Our Schools

Ekya / March 31, 2021 Posted by : administrator

School Safety: A Shared Responsibility

It was midnight around 3:30 a.m. when I was in deep sleep, in a village with limited medical facilities. I realized I am being kicked continuously by my daughter who was lying next to me. She was 6 years old then. I woke up to push her aside, but on seeing her condition, screamed for help. I realized it was her first seizure attack and also something new for me. All those thoughts are still fresh in my mind. Within no time the villagers rushed us to the hospital in the nearby town. After several tests and consultations, it was diagnosed as Epilepsy due to fear.

It was only for a few days that we moved to this place in Karnataka due to my husband’s transfer. My daughter has been studying in Andhra Pradesh till now and was the class topper always. But, learning Kannada was a struggle as she was never exposed to this language. I realized the alarming situation after this incident – she had developed a kind of fear that either she would be punished by her Kannada teacher or I would be disappointed with her low scores. Besides, other reasons added to her deteriorating health condition. And, it took us around 7 years to get her out of this complexity with medication and continuous support from our family and the school.

This incident leads me to discuss the idea of School Safety – that I experienced as a shared responsibility between the school community, the parent body, or the students themselves. And, as I present each of these with you, I too feel a sense of responsibility: 

Starting from Schools, I find that our Ekya Schools and Ekya Families demonstrate a model of shared responsibility. Our campus arrangements assure each parent that their child is in safe hands. The school building and infrastructure foster transparency and visibility. Every child’s actions are monitored continuously and an adult is present with them at all times. Our policies reiterate digital safety, an important aspect of online learning at this crucial time of the pandemic; and so are our safe systems comprising the security, fire evacuation, and the infirmary. Besides, there are awareness drives and professional development programs organized from time to time to ensure that every teacher and administrator knows what child safety entails and their responsibility in this respect. 

Now as I share my thoughts on this topic from the parents’ side, I am reminded of an episode, when I was a teacher of Math. It was the Math class and Jerem of grade 2 came running towards me to show his Math homework. Math being his favorite subject, he was always first to solve and present it to the class. But his performance in other subjects was not up to the mark. Despite the school’s recommendations, his parents showed reluctance to approach a special educator and instead provided him tuitions. I had to leave the town due to the job transfer of my husband. After two years, when I visited the town for a function, I got a chance to meet the boy. Situations turned out to be worse. Jerem did not speak much (unlike before) and now was also stammering. I had tears and my heart was heavy as the child walked past me holding his mother’s hand. I just prayed to God to send a tutor like Aamir Khan from Taare Zameen Par to bring back the smile in the child. I realized how important it is for parents to build their trust in the school community and lend their support at all times for the well-being of their children. 

Finally, I bring in the side of the students: On a bright Monday afternoon, the whole school gathered to witness the finals of the School BasketBall league between the Hermine House (led by Susan) and Assunta House (led by Simi). The craze was more than the India-Pakistan Cricket match. The Hermine team was known for winning the trophy every year. But the stars favored Assunta House and Susan’s team lost to Simi’s team. Unable to withstand the failure, Susan hit her fist on the Basketball pillar. There was heavy bleeding and her four fingers were fractured. She was immediately shifted to the hospital. For the next few days, the school atmosphere was hot not because of the weather of the day, but due to the after-effects of the match. It was difficult for the teachers to bring the student’s emotions to control as every class would end up with a quarrel or word war between them. This brings me to reflect on how students need to develop healthy relationships and manage their emotions. And, it’s not just providing an alert, safety help, but every stakeholder needs to acknowledge and prepare for one’s actions in this respect. 

Coming back from where I started i.e. schools. We are proud to have instilled the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curricula to provide everyone a safe environment. Simple gestures like greeting everyone in the morning with a smile, proactively lending a helping hand when required, and sharing an affirmation or an appreciation for the good work of others are few best practices we follow at Ekya. These go a long way in institutionalizing safe practices on campus. 

Every student in the school has the right to achieve success in education and accomplish his/her goals in life. It is equally important for them to flourish emotionally and socially. And, school and family as stakeholders, need to have a common commitment to support and provide students with challenges to meet high standards. Concluding with this powerful message: 

“Safety and security don’t just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear” – Nelson Mandela.

By, Ms. Deepa Rani, Head of School, Ekya BTM

Explore more

Ekya / March 14, 2024

Strategies to help students focus on their studies

The famous quote by Bruce Lee, “Concentration is the root of all the higher abilities in man,” aptly describes the importance of concentration. When it comes to students, concentration plays a major role in their overall performance. From understanding the concepts in the classroom to solving advanced mathematical problems or playing their favourite sports, everything is directly related to the power of concentration. Many of them wonder how to stay focused on their studies. For them, it is advisable to take small breaks in between their study sessions. Also, students should make an effort to participate in an extracurricular of their choice, be it playing guitar or making goals in the field. Activities of their choice would not only give them a break from studies but would also boost their dopamine level.

As per American psychological society, there is a decline in student's attention for 10 to 15 minutes. However, there is a need to look out for strategies for boosting productivity and focus among students

Here are some tips to concentrate on studies and boost focus:

Prepare short summaries of the lessons:

After completing the lessons, preparing a summary of it will help students to get a good hold on the topic. Short summaries will also be useful during the revision before final exams. Sticky notes to write important points will also help

Take periodic breaks:

A small break after a study session is one of the learning tips for children given by many experts. Small breaks help students refresh their mind and focus on the topic. Students can also use the Pomodoro technique which includes 25 minutes of study and 5 minutes of break or 50 minutes of study and 10 minutes of break.

Encourage them to finish tasks faster:

Setting a time limit will help students to channel their energy in one direction. This is a good way to increase their concentration. Children should also be advised to divide the bigger tasks into smaller pieces and solve them one by one. This technique will teach students the lesson of time management and will enhance their concentration.

Try to make learning sessions fun:

It is one of the best tips for studying. As it will engage the students in the most fun manner. For this, various learning toys can be used to make them understand complex topics. Including memory games would also be a good option to increase their concentration.

Implement Ed-Tech learning:

Involving Ed-Tech learning is one of the best ways to keep the students engaged, as it captivates their attention. Ed-tech learning methods are designed in a way to not just boost the student's interest but also help improve their concentration.

Take the feedback seriously:

Always encourage the students to take the feedback given by their teachers seriously as this way they will get to know more about their weaker areas and work over them. It is a good way for students to channel their focus on the areas that demand more attention.

Understand the student's potential:

This point is very important for teachers and parents to consider. Every child is blessed in some or the other way. Comparing them with other students not just demoralises them but also lowers their confidence. So it is essential to understand the true potential of every student. This way they can excel in their desired career fields.   Ekya School is among the best schools in Bangalore, if you are seeking a school with an ICSE curriculum, this is the place for you. It is also among the CBSE schools in Bangalore, that provide students a holistic approach by innovative curriculum design based on the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework. With over 30 years of education legacy, it has excelled not only in academics but also outperformed in co-curricular activities. Ekya’s experienced teachers help students concentrate on studies through different methods of teaching, clearing doubts, and revision sessions, pedagogy method of teaching is applied for better outcomes. Moreover allowing students to take breaks, participate, and enjoy their personal activity time. Ekya promotes the importance of co-curriculum activities such as physical health, sports, school clubs, music, dance, coding, debating, and more. All these approaches help in concentration and focus, also these are elements that demand variety and quality breaks in between everything we do. Furthermore, students are offered excellent opportunities here in Ekya that help them grow in a safe and supportive environment.  

Ekya / March 04, 2024

Teachers, The Unsung Heroes

In the vast tapestry of society, there exists a group of individuals who are shaping futures, nurturing minds and instilling values but continue to remain unsung heroes. Their efforts and contributions often go unnoticed despite the indispensable role they play in society. Despite their pivotal role, teachers are most often undervalued and underappreciated. It’s crucial to recognise and acknowledge their efforts. Acceptance of their importance motivates them to continue their noble work.

Beyond the confines of books and teaching teachers play a significant role in shaping the lives of their students. They serve as mentors, confidants and role models guiding young children through challenges and opportunities. With their role comes great responsibility as they not only impart education but also nurture character, empathy, and resilience. Teachers have the power to ignite passion, unlock potential, and instil a lifelong love and learning.

The commitment of teachers transcends mere profession, it’s a lifelong dedication. Despite facing numerous challenges, from limited resources to societal pressures, they remain committed to their pursuit of providing quality education. The impact they create in the lives of individuals is unfathomable. The smile they bring to the faces of young children is something that only they are capable of and that’s what brings joy and fulfilment in their lives.

As we reflect on their profound impact, let’s celebrate and honour their invaluable role in shaping the world we live in. This tribute to teachers is a recognition of their transformative power in shaping the destiny of individuals and communities. Let’s cherish and support them in their noble endeavour to enlighten minds and build a brighter future for generations to come.

Sreepriya Unnikrishnan Head of School Ekya School, JP Nagar

Ekya / March 04, 2024

Education, the essence of life

Education is the most beautiful creation, be it in nature or human life. I choose to do the Cambridge International Diploma course to enhance my understanding of how to teach effectively. This course enabled me to accept challenges and think outside of the box. It helped me develop critical thinking in my students, motivating them to revolutionize their thought processes as they are taught “How to think?”, not “What to think?”.This course has helped me improve my teaching skills creating a better learning environment for my learners. The use of active learning strategies like think-pair-share, brainstorming, class discussion, and Socratic Questioning has helped widen their horizon, as the students develop problem-solving skills and communicating and collaborating skills. As a teacher, following my passion has been enriching and rewarding. Written by, Shalini Joshi
Leave a Comment

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

#TeacherBlogger: Palate Dairies by Ms. Madhuri V, Ekya BTM

Palate Dairies

It is 3 a.m. and there is the sound of the mixer running and the whistle of the cooker, and I’m sure Manjula aunty (my next house neighbor since my childhood) will surely ask my mom tomorrow, and perhaps gossip with others too!

The rumbling in the stomach increases as the smell of the spicy chilies and asafetida enters the nose lining. Yes, it’s me hungry at this unusual hour of the night as I did not have my dinner owing to my anger. You ask me why the anger? I had to attend a seminar along with my friend and after the event, we decided to sum up the result of the seminar before reaching home. I reached a little above my prescribed time of return and had to hear an earful from my mother. I was angry and as usual, showed it up on the food. 

Lesson learned: Do Not Show Your Anger on Food, you are the one who will end up starving and you pretty well know you cannot stay in this condition even an hour more than your prescribed lunch or dinner time! 

Talking about lunch or meals at school reminds me and takes me back to a time when we used to enjoy these short breaks outside the classrooms, chit-chatting, discussing what our moms cook the best, the pot lucks, and sharing or exchanging of lunch boxes. Lunchtime also teaches children the love for food, the appreciation of food, and the hard work that goes on in the preparation of food. Though as children we do not express our gratitude towards food in such direct ways, when we finish our lunch and reach home with empty boxes, our mothers know “we loved the food. 

Here is an incident I like to share: 

Sharing lunch was a usual practice and if ever my lunch box was packed with Akki poori then I for sure had to exchange it with Shreya, my best buddy from school. So one afternoon on this ‘lunch exchange day’ without thinking twice I opened Shreya’s box and started eating. And she went, “Madhuri! No…no …..stop eating …...it is chicken fried rice”. “Aiyooooooooooooo …. what should I do now?” This is how I shrieked!!

There was a great sense of guilt as I reached home but somehow I gathered the courage to confess it to mom. “Amma you know by my mistake I ate chicken today.” Fireworks.. dum dum dum dum .. started bursting all over the house and every nook and corner witnessed my mother’s anger. She even made it a point to keep me out of the house for several hours. 

Now, Amma loves it when we complete our lunch and feels extremely happy about it. But, she is also particular in reminding us what she expects us to eat from time to time. That’s my Amma!

Ha! Ha! Ha! all of these memories seem so nice to date. Food has and will always be an integral aspect of my conversations. I have observed that food is also a topic that nobody refuses to talk about. My friends and I spend quality time every Saturday at breakfast huddles. For this to happen, we make sure to complete the assigned work within the breakfast hour and sit peacefully to discuss the various recipes, our choice of food, and what our family members, esp. our husbands and children like having. This, in turn, has helped us in bonding better and also in understanding each other in a food way :)

I conclude by saying that eating with the family, friends or loved ones brings us together. Through this, we can share our culture and heritage and give each other nourishment too! Coming together and sharing a meal is the most secular and harmonious thing in almost every place in the world. It unites and strengthens community bonds and maintains a common identity among a group of people. 

There ends my diary for the day! 

Happy Eating!! 

By, Madhuri.V. Iyer, CCA Coordinator, Ekya BTM 

#StudentBlogger: My School – A Poem by Aarya Vivaan Dama, Grade 1, EJPN

Ekya is my school
We go to school by carpool
First, we go to preschool
Where we use materials as tools
So that we can learn things soon
I play, dance, paint and come back afternoon
My teachers treat each one as special one
Once we do things independently
Then we go to primary school
Where we have so many rules
My teachers are good
Because of corona I saw my teachers in Zoom
We attend classes in room
If we are naughty my teacher put us in waiting room
We meet our friends in Breakout room
I hope I will be back to my school soon

By, Aarya Vivaan Dama, Grade 1, EJPN

Find A World Beyond Boundaries

Enquire Now