Start small, stay steady, collaborate and grow!

Our Climate Change Mission Group met with an expert today - Mrs Madhuri, creator of Indulge (homemade baked granola bars) and gardening enthusiast -  at school who showed them how the smallest of efforts from each one of us could create an impact. 

How? 
They attended a workshop and learnt that while global warming and climate change is a global problem, it is each of ours to acknowledge and solve. 

Sounds way too big to solve, doesn't it? Somestimes seeing  the small steps don't seem to sovle anything. But every step and action from each one of us counts. 

So our 1st to 8th graders took that 1st step and learnt about bio-enzymes, micro-greens, making completely organic and biodegradable floor cleaners!

And we all realized, "Wow! It isn't a hassle at all. All we need is a little know-how, some discipline, and consistent effort that can get us started and help sustain!"

They smelled, touched, felt, and also made these bio enzymes and planted for micro-greens. 

It was an experience for them to see that we can do something to make a difference, no matter how small. 

What next?
We will continue to take this forward in the form of actually making and using them at our school and at our homes too.

Contributed by Sumati Vinay, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global School.

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#missionclimatechange
#everystepcounts

I wonder why?

Why is it called the periodic table? Have you wondered? I asked a bunch of 9-year-olds who had been introduced to the periodic table recently. Hands went up enthusiastically in the air.

D: Ma'm I think it is because of the time period
S: Yes, like when they were found
Me: You mean like the timeline?
D: Yes, yes, like that
Me: That is an interesting hypothesis of why it is called the 'periodic table'. Anyone else?
I: I think it is because the elements are arranged in the order of their weight
Me: That is partly right. However, they could have called it the 'weight table' or the 'element line' like the number line right? Why is it called 'periodic'?

Since classes are online one of them, P (googles the answer and starts reading it out)
​
Me: P, I know there is an explanation of what is a periodic table is on Google. If you can read and tell me why that makes it periodic I'd like to hear that (she nods). Okay, anyone else?
S: Maybe, they are arranged by their use?
Me: Then it could be called the 'use table' or 'benefits table' why is it called 'periodic'?
(they are all silent and thinking)
Me: Think of the word periodic in the context of a swing or pendulum. What happens?
S: It goes back and forth
D: Again and again
Me: Yes. Ishaan was partly right, the elements were arranged in the order of weight but they realized that after every eight elements the properties seem to repeat and the group of elements seem to be more like each other than other sets. This seemed to be a periodic pattern across and hence, it is called Periodic Table. This way learning about each group gives you a lot of information about the similarities and differences between the same and other groups.

The 'why' of 'what' children are learning is important to them. Not just for a deep understanding of the topic but also to figure out ways to master the content. They learn to establish connections to remember the reason behind what they are learning as well as, in this context, how scientists thought about problems that were beyond them and what led to the discovery of knowledge that we hold so fundamental in today's understanding of science.

Contributed by Sreeja Iyer, CEO of Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool, ​School, and Afterschool.
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#sparklingmindzglobal
#inspiringstory
#everychilcan
#changemakers

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

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

It was the end of October, Poetic Soirée was just around the corner and our Pre-schoolers were on course with their practice. They were exploring poems in depth for the first time and were going to be reciting them for the event.

S a 5 year old and her team had chosen a poem called 'War' by Anshuman Dash to present. 

One day post the classes, S sat down to practice her poem by writing it down on a sheet of paper. She went word by word, blending and arriving at their spellings, using different colors for different words, checking with her facilitator when she forgot the lines, completely enjoying the whole process (backstory: S was just learning to write, and was completely inspired to work on it, constantly finding things to put down on the go). When she was done, the facilitator was curious to know how she had connected with the poem, so she presented S a question which led to the following conversation.

F: What did you learn from this poem S?
S: I learnt that they are fighting without reason for water, for bread, for race, for blood, also themselves.

F: Why are they fighting?
S (seeming confident about her opinion): Because there are things that people are not supposed to do, but they still do it. (S continued with a bit of agitation in her tone) Like it's not good to throw garage on the road. In the side of my house there is that water thing no, there a bunch of garage, nobody takes it, every day I see garbage.

F continues, curious to know more: Why do you think they do that? 
S: Because they think it's good to do but it's not! 

F: How is that people think differently? Like, you think it's not okay to throw garage on the road right? Why don't they also think it's not good?
S, thought for a moment, continues: Actually, they know. They are taught, their teachers also taught them. Even if they learnt, maybe they forgot or they didn't learn. 

F: Hmmm... do you have an idea how we can tell these people?
S, now in deep contemplation: I was thinking, give me the paper we wrote (referring to the letters the class had written addressing the people who litter the streets during their discussion on Indian independence) we can show it to them. 

This conversation continued for a bit longer post this.

Capturing this moment, it was beautiful to see how she had connected a deep poem, like War, to her environment. Children are often stolen of opportunities believing they are little and they don't understand. But they have their own way of connecting to the world around them, and are capable of understanding things only if we trust their capabilities.

​As adults working with children, it's our responsibility to make them feel trusted and their opinions valued. By doing this we are creating a future that's inspired and confident.

#reggioemiliainspiredlearning
#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
​#inspiringconfidentlearners
#childrenspoetry

Contributed by Yashika CG, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool.

Is parenting a skill or an identity? 

Most of the times parents get stuck in their ways of parenting seeing it as a fixed, unchanging identity. 

Where do our models of parenting come from? 
How do we look at parenting differently for each of our children (when we have more than one)?
Do solutions that worked for others work for me? There seems to be so much advice around. I'm confused. 
To or not to do rewards and punishments?
What happens when my child refuses, rebels, and back answers?
What happens when they make bad choices?

With a million more thoughts and feelings a few of our parents embarked on a very different kind of workshop this season - Parenting as a Skill.

Every generation of parents and caregivers takes on the work of loving and nurturing every generation to come and the most important contribution we can make to that generation is by becoming more self-aware, empathetic, growth-oriented, and pursuing deep and meaningful connections over immediate gratification of our authority. 

This weekend a few from our parent community came together with a common goal to embark on this journey willingly and joyously.
​

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#parentingasaskill
​#creatingchange

We cannot deprive our children of that. I would rather challenge the child, stretch her imagination and then let her find a place to settle on a ground higher than she thought was ever possible. If we keep doing this on a regular basis we then have a learner in the making who enjoys taking on challenges.

So, coming back to the question, "Why should our children go to school?"

To Learn.

And, if our expectation is that our children should know and understand everything easily, that things should be a breeze or always accessible or that we'll do well if someone just explained everything to them step by step so that they will not have to struggle then we have got our fundamental understanding of education and learning all wrong.

Learning is messy, it involves getting frustrated, forgetting, wanting to run away and still staying the ground, feeling like you have seen the light and then hitting a dead end, finding your way out of the mess/the maze whatever you choose to see it as and gearing up to walk another joyfully enjoying the process of learning, unlearning, relearning. It is not a destination, it is not a goalpost, it is not a state, it is a journey.

When we talk about joyous learning at SM, we don't mean to create a utopia or create a space where anything goes in the name of 'we should not upset the kids'. We mean deep, connected, meaningful, purpose-driven, frustratingly beautiful, reflective, empathetic, process-driven student-owned, student-led, rigorous learning which children learn to embrace and enjoy.  This requires us to step back and reimagine continuously what we think of as limits of our children's abilities and imagination.

It may seem non-obvious to people but very young children are capable of very complex and abstract thought. A complicated vocabulary is merely the outer shell, merely the medium through which they can learn to express the rich complexity of their ideas. It is, in no way, a reflection of their ability itself which is infinite and unknowable. We are mere spaces that exist through which the child's potential can find its path and go on its learning journey - meandering, frustrated, overflowing with joy, passion, and finding its center in the process.

Let us create a journey of a lifetime for them, a journey that demands as much from them as they seek to give and of course, then some more.

Contributed by Sreeja Iyer, CEO & Co-founder, Sparkling Mindz Global School, Preschool & Afterschool

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#youngachieversacademy
#neuroscience
#21stcenturylearning
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#socialemotionallearning
#reggioemiliainspired
​

​A bunch of 2yr olds were on the school terrace when it started to rain. We all took cover and started singing a rain song. Just then-

A: Ma'am it's raining!
Me: How do you know that? Can you see it?
A (and others in chorus): We can hear it.
Me: Why can't you see it?
A: Is white, no color (perhaps indicating transparent)

Suddenly the rain pours

A: Is loud.
Me: What does that mean?
T: It means it is coming fast, fast
R: I can even see it now!

Suddenly it stops.

A: Ma'aaam, it stopped
Me: How do you know that?
T: No sound
Me: Do you think it will come back to play with all of you?

They all laugh and giggle and we continue our song.

Children feel closely connected with nature and puzzle over natural phenomena and try to make sense of it all! They feel joy in feeling like they have control over it and they can predict and understand it.

Do any of you have children's rain stories to share?

Written by Sreeja Iyer, CEO & Co-founder, Sparkling Mindz Global School & Preschool

#inspiringconfidentlearners
#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#natureplay
#reggioemiliaapproach
#playbasedlearning
#21stcenturylearning
#socialemotionallearning