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Ekya / August 09, 2017 Posted by : administrator

At Ekya, reading is given a special place as it is the foundation of all learning processes. In fact, our Love to Read Program is introduced early on at pre-primary school, with the aim to introduce children to magic of the written word, and encourage the life-long habit of reading, to make confident and interested readers. Reading not only helps children improve their vocabulary but also promotes their creative writing skills, and as a famous quote goes,

“A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge”

While the Internet is filled with reading lists and book recommendations that are populated by authors from across the globe, The Hindu has listed out ten Indian authors for children who we would definitely recommend as well:

Ruskin Bond

With more than 50 books for children to his credit, Ruskin Bond remains on top of the list. All you need is  blue sky and green trees to unfold Bond’s magic.

The Blue Umbrella

 

Must-reads: Pick up the Omnibus collections or looks for Rusty: The Boy from the Hills, Getting Granny’s Glasses, The Blue Umbrella, Crazy Times with Uncle Ken, Thick as Thieves: Tales of Friendship, The Whistling Schoolboy.

 

Subhadra Sen Gupta

She is best known for her historical fiction and books based on history and mythology. Her books have been part of the White Ravens Selection at the Bologna International Children’s Book Fair – A Clown for Tenali Rama (2003); Jodh Bai: The Diary of a Rajput Princess (2004); and 12 O’Clock Ghost Stories: Spooky, Scary and Plain Mysterious! (2005). The television serial, Khoj Khazana Khoj, was based on her book, Mystery of the House of Pigeons.


Must-reads: Let’s Go Time Travelling: Life in India through the Ages; A Mauryan Adventure, A Flag, A Song and a Pinch of Salt: Freedom Fighters of India, Foxy Foursome, Saffron White and Green: The Amazing Story of India’s Independence, Tagore and the Song of the Crazy Wind.

 

R.K. Narayan

Malgudi isn’t a fictional town because it came alive in R.K.Narayan’s writing. He is the creator of the endearing character, Swami who speaks to young minds and adults alike. Narayan’s work introduces kids to the carefree life of a rural young boy growing up in South India.

Must-reads: Under the Banyan Tree, Lawley Road and The Grandmother’s Tales.

 

Paro Anand

Short stories, novellas, novels, Paro Anand’s works draw from her extensive work with children through her programme Literature in Action. No Guns at My Son’s Funeral is a poignant account of how violence and strife affect children while The Little Bird Who Held the Sky Up with His Feet was on the 1001 Books to Read Before You Grow Up, which is a list of the world’s best books of all time. Wild Child and Other Stories deals with teenagers’ and their angsty lives.

 


Must-reads: Like Smoke: A Collection, The Tree with a Travelling Heart, The Secret Diary of the World’s Worst Genius, Wingless, Weed.

 

Sudha Murthy

A prolific writer, she has written nine novels and a  collection of short stories and books for children. Her collection of short stories How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Other Stories chronicle her memories and experiences with her grandparents and older relatives, and has been translated into numerous vernacular languages. 

Must-reads: How I Taught My Grandmother to Read, The Day I Stopped Drinking Milk, Grandma’s Bag of Stories, The Magic Drum And Other Favourite Stories (children’s stories).

 

Ranjit Lal

Ranjit Lal’s books for children are a delight. From whimsical tales of animals (The caterpillar who went on a diet, The parakeet that squawked in English) to issues like female infanticide (Faces in the Water) and dealing with love and loss (Taklu & Shroom, Miracles), one can relate to his language, the situations and people. Those who like adventurous tales must read That Summer at Kalagarh, Secret of Falcon Heights and The Battle for No.19.


Must-reads: Tigers of Taboo Valley, Our Nana was a Nutcase, The Simians of South Block and the Yumyum piglets, The Dugong and the Barracudas, The Small Tigers of Shergarh.

 

Natasha Sharma

Natasha Sharma is an award winning children’s books author. She has published twelve books for children so far, including Bonkers! that won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award 2014 for Asia and Middle East. Her book Kaka and Munni is on the CBSE recommended reading list for schools. 

 

 

 

Must-reads: Squiggle Takes a Walk – All About Punctuation, Rooster Raga, Anaya’s Thumb, What Should I Wear Today? and Kaka and Munni.

 

Asha Nehemiah

 Asha Nehemiah’s stories for children are a mix of humour, fantasy and adventure. She writes for children of all ages and her stories have been translated into Hindi, Tamil, Assamese and Bengali. She believes that stories are a wonderful way to get children thinking and talking about various issues.

 

Must-reads: Granny’s Sari, Wedding clothes, Surprise Gifts,The Runaway wheel, Mrs Wolly’s Funny Sweater, Zigzag and Other Stories.

 

Arup Kumar Dutta

This journalist from Assam is probably best known for The Kaziranga Trail about how three young boys outwit poachers in the national park. The book won Shankar’s Award in 1979 and was also made into a film by the Children’s Film Society of India. Apart from this, Dutta has 16 other books for children, all of which are based in the Northeast and are filled with adventure and mystery.

Must-reads: Trouble at Kolongijan, The Blind Witness, A Story about Tea, The Lure of Zangrila, Revenge, Smack.

 

Anu Kumar

This writer put her degree to history to use in her children’s books. Mythquest was a nine-book series on animals from mythology. Then there are the adventures of Atisa, the 14-year-old time-travelling detective, which are a lovely mix of mythology, history and fiction. She also has a couple of books that make history interesting for young readers.


Must-reads: How did the Harappans Say Hello and 16 Other Mysteries of History; Across the Seven Seas, Travellers’ Tales of India, In the Country of Gold-Digging Ants, A Chola Adventure.

That is a list of home-made literature that would keep your inner bibliophile occupied for quite a while. Keep those pages turning and happy reading!

Sourced from The Hindu

 

 

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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
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The Week That Was – Welcoming July

Our schools bid June goodbye after a week of celebrations, intense competition, fresh start under a new student leadership and a feature to remember. As the festival of Ramadan concluded at the start of the week, pre-schoolers from all our campuses observed the ‘Ramadan Appreciation Week’ across the seven days. Ekya JP Nagar was lucky to host Ms. Sumaya, our kind parent who accepted our invitation to come down and take the pre-primary students through story of Ramadan. Tiny tots from Ekya Kanakapura also joined in on the celebrations by dressing up for the festival while our ITPL students got know more about the holy month thanks to the guest speeches by Ms. Asifa and Mrs. Nida Khan. [caption id="attachment_1878" align="alignnone" width="900"]Ekya Schools Celebration Our children learning more about the festival of Ramadan[/caption] Speaking of reasons to celebrate, Ekya students did us proud as their models were featured on the World Industrial Design Day (WIDD) 2017 Exhibition held at Gallery Manora, Bangalore. These models are products of the annual Design Thinking Challenge organized by and for the Ekya community to tackle social relevant problems and answer human centred challenges such as ‘How might we better integrate the elderly into Bangalore’s society?’ and ‘How might we solve the garbage problem in Bangalore to improve the lives of citizens? With designers, artists and the industry’s who’s who attending the exhibit, our children’s work was put in the spotlight, sharing space with the exhibits from Tanishq, Tata Elxsi Id, Srishti Institute of Art, Ezetap and Footsy. [gallery size="large" link="file" ids="1864,1863,1862"] As we celebrate our students' achievements, our Grade 4 student Ashwat Prasanna deserves to be lauded for authoring a book titled “Journey Through Space Time – Unlock the Secrets of Space”. At the age of eight, our young author from Ekya JP Nagar has compiled his thoughts on six different topics in Science – from the explaining the age of the Universe to answering how the Earth was made and why the Sun is so hot. [caption id="attachment_1868" align="aligncenter" width="606"] Ashwat Prasanna, Grade 4 Ekya JP Nagar with his book[/caption] Over at the Kanakapura Road campus, our tiny tots observed Animal Day – some coming to school dressed as their favourite animals while a few others had their animal toys to accompany them to class. [caption id="attachment_1877" align="aligncenter" width="2048"]Ekya Kanakapura Road Observing Animal Day at Ekya Kanakapura Road[/caption] Not far away, our pre-schoolers at the BTM campus celebrated ‘Scientist Day’, donning the lab coats of Issac Newton, Albert Einstein, Abdul Kalam, Aryabhatta, and Graham Bell amongst the many eminent personalities in the field. In addition to learning more about their work, our little budding scientists were also audience to several experiments that were demonstrated by some of parents who joined in on the fun. [caption id="attachment_1876" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Celebrating Scientist Day at Ekya BTM Layout[/caption] As our young students dressed up to mark these special days, our older children at the ITPL campus dressed up for a competitive week. Agni House fielded their best line-up to take on Bhoomi House on the Basketball court as the campus hosted its second match of the Inter-house Basketball Tournament. An intense game from the get-go, Bhoomi house took home the win with a score of 36-26. [caption id="attachment_1872" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Basketball Teams (Bhoomi House & Agni House)[/caption] It was not just the game of Basketball that made the week exciting at our ITPL School; Election Day came by as our budding leaders concluded their week long campaigning and the school came together to vote. [caption id="attachment_1871" align="aligncenter" width="3264"]Ekya ITPL Student Council New wave of Student Leaders at Ekya ITPL[/caption] Elected into the school’s Student Council, our election winners took their oaths and were sworn in as Council members at the Investiture ceremony led by Ms. Sharmila Choudhary, Senior Director of Academics at Ekya. With the week that was, we at Ekya Schools look forward to July and welcome all that lies ahead with this new month.

The Week That Was – Independence Day at Ekya

With the tricolour flag hoisted and the National Anthem sung at all four campuses of Ekya , here is how 15th August unfurled at each of our schools: A day of performances Ekya JP Nagar ushered in the India’s 71st Independence Day with an inter house group dance competition for students from Grade VI to X. Keeping in tune with the patriotic spirit, the theme for the event was ‘Unity in Diversity’. Dressed in lovely costumes and adorned with props, our students put up one scintillating performance after the other. The wonderful rendition of Aashayein by the school’s music club was followed by a powerful speech by the Head Boy Rohan Mahesh Rao, as he spoke on the importance of celebrating India’s independence. Winners of all the intra-school events and the day’s dance event were announced and felicitated. [gallery size="large" columns="1" link="file" ids="1902,1901,1900"] Remembering the heroes Running up to 15th August, children at the Ekya Early Years Kanakapura campus observed the ‘Armed Forces Appreciation Day’ followed by ‘Marigold Appreciation Week’. Our tiny tots came dressed as Army, Navy and Air Force personnel, acknowledging their role in protecting the freedom of our country. The children also participated in planting Marigold saplings to mark their appreciation for plants and their support towards protecting the environment. [gallery size="large" link="file" columns="2" ids="1905,1906"] A day of giving back At Ekya ITPL it was about giving back to the community on Independence Day. Mrs. Sharmila Choudhury, our Senior Director, Academics, opened the proceedings as the school’s choir delivered a powerful vocal rendition of patriotic songs. This was followed by a power packed dance performance by members of the school’s Dance club. As part of the celebrations, students of Grade IX and X hosted the ‘Unwarp the Act of Kindness’, an event that raised funds for educating children and supporting women from slums in the school’s neighbourhood. A day of excitement as our children lay stalls of exfoliating scrubs, detox bath salts, aromatic candles and delectable fare. Heavy downpour in the city did not break the school spirit as students were encouraged by the brimming energy of the parents who joined in on the festivities. [gallery size="large" columns="2" link="file" ids="1909,1908"] Celebrating independence through art Students at Ekya BTM Layout brought out their theatrical skills as they put up a patriotic skit that celebrated secularism, unity in diversity and how far India has come as a nation. The children proved that dramatics isn’t their only strength - the entertaining skit was followed by melodious renditions and dance numbers tuned to the spirit of the day. [gallery size="large" columns="1" link="file" ids="1910,1911,1912"] Pre-primary students  joined in on the celebrations by wearing costumes inspired by the tricolour of the Indian flag. It wasn't just their clothes that sported the colours of saffron, white, navy blue and green - our parents sent in tricoloured snacks for their children, keeping the theme in mind. A colourful day concluded with the students participating in a collaborative art work of the national flag made by hand print technique. [gallery columns="1" link="file" size="large" ids="1913"]

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