Tolerance & Happiness - Lubna Jafri

Teachers should establish their expectations and guidelines for behaviour in the classroom, including a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech or discriminatory behaviour. 

Tolerance

Education is the most effective means of preventing intolerance. Dealing with hate and intolerance in the classroom is a frequent occurrence for teachers. If not dealt with properly, these feelings can negatively impact the learning environment and the well-being of all students. Teachers can address hate & intolerance in the classroom by setting clear expectations. 

Teachers should establish their expectations and guidelines for behaviour in the classroom, including a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech or discriminatory behaviour. First, the most important lesson to learn about tolerance is that it’s necessary for succeeding in today’s workplace. 

Happiness

School experiences and situations that make students unhappy throughout their school life are exams, homework, projects, wrong choices, courses and syllabi, scolding, pressure, violence and punishment. In this situation, we can deal with unhappy students by talking about their feelings, reading together and paying attention to what their behaviour is communicating.

Lubna Jafri 

RPK Bilari, Moradabad

Happiness & Tolerance - Sharda Pullabhatla

An Unhappy Student:

I am also one of the admission team members at our school. Every day I meet students from various schools of different classes with different mindsets, skills and hobbies. Last week I met a girl child who hadn’t cleared her grade IX final exams in her previous school.

She wanted to be admitted to grade IX in our school. Her parents were very tense and worried about her being very quiet and shy. They said that until grade 7 she was an active and enthusiastic girl. However, after the lockdown, she has changed a lot and does not want to talk to anyone. 

Gradually, she became lonely and this resulted in her inattentiveness to her studies. As a result, she could not score well in grade IX exams. While I spoke to her she expressed her sadness about not having friends. She said she was unhappy because she did not have friends to share her feelings and thoughts. 

During her interaction, I motivated her to stay happy and keep smiling. I also told her that we would make new friends for her in this school. Her buddies in class will help her settle down in this new school. She may share moments of joy and happiness with them. 

Even our school Principal motivated her very much and encouraged her to perform well in class. Be happy and do every work with zeal. She told her to forget the past and put her efforts into the present task. 

She was admitted to our school. I met her every day for one week. Gradually, I noticed changes in her. It's almost 15 days since she joined our school. She is paying attention in her class studies, sharing lunch with friends, making new friends and has started smiling as well. 

Educators who wish to inculcate the value of Happiness in their students may refer to these points:

i) We should always support students. 

ii) Lend an ear to their issues and concerns. 

iii) Make them understand the positives and negatives of the situation and then resolve the issues.

An Intolerant Student -

Early morning after the assembly while students were settling down for their periodic assignment, suddenly we heard a loud noise from a teacher. I ran towards the classroom from where the disturbance was coming. Two teachers were already scolding two students involved in the quarrel.

On investigating the matter, we found out, that one of them had posted some abusive/unwanted comments on the social media account of another classmate. As a result, the first student was irate and held his collar and asked him to apologize. Instead of apologizing he commented by saying - “I have done the correct thing”. 

We made both of them sit in different rooms, gave them a glass of water, heard the complete situation and counselled them about their behaviour and approach. We spoke to them about the method they have used to solve this situation. Also asked the students to write a realisation letter, promising this shall not repeat and they shall be more tolerant in future. I also made them say sorry to each other and shake hands. 

After a week, just went to meet them and gauge the situation. While I observed them, they were not talking to each other, but then the quarrel had come to an end. My advice to teachers who wish to inculcate the value of tolerance in their students shall be –

I) Consider every situation as separate. 

II) Take action based on a case-to-case basis. 

III)Share different stories and situations where people demonstrated 'the value of tolerance to achieve victory and succeeded with students during class.

IV)Be friendly with students.

V) Be tolerant of students.

Sharda Pullabhatla @KNPS Phagwara

Courage and Patience - Samriddhi RPKM

To enjoy the fruit of life, we need to learn how to “SOW” the seed of patience, “GROW” the plant of courage which will bear the “FRUIT” of victory as shown in the picture. 

Situation 1:- A fearful student 

As an enthusiastic and passionate educator, I found myself facing a unique challenge in my teaching career. In my classroom of diverse and talented students, there was a little girl named Arushi who was a new student.

I noticed the fear in her eyes and the unease in her body language. During the first few days, she always used to tap her pencil and look restless. I understood that her fear might be due to the desire to fit in with her new classmates.

Instead of reprimanding her, I decided to approach the situation with empathy and understanding. One morning, when the class settled down, I gathered the students in a circle and initiated an activity named "Welcome circle". Each student was encouraged to share something about themselves that others might not know. This activity not only helped Arushi feel included but also allowed the other students to see her as more than just a new student. 

During that activity, I also shared a personal story about my struggles with my fear when I was young. I explained how I overcame it with the support of my teachers. Arushi seemed intrigued by my story and appeared to find solace in the fact that she wasn't alone in feeling this way. 

I occasionally organised mindfulness exercises into my class routine. These activities and exercises not only helped Arushi manage her fear but also allowed the entire class to develop a sense of calmness and focus. 

As the days passed, she began to open up more and became an active participant in class discussions. I noticed that she started to ask questions and express her thoughts, even if she hesitated at times. I praised her efforts by encouraging her to continue sharing her ideas.

 

At the end of the year, she flourished academically and developed strong bonds with her classmates. During a farewell ceremony, Arushi stood in front of the class with a confident smile and delivered a heartfelt speech, thanking me for being a teacher who truly cared and believed in her. 

Situation 2: An impatient student 

Patience helps us to develop a healthy attitude. It improves our ability to accept setbacks and enjoy life more. There is a saying; “Good things come to those who wait.” It allows us to persevere and make more productive decisions, often leading to success. 

In my teaching career, I remember the year I faced a class filled with unusually impatient students. I noticed that my students couldn't sit still during lessons and were always eager for the next activity. Determined to help them cultivate patience and focus, I decided to embark on a unique teaching journey. 

One sunny morning, I announced a special project called "The Patience Quest." I explained that the students would have to participate in a series of challenges designed to test and improve their patience. 

The first challenge was called "The Waiting Game." Each student had to water a tiny seedling every

day and wait for it to grow into a beautiful plant. They learned that growth takes time and effort, just like learning. 

Next came "The Art of Silence." The students were asked to meditate for a few minutes every day, concentrating on their breath and calming their minds. At first, it was tough for the restless bunch, but with time, they started to appreciate the peace and focus that silence brought. 

As the weeks passed, I noticed a change in my students. They began to listen more attentively, complete their tasks diligently, and show understanding towards their peers. The class even started to encourage each other during challenging moments. 

For the grand finale of "The Patience Quest," I organised a scavenger hunt. The students were given clues that led them all around the school. They had to work together and solve riddles, testing their patience and teamwork. At the end of the hunt, they found a treasure chest filled with personalised certificates praising their newfound patience and perseverance. 

The once impatient students were now transformed into a more disciplined and focused class. They appreciated the value of patience and how it positively impacted their learning journey. It not only helped them academically but also nurtured their character. 

Conclusion:

Dealing with fearful and impatient students can be a challenge, but as an educator, you can implement various strategies to help them feel more comfortable and engaged in the learning process. Here are some tips to address the needs of fearful and impatient students: 

• Built trust and rapport. 
• Understand their concern by talking with them. 
• By providing constructive and encouraging feedback. 
• Incorporate different teaching methods and activities to accommodate various learning styles.
• Foster peer Interaction through collaborative learning activities, group projects and discussions. 
• Be Available for One-on-One Help. 
• Be patient and empathetic. 

Remember! Each student is unique, so adapt your approach to suit their needs. You can help fearful and impatient students thrive and develop a positive attitude towards learning by creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

Courage and Patience: Prakriti RPKM

Patience is not very different from courage. It just takes longer- James Richardson

Situation 1- A fearful student 

As children explore the world around them, having new experiences and confronting new challenges are almost unavoidable for them. 

“Fears are common but they have to be dealt with early so they do not become extreme, persistent and develop into phobias”. 

Ways to deal with the situation:

In a classroom, there are different students with different behaviours and attitudes. Some are happy, cheerful, confident, responsive, active, inquisitive (sometimes inquisitive students are impatient), interactive, highly invested in studies, vocal, and punctual with the class work. Some are slow learners, underconfident, sad, fearful, silent, least interested in their studies, less punctual, and lacking in completing their assignments on time.

We as teachers have to strongly consider the concept of “ Individual differences” and understand that every student is different and possesses different strengths and weaknesses which have to be dealt with accordingly.

If we talk about a fearful student particularly, knowing the reason behind the fearful attitude of a student is very important. There might be multiple reasons:- 1. He might have done something wrong or might be involved in some wrongdoings or mischievous habits in school or outside. 2. He is not prepared for class and has not completed his homework assignments. The way to deal with a fearful student depends on the reason. In the case of reason 1, we have to counsel him and bring him back on the right track. As teachers, we have to build up that confidence level so that the student can share his actions with us. In the case of reason 2, we have to encourage him and make him aware of the benefits of studies, prospects, and what life he can live after studying and otherwise. Incident directly from the classroom: It was in the year 2022-23, there was a student who used to stay quiet and was scared most of the time. He was not able to express himself properly and was hesitant in even answering simple questions. After talking to his parents and his friends we came to know that his health condition was not good due to which he failed to study well and that made him fearful. We were successful in making him a more responsive and bright student by coordinating with his parents. We would like to share another story of a student who had a fear of swimming. He had a fear of deep water. One day, knowing his fear, he prepared himself to learn to swim. His motivation was to fight and save himself in adverse situations. He went swimming and was trying hard to learn it. Hardly three days had passed when another senior student who was swimming with him forced him to a depth of 16 feet and left him in the middle all alone. The senior wanted him to face the situation and overcome it. However, that student started drowning and almost lost his breath when he thought to try and somehow catch the corner. This was his last attempt. He started throwing his hands and legs just looking for the railing to catch it. Luckily this effort made him move towards the railing and he could reach the corner where he took a deep breath. This incident motivated him to learn swimming and at present, he knows every type of stroke in swimming and also diving. But here he was his own teacher, and the person who left him in the middle of the pool can also be called his teacher as he taught him to overcome his fear through hard work and sincere efforts. That senior student placed him in a situation of fear and let him think to himself how to fight it out. So with this story, it is beautifully conveyed that first and foremost the child himself is his teacher. Advice to Educators- 1. We as educators should be involved with our students not only on the professional front but at the personal front. 2. The concept of “Individual differences” should be followed because each child is different. 3. The educators should try to find the root cause of fear by taking help from the child and his parents. 4. Educators should prepare the child to face and overcome his/her fear.

5. Educators should involve parents. They should discuss and inform parents of their plans so parents can follow up accordingly at home. 6. Suggesting relaxing activities like meditation, yoga, etc. can help reduce stress. Situation 2: An impatient student and ways to deal with the situation: An impatient student might be impatient because of multiple reasons:- 1. He might not understand the concepts taught, making him impatient- We can deal with the situation by teaching the concepts clearly and providing him with the extra and individual attention that he may need. 2. It is his inborn nature or character trait– This type of impatience is difficult to handle and can be dealt with with a deep understanding of the child’s behaviour in different situations. 3. He understands the concepts well and he is impatient out of curiosity– This type of impatience can be dealt with easily by answering the student’s queries. It entirely depends on the competence of the teacher. There are many such incidents in our classroom where we deal with impatient students daily. There is a student who always comes up with queries, sometimes relevant and sometimes irrelevant. His queries are always related to the conceptual knowledge of the subject.

He has been a curious child from the start. With time, we have observed that there is a positive change in him. Now, he has become more sensible. Earlier he used to be impatient and restless but now he has become patient and calm. Advice to Educators:- 1. It is very important for us to be patient and calm while dealing with impatient students. 2. Knowing the root cause of impatience is very necessary. 3. Educators need to provide students with a comfort zone where they can open up and share their thoughts.

Prakriti @RPK Moradabad, India

Dhiraj Gupta, Naina Soni, Rekha Kapoor, Suman Singh, Naushaba Sami, Isha Sharma

Hope and Friendship - Sukhpreet Kaur

 Hope and Friendship

“Sweet is the memory of distant friends! Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart.” – Washington Irving

Every child has the power to succeed in school and in life and every parent, family member and caregiver can help. In school story telling is the best way to hone skills in the students. We have a DEAR reading session.

D- Drop 

E-everything

A-and

R- Read

One day during a library reading session, our school librarian narrated a story to the students where she discussed the life of ocean animals. She narrated a story of a whale- A whale helps smaller sea creatures who are trapped in plastic waste. On land a young boy seeks support to clear the sea in his area. Fishermen come to his aid and many boats start to help clear the plastic from the sea. This story of hope and friendship opens the gate of hope for my students. They themselves made groups and started with the story session. Students gave names to their groups on the basis of colors. Green group shared a short story on hope. There is a beautiful example of sowing a seed of bamboo and fern. Bamboo will take 5-6 years to come above the ground; on the other hand, fern will grow within a year.

Our values and life should have deep roots like bamboo. Never lose hope and be patient.

Red group shared a story on True Friends

The dream of two childhood friends was to grow up and serve the country by joining the army. Both fulfilled their dream and joined the army. Very soon he also got an opportunity to serve the country. War broke out and they were sent to battle. Going there, both bravely faced the enemies. A friend was badly injured during the battle. When another friend came to know about this, he ran to save his injured friend. Then his captain stopped him and said, "There is no point in going there now. By the time you get there, your friend will be dead." But he did not agree and went to pick up his injured friend. When he came back, he had a friend on his shoulder. But he was dead. Seeing this, the Captain said, "I told you that there is no point in going there. You could not bring your friend safely. Your departure was in vain." The soldier replied, "No sir, I was not in vain to go there to pick him up. When I reached him, smiling and looking into my eyes, he said – friend, I was sure you would come. These were his last words. I could not save him. But the faith he had in me and my friendship saved him."

Reading significantly helps brain development and encourages a strong, emotional bond between children. 

Sukhpreet Kaur

Gyanshree School

Hope and Friendship - Roopa Bhattacharyya and Mridula Renjit

A child who has lost hope

In Primary classes, there generally are no children who have lost hope. But if there is such a child, the child will feel left out. She will not participate in group activities, which will affect learning outcomes. She will feel demotivated to even come to school. The unhappiness will affect all learning areas like reading, numeracy, awareness, observation and communication.

The intervention on the teacher's side is, first of all, the identification of the child. The child will be made to sit with a vivacious child who will try to rope her into activities. Conscious efforts will be made to engage her in classroom discussions.

One-on-one discussion with the child about why the child feels less hope. If there is a specific incident or incident, it will be discussed and dealt with. All the other subject teachers and activity teachers will be sensitized about the child so that all efforts are synchronized. A lot of encouragement and a rewarding small attempt by the child will help fill the child with hope.

Lastly, the parents and friends will also be part of this project, so everyone is in sync.

A child who has no friends

Friends are what childhood is punctuated with, and a child with no friends is indeed a sad thing which calls for intervention. Such a child will find no interest in coming to school and lag behind in

learning parameters. There was one such child in our class; let us call him X. He hardly ever smiled and showed no interest in work, play, or other class activities. It was observed that the child did not mingle with anyone, not even during the lunch period. So the child was talked to, which revealed the sad reason that the child had been in a coma for the past 2 years.

The child was assigned a buddy to share lunch with him, play with him, and engage him in group games during lunch break. X was encouraged to participate in group recitation and plays, which he slowly started participating in as he felt less threatened in such situations. The other subject and activity teachers were also sensitized about the child so that all efforts were synchronized. By the end of the session, X had made a few friends and started looking happy.

Mridula Renjit

Roopa Bhattacharyya
Ahlcon Public School

Hope and Friendship - Shalini Solanki

Hope and Friendship go hand in hand. These two values make the world move with the courage to face difficult situations and times. A friend is the one who gives us hope to rise whenever life is unfair. Friendship is a  bright house of hope where no one is left alone in the darkness of loneliness. 

A student who has lost all hope and has no friends in school 

In every teacher's life, there are times when he/ she gets to meet a child with less confidence, hope and sometimes No Hope. This reminds me of a student in the current session of my class. I met her for the first time a week after this session's beginning. She was a quiet child with no friends. Though she was not a new student but still hesitant to speak with anyone. I went to say to her, but she was not really comfortable talking to me. I thought of giving her some time, assuming her being uncomfortable in the new class and meeting her new mentor. We started revising the concepts of the previous grade and observed that she got restless in class with the thought that the teacher might ask her a question. I did exactly what she was scared of. I asked her a question regarding numbers, and she was quiet. She was so negative and hopeless that she didn't focus on the question. I was just asking her to recognize a simple number. She knew the answer already but didn't have trust in herself that she could give the correct answer. I didn't pressure her but tried to learn more about her from the previous year's mentors and get in touch with the parents. I knew that she was irregular in school, because of which she was missing concepts. Her father is in sales and generally out of town, and her mother has delivered a baby. Nobody has time to speak to her. As she is irregular in school, she has no friends. She had no confidence, hope or friends.

I decided to do something to change her mindset. I used to ask her questions and move on to the other students very quickly without saying anything to her or giving her any look after receiving no answer from her. Then, I would call her separately at my table in every period for every subject. I would make her understand the concepts and discuss the answers separately. I became her friend and created a trust that I would never make fun of her, and together, we will learn everything. She started giving me the answers, and gradually, she became confident enough to answer in front of the entire class. She now positively takes any feedback. The full class is her friend now. She knows that we are there to help her whenever she needs help and support her in every situation. She is sure that no one will make fun of her and treat her as inferior. She is now at par with other students. The magic of friendship brings her to school every day. She is bright and full of hope. Here,  we got support from her parents as well. They have been sending her regularly to school. She is not missing on concepts, which has created hope that She  Can and She Will….

Shalini Solanki

Gyanshree School

Hope and Friendship - Laxmi Kant Bhatt

Student loneliness due to lack of friendship may seem like a predictable phenomenon, especially when living away from home. However, it is a serious epidemic that is spread worldwide. The cause of this can come from potentially obvious and surprising sources, which can lead to devastating changes in student behaviour.

One of the reasons students these days are under anxiety and depression is that they are becoming hopeless due to losing confidence in themselves. It is one of the significant issues in student life that people fail to understand.

I once had an incident with a hopeless and friendless child.

There was a child who had been promoted to class 9^th with flying colours. He was a well-behaved student with a good academic score. But he suffered a setback after coming to senior school as 9^th standard is a class with an increased syllabus and subjects. He had scored bad in some of his main subjects which had led him to lose confidence in him and become hopeless. Due to this he stopped talking to his friends and used to be upset all the time.

Eventually he lost all of his friends and had a behaviour change in him. He also stopped with his hobbies too. One day he was sitting alone in the library and I had a light conversation with him. He talked a little but was not fully open with me.I got to know that he had lost his hope. So I asked him about his hobbies.He told me that he had a keen interest in cricket.

We talked about cricket and I noticed that he had good knowledge about the sport. So I took him to play cricket. We played for an hour and the coach really liked his  game. I suggested his name for the upcoming interhouse competition. He was a little relaxed and excited after the session. I talked to the house master too to give him a chance to showcase his talent. He agreed and decided to keep him. Though their team lost the match but he played very good. Everybody appreciated him for the way he played.After this, he got a little relaxed towards his studies and gained a little confidence in him again.

His behaviour started improving and he reconnected with his classmates as he got praised for his game. I kept on talking to him and encouraging him in his small victories too.

This way, we can help many students and encourage them to perform better and not lose all hope in them. We should support them in all their victories, even the smallest of them. 

Laxmi Kant Bhatt
The Doon Girls' School

Hope and Friendship - Nitin Sharma

 
A student who has lost all hope

As we know, hope sustains life. Without hope, darkness seems to be all around.

I would like to share one incident from my teaching experience about an encounter with a child who lost all hope in life. Minki was a thirteen-year-old girl studying in the class tenth and was an average student. It was the time of Diwali break that the school was closed. But then, even after the break, Minki didn’t come to school for quite long. Later, I got unprecedented news from one of my colleagues about the sudden demise of Minki’s father due to a silent attack.

A month passed, and she still didn’t attend school. Being in the board class, the main concern was her academic lag. So, I called her mother and talked about her absence from school. She kept on saying that Minki would attend the school soon, but...

Having passed another week, One day, I finally decided to see her and know why she did not come to school. Upon meeting her, I came to know that after her father’s death, this girl had lost all her hope to move ahead due to her bond with him; moreover, he was the sole bread earner. Minki’s mother had tried to console Minki many times that she would make the best possible effort to run the family and not let them suffer. But the girl had lost all her faith and wanted to discontinue her study. With all my best possible efforts, I persuaded that girl to join the school and continue her study to eventually support her family. She then joined the class the next day, but she kept saying she wouldn’t be able to clear the exam. Since she was the very lovable daughter of her father, she couldn’t cope with the significant loss. She always seemed to be disturbed. Seeing her this way, I consoled Minki and motivated her to do something for her father’s sake. All her teachers were supportive of her and encouraged her to move ahead. Whenever she needed help, all were ready to assist her. Even some of the students were quite helpful to her. They helped Minki to complete her work and even during revision time. Eventually, She appeared in the exam and got good marks in the board exam.

Impact: The child was able to come out of a challenging situation with consistent efforts by the teacher.

The teachers dealt with the students with love, care and encouragement.

Advice to the Educators: Values like Patience, love, and care help deal with such situations.

A student with no friends in the school

“A real friend walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” — Walter Winchell.

Here I would like to share the story of a girl.

Sara was a new student in her class. She joined the school during the Remote Learning Era. After the pandemic guidelines were eased, schools reopened, online classes were no more, and all students were called for offline classes. It was observed that Sara used to stay alone, and even during the lunch break, she would sit and eat alone. She always had complaints about other students in her class. Later, when the students were asked about the complaints against them, they were all found innocent. And it was found that Sara was not able to adjust herself in the class due to social immaturity. She couldn’t talk well with a group of students. In this context, the School counsellor was involved, and she had taken some counselling sessions for Sara. Later, some improvement was seen, and we saw Sara moving with her friends in the school playground and during Lunch time. She started sharing her food with others. Her mother was also requested to help her cope by taking her to some social gatherings and letting her spend some time in the park or with her nearby friends to overcome this hesitation.

Impact: Sara became confident and a cooperative student.

Advice: Please try to help the child adjust to new surroundings. Be empathetic, helpful and kind.

Nitin Sharma Kamla Nehru Pubilc School, Phagwara

Hope and Friendship - Rishona Chopra

There is no substitute for correct thinking when a difficult situation is in front of you. You think negatively but try to act according to the spiritual knowledge you have read. That will not make you successful in overcoming the situation. Also, your inner habits of creating thoughts of fear, pessimism, hopelessness and impatience will not reduce, although you may temporarily feel positive based on what you have read or learned.

Hope is important as it changes our negative thinking to positive. Hope is important in the classroom as it helps improve our self-esteem and confidence. Hope rises from expectations. The expectations we have created our hope. We expect to have a good day in school, creating our hope to have a good day.

Sometimes, to be positive, we can think of affirmations:

1. I am a soul full of all qualities and powers... I nourish each cell of my body with my qualities and powers, making my mind and body healthy and filled with positive energy... My complete positivity makes my immune system strong and my life long...

2. I am powerful and pure energy situated at the centre of the forehead...I radiate the beautiful white rays of my purity and power to my physical costume...My entire physical body is cleansed... All my body systems experience good health...

 3. I am a soul with positive thoughts, feelings and attitudes, which make my aura beautiful and radiant...My aura influences my physical body to fill with beautiful vibrations...These vibrations always protect my body...

 4. I radiate my vibrations of peace and stability to everything I eat and the medicines I take for my body...They absorb these vibrations and benefit my mind and body by making them healthy, happy and robust... I always attract positive health help at the right time and in the right way...

 5. I am a blissful being, the child of God - The Ocean Of Bliss...My mental and emotional lightness influences my physical organs and makes them light and relaxed ... Others who meet me and see me get inspired to bring fun and health into their lives

Hope is when I think positive,
Affirmative thoughts, 

Probably in my tough times,

Just want something that rhymes,
With my thoughts,
I just want to untie all the knots.
When hope is heard,
The hard times fly like a bird!
Even in my dream, 
I think of hope's long stream.
The tough times shall pass,
As they soon break like glass.

I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, rather than walk alone in the light.

- Helen Keller

Friends are companions for life, a family that we choose for ourselves. It's, of course, essential to building a good relationship with them, right? Some of us might look at friendship as a bond we share with our best friends, but it is not just a relationship we build with our friends but everyone around us. In the company, there is no jealousy, and there is no expectation. Friendship just exists; it's a relationship you really can't describe.

It implies a friendly and compassionate attitude towards all, and it's essential to have good social skills. Even Swami and Friends, the book is all about friendship.

Friends are something you never know about,
They are like your sibling, no doubt.
Rajam and Mani and their mischiefs,
But they ain't no thief.
They are friends who stay in sorrow,
But make you feel scared for tomorrow.
Yes, they will support you in nothing,
But they will prepare you for everything!
In a classroom, friends are essential,
They will never make you feel unimportant.
A company to make you smile,
A smile that will stretch a mile!

Here is my story full of positivity:
It was a happy morning; I felt blessed. I woke up and meditated. It was my first day of school, and I was so excited. It was not at all difficult for me. I made new friends. The teachers were fun, and I learned a lot of things. I played in the park and did my homework. I was smiling throughout the day and was positive. 

When was the last time we smiled for an entire day with nothing going wrong? Today let us smile and be full of hope! 


Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Hope and Friendship - Anvesha Rana

Hope is the little ray of sunshine that peaks into our lives every morning. It is the reason we jump out of bed in the hope for a good day, it is the event we look forward to in the hope for a good time and it is the reason we love and care for people in the hope for a good family. We grow, we fall, we change, we love, we struggle all in the hope of a Good Life. Happily Operating for Pleasant Expectations is Hope. 

No one can ever be Hopeless, like there's something about the flower that grows through the rocks, the pavement; through logs and stone or brick walls, there’s also something about each student who grows in tough situations and it’s all because of hope. Hope should be stubborn like a Hit-me toy, no matter how hard we are hit, how badly we fall yet we come up again with more strength and vigor because we are Hopeful. 

Another important value in a classroom is Friendship. It is silent, transparent and simple, it is what it is. We may be close together or miles apart, but we will always remember them and they are our friends. Friendship is a two-way street and not a one-way road, it should include love, care and sacrifice from both sides. We don’t lose track if we are friends, we start from where we stopped. 

A classroom is simply four walls with teachers and students but what makes these four walls a place that oozes with learning is the friendships that flourish in it and the hopes that everyone holds inside it. Hope and Friendship are the building blocks of a classroom.

Anvesha Rana, 

Grade 10-B, 

Gyanshree School

Courage and Patience - Guneet Kaur

Courage means facing one's fears. It is essential in all spheres of life and leads to a change in oneself, making one stronger. Sometimes one has to get out of one's comfort zone and adjust to a new environment. This, too, is courage. Being honest and believing in one's honesty is also courageous.

Teachers are like mirrors for their students. The students tend to imbibe whatever a teacher speaks through his or her words or actions. Not pretending and being oneself is also courage. A teacher must teach students to accept and be proud of themselves regardless of their weaknesses. They should be cherished for who they are and given the space where they can be more aware of themselves. In no situation should they be afraid or ashamed of accepting the truth about themselves or sharing it with others. Seeking help and shunning one's ego is also courage.  

As teachers, we must ensure that the children feel safe with us. They should be able to have faith in us. Simultaneously, they should learn to believe in themselves. A child asking his or her doubt in class, saying, "I didn't understand", in front of the other classmates, is courage.

Teachers need to be there for the students, make them feel safe and teach them to solve their problems themselves. This way, they will be prepared to bravely face life's challenges. However, if the learners make mistakes in solving their issues, their teachers shouldn't punish them. Instead, as adults, they should stand with them and show them the right path.

Courage also reflects in sharing one's experiences with colleagues or children of how one dealt with a situation. This can also help in inspiring them and getting over their fears. Being silently supportive of our co-workers is also courageous.

Patience is being tolerant and calm in handling situations. It means not getting anxious or annoyed too quickly. It does require a lot of courage to be patient. Not complaining, having a positive attitude, and giving time and space to others all come in the arena of patience.

Patience teaches us to have faith and hope that things will get better. Working with patience leads to growth. On the other hand, losing patience can ruin the task at hand. Most of us end up giving up our patience because of the pressure from society, peers, friends or family. However, if we have the courage and the belief in ourselves, we will not lose our cool, take a stand for ourselves and help to bring about a change.

Inaction should not be misunderstood for patience. Moving towards our goal with perseverance and a peaceful mind, accepting failures as stepping stones to success, and having the will to start all over again with the belief that the result will be favourable is patience.    

The farmer protest in our country is the world's most non-violent and peaceful fight for human rights. The farmers had immense patience and courage that helped them to withstand all sorts of physical, emotional and mental atrocities. They did not get frustrated and were convinced that their voices would be heard one day. 

We often lose our patience when we think we are better than others or deserve much more than others. This attitude leads only to exasperation. Whenever this happens, we should take a step back and introspect. High expectations from ourselves or from others can make us impatient. However, patience helps to increase our power of endurance, persistence and better decision making.   

As teachers, we need to be role models of being patient with our students. Being a good and silent listener and helping the children cope with their worries and hassles will help them become more accepting, contented and forbearing. They will learn to shift their focus from a problem to possible solutions without complaining. This will also teach them to be emphatic.  

Guneet Kaur

Mussoorie Public School

Mussoorie 

Hope - Saloni Grover

 The world out there beckons to me,

Whichever way I look there is pain and misery.

Injustice, suspicion, distrust lurks behind,

Every face is a mask, a true friend is hard to find.

Disheartened, discontented, disillusioned

I do not know where to go...

With tears in my eyes and my heart beating with uncertainity,

I tell myself; let the river of time flow.

I want to scream, make myself heard,

Be fearless, unflustered, soar like a bird.

There is something that holds me back with force,

Pins me to the ground, there is sorrow and remorse.

Not knowing what to do

I submit and surrender to fate

Accustomed to sorrow, soon I will be, solitude will be my soulmate.

A bright flash of light makes my heart skip a beat,

And what do I see, Hope herself comes knocking and drops a smile at my feet. Is that a dream, an illusion or destiny’s new trick.

I turn around, warmth and love comes flowing from every window and brick. There is song that echoes in the air,

Tells me to open the doors of my heart and cheer.

The wave of time washes away my wounds,

Soothes the scars,

There is a new moon that shines bright, a new sunrise is not far.

Saloni Grover
Gyanshree School

We are celebrating the value of Hope in June at My Good Schools. Experience the joy of learning, visit www.GoodSchools.in

Never Give Up Hope - Prerna Rathod

Hope is a rope that is a lifeline for everyone. It is a ray of light when a person is in darkness. Hope makes us believe that nothing is impossible in this world. If you have faith in yourself and are ready to work hard, you can achieve success to complete the impossible task. Hope gives us wings to fulfil our dreams and help us create a path to achieve our goals. 

As Educators, we must inculcate this value of hope in our children. Life is very unpredictable, and sometimes we will face failure. So hope is the only thing that will help us to move on and restart our task again. We can give examples of great personalities like Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, etc., who didn't achieve success in one go. They faced many failures and then got a win. If we tell them their stories, then children will understand the importance of hope in our life.

I would like to give a real-life example. My aunt was diagnosed with cancer. All family members were worried and upset. My aunt was sad, and she gave up hope to live. But then, seeing her children, she decided to go through the treatment and fight cancer as her children needed her. So she took tratment. Though it was painful, she was successful in defeating cancer. She was cancer-free and now is with her family, safe and healthy. 

I would like to end with the quote, "Hope is such an energy by which any dark part of life can be illuminated". So let's carry "Hope" with ourselves.

Prerna Rathod 

The Fabindia School 

prd@fabindiaschools.in

Hope and Friendship - Visionary JMMS

Hope is that value in life that never lets you stop believing.

When the journey of life is going through the dark tunnel, hope is that spark of light at the end, which keeps you moving forward despite the hardships. It helps you to believe that there is a new morning after a dark night.

Friendship is a quite strong bond. It is a beautiful relationship that you have chosen. Friends are the ones who help, correct, encourage, motivate, inspire, influence and guide you. They have the magic to fill happiness in the darkest of times.

"A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails ".
- Donna Roberts

This is a true story of a teacher. Her friends came into her life when she had lost all hopes; they believed in her and helped her in her dream journey. The friends became the light of hope in her life's dark phase and remained by her side. She eventually became what she always wanted to be. The story tells us, let your hopes and not your hurts shape your future.

Visionary JMMS at the John Martyn Memorial School, Salangaon, Dehradun 

- Neelam Bhardwaj, Pareenita Negi, Manmohan Kaur, Ambica Gurung and  Bharti Dangwal