Highway to Swades: Learning the Values of Unity and Responsibility - Ms. Rekha Sharma

As a teacher, I found this reading deeply meaningful because it reminded me that education is not only about completing a syllabus but also about helping students understand life, society, and their responsibilities towards others. The comparison of the Ganga with India's civilisation and the raft with the Republic of India made me reflect on how people from different languages, religions, cultures, and backgrounds can still move forward together when they build trust, empathy, and a shared sense of responsibility. I particularly connected with the idea that everyone on the raft has a role in keeping it afloat. In my classroom too, I see my students as individuals with different abilities, experiences, and ways of thinking, and I feel that my role is to bring them together rather than make them feel different from one another.

This passage also made me realise that unity does not mean that everyone has to be the same; rather, it means respecting our differences while working towards a common purpose. As a teacher, I would use such stories and real-life experiences to encourage my students to listen to one another, appreciate diversity, help those who are struggling, and understand that a society's progress depends on collective effort.

Overall, the reading has made me reflect on my responsibility as a teacher to develop not only knowledgeable students but also compassionate, responsible, and cooperative human beings.

Ms. Rekha Sharma

Sunbeam School Mau

 

Learning, Leadership and Community - Sunbeam School Ballia

The Good School Alliance has helped me understand that a good school is not only a place where students learn from books, but also a place where they develop confidence, responsibility, kindness, and respect for others.

Being part of a school community encourages students to work together, share ideas, support one another, and take responsibility for making their surroundings better. The Good School Alliance also highlights the importance of creating a positive and inclusive environment where every student feels valued and has opportunities to grow.

Taha

I’m Riddhi Sharma, a student of Class 5 C, and I am here to share my reflection on the Good School Alliance. It was a real pleasure for me. As a pet lover, I really enjoyed the session with Brinda Ghosh Ma’am.

It was about Dodo. He was a bit silly, and the book we were reading was My Family and Other Animals. I really loved this book.

Riddhi Sharma,5C

Reading the biography of Jamsetji Tata in today’s reading class by the Good School Alliance not only improved my reading skills but also taught me the values of leadership and vision through the life of a great personality.

I felt deeply inspired after reading Jamsetji Tata’s story in today’s reading class. Understanding the meanings of difficult words and reading them in their correct context during the class really helped me grasp the story in depth. He taught us how, with the right mindset and vision, one can contribute to the development of society and the country. Practising reading while understanding the meanings in this way has strengthened my vocabulary, comprehension, and command of the language.

Dhairya Agrawal, 5A

A Meaningful Sunday Reading Session - Sunbeam School, Ballia

Today's session of My Good School was very insightful and engaging. Jugjiv Singh Sir read the story What You Are Looking For Is in the Library. The story revolved around Natsumi, a working mother who was struggling to balance childcare, household responsibilities, and her career. When her daughter, Futaba, fell ill with a fever, it became even more challenging for Natsumi to manage everything on her own. She often had to sacrifice her own needs while caring for her family.

The story highlighted the issue of unequal sharing of responsibilities within a family. Natsumi reminded her husband, Shuji, that they had promised to raise their child together, but he remained largely focused on his work. During an argument between them, Futaba overheard their conversation, which made Natsumi feel deeply guilty. She hugged her daughter and realised that none of the difficulties was her child's fault.

Later, Natsumi had lunch with her colleague, Madam Mizue. Their conversation helped her feel lighter and more hopeful. Madam Mizue's words, “The playground is big, have fun,” remained in Natsumi's mind and encouraged her to view life from a more positive perspective.

Through this story, we learned the importance of support, understanding, shared responsibilities, and hope during difficult times. Overall, the session was meaningful and inspiring, offering valuable lessons about empathy, family relationships, and maintaining a positive outlook in challenging situations.

– Ishika Singh, X-B

In today's session, we first discussed the book What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, which was read by Jugjiv Singh Sir. The story focused on Natsumi, a working mother who was struggling to balance childcare and her career. When her daughter, Futaba, developed a fever, Natsumi became even more stressed as she was managing everything on her own and carrying the major responsibility of caring for her family.

As the story progressed, Natsumi reminded her husband, Shuji, of their promise to raise their daughter together. However, he remained largely occupied with his work. During an argument between them, Futaba overheard their conversation, which made Natsumi feel deeply guilty. Realising her daughter's emotional distress, she hugged Futaba and reflected on the situation.

Later, Natsumi had a meal with her colleague, Madam Mizue. Their conversation brought her comfort and encouragement. Madam Mizue's words were so meaningful and inspiring that Natsumi carried them in her heart and began to view her circumstances more positively.

The story taught us valuable lessons about empathy, trust, shared responsibilities, and maintaining hope during challenging situations.

Thank you.

- Talat Bano

Honesty: A Timeless Value from the Good School Session- Sunbeam School, Ballia

Today's Reflection on Good School Session

Today's session was truly inspiring and encouraging. In our reading session with Manisha Ma’am and Jugjiv Sir, we explored the book “ईमानदारी” (Honesty) through the exemplary lives of Lal Bahadur Shastri, Abraham Lincoln, and others. We learned about the significance of honesty in a student’s life and how parents and teachers can instill this value in young minds.

One key takeaway that resonated with me was: “We should always be honest and follow the right path, regardless of what others think about us.” This lesson has left a lasting impact on me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to reflect on it.

Thank you to Manisha Ma’am and Jugjiv Sir for such a thought-provoking session.

Ifra Wahid, IX-F
Sunbeam School, Ballia

Jai Hind, dear readers

I am Aayush Kumar Singh, writing this reflection on the session taken by Manisha Khanna Ma’am.

In today’s session, Manisha Ma’am shared how people still carry deep faith and honesty. She told us how, during namaz, shopkeepers leave their shops open and go for prayer. Customers come, take what they need, and leave the money there before going.

This really touched me because it shows that even in today’s world, where we often hear about dishonesty and selfishness, there are still places and people where trust is alive. It is inspiring to see that values like honesty, responsibility, and respect are still being practiced today.

The session reminded me that trust is not just an old value but something we can live by even now. If we act truthfully and responsibly, we can also strengthen this culture of faith and honesty in our surroundings.

Aayush Kumar Singh, X-A
Sunbeam School, Ballia

My Good School, Sunday the 15th June 2025

 

🐾  "A Pet Like No Other"

The villagers found a baby monkey near the forest and decided to keep it as a pet. At first, it was fun—swinging on curtains and eating fruit from her hand. But soon, the monkey began to act wild, biting furniture, screaming at strangers, and trying to run away. The villager realised love wasn't enough—what the monkey truly needed was its natural home.

🧠 Reflective Questions:

1. Focus on Curiosity and Choices
   Why do some people bring wild animals into their homes, even when it may not be the best choice?

2. Focus on Natural Behaviour and Environment
   What challenges arise when a wild animal is taken out of its natural habitat and brought into a home?

3. Focus on Responsibility and Consequences
   How did the decision to keep the monkey affect both the villagers and the monkey in the long run?

4. Focus on Care vs. Freedom
   Can love and care replace the natural freedom and environment a wild animal needs? Why or why not?

5. Focus on Learning and Growth
   What lesson can we take from the villagers' experience about the kind of pets we choose and how we care for them?

Hope you enjoyed today's session! 🌈 Now it's time to share your reflection 📝. Please write a few lines about your key takeaway from the session. 

If you have a pet, do share a cute picture along with a fun or unique behaviour that makes your pet special 🐾📸 — we'd love to see it! Additionally, include one line on how reflection helps develop 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, empathy, creativity, and communication 🌍💡.

📧 Kindly email your reflection to: mk@learningforward.org.in

Let's continue to learn, grow, and share together! 💫

My Contribution To Change The World - Pasang Sherpa

We can contribute to changing the world in a diverse manner. So I prefer to contribute to this objective by opening schools in rural areas. 

Keeping in mind, how much social importance education has in this modern, complex industrialised society. It helps in imparting values, and reforms attitudes in children, and most importantly it is of vital importance. 

But before contributing toward changing the world, one should know that revolutionizing the world is not so easy. One cannot change the world by himself/herself. The world is mammoth, it is changeless until everyone joins their hands together.

Pasang Sherpa

Pestalozzi Children's Village Society

3 R's of Leadership - Nishan Karki

Picture Courtesy: https://emeritus.org/in/learn/what-is-leadership/

"A good leader takes little more than his share of the blame, 

a little less than his share of the credit."

-Arnold H. Glasow

Leaders often practice the three R's:- 

● Respect for self 

● Respect for other 

● Responsibility for their actions

To be a true leader, one should have self-respect, respect others, and be responsible for all his actions. 

A leader is a courageous and supportive person who supports and encourages people. A true leader supports his team and helps them to exceed their potential. 

Some leaders may act as bosses and only give commands and would not support, encourage or help their teams. But a true leader works as part of the team, influences, supports, inspires and encourages the team.

Now, let us talk about the three R's:-

● Respect for all: First of all, self-respect means a feeling of confidence and pride in yourself. Leaders have and need to keep their self-respect. Respecting themselves helps them view their actions and know their abilities, capabilities, and potential. Knowing themselves assists them to do their work efficiently, effectively and conveniently.

● Respect for others: Leaders - not only respect themselves but also other people. Leaders must respect all of their team members so that they all will coordinate and cooperate with them. It helps develop trust and makes a good relationship between the leader and the team. The team will have a positive attitude towards him. Thus, the team will also support, cooperate and coordinate with the leader. 

● Responsibility for their actions: Leaders take responsibility for their actions. Taking responsibility will help the leader to improve his leadership. He will be able to do his work more conveniently and will solve problems with ease. Thus, taking responsibility for all their actions is a critical task for the leader. 

At last, I would like to conclude my view with a quote.

"Leaders aren’t born they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal or any goal."

~ Vince Lombardi

Nishan Karki

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

I am responsible for... Veda Varshita Marrivada

Veda Varshita from the HPS Begumpet, Hyderabad. Here is the reflection on responsibilities. I have also enclosed the audio file of the reflection. Listen to it, please.

Thank you, and have a nice day. 

---

I am responsible for many things. These words give me a sense of pride and responsibility towards my work, family, and society. Every right has responsibilities, and responsibility is a duty we must accomplish on time. Everyone has their own responsibilities and duties. Responsibility means being dependable, making good choices, and taking accountability for your actions.

I've been a responsible girl since my childhood. I had a few responsibilities as a daughter, family member and student. One of my primary responsibilities was learning and studying. I have consistently performed to the best in academics and secured first rank in my class every year. Another responsibility was obeying and respecting my parents, family, teachers, and elders. Also, I kept my things safe as the things I owned were precious and gave me a feeling of ownership.  

Since the birth of my younger brother, things have changed. I had got some more responsibilities. I had to help my parents to bring up my younger brother and cope with my studies. Although adapting to the situation was difficult, I sacrificed and compromised a few things for my parents and brother. Later, everything became easy, and I got used to them. Over the years, I learnt to look after myself and decide the right choices in life. Still, responsibilities give me an incredible feeling of joy and teach me many valuable lessons in life, and obviously, I shall and will fulfil my responsibilities.

Responsibility is an essential virtue of an individual as it gains a person's trust. It teaches you to do multitasking and gives you satisfaction and happiness. It provides a sense of purpose and builds resilience amidst adversity on an individual and societal level.

In conclusion, accomplishing your tasks and responsibilities gives you a sense of maturity, happiness, and great joy as you feel you have completed a task on time. "Where there is great power and energy, there is great responsibility." Let's all be responsible for accomplishing what we have committed!

VEDA VARSHITA MARRIVADA Grade 5 Hyderabad Public School Begumpet

I am responsible for - Tenzin Jambey

As we grow older and older, responsibility and jobs come on our shoulders. Responsibility is not easy to handle.  Along with responsibility, risk also comes. The day will come for every person when they must take greater responsibility. I  believe that we should only do such actions for which we can take responsibility. 

I have many responsibilities upon me, but my most significant responsibility is to study and do well in other activities and to develop myself to become a better version of myself. With time am also getting older and now I can take many responsibilities and I can look after myself when I am traveling and I can make my own decision for the betterment of myself. 

Tenzin Jambey

Pestalozzi Children’s Village India

When I see a Glass half full... - Anvesha Rana

When I see a glass half full,

I see some yarn left in a ball of wool

I look at the little food on a plate,

And a few words on someone’s slate

I yearn for the small giggle, 

When I see a tiny insect wriggle. 

Little it may be but not weak it is, 

Less it may be but not short it is,

More we might have but do we need it? 

Aren’t we pleased with what we gave it?

May it be half empty or

It can also be half-filled, 

It is what our perception is, 

   Do we complain about the loss 

     Or be grateful for the most? 

   A Glass Half Full is not just a lesson

     For Perspective or pessimistic thoughts, 

   It is a teacher with no chalk and duster

    But with just water,

        It can pass on Responsibility and Gratitude, 

Simply with its carefree attitude. 

Anvesha Rana, 

Grade 10-B, 

Gyanshree School

Responsibility - Rishona Chopra

Responsibility is vital in a classroom, not only for students but for teachers too. Responsibility is taking ownership of one's actions. It is to accept your mistake, help around and work hard. Responsibility assumes that you are the cause and the solution to the problem. When we take responsibility, we should take it with total commitment and honesty. We shouldn't have a responsibility to others but to ourselves too.

At my earlier school, we did an activity, not a movement but a daily exercise. Every day, after lunch, we had to clean the class. We got duties of dusting, sweeping and mopping. Whoever finished their commitment would get to play outside. This taught us responsibility; my favourite task was to mop the floor. If you try it once, you'll realize it's fun to mop the floor, unlike sweeping. Even cleaning the bathroom is an excellent duty, well, only if it's a small one!

An important part is responsible for our actions. We all make mistakes and some wrongdoings, and instead of covering them up with thousands of lies, we should make it easy with one truth and take responsibility for our actions.

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

What Independence means to me - Yashraj Sharma

Freedom to me is to express and enhance my ideas freely. When I am free to learn from my mistakes, it is a token of privilege.

On this occasion of Independence day, I want to be grateful to my parents, my Shreegurus and all my well-wishers to keep trust in me and for always give me my space to enhance my thoughts and creativity.

But as it's said, freedom comes with responsibility,

They are the two sides of a coin.

Genuine freedom is the ability to choose the most beneficial action or direction for ourselves at every moment. This is not easily accomplished. It requires a keen sense of self-awareness. Without self-awareness, it is unlikely that we would understand the real meaning of freedom.

To maintain self-awareness, we need to cultivate responsibility. 

Like it's not just sufficient to host our national flag at national festivals and sing some patriotic songs, but along with this, we should make sure to do our bit for our country to make it a happy and prosperous nation.

Happy Independence day, everyone!!

Yashraj Sharma

Grade: VIII

Gyanshree school

Honesty - Khushi Badgeri

Honesty, for me, means to be truthful, authentic and genuine to yourself and to others. It's like the foundation base of any relationship. 

Being honest makes us feel mature and responsible person. Let me share a minor incident. 

While playing with my friends in our living room, I accidentally broke a photo frame. I did not know what to do. Seeing the broken frame pieces on the floor, all my friends disappeared. I quietly cleaned all the mess and quietly went to my bed with tears in my eyes. That photo frame was my mom's favourite piece. I felt very guilty. When my mom returned home from the office in the evening, she noticed something was missing from the corner table. But she didn't say a word. After dinner, I quietly went to her and confessed to her what had happened and said sorry. She looked at me and gave me a tight hug, and said she appreciated me for being honest and taking responsibility for the mistake. I promised her that henceforth I would be more careful. 

Admitting my mistake and getting forgiveness gave me internal satisfaction and pride, to be honest with myself.

So, my friends, I realized that it takes a little courage to be honest, and admit to our mistakes, knowingly or unknowingly. 

There is a saying, "Honesty is the best policy." Just believe it.

Khushi Badgeri

Grade: 2A

Billabong High International School, Thane

Friendship - Khushi Badgeri

Friendship is a state of trust where two friends spend time talking and knowing each other. Friendship is an important relationship in everyone's life. It means understanding, forgiveness, growing together, sharing, and keeping secrets. Mainly it also needs to have lots of patience.

For me, my true friendship is with my books and nature. I love to see the beauty of nature and write its beauty in my book. I love to plant seeds and see their different stages of growth. I can talk to them
while watering or being around them. Plants can listen to you and feel your touch. You have to preserve nature. It's our responsibility in friendship. The more you plant trees and take care of nature there will be greenery everywhere which will help our ecosystem.

Name: Khushi Badgeri

Grade: 2A

Billabong High International School, Thane

Freedom - Khushi Badgeri

Freedom is the power to act according to our own will. Freedom is expressing things. Children need the freedom to explore, imagine, create, grow and develop their inquisitiveness to acquire knowledge.

Freedom for me is dancing and singing. I can dance and sing freely for hours together. I enjoy my freedom in dreaming tomorrow. I aim to be a Doctor, but at the same time, I would like to be a good classical dancer and a good singer.

For me freedom means expressing myself, freedom to chase my dreams, freedom to believe and trust in myself, freedom to be there for my family, my friends, and society. Freedom to make mistakes and to learn from the mistakes done. 

Freedom is responsibility!!

Freedom is motivation!!

Name: Khushi Badgeri
Grade: 2A
Billabong High International School, Thane

Mother's Job is a Selfless Job - Naksh Parihar

My mother's name is Manju Parihar. She is 38 years old. She is a housewife. My mother cooks delicious food. My mother's hobbies are stitching clothes and watching TV. She likes to eat sweets. She always helps me with my homework and always takes care of me. I love my mother so much. She always wakes up at 5 o'clock to make all the things ready for us. She is the most beautiful woman in the world. She fulfils all her responsibility without making any complaints. She takes care of her three children very well. She never gets tired or bored of cooking for her children. She always does the things which make us happy. Mother is the person who changes a house into a home. Mother's love never changes for her sons or daughters, whether they are children or adults. She manages our home very well and looks after every member of my family. I love mom very much, and I know she loves me the most.

Naksh Parihar

Class IV

The Fabindia School

My Sweet Family - Mokshi Nagar

This is my family. I live in Lunawa. My family is a joint family. There are ten members in my family. My grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, uncle, aunt, two cousins, my younger brother and me. I call my grandma Dadi and grandpa as Dadu. I love my family very much. We help each other and take care of each other. I have made a family tree to show you, my family members. Family is like a tree that holds its branches as family members throughout its life. We learn values like caring, responsibility, being helpful to others etc. Life becomes easy and happy with the family. 

Mokshi Nagar 

Class III

The Fabindia School