My Good School, Sunday the 8th June 2025

Watch a recording of the session on YouTube

https://youtu.be/MyGoodSchool

Critical thinking question. 

Focus on values such as kindness, uncertainty, responsibility, fairness, and choice.

🌱 1. The Umbrella and the Smile

 Anaya gave an extra umbrella to an old woman in the rain. She felt good but worried, "What if I need it later?"

अनाया ने बारिश में अपनी एक अतिरिक्त छतरी एक बुज़ुर्ग महिला को दे दी। उसे अच्छा लगा, लेकिन सोचा, "अगर बाद में मुझे इसकी ज़रूरत पड़ी तो?"

Q: Why do you think people help others even when they're unsure about the future?

प्रश्न: लोग दूसरों की मदद क्यों करते हैं, जब वे भविष्य को लेकर अनिश्चित होते हैं?

🧃 2. The Last Juice Box

 Aarav had only one juice box in his bag. His friend was tired and thirsty, so Aarav gave it to him.

आरव के पास बैग में केवल एक जूस था। उसका दोस्त थका हुआ था और प्यासा भी, इसलिए आरव ने उसे दे दिया।

Q: Was Aarav’s choice wise? Why or why not?

प्रश्न: क्या आरव का निर्णय सही था? क्यों या क्यों नहीं?

⏰ 3. The Group Project

Riya did all the work for the group project because her teammates didn't help. They all got the same grade.

रिया ने ग्रुप प्रोजेक्ट का सारा काम अकेले किया क्योंकि उसके साथी मदद नहीं कर रहे थे। फिर भी सभी को समान अंक मिले।

Q: Do you think it's fair when everyone gets credit for one person's effort?

प्रश्न: जब एक व्यक्ति का काम सबको समान रूप से सराहा जाता है, तो क्या यह उचित है?

💧 4. The Forgotten Bottle

 Rahul forgot his water bottle. His classmate offered to share, even though she had little left.

 राहुल अपनी पानी की बोतल भूल गया। उसकी सहपाठी ने थोड़ा ही पानी होने पर भी उसे साझा किया।

Q: What does this tell you about sharing during difficult times?

प्रश्न: यह कठिन समय में साझा करने के बारे में आपको क्या सिखाता है?

🖍️ 5. The Broken Crayon

Meera accidentally broke another student's crayon. She felt bad and gave her a replacement crayon.

मीरा ने गलती से किसी और की क्रेयॉन तोड़ दी। उसे बुरा लगा और उसने अपनी क्रेयॉन उसे दे दी।

Q: Why is it important to take responsibility for our mistakes?

प्रश्न: अपनी गलती की जिम्मेदारी लेना क्यों ज़रूरी है?

🕊️ 6. The Bird on the Window

A bird sat quietly on the classroom window. Everyone wanted to scare it away, but Ishaan said, "Let's just watch it."

एक चिड़िया चुपचाप कक्षा की खिड़की पर बैठी थी। सब उसे उड़ाना चाहते थे, लेकिन ईशान ने कहा, "आओ, बस इसे देखें।"

Q: What does this moment teach us about patience and respect for life?

प्रश्न: यह पल हमें धैर्य और जीवन के प्रति सम्मान के बारे में क्या सिखाता है?

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.

My Good School, Sunday the 25th May 2025

Reflective questions based on Chapter 4: Great Expectations from The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn:

Theme: Interpersonal Skills & Compassion

Reflective Questions:

1. How does Carl's interaction with the people on his book route reflect his ability to listen, empathise, and respond compassionately?
   → Consider how Carl changes his approach to people and what this says about the importance of listening with understanding rather than judgment.

2. In this chapter, how do Carl and Schascha begin to build trust and mutual respect? What does this reveal about the importance of patience and open-minded communication in relationships?
   → Consider how interpersonal skills like respect and adaptability influence the growing connection between them.

3. Reflect on a moment when Carl goes beyond his duty as a book deliverer. How does this act show his growth in compassion and emotional intelligence? How can you apply a similar mindset in your own life?
   → Draw parallels between Carl’s actions and your own experiences with empathy or kindness.

 चिंतनशील प्रश्न (Reflective Questions) डॉ. अनुपम सिब्बल की पुस्तक "क्या आपका बच्चा दुनिया का सामना करने के लिए तैयार है?" के अध्याय "संवेदना" पर आधारित, हिंदी में:

1. अध्याय में वर्णित कहानी में संवेदना का व्यवहार किस प्रकार न केवल प्राप्तकर्ता को बल्कि देने वाले को भी प्रभावित करता है? क्या आपके जीवन में कभी ऐसा अनुभव हुआ है जब आपने करुणा दिखाई हो और उसका असर गहरा महसूस किया हो?
   → विचार करें कि एक सरल दयालुता का कार्य कैसे संबंधों में सकारात्मक परिवर्तन ला सकता है।

2. यह अध्याय दूसरों की भावनाओं को समझने और प्रतिक्रिया देने से पहले सोचने के महत्व को कैसे दर्शाता है? यह जीवन की कठिनाइयों से निपटने में कैसे सहायक होता है?
   → सोचें कि कैसे भावनात्मक समझदारी संघर्ष को टाल सकती है और विश्वास बना सकती है।

3. आज की प्रतिस्पर्धी दुनिया में बच्चों में संवेदना जैसे गुण कैसे विकसित किए जा सकते हैं? इसमें परिवार, विद्यालय और समाज की क्या भूमिका होनी चाहिए?
   → अपने आसपास के वातावरण से जोड़कर सोचें — कहाँ और कैसे संवेदना को बढ़ावा दिया जा सकता है।

Reflection holds a vital place in education. It deepens learning, encourages self-awareness, and helps students and educators evaluate their thoughts, emotions, and actions. Through reflection, individuals grow more empathetic, mindful, and responsible. It transforms knowledge into experience and experience into meaningful life learning.

So let us pause, think, and share. Authentic learning begins with reflection.

We invite everyone to reflect on the questions above and share their reflective responses by emailing them to mk@learningforward.org.in.

Sunbeam Moments: Learning, Growing and Glowing!

Sunbeam Moments: Learning, Growing, Glowing.pptx by Manisha Khanna

Students from Sunbeam School Lahartara shared thoughtful reflections on the Sunday School stories of Guru Nanak’s travels and Kubja Ji. Guru Nanak’s journey inspired them to value humility, equality, and compassion. Kubja Ji’s story taught them the power of kindness and inner beauty. Their reflections showed a growing understanding of empathy, respect, and the strength of moral values in daily life.The story of Kubja, the legendary hunchbacked woman of Mathura. Guru Nanak and Oneness, what we learnt from the session with Amardeep Singh, at the screening of Allegory: A Tapestry of Guru Nanak’s Travels Episode 17. Our understanding of religion, belief and much more.

Retirement- The Last Phase of a Life

    Retirement- The Last Phase of a life

In this phase of life of retirement, we are not set to just enjoy our own selfishness by playing golf, partying, or travelling. Do these things, but remember that god has sent you into this beautiful world, in the most intelligent form of living, to do something for society as well. Do something for humanity and show empathy to the people who need it. 

Help someone who is struggling with some kind of addiction; you can help some kids who are not able to afford education; you can teach them; you can just go to an old age home and talk to the people there.

It's up to you to decide what mark you want to leave on this world in your last phase of life.

At last, I would like to mention a very beautiful quote by Oprah Winfrey: "Use me, God! Show me how to take who I am, who I want to be, and what I can do, and use it for a purpose greater than myself. "

Shaurya Chaturvedi
VIII-B
Sunbeam Hostel Lahartara

God the creator - Nishan Karki

God is the divine power who gave us many qualities like wisdom, kindness and empathy. We should take advantage of these qualities to maintain peace worldwide.

If we keep the peace, we can live a happy and simple life with fewer demerits and more benefits.

We should thank God or the creator for filling us with these qualities.

From: Nishan Karki
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2022 at 21:21

--

Shelja Thakur
Pestalozzi World Local Alumni Coordinator and Senior Student Liaison Officer
https://pestalozziworld.com/about/where-we-work/indian-village/

Inspired by:

Quality - Arav Agarwal

Quality is how something or someone is. Everyone has unique qualities, and we need an environment to develop our qualities. At My Good School, we all are building various qualities like leadership, listening, and teamwork. We all can choose the qualities we want within us by being self-aware, responsible, willing to learn and explore and mindful of ourselves and our surroundings.

“Quality is more important than quantity” - Steve Jobs.

Our mentor explained in our mind-body cricket session that it does not matter how many balls you play or the number of overs you bowl, but what matters is the quality of your batting and bowling, as that is what everyone will remember about us.

I feel that our qualities become our character. So, to build these qualities, we want others to remember us as we should be passionate and act with integrity, empathy, kindness and patience, as these are the basic foundations of human values to live a successful and wonderful life.

Name: Arav Agarwal
Grade: 6A
Billabong High International School, Thane

Empathy - Karanveer

KARANVEER

CLASS- 7TH

AHLCON PUBLIC SCHOOL

Empathy - Bhumi Chawla

 ACROSTIC POEM

SUBJECT: EMPATHY

Everybody needs empathy

Model or a celebrity

Put yourself in their shoes

Ask if you can help

Treat others the way you want to be treated

Help and be compassionate

You'll make them feel better

I understand.

Name: Bhumi Chawla

   Class: 7th-A

School: Ahlcon Public School

Totto-Chan - Anvesha Rana

I wish I could be a little more like her, 

for Totto-Chan would be a true dreamer, 

Her incidents can make you laugh out loud, 

and her innocence can create love around. 

Totto-Chan is so much fun, 

      She can pass through barbed wires without a grunt, 

  She makes up her own crazy games, 

and plays them without any aims. 

I have never seen another like her, 

So sensitive and empathetic, 

and yet so succumb. 

She can make anyone a friend, 

from Takashi to Yasuaki-Chan, 

all of them are mates. 

Totto-Chan is truly a gem, 

living the way she loves to, 

by sliding down a cesspool, 

or standing in the sand for a

time too long!

I wish I could be a little more like her!

Anvesha Rana, 

Grade 10-B, 

Gyanshree School

Getting To Know You,life - Reveda Bhatt

So, today, I'll tell you a truth that humans need to face boldly.

First of all, let's ask ourselves once what life means? I think life is just a path leading to a very mournful destination- death!

When you realize the meaning of this one statement profoundly, the first question popping into your mind is that 'Then what am I struggling for!?' If this is it, then you are back on the right path - I mean working really hard to earn money, not being a spendthrift, saving it for your future generations and then, after getting old, waiting for 'the payback' from your children for what all you've done for them but when you get what you expected or have more than you expected, it is too late.

At that particular point in time, all the places in the world long for your presence to be there, but your life doesn't allow you to, and by the time the reality hits you, you get a callback from where it all began. So, see, where you are, at this moment, this place is unique, so why not live life to your best right now, and not think about what's ahead or what's the end, cherish every moment so, at last, you do not blame anyone or anything for not being able to, and that's just life, the sooner you understand it, the better it'll be!

Reveda Bhatt 
Class 9
The Aryan School

Omoiyari - Rishona Chopra

Omoiyari is the Japanese art of compassion. It is a form of selfless empathy and compassion. It is when you put yourself in their shoes. Japan uses Omoiyari as in their country; care, consideration, and kindness underpin all aspects of daily life in Japan.

The most important part is that they don't force anyone to do it it is simply their lifestyle. It is just about making others happy and comfortable, and as they say, "Make Others Happy, and you will be happy too"!

"Know the pain of others by pinching yourself."

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Empathy - Ushita Saxena

Empathy is when you connect with someone. When you understand someone's feelings and know what to tell them. When you observe someone suffering, you may be able to imagine yourself in their shoes and sympathise with them. 

Have you ever heard of the term "sympathy"? Sympathy and Empathy may sound like synonyms, but actually, they aren't! Sympathy is when you feel sorry for someone from your own perspective. Empathy is when you put yourself in someone else's shoes and understand why they feel that way. This is a significant difference to understand. Let's take an example. Your friend's sibling died, and they are feeling super sad. What would you do? If you were to sympathise, you would say things like 'I'm sorry you're feeling that way or 'It's okay. Don't worry about something like that. But if you were to empathise, you would say things like, 'I have been there and be sad too.  

Empathy is essential as it helps build connections with people and bond with them. Social relationships are necessary for your body and your mental state. Empathising with people makes them empathise with you and spreads it.  

To practice Empathy and influence it, you can do a ton of stuff, such as: i. Work on listening to people without interrupting 

ii. Pay attention to body language and other types of nonverbal  communication 

iii. Try to understand people, even when you disagree with them iv. Ask people questions to learn more about them and their lives 

To conclude, Empathy is when you understand that person and know what they are feeling, which can prepare you for telling them about it. It helps in socialising and creating bonds. Sympathy and Empathy are very different; sympathy is when you feel sorry for them passively, and Empathy Is when you are sorry for them in a more active way and feel what they are feeling. 

"If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours."  

Ushita 

Grade: 6A

Gyanshree School

Empathy - Rishona Chopra

Empathy is understanding others' feelings and reacting accordingly. It is to feel what they are feeling, to be in their shoes.

We often misunderstand Empathy and Sympathy. Sympathy is when we feel pity for someone, while Empathy is feeling what the other person thinks and helping them out. If your friend won a basketball match, you can understand his feelings and be happy for him and celebrate his happiness. Even if you hate basketball, after being happy for him and by making him happy, you feel good too. This is where Empathy connects with Making Others Happy. 

The above picture shows how two people can connect and understand each other as one. This is all because of Empathy.

Here is a poem I wrote on Empathy:

Empathy is something so strong, 
It senses when something is wrong.

It connects us together,
And we become as calm as the weather!

I know how you feel,
And we can together heal.

I feel your pleasure and pain,
But empathy is a feeling, and it's hard to explain.

Understanding each other's feelings,

makes you look appealing,

it helps you make friends,

and makes fights end!!

It might be a bit difficult,
but it's nothing different.

Everyone should understand it,
at least a little bit!!

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Friendship - Akshar Rajpurohit

Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between people. Friendship is a more vital form of interpersonal bond than an association. Friendship has been studied in academic fields such as communication, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and philosophy. Various educational theories of friendship have been proposed, including social exchange theory, equality theory, relational dialectics, and attachment styles.

Such characteristics include affection; kindness, love, virtue, sympathy, empathy, honesty, altruism, loyalty, mutual understanding and compassion, enjoyment of each other company, trust, and the ability to be oneself, express one's feelings to others and make mistakes without fear of judgement from the friend.

Name: Akshar Rajpurohit

Grade: XI Commerce

The Fabindia School

Empathy - Rishona Chopra

Empathy is to understand one's feelings. Having empathy is a unique quality as understanding one, especially when you are having a fight with someone, is difficult. Empathy is essential; it helps you understand your feelings, know them better, and help make friends. It also enables you to get out of small fights.

Here is a short poem I wrote on empathy-

Understanding each other's feelings,

makes you look appealing,

it helps you make friends,

and makes fights end!!

It might be a bit difficult,
but it's nothing different.
Everyone should understand it,
at least a little bit!!

Rishona Chopra
Grade V
Gyanshree School

Empathy - Aanya Kumar

A short acrostic poem on the value - EMPATHY -

E- asy to learn

M- akes everything fun

P- eople with humanity

A- nd great personality

T- hat is why it is to be known by all

H- umanity comes within

Y- ou practice it with empathy!

Aanya Kumar

Gyanshree School

Grade 5

Empathy - Anusha Jain

Anusha Jain, IX-D, Ahlcon Public School
I am very fond of reading, and Harry Potter is my favourite series.

My Empathy Collage

The highest form of knowledge is Empathy. It is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, feeling with the heart of another. Empathy is an action we take to benefit someone after keeping ourselves in someone else's shoes. It will help to shape a more civil society and a humane world. 

The concept of Empathy is not limited to other humans. Empathy towards nature, our surroundings, our animals, and, most importantly, towards ourselves is essential. My collage below is all about my feelings and emotions related to Empathy.

Compassion - Simar Kaur

‘Compassion is to look beyond your own pain, to see the pain of others.’

From tying someone’s shoelace to saving someone’s life. It’s all compassion. Compassion is something that makes our world a better place to live.

It is a beautiful feeling, and an exceptional warmth fills your heart by the end of it. It makes a rough day better in an instant. Sadly, nowadays, we are missing out on the essence of this warmth. The sole reason for that is our greed, our desire to lead an extraordinary life.

Recently, the world was in mayhem because of COVID-19, as it took away the lives of so many. When the second wave hit, innumerable people lost their lives. Towards the end of April, the situation became truly horrid. I lost my own grandfather. Many people were hurt in the lap of just five to six days.

During this time, numerous people came out and helped all in distress. One of them was the now

Padmashri Awardee Jitender Singh Shunty. Shunty runs an NGO called ‘Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa

Dal’ and has been running it for the last 25 years. His NGO helps organise free cremation for

people who cannot afford it and for unclaimed bodies. The danger the pandemic imposed did

not stop Shunty from helping others. He cremated over 4000 lives. He gave many people the last chance to say goodbye to their loved ones. 

He is an actual role model and a shining ray of hope for many. I’m sure we all have learnt a lot from the

second wave of COVID-19. This is compassion- the ability to sympathise and empathise with others and be there for others when they need it the most. It is something that we need more of

in today’s world. And the feeling you get after doing something kind and compassionate; is the

most beautiful in the world.

Name: Simar Kaur

Class: 9B

School: Gyanshree school

Compassion - Savyata Rijal

Compassion-the nature of humanity, it's the essence. It is to feel someone else's pain as one's own and act in a way to reduce that pain.

There is nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness-

John Connolly.

Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength -

Dalai Lama

Now that we think about the word 'compassion', it probably makes us feel like we can do something like that. It makes us feel like we should stand up for the people and portray our compassion in our own small way.

I would share this example- how the founder of early 'Big Hit Entertainment' or today's 'Hybe Entertainment' stepped in and helped a now 'BTS' member 'Suga' debut during his training period! You probably wouldn't imagine, but even Min yoongi was not born into a wealthy family, he had difficulty; he struggled during that time because he had to decide between saving money for food or to use for the bus, he thought about losing his dream of debuting because of it. But then Mr Band Si Hyuk stepped in and gave him time to let up and pay for his tuition. He helped him debut and let us know the rapper 'suga'.

Not just Mr Bang Si Hyuk but also inspiring people like Mother Teresa have also been very compassionate. They inspire us and help us become a better person. Our parents also help us become better people, and they should never stop us from helping the ones in need. Parental support and guidance will help us become more sensitive and compassionate beings.

Savyata Rijal
Grade 8
The Doon Girls School