YES Workshop with Shikha Agnihotri of Right Side Story
Discussion on puberty, growing up, and adolescence with high school students, led by Shikha Agnihotri from Right Side Story.
Key Takeaways
Puberty involves both physical and emotional changes that are beyond one's control; understanding these changes helps normalise the experience ("puberty is not a race")
Students shared insights on mood swings, emotional changes, and physical transformations during puberty, demonstrating awareness but also misconceptions
The session emphasised communication as a crucial strategy for managing challenging emotions and relationships during adolescence
Gender differences during puberty were discussed, including societal expectations and biological variations, with an emphasis on respect for all genders
Topics
Understanding Puberty and Growth
Puberty is defined as a "software update" in the mind and body, signalling the transition from childhood.
Students recognised that puberty is influenced by genetics and occurs at different ages for different people.
Physical changes discussed included body odour, voice changes such as the Adam's apple in boys, and muscle development.
Brain "rewiring" during puberty leads to feelings of independence and new emotional experiences.
Girls and boys experience different physical changes, but both face hormonal shifts (testosterone vs. estrogen)
Emotional Changes During Puberty
Students identified negative emotions experienced: anxiety, jealousy, frustration, irritation, depression.
Positive emotions noted: happiness from recognition, validation, success, and achievement.
Discussion of mood swings affecting both genders, not just girls, as commonly believed
Students expressed challenges with controlling emotions during puberty
Shikha emphasised that emotions during puberty are often temporary but intense, requiring patience
Friendship and Relationships During Adolescence
Students debated whether friendship affects puberty or puberty affects friendship
Trust issues in friendships were highlighted as a challenge during puberty
Advice given: when hurt by friends, communicate within 24 hours rather than avoiding the issue
Self-inflicted independence during puberty can strain relationships with parents and authority figures
Importance of finding trusted adults to discuss difficult decisions emphasised
Self-Image and Body Awareness
Students noted increased focus on appearance during puberty (clothes, hygiene, physical features)
Discussion about boys becoming more conscious about their physical appearance (muscles, height)
Girls discussed increased attention to skincare, makeup, and fashion choices
The importance of hygiene is emphasised, especially regarding body odour, which increases during puberty
Both genders experience increased self-consciousness and concern about how others perceive them
Reading Session: Animal Behaviour and Taste with Brinda Ghosh
The second half of the meeting featured a reading from "The Inner Life of Animals" focusing on taste in animals
Discussed how animals have different taste preferences than humans (example: crows eating seeds from horse excrement)
Explored how taste is adapted to different species' needs and evolutionary history
Reading skills were emphasised, including proper use of punctuation and expression while reading
Importance of regular reading beyond textbooks (15-20 minutes daily) was encouraged
Next Steps
Shikha proposed separate follow-up sessions for boys and girls to discuss puberty more openly
Future session on pronunciation and reading skills to be conducted by Brinda
After completing the current book, the group will read Gerald Durrell's works about animals
Students are encouraged to practice communication skills when dealing with emotional challenges
Students advised to develop reading habits beyond textbooks (15-20 minutes daily)
