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Ekya / April 07, 2022 Posted by : administrator

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela.

Professional development refers to the training, certification, and education that a teacher needs to succeed in her career. It’s no secret that different subjects require teachers to have different skills. Even if a teacher currently has the necessary skills, he or she may need additional skills in the future. Through professional development, teachers can learn these skills to become better, more efficient workers and this has been the focus at the Ekya Schools.

As a teacher at Ekya for the past three years, I have grown wiser and more knowledgeable in terms of my awareness of students, their emotional and social needs, supporting adolescent learners, and how to nurture a language of caring. The hours of PD that I have been a part of have been very enriching and have supported me in structuring learning experiences that challenge the students and harbour a quest for mastery.

The sessions gave me clarity on how to plan my time better and stay organised. This made me more efficient and gave me extra time to focus not on paperwork but on students. I learnt to work with students with various learning needs and was able to accommodate a variety of learning styles in my classes. The SEE learning sessions and the activities facilitated by our team of counsellors were an eye-opening experience and taught me how to perceive the classroom situation and be an architect cum leader there instead of a manager and dominator.

It has been quite a pleasant experience and this journey of learning has been enlightening in more ways than one. I am grateful for the opportunity given and look forward to many more such enhancing experiences here at Ekya

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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: Importance of Sports By, Veda Karnati Grade 4, Ekya Schools Byrathi

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” Nelson Mandela

Today’s young generation is the future of tomorrow’s world. Sports can calm your mind, heal your heart and make you a strong person. Sports are played both inside and outside. Cycling, basketball, and tennis are a few outdoor sports. Badminton is an indoor sport. Some sports aren’t really something where you actually do physical exercises. Instead, these sports require critical thinking, as well as physical and mental well-being, which comes naturally when we involve ourselves in sports activities. Sports help in improving our overall personality and make us more active and attentive.

Sports can make you strong, and playing sports can also improve blood circulation. Muscles need more oxygen than they do when we’re at rest, so we have to breathe more quickly. Our heart starts to pump harder and faster to circulate blood to deliver oxygen to our muscles when we’re exercising. Subsequently, blood pressure rises and improves. Apart from the above, playing sports can make you active and happy. When our body is active and is exercising, it produces a hormone called endorphin, which throws us into a good mood. Playing sports is great for our morale!

Did you know that playing sports can improve your patience? Yes, patience is a very important factor in sports.  Professional Golfer Gary Player once said, “Patience, practiced correctly, is a powerful mental tool that unlocks so many other positives and that will also give you the kind of perspective others may lack under pressure.” Every sports person must have the patience to complete practice and start the game.

Stress can also cease by playing sports. Exercise causes your body to release endorphins, the chemicals in your brain that vanquish pain and stress. It also reduces the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline and studies have shown that 20 to 30 minutes of exercise each day can make students feel calmer. Teamwork can also be grasped by playing sports and can help give students stronger communication skills and teach them to work better with others.

Sport has great importance in building personality, too. For some people, it is not only the body movement or playing strategy, but it’s a life philosophy. Sports develop teamwork and team spirit, which in today's world is very important. But many look at the sport as a waste of time due to current changes, which is wrong. So, in the end, I would like to encourage each one of you to choose a sport of your choice and participate in it while encouraging others to do so as well.

#TeacherBlogger: Online Tool By, Samadrita Majumdar Teacher, IGCSE Biology and IGCSE Environmental Management, Ekya School Byrathi

Over the past two years, the world has been hit by a raging pandemic which has stalled the daily routine of humans and more importantly, students. The fact that attending school is no longer a necessity, was almost etched in the minds of everyone. So, to keep the ball rolling in accordance with the existing conditions, the entire schooling had to be converted to an online state, where all academic ventures had to be conducted virtually without any physical communication. With the inception of online methods of teaching as the pandemic continued, both teachers and students had to undergo major behavioural changes to adapt to the new system. However, simply organising get-togethers virtually was not enough to sustain an offline-like education system. The advent and integration of multiple applications and virtual tools played a very crucial role in keeping the boat afloat. We realised that these applications could be put to various uses to simulate offline classes on an electronic device. I start with an example of an application like Google Expeditions. This is an application that uses augmented reality to define various concepts and ideas in different disciplines. It helps create 3-dimensional diagrams of any object that would, otherwise, have been accessible very easily in an offline state. For example, in Biology, we study the structure of a cell. On paper, it takes intuition to visualise the structure of the cell with different organelles. However, with online tools, it is also possible to create mental images of the cell, exactly as it exists. This application is not just limited to Biology. Other disciplines like Chemistry and Geography can be taught using this application, as it becomes very intuitive for the students to remember concepts and ideas, once they have seen chemical structures and geographical landforms, respectively, in a 3-dimensional shape. Thus, across disciplines, such applications proved to be very effective in translating a real-world example into a virtual form. Similar user-friendly applications like this have been used to create an online, intellectual environment conducive to understanding the theoretical aspects of any subject.

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