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Lakshmi Umesh / February 26, 2020 Posted by : editor

The parent observation is an opportunity for the child to share with their parents the dynamic picture of what life is like in a Montessori classroom – teachers, learning materials, as well as the less tangible atmosphere that is the ‘home’ for the child for so much of his or her working day. The parent observation helps build a relationship between parents and teachers to help the child develop well academically, emotionally, and socially. That’s why, at Ekya, parent observations and parent-teacher conferences are conducted twice a year, one in term 1 and another in term-2. These events play a critical role in creating a mutually beneficial partnership between the parent, child, and teachers to help make the most of the child’s development and educational experience.

Our Term-2 Parent observation and a parent-teacher conference were held on 15th February and 22nd February respectively. As the children presented their learnings to their parents, our teachers and parents had some fruitful conversations regarding the progress of the child. The feedback shared by the parents after the conference was very encouraging and we look forward to a continued partnership with our parents.

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Lakshmi Umesh / 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

Lakshmi Umesh / 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.

Lakshmi Umesh / 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

FieldTrips@Ekya: Trip to Banerghatta Zoo and Butterfly Park

Students of Ekya ITPL, Grades 3 and 4 got an opportunity to go on a field trip to the Bannerghatta Zoo and butterfly park. Children were really excited to go with their friends to a place amidst nature & wilderness. The trails within National Park gave an opportunity for students to explore the beauty of nature. Children saw many animals in the park-like snakes, crocodiles, tiger, zebra, giraffe, etc. Students engaged in a hands-on learning experience in a playful way. They understood that science is fun. The purpose of the trip is to provoke a sense of curiosity and inquiry, use observation, curiosity and communication skills. Students experience observing and discovering the diversity of life that exists at Bannerghatta Zoo. It enabled them to explore their ideas about wild animals and built on these ideas both before and after a zoo field trip. After reaching back to school, they promptly recorded their reflections.

ServiceLearning@Ekya: ITPL students visit Sankara Eye Hospital

Service to humanity is the greatest creed of all, with there being no greater good than giving back to one’s own community. It plays an important role at Ekya and helps students identify themselves as part of the community, develop empathy and respect for others, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves. As part of the Service Learning Program, our students of Grades 5 to 12 conduct several fundraising activities at school – newspaper drives, selling handmade scented candles and body scrubs to name a few, with the funds directed to charity. We visited the Sankara Eye Foundation. It is a non-profit organization that strives to eliminate curable blindness in India. On our entrance, we were first introduced to the Quick Medic software which was designed to reduce the patient wait time to eight minutes and do away with long queues. We were navigated around the hospital and walked through the procedure that a patient undergoes in order to receive optimum eye treatment. The hospital had a paid patients wing and a community wing, where buses plied daily to help the underprivileged receive the treatment that they need. We had the golden opportunity to witness a cataract surgery via television and viewing glass setup. We were then taken to the auditorium where a presentation on the hospital’s philanthropy work and its mode of functioning was delivered to us. The hospital follows an 80/20 model, where the 20% consists of paying patients and 80% is devoted towards community service and is also dependent on donations from people and firms such as Microsoft and Infosys. Their altruistic work extends to 100-150 villages in Karnataka and has funded several cataract surgeries for senior citizens in rural areas. Nanna Kannu, also known as Rainbow in other parts of India, is an initiative that has been undertaken by them in collaboration with the Karnataka State Government to provide preventive and curative eye care to children between 0 and 18 years from government recognized schools and shelters. All in all, it was an informational trip which left us with a sense of satisfaction as we had been able to contribute to his noble cause by donating the profits from our school fundraiser to fund cataract surgeries. By Madhuria Rudra (Student Of Grade XI)

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