Heart vs Mind Part 1 - Student discipline and teenage relationships

Quick recap

Learning Forward Saturday reading session for The Teachers Academy, focused on the book "Wanted Backbencher and Last Ranker Teacher,” in which participants discussed the chapter "Heart vs. Mind" and shared reflections from the previous session on overcoming fear and leadership. Sandeep Dutt provided updates about the program’s expansion, including a new 3:30 PM session time starting July 4 and a new simplified domain (diljeeto.com), while announcing that 350 people had registered for the evening program at 5:30 PM. The group read excerpts from the current chapter on Roma’s experiences with student discipline issues and teenage relationships, and participants discussed how to handle adolescent behaviour in the classroom. The session concluded with plans to contact Kavita regarding the final two chapters and a discussion of the importance of understanding teenage psychology in teaching.

Next steps

Brinda

• Contact Kavita (the author) to invite her to join the upcoming sessions (the last two chapters) via Zoom for 20-30 minutes each.

Sneha

• Prepare the next chapter, “Heart vs. Mind,” for the session on July 4.
• Create and share a poster announcing the new session time of 3:30 PM.

Collaboration

• All participants: Submit reflections focusing on the theme “every child must succeed”.

Reflections from Learning Forward Saturday sessions

Learning Forward Saturday sessions are held every Saturday at 3:00 PM on Zoom and are open to all members of the Good Schools Alliance

Right vs Wrong

As a teacher, I can utilise this story to teach students important life values along with academic learning. I would use the story to spark discussions about trust, safety, peer pressure, and responsible decision-making, so students can connect the story’s events to real-life situations. 

Through the character of Roma, I would explain how a teacher should be caring, approachable, courageous, and supportive towards students. I can also use this story in value education classes, counselling sessions, and group activities such as role plays, debates, and reflective writing to help students develop empathy, confidence, and moral awareness. 

The story would help me encourage students to speak openly about their problems and understand that seeking guidance is a sign of strength, not weakness. As a teacher, this story also reminds me to maintain a balance between discipline and compassion, to understand students’ emotional needs, and to create a safe and trusting classroom environment where every student feels respected, protected, and guided.

Regards 
Ms. Rekha Sharma 
Sunbeam School Mau

Like vs Unlike

We learn that a teacher should not always react aggressively. 

We also learned that students share their problems only when they trust their teacher. Therefore, teachers should keep such matters confidential and not discuss them with everyone. In the chapter, Roma informed the parents, but the matter was kept private among the counsellor, the class teacher, and the parents.

Overall, the chapter teaches us that a good teacher should understand students, guide them positively, maintain confidentiality, and handle every situation with patience, care, and understanding.

PYDS Learning Academy

It Wasn’t Easy — That’s Why It’s Easy - Manisha Khanna

Our mind has a strange problem: it does not understand the word “don’t.” The moment we say, “I don’t want stress,” the mind says, “Okay, let me think about stress all day.” When we say, “I am not able to do this,” the mind calmly replies, “Alright, I will make sure you never do it.”

The mind is like a stubborn child. Tell it, “Don’t eat the chocolate,” and suddenly, chocolate becomes the purpose of life.

So instead of saying “I can’t do this,” we should say, “How can I do this?”

The moment you change the sentence, the mind changes direction. Earlier, it was looking for excuses; now it starts looking for solutions.

When we say something is not achievable, we should treat it like a challenge, not a full stop. We should train our minds like a strict but funny coach:

“Okay, dear mind, you think this is impossible? Fine. Now sit down, make a plan, learn the skills, try again, fail again, but we are not leaving this ground until we find a way.”

Life is actually a very funny teacher. First, it gives the exam, and then it teaches the lesson. Nothing worth achieving is easy, but the truth is — once we decide that ‘don’t’ is our new goal, the difficult road becomes interesting.

So next time when you say, “It’s not easy,” just add one more line:

“It wasn’t easy, that’s why it will be easy — because I will learn how.”

Manisha Khanna

From limits to possibilities

- Manisha effectively uses AI to learn and grow!

War vs. Peace continued, reading Chapter 2 from Wanted Back-bencher & Last-ranker Teacher

Learning Forward Saturday

To read and discuss the “War and Peace” chapter from the book Wanted Back-bencher & Last-ranker Teacher, by Kavita Ghosh

Key Takeaways

• Proactive Discipline: Use movement breaks and outdoor lessons to improve student focus and prevent disruptive behaviour.

• De-escalation Strategy: Counter aggression with calm redirection. In a crisis, a teacher’s composure can defuse a situation that a direct confrontation would not.

• Interpersonal Relationships: Build trust by believing students’ claims of innocence, even when administrators are sceptical. This strengthens the teacher-student bond.

• Next Session: The April 11th session will be held live at the Learning Forward retreat in Jaipur and streamed online, reading the chapter “Love Learning vs. Hate Learning.”

Topics

Proactive Classroom Management

• Problem: Prolonged sitting reduces brain oxygenation, leading to fatigue and poor concentration.

• Solution: Incorporate movement and outdoor lessons (e.g., teaching figures of speech on the lawn) to boost student engagement and attention.

De-escalation: The Jeevan Incident

• Crisis: A student, Jeevan, threatened to pull down his pants in front of the Physics teacher, Reshma, after she lost control of the class.

• Analysis (from counsellor Uttara):

  • Problem: Transgression of classroom decorum.

  • Critical Element: The entire class was in “mischief mode.”

  • Context: Jeevan sought to elevate his image among peers.

  • Teacher’s Miscalculation: Reshma’s direct challenge (“Would you pull down your pants?”) was unwise, as it invited the defiant response that escalated the situation.

• Resolution (Roma’s Intervention):

  1. Regained Control: Roma’s silent, composed presence at the desk immediately calmed the class.

  2. Redirected Focus: Instead of confronting Jeevan, Roma told Reshma, “Let them go ahead,” subtly conveying the threat of consequences without a direct challenge.

  3. Preserved Dignity: Roma spoke to Jeevan privately after class, avoiding public shaming and preserving his self-esteem.

• Outcome: Jeevan apologised to Reshma, and the class remained silent for the rest of the period.

Interpersonal Relationships: The Sizzler Gang

• Incident: The “Sizzler gang” (Simi, Supriya, Rupa, Patricia) was accused of damaging a washroom wall.

• Administrative Response (Ms Henkel):

  • Process: No hearing was held; the girls were judged and penalised without a chance to speak.

  • Punishment: Initially, one week of cleaning, increased to two weeks for “insolence” after Rupa protested the unfairness.

• Roma’s Response:

  • Belief: Roma believed the girls’ claims of innocence, strengthening their trust.

  • Humour: Roma used a self-deprecating joke about mowing her lawn to break the tension and help the girls accept the punishment.

Participant Experience Sharing

• Gulabee: Uses “stand up, sit down” games and clapping to redirect restless LKG/UKG students.

• Sunita Gupta: Engages disruptive students with active tasks, such as reading aloud.

• Sunita Tripathi: Uses a “someone is coming” warning to gain silence, then asks the most disruptive student to explain their behaviour.

• Ritu Rai: Defused a noisy class by singing a song and inviting students to join, successfully redirecting their energy.

Next Steps

• Sandeep Dutt:

  • Create a bookmark for the “Love Learning vs. Hate Learning” chapter.

  • Add the bookmark to the WhatsApp group.

• All Participants:

  • Prepare a “War and Peace” story for discussion at the next session.

  • Submit stories to Manisha Ma’am for publication on the happyteacher.in blog.

• Next Session:

  • Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026, for reading Chapter 3.

  • Location: Live from the My Good School at Mayur School, Jaipur.

  • Format: Live-streamed on Zoom and other channels.
    
    FATHOM-AI generated notes, read with care.

Wanted Back-bencher Last-ranker Teachers Chapter 1 - Sunbeam School Ballia

Learning Forward Saturday with Brinda Ghosh and Sandeep Dutt on February 14, 2026.

The session was insightful and well-structured, focusing on continuous learning and self-reflection as educators. It encouraged us to adopt innovative strategies and remain learner-centric in our approach. The learnings will be thoughtfully implemented in classroom practices.

- Pooja Chauhan 

I learned how to maintain discipline in class and to make a good seating arrangement so that no student can see the board or hear the teacher, which helps students understand the lesson properly. The session also taught me that we should be patient and keep working hard to achieve any goal we set.

I also learned that it is not important that giving punishment to any child or student creates fear in them; rather, the punishment could lead them down a path where they do not repeat the same mistake, as in the future they will be thankful to those Teachers who scolded or knocked them for their mistakes.

- Monika 

The session was successful and meaningful. We reflected on changing student mindsets, especially the idea that backbenchers are equal learners. We discussed maintaining classroom decorum before teachers enter, building respect, fostering interaction, and cultivating an eagerness to learn. The session highlighted that today’s classrooms thrive on rotation, inclusion, and shared responsibility.

- Ada Singh

The session reminded me that backbenchers are not behind — they are simply waiting to be discovered. With encouragement and belief, they rise with confidence and shine brightly. Every child has hidden greatness; as teachers, it is our duty to bring it forward.

- Sunita Gupta

The session was very affirming for me as a teacher. This session changed our thinking for backbenchers. Many of them created new things, which we never thought of 🤔, and we recognised the hidden potential of those students.

- Shivangi Gupta

The Learning Forward Saturday session was very informative and inspiring. It helped me understand the importance of continuous learning and reflection in teaching. The session encouraged me to think about improving my daily classroom practices. I learned that small changes in teaching methods can make learning more effective. The ideas shared were practical and easy to apply. Overall, the session motivated me to grow professionally and support my students better.

- Kajol Chauhan

The session motivated me and was inspiring. As a teacher, I see our backbenchers as confident, creative, and full of potential. They bring energy and a unique perspective to the classroom. With proper guidance and encouragement, they actively participate and show wonderful improvement. Their growth reminds me that every child shines in their own special way, no matter where they sit.

- Ritu Rai

The session changed my thoughts about benchwarmers. Backbenchers are frequently labeled as inattentive or less capable, but such assumptions can be misleading. Many of them possess creativity and original thinking that enrich the learning environment. This session reinforced my belief that intelligence and ability are not determined by seating position. As teachers, it is our responsibility to look beyond stereotypes, encourage participation, and recognise the hidden potential in every learner. 🌟

- Abhi Singh

The session truly touched my heart. It gave my thinking a new direction and helped me understand that a child’s value is not determined by where they sit, but by their thoughts and qualities.

I realised I must encourage every child, listen to them, and help them grow with confidence. I will support each student and make them feel special in my class.

 🌟

Gauri Singh

In the session, I loved how intelligence isn't about where you sit but about the ideas you bring to the table. As teachers, we have a huge responsibility to nurture and bring out the best in every child, regardless of their position in the class. 🙌

All words have changed my perspective, and I'll make sure to keep an open mind and give every student a chance to shine! 🌟

- Ekata

The session was equally impactful and inspiring for me. It gave my thinking a new direction and helped me understand that every student is unique. Often, we underestimate some children, even though they may possess remarkable talent and creativity.

As a teacher, this session motivated me to provide equal opportunities to every student and to make a conscious effort to recognise and nurture their hidden potential.

- Neha Pandey

It was an insightful session that changed my perspective on backbenchers. They are often underestimated, but many of them think creatively and have unique, out-of-the-box ideas. This session reminded me that intelligence is not defined by where a student sits, and as teachers, we should recognise every child’s hidden potential.

- Jyoti Pandey

The session was a powerful reminder that a classroom is not defined by its front rows, but by the potential in every corner. It has deeply motivated me to look beyond academic labels and connect with " backbenchers " who often carry the most creative sparks. I am committed to making my classroom a space where every child, regardless of where they sit, feels seen, valued, and empowered to lead.”

- Jyoti Mishra

Exploring Impressionism Through Music, Art, and Poetry

Thoughtful Thursdays

Impressionism in Motion: Poetry, Paint, and Performance

In this session, we explored how Impressionism manifests across the creative spectrum—from Shakespeare's timeless poetry to luminous paintings and the dynamic rhythms of music. Through thoughtful discussion and multimedia, the group reflected on how artists in all media seek to capture the fleeting, the emotional, and the ineffable.

🌿 Shakespeare in Bloom: A Literary Tribute Through an Impressionist Lens

To honour William Shakespeare's birthday (April 23), the session opened with a tribute to his poetic genius. The group read and reflected on Sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"), noting its evocative imagery, rhythmic progression, and emotional depth. These qualities mirror key aspects of Impressionist art:

• Sensory language creates a vivid, almost painted scene: golden sunlight, rough winds, and the passage of summer days.

• The sonnet's structure—three quatrains and a concluding couplet—was likened to visual layering, gradually building to a moment of emotional clarity.

• Shakespeare's emphasis on beauty, time, and transformation parallels the Impressionists' focus on fleeting moments and shifting light.

This tribute positioned Shakespeare as an early master of capturing ephemeral emotion, much like the painters and musicians explored later in the session.

🎨 Brushstrokes of Light: The Evolution of Impressionism in Art

This segment explored how Impressionist painters broke away from classical norms to portray everyday scenes with immediacy and feeling. The discussion touched on key developments:

• Artists began working en plein air (outdoors) to observe and quickly depict natural light and atmosphere.

• Synthetic paint pigments allowed for brighter, more varied colour palettes and techniques like juxtaposition, where side-by-side hues create optical blending.

• Impressionism responded to the rise of photography, shifting the artist's role from documentarian to emotional interpreter.

• The conversation also noted the transition into Post-Impressionism and Expressionism, built upon Impressionist freedom with deeper abstraction and symbolism.

Participants appreciated how Impressionist painters aimed to convey how a moment felt, not just how it looked—a goal shared across many creative forms.

🎼 Sound Made Visible: Beethoven and the Music of Emotion

The session concluded with a visual representation of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, using colour and motion to animate the music's structure. This inspired a discussion on how music can be experienced visually:

• Motifs and dynamics were shown through animated visuals, highlighting rhythm, tension, and contrast.

• This multi-sensory approach helped participants better understand musical form and recognise how repetition and variation create emotional impact.

• The concept of a "motif" was compared across disciplines: in music, as a melodic phrase; in painting, as a recurring visual element; and in literature, as a repeated symbol or theme.

This final section emphasised how technology allows for richer, layered learning experiences, bringing abstract concepts to life across media.

🔗 Takeaways: A Unified Artistic Language

• Impressionism is about more than technique—it's about expressing the inexpressible and capturing moments of emotion, movement, and light.

• Whether in a sonnet, a symphony, or a sunset on canvas, artists across disciplines use symbolism, structure, and sensory detail to shape meaning.

• Exploring these connections encourages deeper appreciation and cross-disciplinary creativity.

📚 Looking Ahead

• Next week's topic is symbolism, a natural progression from Impressionism's focus on perception and mood.

• Continued exploration of intersections between art, music, and literature.

• Plan to refine online presentation tools for a smoother participant experience.

We hope you enjoyed our creative journey through Impressionism in art, literature, and music. Let the colours, sounds, and stories inspire you—and don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments below. We'd love to hear from you!

Heart Vs Mind - Reading at The Teacher's Academy 14th Sept 2024

Summary of the reading session

Addressing Student Disciplinary Issues and Teacher's Role

We read about disciplinary issue involving students Arjun and Rakhi. Roma, their teacher, disagreed with the punishment and insisted on talking to the parents first before disciplining the students. Roma emphasised the need to understand the student's perspective and only jump to conclusions with giving them a fair chance. The discussion highlighted the importance of respecting teachers and allowing them to handle situations with their students. Roma firmly stood up for her students despite opposition from senior colleagues.

Addressing Student Misbehavior and Consequences

Roma discussed the actions of two students, Arjun and Rakhi, who had been caught talking on the terrace, a prohibited area, and bunking the morning assembly. Learning emphasised the importance of understanding the consequences of their actions, which had given the school administration, teachers, and other students a wrong message. She also highlighted the need to adapt to new times and understand the younger generation's perspective. The students apologised for their actions, but Roma continued questioning them to ensure they understood the gravity of their mistakes.

Relationship Issues and Physical Intimacy Discussion

Arjun, Rakhi, and their friends discussed their relationship issues. Rakhi expressed her need for more time due to the impact of the relationship on her life at home and school, while Arjun argued that the relationship was not affecting his life. They also discussed the influence of their friends on their relationship, with Arjun mentioning that Anthony had advised him that Arjun liked Rakhi. The conversation ended with Rakhi expressing her desire to end the relationship due to the pressure it put on her and the fear of a breakup. Additionally, Rakhi explained the four phases related to physical intimacy, which led to an unintended revelation by Arjun and Rakhi in front of their teacher.

Discussing Friendship, Autonomy, and Consequences

Sandeep expressed concerns about friends' influence on personal decisions and the potential consequences of such decisions. Anubha mentioned the importance of individual autonomy and the possible impact of their actions on others. The conversation also touched on the theme of friendship and its potential challenges. The conversation ended with Learning promising to work on being just friends to facilitate a meeting with their parents.

Building Self-Confidence and Trust in Education

Roma shared her experience of receiving love letters at 16, which helped her cope with negative comments and build self-confidence. She connected this to Rakhi's situation and highlighted the importance of self-confidence and teacher-student trust. Roma welcomed Arjun's and Rakhi's parents to discuss punishing their children for their mistakes. The parents agreed with the school's decision and decided to remove their children's privileges.

Addressing Technical Difficulties and Punishments

Our meeting was marked by technical difficulties, with participants experiencing intermittent audio and video issues. Despite these disruptions, we managed to continue the session and the discussion on punishments. Sandeep emphasised the importance of understanding how these punishments can be handled and the need for better devices and connections to prevent future disruptions.

Navigating Teenage Years: Challenges and Support

The discussion revolved around the challenges of parenting teenagers, particularly those between the ages of 14 and 16. The participants acknowledged the significant changes during this period, including shifts in friendships' cognitive, emotional, physical, and personality growth. They emphasised the importance of understanding these changes to better support their children. The conversation also touched on the role of schools and parents in navigating these challenges, focusing on providing guidance and support during this confusing phase of life.

Teenagers' Behavior and Relationship Dynamics

The meeting revolved around the issues faced by Rakhi, a teenage girl, and Arjun, a teenage boy. The discussion centred on the reasons behind their behaviour, with Roma suggesting that Rakhi might seek self-assurance through a relationship due to her insecurities. On the other hand, Mr Rana argued that Arjun was a confident boy and didn't need to seek self-assurance through a relationship. The group also discussed the possibility of Arjun missing his mother or sister, which could explain his attachment to Rakhi. The conversation ended with the group agreeing that trust should be given to teenagers and that they should not be punished for their actions.

Teenage Relationships: Emotional Challenges and Communication

The discussion revolved around the emotional and psychological aspects of teenage relationships, particularly the challenges teenagers and their parents face. The participants acknowledged that teenagers often experience intense emotional connections, which can be overwhelming and all-consuming. They also recognised that teenagers are young and immature and usually try to deal with their emotions independently. The importance of open communication and understanding was emphasised, suggesting that parents should not react as anticipated but instead give their children a chance to talk about their experiences. The participants also discussed the potential dangers of physical intimacy in certain relationships and the need for teenagers to learn how to say no and leave situations when necessary.

Teenage Self-Esteem and Brain Development Discussion

Roma and Mrs. Vishwanathan discussed the importance of self-esteem in teenagers and advised Rocky's mother to work on his low self-esteem by encouraging self-love. Roma also explained the development of the teenage brain, emphasising emotional sensitivity and the ongoing development of the prefrontal cortex. She shared her experience of a tense day at school filled with drama and tension and received a warning from Simon about her actions, particularly her involvement in taking four girls to a club.

Chapter Completion and Assignment Discussion

Learning discussed the completion of the current chapter and the assignment planned for it. The assignment was shared in the Joy of Learning Library and Dehradun. Learning encouraged everyone to work on it in groups, creating videos as suggested or coming up with reflections. The next session was set to focus on reflections from teachers across schools. Learning also emphasised the importance of reading and leading, urging everyone to try to read the assigned book. The conversation ended with a reminder to refer to the blog post and start working on the assignment.

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Responsibility and Cooperation - Jaspreet Kaur

Why is Responsibility an important trait? 

Responsibility helps to raise our self-esteem, and our relationships with friends, family and co-workers improve ten-fold. Responsibility is essential because it makes you more productive. Without Responsibility, you are more likely to shirk your duties or miss deadlines. On the other hand, people who do not take Responsibility are usually quick to blame others when something goes wrong, even though they have a role in causing the problem. It can increase self-esteem because it encourages you to work harder at achieving desired results. This makes you feel more competent, which boosts your confidence and improves how others perceive you. One of the most essential benefits of Responsibility is that it teaches valuable life lessons. Responsibility helps you learn how to handle difficult situations, make good decisions, set goals, and achieve them. Responsibility is essential because it makes you into a better person. Life lessons are often taught through taking Responsibility for your actions, mistakes, and events in life. Responsibility teaches you to be responsible for other people’s safety, property, feelings, and emotions. These skills are essential for success in any area of life, from personal relationships to your career. Responsibility is an essential moral concept that helps to build strong character. When you are responsible, you act with integrity and honour, even when no one is watching. 

How can you teach your students to be responsible in school, at home, and outside? Give at least 2 concrete examples in each case. 

We can teach Responsibility to students at school while assigning them some vital duties, such as a monitor, cleanliness in-charge, Resource manager and time manager for group activities. We can teach students to maintain discipline when the teacher is not in class. We can teach mischievous students to share daily diaries in class groups. At home, we can teach them to take care of sick grandparents or help their mother with household chores on Sunday and father gardening. 

How strong is the culture of cooperation in your classroom? 

As I am class In charge of Grade V, I always encourage my students to be cooperative with each other. I made a buddy system in my class. In this system, average students are sitting with below-average students. Brilliant students help their buddies to complete their pending work; they do hand-hold. Even when below-average students are not giving answers, I always inspire them to repeat their buddy’s answers. In this way, gradually, the below-average students also gain confidence and a sense of cooperation increases daily. When some special assemblies are conducted, the buddies help each other understand the dialogues and gestures.

Jaspreet Kaur 

Kamla Nehru Public School  Happy Teachers JOL Cohort 2022

Importance of Discipline - Shivani Rao

Courtesy Source: uiic@aktu.ac.in

Discipline is one of the most important personality traits in everyone's life. It refers to a set of rules and regulations which are to be followed while undergoing any task or activity. It is a way of being honest, hard-working, motivated, and encouraged while doing any task. 

It is a character trait that helps the individuals to complete the tasks in a given fixed deadline. The role of discipline in our life is to set orderliness, efficiency, punctuality, organization, and focus on our tasks. “Life without discipline is just like a ship without radar.” Therefore the importance of discipline in life just cannot be ignored.

Courtesy Source: https://www.cuemath.com/learn/importance-of-discipline/

Shivani Rao

The Fabindia School

sro@fabindiaschools.in

Importance of Self Respect - Prakash Dangi

Self Respect is a quality which is extremely important for the dignity, confidence and personality of an individual. People with self-respect have the courage of accepting their mistakes. They exhibit a certain toughness, a kind of moral courage, and they display character. Without self-respect, one becomes an unwilling audience of one’s failing both real and imaginary. A self-respecting person accepts responsibilities for one’s own life and its this source from which self respect springs. Such people are always willing to accept risks. They invest something of themselves in what they undertake to do, and when they play, they know the odds. 

Self-respect is a kind of discipline, a habit of the mind that can never fail an individual. Need to remember that respect for ourselves guides our morals, while rasped for others guides our manners for winning the respect of others, we need to respect our own selves first. There are endless potentialities in each of us. Hence we need to believe in our strengths, and we need to repeat! Only when we love ourselves, gain confidence in our abilities believe in them, and when we have a positive, healthy self-image will others respect us.

Prakash Dangi

The Fabindia School

pda@fabindiaschools.in

Medley DGS: Honesty earns Respect!!

“Be a reflection of what you’d like to see in others. If you want love, give love, if you want honesty, give honesty, if you want respect, give respect. You get in return, what you give.” Anonymous 

Nearly everyone knows the story of the poor wood-cutter whose iron axe slipped and fell into the river while he was chopping wood and at the end, his honesty was respected and rewarded. For one, to build the character of honesty entirely depends on his/her family values and surrounding, and school becomes a major part of it. As I sit and reflect on my life as a student, I find several incidents when one was honest and got punished, and at other times, honesty not only saved but also earned respect. As a teacher its different angle, as you are the authority and the child looks upon you with trust. It is difficult to make children understand the concept of honesty. At a young age, children find a lot of things attractive and want to have them. In one such incidence, a girl in my dorm took a toy of another child as she liked it very much. As a housemother, it is my duty to know every child, and somehow I knew who did it. On confronting, the child agreed that she took the toy. Now came the challenge of whether to punish the child for stealing or to spare her for her honesty. Manier times to teach a bigger lesson one has to forgive smaller mistakes. That’s how we earn the trust of the children when they learn that their honesty has been respected.

गुरु  कुम्हार शिष कुंभ है, गढ़ि  गढ़ि काढ़ै खोट ।

अंतर हाथ सहार दै, बाहर बाहै चोट ।।

………………………कबीरवाणी

And this reminds me of another incidence where a girl took a book of another child and wrote her name on it. The other girl to whom the book belonged recognized her book and claimed for it and the argument started. Since both the girls belonged to my dorm, they came to me with the fight. On questioning both, I understood who was telling the truth and who was lying. After dinner, I took the girl for a walk and told her that I know the truth. I said to her “You are a good girl, and it must be something important that made you do so. If you are honest with me I will help you as much as I can”. She told me the truth that she had forgotten the book at home and was very scared of the subject teacher. Hence, she took that book. Then she started sobbing, thinking what everyone would say when they will know that she was lying. I told her one such incidence when I had forgotten my book at home, and my teacher did not say anything because I was honest and promised to be careful from next time. After listening to my story, the girl got the hint and promised to accept her mistake in front of her classmate and the teacher. As a teacher, it is also essential to maintain the balance between being strict and discipline and being understanding and approachable.

While pondering over this incidence today, I realize the importance of not only educating our children on “honesty is the best policy” but also on why it is the best policy. Just as in this story, one lie leads to others, and soon we find ourselves stuck in the web of our own lies and dishonesty. That’s when we realize that for a shorter benefit, we put our respect at stake. And the fear of losing our respect forces us to say more lies. Honesty is expressing our feelings and opinions accurately, and when we are not doing that, we get into an internal conflict that makes us restless, tense, anxious and fearful.

Hence, Just like Mahatma Gandhi’s Experiments with Truth, let’s do our experiment with Honesty in the class and outside and see for ourselves whether truly, honesty is the best policy?

Proud to be Educators From Medley DGS - Anubhuti Sharma, Chandralekha Negi, Kirti Bisht, Mamta Kandpal, Neelam Waldia, Rudrani Ray and Sugandha Ahluwalia 

Importance of Yoga - Prakash Dangi

Yoga essentially originated in the subcontinent of India. It has been around since ancient times and was performed by yogis. The term yoga has been derived from a Sanskrit word which translates to basically union and discipline. Furthermore, after this popularity of yoga, India became known for yoga worldwide. People all over the world have started to realize the benefits of yoga. It has numerous benefits if we look at it closely. You will get relief when you practice it regularly. As it keeps away the ailments from our mind and body.   

When we practice several asanas and postures, it strengthens our body and gives us a feeling of well-being and healthiness. Yoga helps in sharpening our mind and improving our intelligence. We can achieve a higher level of concentration through yoga and also learn how to steady our emotions. It connects us to nature like never before and enhances our social well-being. You can develop self-discipline and self-awareness from yoga if practised regularly. You will gain a sense of power once you do it consistently and help you lead a healthy life free from any problems. 21st of June is celebrated as International Day of Yoga where people are made aware of the benefits of yoga. It is a great gift to mankind which helps us keep better and maintain our health. You also develop a higher patience level when you practice yoga which also helps in keeping the negative thoughts away, releasing our stress and enhance the immunity. You get great mental clarity and better understanding 

Prakash Dangi, The Fabindia School <pda@fabindiaschools.in>

Honesty and Respect: Usman Gani

A major component for developing moral character is Honesty. Honesty helps in developing good attributes like kindness, discipline, truthfulness, moral integrity and more. Lying, cheating, lack of trust, steal, greed and other immoral attributes have no part in Honesty. Honest people are sincere, trustworthy and loyal, throughout their life. Honesty is valuable and it is the habit of utmost importance. There are famous quotes, said by a great personality like “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom”. It holds good due to its ability to build, shape and motivate integral values in one’s life.

Honesty removes fear from the heart. It makes a person courageous and confident. It certainly takes a huge amount of courage to speak the truth. Speaking truth is a sign of bravery. The one who lies is a coward. Speaking falsehood is a sign of low self-confidence.

Honesty will certainly result in high-quality friends. An honest person will make lifelong friends. The friendship will be very close and strong which involve such individuals. Most people go through life and always hear about the word respect, but they don’t know what it means. Respect is the esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person. There are things in life you need to hold in respect. 

Respect for yourself, respect for others, and respect for property. Respect is taught to people everywhere and it is even taught to them in their religions. Respect is the very aspect that keeps everything in your life. Respect for yourself is very important to a person because it can be the balancing factor of your life. If a person has no respect for themselves the will most likely go into depression. Respecting yourself is also important for your self-esteem.

Usman Gani

The Fabindia School

Honesty and Respect - Kavitha Devda

Honesty means being truthful. It is very important, to be honest at all times. Telling lies does

not get you anywhere except in more trouble. Honesty builds trusts. When someone lies it means the trust is broken. Once the trust is broken it is very hard to get it back. Being yourself means you accept yourself for who you are and by being an honest person, people will believe you and trust you. When we make some mistakes, we should accept it. Making mistakes always helps us to learn and correct our mistakes.

Honesty is always appreciated by everyone. Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. An Honest person shows good behaviour, always follows rules and regulations, maintains discipline, speaks the truth, and is punctual. An honest person is trustworthy as he always trends to speak the truth. Honesty helps in developing good attributes like kindness, discipline, truthfulness, moral integrity and more.

Respect begins with listening. Listening to what another person has to say is a basic way to respect them. Until you listen to another person’s concerns, you will not know who they are and what’s important to them. Life on earth is about serving others. In fact, our professions, our careers, and our jobs should revolve around a desire to serve others. We can serve without being kind. But it’s very difficult to be kind without serving. Kindness is an expression of respect. 

Respect for the fact that someone else is simply in need. We have all been in need. And what a relief it was when someone showed us kindness. Kindness is a tangible way of showing respect. Respect doesn’t always require thankfulness. But it often does. It’s just another way we show respect. It’s just another way that we feel respected. Everyone wants respect. Everyone should show respect. So hopefully everyone will receive the respect they’re due, and they’ll grant the respect due to others.

Kavitha Devda

The Fabindia School

Honesty and Respect - Shivani Rao

Honesty means having the courage to speak the truth. An honest person is always respectable and admirable in society. A person with honest behaviour is always appreciated by all. For one to build the character of honesty entirely depends on his/ her family values and ethics of his/ her surroundings. Being honest never means to bear the bad habit of others or bear ill-treated activities.

Honesty is built slowly and patiently first at home and then at school. Home and school are the best place for children to develop their attitudes. An honest person shows good behaviour, always follows rules and regulation, maintains discipline, speaks the truth and is always punctual. An honest person is trustworthy and loyal. Honesty involves the courage to stand against wrong. Wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.

You must have seen in the classroom during examinations that many students seem to cheat because of fear of failure in exams. Some students, being honest, inform their teachers about their friend's wrong actions without thinking that their relations with their friends can be jeopardized.

What is respect? Do we need to earn it or we get it by birth? Respect is something that is the result of your good actions. Respect must be shown to the people who impact our lives. One of the best ways of showing respect is by listening carefully to the person even if you do not agree with their points. Respect is a two-way street- Whatever you give, you will get back. It consists of trust, support, safety, cooperation and accountability.

Ways of showing respect

Respect for elders: When you listen and obey them 

Respect for the environment: when you take care of them.

Respect for your equipment: When you value your equipment.

Respect for other efforts: When you appreciate them

Respect for animals: When you feel their pain.

Self Respect: When you believe in yourself even when the world is against you.

Honesty and Respect are directly interlinked with each other. If you are an honest person, people will respect you. They will appreciate you for your honesty. If you are respectful in society, people will be honest with you.

The connection is not built for pleasing people. It happens when you are honest with someone and they respect you for what you are.

Now the question is how these values can be developed in our child? And the answer is 

-open discussion in classrooms. 

-Debates on topics related to honesty and respect.  

-Storytelling on topics by students.

-Solving case studies. 

-Asking them their real-life story when they had been honest and in return they got respect.

Youths are the future of any country so they should be given better opportunities to develop moral character so that they can lead the country in a better way. First and foremost priority is, to be honest with yourself and respect yourself then only you can spread these values.

Shivani Rao

The Fabindia School