It has been observed that students are experiencing rising stress and anxiety levels and lower engagement with learning since the start of the COVID-19. This has scattered their attention and has had an adverse impact on their ability to focus in class, be it virtual or offline. Therefore, there is a need to make them mindful to help them function to their optimal. The benefits of mindfulness include promoting focus and concentration, better decision-making skills, thereby boosting self-confidence and self-esteem.
Keeping this in mind, at Ekya School, Byrathi has been conducting various mindfulness activities in our class teacher time. Now that offline school has begun, we have introduced simple exercises such as the Super Brain Asana and Rhythmic Yogic breathing by Ms. Padma Srinivasu, a Yoga Prana Vidya Trainer. The Super Brain Asana helps in balancing the left and right brain which improves physical health and increases mental and intuitive intelligence. It also sharpens memory power and increases concentration.
By practicing Rhythmic Yogic breathing, lung capacity increases to 70% as opposed to 15% to 30% in normal or chest breathing which in turn boosts the body’s immunity. It also brings clarity of thought.
Planetary Peace Meditation teaches students virtues like love, peace, harmony for meaningful and purposeful living.
I feel a lot can be changed in our lives positively if we acknowledge the work and sacrifices of others. But in this fast-moving world that we are part of, the good deeds of others go often unnoticed. We are so busy chasing what we want to achieve and racing from one time of our lives into another that we hardly remember to pause and express our feelings for others around us. We can compare this behaviour to the blinders that race-horses wear. They inhibit horses from looking anywhere else but forward and only focus on the path that they tread on. Although race-horses wear this by force, we, unfortunately, wear this by choice.
Some of our students do display this tendency. Some of our alumni return after a long time just to meet the teachers who taught them and show their gratitude with this simple gesture. . But this number is few. For this generation that is blessed with technology and advanced communication that connects people across the world, it should be easier for students to keep in touch with their mentors. But, this is not so.
It's sad to see that students do not seem to use technology to connect with their school, their teachers, and many others who mattered to them at some point in their lives. The children of today, as in all ages, have been absolute wonders, each gifted with marvelous talents, a hard-working nature and it is no less than a pleasure to be a contributing factor to their growth.
But, as I mentioned earlier, Is it the rigorous work culture nowadays that is making them forget about the people in their past? Or just a lack of gratitude? Or is it this so-called “generation gap”?
Or perhaps, it is simply how they have been brought up. A rather extreme rendition of the phrase “don’t look back at your past”, even if it is merely to take a glimpse at the people who have helped them, or to realize the sacrifices others have made for their growth.
I wonder if parents nowadays encourage their children to thank their teachers. “They will pass. You will see a lot of teachers in the future”. That is true, teachers are hundreds, but the teaching is one. Once you have learnt something from someone, no matter who they are, you wouldn’t have to learn it again! And I feel if someone makes such an impact on you that the things you have learnt from them are something that you can carry on for a lifetime, they should not just be thanked, but enshrined. Maybe these lessons you learn from teachers go unnoticed, but they do exist. Students need to realize this and remember someone who spends their lives wishing for their success- their Teachers.
The thought of feeling grateful even if not conveyed should exist in the mind. This thank-you is different from what celebrities do on the stage whenever they win an award. It is not a formality, but a deep feeling.
It is as simple as looking back to a time, to people like one’s teachers, and expressing this deep feeling of gratitude. I feel a student-teacher bond is for a lifetime and both need to cherish and nurture it forever. Teachers look forward to hearing from their students, their life journeys, their achievements, and their growth. These moments are precious in the lives of a teacher and I wish all our students to value this aspect and this beautiful teacher-student relationship.
I am proud that I am part of the organization which respects and inculcates this value in the students and every member of its family. It is not only a daily practice to share a good thing or an affirmation but it is our culture.
Mahatma Gandhi’s words, “We must become the change we want to see in the world” is unquestionably relevant in the contemporary scenario as the youth of this vibrant nation, the future, who carve out their ideas in the present are provided with an opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions so as to bring about a significant change in the world, which they visualize and dream of and one day they can transform those dreams into reality.
Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an extracurricular activity commenced as a Club in CMR NPS and Ekya Schools, in which students typically role-play delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. Preparing and participating in a MUN helps students develop leadership skills, research, writing, public speaking, and problem-solving skills. Moreover, coming up with solutions acceptable to majorities of the representatives also inculcates skills of negotiation, conflict resolution, and cooperation.
The Club activities kick-started in the month of July and culminated in December. Students of grades 6 - 9 enthusiastically participated in the various activities conducted in which they involved themselves in developing their worldly knowledge, confidence, public speaking, writing, and analytical skills. The activities included country research, country portfolio, opening speech, delegate speech, preparing research on topics that led to discussions and debates by making use of the break-out rooms. This enabled students to explore and express themselves in a diplomatic and dextrous manner, empowering them to vocalize their opinions and deliberate on various issues of the world, which are of urgent and grave concern.
The pinnacle of this activity was the MUN session conducted by their Club mentors on December 8th, 2021. The Topic for the Security Council Session was
‘Refugees have to be provided with citizenship in the country of their choice”. Children chose to be Delegates of the USA, UK, France, China, Russia, India, Norway, Mexico, Kenya, Ireland and Vietnam. Discussions and deliberations led them to come to a unanimous Resolution that Refugees should be trained in various skills and should be provided with an opportunity to prove themselves capable to adapt to their new environment and given the chance to choose for themselves whether to go back to their native country or apply for citizenship status. The session ended on a positive note where all the delegates were extremely content with their Resolution.
The participants were delighted and joyful to be a part of the MUN club and desire to take part in the club activities during the upcoming academic year.
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