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How do we sing our Welcome Song while we are about to wind up???

6/2/2021

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While discussing on the take homes (homework) from the weekend, Aaditya, our 5 year old Joey, raises his hand and says in a rush, "Maaammm, we forgot to do welcome song!!", and puts both his palms cupping the both sides of his temples. 

Welcome Song is sung usually in the morning when we all come together where we wish each other good morning, welcome each other, and overall bring the energy of the group up! Today, as we all got into a mood of wanting to share with each other the take homes from the weekend, we got carried away.

"Oh no! What do we do? It's almost time to wind up for us today...How do we sing a welcome song now?", they were asked by their facilitator.

With this question came a bunch of surprised, curious and funny expressions.

Children then started to wonder about how to sing a welcome and wind up song together, which sparked their curiosity and they started to come up with their own various versions of a song we called 'Welcome-Wind Up Song'. As it was time for our wind up for the day, they were left to think more about it as their take home that day. The below video was the result, as they were left to think about it as their take home.
"What is in a song?", after all that's just entertainment right? Also, why should we worry about a child wanting or reminding about a song that was missed? At SM, for us every single thing that children explore has learning in it. 
​

"Children have a 100 languages to learn from and learn with and we intend to keep it that way. " - Sreeja Iyer, CEO, Sparkling Mindz Global


​Each of them will take this richness of learning as an experience away with them into their lives as they grow, learning just the alphabet or numbers without the purpose, the songs, the stories, the clay, the mud, the sunshine is moot! If there was ever a time to create changemakers, it is today and if there was ever to create changemakers that care let's start with caring about the whole being that they are so they can then shine that light to others and their world too.

Contributed by Sruthy Krishna, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool, edited by Sreeja Iyer, CEO, Sparkling Mindz Global.

#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#everychildcan
##reggioemiliainspiredlearning
#youngachieversacademy
​#emergentlearning
​

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Raising Confident Learners!

4/2/2021

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Inspiring Confident Learners
We at Sparkling Mindz handle children's issues in different ways. One way is to model their behavior back to them, asking them to reflect, take perspective and empathize on how/what they are doing or how others feel as a result of their behavior.

Another way is through role plays and this time, the facilitators at preschool decided to role play as children. They chose three scenarios to role play:
a) taking every communication with peers as an attack and being rude in response to attack,
b) self victimizing by saying they have no friends, and
c) wanting to look like the others and not satisfied with how they already look (especially the skin color).

Each scenario explains what the facilitators role played and what children reflected after each of the scenes.

Scenario 1

Friend 1 makes fun of friend 2's drawing that leads friend 2 to be upset and get into a mode of rejecting the other's friendship and her opinion by telling herself things that are not productive.

Reflections
 
An, "The house can be drawn however we want it to be."
Em, "We should not be rude at other's work."
An, "Friend 1 did not care about what the other child said." 
An, "Yes, she cared only about herself."
Sh, "She was hurt!"
Aad "Friend 2 was upset and was telling herself that she wants to be on her own."
Anya " Yes, she kept telling bad things to herself like, I don't like other people and they are rude to me!"

At this point the facilitator asked them, "Did friend 2 telling herself bad things help her?"

All, "Nooo!!!"

Facilitator (F), "What could she tell herself instead?"

Various responses such as, "I like mine, but I don't know why she did not like mine...", "I like mine but maybe she likes the way she draws...", "We should like what others do...", etc., came out.

F, "Are we expecting others to tell good things about us?"
An, without a blink, "Yes!"

F, "Is it ok when somebody doesn't like what we do?"
An, "It's okay I'll like it anyway."
F, "Okay. You can also tell them politely , "I like the way I have painted.""
F2, "So what did we learn from this?"
An, "To be kind to others and ourselves."

And the facilitator added, "Saying good things to ourselves and what we choose to do is not for other people's approval."

Scenario 2

Facilitators role played 2 kids playing and talking about their interests. Another child who wanted to join them did not want to join them as he did not get invited, and how the child 3 feels sad.

​Reflections

An, "We have to play with everyone and we can't leave others."
Av, "Do not play with only one best friend but others too."
F , "Why?"
An, "If we get used to only one friend and when that friend is not there we will have no one!"
, "What do you think child 3 should have done?"
Ang "The child 3 should have asked them can I join you"
Sh " Ask yourself what else can you do and do that"
Em, "Play with myself"

Scenario 3

Facilitators enacted a scene where they were comparing and complaining about their skin tone and not liking the way they look.

Reflections

F, "Why do you think we are telling ourselves this?"
Sh, "Because we don't like ourselves."
F, "Hmmm. Has anybody felt this way?"

A couple of hands went up.

F, "What did you do when you felt that way?"

There was no answer at this point.

After a couple of questions,
An, "If you were dark you would want to be fair, you will always want to be like someone else!"
Ad,  "It doesn't matter what color we are."
Aa added to spark some creative thinking and humour, "Only chameleons change color..."
Ash, "If we become someone else then we cannot get back our own color!"
Ad shared how he felt bad one morning when his peers made fun of his color.
Sh after some thought, "If we are different that's what makes us special!"

​Meh, "Our parents love us no matter what!"

The last scenario's discussion will be taken forward in their own individual classes as most of the children seemed to relate and did not know what to answer. This will need more time and hence children wound up for the day after this, as it was the last hour for the day. It is important to address situations like this as they start off itself so that children are equipped to handle themselves, and others if needed. They become empowered citizens who can think for themselves, empathize and grow with growth mindset. And they learn to accept themselves for who they are instead of seeking constant approval from others. 

Let's raise a generation of confident learners!

Contributed by Grace Veronica, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool.
​
#reggioemiliainspiredlearning
#joyouslearning
#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
​#inspiringconfidentlearners
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Our Joeys Learned to Daydream!

1/2/2021

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Picture
Children love to daydream, children grow when they daydream. All the gadgets, technology, onslaught of media and the constantly on culture has robbed them of the stillness and the purpose of daydreaming. The joy of letting our mind wander and make random connections, the very well from which creativity feeds is being robbed off our children.

We also saw that it was something the children were yearning for. Little voices of boredom and big parent voices of constant TV watching or needing someone to engage them were clear indicators that children needed a more mindful tool for themselves. And just like that, we embarked on the daydreaming mission.



Little voices of boredom and big parent voices of constant TV watching or needing someone to engage them were clear indicators that children needed a more mindful tool for themselves. And just like that, we embarked on the daydreaming mission.

​This is our story of how our children learned to daydream.

The 5 to 6 year olds' just had a daydreaming hour! 

This was done to help them learn to engage themselves comfortably without finding the need to have someone or something around to engage them. 


Post the daydreaming session children reflected and spoke about how they felt as they dreamed. 
​

S says, "I was dreaming about the stars and was feeling calm and comfortable" 
T "I saw a shooting Star that sparkled on me and I was feeling curious to learn about it, I also heard a bird chirping in my heart and I love birds"
Pr "I felt like people sitting around me and I saw  lot of colors in the sky and I felt happy because I've never seen a colorful sky like that"

San an animal lover said that, he imagined going to an aquarium and saw a leopard seal that made him feel shocked looking at its hugeness.  
Av was curious about animals and said that he had created new animals in his head.
Sa was able to think about what she could do when she gets home and agreed that she does not know how she felt.

Ar, swam into the ocean with Sharks, touched it and it felt soft. 

When children learn to spend time with and by themselves, they learn to start valuing their ideas, wonder about their thoughts and learn to plan things ahead. Most importantly, they start to learn to listen to their own voice and pay attention to their feelings thus, building and eventually mastering an essential skills of self-sufficiency.

Contributed by Grace Veronica, Facilitator, Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool

#reggioemiliainspiredlearning

#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
​#inspiringconfidentlearners​
​

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Happy 72nd Republic Day, India!

26/1/2021

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Children at Sparkling Mindz Global School have been having conversations on what freedom means, since the beginning of this academic year.

In the context of India's freedom, they explored cultural colonisation and what it means for cultures and choices to be free. 

Against the backdrop of exploring India's relationship with the world and our own local and global identities, Archita Anish, our 7th grader created this Republic Day greeting. Archita has been inspired to write her own poems since the dawn of the Poetic Soiree (our annual celebration on Children’s Day; many children choose to write their own poems which they receive feedback on and iterate). Archita co-wrote a poem along with her classmate early on this year and  the seed that was sown at  that time grew on. Since then, Archita has been writing more poems and also started attempting to write poems impromptu. She even wrote her reflections at the end of our Open House (space where SMzians (our Founder, facilitators, children and parents) and prospective parents and their children share for them to have a peak into what our SM culture is all about) in the form of a poem! Archita has been learning to use the very many of the poetic devices and iterate her poems in the process. 
In this poem, she uses symbolism to represent various nations and their relationship with India. She has also used a ‘refrain’ - the purpose and use of which she learned during her journey of writing poems over the last few months. Most importantly, she has also taken feedback and tried to empathize with the reader to decide how much to explain and how much to leave to interpretation…

As you, our reader, read the poem, we invite you to wonder, interpret, connect and explore with us.

We, the Sparkling Mindz Global family, wishes each and everyone of you a very 72nd Happy Republic Day!
​


#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#covid19learning
#72ndrepublicday
#childrenled
#pregressiveschooling
#poetryshowcase
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No Event Is Ever Complete Without A Thank-You Note!

1/1/2021

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As the title goes, no event at SM is ever complete without extending gratitude for all the support and love that was present and received. So post the Poetic Soiree event, the house representatives from all the four houses (Sphinx, Phoenix, Pegasus and Griffins) came together, along with their facilitators to express the same, that made the event possible, along with their experiences of the event. The 'Thank-You' note also touches upon all the effort that was put into making it all happen, in just the right amounts to end the event with the perfect amount of joy and appreciation!

 Let's sit back and soak in all the love and joy. Have fun. :) 

This is our SM's way of expressing gratitude. How about you? Do leave a comment below on how you show your appreciation, love and gratitude. 

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#poeticsoiree
#covid19
#21stcenturylearning
#socialemotionallearning
​#learningforkeeps
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Sphinx's Poetic Soiree

31/12/2020

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PART 4/4
​

"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." - Robert Frost.'

We have all read/ learned/ wrote poems as kids, in our teens...a lot of which followed well into our adulthood. Poetry to some is an inflow/ outflow of expressionism while to some it is an appreciation of art. Well, you get the idea.

Our children, at SM, found themselves living, breathing, consuming poems and the process of poetry, creating their own, channelling the ones they connected with; pretty sure that this inspiration and love will be life-long. And during our annual Poetic Soiree event, they came together in their houses (Griffins, Pegasus, Phoenix, Sphinx) to express themselves through poems. As our pandemic motto, 'No-Virus Can Stop Our Learning!', they marched through with might and grit, fun and laughter, love and play, and a little bit of 'Learning Never Stops!'. So here they are, showcasing their poems to you.
​
Sit back and enjoy the show!
​
#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#deeplearning
#poetryshowcase
#covid19
#socialemotionallearning
#21stcenturylearning
#everychildcan
​
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Phoenix's Poetic Soiree

28/12/2020

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PART 3/4
​

"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." - Robert Frost.'

We have all read/ learned/ wrote poems as kids, in our teens...a lot of which followed well into our adulthood. Poetry to some is an inflow/ outflow of expressionism while to some it is an appreciation of art. Well, you get the idea.

Our children, at SM, found themselves living, breathing, consuming poems and the process of poetry, creating their own, channelling the ones they connected with; pretty sure that this inspiration and love will be life-long. And during our annual Poetic Soiree event, they came together in their houses (Griffins, Pegasus, Phoenix, Sphinx) to express themselves through poems. As our pandemic motto, 'No-Virus Can Stop Our Learning!', they marched through with might and grit, fun and laughter, love and play, and a little bit of 'Learning Never Stops!'. So here they are, showcasing their poems to you.
​
Sit back and enjoy the show!
​
#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#deeplearning
#poetryshowcase
#covid19
#socialemotionallearning
#21stcenturylearning
#everychildcan
​
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Pegasus' Poetic Soiree

25/12/2020

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PART 2/4
"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." - Robert Frost.'

We have all read/ learned/ wrote poems as kids, in our teens...a lot of which followed well into our adulthood. Poetry to some is an inflow/ outflow of expressionism while to some it is an appreciation of art. Well, you get the idea.

Our children, at SM, found themselves living, breathing, consuming poems and the process of poetry, creating their own, channelling the ones they connected with; pretty sure that this inspiration and love will be life-long. And during our annual Poetic Soiree event, they came together in their houses (Griffins, Pegasus, Phoenix, Sphinx) to express themselves through poems. As our pandemic motto, 'No-Virus Can Stop Our Learning!', they marched through with might and grit, fun and laughter, love and play, and a little bit of 'Learning Never Stops!'. So here they are, showcasing their poems to you.
​
Sit back and enjoy the show!
​
#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#deeplearning
#poetryshowcase
#covid19
#socialemotionallearning
#21stcenturylearning
#everychildcan
​
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Griffins Poetic Soiree!

18/12/2020

Comments

 



"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." - Robert Frost.'

We have all read/ learned/ wrote poems as kids, in our teens...a lot of which followed well into our adulthood. Poetry to some is an inflow/ outflow of expressionism while to some it is an appreciation of art. Well, you get the idea.

Our children, at SM, found themselves living, breathing, consuming poems and the process of poetry, creating their own, channelling the ones they connected with; pretty sure that this inspiration and love will be life-long. And during our annual Poetic Soiree event, they came together in their houses (Griffins, Pegasus, Phoenix, Sphinx) to express themselves through poems. As our pandemic motto, 'No-Virus Can Stop Our Learning!', they marched through with might and grit, fun and laughter, love and play, and a little bit of 'Learning Never Stops!'. So here they are, showcasing their poems to you.


Sit back and enjoy the show!

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#everychildcan
#21stcenturylearning
#deeplearning
#creativethinking
​#socialemotionalearning
​
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My Success story of how I relieved myself from migraine headaches

8/12/2020

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Working at Sparkling Mindz has a facilitator has been an amazing journey of self-growth and self discovery  for me.  Thanks to the passion and dedication of my mentors, Sreeja ma'am and Minesh who motivate  and drive each one of us - at times, encouraging me to tread in paths which are beyond my comfort zone, trusting in my potential more than me, and being there to constantly support and pick me up when I fall. One such instance was when they came to know that I suffered from migraine headaches and reached out to help me.  And lo, the story unfolds... 

I have been suffering from migraines for several years now, and have tried all kinds of medications from allopathy, ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy and what not, but to no avail.  And then I pacified myself that this is hereditary and since my mother also has it, I will eventually have it ( after careful analysis of how my triggers and symptoms match hers).  Now that I have accepted migraines to be part of me, I tried to shift my focus  to prevent the triggers like constipation, going out in the sun, untimely meals, travelling etc.    Still it was not possible to prevent the triggers all the time, and when something had gone off, I found myself waiting for my symptoms to start, dreading the intensity and pain.  And along with it, suffering from guilt that I am not able to do my work well or fulfil my responsibilities, or being a burden for others at home. 

When I discussed all of this with my mentor, Minesh, he suggested two things.  Identifying and working on what is bothering me at the moment and working on my emotions which may also be a trigger and then using Creative Visualisation to deal with the physical symptoms.  The suggestions did seem easy to work on, but it required lot of courage to look into myself, identify the emotional contribution to the problem and accept the fact that 'yes, that is affecting me'.  It was easier to mask my feelings and say 'I'm okay',  'I'm not that kind of a person who would take all this seriously', 'Ya, this happened .  But still it's fine'.  

Once, I identified the disturbing situation, I was taught how to change my reaction to the problem, by accepting it, acknowledging my thoughts and feelings, and bringing in more awareness to the whole schema of things - this awareness helped to reduce the intensity of the trigger and sometimes nullify it too.  And then came the second step where I spoke to my body, saying that 'I understand that through this headache you are trying to bring something to my awareness and letting me know that something is wrong.  Thank you.  Now I have understood. So it's okay for the pain to fade away.  Ta ta.  Bye Bye.'   And lo behold the pain was gone.  I was left in awe at this magical redemption from so many years of suffering.  Is this really possible that I could just talk to my body and it would just listen to me?  But yes, it actually did!!!   Oh what a miracle!!!  And all this while, to know that my body was actually trying to tell me something through the headache, and I was not listening to the underlying fact; instead I was trying to treat the physical symptoms on a superficial level.  

I went back to happily share this experience with my mentors and express my gratitude to them.  Now that I found success in managing my migraine once, I started applying it every time.  The headaches do come back, but I am able to resolve the issue before the pain aggravates. I first start looking for things that are affecting me at the moment and start working on them.   And also having managed it once, twice, gives me the confidence that I can handle it anytime.  Oh what a relief !!  And the most beautiful fact is that I found the " POWER WITHIN ME' to manage my emotions and the physical problems triggered by those emotions.  

The journey was painful, but worth the effort -because I have become a more confident ME and  bear this torch of self discovery to light many more lives along the way - as a facilitator, as a teammate, as a friend, as a neighbour, as a family member.  

Now that I have resolved one issue, I have embarked on the next journey of working on my self-confidence, identifying areas which need work, identifying and working on my limiting beliefs, fighting the resistance to dig deeper and deeper.  I already hear you wishing me 'All the best'.  Thank you!

#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
​#inspiringconfidentlearners
#facilitatorselfgrowth
#powerwithinme
#learningforkeeps
​
Contributed by Jennifer Christy, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool.


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The season 3 of our TED-Ed Clubs are open now! As we are waiting for talks to get published, you can see past videos here!
​​
Next Trinity Communication Skills exam will be held in Oct 2020 at Sparkling Mindz. Our students have achieved distinction across grade levels in the exam the past two consecutive years! Enroll in our Young Thinkers and Achievers Program here today to participate. 


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