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Ekya / August 07, 2019 Posted by : administrator

Speak on a Topic (Grades 1-8) 

July 30, 2019, saw students of Grades 1 – 8 get ready to talk on various topics. They were all part of the “Speak on a topic” activity.Diverse topics were addressed in this event. Students from Grades 1-8 spoke fluently and confidently on topics like Artificial Intelligence, space shuttles, sports, animals, solar systems, family, transport, environment, to name a few.

They also referred to current events such as Cricket world cup matches, floods and so on when they were speaking on topics of their interest. The event led to a discussion on the various problems that the world is facing such as air pollution and students gave practical, potential solutions for the same. This was an interactive session where everyone was given a chance to express themselves without competing with each other. 

Hindi Recitation  (Grades 1-3) 

Grades 1-3 actively participated in reciting Hindi poems such as Machli Jal Ki Rani Hain, Lakadi Ki Kathi, etc. on July 25, 2019.

Hand gestures, body language, expression and body movements were portrayed by students while they were reciting poems. They thoroughly enjoyed and showcased their talent of presenting what they have learned in the Hindi language classes.

 

It was amazing to see the children recite from memory and their presentation skills. Their in-depth understanding of the poems was apparent through their perfect gestures and expressions.  

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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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Dinner Table Conversation by Ms. Shilpa Arun

"Family Time"

Family time is less common now in the era of gadgets and digital distractions. The age-old ritual of family dinners is possibly the best way to get every member of the family together. As the saying goes "A Family that eats together, stays together", but the merits of 'Family Dinner' are manifold. It provides a sense of belonging and caring among all members, promotes healthy eating habits, relieves stress, offers a 'good night's sleep', and more than anything it brings happiness and encourages family bonding. Here is an interesting blog by Ms. Shilpa Arun, parent of Anika Arun Bharadhwaj, studying in Grade-2 in Ekya School JP Nagar, on "Dinner Table Conversation," discussing the purpose, challenges and positive outcomes of reviving the 'Dinner Table Ritual.'

Dinner Table Conversation

Parenting is touted as an arduous adventure for most adults at present. All adults as parents always do their best to nurture their young ones. From pre-birthing sessions, birthing lessons, to postpartum experiences, infancy, toddlers, pre-schoolers, primary schoolers… the information flows on, till we are tired of seeking. I begin to wonder how our parents and elders managed to parent without this information flux. Or were we better children? This debate never ends. What caught my attention was Dinner table conversations. This seemingly innocent routine, which most of us followed in our homes, with our parents, is now a major bonding activity for the new age parents. It strongly reminded me, that eating together, these days is indeed a challenge. We forgot about this important time, without fully understanding its consequences, perhaps. Our evenings struggled by the hour, with phone conferences, virtual meetings, and endless office reports. We resorted to eating on time rather than choosing to wait for everyone to be home in the evening, or interrupting work, to make time for a dinner with family – has this really become a thing of the past!? It took me, close to 8 months and a lot of organizing, to finally introduce this dinner ritual in our home. Repeated attempts to create Meal-time-Rituals, Eating-Together memories in our home, were met with the blaring Television/Music, Meeting Reminders and the ever charged, ever-connected MOBILE phones. Nevertheless, we implemented eating one meal together “Dinner-time!” I would love to share our experience.
  • This Dinner time organizes my family, settles us, regularly bringing all members together, contributing to the physical, mental and social well-being. (Yes, after all the complaining from kids about switching off the TV and from adults about keeping phones away, finally ends, this really happens, we are at peace when the food is served!)
  • We now eat together from a single menu, elders and kids alike. (Well, there are days when some pickle will substitute a sabzi ‘too gooey’ for the kids or we adults down a rather bland sabzi!) 8 out of 10 days, the single menu works.
  • New dishes are welcomed. Simple traditional dishes make us share a few more stories. (Worth all the Effort)
  • All the rainbow veggies are included for dinner. We are eating more of them (Good for us parents who are growing on our sides.)
  • It is often said, we should not talk while eating, but I promise you, dinners are eaten faster during this little ritual. (we end up spending more time talking after dinner, while my ‘mother-hawk's eyes zeroed-in often at the clock, to start the bedtime routine!)
  • The kids help in setting up and cleaning the table! Good for them! (It takes half an hour more when kids do this, my legs and back rest and my throat hurts!)
  • As parents, with all our experience and wisdom (Rather limited & ancient, I have come to understand!!) we find that small window of chance to include useful life-skills into (ridiculously silly) stories and talk about them (without laughing ourselves) although many stories are met with a pair of suspicious eyes asking us “so, is this a story???” So what? I guess the ‘important bits’ of the stories are put out there! Honestly, it is the children who teach us better.
  • We learn to work together, delegate a few chores, take responsibility, to negotiate, while prepping & wrapping dinner, together. (I love delegating, though!!)
  • We plan for the weekend, distribute chores, make lists, set reminders for more to do, all while cleaning up the table. (of course, this will mean more driving and waking up early during weekends.)
  • Somehow, we learned to laugh more, be more goofy and loosen up. I am glad we are learning this well!! (We do laugh a lot!!)
  • We learn to share what did not work for us at school and at the office, and how we can do something different to work it! (Including how some dishes do not work well for them too!!)
  • About Money. It is a life skill which in my opinion must be taught to children like they understand the concepts of brushing teeth & combing hair! We all know by now, is not ‘the money-making’ that is important, rather ‘managing the money’ is the life skill kids need to master.
  • We learn to be patient and wait as everyone will finish those last few spoons! (Very important for parents!)
  • We learn to help each other at the table by suggesting to try what combinations are yummy. (yes sometimes, we adults taste Obbatu with tomato sauce & other times the kids taste vegetable salad with lemon Tahini dressing!! In the end, we finish what we have on our plates, despite the yumminess!)
  • I can vouch for this since we started the dinner ritual, we have learned to prioritize good food & family time with kids over other interesting (now ex) activities. (checking office mail, browsing news, pic, quotes on social media, silently clicking on emojis to express our opinions! Or even watching ‘The Mummy’ for the 10th time)
  • We have nearly stopped eating processed food, during that one important mealtime! (Ice-creams and chocolates are STRICTLY NOT included in the bad food list, at our home!)
While attempting to articulate the learning (even for us, parents) I understand better, how the repetition, consistency, conscious conversations, togetherness, being present and minus the gadgets, work with children. There are days when on weekends, I admit, I want to order some burgers and finish our dinner on the couch in front of the TV, but the children – I hear them assigning chores to set up the table among them, that is motivation enough, for us parents to straighten ourselves and cook-up even a simple rice and rasam to eat together, while the ice cream tub will complement it. The real icing on this piece? is that children are independently managing the table. That is a great starting point, right? I am also seeing the bright speck of light, at the end of the long tunnel – ‘Eat what is cooked, well.’ Almost. I guess I have learned more than I taught or thought. With dinner time, there are so many takeaways, despite the exhaustion!! Despite that lingering incomplete office report at the back of my mind, having managed to create a small window of time for us all, to connect with each other, sans distractions (read TV and phones for us elders), we get a glimpse into this amazing world, a multitude thought universe, all packed into the little children, who are the greatest teachers in our lives and help us, parents, attain the ever eluding spiritual and mental maturity! I am reaching for the stars, eh? Maybe. Although we start at, being happy to retain parts my sanity, while disciplining the ‘younger versions of us parents’ out of the kids, I cannot wait to continue this ritual of endless chitter-chatter, too many questions, loud arguments, strict disciplining, secret negotiations, crying, laughing our hearts out, cheering & teasing, sharing, planning a get-away, discussing weird stories, books, politics, education, food, friendships, myriad of experiences, and a thousand other random silly things. This fits great into our hearts. I pray that this ritual will go on to become a tradition of sharing, listening, caring, modeling positive relationship building and successfully managing to bring a smile on the grumpy faces who may have a had a bad day. It is important and we are loving it! Try it yourselves! There is really more that could happen while eating together.
A brief profile of Ms. Shilpa Arun:
Ms. Shilpa Arun is a Chartered Accountant, with about 15 years of work experience in corporate finance, auditing & compliance. She loves practicing yoga, listening to music, reading and spending time with my family. She strongly aspires to learn something new every few years.
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Field trip to Cubbon Park

Field trip to Cubbon Park (Grade 2) - Ekya School Byrathi The students of Grade 2 visited Cubbon park, a historical landmark along with two teachers. Our students are learning about how history surrounds us in their social studies lessons and hence this visit gave them a chance to understand that better. Students had ample time to make notes about the landmark’s importance. They also had a chance to experience the fresh air and greenery in the city. Students effectively used this time to observe and learn the history of the place.  Teachers had taken a few worksheets to support student’s learning, in which they marked the name, their observations on the surroundings which allowed them to discuss the following
  • How the traffic on the road is now as compared to the older images of the place
  • Whether there were any additions to the landscape in their surroundings
  • If there were any changes in the name of the place
They also visited Vidhana Soudha (the seat of the state legislature of Karnataka constructed in a style sometimes described as Mysore Neo-Dravidian, Indo-Saracenic and Dravidian styles) on their way back to school.  This trip allowed them to understand the relevance of history in our present context and also gave them a chance to enjoy the green surroundings of Cubbon Park.

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