In today’s reading session, Sir explained the art of framing sentences by focusing on elements like character and situation. At first, it sounded simple and familiar, but in reality, it demands a clear and disciplined way of thinking. The session was not merely a revision; it was a meaningful step toward perfection. Sir emphasised how well-crafted sentences naturally become an integral part of both our reading and writing skills.
Jayant Raj – Class VIII
Sir conducted a very insightful reading session today on framing sentences with the right elements of character and situation. I realised that sentence construction needs patience and clarity of thought. It was a step toward refining our language skills rather than just revising them. The book reading at the end gave us a practical understanding of the topic.
Yuvraj Kesari – Class VIII
My reflection for today is that I learned how to frame a sentence using an image as a reference and add a creative twist to make it more engaging and effective. I really enjoyed the session because it taught us not only how to read, but also how to use our mind in the right direction with the correct approach.
Nikunj Gupta – Class VIII
The reading session today was quite informative, as Sir discussed how character and situation play a major role in sentence formation. What we usually consider easy turned out to be more complex when explained in depth. The session helped strengthen our basics and encouraged us to think better while reading and writing. It concluded with a book reading, which made the learning more effective.
Reflection questions based on Chapter 3, "The Red and the Black," from The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn:
1. Character Perception and Transformation
In this chapter, Carl assigns literary nicknames to his customers, such as "Mr. Darcy" and "Dr. Faustus." How do these names reflect Carl's perception of each individual, and what does this reveal about his character?
2. The Role of Books in Personal Identity
Carl believes that "books and people were made of the same substance." How does this metaphor deepen our understanding of the connection between literature and personal identity?
3. The Impact of Routine on Life
Carl's daily routine of delivering books is disrupted by unforeseen events. Reflect on how routines shape our lives and the challenges that arise when altered.
4. The Influence of External Perspectives
Schascha's presence introduces a fresh perspective into Carl's world. How does her viewpoint challenge Carl's established ways, and what does this suggest about the value of external influences in personal growth?
5. Community and Human Connection
The chapter emphasizes the importance of human connection through shared stories. Reflect on how literature fosters a sense of community and belonging among individuals.
(What small step can you take today to achieve your dream?)
"My Good School" Session: Cultivating Personal Growth through Dreams, Reflections, and Values
Key Insights:
Inner Strength and Stability:
Just as a tree draws strength from its roots, personal stability and resilience stem from one's purpose, passions, and self-belief. These foundational elements guide us through life's challenges.
Dreams as Catalysts for Growth:
Like the inspiring stories of Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., dreams, when aligned with purpose, spark meaningful change and require perseverance and dedication to make a lasting impact.
Authentic Expression Over Judgment:
The meeting emphasised the power of expressing one's true self despite external judgment, highlighting the importance of finding strength in one's individuality and unique talents.
Key Topics Discussed:
The Tree Metaphor: Building Personal Strength
Jugjiv Singh used the metaphor of a fallen tree with weak roots to illustrate the importance of purpose and inner confidence in human development.
The discussion explored how "roots"—purpose, passion, and self-confidence—are a foundation during challenging times, helping individuals remain strong despite life's "storms."
Expressing Emotions and Talents: Antra's Journey
The group watched a video about Antra, a girl who overcame social isolation by embracing her talent for singing.
Lessons focused on the importance of authentically expressing oneself and having supportive mentors in fostering self-confidence.
Discussion centred on judging people by appearances versus recognising their inner strengths.
Book Discussion: "The Door-To-Door Bookstore" Continues
The discussion of Schascha and Carl's relationship revealed how books serve as a tool for personal growth, teaching empathy and the importance of understanding others.
Carl's advice to Schascha, that no single book pleases everyone, highlighted the importance of diverse perspectives for growth.
Dreams and Purpose: Hindi Session with Manisha
Manisha led an insightful session on dreams and their role in defining one's purpose, inspiring students with the examples of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.
The DREAM acronym (Dedication, Respect, Education, Attitude, and Motivation) was introduced, offering a framework for approaching dreams with purpose and intent.
A distinction was made between intrinsic motivation (inner drive) and extrinsic motivation (external rewards).
Ikigai Reflections and Student Projects:
Students shared their "Ikigai" trees, exploring their passions, talents, and aspirations.
Sahiba presented her Ikigai diagram, reflecting her dream of becoming a pilot.
The session also featured creative student projects that illustrated how they are beginning to apply the concepts of purpose and self-discovery in their lives.
Next Steps and Action Points:
Ongoing Reflection: Students are encouraged to continue reflecting on their growth through their Joy of Learning Diaries.
Youth Engagement: The GSA Council will lead initiatives to promote reading and peer leadership among students.
Upcoming Book Reading: Khushi will read from My Good School at a Friday evening (5:30 PM) session.
Dream and Ikigai Reflections: Students will create reflections and diagrams to share, with Chetan offering feedback.
New Initiative: Sandeep announced the development of Dreamtime's My Good School, in collaboration with a partner organisation.
I'd love to hear your reflections on today's session. ๐ Kindly take a moment to share your thoughts and insights by writing an email to mk@learningforward.org.in, or feel free to leave a comment below our post. ✍️ Your ideas and feedback are truly valuable, and I can't wait to read them! ๐ฌ๐
Reading aids learning, understanding, creating, inventing, and inspiring. The selection of books paves the way for the journey of learning. Like a loyal companion, a book serves your sad as well as happy emotions, consoles your gloom, and redirects your pessimistic ideas. They entertain with silly anecdotes from someone’s life and fancies of the authors. They are the true reflection of one’s choices, as the one who loses heart likes the autobiographies, a curious one tries to peep in the books as an explorer, and the one in search with a better understanding sits among the wisdom of great thinkers and reads different views on the same ideas. The books that mirror the efforts of one govern the achievements of someone else, whereas some books pour out the hearts of those who want others to imitate their ideas. Most importantly, the significance of books lies in the choices made by the readers. It is rightly called reflection because the book one reads reflects his thoughts. They magnify the reader’s ideologies. The rhymes of a poet or themes of any author take space in the thoughts, beliefs, and even words of the readers. Think of a polyglot who excels in languages with books or a student who studies the concepts with his teacher’s directions but expresses them with his reflections. Each edition of a book tells a story of the reader whose reflections defined it again.
WRITER VS
READERS
A character of a story remains an immersive experience for its readers. Through the insights of his life, he revives the reflections of the readers. Happiness, sorrow, excitement, or anxiety are the emotions beyond the interest of the reader. Is it what the writer wants its readers to do? Or is it a reader’s choice? Ironically, it’s something that wasn’t and, moreover, can’t be imagined. The writer who fabricates a woof without having experienced it and readers devour it without being one of them. Some of the bitter or best memories gain their vent at a moment in time where the frequency of the reader goes exactly the same as the reader.
What if the reader comes before the writer—the creator of the character? This moment opens another space for them. It’s a beginning to a new journey where the creator rejoices in the praise, appreciation, and liking his character yields, where some new characters come into existence, and where he actually meets his own creation. To a reader, the moment is a completely different place. He who has been struggling with his pain and misery, who has been so excited to find the one with the experiences and ideas akin to him, encounters a reality that’s not true. His acquaintance—the character is merely a fanciful creation. The reader who has already driven out many of his poor thoughts attains a better maturity, turning into a stronger and perfected being.
Hi, Iสผm reading this book and wanted to share this quote with you. "Our dog Barry was a little wimp. As I have mentioned, before he came to us, he had already been passed along by a number of different owners. For the rest of his life he was scared of being abandoned, and he always got extremely worked up when he was taken along while we visited friends. If you are a dog, how are you supposed to know whether you’re going to be handed away yet again? He showed his nervousness by panting non-stop, so we finally gave up, leaving the distressed animal alone in the house for a couple of hours instead. When we got back, it was easy to see that Barry was relaxed. He became deaf in his old age and couldn’t hear us arrive, sleeping soundly until he blinked up at us when he felt the wooden floorboards vibrate under our feet. So Barry is an example of an animal that lacks courage, but we want to take a look at the opposite trait, and to do that, let’s step out into the woods." (from "The Inner Life of Animals: Surprising Observations of a Hidden World" by Peter Wohlleben)
Start reading it for free: https://read.amazon.in/kp/kshare?asin=B01N9YNANU&id=7hayxowfs5a65ereaqlapm6sje
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Read on the go for free - download Kindle for Android, iOS, PC, Mac, and more http://amzn.to/1r0LubW
You might be wondering - why I haven't written this article in story form. It's because this topic has many details to consider. And I think that it's hard to convert it into a good story.
Moving on to the topic, we first need to define the meaning of dimensions. Dimensions may imply different things to different people. It could refer to their life responsibilities (mother, friend, etc.) or personality characteristics and traits. Ultimately, the dimensions of a person cover the numerous qualities that comprise a person.
In my opinion, every role has a dimension that includes attributes. A student's role, for example, may involve characteristics such as procrastination or being studious (the traits vary from person to person). These characteristics and dimensions - create and define the individual's identity and contribute to their unique personality. People's dimensions can also include their talents and abilities, such as creative or intellectual ability. attributes
I won't say that our physical appearance is counted as a dimension; in reality, a person's true worth lies within their character and capabilities. These dimensions shape how individuals interact with the world around them and influence their behaviour and decision-making.
Moreover, they play a crucial role in determining one's personal and professional growth, as they impact one's motivation, resilience, and overall well-being. Therefore, it is essential to recognise and nurture those dimensions to embrace and express one's true self.
To sum it up, dimensions refer to various roles of a person, including different life responsibilities, personality traits, talents, and abilities. They shape behaviour, decision-making, motivation, resilience, and overall well-being and are crucial for personal and professional success. Recognising and nurturing these dimensions is essential.
Restrictions put on children make them disciplined. Now, that would be the common opinion.
But do I support it?
No.
I don't because there shouldn't be restrictions stopping children from doing acts. It should be their morals. Putting restrictions, now be it for their good, makes them question, "Why?" Not getting a proper answer to it just makes them feel more attracted towards the thing restriction was put on because, as we all know, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Then the child just feels like he or she is being stopped from living fully now. That is the worst feeling.
On the other hand, a child inculcated with morals has a sense of what's right or wrong because it's not for the restriction but for the teaching experience!
Therefore, I firmly oppose the idea of putting restrictions because discipline comes from the inner core of your character, which you've maintained not due to being feared but due to having your morals.
Our lifestyle relies on it – the quality of our thoughts, feelings, attitude, habits, personality and finally, our destiny. This means what we believe has a dominating influence on our future. We cannot afford to hold a single wrong belief. Society spreads limiting beliefs like Anger is necessary, Happiness is in achievements, Stress is natural, People and situations decide how I feel, and so on. Believing "anger is necessary", we used anger repeatedly. Although we set such a belief in our mindset, does our destiny know about this belief? It is simply influenced by our thoughts. Each thought of yours affects us, what we think we do. My thoughts full of anger come out in words; my words can influence my actions.
For example - Due to some reason, I was angry at someone, and I started shouting at them. The situation didn't calm down, so I started hitting them. Without thinking, my thought became my words, and they became my actions. I began to respect it again and again. Soon, getting angry about the most minor things became my habit. Slowly, it became my character, and then my destiny followed along through karma. It becomes too late when we realise it has become our character because, at that stage, you simply can't reverse yourself without karma following along. You could change, there is a possibility, but your past actions won't. Therefore, start with your thoughts. Improve your thinking, and soon your positive thoughts will become your destiny.
Presenting a play truly takes effort. After all that practice, you need lots of confidence.
I love acting and trust me, I get really nervous. I tell my parents to sit in a corner if I am acting so they can't see me! After the show, I am really confident and happy. The most embarrassing (well, sort of) role was when I had to act as a man. I didn't like the part, but I did like it a little - It was a mix of feelings. There was also this role I loved- When I had to do the voicing of Dorothy. I liked it, but I was so nervous that I had to practice after school too!
The audition is the worst part - You have to perform in front of students from other classes, and then you don't know whether you will be selected. At some point, I wish I were selected and then feel I wish I wasn't!
Totto-chan was very sure about what she wanted; her path was clear in front of her. I wish I were like her - having the courage to decide on a play herself. I just wish I could see her play!
A play, a show It's something that slowly grows. A little confidence, Each character has to have a difference. Something unique, Maybe antique The twist in the script, Perhaps as old as a manuscript! The acting, And all the running! The effort counts, And the fun spreads all around!
A person’s character should not be judged by their marks or the amount of wealth he or she
has or by their looks. The deeds and personalities are what makes a person
good. I
won’t be talking about where I come from, who my parents are, which school I
study in or what class am I in or what my age is. Because these are things that
just represent me but not define me.
My
character is what defines me.
Why do you want to be like others?
Ime
I
am who I am
I
do what makes me happy.
I
live for myself, not you.
U
may not agree with me…
But
I am not seeking your approval.
I
am happy with all that I am!
Don’t let anyone
decide what you will do?
You do what you want
to do!!!
Just be yourself,
don’t think how others will think. Be what you are. Why change? Why look
like others or be others or copy others?
Can’t you be real
you, we are much more beautiful than actresses, they look beautiful because
they are in a mask, a mask of makeup. In reality, some of them are or might be
really horrible. And if you think wow they are so thin then don’t imagine
yourself to be like them because they do hours of exercise and their diet is
way too less. So don’t imagine yourself like them, just live your own beautiful
life.
If you say, I am so
fat, see she is so slim. Then ask yourself, “why am I thinking about her body?
I am cute this way but if I think I am too fat then exercise”. Why judge your
body while seeing others?
Can you imagine if
everyone in the world looks the same! Can you recognize each other? If not,
then why be like others. Would you like it if there were two Jimin in South
Korea… I would hate it!
Be you and stay you!
- Linisha Agarwal Class 6, The Doon Girls' School Dehradun
Honesty and Respect are essential hallmarks of healthy relationships. In healthy relationships, people talk honestly, listen well, trust and respect each additional. Honesty is a vital character trait that every individual should possess. The possession of this trait is very beneficial for a person’s whole life.
Honesty is the courage to speak the truth and reject disloyalty. At the same time, respect is a way of treating or thinking about someone. People respect others who are impressive for any reason, such as being in authority – like a teacher or cop or grandparents. We show respect by being polite and kind.
We are taught early that honesty is a great virtue; one must give respect to earn respect, and learning compassion requires standing in someone else’s shoes. All of these are pretty ideas. After all, people don’t want to be lied to; they want to be respected for who they are. I think it’s best summed up by the adage, “Treat others the way you wish to be treated.”
Honesty implies being truthful. Honesty means developing a practice of speaking truth throughout life. A person who practices honesty in his/her life possesses a strong moral character. An honest person shows good behaviour, always follows the rules and regulations, maintains discipline, speaks the truth, and is punctual. An honest person is trustworthy as he always tends to speak the truth.
Last month our class teacher told us about honesty, and I thought that I should be honest in life. Then I had been strictly following the path of honesty during my school time and my home also. I was happy and even amazed when I was honest in all my interactions with others. At this time, I found many people who were truthful to themselves and others. Within a few days itself, I realized how easy it was to change into a happy person and, at the same time, be honest.
I was surprised to find that people can deal with the ups and downs of life with equal happiness with a bit of hard work and a lot of self-control instead of getting annoyed, angry, and dishonest. I observed that everyone can be honest if they want to and have the willingness to follow the path of righteousness. I have made a decision to be honest with everyone and at all times.
