Seeds of Thought, Blooms of Change - Lotus Petal Foundation

Reflections- 20 July 2025.pdf Posted by Manisha Khanna

At Lotus Petal Foundation School, reflection is an integral part of the learning process. Here, students are encouraged not only to answer questions, but also to ask them about life, themselves, and society. After each lesson, they pause, ponder, and express their insights through stories, drawings, journals, and discussions. This creative culture of reflection empowers students to connect learning with lived experiences. It nurtures empathy, resilience, and originality. Whether sketching a lotus to represent hope or writing poems about kindness, their reflections bloom into ideas that shape a better tomorrow.

My Good School, Sunday 29th June 2025

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)