RESTORING THE GRANDEUR

During the session, when Ma’am gave us an assignment on protecting Heritage House, the first thought which came to my mind is of my grandma (Nani) house which is in one of the towns in Haryana. In my childhood days as soon as summer break began, on the very first day we used to visit there. I can still recall all the memories of this place with fired bricks, sandstone, wood, marble, granite and plaster. It had so many salient features like arched gateways and windows, pillars, jharokhas etc. The main features of this haveli were chhajjas (sunshades), jharokhas (balcony windows) and jalis (screen windows). I used to sit for long hours in covered chhajjas where you can see everybody passing by. This was the place where enough sunshine yet fully airy. This huge mansion was built around a courtyard with huge darwazas done in beautiful architectural elements.

·        Task to conserve, repair and renovate, where the original designs can be retained and materials (stones, paints) as close to the original as possible.

·        Restoration of the furniture, old-style fans, hand-carved wooden bookcases, the carvings and carved pillars.

·        Protect the structure from disintegrating, while redoing the place – try to restore the exteriors and make them waterproof, mending loose tiles on the ground floor and reinstating the stained-glass installations around the area.

·        Eventually bring alive to it’s glorious past.

Dipty Ahuja
Gyanshree School, Noida 

Cultural Heritage - Mother Tongue : Sukhpreet Kaur

The melodious sounds of which one hears, understands and gets familiar in the mother-tongue since the very beginning, has an important role in shaping our feelings, emotions and thought-processes. It plays a crucial role in shaping an individual's cultural identity and personal development. The first language that children learn, and they are closely tied to family, community, and cultural traditions. When children are educated in their mother language, they are more likely to be engaged in the learning process, have better academic outcomes, and develop a strong sense of cultural identity. The concept of the mother-tongue is a fascinating aspect of language that has transcended generations.

Mother language instructions- Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Identity. 

The importance of mother languages extends beyond the individual and the community, as linguistic and cultural diversity is an important aspect of the world's cultural heritage. Every language represents a unique perspective on the world and reflects the experiences of a particular community. When a language is lost, a valuable cultural perspective is lost as well. This is why it is important to preserve and promote linguistic and cultural diversity, to ensure that future generations can connect with their cultural roots.

Scientific research has shown that learning a child's mother language can positively impact their overall cognitive development and academic success. Here are some key findings that highlight the importance of education in one’s mother language:

§  Bridging the gap

§  Improved literacy

§  Improved cognitive development

§  Better motivation and engagement

§  Promoting inclusiveness and Understanding.

§  Cultural events and programs:

One way to support our cultural heritage our mother language education is by promoting multilingual education, which emphasizes the importance of learning multiple languages. This type of education not only helps to preserve linguistic and cultural diversity but also promotes language learning and cross-cultural understanding.

Ways in which we can revive our cultural Heritage

•  Speak the mother tongue at home
• Make a routine to teach the language
• Stories are the best way to capture any child’s interest and attention.
• Teach them rhymes and poems
• Inspire your child to join in discussions every day and ask them to speak in the language.
• Call their grandparents or relatives speaking only in the Mother Tongue through video calls.
• Read holy book together
• Inspire them to travel, especially to areas where the Mother Tongue is practised. 
• Collaboration with other organizations:

§  So, mother language instruction is essential for language and literacy development, as well as for the preservation of cultural heritage and identity. The importance of mother languages extends beyond the individual and the community, as linguistic and cultural diversity is an important aspect of the world's cultural heritage. Every language represents a unique perspective on the world and reflects the experiences of a particular community. When a language is lost, a valuable cultural perspective is lost as well. This is why it is important to preserve and promote linguistic and cultural diversity, to ensure that future generations can connect with their cultural roots.

Sukhpreet Kaur
Gyanshree School

Simplicity and Trust - Dynamic DGS

When the sparkling water bubbles bedazzle you more than diamonds, then you know the joy of simplicity. When the fragrance of wet mud after the showers enthrals your soul more than the expensive perfume, then you experience the beauty of simplicity. When the swing on the tree looks more inviting than a drive in the car, then you embrace simplicity. When you have it all and don't flaunt it, stay rooted and treat all alike, then you wear simplicity like a heritage ensemble that tells a story about your good upbringing. Simplicity is throwing pebbles in a pond and enjoying the ripples. Simplicity is being yourself and enjoying the simple things of life.

Simplicity is to be happy with what we have and not want things just because others have them. Simplicity can mean different things for different people. I am not sure if simplicity can actually be taught; we learn by observing others. Children are born simple, but sometimes we as adults don’t let them remain that way. We feel we need to follow our peers or not fit in or be cool enough.  Life is simple and easy, we complicate things.

We have often heard that trust is the key to every successful relationship. Trust also gives a sense of security. We must trust children for them to trust us. We form opinions and brand them. For example, we feel a naughty and disobedient child is never honest, and we don’t give them a chance to explain themselves.

Trusting people is essential but not very easy. Trust is the base of most relationships, and trust comes with time. We trust people when we know we can be honest with them, and we are not being judged.  For children to trust us, we need to be trustworthy and make sure we do not discuss what the child has shared with us. Sometimes a child trusts us and shares their thoughts with us, and we betray their confidence. Trust works both ways we need to trust children too.

Dynamic DGS @ THE Doon Girls School, Dehradun - Reena Gusain, Reah Sikand, Meenakshi Panwar, Shilpika Pandey, Rachna Bharrdwaj & Sumali Devgan

Language and Learning - Rajeshree Shihag

Bilingual, tri-lingual, multilingual or vernacularism how does it impact learning?

While the world is imbibing the idea of bilingual learning, India has practiced tri-lingual learning since ages. Most of the Indian students learn three languages by default; English, Hindi and the mother tongue which is the vernacular language. India has a rich heritage of languages; most Indians speak multiple languages. 

Learning of the mother tongue happens naturally through interactions within the family, mother tongue develops a comfort and warmth towards people and towards learning. Mother tongue greatly impacts on developing the cultural, social and personal identities of children. 

Research has proven that kids who learn in their mother tongue develop creativity and a better sense of critical thinking. Children with a strong foundation in their mother tongue can accept the structure of their language and use this knowledge to pick up other languages more easily. Former President A.P.J Abdul Kalam has favoured imparting science education to children in vernacular languages to encourage creativity and enable easy grasp of subjects.

Language is a pathway to communicate thoughts, ideas, information and data. Creativity, innovations, critical thinking are the keys to success and to build these the core subjects should be taught in a language which the child understands, as only then he or she will be able to create. Children should be treated like humans and not like robots. If things are taught in their native language, they will learn the toughest of the things.

To state a fact, most of our scientists working in ISRO have had their schooling in vernacular languages. A language can never be a hindrance in the path of success.

Rajeshree Shihag

The Fabindia School

principal@fabindiaschool.in