Honesty - Arav Agarwal

Honesty for me means being authentic and being who I am.

Whenever I feel that I should not tell the truth, I just ask myself, do I want to live peacefully or in fear. If we say a lie, we feel regret, and then our minds cannot live peacefully. Being honest has helped me get many opportunities for my growth because of my teachers, coaches, friends, and parents' trust and confidence in me. I also get a good feeling and calmness in my mind by being honest.

I have listened to many stories on honesty since my childhood and many parents' experiences where being honest has helped them in life. Even my experience of being open and getting appreciation from my teachers and parents has made me more confident and courageous to always be truthful and honest in life.

So, we should always keep in mind that practising honesty will take us ahead in the future. By being honest, we are only being true to ourselves.

Name: Arav Agarwal
Grade: 5C
Billabong High International School, Thane

Real World Learning - Yashraj Sharma

Learning is a lifelong process. In books, classrooms and word-of-mouth, all we can learn is theory. But, the real learning comes from application and not just by memorising theories…..Like Issac Newton discovered gravity by merely watching an apple fall from a tree, with no aim or goal to find something.
 

Let me give you an example from my life - When I was in the 3rd standard, for classes 3 to 5 a ‘Rock sports camp’ was organised by our school. There were many activities, like zipline, Burma bridge, rock climbing etc. For the first time in my life, I got to experience walking over a Burma bridge. I was so hyped, and it was a much more thrilling experience than I had imagined. I also got to experience zip-lining over a bottomless, large pit. I was terrified and excited at the same time. After these two activities, I did rock climbing, and that was the part I was most scared of.

But, the important thing is that until that time, I had only heard of these activities and heard other people’s experiences. When I finally got to actually do and experience these activities in real life, I understood why people always said, “Rock climbing is very scary” or, “Zipline is breathtaking!”. I also learned that all these activities require spot-on hand and eye coordination.

No matter the situation we face in our lives, be it good or bad, we can always learn something new from our experiences. All of it depends on the individual’s personality, intellect and capabilities. Therefore it is rightly said that “When there is rain, look for the rainbow; when there is night, look for the stars”.

So, in conclusion, I would like to say that no matter how many books we read or how many videos we see or how many articles we read. We can only experience authentic learning by doing what we have seen, heard or read.

Yashraj Sharma

Grade: VIII-D

Gyanshree school 

Today Is The Day When You Define For Yourself - Arav Agarwal

Reflection of the chapter Today Is The Day When You Define For Yourself from the book My Good School ~ Where Passion Meets Education by Sandeep Dutt.

I was really inspired after reading the chapter - Today Is the Day When You Define for Yourself. The chapter is about decision making, and every day we have a choice to choose the wisest option for ourselves. The line with which I connected deeply was that whenever you make decisions listen to your inner voice to make the right decision. Also, the counsellor we need for counselling is our inner self, which helps us act as a counsellor; we only have to start listening to it.

There have been many times when I also had to make decisions and choose for myself. As I reflect back, I think it has helped me become better and more confident. What I have learned is that when we make choices, we should be kind enough to think about ourselves and others. And this will keep us happy.

Name: Arav Agarwal

Grade: 5C

Billabong High International School, Thane

Online to Offline School: A Journey for the young - Aanya Kumar

The last two years have been a setback for everyone. Suddenly everything was shut down. However, no one can compare the hardships students and teachers faced during the pandemic to anything else. Some students took advantage of this by either skipping some classes or cheating on exams. Some people were still loyal and truthful towards the school and themselves. 

The first year was skimmed through. The second year made everyone miss the school bus honking near their buildings. As offline school has resumed, students face issues regarding waking up on time for school. However, students can interact more with their teachers. Of course, we also missed talking to our friends during the online schooling. 

The reprimands of teachers were something our ears had been waiting for. Muting and unmuting were complicated, and now we can speak whenever we want. So, this phase of students' hearts being broken and then put together again was a complicated but exciting journey.

Aanya Kumar

Podar International School

Grade 6 B

If I were a character in a Book I would be ... by Arav Agarwal

Books and characters take us to places where we have to stay where we are, and there are times when we are fascinated by the characters and their qualities that we aspire to be like them. If I were a character in a book, I would be Tom from the series Tom Gates by Liz Pichon.

The character Tom inspires me because he does not have any superpowers, and Tom is like one of us. Still, he is active, intelligent, solution-oriented and loves trying new activities. In one of his books called ‘Super Good Skills’, things did not go the way he wanted, but he made it fun for himself and his family with his qualities. Tom transports me to his school, classroom, home, on his school trips and at his friend’s house, where he teaches so many life values like friendship, being courageous, communication ways and keeping a positive attitude. The most important thing is that he does everything in a fun and enjoyable way. With him, I get motivated to be a better person, give my best in whatever I do and make this world a better place. I love to be in the brilliant world of Tom Gates. 

Name: Arav Agarwal
Grade: 5C
Billabong High International School, Thane

Student Leader: Mentor or Monitor? - Anvesha Rana

                                                                        

Great Leaders don't tell you what to do, 

they show how it's done.

There is always a significant role for the monitor in every class, and there are many criteria for selecting a monitor. Usually, a monitor is the most disciplined and ideal student, but a monitor cannot actually help anyone. A class needs a Mentor or a Student Leader, the one who can take up tasks with zeal, do them with endurance, and ensure contributions from each student. A Student Leader is not an ideal student, but it is someone who is appreciated by all for everything that they do.  

A Real Leader should be the one who carries immutable values and respect for the past. A Real Leader may be older than you, but they will still treat you the same. Leaders should be amiable and charming personalities who are diplomatic in their terms. We all have a Leader within ourselves; we just need to recognise it. Student Leaders are within all of us. 

Today we read the last chapter of the book 'My Good School', and there are many things that I learned from this book. Primarily that school is much more than brick-and-mortar and is actually land that has come to life. A School can become a Good School only through Students Mentors, Happy Teachers and Dynamic Leaders. We view the different aspects of School through this book, and if you read this book, then there is one thing for sure you will also realise that School is FUN!

Anvesha Rana, Grade 10-B, Gyanshree School

Student Leader: Mentor or Monitor - Rishona Chopra

A class monitor. It is one of the most exciting things for me. The best day is when the teacher announces you as the class monitor. It's a feeling that you could lead the class. Writing names on the board is not a monitor, but helping students correct their mistakes is being a monitor. A monitor is not someone who brings a list of complaints to the teacher but finds out tricks to make other students listen to them. 

Monitors are supervisors ad set an example. 

A monitor is a young mentor. Imagine your teacher running in the corridors and not solving problems but even for the most minor mistakes giving their names to the Principal, won't that be odd? In the same way, we have to be the example for the class when the teacher is away.  As said, " When the cat's away, the mice are out to play". In the same way, when the teacher goes out of the class, the children start to play! We, as young mentors, should be able to handle the class in the similar way a teacher does.

A monitor is not supposed to be bossy but sweet, kind, and helpful. After all, a monitor in a classroom is a monitor for life. 

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

World Earth Day - Anvesha Rana

     

Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, 

the only home we've ever known.

Earth Day, celebrated on the 22nd of April each year, should be actually recognised every day! The Earth is the only home we know, yet we are constantly demolishing this beautiful planet with our skyscrapers, machinery, industries and technology. The fun fact is that everyone knows this, but we all are just too busy to save the planet which birthed us. 

Life originated from Earth, Humans evolved through earth, and today we are alive and breathing because of Earth. We should not just mark a particular day to save Earth; after all, Earth provides us food and shelter all year round and all days and has been doing that since the beginning of the human race. We can do our small action in return for this service by simply dedicating at least 5 minutes of our day to Earth. 

Don't bite the hand that feeds you, and Don't Destroy the planet that Helps You! 

 

                                                                She birthed us,

                                                          She took us in her lap, 

                                                               She nurtured us, 

                                                            Let's Love her back,

                                                       After all, She is our Mother,

                                                                 Mother Earth.

Anvesha Rana, 
Grade 10-B, 
Gyanshree School 

Today Is The Day When You Define for Yourself - Amaira Bhati

                                                                

Sometimes it's the most minor decisions that can change your life forever.

In life, you always have two things to choose, a right decision or a wrong decision, and you choose between right or wrong as per what you think is best. Well, I will tell you when I got stuck at my crossroad.

I had a stomach ache one day, so I told my mother, and she said, “Go to the birthday party with your father and maybe you will be fine there and take a holiday from school.” But I thought deeply, in my mind there was only one question – Should I take a holiday and go to the birthday party or should I go to school? My mind was jumbled up with the consequences of school and birthday party situations. I thought that everyone in the world has a birthday and you just get food and food, and you eat food every day and skipping such an excellent educational day of school was something I didn’t like! So, I told my mom, “No, mom, I won’t take a holiday for the birthday party. I will go to school no matter what" in response, my mom just said Good, so I knew that I had made the right decision. 

Life is complicated like a tangled box of yarn, but decisions are those colourful strings which need to be separated one by one, and that is the Beauty Of Life!

Amaira Bhati,

Grade 3-F,

Gyanshree School

The Dark Past - Coming Back And Letting Go!

As I turned back, I found myself in the corridors of Max Hospital at Dehradun. I had checked my phone just before I came here; it was 15:07 PM, 10th April 2022, but now, when I checked the time, it was 20:17 PM, 6th October 2019, and I was like, “What the hell!” I was back in the time when my mom and I had met with a severe accident!

As I walked, I recognised all the doctors and nurses and waved at them, but they were all in a rush, so they didn’t see or hear me. When I went to the fourth floor of the Neurology Department, I saw my family from my mom’s house and my dad’s house sitting there, weeping. I went near them, kneeled down near my grandparents and asked them, “Why are you crying?” They didn’t answer. I touched my younger sisters’ faces to see if they could feel my touch, which they couldn’t! My father wasn’t there, and neither was my mother. I shivered at the thought of being back in our dark past, advanced towards COMA and saw my father sitting on the bench with tears flowing down his eyes. When Dr Thakur came there, Father stood up immediately and asked, “Will they survive?”

That was the time when I was sure about the fact that I had travelled back in time! My father told me that he kept on asking this from my doctors. I could see myself past the glass, still not believing that I could not be seen by anyone at that time. I had machines all around me and a gauze tied around my head. Suddenly, I was going backwards, and after a split second, I found myself sitting on the same bench in the same park, back in the real world.

Though the whole situation was sad, this was a totally different experience, and I made the most out of it, but now, it’s time to let go of the dark past!

-“Temper us in fire, and we grow stronger; when we suffer, we survive...”

Reveda Bhatt
My Good School, Dehradun

Photo courtesy Dr Neeraj Kumar Singh