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Ekya / July 21, 2020 Posted by : administrator
With the city going into its most recent lockdown, our ever-curious children are now feeling the impact of prolonged quarantine.  They have been remarkable in their adaptability, be it online classes or not being able to meet their friends as often as before.
Our Wellbeing Team consists of counselors Ms. Anushree, Ms. Priya, and Ms. Anika. They conducted workshops to support the parent community by sharing some strategies through “Islands of love: Coping during quarantine” to help improve the morale and mental well being of our student family.
The sessions were in 3 parts – addressing our Pre-primary and Primary parents, followed by Middle school, and lastly our parents from Senior school. Parents were given insight on what to expect for each age group, along with signs to look out for.  As the title implies – the aim of the session was to create safe spaces or islands of love at a time that was full of uncertainty. The importance of communicating with our children, using love languages to let them know they are cherished and wanted was addressed.
A.S.K – Acknowledge fears, feelings, and worries, hold Space for thoughts and worries – irrespective of positive or negative and Keep calm – our children model our behavior – strategies were shared on how to handle the many changes that are being handled by the students and caregivers. The session concluded by emphasizing on the importance of our children’s mental and physical wellbeing and the availability of the counselors to help with the same

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Ekya / March 26, 2024

The Hot Garlic Soup Inspired by ‘The Last Leaf’ by O. Henry

Sue and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat on the third storey of an old house.
Johnsy fell ill in November. She was diagnosed with pneumonia. She would lie in her bed, gazing out of the window. Sue sent for the doctor. The doctor said to Sue, “Johnsy’s condition is not so serious yet. It seems she is unable to recover because she has lost the will to live.”
Sue became extremely worried for Johnsy’s well-being and mental health. She tried to make Johnsy interested in the things around her, but Johnsy never replied with more than a noncommittal hum.
One day, Sue was painting when she heard Johnsy counting backwards. Sue looked out of the window and saw an old ivy creeper climbing on the brick wall. The ivy was shedding its leaves in the strong gust of the wind.
“They are falling faster now,” whispered Johnsy. “Three days ago there were so many leaves. Only five are left now.”
“It is autumn,” said Sue, “and the leaves will fall.”
“When the last leaf falls, I will die” said Johnsy with finality. “I have felt this for the last three days.”
“Oh, that’s nonsense,” replied Sue. “Why do you believe your fate is tied to those old ivy leaves?”
“Human life is fleeting, just like those ivy leaves,” said Johnsy. “I got sick just as the ivy started shedding its leaves. It must be an omen. The last leaf will fall, and I will slip into slumber forever.”
Sue sat on Johnsy’s bed, kissed her and said, “You are not going to die. Plenty of people fall sick in autumn, and they recover soon enough. Do you want some soup?”
“I don’t want any soup. My time is almost up, I’m sure of it,” murmured Johnsy.
Sue decided to change tactics. She was not going to give up on Johnsy.
“It is true that human life is somewhat fleeting, but that’s exactly what makes life valuable. Do you not want to see what life has to offer before you slip into slumber? Will you not miss the cool breeze waking you up, the warm embrace of sunlight? Do you want to give up the feeling of the paintbrush gliding over the canvas?” Sue quavered.
“Look beyond the ivy to that tree over there,” Sue continued. “Even that tree is shedding its leaves, but it is also growing new leaves. It is going to live for many more years, just like you.”
Johnsy contemplated for a while. Then, she looked out of the window and smiled.
“Perhaps I will have some hot garlic soup. You made me realise that life is worth living after all.”
Written by Aahana,
from grade 9A

Ekya / March 22, 2024

Importance of Literature in a Classroom.

"Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity" - P.T.Barnum

We as humans are social beings. We can't imagine our lives to be solitary. Literature facilitates us to understand and communicate with one another in society. It helps us explore the world around us and is a medium to express our views and experiences. So it is of vital importance that the students are introduced to literature at a young age.

Literature is necessary for students as it helps them to develop imagination, improves vocabulary and language skills and even enhances creativity. Literature helps them understand the world outside their home and school.

It is disheartening to see that literature is often not put on the same pedestal as other technical subjects like Math or Science. where it shouldn't be the case.

Literature includes different types of texts like stories and fables, myths

and legends, poetry and drama or even informational texts that help them explore other subjects. It prepares students to read and understand the real world.

There are one too many benefits of including literature at a young age. It is like an exercise for the brain, keeping an individual mentally active and stimulated.

Exposure to cultures from different countries brings in a sense of respect and tolerance, a feat possible through literature. It motivates one to appreciate different lives and their ways and also to graciously disagree with something that may not be right. The different characters the students are introduced to become a source of inspiration. They start to imagine themselves in varied situations. they learn different solutions to problems they come across.

More importantly, reading is fun and literature develops an inclination toward reading and makes them self-learners.

It can be concluded that literature is a gateway to nurturing a child’s life skills more than any assignment or task

can ever do.

Written By:

Shruthi Prakash

English Educator - Primary

Ekya Schools BTM Layout

Ekya / March 22, 2024

A Day to Remember: Juniors Bid Goodbye to Seniors with a Spectacular Farewell Party.

As the academic year draws to a close, emotions run high at our beloved school. The time has come for the juniors to express their gratitude, love, and affection for their departing seniors.

And what better way to do this than by throwing an unforgettable farewell party?

The air was buzzing with excitement as the juniors meticulously planned every detail to make it a night that their seniors would cherish forever.

The audio-visual room was transformed into a place of nostalgia and celebration, adorned with decorations to welcome the seniors. Each performance was filled with energy, enthusiasm, and dedication. Each video played, spoke volumes about the memories shared and the bonds formed throughout their academic journey, blanketing the atmosphere with a mix of joy, laughter, and a hint of bittersweet anticipation.

Our seniors were all dressed up to the nines for the occasion with the girls in a blue and white saree and the boys in black suits.

But how did all of this come to be? I am a grade 11 student and let me take you through behind the scenes of this event and how we prepared for this event.

  • Many girls formed a group and decided to dance to “Paint It Red” and “All Is Well”. Everyone’s efforts are to be appreciated as they come up with new steps and formations. Well-coordinated teamwork led to an amazing performance that got everyone cheering.

  • Meanwhile, my batchmate, Lara,  and a few teachers were preparing to sing songs dedicated to the seniors. Lara sang a melodious rendition of “When You Believe” and the teachers sang a medley of songs which got the seniors singing along as well!

  • The boys planned on dancing to the song “Galti Se Mistake” and their performance was full of creativity and humour. The choreography was inspired by the original music video of the song and they worked hard together and taught each other the steps. This performance got everyone giggling and cheering so loud!

  • It did not end with the students, even the teachers chose to step into this grand celebration. They danced on a variety of songs and each song made the seniors hoot louder. Even though they had a very busy schedule they would still take time and dedicate it to the dance practice during after-school hours. Huge kudos for their coordination and effort!

  • Mohana and Arshia came up with a very engaging script which had the attention of the audience. A small game was organised for the students where they had to write something good about one of their batchmates. Everybody put their hands together and made 32 crowns of appreciation for their seniors. A video of the seniors was made including photos and videos of their dearest memories. Last but not least, our teachers also prepared a video message for the seniors bidding farewell and wishing them the best for their future endeavours.

The day finally came. The 10th of February came. It was the day - the day for which we had been preparing for days. The graduation.

The place was set, the background screen was ready, the mic was ready and the sound system was ready. Our seniors came one by one and the auditorium was filled with chatter until the anchors came in and the event started.

After a few minutes, the head boy gave a heartfelt speech, followed by the chit game of affirmations then Lara’s beautiful performance.

The girls donned black kurtis and sunglasses and danced to “Paint It Red”, which got a round of applause. The seniors loved the “Galti Se Mistake” dance by the boys for its creativity and comedic execution and what made it better was the shorts with shirt and tie combination. The dance finale was to the song “All Is Well” which got the audience cheering for the dancers with lots of enthusiasm.

Then a video filled with the memories of the seniors was shown which made most of them emotional. The dance which everybody was eagerly anticipating started - it was our beloved teachers who completely rocked the stage with their amazing performance.

Then a few teachers gave a very emotional message followed by songs dedicated to their students. The event came to an end with video messages by the teachers,  a crowning ceremony and high tea.

In conclusion, the event was successful, and enjoyed by all the students - juniors, seniors and teachers. It wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s contribution and teamwork. It was an emotional roller coaster for everyone and a day which will never be forgotten.

Written By:

Stutee Samantray

(Grade 11, Ekya BTM)

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#StudentBlogger-Transitioning to Online education at Ekya

COVID-19 is a pandemic that changed the world in many ways. Especially in education. What started as a small outbreak in China in December 2019 ended up into a full-fledged epidemic in India and the world by March. By March 11 the school year had to be cut short, and early onset summer break was declared. Lockdowns were declared across the country and for us, and the expected summer holidays became dull moments just sitting at home. The social distancing norms snatched away from our playtime too. Around this time, we were looking for other ways to keep ourselves engaged, and our parents were very flustered, keeping us occupied and yet keeping us away from the TV. And interestingly, as luck would have it, my School Ekya JPN, started "Community Connect" by the end-March. It was a lot of fun to get back in touch and relate to my schoolmates. There were online sessions for dance, visual arts, origami and even baking, to name a few. These things were a lot of fun, and we connected to these classes over Zoom sessions. I faced quite a bit of initial hiccups in terms of connectivity on understanding Zoom. But within weeks, my siblings and I became proficient in handling zoom based sessions. When the school year started for me on May 26, I was all too excited. My parents salvaged an old laptop, created a desk, and got an internet connection. They created a login account and password on Windows, which was exciting. For the first time, I did not need to share my parents' computer. In the first week, it was all super fun as we got to know our teachers and other classmates. Interacting entirely online was weird. Without months of haircut, I was probably looking like Malinga, but then on seeing my friends realised they were no less messy. Surprisingly, I started liking my own long hair. And my teachers did not enforce a haircut and they would have done it if it were real school. The first week was also slightly chaotic. Each of us were trying to talk over each other, and it was very noisy. However, our class teacher had encouraged us to draw social contracts online, and we had set ground rules for the class. Simple things like being on mute and unmute it only when we talk, or raising the hand on the Zoom session, or logging on with the video, and logging in on time were some of the key new areas we drew our social contract. It was also fun because our teachers are immensely helpful and understanding. Some of us would be logged out multiple times because of flaky internet connections, and the teacher would add us back into the class, or our friends would invite us. Saturdays were also fun, we had a breakfast club, where we all had breakfast together at 10:00 in the morning. My mom made some delicious dosas, and I was proudly munching them with chutney and podi. How I wish there was a magical way through which I could share it with my friends over Zoom! My first experience with late submission was unfortunate learning. The online collage competition, I did not see the time of submission, and when I tried to submit that night, I realised that the submission window closed at 2:59 p.m. I could not submit my beautiful poster, but then I learnt a lesson. To be more prompt and be watchful of date and submission times. A lesson well learnt. It is almost 2 months of online classes, and the journey has been interesting. There are many good things I find while moving to online learning, and there are a few areas where I miss school.
  1. Online education is very efficient because we can take screenshots of some slides that our teacher shows us and save them, ready to use any time.
  2. Unlike regular school, If I miss points or my notes are incomplete, I do not have to ask anyone else, or go through the tedious process of asking the teacher, getting her permission, asking who the teacher recommended, getting their permission, having a debate on when I should give it back or photocopy it, then finally write the notes! Huh.Though my parents do not agree that this is a good practice and want me to be attentive.
  3. I also seem to have extra time each day compared to regular school since I don't need to rush each morning or get stuck in traffic jams while coming back.
  4. I also like the fact that I can eat whenever I am hungry, and my mom can always whip up something hot.
  5. There are some who say that it is harmful to the eyes and too much screen time is bad, but then our parents are good judges. My parents pull me off my laptop after school.
  6. One really annoying problem with online education is network problems, and since my siblings and I all login at the same time, the network is at times slow, and I switch off the video, and that is a cool trick that I learnt. But, sadly, we aren’t allowed to do that.
  7. I also think that it will be cool that I can look on to the highlights on Schoology when I feel sick on a day.
  8. I love that on Zoom Chats, we can share all the slides that the teachers send… and to be honest, we do get carried away.
Overall, online learning is fun for now, and I really enjoy it. And at the same time, I also miss the physical school and am looking forward to getting back to going to school to meet all my teachers. By Krish Rajesh Iyengar  Grade VI C, Ekya JP Nagar  

#StudentBlogger: For me, it’s Ekya forever

  I joined Ekya 5 years back when I was 5 years old.  Now all of 10, when I look back I realize what wonderful years they have been. There were ups and downs but I think the ups outnumber the downs.  I remember when I first joined Ekya I was terrified. Till then I had only been to a playschool. The school was big and new to me, but the warmth of my teachers, friends, and the school itself slowly helped me fit in and I started enjoying going to school. Every new day was so exciting for me.  Fast forward to 2020 before the lockdown. The lockdown came unannounced, and that was scary at least the first week or so. Everything came to a grinding halt; I hadn’t had a chance to say bye to my teachers and friends in fourth grade. There was no sharing of notes with my friends on how we would spend our summer vacations nor was there the excitement of packing bags and going to my grandparents’. One day seemed to stretch into another; punctuated with only the fear of the unknown-COVID 19  And then Ekya did something marvelous, the Community Connect programs that were held, kept us engaged and we enjoyed it!! That went for a good part of what would have been our summer holidays and then we all had a surprise for us in-store. The school was starting online! I was excited even though there were quite a few online activities I was involved in, there was something still amiss. School online was a definite break from the 3 monotonous months of being cooped up at home.  But once online classes started the teachers just really radiated positivity and gave me a sense of purpose. Once online reopening was announced there was great excitement in me to know who my classmates would be, who the class teacher/ other subject teachers would be, which division I would be in. Then there was the excitement of connecting with new teachers and a bit of sadness that some of my old teachers wouldn’t be associating with us daily.  This online schedule partially made for not being able to go to school physically and meet all my teachers and friends in person. I still miss rushing into school, dropping my bags, and going to play with my friends before assembly time. I miss running up to our huge library and asking my librarian if I could borrow a book from the library. I miss sharing food with my friends during breakfast and lunch. I miss the birthday celebrations and stuffing my pockets with a few extra sweets! However, this new system has taught me some great things. Initially, it was a challenge to get into a “home -school” routine, but now I feel that it has made me more responsible, inculcated the skill of listening even more attentively to teachers, making sure assignments are done and submitted on time, making use of free time more effectively like the SWT slot, which in turn helps me have enough free time to pursue other activities. I also have a definite schedule for weekdays and weekends and it makes sleeping late on weekends and waking up late so much more special.  It has given me something to look forward to every day, especially the Saturday breakfast meetings with my friends and teacher. I could go on and on, for me it’s Ekya forever!!  By Nayanatara Grade 5

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