The Courage to Be Ordinary — What I Learned

The most powerful lesson from The Courage to Be Ordinary is that we do not need to be extraordinary to be worthy.

• Stop proving. Start living.
• Stop comparing. Start becoming.
• Stop seeking approval. Start trusting yourself.
• Stop chasing perfection. Start embracing progress.

Being ordinary is not weakness; it is freedom from the pressure to be special. Growth should come from curiosity, not comparison. Your worth is not measured by applause, achievements, or recognition. A meaningful life is not necessarily a remarkable life in the eyes of others. True courage is having the confidence to be yourself without needing to outshine anyone. Peace begins when the race to prove your worth ends.

The deepest lesson:

You don’t have to stand above everyone to live a life that matters. Sometimes, the greatest strength is simply being comfortable in your own place, growing at your own pace, and finding meaning in an ordinary life.

Varsha Banerjee

Sunbeam School Lahartara

My Good School, 29th March 2026

Sunday morning with Karkit Bajoria

To learn proposal writing and discuss book reading with Kartik Bajoria and Jugjiv Singh.

Key Takeaways

• Frame requests as opportunities: Present your need as a valuable opportunity for the recipient, not a subservient request.

• Use a 5-part structure: A proposal should include Context, Proposition, Recipient Advantages, Preemptive Solutions, and a “Big Idea” conclusion.

• Predict and solve problems upfront: Address potential recipient concerns directly in the proposal to demonstrate foresight and save time.

• Adopt a “parallel career” mindset: Turn negative self-talk (“I can’t”) into a concrete goal (“I will”) to overcome inertia and pursue dreams.

Topics

Proposal Writing Strategy

• Core Principle: Convert requests into opportunities for the recipient.

• Key Elements:

  • Context: Provide relevant background to justify the request.

  • Proposition: State the request clearly and concisely.

  • Recipient Advantages: Detail 2–3 unique benefits for the recipient.

  • Preemptive Solutions: Address potential problems before they are raised.

  • Big Idea: Frame the proposal as part of a larger, meaningful movement.

• Practical Tips:

  • Tone: Communicate on equal terms; avoid subservient language.

  • Language: Use cautious phrasing (“great likelihood”) instead of promises, as emails are legal documents.

  • Format: Use simple salutations (“Dear Sir/Ma’am”) and sign-offs (“Regards”).

Case Study: Tennis Academy Proposal

• Scenario: Propose a 10-day coaching camp to the Mahesh Bhupati Tennis Academy.

• Brainstormed Ideas:

  • Context: New school courts, rising student interest, and local players succeeding on the international stage.

  • Recipient Advantages: Access new markets (e.g., smaller towns) and recruit future talent.

  • Preemptive Solutions:

    • Concern: Low student turnout → Solution: Invite other local schools.

    • Concern: Poor infrastructure → Solution: Highlight recently built, world-class courts.

    • Concern: High resource investment → Solution: Offer school faculty to assist coaches.

Book Reading: “What You’re Looking For is in the Library”

• Plot: Ryo, an accounts clerk, dreams of opening an antique shop but lacks the courage.

• Key Learnings from Yasuhara (bookshop owner):

  • Parallel Careers: A second job provides mental fulfilment, making the primary job less burdensome.

  • Courage of Conviction: Act on your beliefs, even when difficult.

  • “Turn the Don’t into a Goal”: Reframe negative self-talk into a concrete objective.

  • Start Now: Don’t wait for the “right time”; connections and opportunities arise from action.

Next Steps

• All Participants:

  • Write a reflection on the session’s takeaways.

  • Send reflections to Manisha Khanna for publication on the website.

  • Research: How much of a plant’s mass is in its roots?

• Manisha Khanna:

  • Publish submitted reflections on the website.

• Kartik:

• Lead an in-person session at the April 10-14 My Good School Retreat.

• 
  FATHOM AI-generated summary, read with care.

"Sunday School" concept, emphasising curiosity and creativity without exams

My Good School Mar 8, 10:20 am, 1 hr 42 min

The discussion centred on the impact of exam-focused education systems, highlighting the stress and reduced instructional time they cause. Brinda and Jugjiv Singh shared experiences of residential school environments and the benefits of continuous assessment. The conversation shifted to the "Sunday School" concept, emphasizing curiosity and creativity without exams. They read a chapter from "The Treasure of the Spiders," discussing Gerald's interactions with Theodore, a biologist, and his fascination with trapdoor spiders. The session concluded with a quiz on reading habits and a presentation on "Atomic Habits," stressing the importance of small, consistent changes for building good habits. Manisha read a chapter in Hindi from Ruskin Bond’s The Whistling Schoolboy.

What You’re Looking For in the Library, and a Hindi story from, “The Whistling Schoolboy”

Sunday School of 1st March 2026

To read and discuss two books, focusing on themes of ambition and school life.

Key Takeaways

• Low Attendance Due to Exams: Final exams for classes 9 & 11 (home) and 10 & 12 (board) significantly reduced student attendance.

• Dual-Book Format: The session featured two books: a Japanese novel, What You’re Looking For in the Library, and a Hindi story, “The Whistling Schoolboy” from Kabhi Kabhi School Masti Ka Adda Lagta Tha.

• Core Themes: The English novel explored ambition vs. responsibility through protagonist Ryo’s dream of opening an antique shop. The Hindi story used humour to highlight the fun, non-academic parts of school life, like plays and food.

• “Parallel Career” Concept: A key idea from the English novel, a “parallel career” (coined by Peter Drucker), was introduced as a way to pursue two complementary careers without one being secondary.

Topics

Context: Low Attendance & New Participant

• Low student attendance was attributed to ongoing final exams across many schools.

• Shailaja from Holi Sai International School (Chennai, IGCSE) joined for the first time to observe the session.

• Jugjiv Singh provided an overview of the program’s goal: using books to spark dialogues on life skills and socio-emotional learning.

English Book: What You’re Looking For in the Library

• Recap: The session began by reading student blog reflections to recap the story.

  • Plot: Ryo, stuck in a finance job, dreams of opening an antique shop.

  • Librarian’s Role: Ms Komachi gives Ryo a book on worms and a felted cat, prompting him to discover a cat-themed bookshop, “Cats Now Books.”

• Reading & Discussion:

  • Ryo’s Work Stress: Ryo is burdened by his boss’s lack of software skills and an unmotivated assistant.

  • Hina’s Family Pressure: Hina’s parents see Ryo as a “steady chap” and hint at marriage, creating pressure that conflicts with his dream of running an antique shop.

  • “Parallel Career” Concept: Ryo learns this term from Peter Drucker, defined as two complementary careers in which neither is secondary.

Hindi Book: Ekanki Swang - Natak

• Pre-Reading Quiz: A quiz on “fun school moments” served as a warm-up, with students identifying activities like sharing jokes and playing during free periods as key to enjoyment.

• Reading: The story, read by Manisha Khanna, used humour to describe the author’s experiences at boarding school.

  • Plays: Rehearsals were a fun escape from mandatory study.

  • Food: The author would intentionally finish last in races to stop at a tikki/samosa stall, highlighting the importance of food in school life.

  • Library: The library was a favourite place, made lively by the senior master, Mr Knight.

• Discussion: The story sparked a discussion on the importance of food in boarding schools, with participants sharing anecdotes about hunger and the quality of school meals.

Program Calendar & Logistics

• Manisha Khanna shared the March calendar to provide context for new participants.

• Weekly Schedule:

  • Sundays: Dual book readings (English & Hindi).

  • Saturdays: Professional learning for teachers and a masterclass for students.

  • Fridays: “Brewing Knowledge” meet-and-greets with published authors.

• Upcoming Event: A retreat is scheduled for April 10–14 at Mayoor School Jaipur.

Next Steps

• Students: Write and submit reflections on the stories.

• Manisha Khanna: Publish student reflections on the program blog.

A structured approach for writing effective book reviews

 

Kartik Bajoria at the Sunday School

We discussed the impact of the AI Summit in Delhi, which affected traffic and hotel prices. Kartik, a communication expert, led a session on book review writing, emphasising the balance between facts and opinions. He shared a detailed structure for writing reviews, including context, premise, characters, conflict, plot, language, resolution, themes, and conclusion. Participants discussed an excerpt from a book about Rio, highlighting the author’s dream of opening an antique shop and his relationship with Hina. The session also covered the importance of dreams, practical steps for starting a business, and the role of libraries in supporting such endeavours. Ms Brinda Ghosh and Ms Manisha Khanna led a session about learning through stories. Maira Jalan 8th shared her reflections, highlighting the engaging storytelling by Ms Brinda Ghosh and the informative session by Ms Manisha Khanna, which included a story by Ruskin Bond. The discussion emphasised the importance of personal takeaways from reading and reflection, as outlined by James Clear in \” Atomic Habits.\” Maira was encouraged to review the book and share insights. The session concluded with well-wishes for upcoming exams and a reminder to apply the lessons learned.

Key Takeaways

• Balance Fact & Opinion: A good review combines objective facts (plot, characters) with subjective opinions (pacing, style), clearly signalling the latter with phrases like “in my opinion.”

• Uncover Deeper Themes: Look beyond the surface story for the author’s underlying commentary on society, politics, or human nature.

• Use a Standard Structure: Follow a logical flow: Context → Premise → Characters/Conflict → Plot → Execution → Resolution → Themes → Conclusion.

• Title Last: Write the review first, then craft a short (1–3 word), catchy title that teases the content without spoiling it.

Topics

The Why & What of Book Reviews

• Purpose: Deepen personal understanding and help others decide if a book is worth their time.

• Core Principle: Balance fact and opinion.

  • Facts: Objective details (plot, characters, setting).

  • Opinions: Subjective judgments (pacing, style, themes).

• Signal Opinions: Use phrases like “in my opinion” to avoid ambiguity and prevent readers from feeling judged by your views.

A Standard Structure for Reviews

• 1. Context & Premise

  • Context: Brief author background or series history.

  • Premise: A one-sentence summary of the story.

• 2. Characters & Conflict

  • Protagonist: The main character.

  • Antagonist: The opposing force.

  • Conflict: The central challenge (internal or external).

• 3. Plot & Execution

  • Plot: The sequence of events.

  • Execution: Analysis of writing style, language, and pacing.

• 4. Resolution & Themes

  • Resolution: The story’s ending and character outcomes.

  • Themes: The author’s deeper messages (e.g., social commentary, mental health).

• 5. Conclusion

  • A final summary of the book’s value and target audience.

Live Application & Feedback

• Case Study 1: “The Bushel Days” Reflection

  • Feedback: Good factual summary, but lacked personal opinion and analysis.

• Case Study 2: “Talat’s” Reflection

  • Feedback: Overly general praise (“super amazing”) without specific examples or details about the story.

• Case Study 3: “My Good School” Reading

  • Plot: Ryo, an accountant, dreams of opening an antique shop.

  • Conflict: Ryo’s inaction vs. Hina’s proactive ambition (taking classes, planning sales).

  • Catalyst: Librarian Sayuri Komachi challenges Ryo’s “one day” mentality, providing resources to turn his dream into a plan.

Next Steps

• Students: Write a book review using the structure you learned.

• Students: Email reviews (text or photo) to Karthik for feedback.

• Maira Jalan: Prepare a review of James Clear’s Atomic Habits for a future session.

• Kartik: Explore a children’s review section or contest with The Book Review journal.
  
  AI-generated notes by FATHOM, please excuse names and spelling errors.