Totto-chan - Anvesha Rana

 

On the first day of May 2022, we started reading the book Totto-chan, the little girl at the Window by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. This book is based on actual events, and the real-life Totto-chan is today a celebrated television actress in Japan. During World War 2 in Tokyo, a different school with railroad cars as classrooms was opened by an extraordinary man Sosaku Kobayashi, the founder and headmaster of the place. The school followed other teaching and learning methods; consequently, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi wanted to tell everyone about this place through her book 'Totto-chan'. 

The characters that we have met till now are Totto-chan, her mother, her teacher and the stationmaster. Totto-chan is a young, chirpy girl who is full of life. She is bursting with curiosity and an eagerness to learn. Totto-chan is different from most other kids who want to just lead a simple life, whereas Totto-chan is never out of options about who she wants to become. Still, her lovable personality is always supported by her mother. Totto-chan's mother is a calm and composed lady who lets Totto-chan be who she truly is and wants her daughter to always be happy. Totto-chan gets expelled from her school, and her mother doesn't tell her about this since she doesn't want to alter Totto-chan's confidence. 

The teacher at Totto-chan's previous school was a young, focused and practical lady though she was rigid in her terms and observed Totto-chan only as a pest in her class. Totto-chan and her mother met the stationmaster collecting tickets; he was a considerate and helpful fellow. He proposed that Totto-chan could work with his son since both wanted to work at the station.

The author of this book is a Japanese actress, voice actress, World Wide Fund for Nature advisor, and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. She is well known for her charitable works and is considered one of the first Japanese celebrities to achieve international recognition.

If I ever have a book about myself like Totto-chan, I would want it to be an autobiography because only I am aware of many things about my life. Also, certain personal aspects need to be added to a book. So, I would love to have an autobiography about myself. 

Anvesha Rana, 
X-B, 
Gyanshree School

The Railroad Station - Rishona Chopra

The best thing in children is probably their innocence and curiosity to explore. Their cute naughtiness can be annoying but is done so innocently!

In this chapter, Totto - Chan and her mother are going to a new school. Getting off the train at the Jiyugoaka Station, Totto-Chan was fascinated by the ticket collector's tickets. She wanted to be a ticket seller but at the same time a spy too!

Isn't it wonderful to see that children can be so imaginative and excited!

For me going to a new school is the worst thing! You have to make new friends, but for Totto-Chan, it is slightly different. She is a jolly person seeing the world with eyes filled with love and innocence! This chapter indirectly tells about her personality. 

How fun it would be to be a ticket seller who is really a spy?

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Real world learning - Aadya Sharma

We learn by doing. There are many examples and situations wherein I felt the same.

We go on vacations during summer break every year. Before the lockdown, we went to Rohtang pass in Manali. I have read in a book that we face dizziness and breathlessness at high altitudes but never experienced that. On that day, I had experienced this feeling, and from that day, I understood the concept of low air pressure. To date, I remember that. 

One more incident that comes to my mind is….my Mama's (uncle) daughter Saanvi who has never been to school due to lockdown and studied online like we all did. Now she is in KG, and I always tell her about the classroom, school, teachers, friends, classroom rules, etc. But she was least interested in listening as she was so small and had never been to the school. She has started school, learned many things, and imbibed the items nicely. This proves that until and unless we experience the situations and explore them on our own…we can not know well.

So, we should always try to learn more and more from our experiences and, of course, from God's beautiful creations in the universe.

Aadya Sharma

III-C

Gyanshree school

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi - Rishona Chopra

 

Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window is an autobiographical memoir written by Japanese television personality and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. The book was published originally as 窓ぎわのトットちゃん in 1981 and became an "instant bestseller" in Japan. - Wikipedia

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

My first day of school after 2 years - Yashraj Sharma

Today when I went to school for the first time after 2 years, my sister and I were very excited to go to school. We even got excited hearing the school bus horn when we boarded the school bus. When we reached the school and I reached my class I saw all my classmates and my teachers in person after 2 whole years, who I had been seeing through my laptop screen.

When we heard the school bell ring after the first period, it just added more melody to my ears. The small chitchat sounds of my classmates sounded so exciting.

After that, the barren land of the noticeboard caught my attention and I could somehow empathise with the noticeboard and how it had been totally empty for the past time period and so to add to its vibrance so I decided to make it lively and give my splash of rainbow colours and draw some calligraphy strokes and make it a bit more vibrant and colourful, and so I thought that we weren’t the only ones excited to go to school. Even our class notice boards were excited for us to come to school and make it vibrant again. Yashraj Sharma Grade VIII Gyanshree School

The Reading Session - Rishona Chopra

 

Every Sunday at 11 AM, the reading session is a fascinating and unique place to be. Even though we could read the books we are reading in the session at home too, reading in front of a group of people is just so different. It helps improve fluency in reading, develops better pronunciation, and everything seems so much more fun! Even listening to other students and teachers read is enriching. 

I am still not sure what attracts me to join this reading session, but I feel that joining this session just makes my day!

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

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