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The New Year is often described as Janus-faced, with one head looking back to take stock of how far we’ve come, and the other, looking ahead. As we settle into the new year, we reflect on the highlights from our 2020, and understand the lessons we’ve learned to carry us ahead. We welcome you to join us in the four-part “Looking Back at 2020” journey.

With the physical closure of schools last year, innovation, quick thinking and resilience had to take centre-stage to create a digital classroom that had to be just as effective as the traditional one in transacting teaching and learning. Together, we the Shiv Nadar School community collectively dipped our toes into a new normal, reinventing and adapting ourselves as we went along. Feedback, dialogue and open communication allowed us to strengthen what worked, and recraft what didn’t.

During the uncertain summer of 2020, the three campuses of Shiv Nadar School sought to maintain connection and engagement with students.

Shiv Nadar School Noida introduced “Summer LIVE Personal Projects” –each student was to take up a real world problem, and outline an action-oriented approach with clearly delineated roles of the government and community (with a focus on schools) from both a local and global perspective.

Shiv Nadar School Faridabad created meaningful opportunities for holiday engagement with students through the performance arts – using technology, students were able to record and mix vocal choral performances as well as dance performances as a group.

Shiv Nadar School Gurgaon’s holiday engagement “Bhasha: The Language of the Arts” saw the students taking up any of the arts – be it theatre, music, dance or art - and coming together with the faculty in class, by creating meaningful projects.

Our holiday engagement was thus able to serve as a bridge between the abrupt closure of the physical school and the ensuing online classes.

As regular school classes resumed post the summer break, to teach effectively in the digital classroom, an entirely new way of teaching-learning was still in the process of being innovated. A paradigm shift was critical to enhance learning. And thus, what may have evolved over a matter of years, or perhaps even decades, had to be done in a matter of weeks.

With time, we found increasing success with effective online teaching-learning. At the heart of this was student attention and engagement. With creative problem solving, strategizing and imaginative tech tools, we were able to make the best out of having school in a virtual landscape. We launched Tools for Teachers - an effort towards knowledge-sharing, for educators by our educators – distilling our experience and knowledge with the virtual classroom into easy-to-read guides.

Peppered throughout the school year, in conjunction with our regular, timetabled classes, we invited luminaries across various events and competitions. Ruskin Bond came in for “Meet The Author”, Dr Kiran Bedi’s session “Breaking Stereotypes” was a truly enriching experience for our students, Shantum Seth from the Ahimsa Trust had a virtual session on mindfulness and Jo Chopra, writer and acclaimed disabled rights’ worker came in for a session as a part of our Ability Week.

​Our year also had a motley bunch of other events, webinars and workshops at all three campuses where we touched upon socio-emotional health, sustainability, cybersecurity, nutrition, mental health and more.

Last year was gripped by an unprecedented turbulence across the world and in adapting to this ever-changing environment, 2020 truly became a learning experience for all – testing our mettle not just in terms of tangibly adapting to the digital, but also in terms of our growth, strength of character and personal mastery. As we take stock of this learning, let us next look towards how we innovated and imagined new solutions and landscapes over the year.

The Aha! Times

The Aha! Time is among the most loved parts of our curriculum, appreciated by parents and students both. In the words of Ms. Abha Bansal, the lady who has worked hard on giving this programme a concrete shape, Aha! aims at tickling students in the right places to create interests, and help those interests evolve into passions. We got a chance to catch up with her, and get a personal perspective on how this programme was conceptualised and what are her thoughts on the way it is shaping up. Here is a small interview which opens a window to most of her feelings on Aha!

Q) How did the word Aha come about?

A) The word Aha is a feeling, not an acronym. It is the feeling of wow, wonder, something which stays in the memory lifelong. That is why we wanted to call the programme Aha. Our main aim is to elicit this feeling from every child, as well as the facilitator. The facilitator is an intrinsic part of this entire journey. Unless the facilitator feels wow, the child in his or her class will not feel wow.

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Q) How was the Aha! Programme conceptualised?

A) This programme was conceptualised by the people who conceptualised the school. We then got together and worked to give a better form to this idea. The then CEO, Mr. Shikhar Malhotra, he is a very strong contender for Liberal Arts. He feels that every child has the right to a liberal arts foundation. Sports is again something which is very important and our now CEO, Col. Gopal Karunakaran, is absolutely passionate about the same. To this very day, he gets down in the field and plays with the children. Sporting is also not just an activity. It teaches you a lot of values and life skills.

Yes, we worked on giving Aha! a shape, but it was always a part of the very foundation of the kind of education we wanted to impart at Shiv Nadar School.

Q) If executed well, what do you hope for the Aha! Programme to achieve for the school children?

A) At the face of it, Aha is a good Sports and Arts programme, along with a lot of other activities which work towards Value Education and holistic approach to education. However, the by-products are a good personality, holistic perspective on life, stress free living and happiness. I visit the schools personally to observe the programme as much as I can, and little moments of joy as well as brilliance are our daily sources of success from this programme. Since Aha! is now into its third year, teachers are a lot more comfortable and confident while executing it, but Aha! is a very dynamic programme. It is still evolving. Needless to say, Aha! ties down very closely with our motto of ‘Education for Life’.

Q) How has been the response of parents to this programme?

A) There is always a mixed bag of parents, but whatever interactions and feedback I have had from the parents, definitely 85-90% parents feel that Aha! is the best part of the school curriculum, and it adds a lot of value to the education of their child. Of course, there are other parents who feel there should be more of academics and less of activities. Even among activities, many parents feel it should be performance based activities, where children can excel. However, we at Shiv Nadar School believe that we should have an appreciation based module, where performance and excellence is by-product.

Q) If you could pursue one of the Aha! Activities, what would it be?

A) Ah! That question puts me in a soup. I would have wanted to learn everything!

Q) If you could teach one of the Aha! Activities, which one would that be?

A) My forte is dancing. I have been trained in Kathak for 20 years. So I think I would be best off teaching dance to children. That said, I have to mention that the facilitator of all the Aha! Programmes have to be absolute experts in their field, since Aha! aims at perfection in whatever activity the students choose to pursue.

Q) Is there Aha! Story which you could share with us?

A) There are so many stories that my mind has started bussing with them. There are wow and wonder moments which happen everyday. My favourites are the dhaniya story (which can be read here) and the sandwich story. During one of the cookery classes, in which we introduce fire-free cooking to children, the teacher began with talking about the different kind of sandwiches and what all could you call sandwiches. The children then came up with questions and examples and innovations of their own – right from an ice-cream sandwich to a parantha sandwich to a matthi-achaar sandwich! It was so amazing to see children open up, talk, discuss, think and develop their own versions of an idea as simple as a sandwich!

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SPECTRUM Speaker Series – Justice Leila Seth’s Visit

Three children were called by a wise man, and given a challenge. The man gave each of them a 1000 rupees and asked them to use it for buying something which could fill an entire room. The first child went to the market and bought a cartload of grass with the thousand rupees, but it was insufficient to fill the room. The second child went to the market and bought cotton with a part of the money. With the leftover part of the money he got the same cotton fluffed up to a larger volume. Even this fluffed cotton was insufficient to fill the wise man’s room. The third child went to the market and with ten rupees, he bought an earthen lamp and a wick. Coming back to the wise man’s room, he lit the wick and the entire room was filled with the light of the lamp. Thus, by investing thought and creativity in his action, the child was able to fulfil the wise man’s task, as well as preserve 990 rupees for himself.

Among the many parables that Justice Leila Seth narrated to the eager students of Shiv Nadar School, the above was one which kids fondly remembered. In the form a simple puzzle like story, the veteran conversationalist that Mrs. Seth is, she was able to convey to the young minds the important of innovative thinking and creativity in order to stand tall in the face of challenges thrown by life.

On the morning of 14th July, a distinctive buzz was palpable in the air of Shiv Nadar School. The school was readying itself to receive a personality whose achievements were too many to be listed, and whose very aura commanded respect. Justice Leila Seth had consented to deliver the Inaugural Lecture in SPECTRUM Speaker Series, guiding little learners on the path of good and conscientious citizenship. At the core of her lecture were supposed to be the basics of the Indian Constitution – the one meticulously drafted document which guides, regulates and inspires the collective existence of Indians.

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​Inviting Justice Seth to interact with kids was a part of our larger aim of making education practical, live and experiential. We firmly believe that the horizons of little minds cannot be broadened while being constrained within the four walls of the classroom. To enhance their exposure to the various hues in which life teaches us, we conceptualised the SPECTRUM Speaker Series, where in we intend to invite people of eminence, coming from different fields and backgrounds, each with a unique story from which students can extract learnings for a lifetime.

Justice Leila Seth, in all her graceful humility, proved to be a glorious source of knowledge for our children. The woman who stands tall in the annuls of history as the first woman Chief Justice of a High Court in India, was more than eager to get lost in a flurry of questions which kids enthusiastically bounced at her. Having authored a book in the tone of our Preamble, “We, The Children of India”, she precisely understood the language in which little minds could be stimulated. While explaining a subject as complex and vast as the Constitution, Justice Seth was able to excite curiosity by simplifying the subject matter, peppering her

narrative with lots of stories.​

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The imagination of kids was excited most by the fact that the lady sitting in front of them had been born before India got independence, and had hence experienced what life was like under the British Raj. A number of questions were put up by students about the kind of rules and restrictions which the British imposed on India, trying to fathom an era which is our common heritage as Indians. Kids left from her lecture as a joyous bunch, after hearing Justice Seth recite a poem from her book. Tia Chopra, our student, summed up the experience in the following words –

“Apart from understanding the constitution better, the part that impacted me the most was when she told us we should choose right path and not give up, in spite of all the twists and turns that come, even if others are not following the right path.  She also saidt that the right path can be taken by one so what if they aren't many to start off with ... people will follow if it is the right path.”

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The Verve To Serve

The world around us comprises of people and elements, which though intrinsic to our existence, are often invisible to the naked eye. This happens not out of callousness, but because of the fact that our hearts are seldom sensitized to acknowledging and appreciating silent workers who toil to make our lives liveable. We are also rarely conscious of the multitudes relegated to the margins, languishing in sub-human conditions.

At Shiv Nadar School, we think it is important to have our children become sensitive to the yawning gaps which exist in the privileges accorded to different sections of the society. Empathy, respect and values cannot be cultivated without making children understand the worth of sharing love and happiness. To attain this precise goal, the Joy of Sharing Week was celebrated from 7th to 12th July, 2014, in both our schools.

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Keeping in mind the spirit of volunteerism and awareness of social responsibilities, a week long event, called 'Joy of Sharing' week was organized, comprising of a cornucopia of activities via which kids could engage with their environment. It was an endearing site to observe little hands dole out breakfast to the bhaiyas and didis, who otherwise ran errands to make the students comfortable in school premises. The spirit of service was infectious, and it went beyond the school premises to organizations like Goonj and The Earth Saviours. While on a visit to The Earth Saviour foundation, few faces came back coloured with sadness. It were the same faces which, with time, acquired a determined look focussed in the direction of bringing about positive shifts in the lives of the lesser fortunate.

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Children serving breakfast to bhaiyas and didis

Joy multiplies when shared with our grandparents, and kids experienced the same when they played board games and heard stories rich with wisdom from their grandmas and grandpas. Since we understand and appreciate the value of reading, efforts were made to build an entire library for children at Chaprauli village. Above 3000 books became a part of this library, collected by kids as gifts of knowledge for those whose circumstances prevented access to quality reading material. Our little responsible citizens from the Noida school also camped at a petrol station next to GIP,  to raise awareness against ‘tailgating’ and motivated commuters to follow lane driving norms.

Our tiny tots gave vent to their creativity and innovation by fashioning board games out of raw material collected over the week. These board games were the result of collaborative thinking, and the kids are excited to share the same with neighbouring village school children.

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Sharing the gift of knowledge

The excitement of the entire week culminated into a bright, cheerful day at the Gurgaon school, which organized a fundraiser, nudging the entrepreneurial vein in young brains. The zeal to serve was met with a high spirits of our parents, who happily guzzled drinks and packed away little curios made by our kids. An affable air was generated around the karaoke and games stalls, and people of all ages mingled with each other to unite for a good cause. The collections during the sale went up to a whooping Rs. 1,59,000, surpassing any pre-set expectations. This display of generosity will go a long in improving the living conditions of inmates at Earth Saviours foundation.

Our kids looked like purposeful individuals, as they moved around selling both, the goods, and the concept of Joy of Sharing to parents. A quick dialogue with them could convince anyone of their belief in the larger purpose of their actions. Nothing gives us more satisfaction than translating our vision into actionable reality. In the form of love, skills, empathy, materials and smiles, we all got together to give back to our world, making it a slightly more joyful place to live in.

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Infectious Joy of Sharing!

Understanding Cyber Space

The internet is an all-encompassing reality of our world today. No matter the age, background or aptitude of a person, to eschew the power and influence of the internet is nigh impossible. This vast expanse of information has no noticeable horizons, entering and influencing those parts of our life and minds which often escape our attention. The medium has its perks – it has revolutionised our lives, our tastes, our relationship and our thought processes. However, like all good things, even overtly positive aspects of the cyber-space need to be taken with a pinch of salt.  The same was explored in a workshop conducted by Cyber Security expert, Mr. Rakshit Tandon last weekend at our school.

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For a child, the internet is like a candy shop – aglow with all flavours and colours of sweets a kid would drool over. Here are games to play, social media sites to mingle with your friends and to make new friends, free and easy access to all kinds of videos and songs. To put it briefly, internet is an entire world converged in your screen, which can be explored at a mere click. The pervasive growth of smart phones has further enhanced the access to this explosion of information. This candy shop, however, has its own risks when its services are consumed non-judiciously and in excess.

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Mr. Rakshit Tandon is a cyber-security expert, who pioneered the ‘Safe Surfing Campaign’ for schools. In a highly interactive session, he gave the kids and their parents a complete lowdown on the corners of threat which exist in the otherwise fancy world of internet. Inappropriate content, ill-suited to certain age groups, only requires some taps on the keyboard to gain access to. Addiction to online games can have adverse health effects, and certain games can also leave a violent impact on the psyche of children. Cyber-bullying is increasingly become a concern-inducing virtual phenomenon. Children, as well as their parents need to be sensitized to such issues, and Mr. Tandon addressed all of these with the ease of a veteran. He threw light on the perils of posting too much information about ourselves online, which can be misappropriated by virtual trouble makers.

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Nothing impacts the imagination of young minds like stories do. Mr. Tandon, hence related a lot of real life cases, eloquently woven in the form of narratives with a lesson, which the kids could grasp with ease. He gave numerous examples of crimes committed against innocent persons using social networking sites, online shopping sites, playing online games, using credit / ATM cards and internet banking. He explained in simple terms how cyber hackers operate to extract information leading to defamation, ID theft and bank frauds. He also demystified technical terms like phishing, card cloning, geomapping and WIFI hacking. His talk, while focussing on the problem, also gave out solutions and precautions – some basic cyber etiquettes and hygiene factors - which should be remembered by all to be able to use internet as a helpful and resourceful medium.

We will always hope for our children to remain responsible in their activities and interactions online, safe from any threats that the cyber-space might present to them.

A Tryst With Sufi Music

Have you ever had the good fortune of listening to voices steeped in divine fervour, belting out melody after melody, addressed to the Creator? Have you ever felt a part of the stupor which overtakes a being when love-filled songs reverberate in his surroundings? Have you ever heard the music, the mere aura created by which infuses in your philosophies of love, secularism, devotion and peace? The students of Shiv Nadar School, Noida became the fortunate audience to precisely this kind of a musical extravaganza on the afternoon of 29th July. A Qawwalli baithak was organized under the aegis of SPIC MACAY's All India Virasat Series 2014, where Yousuf Khan Nizami sahab performed along with his entourage of vocalists and instrumentalists

Yousuf Khan Nizami sahab was born in 1974 and is widely recognized among the leading vocalists in sufi style, as well as the modern tradition of Qawwali singing. He is an illustrious singer from the Sikandrabad Gharana, which has given India other legendary singers like Ustad Qudratullah Khan sahab and Ustad Kiyafatullah Khan sahab. His command over Qawwalis and Sufiyana qalams is impeccable.

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​Appreciation of arts is an essential part of the curriculum at Shiv Nadar School. We feel it is important to make our children recognize and associate with the rich cultural traditions which are a part of our collective ancestryIn this endeavour, it was a matter of privilege to partner with an organization like SPIC MACAY, “The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth”, which is devoted to sensitizing the younger generation towards our rich and glorious heritage of performing arts and culture.

Nizami sahab began his performance with what is called a ‘Hamd’ – a type of invocation to the almighty, for his blessings should be sought to make any endeavour auspicious and successful. This Hamd contained praises of the Almighty, hailing him as the essence pervading the world, as the One who exists when nothing else does. This divine fervour led way to a sufiyana qalaam, penned by Hazrat Amir Khusrau, the famous poet, musician and philosopher, who carried with him the message of communal harmony.

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​Nizami sahab also engaged the audience in a mini-quiz on Hazrat Khusrau in an attempt to educate children about the great feats this thirteenth century Sufi accomplished in his life time. Since Khusrau is known for having invented the Tabla, Nizami sahab’s performance contained a section where his percussionist did a solo Tabla instrumental, playing the instrument not just with him fingers, but also his elbow! The energy levels created by Nizami sahab and his entourage were unbelievable, and the audience could not help but sway and clap with the music.

The last song performed was the stupendously famous ‘Damadam Mast Qalandar’, a perfect end to an hour long session of overwhelming musical fervour. Nizami sahab was thanked by students, teachers and the Principal, Mrs. Shashi Banerjee, for giving students not just entertainment, but knowledge of their craft and teaching them values of devotion, love and peace for humanity.

Understanding Freedom

Freedom is a difficult word to define, much less understand. Everyone has their own notions of the word; but all these notions point towards the same essence. This essence borders on self-determination, free of imposed constraints, in an enabling society. Broken down into simple terms, we all aspire to be free individuals, doing things that we want to do, without anyone stopping us.

As citizens of free India, we are granted this gift by our Constitution, which establishes principles of justice, equality and freedom as the foundation stones of Indian polity and society. This, however, was always not the case. A long, gory battle was fought with the British Raj by successive generations of Indian leaders and masses to bring us out of a condition of subjugation which the colonial rule imposed on us. In those days, opportunities were limited and speech heavily regulated. Today, we are liberated enough to air our views on anything, to appreciate and castigate, to love and express hatred – but such enormous capabilities come with concomitant cautionary note. And so, while the Constitution gives us the opportunity for blossoming to our full capacity via Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy, it also keeps us in check through reasonable restrictions and Fundamental Duties.

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At Shiv Nadar School, education happens through investigation, and hence, our endeavour is for children to find out the meaning of freedom and responsibility themselves. This effort continues round the year, through activities as well as interactions with eminent personalities. A few weeks ago, Justice Leila Seth taught a lesson in good citizenship to our students in the Gurgaon school, on which the students reflected and came up with interpretations of their own. In the words of Ms. Shashi Banerjee, Principal of Shiv Nadar School, Noida, ‘It is our endeavour to seek for ourselves the meaning of 'freedom' and 'gratitude'.’

This Independence Day, we decided to gift them something unique. On 13th August, in the Noida branch of our school, we inaugurated a Paper Recycling Unit. This inauguration is a step towards putting another of our values into action. All of us want to leave the world a better place for the next generation. While it sometimes feels like we don’t have much control over what happens down the line, one of the best ways to ensure that there will be a healthy planet for future generations is to teach little ones about recycling now so that now so that they grow up with awareness about waste and an appreciation for preserving resources. Schools use piles of stationery every day, which can, if planned judiciously, can be used to create usable everyday materials that would reduce our carbon footprint and our running costs!

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​It is our take on the essence of the word ‘independence’. Doing our bit for the society is always a liberating experience, and we have to make sure that we inculcate in our young ones a sense that prevents them from impinging on the freedom of others while enjoying their own. And then, these words by the Mahatma inspire us to always act with a sense of purpose – “Be the change you want to see in others.”

Kicking Up Some Excitement!

The evening of 24th September, 2014, will be remembered by students and teachers of Shiv Nadar School Gurgaon for a long time to come. After all, it did not happen daily that a star soccer player made his way to the school to interact with his young fans. This star was none other than Pedro Miguel Pauleta, a legend from the world of football, who made appearance at the school as a part of our partnership with the PSG Football Academy, India. The grass on our football field suddenly started looking more inviting than ever! And why not - this retired football player had the charms and talent to inspire an entire generation of budding football players! Our event with him is definitely an example to go by.

​The PSG-Football Academy has been in existence at the Shiv Nadar School since past two months, but the official launch of the same happened with Pauleta’s visit to our school. We are proud to be the first school in India where the French Club’s Academy is launched!

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Shiv Nadar School students greeted Pauleta with a traditional Indian welcome, complete with garlands adding the beauty of what was to transform into a truly wonderful day. Our students then took him on a tour of the school, proudly displaying the facilities which have been put in place to build the best possible learning environment for them. The most exciting part of the entire event was when Pauleta stepped into the Football field, sharing some kicks and tricks with the young football enthusiasts. The shutterbugs did not cease clicking, as Pauleta awarded memorabilia to many of our students.

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Pauleta with Mr. Shikhar Malhotra, our Trustee

Sports are an integral part of the curriculum at Shiv Nadar School – they challenge the mind and body, and provide many positive opportunities for children. Football, specially, is a game which is fun, challenging, thrilling and disciplining.The constructive aspects of football are even more visible when the game is introduced earlier on in a child’s life. Development of motor skills, sharp mental activity and healthy team spirit are the basic aspects of an individual which football helps nurture.

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Excellence in sports is derived from diligence, perseverance and discipline – but the fun, support and motivation that came with Pauleta’s visit will go a long way in making students take up the football more seriously. Who knows, the next international football star might be one of these young footballers who shook hands with Pauleta!

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Learning The Art of Learning

Among the many conversations you will hear at Shiv Nadar School, a prominent, oft-repeated one will be on the philosophy of lifelong learning. Lifelong Learning is counted as one among the six Core Values of the school. In fact, it is the single-most important concept which forms the bedrock of our existence, serving also as the guiding principle for all activities we undertake. The essence of Lifelong Learning is visible in the excitement to learn which we try and imbue in our students, as well as in the methods of our teachers, who consider themselves facilitators and participants in this process of a lifetime of learning.

But, ponder over it, and ask yourself, what does it really mean, when we enunciate the words, “Lifelong Learning”? Don’t worry, there is no right answer here. The beauty of this concept is that it is nothing more than a humble acknowledgement of the fact that there is an infinite realm of knowledge out there, of which we can never grab the whole. However much we know, there will be more to know. If, however, we have learnt the art of discovery and the spirit of enquiry, learning will become this joyful process which will go on, each day of life, each hour of the day.

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We, at Shiv Nadar School, firmly believe in the fact that learning neither begins at school, nor ends with it. A child is a naturally curious entity, who constantly tries to make sense of this world staring down at him. As children grow, they start on this beautiful journey of learning, unlearning, understanding, decoding, investigating and answering the complex puzzle in the form of which life presents itself. School, is but one part, albeit an extremely important one, in this lifelong odyssey of learning.

Who is to say that knowledge resides in books, or learning can be measured by examinations? In schools, we teach lessons first and then conduct examination. Life, however, conducts examinations first, through which we are taught lessons. The trick, as we understand, is that if a child understands how to learn, and not what to learn, he is well placed to deal with every challenge that life throws his way. This is aptly put in words by Ms. Rupa Pal Chowdhury, teacher at Shiv Nadar School, Noida, “Lifelong learning is a concept which extends from teachers, to students, to the Principal. We believe that as long as a child has the DNA to learn, he or she can cope with any situation of life.”

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We cannot really predict what the world will evolve into in the next ten years. How can we then be sure that what we are teaching them today will be of value to them in the kind of life they have to live? Our best bet is to make them keen observers and analysers, confident enough to understand a situation and then react to it. The curriculum at Shiv Nadar School, hence, is designed bearing in mind an objective much larger than grades or marks.

Ms. Shashi Banerjee, Principal of SNS, Noida, surmises the importance of Lifelong Learning in the following words, “Lifelong Learning is our most important value for three reasons. One, you are never conceited about what you learn. There is openness to learning more, which brings humility. The second thing is, life may surprise you, but it would not throw a lifelong learner off balance, because you are trained to be surprised. And the third thing is, it infuses reverence and respect for every other human, because when you are learning, you are learning from every other human.” What perfectly melodious words to end our thoughts on lifelong learning with!

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Feeding Curious Minds

 A child is a natural learner. He learns more by example, than by advice. He is not a lump of clay which may be shaped according to conventional notions of propriety, growth and success. Seldom do people realise that for a child, knowledge is the outcome of his own interactions with the world. It cannot be foisted from above. An ideal educational programme, hence, would comprise of the realization of a child’s unique potential and his bubbling mind, effervescent with curious impressions of the world around him.

A group of children were taken through the process of growing coriander leaves, with an idea to familiarize them with nature at the most basic level. Once the leaves blossomed forth in their perfect green colour, students were asked to rub them in between their palms and breathe in the fragrant flavours of coriander. In an interesting observation by one of the students, coriander leaves to him smelled of aloo-tamatar ki subzi prepared back home. Amusing, yes, but when left to explore by himself, a child learns to associate things and arrive at his own grand structure of conclusions. This is the inherent learning capacity of a child that we, at Shiv Nadar School, seek to tap into.

Our educational programme has evolved out of an in-depth engagement with a child’s psyche. It seeks to stoke the element of curiosity to facilitate knowledge delivery. We are firm believers in the fact that education is a process that continues through life. School is but one of the phases – not the first, not the ultimate – in an individual’s journey of learning.

A special effort at Shiv Nadar School is, hence, made in the direction of building intellectual and emotional capacity and helping students identify patterns which they may synergise into new concepts of their own. Our curriculum, while facilitating a child’s understanding of his own self, also seeks to establish his connections with others, which includes his ability to empathise and to understand the subtleties of human interactions.

In an attempt to engage better with all partners in our endeavour to deliver the best and most innovative education practices, we are enhancing our presence in the virtual world. This blog is one of the several attempts in that direction. Through this forum, we will update all readers with school activities, events, as well as throw light on various issues concerned with growth, development and education of a child. We will bring to you stories which will help you connect better with different faces of the Shiv Nadar School family. We do also hope to elicit responses from our readers about how processes at Shiv Nadar School can be made more effective and fruitful.

Children change and grow every day, in a process both fascinating and endearing. While teaching them, we ourselves get to learn much. These learnings will be converted into narratives via which you may get a peek into our daily trysts with curious little learners. Have a nice time reading the blog!