Blog Posts

Education, an Unconventional Career Path?

8/6/2021

In today's fast pacing and ever-changing world, the requirements of children are also rapidly and constantly shifting. To be able to help them access their highest potential and become the best versions of who they can be, those around them also need to adapt and evolve, and we can start from the basics - our education system.

Today's education system needs a major transformation so that children's needs can be catered to in a holistic manner. It goes without saying that educators play a huge role in this. Here is our founder, Ms. Sreeja Iyer, in conversation with The Better India about today's education system and its role in shaping today's generation and the many more to come, and why it could be an 'unconventional' career path.

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The Flavours Of Life Through The Eyes Of A Chef- Esha Karthiraj | TED-Ed

25/5/2021

While in the midst of chasing after things we want to achieve or acquire, how often are we approaching life or rather, really experiencing life? How often do we choose to live our life the way we truly feel inspired? What are we learning from our lives?

Here is Esha giving a perspective on life through her eyes, and how choosing to see life as a chef has helped her see things in many interesting ways, and a lot to take away.

Let us know in the comments what the flavours of your life are.

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Oh! The Places We Go, an Annual Day Showcase 2020 - 2021

22/5/2021

This year's annual day was extra special to us. As we like to say at SM, "No virus can stop us!", no virus did stop us from learning and growing this year.

Our 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders came together to express themselves in a different way this year, a special way where both them and we facilitators journeyed along many different paths through our minds. Yes, you heard it right- our minds.

Now, here is Ms. Poorva Agarwal giving you a brief about the process. So here we go.

Our 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders were introduced to Dr. Seuss' book, 'Oh, The Places You'll Go', and they went along the character on his journey through his mindspace. They, individually and as a class explored this together and reconstructed their mindspaces in the form of a narrative poem in classic Dr. Seuss style.

The videos you're about to watch are rendered using children's illustrations and their voice.

Watch out for some amazing twists in the story and some cool illustrations as well as voice acting. Sit back and enjoy the show.

Which all places did you go to in your mindspace watching these videos? Do let us know in the comments.

Our school parents came together to watch children's work on the 22nd of May. Out of all of the heartfelt responses they shared post-watching the final videos of their children's versions of Dr Seuss' 'Oh, The Places You'll Go' poem, we handpicked a few of them, which you are about to watch.

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#playbasedlearning
#funplacesforchildren

Top SME Business of the Year 2021 Award

12/5/2021

Top SMEs of 2021 award

"I'm very happy to announce that we have been selected by Great Companies as one of the Top SMEs of 2021.

Right from when we started this journey we have been taking unique paths and unexpected turns as we work towards our mission of Inspiring Confident Learners and Changemakers amongst children today.

To all those who have believed in our vision and supported us through all these years, here's another validation and milestone of achievement. As always many, many miles more to go as our work has just begun.

Thank You for all the trust and support!"
- Sreeja Iyer, Founder & CEO, Sparkling Mindz Global School, Preschool, and Afterschool

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#youngachieversacademy
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#awardsandrecognition

A Paper Mache Adventure By Our Preschool Facilitators!

27/4/2021

Inspired by the nature, Reggio-Emilia system, and wanting to use less of the non-degradable materials, our facilitators decided to take things into their own hands and create bowls using paper.

So they got together on a Saturday morning, during the weekly training session, and embarked on an adventure to creating paper mache!

Once the torn papers were soaked for the weekend, on Monday post class, they got back together to continue their journey towards creating bowls. The soaked papers were mashed with flour, oil, fevicol and water to create the below, and put out to dry.

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!

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#facilitatorlearningdiaries
#learningneverstops

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

CareerGuide's Career ChangeMakers Awards 2021

17/4/2021

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.

Role of Parents at SM

16/3/2021

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.

Our Little Engine can do anything!

14/3/2021

Every morning children sing different SM welcome songs to greet each other before beginning the day at school. One morning, our 2 to 4 year olds looked like most of them did not eat breakfast, no energy at all. Can you visualize how a flower without water how it looks? It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration if I told you that our children looked the same way.

This inspired me to read a book called "The Little Engine", to get them back up on their energy levels. This book is about how the little engine did not give up when faced with challenges till the end and also helped the others in the process. His favourite chant so that he won't give up was, "I Think I Can", which was what I hoped would energize the children today.

So I checked with the children if they would like to listen to a story. As expected, they were all aboard!

While reading the book, my gaze panned through the class. This was what I saw: pin-drop silence, all their eyes glued to the images, nobody blinking. They were focused and paying attention without a movement in absolute silence. At the end of the story, I saw a lot of clarity in their faces, a bunch of warm smiles and some who showed a variety of mixed emotions.

During our reflection of the story, post the usual questions on what was the story, did they like the story and such, we jumped into a specific question,

What did you like in the story?

A:Train is carrying a lot of toys, even I have a lot of toys at home.

As she was sharing the other children pitched in and shared their toys’ details too. They together counted their toys, specifying the features and at a certain point they started to argue with each other too until T said: “I have a little engine at my home!"

Facilitator (F): Oh wow! What do you do with that little engine?
T: I play with it

This got the others to share about what do with trains too such as, “We play with it, we put things on it to carry, I go on a ride and have lot of fun”...

F: Very nice! What do you think the little engine is doing here?

D: Ma’am, it is helping.
F: Who is it helping?
V: big train
A: blue train

F: Why is it helping?
D: Because it is big it is heavy.
Ari: It can't move.

F: How is it helping?
V: I think I can
T: It's pulling the big engine and saying I think I can

Upon hearing this, In chorus everyone started singing, "I think I can! I think I can!"

F: What did you learn from this story?
A: I think I can
D: I think I can

And they continued singing it some more…

Suddenly I heard a voice that said "I think I can help".
As everybody was singing out loud, this little voice wasn’t very audible. So he was asked to repeat.
Ari:" I THINK I CAN HELP! "

F: what do you mean by that Ari?
And he said, “I can also help others” Meaning that he can be like the Little Engine and help others too. This inspired T and she added, “I THINK I CAN DO IT!”

Post this, we saw children religiously following it, reminding each other when they did not follow.

After a month or so, I received a video recording from a parent to see the child repeating the said slogan and not giving up in tough situations. It was definitely a surprise for both the parent and me to watch.

When children are given the freedom to personalize their learning, they start showing ownership of the learning. They customize it to their liking and use it at the required spaces. At SM, when a child learns something new, they learn it as an experience by going in depth through various forms. They then connect this learning not only at school, but also everywhere, gaining knowledge and mastery at it! They show us that learning is fun!

Contributed by Sheela Peter, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool.

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I Wonder What Mud Roti Tastes Like!

9/3/2021

It was a serene evening when the sun was setting and it was time to wind down and leave school for the day. I was intrigued by a couple of kids busy making a cauldron of mud and water mixed together, cheerful as their hands, clothes and feet were covered with mud.

It took me back to my childhood memory of playing hours in the sun and led me to wonder what they were up to. So I went closer and asked, looking at them busily toiling and moulding the mud, "What are we making here?"

N looking at me says without a blink, "I'm making chapatis and lollipops!"

Being pulled into his imagination, I continued, "Oh, I wonder how it taste like?"

"It is brown chapatis because it is made of chocolate and it tastes chocolaty", was the response I received without a second further spent in the imagination.

I was struck by the thought of how play goes beyond what it seems like outwardly, to a process that involves imagination, thinking, connections and logic, innovation, reasoning, motor skills and a lot, lot more.

Play revels the inner creator in kids. They blend culture with passion and create a world of their own. A world where chocolate chapatis are the norm and they can make as many of them as they want with abandon.

Here at SM we believe that play is just not an act but a deep learning process that a child involves in with all their senses and enriches with learning.

Contributed by Grace Veronica, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool.

I Rise - a Women's Day poem

8/3/2021

Happy women's Day to all the amazing, beautiful women who have touched my life in innumerable ways.

I rise (Inspired by Maya Angelou's - Still I rise)

Like the tides in the ocean
That have seen many lives
I rise

Like the gentle breeze
That touches everyone
I rise

Like the specks of dust
Trampled beneath
I rise

Like the vapour in the water
When brought to a boil
I rise

Like the fury of the fire
Stoked by a gust of wind
I rise

Like the clouds that gather
All their might
I fall

But, fierce and mighty
Like the sun
I rise again and again and again.

And, like a ray of hope
Amidst despair and gloom
I will always rise.

- Sreeja Iyer

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#youngacgieversacademy
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#everychildcan
#poetry