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!

Vision 2015

Innocence and boundless imagination – they both exist in exquisite forms in the world of children. It is worth wondering, what will be the shape our policies and plans for future take, if children were to craft them and cast them into their vision of the world. And no, their perfect world does not comprise of houses made of candies and rivers flowing with chocolate. Theirs is a world where education is primary, where parity is the world order and where love and sharing are prime virtues. A conversation around holidays, festivals and their hopes from the coming year revealed to us thoughts which were studded with starry imaginations and good intentions.

Festivals remind us all of a time for joy, for sharing, for lighting lamps, for singing songs, and for trying to bring a smile on the faces of our near and dear ones. For our students, festivals are also the time to eat fancy, on-demand delicacies and heighten their claims for long pending gifts. Festivals also mean memories and stories, made in childhood, and relived each year while growing up.

While singing songs and enjoying the festive season with our students, both from Noida as well as Gurgaon school, we also asked them a question – ‘If you could change on thing about the world in 2015, what would it be?’ The answers we received, both, surprised us, and warmed our hearts. Here is a broad peek into what our students desire to make happen in 2015. Let our actions be guided by these little desires of our students as we set out to live 2015 as another grand year of our life.

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Purposeful Pursuit of Excellence

Peace for humanity

In no uncertain words did our students tell us that the one thing wrong with the world is that it lacks peace. Individuals lack peace within themselves and humanity lacks a sense of patience and tolerance. Unanimously, hence, one thing our students would like to change in the world in 2015 is the sense of unease, conflict, narrow thinking and selfishness which plagues us all.

Justice and Equality for All

Even in their tender years, the slow pace of grievance redressal and justice delivery has affected the imagination of our students. They want citizens to have a chance at fair living with all human rights granted and protected by the Constitution. In the words of a student -

I would like to change the justice system in India as many people do not get justice and their trials are pending for years.

Constructing a New Planet

Our students do not only consider themselves citizens of India. In a world we have begun calling ‘Glocal’, children are the first to adopt for themselves the identity of a ‘World Citizen’. Therefore, the carelessness with which we continue to treat Mother Earth worries them. Here are a few thoughts -

I would like to change the way the earth looks. I would change all the littered areas and polluted roads into new ones.
The main thing I would change is hatred – it is continuously dividing our planet.

A world of Literacy and Gender Empowerment

Our students are little crusaders under their shell. The concern they have for Child Rights, Gender Empowerment and cause of Education is heartwarming. Following are their thoughts -

‘If I could change one thing about the world it would be to educate girls and promote girls’ education.’
‘I would open schools for girls in rural areas with female teachers. I want to change the mentality of those parents who favour male child.’

Freedom of Thought

True blossoming of human potential cannot happen in the absence of restrictions on imagination and thoughts. Anything that constrains these is out of scope in the idea of a perfect 2015 that our students have conjured. Let’s hear it in their words -

‘I would finish superstitions and myths completely as they stop us from thinking freely.’
‘I want to create a world free of judgements and prejudice.’

An Inclusive Existence

We can never create a worthy world if plants and animals are not given a safe space to exist. Trees being cut and animals being slaughtered are issues which cause pain to our students. They want stray animals to have a home and the earth to retain its green colour.

A Final Word

Yes, they want to see many good things in the world, but they do realise that we all have to be a part of this change. As Ananya puts it –

‘Only one person can’t change the world, but I would still do my best.’

To conclude our thoughts here, we have a powerful point to ponder. Here is a wish which to set you thinking, for it says a rather profound thing very simply – ‘I want to ensure that our childhood never comes to an end.’ Can we attempt together and make this happen?

​Holding hands for a better tomorrow

The Many Faces of Shiv Nadar School

This day, is a special day, and the child in all of us eagerly looks forward to this day each year. Today is, of course, 14th of November, Chacha Nehru’s birthday, celebrated across the country as Children’s Day with much pomp and revelry. Our school is no different, but this time, rather than celebrating the day, we thought of celebrating the spirit and the essence, which lie at the very basis of this day – our lovely students! Exploring interests unique to them, our students at time stun us with the finesse they have achieved in different spheres of our curriculum. A sentence or two of deep insights from them leaves us thinking, and sometimes even pleasantly confused! And that is what the innocence and passions of childhood should be like.

Here is a peek into the world of happy exploration of passions at Shiv Nadar School!

Future Artists – Second Standard Students

“Ma’am, I like painting because it builds up our drawing muscles”, says a little girl innocently, when asked why she loves being in the art class. Further prodding reveals that as per her, drawing muscles are the muscles which help us draw. Now, did anyone of you think about it like that? We guess not. This eclectic bunch of students, are all busy in drawing out their perfect masterpieces. Shaurya tells us that he loves drawing because it is fun to draw. Adit adds a little more, when he says, “I like art because it is fun and because we can imagine and do a lot of things with colours.” The splashes of all hues emanating from these little hands are as bright as the sun’s rays when it comes to illuminating our school. We only hope a great painter is born out of this very group of busy-in-doodling kids!

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Football Champs – Girls Team

Sports is supposed to tell you that all days are going to be your days, and this is the essence of a small conversation which we strike with Mansi, Drishti and Simrat – the members of the Gurgaon Girls’ Football Team.

“I was shocked when I got selected for the team. I never knew I hide a footballer within myself!” says Mansi Adya. It is true for so many of us, who are pleasantly surprised when a passion comes knocking on our doors and we recognise it like a long, lost friend. “I am not a sporty person, but then sir told me about my leadership skills, and he thought I would be a good addition to the team” is what Drishti Mangar will tell you about her experience with football. This team has not one, but three captains, each to hone a different aspect of the game. Sports add a lot of value to the lives of these girls. They say, it helps to keep everyone together, teaches them how to behave when they go outside and also to coordinate well with a person they did not know till a day ago. The most amazing insight, however, comes from Simrat Dhaliwal, one of the captains of the team. She says, “Sports teaches us drama!” Youth and innocence do not bar this girl from recognizing the glamour and theatrics involved in this game! Well, drama or no drama, we hope and wish this team keep climbing high on the path to success.

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In House Robotics Expert!

“When I grew up a little I had a stock of parts, gears, motors. I dismantled things, my parent also occasionally got angry, but it was all worth it!” says Mudit, a nonchalant class seventh student from Shiv Nadar School, Noida. This child keeps building small models with mechanical innovations in his spare time, and his cars are famous in the school! As of now, Mudit is busy collecting metal cans to use as body for his future models. When he goes out for competitions, the school provides him all support to put his genius into impeccable designs. The Robotics lab in both our schools is specially designed keeping in mind the creative genius of children like Mudit and to guide them in all manners possible, so as to enable them to become innovators of tomorrow, adding value to all of our lives!

The Theatre Queen!

“In Aha Theatre we do acting of different things, and I chose Aha! Theatre this year, because last year we performed a play about thieves who went to a new imaginary land and I really enjoyed it. I played a thief in that play!”, says Niyashi from Shiv Nadar School, Noida. Recognising early her penchant for acting, she wants to get better and grow up to become an actor. Aha! Theatre is a programme designed specifically to hone the performing skills of children who hide entertaining actors inside them. During their theatre sessions, children play games to improve their concentration, while working hard to chisel their dialogue delivery and body language. Apart from the school, Niyashi receives a lot of encouragement from her parents, who guide her to put in hard-work if she wants to become a good actor.

​The Musical Duo

Who doesn’t love music? It is the artistry that paints itself on silence, and touches almost immediately the strings of our heart which then start humming along. Ayushi Sharma and Sai Satyaprakash from the Gurgaon school would gladly agree to the above expression. “Music helps me during my moods. It speaks when you cannot express much” says Sai, who, along with Ayushi, regaled the audiences by singing Ghalib’s ghazal during the recently concluded Funkaar Week. While Sai’s favourite song is Madhuban Khushbu Deta Hai, Ayushi is a big fan of Katie Perry. Aha! Music gives these students a chance to pursue something they are really passionate about. “Aha! Helps you express, and enhances your talent when you want to pursue something not related to studies”, explains Ayushi. The melody in their voice chimes with the passion for music which resides in their heart. Listen to them to know for yourself.

​Cheers To All Our Lifelong Learners

By giving our students an opportunity to explore such diverse areas of interest, one of our core aims is to involve them in a joyful process of understanding and preparing for life. Our hearts swell with pride when we try talking to them about ‘learning’ and they reveal to us answers which have depth and meaning at the heart of them.  They understand learning to be something which is bigger than education, which can be absorbed from all around. Drishti told us, “When you learn something, it is all yours, no one can snatch it from you.”  True, knowledge or learning is uniquely ours, but it must continuously be shared so that we may all become partners in the process of spreading the illumination of knowledge in the darkest corners of the world.

Cheers to our children. Happy Children’s Day!

The Wanderlust In Us!

We have spoken and written enough times about our keen belief in education and learning being experiences which are not contained, spatially or temporally, within the walls of a school or classroom. Therefore, we set out on journeys of exploration of the world together, aiming to give our students as much exposure to varied activities, processes and concepts. These explorations, at times, happen through experiential engagements within the school, where knowledge is tested in practical domains, and at other times, such explorations physically draw us out of school to trips which we callOutbound Learning Experience.

Our rationale behind such trips is to encourage learning while having fun. The month of November, where the air starts developing a pleasant chill, and the weather becomes a lot more amenable to travel and discovery, was full of tours and expeditions which the Shiv Nadar School students undertook to different parts of India.

At Shiv Nadar School, these outbound trips are carefully planned and executed, keeping in mind the learning needs of students from different grades. We are also very conscious of reducing carbon footprints and inculcating a respect for nature and diversity, and that also affects our choice of destination.

Let us take you through a brief peek into the various trips which our students undertook this year. Needless to say, both, our students and teachers returned from the trip refreshed, enriched and ecstatic, having spent time sharing, caring and learning with their peers.

Aurobindo  Ashram, Nainital

The students of grade 8 had their Outbound Learning Experience in a Youth Camp conducted by the Aurobindo Ashram, Van Niwas, Nainital from 22nd to 28th June. Set in the beautiful Himalayan ranges, the ashram had a simple and serene accommodation for the students and teachers, and it aimed to nurture physical, emotional, spiritual and social aspects of living. The days at the camp comprised of exercising, meditation, rock climbing, trekking, river crossing and enjoying an occasional stroll through the Nainital Market. Students also enjoyed the film screening of Vertical Limit and the trek upto Tiffin Top! According to our students, overcoming physical and mental challenges was a big learning through the different activities of the camp. They also enjoyed coming out of their comfort zones and adjusting to the simple food and living conditions. Our teachers were happy because the exercise gave them a wider scope to understand their students. They believe that the bonds developed during these trips last a lifetime.

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Sitlakhet, Almora

Our young explorers from Grade 5 went onto explore the beautiful scenery of Sitlakhet, located in Almora. Sitlakhet is said to be the hub of breathtaking views and blooming orchards, and the same was experienced by our students who came back from the trip rejuvenated and ecstatic. The trip had at the heart of it an objective of team-building and facilitating greater understanding between students and teachers. Living together and exploring the tricky mountainous terrains helped students come closer to their peers, as well as develop sensitivity towards the different manners of living we all come from. The students also spent some time exploring Corbett National Park, and appreciating the flora and fauna of the same. Needless to say, the trip proved to be a beautiful memory worth cherishing for everyone!

Pegasus Camp, Dehradun

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious – This was how the enthusiastic campers described their experience in camp Pegasus. The word, which is the second longest word in English language, expertly reflects the enthusiasm our children felt throughout the five day trip. Pegasus Camp is spread over a naturally landscaped slope in Dehradun. The Pegasus Institute believes in The Action-Learning Cycle. It is based on the philosophy of learning through reflection of action and application of these learning in the future actions, continuing cyclically. Aligned to these values, the children were given tasks, which were followed by reflections. Multiple reiterations of the philosophy and reminder to apply the same in future tasks, was the method endorsed and applied at Camp Pegasus to help achieve learning objectives efficiently.  These fabulous five days left an indelible mark on the mind and spirit of our students and teachers to become better learners and human beings.

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Going out with their peers, without their parents   on overnight   trips enhances many skills in students, like confidence, cooperative living, responsibility, team work, leadership and problem solving during challenging situations. We believe our students took all of this, and much more, home from all these trips! And it is not just our students, but also the staff and core team who undertake outbound trips. More on that in our future Facebook posts and blog articles. Stay tuned!

Creativity Speaking For Itself

ur school is an institution proud of giving arts, creativity and innovation their due respect and position in our curriculum. Through structured programmes like Aha!, we give exposure to different types of creative and performative arts to all our children, over and above that mandated by the CBSE. Since the value we are exploring this month is Openness and Transparency, we thought of directly having our music and dance teachers share their creative stories with you. Among the many things they shared with us in an interaction, we were told that openness, understanding and freedom to explore are fundamental qualities needed to allow arts to flourish. The enthusiasm these teachers hold towards their craft as well as towards nurturing little dancers, singers and musicians is inspiring. Here, we will let them speak for themselves.

The Musical Trio, Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon

Their eyes light up with happiness and love, the moment you ask them all to talk about music – their common, defining passion, no less. Rashmi Sharma, Bhairav Gupta, and Gaurav Nahar – these are the faces who hold the flags of music high in Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon. Their collective voice echoes in the praise of the environment the school gives them to pursue music, giving expert guidance to students in their respective, chosen fields of musical specialization.

Bhairav would proudly tell you, “Music demands everyone to be that precise and accurate, so you are competing against everyone, but in the most inclusive manner. It is a team competing for itself, which is completely different from academics.”That is the inclusive aspect of music. It brings talent together, while creating a fertile ground to aspire for individual excellence.

Rashmi becomes nostalgic and happy when you ask her about her first days at Shiv Nadar School. “I joined Shiv Nadar School as a Founder teacher”, is the first thing you hear from her. Her music story is also very inspiring. “When in fifth standard, I got a chance to go to Bal Bhawan. That is where the calling came from. I bought my first piano using saved up earnings, without telling my family!” She began with playing and teaching Harmonium and has performed internationally at places including Russia. Having received her training at Gandharva, she is now snug in her role of a music teacher at Shiv Nadar School.

Gaurav Nahar is a professional violinist. He belongs to a traditional music family. “Music is in my blood. Ever since I grown up, everyone around me was pursuing some form of music or the other”, and hence came his calling. Music, indubitably, flows in his blood. You just have to glimpse him hold up his violin with the grace and confidence, and you will know what kind of a passion are we talking about.

Bhairav, like Gaurav, also comes from a family where the understanding of arts and culture was very high. “I come from a pretty creative background. My dad is a painter and mum is a linguist.” He comes from a typical Bengali family and as he would tell you, every Bengali family has a grandmother with a harmonium. That probably was his starting point in the domain of music. He remembers his family hosting musical soirees while he was still a toddler. Today, he feels lucky to be in a place which allows his creativity to reign free.

“We all feel very lucky when we come here. This kind of atmosphere and freedom you will not find anywhere else. The children need to enjoy – if they enjoy that is our success” – these are the most glorious words with which we end their story for you, but only for now.

The Chhau Expert, Shiv Nadar School, Noida

“Dance is not a mere hobby. It brings a lot more in your life”, and thus begins the story of Rajesh Saibabu. A jovial, talkative-once-initiated person, Rajesh can overwhelm you with the love and devotion he holds towards his craft. “Dance infuses discipline. The combination of dance steps and rhythm, and the harmony that arises from them helps in de-stressing a person.”

If there could be a brand ambassador for our Aha! Programme, it would have to be him. In a family which was buzzing with doctors, engineers and other professionals and academics of all sorts, Rajesh chose to pursue his absolute passion – dance. And it is this choice which made him stand out.

“I thank God that dance and music are given their due value in the school. Our Principal and seniors give us all the support we need in order to pursue our craft freely and responsibly.” Says Rajesh.

No one can forget his gravity-defying Chhau dance performances. True, dance was not a profession which many of his kin followed, but Rajesh was lucky to have found his core inspirations within his family. “My mother is my inspiration. My father is my Guru.” Always up for a friendly chat, you should make sure Rajesh teaches you a step or two of Chhau next time you bump into him.

These are a few bright and positive faces we brought in front of you in this article. We will keep introducing you to more such people who define the spirit of who we are, and what we do at Shiv Nadar School. Till then, keep reading!

When Our Teachers Go Places!

The holiday season has come with a very unique gift for two of our teachers. Ms. Pooja Sharma and Mr Prakash Sahoo, middle school educators for Science and Mathematics, respectively, have been selected to participate in the prestigious Honeywell Educators @Space Centre programme, having competed with brilliant teachers worldwide!

The program takes middle school science and math teachers who are truly committed to education, to a week’s experiential learning tour and stay at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center at Alabama. Not only does it provide a transformational experience of how different science streams come together to create a seamless space shuttle program, but the teachers also take back the enthusiasm and excitement about science to the thousands of children they will touch in their lifetimes.

Both our lovely teachers are bubbling with almost childlike energy and curiosity to know what the experience has in store for them. Mr. Bijo Thomas, a teacher at Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon, had been selected to participate in the same programme last year, and he has very interested tales and anecdotes to share from the same. Pooja and Prakash are carrying the legacy of brilliance ahead, and we thought it would be a good idea catch up with them, and introduce you to the heart and mind of these teachers.

Mr. Prakash Sahoo, Teacher, Mathematics, Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon

Mr Sahoo brings with himself a wealth of experience and a treasure of love for the subject of Mathematics. In this profession for a satisfying 14 years, Prakash finds himself absolutely comfortable in the skin of a teacher. When you ask him what keeps up his enthusiasm for this profession, he will humbly tell you it is his 'Swadharma'. It is not merely his bread and butter, but teaching is a way of life. He has met and influenced the life of many students in his career. This has taken him through many parts of the country, and he will fondly share many heart-warming stories of the joy of seeing little minds exercise and push the horizons of their thinking and understanding. He remembers with particular interest instances where students spoke with him using the language of geometry, so clear were their concepts! Mr. Sahoo has also worked towards making Jodo Gyan an effective tool for making mathematics fun for students.

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Mr. Sahoo thinks that the way to make mathematics interesting for students is by playing through their strengths, and not imposing it on them like a giant body of signs and numbers. We shall soon share with you a song on mathematics he made with students, which changed the way many young minds looked at this subject forever!

Ms. Pooja Sharma, Teacher, Science, Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon

Ms. Sharma is the Founding Teacher of Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon. When questioned on the profession of teaching, and why she feels passionately for it, she expresses, “Being a teacher gives me the opportunity to relive my childhood differently. It gives me the space to design situations that give my students a chance to do what I could not at their age. In many ways, it helps me keep the curious kid in me alive.” Being among the Founding Teachers, she has seen the school develop its thinking process, and then work towards making its teaching and learning philosophy convert into actions. Needless to say, it infuses tremendous pride in her.

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Pooja brings with her the incredible flexibility of having taught all age groups of school students in her 13 year long career. Right now, she is teaching grades 6th, 7th and 8th and she feels most satisfied because this, as per her, is a dynamic age-group, in which you can notice changes each day. Here, she has a positive chance of engaging students into enquiry based learning, teaching them how to question, thereby understanding why the world is the way we know it is. What is her teaching high? She will enthusiastically tell you it is seeing students do something in class which completely transforms the way they look at the world. The opportunity to create such experiences with consistency for her students is what keeps the spark up in her.

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We have heard that our teachers will get to experience amazing things like, zero-gravity simulations at this programme. Well, we wish them the best, and we hope they bring back experiences from which all of us can learn something.

Great Teachers Are Never Forgotten

It was a day of delight, of pride, of bright smiles and the reiteration of a shared mission. Among the most looked-forward to day in the year is our Cheers to Peers event – a time to honour all the star-performers of our establishment who work relentlessly, day in-day out, to infuse life and reality into our vision of quality education and lifelong learning.

For the uninitiated, Cheers to Peers is an annual Reward and Recognition event. Nominations and winners of these awards are decided on the basis of an open and transparent peer assessment process. Besides, the Cheers to Peers programme comprises of a lot of fun activities where all our employees are given a chance to interact with each other in an informal atmosphere.

On the morning of 24th December, as our employees entered Shiv Nadar School, Noida, the venue to C2P, they had no idea about the kind of happy surprises in store for them. The path leading to the auditorium was decorated with words and faces of the Greatest Teachers who have graced our country and left an indelible mark of their genius on generations of students and learners alike. We firmly believe in the statement – Great teachers are never forgotten. They live on in the thoughts and actions of their students. It was only apt, hence, that we invoke great teachers like S. Radhakrishnan, Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi as we settled down in anticipation of what the day had in store for us.

Colonel Gopal Karunakaran, the much loved and respected CEO of Shiv Nadar School, kickstarted the day’s proceedings with a very inspiring and warm speech. Among the many beautiful things he shared, he listed the attributes of an able and motivated employee in our Core Team. We were all happy to hear that the name which fit Colonel Gopal’s story was that of Prakash – our office help, who is now indispensable to the daily proceedings, because he goes beyond  the call of duty each time he feels the organization needs him.

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A number of different honours were bestowed on members of our organization. These included

1. STAR Awards – These awards are given to express gratitude and give recognition to people from the admin team who have shown exceptional standards of dedication to their job roles. STAR, in fact, stands for ‘Special Thanks and Recognition’.

2. SPOT-ON Awards – These are our TGIM Awards, in other words, our Thank God It’s Monday Awards. They are awarded for promptness, punctuality and countless hour of enthusiastic devotion to the organization.

3. Shawards - A set of fun awards, named thus in the Punjabi style humour! These were the only awards which used witty poetry to felicitate the winners.

4. SPARK Awards – These awards are given to honour innovation in teaching methods.

5. ABCD Awards – ABCD stands for Above and Beyond the Call of Duty. These awards recognise the vigour that is brought to our system by employees who go beyond their defined job roles to help the organization achieve its best.

6. Recognition for Programme Leaders and teachers anchors at the Development Centre, for the continuous effort they put towards providing support and guidance to teachers at our school.

7. Extraordinary Achievers Awards - Simriti Singh, from Noida school, was given this award to appreciate the stellar work she has been doing as an independent researcher on evolving conducive learning spaces for students.

8. The Dependables – These awards were given to teachers who we know are always there for us to rely upon, even in the most unlikely and unexpected of circumstances.

9. Cheers to Peers Awards – These were the big honours of the day, awarded to 12 teachers, 6 from Noida school and 6 from Gurgaon school, in recognition of their brilliance, dedication and levels of motivation towards their task. The Cheers to Peers award are based on a peer assessment process where teachers vote for other teachers on parameters aligned to the Value System of our school. Needless to say, the winners of these awards were teachers who consistently excel within and beyond their job roles.

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After all the awards were given, Mr. Shikhar Malhotra came on the stage to give the closing address. The thrust of Shikhar’s dialogue lay on the fact that great minds attract great minds, and Shiv Nadar School is a fortunate organization to have attracted and nurtured such minds which aid our progress towards becoming a great institution.

As a surprise, all of us received white T-Shirts on which our colleagues wrote little messages for us. These scribbles are tangible memories we will all keep with ourselves, to relive these moments years later, with an unconscious smile on our lips and an unexpected tear in our eyes. They day culminated in a well-earned lavish lunch for all.

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It’s been time since the glorious day, and we cannot stop gushing about it. Cheers to our peers, our students, our parents, our partners, and to everyone who help make Shiv Nadar School such a wonderful world of knowledge to bask in!

Decoding The ‘Book of India’

The great German Scholar, Max Mueller, has famously stated,

"If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions, I should point to India."

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So, when the Constituent Assembly met for the first time in New Delhi on 9 December, 1946, to mull over the ‘Idea of India’ and put together a collection of rules, laws and principles which were to guide India for the rest of its existence, we can be sure that they created a master document which the world holds in awe and respect. This master document is what we call the ‘Constitution of India’, which came into force this day, 66 years ago.

While drafting the Constitution, the members of the Constituent Assembly had a number of issues at their hand to grapple with, and it was their earnest desire to come out with solutions which can see India through to a stable present and a glorious future. The Constitution is an enormous document, recognised as the longest in the world. It is complicated, sure, but at its core are some simple to understand ideas, which give it foundation and direction for interpretation.

We have been lucky to have had a great woman explain the basic tenets of the Constitution to us – Justice Leila Seth – who also happens to hold the distinction of the being the first woman Chief Justice of a High Court in India. Having spent a large part of her life reading, understanding, interpreting, applying and upholding the Constitution, Justice Seth was the perfect medium for us to understand and delve into its finer nuances. Today, the 66th Republic Day of India, which lends itself historicity by the virtue of having Mr. Barack Obama, the leader of another of world’s great democracy, as the State Guest, is probably a good day to revisit the interaction of India, India’s Constitution and the idea of Good Citizenship, which Justice Seth had introduced us to.

Please do find time to watch this video of a lovely interactive session held on July 14, 2014, at Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon, which taught us much, and left us enriched for a lifetime.

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Think. Discuss. Collaborate. Resolve.

The Shiv Nadar School Model United Nations Conference is back! And we are all excited about it. Over the course of the next 6 working days, students from Shiv Nadar School, Noida and Gurgaon will engage in debates, discussions and deliberations to resolve issues which the foremost leaders of the world are trying to arrive at solutions for at major global forums. In their second experience at MUNing, they will have the opportunity to think, behave and shoulder responsibility for saving our world, and making it a place worth living in.
 

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If you do not know what an MUN is, we’ll take a moment to explain. MUN, or Model United Nations, is a simulation of the United Nations set up, which aims at exposing students in a young age to concepts and issues of global importance. It aims to build into students sensitivity towards problems of the world and the sensibility to find viable solutions for them. Alongside, the concept seeks to instil many real life skills in students, which include public speaking, negotiations, lobbying, spontaneous speech making, writing etc.
 

In Shiv Nadar School, MUNs are conducted in a unique format, where, other than fulfilling the said objectives, they are used as an opportunity for learning about issues tied to social science curriculum. For this, we partner with the Alma College, Michigan, which has arguably, the best MUN team in the world. Interns from Alma College come down to our school to spend over a month teaching students of grade 7th to 11th the basics of MUN procedure, as well as run them through many interesting simulations.

Why Alma College? Well, that is because Alma College’s nationally recognised Model United Nations program has won top honors at the National Model United Nations conference in New York City for 20 consecutive years (1997–2016) — the longest active winning streak of any college or university in the nation. Alma College’s all-time 34 “outstanding delegation” awards are the most of any college or university in the 92-year history of the conference.

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The interns from Alma College – Madison Swope, Madison Amlotte, Beau, Tylor, Nathaniel, Morgan, Connor and Bridget – have been at our school for over a month now. Having had vast experience in MUNs, they have become mentors for our students as they polish several of their skills, both, as delegates, and members of a simulated International Media body. The great thing about MUNs is that whatever your area of interest, there is something in it for you. If you like reading up on things, become an expert researcher. If you like writing, you’ll be a great help in drafting resolutions, writing position papers and also drafting reports for the newsletters each day. If you like public speaking, well, the world literally is out there to be conquered. In addition, talented photographers and caricaturists also surface through this mega-event, as do student leaders and empathetic citizen who will be responsible for leading the world into a tomorrow of light and hope.

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The theme for the conference this year is ‘Human Rights’, pertinent given the times we are living in. Exploitation of rights, whether due to war, state failures, radicalization and conflicted ideologies is rampant. In five different UN committees, students will take up the responsibility of debating on different aspects of these rights,while representing different global foreign policies and perspectives.

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We’re looking forward to a great conference, and to sum this article up, here is what Colonel Gopal Karunakaran, CEO, Shiv Nadar School, and an officer who has also served on UN Peacekeeping Mission, has to say about the upcoming conference –

“Large countries tend to look at the world simply through their prism. MUN gives students an insight into the world outside. 20^th century living doesn’t revolve around a single country, and in such a scenario, having a global perspective on issues becomes imperative. Whilst exposing students to many agendas of importance, MUN also builds in skills of effective and spontaneous public speaking, and being a completely student led initiative, will also help evolve leadership skills. There is a lot to take back home from a conference like this and I am glad our students are taking such interest in it.”