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Shanthi Sivaram / December 09, 2019 Posted by : editor

Good habits are very important to a happy and peaceful  life. Our habits could make or destroy us. Good habits contribute to a healthy and happy life, while bad habits could lead to an unhealthy as well as an unhappy life. 

All of us have to follow some important habits to stay healthy.

We should have a healthy diet to stay healthy.  A healthy diet should have fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates  like rice, roit, bread etc.

Gadgets should be used based on our requirement. While technology offers a great way to stay connected, research information and have fun, they could result in health issues if not used properly. These gadgets could also spoil our eyes. A gadget should be used for twenty to thirty minutes, depending on the requirement. 

Exercising is very important for a healthy living. It keeps us fit and can keep us away from diseases. Sleeping habits also play a big role in keeping us healthy. We should have a consistent sleeping schedule. We should go to sleep early. We should also have at least seven hours of sleep.

Bad habits offer us instant happiness; but could result in several health issues in the future. So, it is important to form and follow healthy habits.  

By Akshat Das, Grade 6B and Aarav Das, Grade 6A

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Shanthi Sivaram / May 07, 2024

5 Things You Need To Know About The IGCSE

Introduсtion The International General Certifiсate of Seсondary Eduсation (IGCSE) is a globally recognized curriculum and qualifiсation for seсondary school students. First offered in 1988 by Cambridge Assessment International Eduсation, the IGCSE board allows 14-16 year old students across the world to develop skills for further aсademiс рrogression or рrofessional life. Over 5,000 schools in 160 countries offer IGCSE subjeсts sрanning languages, humanities, sсienсes, mathematiсs, and voсational skills. Read on as we exрlore 5 key asрeсts of this globally foсused curriculum framework.

Globally Reсognized Qualifiсation

First and foremost, the IGCSE board is an international qualifiсation that is recognized by universities and сolleges around the world. Unlike state board сurriсulums that focus on sрeсifiс geograрhies, the IGCSE emphasises global relevanсe suited for today’s increasingly borderless world. With aссeрtanсe across Ivy League institutions, Russell Grouр universities, and aсademiс рowerhouses both in North America and Europe, the IGCSE signals readiness for tertiary education abroad. So, for students who are targeting internationally oriented сareers or рlanning their higher education outside their country, IGCSE serves as an ideal foundation. Its globally foсused рedagogy also рreрares students well for multicultural workрlaсes.

Curriсulum  

Central to the IGCSE’s global recognition is its well-rounded curriculum сovering сore subjeсts like maths, science, first and second languages as well as a рlethora of eleсtives sрanning humanities, social sсienсes, teсhniсal voсations and сreative arts. This exрoses students to diverse subjeсts aiding aрtitude identifiсation while keeрing further education and сareer oрtions oрen. Allowing sсhools flexibility to offer any mix of 70 subjeсts encourages individualised subjeсt сombinations tailored to evolving student interests. This is augmented by loсalized teaсhing сontent adaрtation рermitted to ensure relevanсy. Suсh сustomization opportunities make the IGCSE framework agile to institutions’ aсademiс рriorities.

Age Grouр

As an internationally benсhmarked qualifiсation aimed at seсondary education learners, IGCSEs are most suited for students in the 14 to 16 age group sрanning grades 8, 9, and 10 or equivalent national grades. However, enrollment flexibility exists for those falling slightly outside standard age рarameters based on individual capabilities and сirсumstanсes.

Certifiсation

Uрon сomрletion of the IGCSE examinations, students receive individual сertifiсations for each subject they have taken. The number of subjeсts required may vary from sсhool to sсhool, but students have the option to pursue a minimum of five subjeсts and a maximum of 14 subjeсts.

Examination

The IGCSE assessment is сonduсted by Cambridge International Examination (CIE) and involves a сombination of сoursework, oral exams, written exams, and рraсtiсal exams. This сomрrehensive assessment allows students to demonstrate their learning effectively, especially for those whose first language is not English.

IGCSE Core vs IGCSE Extended Oрtions

Many subjeсts рrovide twin oрtions – IGCSE Core and IGCSE Extended сatering to different skill levels within student сohorts. The Extended alternative integrates suррlemental content for advanced learners seeking greater rigour and higher attainment рossibilities. It leads seamlessly into tertiary рathways loсally and abroad. Conversely, the Core oрtion сovers foundation syllabus сontent for students still strengthening their grasр over subjeсts. It рreрares them for further skill-building required to ultimately transit to higher education through graduation сredentials. This built-in flexibility allows сustomization for сomрetenсy varianсes across learners by deрloying an aррroрriately сhallenging сurriсulum version benefitting them. Careful subject selection tailored to individual strengths and interests thus remains key.

Assessments

A robust globally standardised assessment methodology forms the baсkbone of the IGCSE curriculum. Rigorous written examinations test сontent mastery and aррliсation сomрetenсies while рraсtiсal assessments gauge exрerimental skills and deeрer understanding.   Certain subjeсts incorporate oral tests and сoursework рrojeсts demanding research, analysis, and synthesis abilities. Suсh multidimensional assessments aligned to international standards signal to universities that сertifiсate holders рossess well-rounded сomрetenсe. Exams are administered by the Cambridge Assessment International Eduсation (CAIE) division in June and November worldwide, with results deсlared next January and August, respectively. Over 10,000 institutions across 160 countries сonneсt students to these globally benсhmarked IGCSE assessments annually.

Different From Cambridge O-Level

While both the IGCSE and Cambridge O-Level are qualifiсations offered by Cambridge International Examination (CIE), they differ in their curriculum structure and assessment aррroaсh. The IGCSE curriculum offers a broader and more flexible curriculum, сatering to a wider range of students' interests and abilities.

Grading

The grading system for IGCSE exams follows a scale of A* to G, with sрeсifiс сriteria for each grade to indiсate the quality of aсhievement. Students are encouraged to read questions carefully, underline сruсial details, and use сharts and diagrams to enhance their answers for better сomрrehension.

Subjeсts

IGCSE offers approximately 70 subjeсts, inсluding 30 languages, сategorized into five groups: Languages, Humanities, Sсienсes, Mathematiсs, and Creative and Voсational. Students are encouraged to carefully seleсt their subjeсts based on their interests, talents, and strengths. Conсlusion As the IGCSE student community swells across geograрhies, standout рerformers continue enjoying рriority aссess to рremier universities in the US, Canada, and beyond. This signals the relevanсe of integrating this globally foсused curriculum as early рreрaration for tertiary studies internationally, even if initial higher education рlans remain loсal. So, for students and рarents seeking globally validated сredentials beyond home boundaries while keeрing international education рossibilities oрen, Ekya Sсhools, one of the best IGCSE sсhools, рrovides quality education and holistiс develoрment for students, ensuring they thrive aсademiсally and рersonally. Whether you're seeking a сomрrehensive curriculum, robust assessment structure, or the best IGCSE sсhools in Marathahalli, Ekya Schools delivers exсellenсe in education.    

Shanthi Sivaram / May 07, 2024

What Is IGCSE And Is It the Right Choice for My Child?

Every parent wants their child to have the best education, you are no different. However, when finding the right school for your child, you are often presented with a plethora of options. One such option that has grown in popularity in recent years is the IGCSE Schools in Bangalore. It is a globally recognized board and its curriculum is designed to foster holistic growth among students.  As one of the top IGCSE schools in Bangalore, we will explain what IGCSE is and help you decide if IGCSE schools are suitable for your child.

What is IGCSE?

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an internationally recognized board created by the University of Cambridge in England. It caters to 14–16 year olds (usually grades 9-10) and prepares them for further university studies worldwide. IGCSE courses offer a rich curriculum that tailors to individual strengths and nurtures the skills and competencies of students. Here are some of the benefits of IGCSE schools for your child.

Student-Centric Approach

The IGCSE curriculum is student-centric and fosters creativity. Teachers and students contribute equally to the class, making it an enriching experience. Learning is practical, allowing students to understand concepts better through real-life applications. IGCSE schools encourage students to ask questions, share ideas, and learn collaboratively with their peers. This approach nurtures logical and creative thinking skills in students. 

Preparing for the Universities

One of the major advantages of joining IGCSE schools is that the students here are well-prepared for further studies. This is made possible by the extensive knowledge and benefits that come from a globally standardized education. The students are encouraged to become independent thinkers and learners which is crucial for university studies. IGCSE schools focus on understanding and grasping the concepts rather than just memorizing. These are the traits most universities look for in a student. 

A Community Worldwide

The IGCSE program brings together students from all over the world in a global community. Children learn how to be inclusive and empathetic towards different people and cultures. This helps them develop a broad perspective. The program also allows each child to become a part of a diverse and comprehensive global community.

Inquiry-Based Learning

IGCSE courses foster curiosity in students by emphasizing real-life experiences, exploration, and expression. This encourages children to ask questions and research answers, helping them gain a better understanding of their communities and the world around them.

Rigorous Assessments

Top IGCSE schools in Bangalore such as Ekya Schools offer a rich experience for students with thought-provoking assessments. These include a variety of modes such as oral, written, coursework, and practical assessments. These assessments offer questions of different difficulty levels, enabling students to challenge themselves and discover their strengths and weaknesses. By instilling confidence and boosting morale, the IGCSE curriculum empowers students to plan their future educational journeys. 

Choice of Subjects that Cater to Different Abilities

The IGCSE subjects are designed to meet the needs of different students. With over 70 subjects to choose from, including 30 languages, schools can offer a combination that suits each student. Students must select at least 5 subjects, which include: 
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Humanities and Social Science
  • Languages
  • Creative, Technical, and Vocational Subjects Students also have a wide range of 30 languages to choose from, including their mother tongue.

Recognized by Universities Across the World

The IGCSE is the most recognized examination qualification across the world. Students with these qualifications are accepted into several countries like the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, and Singapore. Many universities acknowledge and accept the IGCSE curriculum as part of their entrance criteria. The IGCSE opens up opportunities for further vocational education and serves as a strong foundation for employment. Students with IGCSE backgrounds have the necessary abilities that employers value in potential employees.

Conclusion

In conclusion, choosing the best school for your child can be a daunting task considering the number of options today. However, if you think a strong syllabus and robust curriculum are best for your child, IGCSE schools are the way to go. To find the best IGCSE schools near Bannerghatta Road, look no further than Ekya Schools in JP Nagar. Our goal is to give students a well-rounded education that nurtures critical thinking, and creativity along with academic excellence.Join us and allow your child to delve into the stimulating realm of IGCSE subjects, nurturing their personal growth and development along the way.. We're here to shape future leaders with an inclusive and inspiring learning environment.      

Shanthi Sivaram / May 06, 2024

Common Mistakes When Making A Class Presentation

A successful school presentation demands a lot more than just good content. Presentations are more about expressing and explaining things in a creative manner which involves two important parts- the content in an understandable form and its way of presenting it. The second involves speaking skills, presentation skills, voice modulation, and more. Many aspects of class presentation should be taken into consideration. However, there are a few common mistakes that are often committed during its preparation: 

Not Doing Your Research

Whatever topic you choose to present, you need to have a good knowledge about it. Well, that will only come with good research skills. You can do that by getting help from your teacher, the school library, or the Internet. Research not only helps you with better presentation but will also prepare you to answer the questions asked during the question hour.  

Not Making a Proper Introduction

 Whether the presentation is in front of a small group or you are representing your school, a small introduction about yourself along with the topic’s introduction is a must. This not only gives you a great start but also gives the audience an idea of what the presentation is about. To make your introduction a bit more interesting, you can start the presentation with a quote or some statistics to grab attention. 

Lack of preparation for the presentation

Not preparing well before the presentation day may put you in a difficult spot. It is possible that you will present well but you are internally not satisfied with your performance. Well, one of the best ways to prepare is to at least go through the content twice. Practice in front of the mirror or ask your parents to be the audience during the preparations. This way, you will get to know your weak areas and work more on them. You will be fully prepared to capture the attention of the audience with your confidence and speaking skills. 

Confident Body Language

Confidence is the key to a good presentation. It is not something that will develop overnight, we need to work on it. As per a study, poor body language affects your confidence. You need to understand that your language speaks a lot about your personality. With good content and strong body language, confidence reflects automatically. For class presentations, you can practise hand movements and voice modulation. Another important point that should not be ignored is maintaining eye contact with the audience. Before the final presentation day, it is advisable to practice in front of a mirror.

Not Being Engaging

 If you want your audience to understand the presentation well, then keep it engaging. A presentation full of text will make it boring so, to keep a balance between the infographics and text to make it more interesting and engaging. If possible, minutes of video related to your topic. This will keep your audience entertained. Remember whenever on stage  it is your responsibility to keep your audience engaged sensibly without going off-track. 

Inconsistent Slides

 Presenting slides in a good way demands a perfect framework that involves a lot of things and often focusing on one aspect might lead to ignoring others. Here are a few common slide mistakes made during the presentation. 
  1. Overcrowding the slides: It is one of the most common presentation mistakes often committed by students. You need to understand that for presentation “less is more” fits perfectly. Instead of too much text, visuals should be used. Instead of paragraphs, pointers should be used. Using different colours also makes the presentation interesting.
  2. Reading directly from the slides: Reading directly from the slides only projects you as underconfident and unprepared. Although it might seem a little tempting and an easier option, the best is to make small pointers of important topics on which you want to talk.
  3. Complicated data: Data should be presented in a way that the written content becomes more understandable. For this Pie charts or bar graphs in different colours can be used. 
  4. Not maintaining the hierarchy: Arranging the slides haphazardly
  5.  only confuses the students. It will distract them as there will be less clarity regarding the points. 

Going Off-Topic

Many times you might go off-topic to make your point more clear during the presentation. But as a presenter, you need to understand that class presentations and question sessions should be done within a time limit. For this students need to maintain the flow as per the hierarchy and should have an idea about which points need more explanation than the others. This will only come with a few practice sessions before your final day. 

Not being prepared for feedback and questions

 Once you finish your presentation, allow your audience to put their doubts in front of you. This way not only will your audience get a chance to clarify their doubts but you will also learn to tackle difficult questions. Sometimes, if you have no answer or are in doubt about the question, it is ok to accept and consider returning with better research next time.  As a presenter, you need to keep the flow of your presentation in a positive direction and end it on a positive note. It leaves a good impression on the audience. Keeping a way forward slide at the end is a good way to end. You can also present an idea about a drive you want to start in your school related to some global concern. But make sure everything is related to your topic of presentation. Nothing should go off-track.

Conclusion

If you are searching the internet with terms like- the best schools in Bengaluru or ICSE schools in Bangalore, CBSE syllabus schools consider Ekya Schools. We are among the leading schools in Bangalore, offering the best quality education. Our Understanding by Design (UbD) framework curriculum is designed in a way that caters not just to the academic requirements of a student but simultaneously builds the overall personality of the student.  We encourage students to actively participate in co-curricular and other group activities like presentations. This helps in building confidence and developing skills like speaking skills, presentation skills, tackling questions, and more. We have expert faculty that prepares our students for holistic development. At Ekya, different school clubs also help students develop different skills such as music, dance, coding, debating, and more.  Hopefully, the above information will be helpful.      
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Career Day@ Ekya ITPL

Panel Discussion Career Day hosted by Ekya, ITPL on 23rd November got off to an amazing start with a panel discussion. The panel consisted of three eminent personalities who captivated the audience with deep insights into the working field. Through the discussions, students were able to understand the nuances that helped the panelists find their success. The first panelist was Mr. Amar Nagaram, CEO of Myntra and Jabong. The second panelist is Mr. Indra Kumar, GM- Strategies and New Initiatives at Wipro GE healthcare. The third panelist is a Retd. General Dr. Nawaz Sharif (Chief Veterinarian at People for Animals Bangalore he served in the Indian Army for 33 years. The discussion began with the three panelists explaining their idea of success and what it means to them. Dr. Nawaz Sharif asked the students a simple question- What do you believe in? What makes you happy? He says, when you pursue it, that is what makes you successful. Mr. Indra Kumar explained how gaining the trust of his fellow workers in the professional field and others in his personal life defined success for him. Mr. Amar Nagaram shared a different approach. He said that even when our path isn’t defined, finding purpose in whatever we do brings us success.The conversation continued to more detailed topics that covered the everyday schedules, the most challenging obstacles, and lessons from school days that were most beneficial. A point that each of them stressed on was the practice of continuous learning even in a work space. Dr. Nawaz Sharif spoke about how change is inevitable and the only way to move forward is by keeping up with it. This is possible when we ask questions and choose to have an adventurous career. For him, it was possible by joining the army and pushing his abilities to their limits. As a veterinarian who helps to protect and preserve wildlife today, his biggest challenge lies in learning new technology. Mr.Indra Kumar talked about the necessity of being an incessant learner. He shared an inspiring quote from a book that said- ‘Learning is the only investment that never fails’. We never know when we will find the opportunity to put our knowledge into practice. Mr.Amar Nagaram shared a childhood anecdote to explain what led him to develop an inquisitive mindset. He believes all it takes is the courage to stand up and ask ‘Why?’ One of the eye-openers for him was his conversation with Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadela who told him that one of the radical changes in his colleagues came from the shift in perspective from ‘know it all’ to ‘learn it all’. Mr.  Nagaram believes that with the rising tide of technology today, the challenge lies in learning faster than machines. The audience participated actively in the discussion by pouring in their questions. The question that students were eager to dissect was one about failures and the best ways to deal with them. All panellists asserted that failure is the inevitable part of trying to achieve a goal. It is about how one looks at failure that determines how they move ahead. Mr. Indra Kumar and Mr. Amar Nagaram proved with personal examples that the career that someone chooses to take isn’t rigid and fixed. There will be ups and downs along the way and that is completely normal. A working individual will continue to have reservations and fears no matter how high up the ladder they go. Mr. Nagaram explained it simply – No mistakes means there is no trying and no trying means there will be no progress. Another question that was on students’ minds, was that about discipline and planning. The panellists agreed that while it isn’t possible to know what lies in the future, it is possible to determine what we do about our passion today.  Discipline is what helps us transform our passion into profession. Selecting a profession starts with understanding the work options available in the market.There are so many opportunities to observe and assess that allow youngsters to get a first-hand experience way before they start working. The panel discussion came to a close with the three panelists sharing their final thoughts and advice with the audience. Dr. Nawaz Sharif said that he would ask nothing from the students but for them to follow their dreams by being disciplined and persevering. Mr.Indra Kumar emphasized on enjoying life by focusing on what makes us happy and then giving it our best. Mr. Amar Nagaram urged the student community to have a good network of people and develop a habit of reading. The first step towards a successful career is selecting the university where students can find their balance between studies and hobbies. CMR UNIVERSITY BOOTHS  On the 23rd of November Ekya, ITPL observed Career Day. As a first step towards choosing the right institute for higher education, a college booth was set up on campus by CMRIT to help parents and students understand the different degrees and courses available.The volunteers from CMR Institute of Technology explained the wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs that students can select from. At CMRIT, students have an opportunity to learn and enhance their skills in the fields of art, technology, architecture, humanities, management and more. These programs are structured to ensure well-rounded development of their students. They not only cover lessons related to the chosen field but also allow the students to develop an interest in extracurricular activities. From fine arts club and debating societies to sports clubs and social impact clubs, students can pursue their passion while honing skills like leadership and teamwork. A huge advantage of the courses at CMRIT is the weekly guest lectures from experts in corporate sectors. These lectures not only enable the students to identify the requirements in the work field but also allows people from the industry to acquaint themselves with the up and coming workforce. These lectures help students gain familiarity with real work environments and build professional competence. Among the offered degree courses, those in art and engineering received an enthusiastic response from parents. Legal studies was also a popular choice. The booth for MakerSpace events helped gain a positive review for architectural programs. All in all, the college booth proved to be a great way for students and parents to take a step towards further education. The volunteers provided useful insights into the programs and degrees that students can pursue, for a smooth transition into the working space. Ashoka University also had a booth with various course options. Students got an opportunity to interact with their assistant director. Parent workshop Parents yearn for their children to find happiness and success in life, and one factor which influences that is their career choice. The role of parents in helping their children decide which career suits them the best is extremely integral. At career day Ekya ITPL organized a parent workshop to help them pave the path for their children and assist them in achieving their dream goals. The workshop provided the parents with a clear explanation about the career options available and how to determine which one would be the best for their children. Parents were advised to make their children take 3 tests which enabled them to analyse the child and direct them to the right career. Based on the results attained in the tests, career counselling was to be done, hastening and simplifying the process decision making.  Parents were informed not to be an obstruction to their children's experimentation and exploration, and never to clip their wings. Foremost, the ones who nurture us create the most impact on us, and so, a very crucial decision such as choosing the right career is greatly influenced by our parents. The parents were immensely satisfied by the workshop and several parents have signed up for the tests to support their children in every way possible. We look forward to watching our students choose the right career paths and creating a bright future by taking on the world. Student Workshop Medicine Workshop - An insight into careers in the medical field The workshop for opportunities as a practicing doctor was conducted by Dr. Gurudutt, who is a doctor specializing in pediatric ICU care. He commenced the talk with a brief account of his journey as an aspiring doctor to a senior doctor in charge of 2 Intensive Care Units. He elaborated on the much debated topic of affordable healthcare in India and stressed on the need to administer the right drugs in required quantities. Dr. Gurudutt brought home the idea that asking questions is a much valued quality in aspiring and new doctors. He explained that a physician must have the ability to approach suitable specialists when in doubt. Most of all, Dr. Gurudutt spoke about the nobleness of the profession, as well as the humbleness and satisfaction that saving a life brings. He also asked the students to keep in mind the sacrifices that come with the responsibility of being a practicing doctor. The Q & A session was filled with inquisitive questions that included daily schedules and detailed differences between treating adults and children. The workshop came to a close having provided a great deal of insight into the world of practicing physicians.  HR Workshop -Important characteristics and achievements companies look for in potential candidates.How does one convert passion into profession? How do you find happiness in your work? These are some of the questions that were answered by Ms. Brishty Srivastava in her session on Talent Acquisition. Ms. Brishty has served in HR for several years and has gained experience in a wide variety of fields. Her workshop was focused on helping students understand how they can find the profession that is right for them. She described a simple exercise that enables people to stay updated with their skills and interests. She believes a regular examination of what one likes, what skills they possess and how they can earn a profit with that skill, keeps regular work from being monotonous and dreary. She spoke about the duties that an earning individual takes up when growing up.  To explain some basic requirements that come to attention, she used Maslow’s pyramid to provide a visual description of her topic.An important part of Ms. Brishty’s workshop focused on how to find first-hand experience of the field students wished to work in. She gave several examples to explain the opportunities that students could keep an eye out for, to gain an introspective look in their chosen field. Through her session, Ms. Brishty demonstrated how as a working individual, students could make their profession a fun learning experience every day and contribute their best to society.          

Sports day at JP Nagar

Annual Sports Day is an important event in the life of every school. Sports themselves have a vital role in making a child sound physically as well as mentally. We have always  firmly believed and stressed the holistic development of the child, in body, mind, and spirit. While academics and examinations are the prime concern, we do give importance to sports and nurture young talent. The Sports Day of Ekya School JP Nagar  was held on 25th of October 2019. The students were very excited and eager to participate in various events held on that day, which was held in the playgrounds of VET. Before the events began the students took the Sports Day Oath promising to take the event with true Sportsmanship. They had various events lined up like the 50m, 100m sprints, then the relays.    

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