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Mistakes as growth!

20/11/2020

We tend to grow up afraid of making mistakes. What do mistakes mean to a lot of us? Do making mistakes mean the end of a chapter, or that the object we made a mistake on/with can't be worked on, that we can't work on ourselves?

Do mistakes define us? Possibly- but if we got to define it for us: whether we choose to call it a lesson through which we grew, or give up and turn away?

We have the power of choice. Our growth is up to us.

So, what would you choose? What goes on in your mind when you make a mistake?

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'Something Else'

19/2/2020

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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.

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Teaching is about hope!!!

6/1/2013

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Teaching is a very personal job and is all about hope. My close interaction with teachers from a non-student point of view and having taught myself, over the past few years has brought me to this conclusion. Why, you may ask?

A teacher has to overcome their own personal prejudices to teach a student in the way he/she learns best. It is very easy to spot weaknesses but guiding a child along its areas of strength is one of the most critical and crucial part of teaching.

When a child shows negative behavior, being able to separate the child's behavior from the child and adopt a positive approach to prevent recurrence of the behavior is not easy.

So, lets celebrate all the teachers who opened their hearts and minds so that we could learn. Thank you!!!

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Keys to success

19/3/2012

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How many of us felt that the door to success seemed locked and far away? How many of us toiled night and day only to figure out that we came up short when it came to opening up the doors of our dreams? It is true that the doors to the land of success are generally locked tight and far removed. But, the good news is the capability to building the road to success and the keys to opening the door are within our reach.

In the olden days, the skill demands from students used to change over millenniums, slowly it started changing over centuries and then decades. We are in a situation where people need to upgrade and educate themselves once every few years. Careers are no longer given for granted, they have to be earned and you have to run on the treadmill to stay on the same place. In such an environment, how many times do you wonder how the world will be when your child grows up? How many times do you ponder about the skills being imparted to your child and whether you are equipping them enough?

We strongly believe that the acquisition of the keys to success starts with a firm belief that 'I'm capable and I can win". Where does this belief stem from? It stems from three basic things:
1. Capability to think out of the box - problems cease to be issues, instead become challenges that one goes through every time sharpening one's creative brain
2. Self-Motivation - most of the breakthroughs in life come at a point when you are about to give up, yet you keep moving
3. Flexibility in Learning Style - Life's lessons come in many forms, one needs to be willing to take in, learn and improvise, it happens only when the child is has the flexibility to step out of the confines that the by rote way of learning places on her and move into the realm of leveraging their own intelligence as strength to learn and succeed

A child who is able to work on the above three traits will experience success and it will form a positive reinforcement cycle for the belief that "I'm capable and I can win" and success fuels more success. You have the keys of success in front of you, how would you like to present it to your child? We have chosen, an activity-based, project-based, game-based methodology, is your child on board, yet?

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Mistakes as growth!

'Something Else'

Teaching is about hope!!!

Keys to success

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Mistakes as growth!

'Something Else'

Teaching is about hope!!!

Keys to success

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Archives

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