An environment is a living, changing system. More than the physical space, it includes the way time is strucutured and the roles we are expected to play. It conditions how we feel, think, and behave; and it dramatically affects the quality of our lives. The environment either works for us or against us as we conduct our lives.
- Jim Greenman 

Space is an indispensable component in the Reggio Emilia approach towards education. The space or the environment is considered to be the third teacher after parents and facilitators according to the philosophy. Being a Reggio inspired school, space set up is an integral part of our curriculum planning and every element of space is thought through and placed with an intention to enable communication between children, with adults in the system and with the space itself. 

This year as we plan to embarked on another exciting academic journey, we decided to redesign our space by bringing our unique Sparkling Mindz characters to invite children to be part of their inspiring stories of exploration and wonder. We used the glass sliding doors in each classroom as portals to the world of interaction, exploration, imagination and movement. 

Each door holds a scene from the stories of Cloudsy, Braiynee Bee, Flexi Daisy, Treeous, Q.marq, Randall and Animo's adventurous lives painted carefully with an objective to spark thinking and discussions as we eagerly await children to return to school post their summer vacations.

#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#reggioemiliainspired
#designthinkingprocess
​#spacedesign
#21stcenturylearning

"The child is made of one hundred" - Loris Malaguzzi

This Children's Day our preschool children explored their 100.

​At Sparkling Mindz Global, it's not just the children who have fun learning and creating, but the facilitators too; making mistakes, learning through them, co-creating a safe, happy and creative environment for each other and growing  together as a community!

#reggioemiliainspiredlearning
#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
​#inspiringconfidentlearners
#facilitatorlearningdiaries
#learningneverstops

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

As the pups and calves discovered more about our country India and learnt about its special day and coming together to celebrate it as fellow Indians, here is a compilation of our precious little ones singing the "variety song" which shows off their patriotism towards celebrating India's 74th Independence day together! ​

 Our theme for this new academic year is 'Being Change Makers' and all of us facilitators are busy setting up for the year, making notes, brainstorming stories, finding connections, connecting with the children. To keep all of us inspired, we, the team, decided to take turns and do an activity everyday morning together. As we did a lot of games in the entirety of last week, we decided to read an article and reflect for our morning inspiration today.

The article was about a lot of starfishes that a little boy was throwing back into the ocean when an older adult walks over and asks him why he was doing that, as it didn't make much of a big difference. The boy then picks another one and says, "It makes a difference to this one", and throws it, out of the millions, back into the ocean.

After taking turns to read out loud, we all quietly sat, reflecting, wondering about the story and relating it back to our previous discussion on 'Being Change Makers' (what being a changemaker means, how we are already change makers, and why we need to be change makers) an overwhelming amount of inspiration took over. These are some of the things each of our facilitators said,

"I feel I am also doing my bit as a change maker. Whatever small thing I am doing is contributing to change. I considered it small or insignificant until now. But now that also makes a difference and I am contributing it in my own way- whatever I do at home- reject water not wasted, fixing leaking pipes, waste segregation etc. I ensure all my family members are also aware of it, and practice it. . Now that I am aware of the value of my contribution,  I feel good about it and want to spread the message to those close to me."- Jennifer 

""It made a difference to that starfish", he emphasized on value, the magnitude does not determine value. We find excuses that let us be ignorant. As humans, our natural instincts work best when we are faced with a stimuli that has a direct effect in us, which explains our slow response to climate change and fast response to a pandemic. 
The boy wasn't looking for attention, he didn't see himself as a hero. He had just one intention, saving a starfish's life, so it didn't matter to him how many he saved or if he was the only one. He had a clear purpose." - Tasha

"I always thought about environment from a very young age. Nature has its own way to bring all natural things into use. Being part of SM, part of an organization into change making., everyone's opinion matters. That's a door to change. Because I knew my voice will be heard, I proposed my opinion and it was applied. I'd proposed to remove the trash bags to reduce plastic and now, on a regular basis, at least 3 trash bags we have changed- as an organization, I am a part of change making. I always go to a shop with a cloth bag. I even educated my maid on burning plastic with wood - that isn't good for health, so educated her about how it affects health, she looped back to me saying how it has stopped. 
"There are people throwing so much. Will I  make a difference?" Yes!"- Neha

"I love the environment and I can't do anything consciously that will hurt the environment or the beings living in this environment. When I was in University, I used to use more organic products, use less plastic, and such. Slowly, I started to not do it as much thinking my contribution is not going to help, and those around me used to discourage me. Post our discussion on being change makers, I am a lot more aware of my thinking along the lines of the passion towards the environment and how my contribution, even if it is little, matters- like closing the tap, fixing leaks, and such. I know it's just one person but I don’t ever want to back down on what I believe in, which is my love for this planet and the beings living in it. It is my home, our home and I want to do what I can, no matter how little, to take care of it." - Sruthy

""Change starts with us", and also if everyone could think like the boy rather than the man... Collectively we could have saved the star fishes. Starfish is a "metaphor" for so many things that requires change. I can equate it to corona too...if one person follows social distancing well and seeing that another person too supports and practices the same and so on and so forth we could have brought it down and eventually have it not affect us for this long. This story helps me see how we can make a difference in the bigger scheme of things and we need to become these change makers in the world to truly bring about shifts in things we think need to change to better the world we live in, not only for us but for the sustainability of all kinds of living beings on this planet for generations to come." - Kruthika

"Most of the time when people want to do things, they don't get the right kind of motivation and they end up not trying anything new. The right kind of motivation and inspiration, or sometimes nothing said in response also help people to move forward. For me, trying new things is important and when the progress I see on it, however little, is satisfying. And that is my first step towards success." - Sheela

The said article started with a quote, "A single, ordinary person still can make a difference- and single, ordinary people are doing precisely that every day." - Chris Bohjalian, Vermot- based author and speaker.

So now to our readers,
What comes to your mind when you hear  'changemaker'?
And moreover, do you think you can be a changemaker?
Do you know what change you want to make, that one (or many) cause(s) you are passionate about and feel it burning deep within you?

What contribution did you make today?


#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#reggioemiliainspired
#21stcenturylearning
#everychildcan
#inspirationstandup
#teamspiration

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

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.

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?

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