Shining Through: Sunbeam School Lahartara

 

Through the Sunbeam Lens: My Learning and Growth by Manisha Khanna 

Learning doesn't end when the lesson is over—it continues when we take a moment to pause and reflect. At Sunbeam School, reflection has become a powerful tool in helping us connect with what we've learned, how we've learned, and who we've become through the process. By reflecting on our past experiences, successes, and even failures, we gain clarity, insight, and direction for the future. Reflection allows us to understand not just the what, but the why behind our learning. It turns information into wisdom and routine into purpose. Whether it's a class project, a group activity, or a personal challenge, reflecting helps us recognise our growth and identify where we can improve. In doing so, we become more mindful learners—more thoughtful, confident, and self-aware.

My Good School, Sunday the 25th May 2025

Reflective questions based on Chapter 4: Great Expectations from The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn:

Theme: Interpersonal Skills & Compassion

Reflective Questions:

1. How does Carl's interaction with the people on his book route reflect his ability to listen, empathise, and respond compassionately?
   → Consider how Carl changes his approach to people and what this says about the importance of listening with understanding rather than judgment.

2. In this chapter, how do Carl and Schascha begin to build trust and mutual respect? What does this reveal about the importance of patience and open-minded communication in relationships?
   → Consider how interpersonal skills like respect and adaptability influence the growing connection between them.

3. Reflect on a moment when Carl goes beyond his duty as a book deliverer. How does this act show his growth in compassion and emotional intelligence? How can you apply a similar mindset in your own life?
   → Draw parallels between Carl’s actions and your own experiences with empathy or kindness.

 चिंतनशील प्रश्न (Reflective Questions) डॉ. अनुपम सिब्बल की पुस्तक "क्या आपका बच्चा दुनिया का सामना करने के लिए तैयार है?" के अध्याय "संवेदना" पर आधारित, हिंदी में:

1. अध्याय में वर्णित कहानी में संवेदना का व्यवहार किस प्रकार न केवल प्राप्तकर्ता को बल्कि देने वाले को भी प्रभावित करता है? क्या आपके जीवन में कभी ऐसा अनुभव हुआ है जब आपने करुणा दिखाई हो और उसका असर गहरा महसूस किया हो?
   → विचार करें कि एक सरल दयालुता का कार्य कैसे संबंधों में सकारात्मक परिवर्तन ला सकता है।

2. यह अध्याय दूसरों की भावनाओं को समझने और प्रतिक्रिया देने से पहले सोचने के महत्व को कैसे दर्शाता है? यह जीवन की कठिनाइयों से निपटने में कैसे सहायक होता है?
   → सोचें कि कैसे भावनात्मक समझदारी संघर्ष को टाल सकती है और विश्वास बना सकती है।

3. आज की प्रतिस्पर्धी दुनिया में बच्चों में संवेदना जैसे गुण कैसे विकसित किए जा सकते हैं? इसमें परिवार, विद्यालय और समाज की क्या भूमिका होनी चाहिए?
   → अपने आसपास के वातावरण से जोड़कर सोचें — कहाँ और कैसे संवेदना को बढ़ावा दिया जा सकता है।

Reflection holds a vital place in education. It deepens learning, encourages self-awareness, and helps students and educators evaluate their thoughts, emotions, and actions. Through reflection, individuals grow more empathetic, mindful, and responsible. It transforms knowledge into experience and experience into meaningful life learning.

So let us pause, think, and share. Authentic learning begins with reflection.

We invite everyone to reflect on the questions above and share their reflective responses by emailing them to mk@learningforward.org.in.

My Good School, Sunday 16th March 2025

Sunday School # 180

We discussed the progress of the My Good School Retreat and the excitement among students, with Rajinder Pal Devgan noting the positive impact of recent visits to the Arthur Foot Academy. Jugjiv Singh introduced the book Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn, highlighting its themes of personal connections and the significance of book recommendations. The group explored naming in animals, noting that some animals, like ravens and pigs, recognise and respond to personal names. They also discussed the emotional lives of animals, particularly grief in red deer, and the importance of community and personal connections in learning and teaching. Updates on various educational initiatives were shared, including poetry, music, and art sessions.

About the Book- The Door-to-Door Bookstore 
Everyone has a book meant just for them...

Carl, 72, may get old, but he still feels young. Every night, he walks around delivering books to his regular customers, always picking the right book for each one based on what they love.

One evening, a curious and lively nine-year-old named Schascha shows up. She insists on tagging along with Carl and even tries to teach him a few things about books.

When Carl's job at the bookstore is at risk, will he and the girl, with her yellow raincoat, be able to save his job and bring back the joy of reading to their little town?

The Door-to-Door Bookstore is a heartwarming story about the importance of friendship, the magic of books, and how reading can bring people together.

Reading the chapter "A Man for all  Seasons" from The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn.

In this chapter, Carl, the protagonist, meets a man who embodies what many consider "success"—a wealthy, influential figure who seems to have everything. However, as the protagonist interacts with this man, he realises that despite outward success, he may be missing key elements of personal fulfillment, happiness, and genuine relationships. This causes the protagonist to reflect on his life and what true success means.

Reflection Questions:

1. What is the main lesson or message of this chapter?

Think about what the author is trying to teach or show through the events in this chapter.

2. What does the chapter say about the difference between wealth and happiness?

Reflect on what the book says about how money and success don't always bring happiness.

3. What emotions or ideas does this chapter make you think about?

Think about how the chapter makes you feel and what ideas or questions it raises.

4. How can we apply this chapter's lessons to our lives?

Think about how you can use the ideas from the chapter to be happier or more successful in your own way.

Reading the book The Inner Life of Animals by Peter Wohlleben. 

Chapter What's in a Name? 

"A name is much more than a label; it's a way of saying something is important."

1. How do you think names shape our understanding of the world around us?

2. Can you recall a time when a name changed the way you felt about something or someone?

3. In what ways do you think animals perceive their names, if at all?

4. Why might it be significant to recognise the importance of naming in the context of nature and animals?

Chapter "Grief" from The Inner Life of Animals by Peter Wohlleben.

Theme: The emotional depth and grieving processes of animals.

1. How does the concept of grief in animals challenge our traditional understanding of their emotions?

2. Why do you think it's important to recognise and validate the grief of animals, and how might this change how we treat them?

3. In what ways does understanding animal grief deepen our empathy toward animals and our connection with nature?

Program Updates:

Thursday Sessions at 5:30 PM will include poetry and music for teachers, interns, fellows, and future educators, helping them explore creative ways to teach and engage students.

  

Friday Sessions at 5:30 PM, a blend of reading and art, provides a creative and interactive experience.

Good Schools of India: Our weekly newsletter has gained much more attention, with over 600 reads in recent weeks. It's great to see more people staying updated and engaged!

YouTube Channel: We've launched a YouTube channel (@mygoodschool) where you can access recorded sessions from the program. This allows easier access to our content for anyone who missed a session or would like to revisit a topic.

We're thrilled to announce new developments at the Arthur Foot Academy (AFA):

Community Learning Centre is actively seeking volunteers who can share their skills or teach subjects of interest. Whether it's math, art, or any other subject, we welcome those with knowledge to join us in making this initiative a success!

Collaboration with Experts: We collaborate with experts like Ms. Brinda Ghosh, Ms. Nonie Bagga, and Ms. Meenakshi Uberai to provide various learning experiences and ensure everyone involved has access to high-quality educational content. 

We look forward to all the exciting developments in the program and invite you to get involved!

You can email your reflections to mk@learningforward.org.in or post them as comments below!

Reading is Reflecting - Ila Gautam

READING IS REFLECTING

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.

Ila Gautam

The Century School

Reflections: Sharing Ideas, Inspiring Minds 🌟🗣️- Sunbeam School Lahartara

Artificial Intelligence 🤖 is transforming the world with its smart abilities, from self-driving cars 🚗 to virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri 🎙️. It learns from data 📊 and makes decisions just like humans, but without emotions. On the other hand, animals 🐾 have a rich inner life filled with emotions, communication, and intelligence. Elephants 🐘 mourn their lost ones, dolphins 🐬 recognize themselves in mirrors, and dogs 🐶 express love and loyalty. AI may be powerful, but it cannot feel the warmth of a mother bird 🕊️ feeding her chicks. As technology grows, we must respect both intelligence—artificial and natural—to create a balanced world 🌍.

Sharing our thoughts through reflection helps us connect with others and grow together 🤝. When we express our ideas, we not only learn more but also inspire those around us 🌟. Reflection allows us to look back, understand our experiences, and shape new perspectives 🧠. It encourages creativity, critical thinking, and meaningful discussions 🗣️. Just like a mirror reflects our image, our words reflect our thoughts and emotions 🪞. By sharing reflections, we build a world where knowledge, understanding, and wisdom flow freely 🌍✨.

Sunbeam School Lahartara Boarders

How did you repair a broken relationship? - Veda Varshita Marivada

Firstly, a relationship is a way through which people or things are connected. People can have relations with family, friends, animals, nature and even things.

The critical elements for a strong and healthy relationship are mutual Respect, Understanding, Communication, Compromise, and Trust. We should first understand the person and respect their opinions; giving them a chance to speak and putting in their shoes is important too.

Being an 11-year-old child, I have never experienced a broken relationship, but let me tell my story with my best friends. My parents and I have lived in Bangalore since my birth. Over there, I met Ridhi and Tanishka on the first day of school. We became best friends. They were kind, affectionate and caring. They would cheer me up when I was not in a good mood. 

One day, my father said we had to shift to Hyderabad for his job there. I was distressed to leave my friends and head for a new life. It was tough for me to adjust to the situation because we spent quality time together over weekend outings, playdates, birthday celebrations etc. I also had a good scoop of opportunities to learn activities like art, chess, and karate with my friends at “The Indian Heritage”, an activity centre. I also had a strong connection with nature over there. The weather was cool and pleasant, and the city was wooded and full of greenery. 

After relocating to Hyderabad, I took time to accept my new life. Days passed, and it was my friend’s birthday. I was flustered because I wanted to convey my wishes to her. I gathered courage and started texting her anxiously. But to my surprise, she replied immediately, saying she was delighted and missed me. I was pleased and relieved as I thought she might be furious for not being in touch with her. I also texted my other friend. I had a good time talking with my friends. From then onwards, we have been staying in touch regularly. How could I forget such good friends? I am fortunate to reside in a peaceful, green, and safe colony which helped me to acclimate to the new locality and make new friends. Hmm! But I still miss those memorable days and keep recollecting those sweet memories.

Why should we have a relationship? We would be depressed and lonely if we did not have anyone to spend time with. Therefore, try to have more relations as they say, “The More the Merrier”.

Here is a poem in Hindi that says:

This carries a lot of meaning. It says, “If something is broken, then learn to repair it. If someone is angry, then learn to convince and please them. Relationships are destined; just learn to handle them beautifully.” So, make sure you have a solid and good relationship, whether it is a person, animal, nature, or thing.   

VEDA VARSHITA MARRIVADA
Grade 5 Hyderabad Public School Begumpet

Listen to my Blog Post on the Learning Forward Podcast.

Repairing A Broken Relationship - Tenzin Jambey

It's for sure that in life we'll come across many people and with some people we will become very much attached, and we become a support for each other. With time our bond becomes even stronger than before, but a small problem or fight can result in the breakdown of our relationship. 

There is a saying that " Don't break the thread of love because it cannot be joined again and even after they are joined a node is left in between".

There is always a cause which leads to the execution of the action and the words we speak, there is always a reason which leads to a breakdown of the relationship, and we must understand the liking and disliking of the other person and avoid all such actions which can affect our bonds. At last, there should be a mutual understanding between the two, and they should have reasonable self-control over themselves, which wouldn't lead to a relationship breakdown.

Tenzin Jambey

Pestalozzi Children's Village India

Sunday reading with Jugjiv Sir

Understanding - Anvesha Rana

Understanding is not just about learning but also about living. When others confess their mistakes, lies or problems to us, we often turn a blind eye towards them and do not listen. Still, we need to be humble enough to understand what they are going through, be kind enough to give them a shoulder and be trustworthy sufficient to accept their reality. Treat others the way you wish to be treated. Each person deserves love and affection just the way we do.

Understanding is not a simple task; it requires the power to trust and tolerate and the necessity of being thoughtful while observing the simplicity at the heart of the matter and eventually giving in honestly to love. If we can understand, then we can trust. If we can understand, then we can be patient; if we can understand, we can tolerate and understand; only we can love.

At My Good School, understanding is experienced at its core. We initially listen to each other and then begin to understand one another. This is followed by a bond of trust, tolerance and humility, and as time passes, we begin to treasure the standard tie of love that connects us all. Understanding is the foundation stone for building upon the structure of love.

In the Mahabharata, an incident occurred during the Gurukul days of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Guru Dronacharya, the teacher of the princes, had to leave the gurukul for a fortnight due to some urgent work; hence, he had called upon all his pupils and asked them to complete their lessons by the time he returned. All students finished their work and did some extra tasks as well. Guru Dronacharya returned after a fortnight and called his pupils to the classroom; one by one, he individually asked them to come forward and inform him how many lessons they had completed while he was away.

Someone said three, someone else four, others 5 and so on; the teacher beamed at his students as he looked at them with love. At last, he called Yudhishthira, the eldest son of the Pandavas, and Guru Dronacharya was sure that Yudhishthira would have done more lessons than everyone else. However, when asked the question, he answered that he had only done one sentence. The teacher was shocked and yelled at him that in a fortnight, he could only do one sentence; Yudhishthira apologised but repeated that he could only understand that sentence. The other pupils were shocked as they saw their Guru mercilessly scolding Yudhishthira. However, he stayed rooted in his words. At the end of it, when Guru Dronacharya finally asked him what the sentence was, he confidently replied, “Control your anger and Guru ji, it took me 15 days to learn how to control my anger, so I could only complete one sentence.” Guru Dronacharya stood in awe and appreciated Yudhishthira, for he had understood the power of understanding, an ability not yet attained by many of us.

Anvesha Rana

Grade 11 

Gyanshree School

Understanding - Shambhavi Nautiyal

Understanding is one of the traits of the most beautiful human beings on this planet. It revolves around several other values and virtues as well. To be understanding, one needs to have the will to do so, to be empathetic, considerate, caring and compassionate. Understanding one another’s feelings is the foundation of relationships, which creates wonders. Making someone feel understood makes them feel loved and gives them the feeling that they aren’t alone. Other people like them are there to stay by their side.

Understanding someone inculcates one of the prettiest feelings in our hearts, feelings of concern, love and kindness, which make humans human. Understanding strengthens unity. We should all try to understand each other’s feelings at the very least instead of poking fun at each other for that or making judgements about them.

When we allow ourselves to do so with an open heart and mind, we can talk things out properly and strengthen our bonds even further. Thus, we should all try to understand each other’s feelings and decisions instead of hating each other impetuously.

Shambhavi Nautiyal

Ahlcon Public School

How we see Understanding?

Understanding is the thing that should be in every human being. Everyone should understand each other. Those people who don't understand easily create trouble and chaos. Sometimes big fights and world wars also happen because of misunderstandings. We should always take action after understanding the matter nicely. Some people take action without having knowledge of it. This may lead them to the loss of friends and loved ones. Education and knowledge are essential. Only then will we be able to handle and understand any situation? We can only take a case if we understand it. Hence, it is imperative to be understanding.

Ritesh Gaire

Understanding can improve explanatorily when one has more true beliefs about correct explanation, and true thoughts are of fundamental epistemic value. When we understand our values, we can make decisions confidently knowing that we have our own back. Understanding is about seeing things connected in larger contexts. When you know something you don't need to mug up. It will stay in your mind forever. If you have an understanding of something, you know how it works, or you know what it means. The more we listen to understand and gather information, the more connected we are. 

Pratyush Chhetri
Ahlcon Public School

Understanding has a particular value that other epistemic states, such as knowledge, do not. This fact threatens the justification for the focus on learning that the history of epistemology displays. Elsewhere it has been argued that knowledge does not possess this exceptional value. There are a couple of lines of argument. However, that threatens to extend the denial of this particular value for knowledge to a denial of a specific value for understanding. Underlying all such challenges is the apparent fact that the language of knowing and learning are closely related. This discussion argues that the kind of understanding we prize most is immune from the concerns plaguing the theory of knowledge. 
Sarthak Rana from Pestalozzi.

Understanding is a significant thing. We must understand others' problems and help them. Understanding a person is an essential thing in every man's life. 
Karma Woeser from Pestalozzi

Understanding is something in which we can make decisions confidently, knowing we have our own back. Achievements have final value. We should understand things. And understanding should be there in each and every person's mind.
Tenzin Tsomo from Pestalozzi, studying in class 7 

Understanding has a particular value. When you understand your values, you can make decisions confidently, knowing that you have your own back. You have spent time thinking about your values, and now you can tell them to help and understand you along the way. 

Aditi Aswal from Pestalozzi

The value that other epistemic states, such as knowledge, do not, and this fact threatens the justification for the focus on learning that the history of epistemology displays. Elsewhere it has been argued that learning does not possess this unique value. There are a couple of lines of argument. However, that threatens to extend the denial of this particular value for knowledge to a denial of a unique value for understanding. (Reference https://academic.oup.com/book/32937/chapter-abstract/278520566)
Shubham Panwar from Pestolozzi

Understanding is about seeing things connected in a larger context. Experience should be there in every person's life. It is the first thing we need to have in our lives. Understanding other people makes your life easier. You will have a positive mind, factual beliefs, etc. The more you know, the more you will see everything better, or else if u don't understand others' feelings, not only for people but for every small creature living in this world, your character will automatically turn into a selfish person. So we should always cooperate with our surroundings, Society, school, and wherever we live. 

Tenzin Choesto from class7 at Pestalozzi

Understanding is the most important thing because, without understanding, many things can happen, like fight between friends. We should first understand the situation and then do because everything depends on understanding. We should have understanding.

Tenzin Dickyi

Understanding can improve explanatorily when one has more true benefits about correct explanation, and true beliefs are of fundamental epistemic value. When we understand our values. We can make decisions confidently, knowing that we have our own back. Understanding is about seeing things connected in larger contexts. When you understand something, you don't need to mug up. It'll stay in your mind forever. If you have an understanding of something, you know how it works, or you know what it means. The more we listen to understand and gather information, the more connected we are. When you know something, you can also imagine and use your creativity. We should sometimes mug up. So, something we need to do by understanding as well.
Shiwani Kunwar

Understanding is the ability to understand things. We can have a clear or complete idea of knowing others' feelings. When we understand our value, we can make decisions confidently, knowing we have our own back. Understanding is more important than our knowledge because understanding is about selling things connected to larger contexts. The feeling of understanding is that subjective experience that income opposes all the emotional and intellectual processes. We undergo the process of gathering evidence to achieve an understanding of an event. It also motivates people to act one way or another.
Jiya Sangrail

Understanding has an exceptional value that epistemic states such as knowledge do not. The language of knowing and the language of experience are closely related. Learning is more valuable than knowing because you need to understand a thing to be knowledgeable about it. Understanding provides a deeper connection between what's happening inside our minds and in the real world. It may be possible to know without knowing, but it is impossible to understand without understanding. At last, we should understand and then learn about it.

Prachi Thakur

Understanding is essential as it is vital to follow the right growth path. It is more valuable than knowledge. It is necessary to feel how people think about us and react. It helps us to understand people's beliefs, feelings, experiences and intentions. It also allows us to make decisions. A person needs to understand something to be helpful. He/She cannot understand what is happening around them. The more we know our thoughts and feelings, the more we can understand someone else'. 

Nisha Gharti Magar

Understanding means communicating with each other and understanding. Understanding is so important. If you don't understand each other's conditions and situation, you can talk nicely and make them feel good. It is so important to understand if you don't understand so you can't work and talk nicely.

Shashimohan Panwar

Understanding between animals and humans

As we know, an understanding person can understand how others are feeling and forgive them if they do something wrong. The four steps of understanding are " know, use, expand and surpass". We should also understand the feeling of animals as they can't speak for themselves in our language. As we studied in our Sunday School, many animals want to share their emotions with us.

The relation between animals and humans in which man understands the feeling of an elephant. The emotional state of many animals is easily recognizable by their faces, eyes and how their muscle-tone changes, eye size and gaze. Many animals need help and are in danger because people are trying to kill them. That is why they became man-eaters; we still don't understand them. Instead of making them comfortable and able, we are killing them. So we should respect wild animals by keeping a safe distance away, not approaching and removing their environment. If you are scared of wild animals or found while travelling, just don't chase them, stay quiet and calm, and don't touch or get close. So we should also understand the emotions of animals.

Aayushma Gaha

Understanding has a unique value that other epistemic states, such as knowledge, do not. This fact threatens the justification for the focus on knowledge that the history of epistemology displays. Elsewhere it has been argued knowledge does not possess this exceptional value. There are a couple of lines of argument, however, that threaten to extend and denial of this unique value for understanding. Underlying all such challenges is the apparent fact that the language of knowing and understanding are closely related. This discussion argues that the kind of understanding we prize most is immune from the concerns plaguing the theory of knowledge. Animals don't understand the language in a language,  but they understand what you want to mention by your gestures, body language, and tone. These are animals like parrots, monkeys, dogs etc.
Sunita Bk

Understanding is that without which you cannot be a good human being. To be a better human being, one should have understanding. Understanding can improve explanatorily when one has more true beliefs of fundamental epistemic value. Stepwise, we should have an understanding of animals. In understanding animals, Lars Sevendsen teaches us how humans can attempt to understand the lives of other animals. We should understand the feelings of animals then. Only animals and human beings can have a good relationship between them. Let's take the example of a dog and how a dog understands us. Dogs read more into our tone and body language than actual words. They focus on us and observe our physical clues to determine what we want them to do. Understanding why some animals help others at the potential cost of their own survival and reproduction, for example, not only gives us insight into their behaviour but could also help us understand our species' ideas of altruism and sacrifice.

Samarika Karki 

Since humans are more advanced and social, we should have empathy. We should be understanding, caring and loving not only between us and the other person, but we should be understanding, caring and loving to animals also, as they have feelings too. If would be trust between the animal and humans, the world would live in peace. We should betray animals that rely on us; only then will there be a bond between that animals and humans.

Ngawang Lhamo

Humans have various ways of survival. Animals are only dependent upon nature. So, they do not have any other means of survival. Humans have become much more advanced and know several ways to survive and sustain themselves. Animals do not have such survival techniques; therefore, they only depend on nature for food. We can speak a complex language. We use our logic. But animals only do their actions based on instincts. Apart from the differences, humans and animals are similar in certain aspects and have an outstanding bond. Their bond mutually benefits people and animals and is influenced by behaviour essential to health and well-being. This includes, among other things, emotional, psychological and physical interactions between people, animals and the environment. 

Akshra Singh

As we know that the human and animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between humans and animals that is influenced by behaviour to the health and well-being of both. This includes, among other things, emotional, psychological and physical interaction of people, animals and the environment. 

Animals have been protectors, companions, co-workers and even best friends. Humans need animals in their lives to stay healthy, mentally and even physically. Animals are used in standard therapy to increase movement in the handicapped. We should also understand animals' feelings. They can't speak or show their emotions as we can; it doesn't mean we will not respect or treat them however they want. Because they are also like us, they also have feelings. 

Shraddhanshi Rawat

Understanding - Arfa Khan

Understanding is something without which you can’t be a better human being. It is the first step to becoming more sympathetic and caring to others. To have better relationships, you need to understand the other person. Understanding the other person’s feelings and perspective is fundamental for developing our emotional intelligence (EQ). It is essential to understand other people because it helps us respond appropriately. 

We have experienced a lack of understanding at some point in our lives and had its effects play on us later, like arguing with our parents, friends, etc. We all want to be understood, but most of the time, our expectations aren’t met; that’s because it’s rare that anyone understands others, and that is mainly because it takes effort and energy to understand people, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t. 

If we don’t understand one another, then we continue to have our beliefs as our priority, have regular fights, and have no problems getting solved. Misunderstanding is also very dangerous; it leads to hatred, which is very nasty.

Misunderstandings ruin relationships no matter how strong they are; a relationship that takes time can be destroyed by just one misunderstanding. To avoid that, we simply need to listen and not judge quickly. 

Understanding is vital and sometimes complex if it’s something new to you, but listening is the most straightforward way to start.

Arfa Khan
8-A
Ahlcon Public School
Image source: https://res.cloudinary.com/people-matters/image/upload/q_auto,f_auto/v1503295189/1503295188.jpg

The Stuff Toy To The Heart - Reveda Bhatt

Understanding someone, one's problems or just giving them a platform to open up fully is sometimes all one needs to get better. For that, what is needed is a mutual relationship where both people are fully committed to helping each other solve their problems because if one's just a bagpipe, then even if they get what you say, anything you share with them is just not safe. 

Understanding is an excellent virtue because that's when someone lends you their ears to make you feel better. It's not like they give you a rebuttal for what you say, but they agree to whatever you say and then help you look for a solution. Now, isn't that what a true friend does!?

Everyone has a right to be understood because it is essential to know how others look at the world from. To be good at understanding, what we need to give up on is contradicting. Otherwise, then it just feels like a debate, way more hectic for the person who needs, in fact, "wants" to be understood.

Like warmth to the cold, comfort to the hurt, clouds to the sky, stuff toy to the sad, does understanding work as an aid to a cut deep into trust.

Then, the aim, which is the main, is that you need to keep all that to yourself and not go on sharing the person's views with others. Only then would you be able to become a good human being, a true one, true to yourself!

Reveda Bhatt
The Aryan School

Acceptance - Rishona Chopra

Acceptance is considering people as they are. It is not knowing people's faults and not talking about them. That is being sympathetic. Acceptance is to not even realise one has flaws or is disabled; it is just to consider them equal to you.

In the book Totto-chan, Takahashi was short, but no one talked about it because they probably didn't realise that he was disabled or had faults. They just accepted him as a child. 

When we grow up, we know more, we know the faults, we know when one is disabled and when we see that, we even stop feeling pity for them! That is why our brain cannot use it to its total capacity because the more we know, the more problems we create. Life will unfold itself. We don't have to force it to open its destiny. 

In an extract from Peter Pan, Peter says to Wendy: Children don't believe in fairies because they know more than what they are supposed to know, and that's why fairies are fading from the world.

Accepting people is looking at their good qualities, not at their faults, because after all, everyone is different and no one is perfect.

Rishona Chopra 
Grade VI 
Gyanshree School

Joy of Learning For Me - Aanya Kumar

The book My Good School reminds us that no school is perfect. Students receive more appreciation for past achievements. Educators will have to understand the pupils and plan interactive activities to raise the enjoyment level of learning. We must find our true identity because that is what truly matters. 

Deciding for ourselves and learning while experiencing real-life instances will help our holistic development. Often, fun examples given by mentors may not clearly tell us that they are related to studying topics, but as we grow up, we seem to understand that what our teachers have taught us stays with us our entire life. Understanding topics with fun and learning to the fullest is the Joy Of Learning.

Aanya Kumar, 

Grade 6B, Podar International School.

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

Compassion - Arav Agarwal

Is Your Child Ready to Face the World?

After reading the chapter compassion in the book called Is Your Child Ready to Face the World? by Doctor Anupam Sibal, my reflection on compassion.

Compassion means understanding others' suffering and helping them just like Princess Diana and Mother Teresa did.

I learned the word compassion in the lockdown when I was reading a book called Planting Seeds by Thich Nhat Hanh. There is a chapter in the book called understanding and compassion. The chapter starts with a promise "I vow to develop compassion to protect the lives of people, animals, plants and minerals. The chapter says people like doing different things; suppose you want to read a book and your friend wants to play tennis, you can just read the book later and go out to play tennis with your friend. This small act of understanding and compassion will give your friend joy and make him happy, and you will become satisfied.

After reading that chapter, I realized that everyone was practising compassion and helping each other in the lockdown. We used to practice compassion by helping in household and office work and supporting each other as everything was closed. I also showed compassion and helped my parents in work by cleaning the house and helping in cooking. My parents understood that I couldn't meet my friends, so they played games like cricket, badminton and chess, which I play with my friends. Also, the vendors were very understanding and compassionate, and they used to deliver things quickly and also arranged if they didn't have that thing. Teachers practised compassion by rapidly adapting to online learning and making it fun for us, and being patient in teaching us.

We don't need to do something big to show compassion. Small acts of kindness will show compassion and make a big difference. Everyone can be compassionate; we don't need a superpower to be compassionate. If we do a small act of compassion, we can make a big difference in the person's life which we don't realize. As rightly said by the fourteenth Dalai Lama, "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

Name: Arav Agarwal

Grade: 5C

Billabong High International School, Thane

Trust - Divya Rathore

Trust, in simple terms, is faith in another person, despite a lack of an assured outcome. One characteristic that makes trust unique is its fragility. To gain the trust of parents or friends, one must continuously prove one's honesty and reliability. 

Among all my friends, I trust only Sanyogita because she always motivates me and helps me in any kind of situation. Due to my financial problem, I couldn't join all online classes, and my work was also incomplete. I asked all my friends to help me, but not even a single friend could help me. I was quite disappointed. Then Sanyogita, my classmate, came and told me not to get upset and said she would help me with all my work. That act of Sanyogita made me feel happy and proud that at least there was someone who helped me in my time of need. 

I realized that living in the world these days is hard because people are no longer honest and helpful. Being dishonest always causes problems that can lead to someone getting offered. It seems that there is someone who can help you in everyday life and someone who kills you by their words and nature. I think every person should help others. They should understand each other's problems, their situation, their feelings and show empathy towards others. We can only trust a person when someone understands us. As Sanyogita understood my problem, now I can easily trust her. At last, I would like to sum it up by quoting that 'A friend in need is a friend indeed.'

Divya Rathore 

Class X B

The Fabindia School

Appreciation - story by Arjun Rohilla

Arjun Rohilla of Grade 5 Gyanshree School Noida shares a beautiful story to explain the Value of Appreciation. This story is about trust and betrayal, a fable about animals and how they have extra-sensory perception and live in harmony with nature. #JoyOfLearning

Practice Makes a Man Perfect - Lakshyavardhan Singh

This time, I was given a project in Social Studies about the Major Landforms of the Earth. It is about three major landforms of the earth. These are Mountains, Plateaus and Plains.

Mountains - Mountain is the natural face of earth surface elevation. They are rich with resources and many important rivers originate from mountains. 

Plateaus - Plateaus are usually flat lands standing high above the land. Many plateaus of India are huge mining areas.

Plains - The fertile regions, plains are stretches of flatlands. Plains are ideal for cultivation and human habitation.

When I was doing my project, my mind was totally engrossed in it. I collected all the materials which were available at home only, I chose a place and made different landforms. We may forget what we have read, but it remains forever in our minds when we do it practically or understand it by making a project. Activities and projects develop our interest in studies and bring clarity to our understanding of the topics. 

Lakshyavardha Singh

Class VI

The Fabindia School