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Ekya / January 12, 2022 Posted by : administrator

Indiscriminate use of Social media by students during the pandemic and its impact

Sreepriya Unnikrishnan

Social media addiction among teens and young adults has increased multifold during the pandemic. It is considered a behavioral disorder in which the individuals are totally captivated or trapped by social media and are unable to free themselves from its clutches despite clear consequences and drawbacks. Teenagers engage in some form of social media or other or if not several, on a daily basis (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Twitter, Discord, Video games).

This has led to increased indiscriminate and blind consumption of media, increased dependence on social media as a way to feel good, losing out on physical social engagements, causing a negative impact on learning, strained relationships with family and friends.

A very important cause for concern is the decline in mental health as a result of increased Social media addiction and also the fact that Social media is an easy platform for online aggression, cyberbullying, impacting the emotional wellbeing of children. All this has led to a decreased focus on academics and a decline in academic performance.

FOMO or ‘Fear Of Missing Out is apparently “that uneasy and sometimes all-consuming feeling that you’re missing out on or not being included in what your peers are doing”, which is another main reason why teenagers are unable to be off social media.

The only way to save our youth from the fangs of social media addiction is not to totally deprive them of their engagement on Social media, but to prevent addiction to it by way of supporting them and guiding them to engage with social media safely, responsibly, and effectively.

We need to remind them to balance their time spent online with chores, homework, spending quality time with family and friends rather than being cooped up in front of the computer or phone screens all the time. It is important to keep a watch on the activities the children are engaged in instead of allowing them to be all by themselves and engage liberally with social media.

While this is indeed an uphill battle, we still can have an influence on the way our children see the effects of social media, helping them make the right decisions.

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Ekya / October 10, 2023

The Truth of Time

The mountain tops shiver As the snow begins to shower The water flows to cover The secrets of the river.

The birds trill near the lake As the morning sun awake The lion cub to take The crown for the sake.

The windows patter The things clatter The world scatter As our deeds matter

Isana G K

Grade 7

Ekya Schools, ITPL

Ekya / October 10, 2023

Financial literacy from an early age

It’s Jan 2022, I am in grade 6 as a substitute teacher. I ask the students to introduce themselves. They also get curious to know about me. As soon as I tell them that I am a senior grade teacher and I teach Accounts and Business studies, they are intrigued. The word Business catches their attention and some of them express their interest in Finance.

Now, I was fascinated to hear the word finance from such young children. Particularly fascinated by a young student Ms Ahaana Shetty, who explained how she manages her pocket money, as taught to her by her father. She had a clear understanding of creating a balance between saving and spending.

This was not the case in the earlier times. We can quote examples of celebrities who, despite having earned a fortune, burnt their hands at poor financing decisions. Amitabh Bachan’s ABCL took on more than it could handle, like the Miss World pageant, and exhausted all money. Then it took bank loans which it couldn't repay. Mr. Bachchan had retired, so there was no income and no savings. The moral of the story is, that even if people earn astronomical sums, they need to invest it so that it keeps growing.

Having said that, it boils down to the fact that financial literacy at an early age is pivotal for building a strong foundation for financial well-being throughout life. Teaching children about money, budgeting, savings and investments from a young age will help them make informed financial decisions. They can avoid the financial perils faced commonly by people.

The challenge in educating young children about finance would be the financial jargon which they may find overwhelming and difficult to understand. Hence it becomes important to use age-appropriate terminology.

As parents, we can give a reasonable amount of allowance to our children and ask them to use it wisely for needs, and wants and also save a part of it. This will help them to understand the concept of budgeting. We must also encourage them to make informed purchasing decisions, look for discounts and become a smart shopper.

A simple step like opening a savings bank account for the child and making them understand how a bank account works will introduce them to the importance of keeping money safe. They will understand how regular savings will grow over some time due to the compounding of interest.

Children must be taught about loans too. They need to understand that loans should not be borrowed if one is not sure of financial ability to repay. Also, they need to be taught that loans must be repaid timely, or else they will keep becoming bigger due to accumulating interest.

Older children can be introduced to the concepts of stocks and mutual funds. They can be encouraged to follow investments over time and learn about the dynamics of stock markets.

Schools can introduce financial literacy programs and take initiatives to incorporate financial education as part of the curriculum.

I would like to conclude by saying that it is essential for everyone to be financially literate and wisely invest money to grow it. It is equally important to keep track of investments. One should not spend more than what one earns, even if the earnings are enormous, otherwise, the money will not last very long. Remember, it is your money.

Ekya / October 10, 2023

A Guide To Navigating Academic Stress

Academic pressure and impending board exams can feel like an overwhelming storm, but as a 10th-grade student who's been through the burnout ringer, I've discovered effective strategies to stay afloat. When stress creeps in, I lean on a toolbox of coping mechanisms that help me maintain balance and clarity.

Understanding my panic patterns has been key. I've learnt that giving my all is important, but the outcome isn't a mirror of my worth. I remind myself of this and reframe my perspective. To escape my study-clogged mind, I turn to books – they whisk me away to new worlds, however briefly. Music acts as a soothing balm; I limit panic to 5 minutes and then channel my energy into finding solutions.

Engaging in physical activities is another lifesaver. Running or spending time outdoors channels my pent-up energy, allowing my mind to reset. Moreover, taking up hobbies like painting or playing a musical instrument provides a welcome distraction and cultivates a sense of accomplishment beyond academics.

Remember, you're more than your grades. Embrace your unique strengths, employ these strategies, and watch stress lose its grip. With determination, self-awareness, and a dash of escapism, you'll breeze through the academic whirlwind.

Written By: Ahaana Singhal Student of Grade 10

#StudentBlogger: Learning At Ekya By, Ekya School JP Nagar

Learning is a life-long process, there is no end to it. A person who stops learning is equivalent to being dead.

My journey of eight months as an Educator at Ekya, J.P. Nagar has been a sweet and very educational one. There was something new that was learnt every day, that not only impacted me as an educator but as a person on the whole. I have always believed that the kind of people one surrounds themself with, defines the kind of person they are likely to become. And any person that surrounds themselves with the crowd like that of EJPN is likely to undergo a positive transformation. There are new things that we learn, unlearn and discover. At Ekya JP Nagar, every day is a new, exciting day.

In retrospect, my organizational skills have gotten better. At Ekya, the smallest of the details are planned with precision and not simply rendered unimportant. In order to be organized at such a level of precision, it requires one to stay committed to doing the best. With the regular learning audits and observations, I have always been motivated to do my best. I have understood that what I can do is way beyond my imagination. The feedback given to me was valuable and has been instrumental in helping me become a better teacher and provide my students with a wonderful learning experience.

Not all days are good days. I have experienced both highs and lows during my 8 months at Ekya. But the support and encouragement from the leadership team have helped me get over some of the hard days. The teachers in the leadership team set excellent examples for the rest of us to follow, learn from, and model out to the students. They help create a conducive environment for the rest of us to work in. They stay true to the word ‘Ekya’ by creating an inclusive environment for all of us - One never feels left out.

At Ekya, you not only become a better teacher, but also a better person. Some of the practices followed at Ekya, for example - beginning the day with good things, grounding activities, SEE learning has made me a better person. I have become more mindful of my surroundings and the people around me. I am able to navigate through my emotions in a better way and stay positive.

My journey so far has been full of learning and transforming into a better person. Looking forward to many more exciting days, full of learning, at Ekya.

#StudentBlogger: The Life of a Snowman By, Sristi Bora Grade 9A, Ekya ITPL

The forest creaks and sways as the harsh winds blow against it. The sturdy pine trees covered with snow stand still, buried deep in the ground. There are no signs of any animals since they have all gone to sleep until spring arises. The birds have migrated away from here too but I mean, who can blame them right? It’s winter and everyone is inside their houses drinking hot chocolate while watching movies. The only one that’s out here smiling right now apart from Joe the caretaker is me.

I’ve been here for approximately 15 minutes now but I’m going to make it quick because my time is running out. I am a snowman and the only time you can see me is in the winter when it snows. You must be wondering how I got stuck in the middle of the woods right? Well, a group of kids came out of nowhere, built me, took some pictures and left. I got bored and thus I am documenting my life, I don’t have much to do anyway. An average snowman lasts for about five hours before melting away into a giant puddle of water, stones and a carrot. We snowmen don’t really do much apart from smile. We don’t eat, we don’t sleep, we don’t do anything really and we are really low maintenance (but then again we are inanimate so it makes sense).

Even though I don’t get to be around for long, I really enjoy the fun people have building us and playing around in the snow. The kids who just built me for instance were having a great time building me. Building snowmen is one of the greatest and most time consuming winter activities. However it is definitely worth all the hard work because at the end you get a snowman like me! One thing all us snowmen want to do in our short lives is feel the Sun’s warmth, like Olaf in Frozen. That obviously won’t work but one can always dream right? There aren’t many adventures we go on since we are stationary but the view is quite nice from here.

Well that’s basically my autobiography. I was going to talk about just my life and that’s it but I ended up talking about a lot more things. My life is pretty short so I had to add a couple more things to make it sound more interesting. In case any of you were wondering about the life of a snowman, here it is. Alright, I’ll be signing off now because it looks like those kids are back with a scarf. Good day humans, see you next winter.

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