Reading the World Before Facing It: Is Your Child Ready to Face the World?

Learning Forward Retreat, 14-16 July 2026, at the Fig Tree Cottage in Dehradun

We are delighted to host educators from Sunbeam Schools - Suncity, Bhawanpur, Lahartara and Varuna; and the Aasara Trust for an immersive learning experience. Discover more at www.LFIN.Academy.

Having seen many kids grow up in a residential educational setting. As an educator myself, I wonder whether we prepare our children only to score high marks or to face the world outside.

Is Your Child Ready to Face the World? by Dr Anupam Sibal gave me ample time to think about this subject.

The most important thing about this book was that it took us from academic excellence to character excellence in a refreshing way. In times when we measure success by marks and ranks alone, this book reminds us of the significance of humility, courage, compassion, gratitude, honesty, and forgiveness in life.

I was impressed by the chapter titled Humility because it showed that, regardless of how much we know, there is still more to learn and someone from whom we can learn. This helps us educators stay open to new thoughts and perspectives.

Handling Pressure is a particularly relevant topic in today’s world. It reinforced my belief that resilience and emotional well-being should be considered equally important as the quality of performance at school.

Among all the chapters, Making Mistakes and Accepting Flaws impressed me the most. We tend to teach our kids to aim for excellence, but it is rarely achieved that way. One learns by making mistakes, analysing them, and trying again.

Chapters on Compassion, Giving, and Making Others Happy made me realise that our ultimate goal as educators is not to make kids more knowledgeable and successful academically, but to make them better people. The intelligence will open many doors, but only your attitude towards other people will show how you use them. But I think the most important message the book conveyed to me was expressed in the chapters on Gratitude and Forgiveness. In a world where everyone tries to acquire something, gratitude shows how much we can appreciate what we have, and forgiveness frees us from hate and anger. As an educator, I understood that our ultimate goal is not just to teach children to pass exams, but also to prepare them for their lives and relationships with others.

If I were to summarise my learning from this book in one sentence, it would be:

The world does not merely need successful individuals; it needs compassionate, resilient, honest, and responsible human beings.

Reading this book has strengthened my belief that the real purpose of education is not simply to help children make a living, but to help them make a life.

And perhaps that is the true answer to the question the book asks:

Is our child ready to face the world?

The answer depends not only on what they know, but on who they become.

out preparing for life.

 - Deeba Naqvi, Apeksha Malviya and Anurag Khanna from Sunbeam Group of Educational Institutions, Varanasi, and Manisha Bhandari from the Aasara Trust at Dehradun.

The Path Forward: Self-Acceptance & Contribution

Read And Lead: Masterclass 2026: Reading from the book The Courage To Be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi, with Sandeep Dutt.

Discuss Adlerian psychology concepts from The Courage to Be Disliked.

Key Takeaways

• Horizontal Relationships: Establish relationships as equals to foster trust and shared responsibility, replacing vertical hierarchies that create dependency and enable responsibility-shirking.
• Worth on the Level of Being: Value people for their existence, not just their actions. This mindset enables gratitude for all, including newborns and the bedridden, and provides a foundation for self-worth.
• Self-Acceptance vs. Self-Affirmation: Accept your current self (e.g., a 60% score) as a starting point for improvement, rather than using false positivity (self-affirmation) that can lead to a superiority complex.
• Courage to Be Disliked: Overcome self-consciousness and the fear of judgment by acting authentically. This courage is the key to building genuine relationships and achieving happiness.
• Topics

The Problem: Self-Consciousness & Vertical Relationships

The Youth's self-consciousness (fear of judgment) prevents authentic expression, creating a "straitjacket" that stifles their "innocent self."

This fear is rooted in vertical relationships, which create hierarchies and dependency.

Example: Following a boss's orders to avoid conflict and then blaming the boss for failure is a "life lie" that shirks personal responsibility.

The Youth feels worthless because their job (sorting books) is unskilled and replaceable, leading them to believe they are "no one else but me" and not uniquely needed.

The Solution: Horizontal Relationships & Worth on the Level of Being

Horizontal Relationships: Treat all people as comrades and equals in consciousness.

Rationale: A single genuine horizontal relationship can transform one's entire lifestyle, gradually making all other interactions horizontal.

Practicality: This is about mindset, not ignoring social structures. It means asserting oneself respectfully and taking responsibility.

Worth on the Level of Being: Value a person's existence, not just their actions.

Rationale: This counters the Youth's initial view that worth derives solely from being "of use," thereby devaluing newborns, the elderly, and the bedridden.

Example: A mother in critical condition is still "of use" by being alive, providing psychological support to her family.

Gratitude: Express gratitude for existence itself, not just for specific acts.

Example: Instead of comparing a child to a perfect ideal and subtracting points, start from zero and be grateful for who they are.

The Path Forward: Self-Acceptance & Contribution

Community Feeling: The ultimate goal of interpersonal relationships.

Components: Self-acceptance, confidence in others, and contribution to others.

Action: "Someone has to start." You must initiate cooperation without waiting for others.

Self-Acceptance vs. Self-Affirmation:

Self-Affirmation: False positivity ("I am 100%") that can lead to a superiority complex.

Self-Acceptance: Honestly accepting your current self (e.g., a 60% score) as a starting point for improvement.

Principle: Focus on what you can change and accept what you cannot. This is "affirmative resignation," echoing the Serenity Prayer.

Next Steps

All Participants:

Apply the principle of self-acceptance by focusing on what you can change and accepting what you cannot.

Practice building horizontal relationships by treating others as equals in consciousness.

Cultivate the "courage to be disliked" to overcome self-consciousness and act authentically.

You Are Not the Centre of the World

Read And Lead - Masterclass 2026

The meeting discussed the book "The Courage to Be Disliked" by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi. We elaborated on the concept of community feeling, emphasising horizontal relationships over vertical ones. The discussion highlighted the pitfalls of praise and rebuke and advocated encouragement and gratitude instead. The session also addressed the importance of contributing to the community in building self-worth and courage. Participants shared their thoughts on applying these principles in various contexts, including education and work.

Key Takeaways

  - Reject Vertical Relationships: Avoid praise and rebuke, as they create a manipulative hierarchy. Instead, establish horizontal relationships grounded in mutual respect.

  - Practice Encouragement: Replace judgment with gratitude ("Thank you") to acknowledge effort and foster courage. This affirms a person's value without creating dependency.

  - Find Belonging Through Contribution: A true sense of worth comes from feeling beneficial to the community, not from external validation.

  - Use the "Larger Community" Principle: When facing hardship, remember the world is bigger than your immediate problem. This perspective provides a refuge and prevents minor issues from becoming overwhelming.

The "Rolling Stone" Analogy

  - The session began with a reflection on the "rolling stone" analogy from the previous week's reading.

  - Meaning: A person who seeks constant validation loses their "sharp corners" (individuality) and becomes powerless, carried away by societal currents.

  - Contrast: True freedom involves standing firm and speaking up, not conforming to the herd.

"You Are Not the Centre of the World"

  - The book's core premise: while you are the protagonist of your own life, you are a member of a community, not its centre.

  - Self-Centred View: Treating others as existing to serve you (the "prince/princess" complex) leads to disillusionment and resentment when expectations are not met.

  - "Globe vs. Map" Analogy:

      - Map: A flat, subjective view with one's own location at the centre.

      - Globe: A spherical, objective view where every point is a potential centre, illustrating that no single person is the absolute centre.

  - Active Contribution: A sense of belonging is earned through active contribution, not passive presence. It requires asking, "What can I give to this person?"

The "Larger Community" Principle

  - Adler's concept of community is infinite, extending beyond immediate circles to include the entire universe.

  - Purpose: To provide a refuge when struggling in a smaller community (e.g., school, workplace).

  - Application: When facing adversity, listen to the "voice of the larger community."

      - Example: If a teacher is authoritarian, remember that in the larger community of human society, you are equals. This perspective empowers you to object to unreasonable demands.

Vertical vs. Horizontal Relationships

  - The book advocates for rejecting vertical relationships (hierarchy) in favour of horizontal relationships (equality).

  - Vertical Relationships:

      - Praise & Rebuke: Both are manipulative tools that create a hierarchy.

          - Praise: A judgment from a "superior" to an "inferior."

          - Rebuke: The "stick" to praise's "carrot."

      - Intervention: Forcing your will on another's task, driven by a belief in your own superiority.

  - Horizontal Relationships:

      - Encouragement: The alternative to praise/rebuke. It is assistance that respects task separation.

      - Gratitude: Expressing thanks ("Thank you") acknowledges effort without judgment.

          - Why it works: It allows a person to subjectively feel they are beneficial, which builds courage.

          - Contrast with Praise: Praise forces adaptation to another's values, limiting freedom.

Discussion & Application

  - Teacher-Student Dynamics: The group discussed how praise creates an unconscious vertical hierarchy in the classroom.

  - My Good School Model: The organisation was cited as an example of a horizontal structure.

      - Key Elements: Openness, accessibility, and a focus on challenging opportunities over direct praise.

      - Rationale: Providing challenging work demonstrates confidence in a person's ability, fostering internal fulfilment.

Next Steps

  - Gurdeep:

      - Share the Otter AI summary and bookmarked page in the WhatsApp group.

Learning Forward Saturday

 
Quick recap

The meeting featured a creative educational session in which teachers and students discussed projects and activities, particularly scrapbooking and classroom libraries. The session included demonstrations of how students could create scrapbooks on various subjects, with specific examples shared by teachers, including social science, Hindi, and English. Teachers exchanged ideas about incorporating creative projects into their classrooms, with particular emphasis on making learning engaging through visual and hands-on activities. The discussion also covered the importance of classroom libraries and how students could contribute to them. The conversation ended with participants sharing their thoughts on the session and expressing gratitude to the organisers.

Next steps

• Saroj: Have all students create a scrapbook/project based on a small bird (pakhshi) and its life, including drawings and relevant subject matter, in their notebooks/scrapbooks.
• All teachers: Create subject-specific scrapbooks or books with students, incorporating creative elements (e.g., newspaper cutouts, drawings) relevant to their subjects (e.g., Hindi, English, Math, Social Science).
• All teachers: Share photos of classroom libraries, scrapbooks, and print-rich environments in the WhatsApp group for inspiration.
• Sakshi: Upload photos of the classroom library and print-rich environment to the group for others to see.
• All teachers: Encourage students to work on scrapbooks or similar creative projects during winter vacation, and share their results with the group.

Gutar Goo Project Discussion

The meeting focused on a product or project related to "Gutar Goo," with Minakshi and Sakshi participating. Neelashi and Swati contributed to the discussion, covering topics including illustrations, measurements, and scheduling. The participants exchanged information about addresses, certificates, and other details, with Minakshi providing guidance and confirmation throughout the discussion.

Family Events and Photo Studio

Sakshi and Neelashi discussed a photo studio and family events, including a family trip and a birthday party. They mentioned several family members and friends, including Romy, Pinky, Dolly, and Levy. Swati joined the conversation briefly to confirm details about a birthday party.

Birthday Gift and Certificate Discussion

Neelashi informed Sakshi that her parents would not be able to attend her first birthday party due to her father's illness, but they had sent a birthday gift that would be delivered by post. Neelashi expressed pride in Sakshi and her achievements, mentioning a Grade 1 certificate. They discussed a calendar and a participation certificate, but the details were unclear.

Travel Experiences and Cultural Visits

Neelashi and Sakshi discussed various topics, including Gutar's completion of schooling, the Democratic Republic of Gutter Pradesh, and their travels to places such as New York, the Pyramids, China, and the Tower of Pisa. They also mentioned visiting museums and seeing favourite paintings in person. The conversation was informal and included some unclear exchanges, but the primary focus was on their experiences and travels.

Scrapbook Creation for Subject Topics

Neelashi led a discussion about creating scrapbooks for different subjects, with a focus on incorporating drawings and including a title page. She asked Saroj to provide an example in Hindi, and the group discussed how to create scrapbooks using notebooks.

Scrapbooks for Educational Engagement

The meeting focused on creating scrapbooks for educational purposes, with discussions on how to design and use them effectively in teaching. Neelashi and Saroj discussed the scrapbook-making process, including the use of colourful materials and the incorporation of elements from newspapers and old books. Sakshi and Reena participated in the discussion, with Sakshi suggesting using Star Plus as a channel for inspiration. The group also discussed engaging students through scrapbooks and the potential to use them in health training sessions.

Student Scrapbook Creation Initiative

The meeting focused on creating scrapbooks for students, with Neelashi instructing teachers to assign students to develop chapter-based scrapbooks, including pictures, drawings, and labelled covers. Teachers discussed specific subject areas, with Minakshi confirming her role as a social science teacher and Swati offering to prepare content ideas for social science topics. The group agreed to prepare clear guidelines for the scrapbook assignment and to create classroom libraries with printed materials, with Neelashi emphasising the importance of creative teaching methods and inspiring field trips.

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🌕 Guru Purnima Tribute to Sandeep Dutt 🌕

On the sacred day of Guru Purnima, we take a moment to honour and express heartfelt gratitude to a guiding light in our lives — Sandeep Sir.

A Tribute on Guru Purnima

A true Guru does more than teach — they nurture, guide, and walk alongside us as we learn to navigate life. Mr. Dutt, you have embodied this role with quiet strength and deep humility. Your presence in our lives has been a gift, not just for what you’ve taught us, but for how you’ve taught us to believe in ourselves.

With patience and clarity, you’ve helped shape minds and build character. You’ve never needed to raise your voice to make an impact — your actions, your discipline, and your unwavering belief in your students have spoken louder than words ever could. You’ve shown us how to lead, not by instruction, but by example.

Each lesson from you carried more than knowledge — it took a message of integrity, of perseverance, of compassion. Even when we faltered, you saw something in us worth nurturing. You never imposed answers — instead, you encouraged us to think, to question, to find our own truths.

On this Guru Purnima, we offer our deepest gratitude. Thank you for being a guiding light — not just in the classroom, but in life. Thank you for inspiring us to grow not just in intellect, but in spirit.

Wishing you continued strength and fulfilment on your path. May your wisdom continue to shine in the lives of many more.

"A true Guru doesn't show you the path — he walks beside you until you find your own."

With heartfelt respect,

Manisha Khanna

Living In Harmony With Compassion: RP Devgan

What is Education?

Mr. Arthur E Foot, the first Head Master of The Doon School in 1935, explained education as follows:

If, at the time of graduating from school, the student cannot differentiate between what is right and what is wrong, they have had no education.

In today's world, where children chase success and marks, they tend to forget the very basics of education, which are human values and being good human beings.

Success comes to those who are kind and compassionate. We need to be considerate and respectful of our peers and the people around us. We often tend to be very selfish and only care for ourselves. Our first service should be to the community. We need to be grateful for what we have. Very often, gratitude is missing, and we end up complaining about everyone and everything.

I feel there is no excuse for rudeness or obnoxious behaviour; there is no need to insult or shout at others.

One must learn to be tolerant and respect the opinions of others. We live in a secular society, and we must have the patience and understanding to respect the culture and beliefs of everyone. Just because others' opinions and beliefs don't match ours, there is no need to be aggressive or intolerant. For example, a person who is a vegetarian is no better or worse than a non-vegetarian. Diversity is our country's strength, and we are proud of it—something we have always been proud of.

Achievements in academics, games and extra curricular activities are very important but just as important is being kind and generous to others. To live in harmony inspite of all our differences we may have in our cultures, religious beliefs and eating habits.

Our present situation can be summed up by taking the metaphor from the Piano:

You can make music with the white keys, and you can make music with the black keys, but to make music in complete harmony you need the black and the white keys.

RP Devgan is the Chairman of Learning Forward India, a long-serving teacher, and the head of schools worldwide.

Reflection on a Year of Transformation - Sneha Singh

A Very Warm Greeting to Everyone. As I stand before you today, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and fulfilment. This past year has been nothing short of transformative—a journey that has not only revived me as a teacher but also allowed me to explore my potential as a blogger and discover my true self. When the year began, I was, like many of us, navigating the routine challenges of teaching. While I cherished the role of an educator, I felt there was something more I could offer to my students, to myself, and to the world. This realisation set me on a path of self-discovery, reinvention, and growth. As a teacher, I began to approach my classroom with renewed energy and innovation.

 I embraced the idea that education is not just about delivering content but about inspiring curiosity and instilling confidence. I started experimenting with new methods—integrating storytelling, technology, and real-world applications. I learnt as much from my students as they learnt from me, and in the process, I rediscovered the joy of teaching. Parallelly, I ventured into the world of blogging—a platform where I could share my experiences, insights, and reflections. At first, it was daunting. Would anyone care about what I had to say? But as I began writing, I realised that my voice mattered, and my stories resonated with others. 

Blogging became my creative outlet, a way to connect with a broader audience and make an impact beyond the confines of a classroom. This journey also taught me the importance of balance and self-care. I learnt to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, celebrate small victories, and remain steadfast in the face of setbacks. Most importantly, I understood that my potential is limitless when fuelled by passion, purpose, and perseverance. Today, I stand here not just as a teacher or a blogger but as someone who has embraced the many facets of their identity. 

This year has taught me that reinvention is not about changing who you are but about unlocking the best version of yourself. As I look forward to the future, I am excited to continue this journey of growth and exploration. I encourage all of you to reflect on your own journeys, to step out of your comfort zones, and to pursue the passions that ignite your soul. Thank you for being a part of my story and for allowing me to share this reflection with you. Here's to a year of learning, growing, and thriving—together.

Thank you. 

Sneha Singh
Sunbeam School Bhagwanpur

The Doon School Visit - आर्थर फुट अकादमी शिक्षकों का दौरा

हम सब 16.11.2024 को अपने स्कूल और पूरे स्टाफ के साथ द दून स्कूल में गये हमे बहुत ज्यादा अच्छा लगा क्योकि हम पहली बार स्कूल के बच्चो के साथ गये | मुझे वहाँ जाकर एक अच्छे वातावरण का अहसास हुआ। जिस बस में हम गये हम सभी ने खूब मौज मस्ती की और सुमन मैम जो पंजाब से आई मैने उनके साथ अपने विद्यालय के बारे मे बाते की और उन्होने मुझे स्कूल और बच्चों तथा पढाई को लेकर बहुत सारी बाते समझाई और ये सफर कैसे पूरा हो गया पता नहीं चला | 

देहरादून का हमारा ये पहला सफर है इसमें हमने बहुत सारी बाते सीखी और दून स्कूल मुझे बहुत अच्छा लगा | वहाँ पर मैंने सुन्दर सुन्दर फूल देखे बहुत बड़े बड़े पेड़ और पौधे भी देखे जो मन को छू गये | फिर हमने वहाँ की प्रयोगशाला देखी, जहाँ पर बच्चों ने लकड़ी और मिटटी के भिन्न भिन्न तरह की वस्तएँ  से बच्चों ने बहुत अच्छी मूर्ति बना रखी थी, जिसे देखकर मन खुश हो गया | मिटटी के बर्तन भी बना रखे थे। 

पढ़ाई के साथ साथ बच्चों को बहुत कुछ सिखाया जाता है। नाच गाने की कक्षाएँ भी चलती है। दून स्कूल का स्टाफ बहुत अच्छा लगा जिन्होने हमारे साथ बहुत अच्छा व्यवहार किया और वहाँ के प्रधानाचार्या भी बहुत अच्छे है वहाँ का मैदान बहुत अच्छा है।  वहाँ स्टाफ और प्रधानाचार्या ने हमारा सम्मान किया ओर मैं आभार व्यक्त करती हूँ, असद सर, संदीप दत्त सर, ओर मनीषा  मैम का जिनकी वजह से मुझे यह सौभाग्य प्राप्त हुआ।

रीना देवी
आर्थर फुट अकादमी (प्रधानाचार्या)

जब मैं द दून स्कूल में गई तो मुझे वहां सबसे अच्छी मिट्ठी से बनी और धातु से बनी हुई वस्तुएं मूर्तियां और खेलने 
का मैदान भी बहुत अच्छा लगा |
ललिता पाल

मुझे द दून स्कूल में लकड़ी और धातु से बनी हुई वस्तुएं अच्छी लगी और सबसे अच्छी मिट्टी से बनी हुई मूर्तियां 
काफ़ी अच्छी लगी |
साक्षी पाल

मुझे दून स्कूल के सभी अध्यापकों का व्यवहार काफ़ी अच्छा लगा और बच्चों की बनाई हुई वस्तुएं भी अच्छी लगी|
स्वाति

आज हम दिन शनिवार 16/11/ 2024 अपने स्कूल के  बच्चों और स्टाफ के साथ हम द दून स्कूल गए कुणाल सर जो राजस्थान से हैं वह हमारे स्कूल में हमारे साथ रहे और उन्होंने हमें स्कूल से संबंधित बहुत सारी बातें समझाई दून स्कूल मे हमने बच्चों के द्वारा प्रयोगशाला में लकड़ी व मिट्टी से बनाई गई भिन्न-भिन्न तरह की वस्तुएं देखी, जिन्हें देखकर हमें बहुत अच्छा लगा |  फिर हमने वहां का मैदान, नृत्य कक्षाएं, और  लाइब्रेरी देखी जहां पर बच्चे एक अच्छे अनुशासन में अध्ययन कर रहे थे | द दून स्कूल  में सबसे अच्छी बात यह लगी की वहां के बच्चे समय का दुरुपयोग नहीं करते वह स्कूल के नियमों का अच्छे से पालन करते हैं और वहां के प्रिंसिपल  जगप्रीत सिंह  ने अच्छे से बात की और हमें बहुत बातें समझाई | मैं असद सर, संदीप सर, और मनीषा  मैम का का आभार व्यक्त करता हूं जिनकी वजह से मुझे द दून स्कूल में मुझे जाने का सौभाग्य प्राप्त हुआ |

नीरज कुमार

The Doon School is a good school for education. The teachers' behavior was excellent, and I felt very happy to see the pictures made by the children of wood, clay, and metal. The best thing for me was meeting Mr. Anjan sir, Mr. Sandeep sir, and the headmaster of the Doon School, Mr. Jagpreet Singh. You all arranged a club car for me. I thank Reena ma'am, Manisha ma'am, and Assad sir for the privilege of visiting The Doon School.

Devanand

Humility and Appreciation- Ashtalakshmi RPKM

Being humble is basically about reflecting maturity. A person who is humble deserves to be the first role model for everyone who wants to evolve into a better individual in the future, and for those who want to sculpt their personalities into something ‘good’.

Humility is the best value a student can imbibe. I, as a teacher, try my best to imbibe; some good values into my students, so as to make them understand the importance of practicing values in their day-to-day lives.

I would like to share an amazing and inspiring incident as I trudge down memory lane. It was a bright day and I could sense that my students were dreading the Monday. So I decided to make things interesting for them. 

It was their English period, and I took them to the school playground. Confusion, laced with fascination flashed through their faces, as they saw some balls scattered all over the ground. I decided to make them learn the synonyms and antonyms of some words; on the balls were written some pairs of the same (antonym on one and synonym on one). They all had to find the other pairs of each word and put the balls together. There was a time limit of 10 minutes under which they had to do the task.

I could hear excited murmurs all around me as they started to perform the task. I couldn’t believe that everyone was calmer than I had imagined them to be, the teamwork and humbleness were at their peak.

Everyone was helping each other find the pairs; if someone found one and the other found another they would shout what they found and put them together. Some students couldn’t find the pairs as they did not know their meaning, the others did not tease them for not knowing the synonyms and antonyms. I felt so proud that my students followed what I told them to, and that they were so humble with each other. The students who could not complete the task even came to me to apologize, that they would learn the topic thoroughly and wouldn’t repeat the mistakes again.

Such sincerity and humility in my students made me feel extremely proud, as I appreciated each and every one of them for the amazing achievement they made in such a small activity like this. 

I would like to share another incident that happened. It was a pleasant day, but not so pleasant for the students as I was going to distribute their answer sheets back so that they could see what mistakes they had made and how they could correct them.

I observed the students as they cross-checked their answer sheets once again, some faces looking satisfied, some disappointed, and some horrified; until one student made her way towards my table. I inquired if she was facing any problems. She told me that I had overmarked her answer sheet and that she wanted me to deduct her marks. I halted, as I looked at her in astonishment. 

I had never encountered a student coming to me to get their ‘marks’ deducted, although I had seen many trying to make them ‘increase’. I deducted the marks, and I then decided to announce what she did to the other students. The student got shy as I asked everyone to clap for her for her honesty; the student rightly deserved that. I appreciated that student once again as she went back to her seat.

I can never forget those days, when I made my students learn that being humble can make us achieve everything that we want to, including gaining love and trust from everybody who gets to encounter the values you possess.

One day I kept a glass jar in my class and asked my students to think of at least three things throughout their day that they are grateful for and the most important step that this will be repeated every day. It can be something as small as a coffee at your favourite place, or as grand as the time you spent with your friend or someone you really care about. I asked them to do this every day, write down what they are grateful for on little slips of paper and fill the jar. I told them that over time, you will find that you have a jar full of different reasons to be thankful for what you have and enjoy the life you are living. It also will cultivate a practice of expressing thanks.

Ashtalakshmi @ RPK School Moradabad
Ritu Goyal, Poonam Sharma, Meenakshi, Sonia Gupta, Tabinda Jabeen, Charu Sharma and Krishangi Sharma.

Gratitude - Sunita Mehta

My Good School presents Joy Of Reading.

The community reading program helps inspire you by reading and reflecting, sharing examples of where children and adults in real life are using values and is very useful to stimulate discussion and philosophical debate. The Joy Of Reading Program is only one part of our Life Skills Program - Reading, Speaking and Writing.

On Sunday mornings at 11.00 AM, you can join us for live reading sessions. Best you attend with a copy of the book and experience the Joy of Reading.  #ReadToLead 

Gratitude Chapter 15, narrated by Sunita Mehta, Headmistress Gyanshree School Noida, India

Humility and Appreciation - Visionary JMMS

Listen to the story

Photo credit- Google.Pinterest

Humility and appreciation are two values of life. When péople stops judging others and try to find out the good qualities in them and encourage them to do something fruitful out of their actions. We can love and appreciate, which will create a happy and healthy environment in our educational field and our lives.

We have a story based on a real incident in the school. This is the story of a little shy boy who was afraid of speaking and taking the initiative, but he was always appreciated by the teachers due to his good personality. Days went by, but his nature did not change, all the teachers used to appreciate him and encouraged him to take part in the small activities, we even gave him one of the most powerful and important roles in our annual day function, he wasn't ready for that, but we politely encouraged, motivated and appreciated him for his every action slowly he also started gaining interest and turned to be the best role player of that event.

Photo credit-https://www.dmc.tv/pages//Humility-2.html

Visionary JMMS- Parineeta Negi, Ambika Gurung, Manmohan Kaur and Bharti Dangwal.

John Martyn Memorial School, Salangaon, Dehradun India

Humility and Appreciation - Achievers JMMS

HUMILITY 

" Never look down on anybody unless you are helping them to come up".

Humility is the quality of not thinking that you are better than others. It is humble towards everyone. It means understanding the pains, delights and needs of others and taking their problems as your own.

Humility means not drawing attention to yourself but to others. It is the attitude that you have no special importance that makes you better than others or lacks pride. For example, when we are in some competition with others and win the competition, we should say them 'good work' rather than saying you have lost.

Humility is the most important asset which can be used for self-improvement. It is helpful for inner well being. It is important to value to become a better human being.

APPRECIATION 

"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

Appreciation means motivating someone. It understands that something is valuable and important. It is the feeling of gratitude towards someone. For example, in the class, we should use good words for children to motivate them. We should never demoralize students for anything. We should appreciate them for short things or for the short task which they do.

 विनम्रता और सराहना पर कहानी 

 यह कहानी  है एक बच्चे की जो गांव से कक्षा 5 पास कर शहर अपने चाचा जी के पास पढ़ने आया था I उस  बच्चे का नाम था रोहित I उसके चाचा जी ने उसे कक्षा 6 में दाखिला दिलाया I उसकी पढ़ाई पर बहुत ध्यान दिया घर में खुद पढ़ाया और ट्यूशन लगाई पर रोहित को कुछ भी समझ ना आता था और वह फेल हो गया I  उसके चाचा जी तथा अन्य सभी उसे कोसने लगे , डांटने लगे और उसे वापस गांव छोड़ने का मन बना लिया गया I

 वहीं पड़ोस में एक लड़की रहती थी रीना जिसका रोहित के चाचा जी के घर आना जाना था I  रीना को जब पता चला कि बच्चे को गांव भेजा जा रहा है तो उसने घरवालों को  विनम्रता से समझाया और बच्चे को खुद पढ़ाने का इरादा जताया और वादा किया कि वह बच्चे को सिखा कर रहेगी I  रोहित के चाचा जी मान गए रीना ने अपने घरेलू कामों से समय निकालकर बच्चे को पढ़ाया I  अब पढ़ाई में दिलचस्पी लेने लगा फिर रोहित  ने पीछे मुड़कर नहीं देखाI रीना की विनम्रता के कारण रोहित पर सका और आज एक सफल सॉफ्टवेयर इंजीनियर है I  आज  भी आसपास के सभी लोग रीना की सराहना करते हैं I

Achievers JMMS @ John Martyn Memorial School Salangaon - Sweta Thapli, Meena Kukreti,  Jyoti Joshi and Nisha Pundir

Quality - Punita Chouhan

Courtesy: brainyquote.com

Quality is an essential value in our life. It is an important aspect of one’s life. Quality makes a person’s life special because all we know his/her about character, behaviour, and attitude regarding society and nation, such an example was our former President Dr A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thought. The quality of your thought depends on the people whom you meet in your life.”

For the success of an organization different important elements are required like skills, knowledge, ability, objectives, aims, human resources or power and quality from establishing to control.
Quality is an essential parameter which helps organizations outshine their competitors and survive the fierce competition.

We need friends of good quality in our life. They help us in many ways like they help us to understand the value of time, thing etc, they guide us in a difficult situation. Good quality friends encourage and motivate us.

You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want. It is only possible by your own qualities which make it possible. It develops an attitude of gratitude for everything that happens in your life. So, try to improve your abilities in good quality, which makes you special in others life. Achieving quality can make yourself and others feel good inside.

Courtesy: brainyquote.com  

PUNITA CHOUHAN
The Fabindia School, Bali
pch@fabindiaschools.in

Gratitude - Ajay Vijayvargi

                                                   Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude,

 Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness,

Thankfulness may merely consist of words,

Gratitude is shown in acts.

 -David O McKay.

In today’s time, we are so busy and self-centred, meeting the deadlines of professional and personal commitments that we often forget to practice basic human values.

Thanks to the pandemic which has given us the time to rethink and practice the old value system – respecting and caring the elders, self-control to stay home with our families, rebuilding communications with old friends and relatives, being generous to help poor and needy in whichever way we can help them, preserving atmosphere – less travelling to and fro from workplaces, visiting places in our own or other means of transport (reducing pollution).

While observing the above, one thing that we all have realised is being thankful for this life and everything around- this virtue is called 'Gratitude'. 

Gratitude is the highest form of appreciation for the kindness of others. Just imagine people in our surroundings – maid, sweepers, driver, milkman, cab driver … we never ever bother or think about our lives without them, women can understand the misery if in the morning the maid rings up and informs that she won`t be able to come, milkman or news hawker do not deliver milk or newspaper on time, sweeper not cleaning surroundings for two or three days.

During the pandemic, we understood the importance of our health workers –medical and paramedical staff, lot many visuals and video on social media show our gesture of thankfulness to them. 
Being grateful need not require any monetary involvements necessarily- a simple `thank you` with a smile will make the day of the recipient and who in turn will make the day of many others. It is a chain and we simply need to start or be a part of it by continuing it.

We should always be grateful to others and necessarily put it in actions-a simple gesture is enough –Try it once.

Gratitude can turn negative into positive

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles

And they will become your blessings.

Ajay Vijayvargi
The Fabindia School
avi@fabindiaschools.in

Gratitude - Inner fulfillment - Swabhi Parmar

I personally feel that gratitude is affirmation of goodness and when we look at life as a whole, 

gratitude encourages us to identify some amount of goodness in our life. It leads to inner fulfillment and happiness. It makes us more empathetic towards all the living beings as well as things.

We should be thankful of each and every small thing which makes us happy, which helps us, which fulfill our needs and wants. As a human being we often forget to say thank you. Yes, we say thanks to people who help us, who solve our problems, who finds out way for us etc. But we do not say thank you to the things we use. They are also an important part of our life. For example the cup in which you drink coffee, the book in which you write, the glass in which you drink water are the things which fulfill you in the best possible way. We should give them respect and tell them thank you because they have fulfilled our needs and wants. It may sound insane, but without those things we cannot stay a comfortable life. So we should express immense gratitude to them as well.

The second part of gratitude is figuring out where that goodness comes from. We recognize the sources of this goodness as being outside of ourselves. It didn’t stem from anything we necessarily did ourselves in which we might take pride. We can appreciate positive traits in ourselves, because gratitude blocks toxic, negative emotions, such as envy, resentment, regret—emotions that can destroy our happiness. Gratitude could be magical key to inner peace as well. Once we start thanking our surroundings, our ecosystem, our people. We can eventually make the world a happy place to live in. 

Swabhi Parmar
The Fabindia School
bro@fabindiaschools.in

Humility and Appreciation - Bharti Rao

Humility is the mother of all virtues. It means to be humble and take care and think of others than your own self. If you are humble and down to earth you create a peaceful and healthy environment. Humble people always see better things in everyone, when someone makes any mistakes they forgive them. Humility is a difficult trait as you need to think about others and not boast about yourself and say ‘I’ every time. Instead, we should learn to give the credit to our teammates for success even though we have the ability to do it yourself.

Great Leaders like Mr Ratan Tata, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, A.G.P. Abdul Kalam etc. are the personalities who possess these attributes. If any institution wants to grow, the head and staff need to change themselves and be humble. Humbleness helps us to connect with the community. If we embrace the quality of humility, then only we will be able to appreciate others’ efforts. If you inculcate this quality, you will be apologetic for the mistakes you commit. Appreciation is the trait where you show gratitude, praise others and give recognition to other’s work. This quality helps to develop a feeling of togetherness.

An educator plays a very important role in shaping a child’s personality and this can only be possible if he is humble and understandable. Appreciation plays an important role in a student’s life. If a child is appreciated he feels motivated. This motivation and appreciation bring enthusiasm and excitement to complete his task. Educators are always the role models of their students. If their educator possesses these qualities, then the child tends to inculcate these qualities in them. I end with quoting the words of Gordon B. Hinckley,” Being Humble means recognizing that we are not on Earth to see how important we can become but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others”.

Bharti Rao 
The Fabindia School 

bro@fabindiaschools.in

Simplicity and Trust - Rectifier BHIS

Simplicity and Trust- He, who is contented, is rich

“Receive without conceit. Release without struggle”- Marcus Aurelius

The retired, old teacher, Mr. Satish Kumar, went to a bank to collect his pension. He was patiently moving - starting at one window then onto the next, completing all the necessary formalities. He stood steadfast in line, awaiting his turn. A newly appointed manager was supposed to join the bank that same day. No sooner did he arrive than he began with his rounds to check the working of the bank. During his rounds, he glanced at the old man. The manager returned to his cabin and called for Mr. Kumar. The elderly person was clueless. Filled with anxiety, he went to the manager's room and asked him the reason for being summoned.

The manager ushered the elderly man inside and  bowed to him. He further said that he would not have been there if the teacher had not shielded him for stealing, driven as he was by peer pressure. Mr. Satish Kumar couldn't recall anything and thus, he requested the manager to introduce himself.

At that point the manager answered that he was Tony. When he was in grade 6, he stole an expensive watch of his classmate, Ajay during the break. When the teacher entered the class, he found Ajay restless as he was looking for his watch. The teacher intervened and requested  everybody to close their eyes. Meanwhile, he stood near every boy, and searched their jackets for the watch. When the teacher came close to Tony, the boy was frightened of being caught and accused as a thief. He had not closed his eyes and Mr. Kumar understood. The teacher simply took away the watch from Tony's pocket and kept it on the study hall table without anybody's knowledge. He trusted Tony to change and realize his mistake. His simple pardon of Tony, without judgement, would bear fruit one day.

Now, when Tony saw the same teacher, who had saved his social standing all those years ago, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to him. Mr. Kumar had given him the opportunity to realize his true self without bringing down his confidence and self-esteem. The approach of the teacher to guide Tony helped him to take the right path in his life.

Rectifier @ Billabong High International School,Thane

-Pallavi Harkare, Mahalakshmi Iyer, Prerna Khanna, Priyanka Iyer, Rajeshri Mohite, Kalpana Dodia

David Geurin: The stuff that really matters isn't easy.

Future Driven Thanksgiving Newsletter

Yesterday, our family went to see the new movie Instant Family. It's about foster parenting and adoption, and it's really a great story. It's raw and heartbreaking but also hilarious and inspiring.  One quote from the movie really jumped out at me. 'The stuff that really matters isn't easy.' Every day educators like you are doing stuff that really matters, and it's hard stuff. It's never going to be easy. There are challenges and frustrations, but you're doing something that has significance. You're making a difference. So today, as I celebrate Thanksgiving with family, I'll also be thinking of you and all of our fellow educators. And I'll remember to be grateful for what you give of yourself to students and learning. Blessings to you and yours. Here are 5 thoughts about gratitude for your Thanksgiving... 1. The more specific the gratitude the better. Be thankful for little things that you might overlook. When you turn on the faucet and running water pours out, that's a blessing that some parts of the world still don't enjoy. 2. The more regular the gratitude the better. It's great to be grateful on Thanksgiving. It's my favourite holiday. I love that it's a day to reflect and be thankful. But we need to make gratitude a daily habit. Continuous gratitude is the most powerful kind. 3. You're probably much wealthier than you think. I don't know about you, but I never think of myself as 'rich.' But if your combined household income is $50,000 per year, you're among the top 1% wealthiest people on the planet. 4. Gratitude is essential to having a positive outlook. Even when we are going through life's storms, gratitude helps us remain positive. There will be dark times. There will be difficulties. But we press on and recognize that there are still blessings even in the storms. 5. Sharing gratitude is a way to give back to others. It's never a good idea to delay telling someone you're thankful for them. Do it today. Don't assume anyone knows how much you appreciate them. I continue to be thankful for your support of my book and message, Future Driven. It's a blessing to connect with educators like you as we work to make our profession stronger. We're committed to preparing kids for the world they'll live in and not the one we grew up in. Y'all are world changers. All the best, David Geurin #FutureDriven