The recent floods brought an unexpected visitor—a small crab, missing one of its pincers, who found its way to us.

Before we knew, we had our preschoolers crowding around the crab, wonder in action. Instantly, the children’s curiosity sparked a wave of questions and ideas:

“Can we give it food?”
“Why is it opening its mouth?”
“What if we give it an egg?”—“No, he won’t like egg.”
“Then let’s give him a potato!”
“Maybe we should ask H Sir what crabs eat.”
“It has green eyes!”
“We want to take care of him.”

One child chimed in, “I like to eat carbs.” Another giggled, “You like to eat this crabs, huh?”
“Can we put it in our turtle pond?” someone asked. “Because it likes to swim!”
“I’ve only seen pretend crabs.”

What do you need to prepare a dish? Recipe duh, right? That's what our children thought too till they read 'The Art of Cooking'. 

Why is it art? Isn't there a lot of science involved? What makes it an art? Why are these instructions so different from the recipes we are used to seeing? Really - can you really make any kind of broth if you learnt this skill? Wow! 

We wondered, explored, experimented, empathized, created personas and discovered that the problem was to learn the skills in cooking that could lead to unlocking the treasure trove of recipes and the ability to work with a plethora of ingredients. Voila! We had magic in our hands. 

Children spent time interviewing, designing and curating the skills that could help different kinds of people discover their inner cooking persona as well as learn and upskill themselves to become better cooks. 

This year for the Annual Day, our Leopards (4th and 5th graders) explored 'The Art of Indian Cooking' from first principles and designed something that each of us can use and work with. Along they way they had some magical moments of bonding with their families, embracing the inner scientist in them while some of them brought out their inner chefs. And well, what got cooked? Find out for yourself by watching the video!

​But before that, let's let Ms. Poorva Agarwal take us through the cooking of this whole process.

And here, the final product!

Here we have our wonderful parents reflecting along with us, and sharing with us their sides of the story as well. Have a look!
​

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#youngachieversacademy
#21stcenturylearning
#socialemotionallearning
#emotionalawareness
#emotionalintelligent
#afterschoolprogram
​#learningforkeeps

2. Step In
Step In Routine Involves the following.
I'm the other now (assume that is X). So, I'm X  (I step into the situation as X and answer the following prompts):
I see: 
I feel:
I care about:
--------------
You can ensure you are not projecting at this stage by asking yourself, "Would X say that about themselves?"

3. Step out

​You physically step into a different space and do this part of the routine.

​Knowing what I know because of my Step In what can I do differently?
Was the "I see" objective and wide in perspective? If not, how might we see/show objectivity and a wider perspective?
Was the "I feel" resourceful? If not, how might we bring/show awareness and help shift state to something more resourceful?
Was the "I care about" expressed resourcefully? If not, how might we encourage a more resourceful way to express the care about?

4. Iterate
​
​At this stage, you check if the solutions you had found are working or not . If yes, you have just now resolved something with empathy and creativity. Time to celebrate!
If not, you iterate back to the leverages in the "step out" stage and see if you have exhausted all your options. If not, use them. If you have, then you iterate through the "step in" stage. Maybe you missed something there. A different see, feel or care about that given this new information of what didn't work can reveal itself and you find yourself with multiple solutions again to work with.
No two situations, the underlying intentions or the resolutions are the same. The only thing that really works is remaining creative, resourceful and empathetic.

Contributed by Sreeja Iyer, Founder & CEO of Sparkling Mindz Global School & Preschool.

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#21stcenturylearning
#empathyroutine
#socialemotionallearning

​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

What are PFCs, you may ask.  Perhaps if I say PTA (Parent- Teacher Association meetings), it might click? 

Here at SM, our PTAs are called PFCs (Parent - Facilitator Connect). At SM, adults who interact with children are called facilitators. We believe that we facilitate learning in children and not 'teach' them, all this while going deeper in our own learning too; as we believe children are individuals who are capable of achieving just about anything in the world that they put their minds to. 

As it is the time of the year to wind up the current academic session, the third term, we have our third and final PFC just around the corner. All of us are busy with the preparations, digging through our notes after notes, reflections, e-mails we had sent... and that could have possibly looked like a lot of work or such a chore. But this is imperative so as to not miss even the tiniest of information about the growth of our children as we can. At one point, we realized we were lost in the nitty-gritty and needed some BIG INSPIRATION to keep chugging along. So we got together as a team and reflected on the prompt 'What does PFC mean to us?' It was an attempt to find our beliefs about PFCs and create the necessary inspiration and momentum. We each shared our beliefs and here is what we arrived at,

1. PFCs are for community building. We at SM strongly believe we are a community and not just a school with teachers, students and parents. When we say community, it means to us that we are all in this together, for the holistic development of the child. So when we come together for PFCs, we get to see where each child is at with regards to how they are at home, parents get to see how children are at school on a regular basis as we openly discuss about the achievements, milestones, patterns of the children and what parents can do to help the child move forward. Both parents and we are on the same side of the boat, working together as one entity, for the child, enabling trust on each other from both the parties.
2. PFCs are for bridging the gap. Connecting to the previous point, both the parties get to see a complete perspective of the child and not just one aspect of how the child is just in school. 
3. PFCs are for showing the parents how we see children (capable, curious, empathetic, creative, and so on). Sharing the developing and ever-evolving image of the child through stories of their growth, reinforcing our belief that children are so much more than just marks.
4. PFCs are also a  moment to reflect how we have grown as facilitators and they as parents.

Our discovered shared mission and purpose inspired us to power through the PFC documenting work with renewed energy and vigour. Like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle we had put together all of our varied thoughts on PFCs and built our very own PFC quilt to motivate us to work towards the higher purpose of working on the PFC documentations.

We, as a team, not only came out of the feeling stuck moment, we also know that if we do get stuck in the future, we can always refer back to our purpose and get going and know that we are not alone in this journey; we have this whole community cheering on with us!

#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#teamspiritstories
​#discoveringthepurpose

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

What would you do if you ever felt like you weren't part of a group, that you had no friends, that you felt like nobody liked you? 

How would you feel? 

Moreover, how do you think a child feels when she feels like she has no friends, that she isall alone, that nobody likes her?

Our 4 year old K had been finding it difficult to connect and be friends with her classmates, feeling alone and sad but not sure how to solve it by herself; neither did she have clarity on why and what she was feeling. 

The time came then for our 4 year olds to get a new set of library books to take and read at home. Out of those books, was one tiny treasure called 'Something  Else' by Kathryn Cave and Chris Riddell. The book is about a little creature the other animals call 'Something Else' because it doesn't look like the others. The storyline moves through the emotions faced by the creature when it felt alone, sad, lonely because of how others treated it and called it 'Something Else'. The book however ends on a happy note where another creature that looks like none other comes into the picture and they become the best of friends. 


​

Call it luck, call it a connection, K found it and took it home for the week. Days pass by, the book made its rounds with the others without any of us realizing how deep a connection K had made with the creature in the book called 'Something Else', until it was brought to our attention by her mother. K had been feeling like she was Something Else in the class as she felt alone, lonely and sad. Reading that book gave her the vocabulary and understanding of her emotions and feelings that she connected to, resulting in her opening up about it to her parents. 

When it was brought to the attention of the school, we decided to dive right in, as we always do. With her in particular, we have been working on communication skills, and as a class, social skills and making friends with new children were on the focus. Because of the initial layer of work that was already done, when K's emotions were brought in the picture, children found it easier to empathize and suggest solutions.

We read the book today, it being a Thursday where we usually read a book for our Library Routine. We chose 'Something Else' to read and everybody was excited and jumping on their mats, except for K. She looked quiet and withdrawn throughout. However, we proceeded. Children kept empathizing with the character and vocalizing about the scenes in the book. Post the reading session, the floor was open for questions and further discussions. 

"Have you ever felt like how 'Something Else' was feeling? " 

Nobody answered as such. 

The question then was repeated to K to which she whispered a yes. She then came and stood with us in the front for the issue to be discussed further. We held her throughout to let her know that she was safe in our circle. 

"Because I am alone like Something Else. Nobody is not playing with me." meaning to say that nobody played with her.

The whole class of the 4-year olds sat quiet and looked concerned as she spoke as they now knew exactly how she felt. 

"We will be friends with you. " 
"We will play with you." 
"I will write a letter for you at my home. I will bring it for you. You can take it home."
"I will play with you K"...

And on and on went children, soothing her heart. 

There was no need of further conversations and this culminated in a a gentle group hug where they just held her. And T planted her a kiss in the end. ​

Developing a vocabulary to express how they are feeling is a good first step to seeking help when someone is feeling left out, lonely or upset. Children, when not felt supported and loved, can develop all kinds of insecurities right from childhood that could take a long time to move out of. As important as it is to make them feel loved, supported and belonged, it's also important equip them to love, support and be there for one another. 


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

At SM, the facilitators have something called an Inspirational Standup (ISU) every morning right before the classes commence. The purpose is to get inspired for the day, perhaps, even for life, and to find deeper connections and purposes in what we do. ISU usually includes reading a write up, watching a video, listening to a poem, playing a game, learning a new dance as a team, and such. The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating a new ISU. 

As we sat today in the front space of the school thinking about what we could do for the day's ISU, we agreed to observe the three children who were playing in the mirror cave, completely engaged in their little game, and ponder on the emotions they could be feeling. We agreed on 5 minutes to observe, then discuss after. The purpose for this exercise was to make stepping into the shoes of another and empathize deeper, consciously. 

We chose this exercise today as we had sat for a training session yesterday and discussed on the importance of empathizing with another to solve problems deeper and create more awareness within ourselves about another person's thought patterns. So what better way to practice what we preach at SM about depth, vulnerability, connectedness...than to take perspectives?!

As the minutes progressed, we stopped after what seemed like 2 minutes to share our experiences. What came out was deeper than what we planned for!

Facilitator 1: I saw them experiencing curiosity, happiness, calmness, joy, sense of trust, sense of brotherhood and a family bonding, feeling at home, love. 
Facilitator 2 and 3 were smiling ear to ear at this point, realizing almost all of their observations were covered too. 
Facilitator 2 added, "Yes! I also noticed awkwardness from Ved when he noticed that we were watching them." 

The discussion went on for another minute or so, adding more layers to what we thought they were experiencing during those moments when were observing them. This is when we realized that a simple exercise like this added so much more value to our day as we consciously stepped in and out of children's shoes to understand how they felt and what we could do to help them move forward. Not just children, even stepping in other people's shoes help us move forward from stuck moments that involve them. 

We also realized how we don't need to search far and wide for inspiration; it's just around the corner! All it takes is to be mindful for a minute and look around with an open and non- judgemental mind. And the world is all ours to grab!

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

​I was having a conversation with children today on putting effort and how it's not easy, yet we do it. We reflected on it during our facilitators meeting. It inspired me to write a poem. Sharing...

Everyday 
I choose a fight
With my time
On what's right 

I choose to grow 
I choose the pain
I choose the joy
From deep within 

Everyday 
I choose to talk
With care
And deep thought

I choose to grow 
I choose the pain
I choose the joy
From deep within 

Everyday 
I choose to work
To make an impact 
For what it's worth

I choose to grow 
I choose the pain
I choose the joy
From deep within 

Most times I win
Even when I don't
I still choose the fight
As it's worth my might

If our children saw everyday as a challenge to grow and make themselves better. If they just started to see themselves as worthy of great things we would see them pushing themselves and picking battles that are worthy of everyone's time. 

Contributed by Sreeja Iyer, Founder, Sparkling Mindz Global School and Preschool