My Good School 15th March 2026

Sunday School 

To discuss student reflections and read from two books, focusing on character decisions.

Key Takeaways

• The Power of Reflection: Reading student reflections on past sessions (e.g., Kartik’s review writing) demonstrated how writing solidifies learning and inspires others (e.g., interest in Atomic Habits).

• Principle vs. Pragmatism: A 10-yen expense dispute in What You’re Looking For... highlighted a conflict between Ryo’s strict adherence to principle and Ms Yoshitaka’s pragmatic view of a minor error.

• Managing Stress: Ryo’s failure to communicate his work stress to Hina led to a personal conflict. The group discussed strategies for separating professional and personal life, such as making a plan to tackle problems.

• School Environment: A discussion on The Whistling School Boy concluded that a mix of indoor and outdoor learning is ideal for holistic development, combining academic focus with nature-based exploration.

Topics

Reflection Review & Program Overview

• Student reflections from previous sessions were read to illustrate the program’s value in reinforcing learning and improving written communication.

• Key Themes:

  • Curiosity and observation in nature.

  • The impact of small, consistent habits (Atomic Habits).

  • Essential elements of review writing.

  • Communication skills (body language, listening, confidence).

• Program Pillars: Reading, Reflection, and Relationship Building.

• YES Program: Monthly Youth Engaging Society sessions on communication skills.

  • Next sessions: March 29 and April 12.

Book 1: What You’re Looking For Is in the Library

• Context: Ryo, an accounts clerk, dreams of opening an antique shop but feels stuck in a job he dislikes.

• Conflict 1: Principle vs. Pragmatism

  • Ryo found a 10-yen discrepancy on an expense report.

  • Ms Yoshitaka dismissed it as an "easy” amount not worth the trouble.

  • Ryo insisted on accuracy, regardless of the sum.

  • Outcome: Ms Yoshitaka filed a false power-harassment complaint, threatening RRyo’s job.

• Conflict 2: Professional Stress Affects Personal Life

  • Ryo, overwhelmed by the complaint, failed to communicate his stress to Hina.

  • He lashed out at her for her successful online shop, dismissing it as a “hobby.”

  • Outcome: Hina left, leaving Ryo feeling “so low.”

• Group Discussion → Managing Stress

  • Problem: Carrying work stress home.

  • Solutions:

    • Talk to a trusted person (e.g., Hina).

    • Divert the mind temporarily to allow logic to take over.

    • Make a concrete plan to tackle the issue.

    • Focus on the present moment.

Book 2: The Whistling School Boy and Anir Kahania

• Context: A school in a remote, hilly village.

• Discussion → Ideal School Environment

  • Question: Should school be indoors or outdoors?

  • Conclusion: A mix of both is ideal for holistic development.

    • Indoors: Academic focus, protection from weather, and technology.

    • Outdoors: Connection to nature, fresh air, exploration, fun.

• Plot Summary:

  • The village is abuzz with news of a leopard sighting.

  • A teacher, Shri Man Mani, goes missing, causing panic.

  • Resolution: Shri Man Mani returns, having simply gotten lost. The “leopard attack” was a false assumption, a key example of irony.

  • Subplot: Shri Man Mani is stressed by a new, younger teacher (Tania Romola) being assigned to a senior class. This stress manifests as forgetfulness and “stress eating.”

  • Climax: On the walk home, the children are warned by the postman to hurry because of the leopard. This fear causes Sonu to forget his foot pain, highlighting the power of external threats to override personal discomfort.

Next Steps

• All Students:

  • Write and submit reflections on today’s session.

  • Consider presenting a book review or a creative work (drawing or interview) in a future session.

• PYDS Students:

  • Send a group photo to Manisha Khanna.

• Jugjiv Singh:

  • Continue reading What You’re Looking For Is in the Library next week.

• Manisha Khanna:

  • Continue reading The Whistling School Boy and Anir Kahania next week.

    
    

    FATHOM-AI-generated content, please read with care.

GSA Calendar March 2026

 My Good School

   March 1, 2026

Book Reading - What You Are Looking For Is in the Library
Book Reading - दी व्हिसलिंग स्कूलबॉय और अन्य कहानियाँ                                  

March 8, 2026

Book Reading - My Family and Other Animals
Book Reading - दी व्हिसलिंग स्कूलबॉय और अन्य कहानियाँ

March 15, 2026

Book Reading - What You Are Looking For Is in the Library
Book Reading - दी व्हिसलिंग स्कूलबॉय और अन्य कहानियाँ

March 22, 2026

Book Reading - My Family and Other Animals 
Book Reading - दी व्हिसलिंग स्कूलबॉय और अन्य कहानियाँ

March 29, 2026

The YES workshop on Communication with Kartik Bajoria. We aim to inspire young minds, helping them navigate their dreams and aspirations as they embrace their goals

Book Reading- What You Are Looking For Is in the Library

The Teachers Academy

Learning Forward Saturday
The Professional Learning Program (PLP) with Sandeep Dutt and Brinda Ghosh, ‘Wanted Back Bencher Last Ranker Teacher’ by Kavita Ghosh. Read Chapter 2 and write reflections for The Teachers Academy Blog. Last Saturday, a workshop to show new innovations that the GSA Partners bring to the Alliance.

Sandeep Dutt’s Masterclass 
Every Saturday at 5:30 PM: We are reading The Courage To Be Happy by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi, a dialogue between a young teacher and a philosopher.

GSA Meetings and Events

GSA Squad 

We review programs and plan for the coming week at 5:30 PM every Monday on Zoom - GSA Coordinators, Volunteers, and Mentors. #JoyOfGiving 

My Good School Retreat 

April 10th -14th, 2026, at Mayoor School Jaipur.

Find out more at www.inYouth.in

Brewing Knowledge Fridays @ The English Book Depot

Join us in celebrating Literature, Art, and Culture at The English Book Depot! Immerse yourself in the magic of reading through our cosy Book Cafe, where unforgettable experiences await. Whether visiting in person or joining via Zoom, connect with a vibrant community of book lovers, authors, and educators—all passionate about the joy of Reading. Come, brew your knowledge with us! #BrewingKnowledge

March 6, 2026 - Pooja Marwah
March 13, 2026 - Priyannsha
March 20, 2026 - Chandra Jain
March 27, 2026 - Mahesh Wanole

Read the Good Schools of India Joy of Learning Weekly every Monday at 7:00 AM only at www.GSI.in

Learning Through Reading and Reflection - Sunbeam Lahartara

 

A LIFETIME OF LEARNING

“Reading can teach you the best of what others already know. Reflection can teach you the best of what only you can know.” — James Clear

Reading opens the mind to the wisdom, experiences, and ideas of others, while reflection turns that learning inward, transforming it into personal insight. Together, they help a learner grow not only in knowledge but also in self-awareness and thoughtful understanding.

Joyful Learning Through Stories - Talat Bano

Today’s session was all about learning new things elegantly and enjoyably.

In the first session, we enjoyed a lot because Ms Brinda Gosh, ma’am, read a story that was super amazing and marvellous.

Talking about Brinda ma’am, she teaches stories in an exciting way, helping every student and teacher understand them easily.

Coming to the next session with Ms Manisha Khanna, ma’am, it was very knowledgeable and fabulous. She read a story from a Ruskin Bond book in Hindi, which was very nice and informative.

Later, we read our own written reflections, which showed the students’ progress in writing and reading.

This class is not just about reading; it is also about gaining knowledge in a fun way.

Thank you
Talat Bano
5C
Sunbeam School, Ballia

The Power Of Reading

My Good School

To read and discuss two books, focusing on themes of nature, friendship, and history.

Key Takeaways

• “My Family and Other Animals” (Gerald Durrell): Gerald’s plan to get food from shepherd Yanni during siesta backfires. Yanni, a deep sleeper, only wakes after Roger the dog’s barking accidentally sends a cat fleeing up a grapevine, making the trellis shake.

• “The Whistling School Boy” (Ruskin Bond): The story details Bond’s friendship with Umar at Bishop Cotton School, formed over shared experiences and a secret, satirical manuscript. Their Bond is tested by the 1947 Partition, which forces Umar to leave for Pakistan.

• Reading as Reflection: The session opened with a discussion on reading’s power to cultivate patience and reflection, citing Manisha’s blog on libraries and Brinda’s reference to Barbara Kingsolver on how reading shapes temperament.

• Next Week’s Special Session: Kartik Bajoria will lead a session on writing effective book reviews to help students share their reading and encourage others to read.

Topics

The Power of Reading

• The session began with a reading of Manisha’s blog post, “Championing Readers,” which reflected on students talking in the library rather than reading.

• The post questioned if reading has become a “leisure activity” and argued it requires patience, attention, and imagination.

• Brinda connected this to Barbara Kingsolver’s view that reading changes temperament and is a source of hope for humanity.

• Jugjiv Singh added that reading cultivates self-reflection, citing the example of Eichmann’s unthinking obedience during the Holocaust.

“My Family and Other Animals” (Gerald Durrell)

• Context: Brinda introduced the book about naturalist Gerald Durrell’s childhood on Corfu Island, Greece, providing background on his family and passion for animals.

• Plot: Gerald and his dog, Roger, are hungry after a swim. Gerald avoids Leonora’s house to escape her daughter’s health updates and Taki the fisherman’s siesta.

• The Plan: Gerald decides to visit the shepherd Yanni, a light sleeper who rests under a grapevine trellis. He instructs Roger to bark loudly to wake Yanni.

• The Outcome: The barking fails to wake Yanni. However, it startles a cat, which flees up the trellis, causing it to shake violently and finally waking the shepherd.

• Hospitality & Lore: Yanni offers Gerald food and wine. He then shares a local remedy: a scorpion steeped in olive oil to cure stings, and a cautionary tale about a shepherd who died from a scorpion bite in his ear.

“The Whistling School Boy” (Ruskin Bond)

• Context: Manisha Khanna read the story in Hindi, noting that it is autobiographical and provides a historical lens on the 1947 Partition.

• Friendship & Shared Experiences: Bond, a quiet boy, befriends Umar, another quiet student. Their Bond strengthens as they play hockey together (Bond as goalkeeper, Umar as fullback) and share a secret manuscript.

• The Manuscript: Bond writes a satirical manuscript about school life and teachers, with Umar as his first reader. It includes a poem mocking Mr Oliver.

• Discovery & Discipline: Housemaster Mr Fischer finds the manuscript under Bond’s mattress. Bond receives six cane strokes but becomes a temporary “hero” among his peers.

• The Partition’s Impact: Lord Mountbatten’s visit to Bishop Cotton School, where Bond’s father was an alumnus, is followed by the devastating 1947 Partition.

• Separation: The school announces that Muslim students must vacate the hostel and be escorted to the new border. Bond and Umar meet one last time in a tunnel, discussing their uncertain future before Umar leaves for Pakistan.

Next Steps

• All Participants:

  • Submit reflections (write-ups, drawings, role-plays) on today’s stories for publication on the “Joy of Learning Diaries” website.

  • Prepare for next week’s session with Kartik Bajoria on writing book reviews.

• Students:

  • Keep notes on characters and vocabulary from “My Family and Other Animals” to aid recall.

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Where Pages Turn into Possibilities - Manisha Khanna

“A library is not a place of silence; it is a place where minds begin to speak.”

I went to my school library yesterday and saw the students talking and having fun. The thought came to my mind that now reading as a skill has become diminished, and it has become a leisure activity. Did we go wrong somewhere, or are students simply occupied and overburdened?

Watching them laugh and chat among the shelves, I wondered whether the silence of reading has been replaced by the noise of constant stimulation. Books ask for patience, attention, and imagination — qualities that today compete with hurried schedules, screens, and endless tasks. Perhaps reading now feels like an extra demand rather than a doorway to discovery.

Yet, I also felt that the library still holds quiet possibilities. A book waiting to be opened is not competing for attention; it is inviting it. When a student truly connects with a story, time slows, thoughts deepen, and curiosity awakens. Reading is not merely a skill to be assessed — it is a space where minds wander, question, and grow.

So the question is not whether reading has diminished, but whether we have given it the time, value, and joy it deserves. If reading becomes a shared culture rather than a solitary expectation, the library can again become a place where pages turn into possibilities.

I invite one and everyone to share their comments in the post. 

Manisha Khanna

Championing readers, nurturing thinkers

My Good School Sunday the 8th of Feb 2026

Jai Hind

I am really grateful for the opportunity to attend this session. It was not just a learning session but an experience that made me think deeply. The story discussed during the session was beautifully explained, and every part of it was simply connected to real life. The way the story moved from nature to human emotions made it very interesting and meaningful for me.

One part that I especially liked was how the speaker explained things using examples like jalapeños and grapes. Though they look similar, they are very different, and this comparison helped me understand how appearances can be misleading. This idea was closely connected to the story, in which observation, understanding, and the proper use of words play essential roles. It helped me realise how important it is to look beyond the surface.

All the essential words from the story were clearly discussed, which helped me understand their meanings in context rather than just memorising them. The story also taught me to be more sensitive towards nature, people and situations. It showed how small details can carry deep meaning and how learning can happen through curiosity and observation.

Overall, this session was very enriching and enjoyable. It helped me understand the story better and taught me life lessons in a gentle, practical way. I truly appreciated the effort put into making learning so interactive and thoughtful, and I would love to attend more such sessions in the future.

Aarinee Tripathi, Sunbeam School Mau

“Thank you for this feedback, Aarinee!”, Brinda Ghosh, coach and mentor at My Good School.

“It was quite refreshing being present at My Good School session this Sunday morning. Both the chapters from “My Family and Other Animals” & “What You’re Looking for in the Library” intrigued the listeners, and there were some fascinating responses from the audience. It was good to see both their excitement and the ability to reciprocate. More such Sundays awaited." Harshita Dalawat, host at My Good School.