Simplicity and Trust - Welham Boys' School

Simplicity

What is Simplicity: Simplicity is a state of being simple (Uncomplicated or Uncompounded) *. 

How is Simplicity of things Identified: In essence, anything that is plain, natural and easy to understand is simple. Like everything in life, Simplicity is relative and depends on the recipient's views or perceptions of the recipient(s).  

The following six key attributes help in generalising criteria to identify Simplicity in any creation. 

1. Reduction (Should not contain any non-essential clutter) 

2. Organization (Should be very well organized, in appropriate sequence) 

3. Affordances (Should meet expectations of target audience) 

4. Tangibility (Should be useful/helpful) 

5. Intuitiveness (Should be self-explanatory, easy to navigate or understand) 

6. Familiarity (Should be familiar/relatable) 

Why is Simplicity Important: Simplicity focuses on what is essential and eliminates clutter. That gives time and energy back to focus on other vital things in life. In today's world, simple living has become a social responsibility. Less consumption helps eliminate waste, improves the sustainability of our planet and helps divert resources toward those who need them most. 

"Live simply so that others may simply live" - Mahatma Gandhi. 

Why is it challenging to create Simplicity:  

"I did not have time to write a short letter, so I ended up writing a long one ☺" – Mark Twain. 

All natural beings are made simple at the core. Our experiences, perceptions and environmental factors create a clutter of mind that obscures Simplicity.  

Striving for Simplicity is ultimately a matter of focus; focus on what is essential to the subject (a process being established, a topic being taught in the classroom, a product being manufactured, a software program being developed) and clearing clutter.  

Eliminating any type of clutter (Physical or Mental) requires focus and practice. Simplification involves a lot of hard work, patience and thinking. In general, the following steps help in simplifying any problem or situation:

1. Write down the problem in a language that is easy to understand 

2. Break the problem into smaller parts 

3. Engage with experts to understand complexities and eliminate them 

4. Re-Imagine the situation / Rearrange / Reorganize 

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" - Leonardo da Vinci. 

Things I will carry out in a class. 

1. Understand children's definition and perspective of Simplicity 

2. Carry out an exercise to pick a topic (e.g. How a computer works?). 

a. Explain it simplistically. Have children come up with their explanation of the topic 

b. Conduct feedback sessions.

c. Summarize learning from the exercise

Trust

What is Trust: Trust is the willingness of one party (the trustor) to become vulnerable to another party  (the trustee) on the presumption that the trustee will act in ways that benefit the trustor.  

"Trust is the new currency of our interdependent, collaborative world." - Stephen Covey. 

Why do we need Trust: Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships. We have survived and progressed as species because we can trust and reciprocate.  

By nature, every human is born trusting. As we mature, we learn to build and identify trustworthiness through our experiences and instincts.  

In all our relationships, integrity plays an essential part in trust building. Operating with integrity fosters mutual goodwill and support, which leads to an improved sense of spirit, mutual loyalty, cooperativeness, shared responsibility and resilience. All these qualities lead to more mutually satisfying and enduring relationships. 

"Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not" – Oprah Winfrey. 

How to build Student-Teacher Trust: Trust and mutual respect are crucial elements in creating a positive classroom environment. Students trusting in the ability and intent of teachers can outperform their ability and progress well in studies and life in general. At the same time, teachers who believe in students' sincerity feel rewarded and are inspired to go out of their way to provide better education. 

Trust is earned by honesty, positive intent, strong competencies, and a track record of results. 

Building trust is a process which requires consistency and practice. Some of the tips to build this mutual trust and  respect are 

1. Honor each other's time, be open in giving / receiving feedback 

2. Engage students at their levels, respect their talents and interests 

3. Always accept student differences, and listen to them actively 

4. Remember to complete your commitments consistently 

"Trust is built on telling the truth, not telling people what they want to hear" – Simon Sinek. 

Classroom Trust Building Exercise: 

1. Build class bonding – Talk about each person's family, areas of interest and hopes for the future. 

2. Make a calendar of important dates for class (including students and teachers). Celebrate important milestones/dates. Appreciate each other's company and accomplishments as a group. 

3. Conduct periodic meetings with students to review progress and provide & receive feedback 4. Conduct one or more team-building exercises with the class. **

Vandana Sahay, Monika Gupta & Neelima Parmar 

Welham Boys' School

JOL Cohort 2022

*Simplicity - as defined in Miriam Webster Dictionary
https://simpleacresblog.com/how-to-model-simplicity-for-our-kids/ 

**Classroom Trust building exercises.

Honesty - A cherished virtue - Dr Mona Khanna

Amidst trickery and moral turpitude, incidents related to honesty restore our hope in good over evil. So, it did when the manager at Woodland Store in Delhi, Kohat Enclave branch, returned an envelope of INR 48,000 to me that I forgot at the counter while shopping for my son. I was fumbling through my purse to look for the credit card to make the payment, and that is when I accidentally took out the envelope containing the money and left it at the counter. It was only at night when I had to go home to catch the night train to Dehradun, and I wanted to give both the kids money, and I noticed that the packet was missing.

I went back to that area even though I wasn’t very hopeful. Despite the late hour, Woodland was open. I entered the store and asked them if they had found any packet. I could see the relief and smile on their faces. They told me that they had kept the store open anticipating the customer to return looking for the envelope. After asking a few questions regarding the envelope’s details, the manager handed over the envelope. I profusely thanked them and took out some money as a token of appreciation, but the entire staff refused to take any, saying they were only doing what their call of duty expected them to. I understood that their conscience would never let them do anything wrong.

I wrote a note of appreciation and later sent an email to their country head talking about the entire episode of leaving the strain of honesty intact. Honesty and respect are interlinked concepts. The above incident earned so much goodwill and respect for the staff of that store. To date, I never miss a chance to go back and show my gratitude to them.

We, as teachers, should strive to articulate expectations about academic integrity and the consequences of cheating. Explicit norms and expectations stating that dishonesty is not an acceptable trait should be laid down. Let us create a culture that rewards success beyond grades. If students are also rewarded for their honesty, hard work, determination, and respect for teachers and peers, they shall begin to value the process of learning. This kind of culture fosters academic honesty and discourages plagiarism.

As a little child, I was made to do this activity from The Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development to instill honesty, which has left a lasting impression on my mind.

Activity – The Lie Trap

• Target grade level: till Grade 5

• Character quality: Honesty

1. Head outdoors with the kids and hunt for a spider’s web, watch how a bug becomes entangled in the web, catch a fly, put it in the web to see what happens, or find a video online of that occurrence instead. The more the insect struggles, the more entangled it becomes. If you are fortunate, you might even see the spider come and wind the bug up in a more sticky thread.

2. Ask students what happened every time the insect struggled and what happened because of that struggle. Explain that the same thing happens when we do not tell the truth and become entangled in lies.  Ask students if they think the insect regrets getting trapped in the web (and a lie) and what should have been done instead (tell the truth).

We all make a conscious effort to instil ethical standards and practices in our children. However, they take time to imbibe the same and do tend to falter occasionally (don’t we as adults?!?!). We should forgive their mistakes, resulting in self-realization, and help them take corrective measures. Once they have realized their mistake and borne the consequences, I am of the firm opinion that we should not judge them on their past moral failings. Our intention should be to correct the wrong and not the doer. The intention should be to use dishonest behaviour as a teachable moment. Teach them to be candid with a fault. The students should be taught to introspect, reflect, and learn from their behaviour. We, as teachers, should be instrumental in helping them transform as better human beings. They will turn into young men and women who shall hold their teachers in high regard for placing their trust in them. I vividly remember several students who have become exceptionally ethical, principled gentlemen of high integrity.

I always give the example of Abraham Lincoln as the epitome of honesty. To many kids, and even some adults, Abraham Lincoln remains “Honest Abe.” Lincoln was far from a perfect individual. He possessed human flaws and made many mistakes in his life, as we all do.  However, he learned from his mistakes and learned to compensate for his shortcomings. He honed and practised and developed them daily, and so should we. Powerful innumerable lessons from his life on honesty must be continuously encouraged and integrated into every fabric of society, and into both young and old. And let me pass along Lincoln’s own words on the topic- “Resolve, to be honest at all events; and if, in your own judgment, you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer. Choose some other occupation.”

I want to conclude with a piece of advice I gave to my tutorial group. The boys at the Doon School once asked me about the fine line between honesty and deception and how to ensure that they were treading the right path. I quoted from the famous collection ‘Letters from a Father to his Daughter’- “Let us make friends with the sun and work in the light and do nothing secretly. And if you do so, my dear, you will grow up a child of the light, unafraid and serene and unruffled, whatever may happen.”

- Dr Mona Khanna, Vice Principal at Unison World School, she has joined the PLP Cohort for the Joy Of Learning Program at the John Martyn Memorial School in Salan Gaon near Dehradun, India Dr Khanna's professional profile - linkedin.com/in/mona-khanna-244198175 

Image Courtesy https://images.app.goo.gl/ivrq3WTLbjDUZksk6 

Small Steps Towards Honesty - Arundhati Shukla

 

As I sat contemplating the dual qualities of honesty and respect, an entire series of events and stories began reeling in my mind. My earliest acknowledgement of Honesty that I recall takes me back to my childhood. As my parents’ only daughter and the eldest child, I received immense love and care. My father would guide me not only through tough mathematical concepts but also through what seemed like pressing questions about the world around me. These discussions could stem from the collection of storybooks-Padho, Samjho aur Karo (पढ़ो, समझो और करो). This series of books was released by Geeta Press, Gorakhpur.

One day I asked my father: who is God?  Why do you pray? Why can’t I see Him? In response to my questions, he told me that Mahatma Gandhi claimed that Honesty and Truth are two sides of the same coin – two sides that cannot work in isolation and these qualities, themselves, are what we perceive as God. I was still not satisfied. My fervent questioning resumed, and I asked: how do I see God? He promised to tell me more on this elusive topic if I held patience till the following day.

That night I noticed a box of sweets in the kitchen. On opening it, I was delighted to see my favourite sweets. Unable to control my temptation, I gobbled down almost half of it. I was enjoying eating sweets all by myself, as I did not have to share it with my siblings. The following morning, I heard my mother scolding our domestic help regarding the missing sweets. Instantly, I felt relaxed that no one found out that I was the one who had eaten all those sweets.

Later that evening, my father called me to continue our earlier conversation and tried to explain to me why we cannot see God. He said emphatically, “Each one of us has two inner voices. Before we take any action, one voice gives constant go-ahead and encourages us to do whatever comes to mind. The second voice is more prudent. It warns us when an action is not right and dissuades us from it. Those of us, who are honest with themselves, even in the absence of others, can listen to this voice clearly and loudly. This inner voice is none other than the concept of God. So, your God is within you, and it aims to help you deliver all your actions with utmost honesty.”

I immediately remembered the sweets and the realization dawned on me that what I had done was indeed stealing! I was purposely hiding the truth, and this dishonesty caused pain and repercussions for another innocent person. This epiphany troubled me. I closed my eyes and ears tightly and tried hard to listen to my inner voice- It was feeble but yet clear, it was urging me to tell the truth! This turned out to be a Eureka moment for me, I suddenly knew that honesty and truth always come together. I gathered all the courage and confessed the whole incident to my parents and went to my help’s home to apologise. I must admit that the happiness and satiation that I derived from this apology was much more than the one I did after secretly eating those sweets.

My father told me,” You will come across a lot of such sweet temptations in life, but you should never fail to listen to your inner voice- as that is God conversing with you.” I now understood why Gandhi said that truth and honesty are two sides of the same coin. I had learnt that by being more mindful of my inner voice, I could steer myself towards honest actions.

I decided that looking forward, honesty is that one cardinal value that I would not compromise on. I realized that honesty fosters a whole realm of positive qualities, too - courage, fearlessness, and a sense of justice automatically take sides with honesty.

As I grew older, I read about Abraham Lincoln, who was known as “Honest Abe” when he was working as a young store clerk in New Salem, III.  His character precedent was such that even his opponents agreed, without objections, that he was honest, fair and the most deserving candidate for the role of President.

When I joined my first job at Mayo College Girls’ School as a Physics teacher, my father gave me the letter that Abraham Lincoln had written to his son’s school Headmaster, and it truly illuminated my worldview. The line from the letter that stuck with me emphasized how it is far more honourable to fail than to cheat! It goes to show that regardless of how dishonest one has been in their life, they never want their children or students to be dishonest. In a recent discussion with my students, I instructed them to imagine themselves as leaders of reputed organizations. When I asked them to state one quality that they would look for while recruiting managers and staff, they all unanimously agreed on one quality, and that was honesty!

Almost every child is narrated about the ‘kettle’ story of Mahatma Gandhi as the preamble to honesty. Children wonder as to why they should be taught the lessons of honesty. Often, my students ask: what do we get by being honest? The answer to that is that repeated honest actions bring integrity to one’s character and allow one to earn respect from their fellow beings. Looking at it backwards, to earn respect, one requires the integrity of character which, in turn, comes from an ability to be true and honest with all those around us.

I have come to the conclusion that honesty cannot be seen only as a product of mere words or theory. In its entirety, honesty flows from three key steps – Mansa, Vacha and Karmana (मनसा वाचा कर्मणा). The chain of an honest action has to begin with the right thought process by listening to one’s inner voice. It must then flow into one’s communications through words and finally culminate into actions.

The Universe has a salient feature wherein it is constantly aligning itself to move away from disorientation and make way for orderliness and patterns. From an atom to the galaxy (micro to the macro world), everything has a pattern. Similarly, honesty brings forth order and discipline in one’s life. As intelligent species, we humans must hone our skills to listen to our prudent inner voice and make Honesty our lighthouse of guidance to unconditionally help us sail our boat of life through the uncharted ocean of the Universe.

Arundhati Shukla ( 18.11.2020) <arudhatirajivshukla@gmail.com>

References added to images and one more https://greatamericanhistory.net/honesty.htm

Honesty and Respect - Amit Jugran

As I narrate this incident from a few decades back, it brings back the memories of the fine moments carefully carving the future steps of an adolescent.

We all have been involved in some form of malpractice at some stage of our lives. Probably more susceptible at an age when peer pressure is high, and fake pride is at stake—the chemical reaction within playing havoc and giving very little room for reasoning.

Mathematics was never my cup of tea, and I dreaded the books, class and of the teacher. I had somehow managed to tackle the book and the embarrassing moments in the class, but not the teacher. He too had taken an instant liking to me I guess, as I had become his favourite punching bag over a period of time. I was getting tired of his sarcasm and frankly waited for every class to end sooner.

Trigonometry and I had a very confusing relationship. But we were taking time to understand each other. I was confident that this topic would save me from the bouts of sarcasm thrown at me. I was sure I would be able to sail through due to this topic. However, the next mathematics test was to test many of us. Little was I to know that it would be testing my Mathematics teacher, my Housemaster and the ethos of the renowned public school. Grappling with the last answer and struggling with time, I requested my friend to bail me out with the last question.

The day of the result arrived, and as the teacher distributed the papers back, I heard my name being called out. With a know all look over his face and the confidence of snaring his prey spread across, he questioned my honesty in solving the last question. The question brought forward no response from my end as I could smell a rat too!

Soon I was going through a sermon on honesty and integrity. I could, in fact, envision my mathematics teacher as Gandhi, convincing me to tread the path of righteousness. Thought-provoking examples were thrown at me, and I bit the bait when I was told that “Honesty would be respected, and consequences would not be worked upon”. As I began to own up, I could see the Gandhi avatar taking back the shape of my mathematics teacher again. The skin, colour, demeanour changed in a fraction of a second, and the paper with “Yellow Card Recommended” (Yellow Card - YC - was the highest punishment given to an offender, this was handed down by the Headmaster of the school) was handed over to me as my reward for being an honest cheater.

Feeling, confused, humiliated and fooled, I walked down the staircase to inform my Housemaster. I had got into trouble before, but it had never been in this way. I was worried as I knew that my Housemaster would tolerate a trouble maker but not a cheat. I mustered up my courage and handed over the paper with my fate scribbled across. There was no hint of anger, despair or dejection on his face. He read the note, and his eyes searched my face for the truth. Probably an experience gained over a period of time. 

“Did you do it and did you admit to the mistake you made?”; was the only question. It came as straight as his straight drive we had seen. I explained and confessed to cheating and also that I had admitted to doing it publicly too.

The paper was taken, the matter was never heard of again. I went on to make more mistakes, but I never cheated after that. The mirror of my mistakes was never shown to me, and neither he rubbed it in to make me feel small. My every mistake was dealt with differently, and I was held accountable for the present. 

In a day, I witnessed two very different approaches. One teacher, who could not walk the talk and the other who gave another chance to reform me. One who was ready to punish me for my honesty and the other who respected me for being brave enough to admit my mistake. 

Maybe the story would have been different for me; today had my Housemaster not searched for the truth on my face and had gone on to believe the paper.

Such is my HM, whom I deeply respect...Mr RP Devgan. 

- Amit Jugran is the Principal at Mussoorie Public School and is currently experiencing the Joy Of Learning at the Learning Forward India Academy.

My Teachers' Role In Preparing Me For The Future - Laavanyaa Joshi

When I first started out in Welham in the year 2015, I was a naive 12-year-old girl. To suddenly leave my parents, my house and to shift and acclimatize to a totally different environment seemed almost impossible. I was by nature, a shy and timid girl. To be surrounded by strangers, 24/7 was not an easy task. The only sense of comfort was to realise I was not alone. Seventy other little girls, who had absolutely no idea as to what they were doing, were right beside me. 

Slowly I started to break out of my shell. I attempted things which I never had done before. I started climbing up the ladder of my personal growth. My teachers acknowledged my strong points and also my weak points. They opened up opportunities to boost up my social and personal development. Staying next to my friends and teachers thorough out my teenage years made them feel like family. The people who felt like strangers, I now recognise as family. The faculty at Welham made me realise my worth. They inspired me every day. They taught me how to be confident but did not ignore my wrongdoings. 

My teachers have helped me mould my character and have always emphasized on the morals of honesty. Every time I cribbed or whined about doing my own work in school, I became responsible and independent. Every time I got scolded in school, I learnt to accept criticism. Every time I was punished for turning up late for a class or an event, I learnt to respect and value time. My teachers made me realise that excellent academic scores were not everything. They taught me integrity. They helped me evolve into an empathetic and humane person. They taught me the value of commitment. Over the years, I have come to realise that I am no more than a shy girl. 

Welham and my teachers have helped me evolve into a young confident girl. I have come to realise my privileges and learnt to make the most out of every opportunity. I think after the help and encouragement I have received over the years, I am ready to face the world by myself. Though there is no age when a person stops learning from mistakes and experiences, I think I am ready to see for myself as to where I stand in society. I have learnt to acknowledge my personal power. I see myself trying to contribute and give back to society more than I have received from it. I have not only learnt to trust myself and my intuition but also learnt to accept criticism, whether it be positive or negative. 

Staying away from home for the last 5 years, I have realised that sometimes to achieve something, we have to walk out of our comfort zone and tread on an unknown path. Not always would every path guarantee me success but will surely contribute to my experiences which will prepare me to face the world.

- Laavanyaa Joshi, Intern for Learning Forward India at the John Martyn Memorial School, she is currently studying at Welham Girls' School Dehradun, India <laavanyaa.614@gmail.com>

Independence Day - Swabhi Parmar

Every year on 15th August, India celebrates Independence Day. India became an independent country in the year 1947 from British rule. Each one of us is born free, dies free and wants to live free. India achieved its Independence with great struggle and effort. Several freedom fighters and many great men sacrificed their lives to achieve the nation’s freedom from the grip of British rule. The movement of independence in India was started by the Indian freedom fighters under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. 

These freedom fighters endured a severe struggle in order to achieve the nation’s freedom. 15th August is celebrated with high enthusiasm in order to pay honour to our legendary freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives for our motherland. Independence Day motivates us to love our country and be forever willing to sacrifice our lives for its honour and integrity. Being a part of such a beautiful nation one must not forget these sacrifices. We must honour and preserve the integrity and dignity of the country. We should maintain the slogan of unity in diversity.

There is a saying that if you want to see change then first change yourself. Because it always starts with us. Freedom is not only a privilege but it is the duty of each and every being of the nation to respect our motherland. We can truly enjoy freedom when we will be free from social differences and many ill practices which happens in the nation. This should not be motivated at any cost. If you expect equality then you should be capable to give equal treatment to everybody. So you must give respect to take respect. On this note, I wish you a very Happy Independence day. Let's spread positivity and peace all around.

Swabhi Parmar

The Fabindia School

spr@fabindiaschools.in

Honesty and Respect - Kavitha Devda

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

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

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

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

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

Kavitha Devda

The Fabindia School

Honesty and Respect - Penta BHIS

Honesty & Respect - I
“The high road is always respected. Honesty and Integrity is always rewarded.”---Scott Hamilton.

Honesty, and broadly integrity, are important traits in one’s academic and professional life. In school, a healthy student-teacher relationship comes from mutual respect and trust; these can further lead to the building of nascent characters. Common civilisational values build an honour code in individuals that can act as a beacon all through their lives.

In the little world of my classroom, when I ask a question, students need to raise their hands first, wait for me to call upon them before they get to answer. Sam would never volunteer to answer. Whenever I asked him if he had understood the concept, he would keep an embarrassing silence until the student sitting beside him prompted the answer to him. Most often, Sam’s answers would be fashioned from these prompts. I explained to everyone that prompting their friends was a hindrance to learning, never a help, as I would never come to know whether Sam had actually understood the concept or had merely repeated another’s the answer.

Cut to the test day. As was the norm with me, I reminded everyone to focus on their own papers and not others’. While correcting the answer scripts, I was shocked at Sam’s poor performance. The next day, I asked him what had happened in the test. He ruefully told me that he had not prepared for the test and added,                                                                                                      

“I did not want to copy from my partner’s paper as I really was unaware of the answers”.

More than his grades, I appreciated him for his honesty and sincere approach to learning. Sam was able to tell me the truth as he believed that I would respect his standpoint. Well, he had also earned my respect. His parents were emotional when this incident was brought to their notice. It was important for them too, to look beyond his marks in comparison to his classmates.

Honesty is more than being truthful. Honesty refers to being morally correct – which in turn, is bound to earn respect. Sam, though different from others, was accepted by all for his integrity and had succeeded in building a network based on respect.

“Speak with honesty, think with sincerity, and act with integrity.”---Anonymous

Honesty & Respect -II

This was a new Grade IX for me. The students were aware (from their seniors) that I am a no-nonsense teacher, just as I knew this class to be a troublesome one. Within two weeks of school, we had a class test of 25 marks. The test was based on grammar with objective questions.

I returned the corrected worksheets and began discussing the answers. By the end of the class, this very bright teenager, with a reputation for not only disturbing the class but also instigating others to follow suit, came up to me. He grudgingly pointed out my ‘mistakes’ or ‘perhaps oversight’ (in his words) in my corrections.

I could immediately discern that these changes in the answers had been his handiwork in the last few minutes. The correct answers were either too carefully written or stood out of a mess of scratches. Clearly, the child was not yet masterful in his questionable ways. Not just yet.

I studied all my ‘oversights’ and his apparently ‘correct’ answers carefully. Calling him aside, I asked him twice – “Are you sure?” The second time, he did not look at me as he nodded.

I took his worksheet and marked him 25/25. I told him that I would be uploading the marks the following day. So, he needed to think and answer with complete certitude if he truly deserved a 100% score. After all, he was seeking fairness.

The next day, he gave me a note from his mother, still avoiding my eyes. The note said how my words had made him think, but he could not undo the damage when he had chosen to go on with his lies - that being the easier way out. She thanked me for making her son introspect and reject the wrong path. After expressing her gratitude, she requested a favour. Since the boy could not own up (being afraid to create a poor impression at the beginning of the academic year), could I forgive and help him?

In the next little discussion that we had (out, in the corridor), I acknowledged his ability to see the truth for what it was, irrespective of how daunting this might have been for a youngster. I changed the marks to the actual figure he had secured but told him that he had scored 100% as a human being in my eyes.

Strangely, I did not encounter any disturbance in the class in the two years I taught it.

When we treat people merely as they are, they will remain as they are. When we treat them as they should be, they will strive towards attaining that potential. (Inspired by T.S. Monson's words)

Penta @ Billabong High International School, Thane
- Jeeji Sanjeev, Sanika Joshi, Arpita M.G., Radhika Anand, Muskaan Menda, Supriya Naravankar & Bhavani Swamy

Integrity- a trait : Bharti Rao

How do children learn to be honest, respect societal norms, act in ways consistent with values, beliefs and moral principles they hold? This all is delivered to them either at home or in school. School is the second home for kids where they spent their valuable time. No child is born with integrity or behavioural traits. This all is groomed in them when they come to school.

In the school environment, students acquire these values and behaviours from adult role models and peers. To groom the students into good citizens as they are the future leaders, the teachers instil and reinforce a code of ethics in the classrooms. When students learn integrity in their classroom settings, it helps them to apply similar principles to other aspects of their lives.

The school environment helps the child in character building and integrity is a part of one’s character. Moral Values should be inculcated in a child by building relationships with teachers, peers and community. In school, a good student-teacher relationship comes from mutual trust and respect.

Honesty and Integrity is the two important traits that we should have in our academic and professional life.  We can help the students to learn integrity by engaging them in any activity or dialogue. Help the students to understand the importance of academic integrity and not to be stressed or under pressure.

Integrity means to be true to oneself. We should willingly do what is right even when no one is watching us. When we are true to our self we will always be happy as we are honest and trustworthy.

Bharti Rao

bro@fabindiaschools.in

The Fabindia School, Bali

Read for Enjoyment and Improvement: Urmila Rathore

We all know that human beings have the power to gain knowledge from everywhere and everything. Every day we think about our own growth and try to do the best in our fields but sometimes we are dissatisfied at the roots of our soul and mind. That time we should think of improving our knowledge and give best to ourselves by crossing the barriers of our own personality. Mostly we read with some kind of pressure, be it of presentation or of examination and forget that reading is for our growth and enjoyment and develops body-mind integrity. I always ensure that my students read a chapter aloud in a classroom or at the terrace or any open area at the home so they can be able to remove all the negativity and improve their reading skills. Reading creates a learning environment around the learner.

Here is some importance of reading :

●  Knowledge Empowerment and Improve thinking skill: Reading is the most powerful weapon to defeat our weaknesses because reading can solve all our problems related to gaining knowledge and getting results, so when we read then we come to know about our learning weakness and we will remove these issues. We can get more knowledge and information through reading newspapers, magazines and blog posts of famous writers and authors. We can improve our imagination and thinking process by reading mystery novels and stories because such books run on imagination where we can imagine the next scene or incident, thus giving us the platform to think creatively.

●   Improve Vocabulary and Hone Writing Skills: Reading aloud removes hesitation, boosts confidence level, fluency and correct pronunciation of our vocabulary. Through loud reading, we also listen to our own voice and pronunciation so automatically our mind gets practised to correct the words. If the more we read, the more words we gain and we will improve our vocabulary. It makes us always ready to take part in the debate, speech, and writing competitions. It will nourish our mind power and finally, it helps us in writing and improves our language skills as well.

●  Boost Memory Power and Concentration: Reading is the best exercise for our mind, stimulates our thinking power and strengthens memory. Reading various novels and story books can improve our concentration and memory status. If we read daily, our mind will become habitual for it. It also keeps our mind healthy, strong, and active. More we read, the more we learn and it keeps our mind fresh all the time. Science has proven that reading can prevent Alzheimer’s and Dementia because it stimulates our brain functioning.

●  Removes Stress: We all have faced some kind of stress, be it from the workplace or personal relationships and reading a well-written novel serves to deviate our focus from meaningless stress and can lessen its level.

                  Urmila Rathore

The Fabindia School, urd4fab@gmail.com

We are reading Matthew Raggett's book How your child will win in life.

Humility must be consistently modeled as a lifestyle

Is your child ready to face the world?  
By Dr Anupam Sibal

After reading the first lesson of the book l felt having a humble attitude does not mean we shouldn't acknowledge or be proud of our talents, strengths and accomplishments. However we should use them in the service of others. Humility is something we choose,  it does not come automatically to most of us. True leaders serve their followers and the best teachers work for their students and make their child ready to face the world. As a teacher I think that humility is also an associate of gratitude, and it is an attribute  that simply oozes in class. I think there are some ways to teach humility to our  children.

Humility must be consistently modeled as a lifestyle, not with on again, off again examples, i.e never underestimate the power of teaching through examples.  

1. Build them up
2. Encourage and help them to be the very best they can be, no matter what they do. 3. Humility works best when our child has actually achieved something! We should help our child achieve with confidence.
4. Make sure they understand where their value comes from.
5.Teacher should never humiliate  the child.
6.Teach them to serve. Serve the homeless. Serve the poor. Serve their family. Serve one another.
7. Coach them on how to respond.
8. Teach them how to apologize.  
9. Teach them to give thanks.

Yes, teaching and learning require courage and humility does matter. Whether we are teachers or students, we must learn to be self-reflective, critical of our personal beliefs and open to other's perspectives and ideas. As a teacher I must encourage the students like this, help when we can and don't expect rewards all the time for doing the right thing. We find activities we like and are good at but that doesn't mean we stop trying new things. The teacher listens to the students, respects, helps and encourages the students to try again after making mistakes.

Here is a story of a retired soldier, he and his wife became owners of an academy of "Martial Arts". He also teaches at local schools. His philosophy of serving is quickly evident to those who know him. "I work for my students ," he said. "My students do not work for me. I don't order people. Any activity comes from the heart of the students who have a thirst for knowledge, if I work for them, if I do the best job I can, their thirst for knowledge and training will be even greater ". "I like to plant seeds  and watch them grow". He further said that the most important thing, "I'm not teaching people for them to become another Bruce Lee. I am training them to become Champions in the society ." During one seminar his own teacher, Karate master, asked the students, "What do you do to be a nice person?". He told the class, "I wash dishes". The whole class had the vision of a 10th degree Karate master doing the dishes and got the message that this is a way to help the family. "It is about humility", said the Karate master. "That is the seed, then it grows into the rest of the society. He noted that the basics are crucial. "It is like building a house", he said. "If you don't have a good foundation, it does not matter how beautiful the castle, it will crumble. Build a good foundation, then add to it."

The message of this story is if a teacher is passionate about his/her students. He or she will alway ask them if they have  understood. Teacher is not the kind of person to take things at face value. Learning has to be logical. When the teacher teaches a technique, he or she also teaches why.  When someone understands why a technique works, retention will be better. The greatest part of teaching is seeing the changes in people. When children become more focussed. They do better at school. They do better at home or in the world.

- Girja Koul, is a teacher at the DBN Amarvilla School in Jammu, her email is gkl.av@dbntrust.in.