Children learn life lessons through acts of joy

Bidya Bharati Girls’ High School

Students of Bidya Bharati Girls' High School have started a new project, where they are teaching junior classes, over and above the regular classroom lessons. Peer-teaching or peer-mentoring, as it is called, is an integral part of many schools. The students have also adopted this method for better understanding of academic subjects.

Classes VIII and IX are teaching various subjects to their juniors of Classes V, VI and VII as part of this initiative.

It is an interactive session where peers help clear difficult concepts for the junior students. It is believed that students find it easier to open up to those who have also been in the same boat a few years ago.

Students of Class IX taught English, physical science, life science and maths to the students of Class VII. Students of Class VIII taught English, maths and geography to the children of Classes V and VI in a recent peer-teaching session. The session turned beneficial for both the mentors and the mentees.

"I am impressed with the results of peer teaching. Our students have embraced this method with enthusiasm. This is also adding to their experience. By actively engaging in peer-teaching, students not only reinforce their comprehension of a subject but also develop vital communication skills. I have observed increased confidence among our students," said headmistress Sharmistha Banerjee.

Birla Divya Jyoti School, Siliguri

Open-air performances, food, games and life-skill lessons — Autumn Carnival 2023 — hosted by Birla Divya Jyoti, Siliguri, was all that and more in a nutshell. The much-awaited annual event was held on the school grounds on November 9. The carnival offered the students a chance to let their hair down and shoulder responsibilities at the same time.

This year there were 36 stalls, each offering a range of exciting games and culinary treats. Students from the four houses — Jal, Vayu, Prithvi and Agni — had to man four stalls each. The house whose stalls earned the most was given 100 points. There were additional points for maintaining discipline, cleanliness and for creative decorations.

Jal (blue) house clinched the coveted 100 points. Vayu (yellow) house scored 70, Prithvi (green) got 50 and Agni (red) 30 points.

In addition, there were some stalls set up by the teachers and other organisations. A wall magazine was also displayed, highlighting some global issues.

The evening offered a range of open-air musical performances. There was a tribal dance performance on stories from the epics. The school band too won hearts. The students performed some western dance routines, solo songs and Bollywood dances, among others.

Students and teachers dropped in with their family members to enjoy the ambience. The event was a huge stress-buster for all.

"The Autumn Carnival, 2023, was a vibrant learning ground for students, who got to hone life skills. Through house-based competitions, students developed teamwork and collaboration skills. They got to showcase leadership and responsibility by managing the stalls and taking part in diverse performances," said principal Shweta Tiwari.

B.D.M. International

Students of B.D.M. International turn teachers for adults, who have been denied of education.

The students of Class VII have volunteered to teach basic maths and language lessons to adult learners for 60 days as part of an ongoing Diksha Each One Teach One project, in collaboration with Rotary India Literacy Mission (RILM). The initiative had been launched in August.

The adult literacy programme aims to bridge the generational gap and promote knowledge transfer.

Each student taught one adult individually from their own community or locality. After a few days, most of these senior students had realised the importance of education. The children are stressing on alphabets, basic sentences and maths in vernacular languages. Many have learnt basic calculations for the first time.

The children were provided with some teaching resources such as videos, books, flashcards and worksheets to help them during lessons. The adult learners are taught in the student volunteer’s home at a convenient time. The learners have to solve test booklets in the end of a lesson.

"The Each one Teach one campaign is a process of awakening of social responsibility in the minds of the students. It is a win-win concept where the adult learners, who have been deprived of basic education so far, get to learn and empower themselves. The young teachers, on the other hand, gain confidence and satisfaction through the process," said principal Madhumita Sengupta.

Birla High School, Mukundapur

Students of Birla High School, Mukundapur, celebrated the Joy of Giving week, an annual celebration that promotes selflessness and generosity in October.

Students took part in weeklong activities that brightened the lives of senior citizens and marginalised children.

On October 9, the student council members and several teachers made their way to old age home Calcutta Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (CMIG), carrying gift bags filled with essential items. The students spent the day with the CMIG residents, singing songs, listening to their life stories and playing games with them. This interaction brought immense joy to everyone involved and created lasting connections.

On October 11, the school organised a special event on its grounds where marginalised children of two non-governmental organisations, Institute of Psychological and Educational Research (IPER) and Sun Ngo were invited.

The students welcomed the guests with tilak on their foreheads. The students bonded with the guests and gave them gifts. The visitors also performed for the students.

Other activities included giving gifts to the support staff members and others. "The week is aimed at instilling values in our students right from Nursery. By spreading kindness, we can create a positive ripple effect that can impact lives," said principal Hira Prasad.