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Imagination Unfolding!

15/9/2022

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“I put some thoughts in my head,
I take a cloth in my hand, 
spread, wrap,
Spread, wrap,
Shake it all about,
I get new ideas, I get more ideas,
And that’s what is all about”

This our preschool song sang to the tune of Hokey pokey.  
One sunny morning, our preschoolers between the age of 4 - 5 years old, were invited with the above song to the lawn laid with colourful dupattas. Looking at which their imagination train took off and here's what followed. 

Ar got deeply involved in attempting to wrap the dupatta around his neck trying to imitate tying a scarf. 
Ana joyfully laid the white cloth on the grass, and called it a picnic mat, and with a blink of an eye she shouted "Who wants a ride", as she started to pull along the two edges of the cloth. One of them sat and Ana pulled along. Not very far she changed her mind and transformed herself to a vampire as she seeked help from me to tie the white cloth around her neck. 
In the background, Li was rotating himself in circles, when asked, he said "I am making the smoke go, I am exhaust fan". 

Picture

HOOH…HOOH... came the sounds, Yu and Ru are being the ghost. While talking to me, Yu changed his mind and is a chef now offering some healthy lollipops made up of mutton and rice.
I then walked to Ar who is no longer wearing a scarf, and is busy trying to get off the dupatta which is stuck on the wall high up. When asked what happened, he explained that spinning the dupatta and throwing it upwards resulted in this. 


Aa walks up to me and says I am wearing "Siree" (kannada word for Saree) and gets busy covering her head. Looking at this one of the Calves (3-4 years old) passing by picks a dupatta and says that she wants to wear a saree too:)
I approached Ru who is making sounds like a whirring engine, when asked he said he is the driver for the helicopter. This thought became a collaborative play as the others started to be the passengers and made place for themselves by arranging chairs. 

This is a glimpse of how our Cubs imagination unfolded into different shades, reflecting what's on their mind. 

At Sparkling Mindz, imagination is an integral part of a child's learning, we believe that by providing space for their imagination to grow enables children to see things in newer ways, aiding them to see various perspectives and becoming better innovators and problem solvers. Along with it creating a space for children to authentically express themselves. 

What are your thoughts on it? How would you like to tickle your imagination muscle today?

#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#imaginationunfolding
#21stcenturylearning
#everychildcan

Contributed by Neha Nair, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool

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Ingredients For A Conversation Filled With Curiosities!

25/11/2021

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A moment of wonder from one of our Mission Classes (SM Plates - where we discuss the mindsets with regards to food, what goes into the food that we consume, etc.),

Chirag (8 Y/O), "Is rice junk food?"
Ryan (6 Y/O) immediately responds, "They polish rice. When it is polished, it becomes like that, we can't eat it. It is not good. But if we grow it and eat, it will be healthy!"

A moment of awe, healthy exchange of information, deep thinking...marking the perfect ingredients for a conversation filled with curiosities and joy!

Let's invite more wonder in together!

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#wonderbasedlearning
​#everychildcan
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CareerGuide's Career ChangeMakers Awards 2021

17/4/2021

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​We believe that the world needs Changemakers today who are learning to heed to problems around them as wake-up calls. Those who can think beyond themselves and walk the road less travelled to create new forms of what journeys and destinations can look like.

It all starts with empowering children today with skills like creative expression, innovative thinking, problem solving, collaboration, critical thinking, sharing ideas, a sense of community, an awareness of global citizenship going beyond the knowledge and skills that schools can easily assess and grade upon.

This needs a systems-level innovation at schools and thinking differently to create an ecosystem that can cultivate changemaker mindsets in children today. And we are deeply humbled and inspired for this grand recognition of Top Innovative and Creative Skills Related Initiatives in School Awards Category by CareerGuide's Career ChangeMakers Awards.

We would like to extend our immense gratitude, love and support we have been constantly receiving from our community all these years, and the adventures we have been undertaking together.

​We have stood together and stood strong through these tough times and we will continue to grow strong together. 
​​
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Role of Parents at SM

16/3/2021

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SM's holistic approach to learning and life cannot be complete without our parents. But what is the role of parents at Sparkling Mindz? How do we continue to keep child in the centre, keeping the caregivers in mind? What are the expectations from our parents? 

Let's listen to our founder, Ms. Sreeja Iyer, give us a sneak peak into our culture. 

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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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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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Start With Why

12/11/2020

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Picture
Often times when we embark on acquiring a new skill, a new adventure, or a new experience, we tend to jump in without asking ourselves why we want to attempt that. When the purpose of what we are doing is not clear, we tend to not continue what we are doing, as we don't know why we are doing what we are doing.

Learning with depth comes through practise, time spent learning it, having clarity on what we would like to learn, and many more. But first, starting with 'why' is what makes that journey worthwhile.

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#beingchangemakers
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#socialemotionallearning
#21stcenturylearning
#startwithwhy

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We ran a 12K Marathon!

8/10/2020

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Last October, on the 2nd (on the 150th anniversary of Gandhiji's birthday), our children ran a solid 12KM marathon, beating their previous year's record of 6.6KM.

​What's special about this? Well, they wanted to dedicate their run to the physical and mental health of children all over the world as a run, or any sport, is much more than just a physical workout/ a challenge. It is "I can do this!", and "Let's keep going, you can do this!", and a whole lot of "I am not giving up."

​
 One of our Falcons shared her experience on the the whole process on where they started with this run and where they reached in that journey, which can be read here. 

A run is never just a run. It's so much more than that; it is physical, mental, emotional...and holistic. At SM, sports is an experience, a celebration, and we are all about pushing limits and growing from our comfort zones, watch ourselves become more resilient, set more goals for ourselves through the trainings and workouts, learn to work in different teams thereby, going beyond our familiar spaces, learning to focus more on the whole experience...And oh, there is more! We build muscles of growth mindset and go beyond our limitations and beliefs we that have set for ourselves too! And yes, this is sports for us, SMzians! Hence, a run is never just a run for us.

How about you, have you ever ran a marathon? What was your experience? Share in the comments below.

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#holisticlearning
#12kmarathon
#everychildcan
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The TRUI Magician I Never Knew I Was!

25/8/2020

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Being a changemaker







​For a very long time I only thought the world was doomed (in an environmental way, and maybe some other ways) but I only voiced it out I never really took much action. That was until I was able to be involved in a journey that I’d always wanted to be part of.  Here’s the journey…

HOW IT STARTED?
At Sparkling Mindz we aim to change the world, to be changemakers and what I soon learnt was we can’t wait for the opportunity of change to be given to us. No! We had to grab it.
With the help of our facilitators grab we did. Our mission this time was about looking at our world, the one we live in, and turn it into the best world it can be. To bring it back to the once  sustainable, original and “green” form. We tried empathising with the land in which we live in and we figured out if kept at the rate at which we were going (which is carelessness of our natural resources and abundance of harmful litter) we weren’t going to go far. So that’s how we started TRUI.

OK, WHAT’S TRUI?
Tinker, 2Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), Upcycle and Innovate. TRUI, simple, right? Wrong.

TRUI was a mission that needed blueprints, stepping into it just like that wouldn’t necessarily be an ideal plan. The process involved using waste materials and turning it into something useful, TRUI made You the magician. It was one of the centres of our learning this year, making all out learning areas revolve around it. How? Well, taking a pieces of junk and recreating which connects to so much that we have learnt in our learning areas (in other words, all the subjects we learn).  And it reflected in our output.

OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
So as said before our learning areas really helped in the ideation process of using TRUI. And here’s our  output. We were able to come up with  a set of ideas which involved making coasters, wind chimes, lamp shades and dust bins. Each learning area helped us in the process of getting here. We’ve already started attempting these and so far it has been fun and we still have so much more to do.

MY LEARNING
Through out this journey I have learnt many things, some I may have known and actually played out and some I found out on the way. There were many learnings that played a role in my learning areas and yet so many that I know I will use in the future for my academics. So other than learning how I can be an innovator, I learnt how being a part of a change that is going to impact the lives of so may people just makes me a better person along the way.

So there it is, a short yet fairly detailed glimpse of our TRUI journey and from the beginning till now I felt like magician, except that I knew the magic that was released was real.


Contributed by Maya Nair, Falcons (Grade 8), Sparkling Mindz Global School.

#reggioemiliainspiredlearning
#gamebasedlearning
#joyouslearning
#sparklingmindzglobalschool
​#inspiringconfidentlearners




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My power looks like a Bright Mossy Sun!!

23/4/2020

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T is visibly upset, screaming and crying, sitting on her pink mat, "I want H to sit next to me not Ash!!!!!!!"

Now both the classes, Cubs (4 - 5 y/o) and Joeys (5 - 6 y/o) were staring at the scene, wondering what was happening. 

T was then reminded to use her words and that we couldn't help her if we didn't understand why she was so upset. After a few seconds, when nothing seemed to help her calm down, the facilitator (F) stepped in, "Can T please come with me? Let's go to our calming corner."

This was done so that her emotions could be addressed with her calmly and to help her calm herself. 

T and the F then came to their class (Cubs' class) for further discussion,

F: What happened? 
T, still crying, at this point her words are not clear, murmurs something. 
F: You know I can't understand what you are trying to tell me. 
T, calms down and starts to talk after a few seconds: I wanted Ash to sit here (pointing to her left) and H there (pointing to her right). I didn't want Ash to sit here (pointing to her right). 
F: So what can you do about it?
T (now angry): I told her so many times. She didn't listen!
F: Okay, I hear you. 
T: NOOOOOOOO!!! (screaming and crying slightly) She made me upset. 
F: You're saying that she made you feel upset and cry? 
T: Yes.
F: What can T do about this now?
T, now calm: I can take a deep breath and go sit somewhere where there is space. I can make new friends also. I was upset because she made me. 
F: Hmm, so you are saying that somebody else has the power to upset you and make you cry?
T agrees. 
F: So you have given the power to make you feel angry or any other emotions, to people outside of you?
T: Yes. Only others can make me feel bad and happy. 
F: Interesting. So that's what you're choosing to tell yourself ?
T, now pondering, but also agreeing. 
F: Okay. Let's think about it this way, what does this power of yours look like? 
T: Like a mossy rock!
F: Awesome! And?
T: Yellow, bright like that sun (points at the ceiling, to show the sun in the sky). Oh, I don't need that sun, I can make a sun for myself!
F: WOW! And where is this power?
T points into the middle of her chest.
F: In your chest? Wow. So when you give your power away to others, when others have the power to upset you or make you happy, where does this bright mossy sun go? 
T, thinking. No response. 
F continues, "Next time you feel like others have upset you, can you look for that power within you and see where it is?"
T: Yes.
F: And if you that power is missing, what can you do?
T: Put it back in my chest! And I'll be powerful and bright like the sun! (does a little dance)
F: Awesome! Would you like to think about this and come back after a bit, so we can talk more about it?
T: Mm-hmm. 

And off she went hopping and skipping with the power of mossy sun within her! Who knows what hidden powers we carry when we don't stop to introspect or too easily hand over all our power to others to hurt, to anger us. What if, we chose to take back that power and work with it instead? What would your power look like? Have you wondered?
Picture

And off she went back to the class, happy as ever. Holding space for children to express their emotions give them the understanding that it's okay to feel what they are feeling without feeling judged. In this space, they feel safe to be themselves, and to be open to express and explore different parts of them.  

Now when T starts to get triggered, she can simply be reminded of the sun to shift it back to within herself and she's good to go. And that's all it takes, to emerge out as an empowered person, to realize and remember that we have the power within us to do whatever it is that we want to, that it is nobody but us who are responsible for our own lives. ​


#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#socialemotionallearning
#youngachieversacademy
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#everychildcan
#21stcenturylearning
​#powerwithinme

Contributed by Sruthy Krishna, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool
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