Don't want Yasuaki-chan to die - Reveda Bhatt

To

Ms Tetsuko Kuroyanagi

I don’t want Yasuaki-chan to die!

Your fan,

Reveda.

Value for August is Patience

In August, we celebrate Patience; please share your thoughts with us, comment below or send a blog post by email to LF@ebd.in.

We need to build the future of learning at school on 22 values: Appreciation, Caring, Cooperation, Courage, Freedom, Friendship, Happiness, Honesty, Hope, Humility, Love, Patience, Peace, Quality, Respect, Responsibility, Simplicity, Thoughtfulness, Tolerance, Trust, Understanding & Unity. The teachers collaborate and work in groups to discover how the values come alive. Individuals take stock of their values and how they wish to lead their life. This program will inspire you by using examples of where the values are already being used by children and adults in schools and share practical tools to stimulate discussion and philosophical debate. #JoyOfLearning

Joy Of Learning (JOL) is based on The Little Book of Values: Educating Children to Become Thinking, Responsible and Caring Citizens by Julie Duckworth and Ian Gilbert, which explores twenty-two values that can be taught through schools. 

My Good School
Where Passion Meets Education
www.MyGoodSchool.IN

Swami and Friends by RK Narayan - Rishona Chopra

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami was an Indian writer known for his work set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. He was a leading author of early Indian literature in English along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao.

From 21/08/22, we will be reading Swami and Friends by RK. Narayan every Sunday at 11 am.  

Swami and Friends is the first of a series of novels written by R. K. Narayan, an English language novelist from India. The first book Narayan wrote is set in British India in a fictional town called Malgudi. 

I have read "Malgudi Days" and am so excited to read Swami and his friends. Swami is a curious and mischievous boy, but his stories are worth reading and hilarious. It tells about this unique bond of friendship through which we are all united.

Let's dive into Swami's World and visit Malgudi! A story full of twists, turns, and mischief, but this adventure will surely be interesting!

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

The Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/Swami-Friends-Narayan/dp/8185986002

The English Book Depot will be happy to assist you with a copy, call +91 135 2655192 or send an email to sales@ebd.in.

Swami and Friends - Anvesha Rana

Somewhere in life, there must be someone to take your hand and share the torrid day. Without a touch of Friendship, there is no life, and we must fade away. There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends who become family. Friendship is a tonic for all of us that only grows stronger over time; it is the cure for every challenge, the outlook for every good day, and the wish for every person. Probably no relationship is as essential yet versatile as Friendship. The intimacy and affinity we have with our friends are irreplaceable, and it comes in many forms; whether we are next to each other or miles apart, we always remember them, and they are our Friends. 

Some stories will make you smile, some will bring tears to your eyes, and some may even make your heart skip a beat, but all of them will renew your faith in the power of Friendship. Penned down beautifully in the words of a celebrated novelist, RK Narayan, is this tale overflowing with mischievousness, oozing with love and pondering over our relationships. 

So, join us as we dive into this adventure with Swami and Friends. We won’t know what’s coming next, for this will be full of twists, turns and steep ends, but one thing we can be sure of, whatever it is, will be the most memorable.

Anvesha Rana, 

Grade 10-B, 

Gyanshree School

Just the Way you are! - Anvesha Rana

There is so much happening with Totto-chan. Her friend, Yasuaki Chan, dies, and all she is left with is a longing to see him again. Her heart broke down on his passing, but she did not let that show, for she knew they would meet again soon. Their lives might have been entangled once, but they had broken free. 

Totto-chan was still an optimistic, cheerful girl. She let her ambitions cross limits and did live up to them. Her dream of a spy might have been full of zeal, but it crashed as Tai-chan pointed out the reality, yet Totto-chan gathered her courage and awaited the bright, new future. Twisted, they both were in their own lives, simply finding the correct path to walk up. 

No wonder Totto-chan is Totto-chan only because of her parents; the values that Totto-chan’s mother and father have instilled in her, not through sermons but through examples, have led her to be the same person. Another man who has contributed massively to the becoming of Totto-Chan is her headmaster, who not only made Totto-Chan realize her worth but also made her learn the art of respect and helping others. 

Totto-Chan, 

Be just the way you are, 

For you are perfect 

And you are pretty. 

You are strong, 

And agile enough. 

You are a tree, 

That will never fall. 

Everyone in Tomoe, 

Should be just the way 

They are, because I can’t

Imagine it to be better. 

Let it be Tai-Chan, 

Or be it her mother, 

Let it be the young teacher, 

Or the Headmaster. 

I wouldn’t want anything

Different at all, 

Because it is perfect, 

Just the Way you are ! 

Anvesha Rana,

Grade 10-B,

Gyanshree School

"I want to be a spy" - Rishona Chopra

Our passion comes from within; it doesn't matter if we are not good at it. As long as we are interested in it, it's perfect for us. Being a spy is formidable, but as long as it is your passion, you'll be able to master it quickly.

For Tai -chan, I think he doesn't understand respecting one's imagination but is more serious and practical. I think Totto-chan is perfect to be a spy; I hope she becomes a spy when she grows up!

Reading Totto-chan, even I want to become a spy, but my true passion is to become a doctor!

Totto-chan the girl who wants to become a spy,
Even rejected, she won't cry,
She's finding a passion,
I am sure she has one,
She can be whatever she wants,
She could even own restaurants!
I am sure she could be a spy,
At least she could try,
Looking at her, 
I, too, want to be a spy!

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Living for Giving - Reveda Bhatt

 In the words of Pablo Picasso quote, "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."

Life is for giving; maybe you'll agree or won't, but you'll have to sooner or later when the reality hits you.

First, let's consider that nothing in this world is really ours and that living is giving.

We are born here on this planet to serve a purpose, a purpose for the betterment of humanity. During the process of living, we obtain many things that we just don't wish to give away, don't want to give away maybe because they are really near and dear to us. What we give, ultimately, comes back to us in the form of blessings. Listen up, my friend, in this world, nothing is permanent, nothing is ours, then why does human greed still pertain? But, here's what, the cycle of life picks and drops many things till it reaches its destination, with you pedalling on it. In life, we are in a give-and-take relationship, but in life, we are here to take and give.

So, if you have a ruby, pass it on to others so that even they can see its shine!

Reveda Bhatt
Grade 9
The Aryan School

Patience - Rishona Chopra

We are celebrating Love this month!

Patience is not simply the ability to wait, it’s how we behave while we are waiting. ~Joyce Meyer 

Patience is the biggest virtue one needs to achieve something. It is not the ability to wait but to keep a good attitude while waiting. While working in a team, we require patience; a student involves patience, a teacher, and a doctor in our daily life. Patience is one thing that can solve all problems. Doesn't it feel great when somebody listens to you patiently? In the book - Totto-chan, the Headmaster patiently understands students and talks and listens to them. The school wouldn't be that unique and extraordinary if he were impatient. Patience can be used in the smallest of things. Imagine you are waiting for a printout for your school project, and the printer isn't working! That is so annoying! You keep getting annoyed, and instead of waiting until the paper comes out, you restart it repeatedly. If you do that, the printer would be annoyed and ultimately stop working or work even slower. On the other hand, if you wait patiently for the paper to come out, it could. Although having patience is annoying, it is necessary as you might get into a fight with someone too! Like you got into a battle with the printer in the above example. Patience is more than a virtue for long lines and slow waiters.

Patience is the red carpet upon which God's grace approaches us.

Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

Love @ My Good School

Play the episode Love @ My Good School

My Good School Season 2, Episode 6

Recall the bond that connected you, remember the soul that touched you and let nostalgia engulf you as you recollect your tales from the land of the heart. Love, it’s love in the air as Anvesha and Simar are back with a podcast crafted with care, especially for you.

We welcome you to My Good School Show Episode 6, where passion meets education, and yes, it’s love this time. 

Tune into this beautiful conversation where Reveda, Amaira, and Saloni ma’am unfurl their stories filled with love. Join us in this celebration of love at My Good School and make it even more fun!

Anvesha and Simar - Hosts from Gyanshree School 
Amaira Bhati, Saloni ma’am - Gyanshree School 
Reveda - The Aryan School   

Comment below and let us know if you liked our podcast. If you want to be a part of similar podcasts, join us. 

We hope to be back with a new podcast next month, and this time it will be all about Patience. 

You will enjoy our shows on
www.DilJeeto.com.
More about My Good School
www.GoodSchools.in.

Countering Failure - RP Devgan

It is unfortunate to read about the loss of life among young teenagers who succumb to failure. Doctors and psychologists put it down to emotional stress and depression. If these be the causes, how can one help these children? The root causes are frustration, jealousy, loss of face and fear of failure.

To make children emotionally strong and fight against odds, they must be guided and mentored right from their early years. In Primary School, children are most impressionable. Most of the problems start with comparisons to brighter children. Not-so-bright children become conscious, which leads to jealousy, frustration, loss of self-esteem and lack of confidence. 

The way out of this web is to learn to compete with oneself - forget what the others are doing and concentrate on your improvement. One should set reasonable goals and try to do better one's performance periodically. This gradual improvement brings out the best in an individual. With patience, perseverance and hard work, one gradually rubs shoulders with the best. Concentrating on one's achievement leaves little room for jealousy and heartbreak; children from an early age need to be encouraged to believe in themselves. They need to be told that every child has some talent. It just is waiting to be discovered. Regular encouragement and understanding raise a child's confidence and self-esteem. 

As one starts on the journey to improve, it is crucial to reflect. Pause and look back to see how things are shaping up. Are the proper steps being taken? Too many people in this world repeat their mistakes daily, week after week, month after month and do not realise they are stagnant. They turn into robots.

Teenagers need to have a plan or a timetable they follow. The path to success is slow and, at times, painful. One must not give up. Failure leads to depression. To guard against this, one must learn to face losses and not give in. Most children who are weak emotionally have never participated in activities outside the classroom, be it sports or any extracurricular activities where they have faced disappointment and failure. Failure can be a great teacher. It makes you reflect, gather your wits and prepare for the next time. This makes you emotionally strong, an essential part of your character building.

The other day I was walking down the fairway on the golf course accompanied by a former student. He confessed that playing games and losing matches had taught him to face failure. He admitted that children who were just book worms lost out on building up their emotional strength and strong character. This is why our new NEP 2020 emphasises holistic education, which some call an all-around education.

I wish schools, for the good of children, start following the NEP 2020 guidelines, which will make children emotionally strong and prepare them to face challenges, not give up and not succumb to failure. This will help save the lives of venerable young children and make them happy. They can then look forward to a happy future with confidence and conviction.

Rajinder Pal Devgan
Chairman Learning Forward India
With nearly five decades of experience as an Educationist and serving as a School Leader for schools in India and overseas, Mr Devgan brings rich experience as an administrator, sportsperson, and teacher champion. His love for children further strengthens the My Good School philosophy of every individual's personal and social development with the active support of teachers and faith in experiential learning and learning outside the four walls of the classroom. Former House Master and Dean at The Doon School, currently Member Board of Governors at Welham Boys' School, has settled down at Dehradun to help build Learning Forward India.