and freedom. It gives us a reason to keep pushing forward—something to live for and die for. Each person has their own purpose, and you can find yours.

Arfa Khan

8-A  

Ahlcon Public School

Image courtesy: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/603975000052552263/