Summary
Independence Day celebrations, a lesson on inclusivity and diversity for students
Inclusive Fun
Calcutta International School
The junior section of Calcutta International School celebrated Independence Day on August 14.
The children came to school dressed in traditional attire and took part in a flag-hoisting ceremony. A cultural programme followed. The Pre-nursery presented a song, Love My Country India.
Nursery students danced to Desh Rangila and other songs. They also sang two Bengali songs, Bharat amar Bharatbarsha and Dhono dhanno pushpo bhora.
The Pre-nursery students also explored the national symbols of India and Korea, recognising the shared values of freedom that unite the two nations. They also took part in craftwork and flag-making.
Students of Manovikas Kendra, a special-needs school, also joined in the fun. As the visitors took their place in the school auditorium, Class I presented a skit on the national flag's colours and their meaning.
Class II began with a rendition of Muktir mondir followed by a skit, Little Patriots. They also danced to the iconic number Jai Ho. Children of Manovikas Kendra also performed, presenting a powerful speech on freedom, singing and dancing to Nanna munna rahi hoon.
Pratima Nayar, principal of CIS junior school, said: "Independence not only implies freedom but a right to be included as people of any nation. At CIS, we celebrated inclusivity and diversity as integral extensions of Independence."
Safety tips
Akshar School
It was their regular school day on August 21. Until the clock struck 2pm.
Students of Classes VII to XII of Akshar School spent the next hour learning new things, a tad differently.
Advocate Soumyajit Raha and social development sector professional Jhilam RoyChowdhury came calling to speak about cybercrime, cyberbullying, the dark web and the dangers of browsing unsafe sites.
The Platform for Legal Awareness and Networking organised the workshop.
Raha was the first speaker of the hour-long session. He told the students about the dangers of unauthorised access to the Internet and the dark web. He enumerated how one can identify a fake business account, identity theft and how easy it is for hackers to steal personal information with just a single clickon a link.
Queries from students poured in about online fraud and phishing.
RoyChowdhury listed different kinds of cyberbullying and how it affects those on the receiving end. She iterated how unrestricted Internet access can be dangerous for minors, especially with online sexual abuse and exploitation on the rise.
She taught children how to identify a person being bullied online, irritability, nervousness and hesitance to show their online activity to parents being some telltale signs.
Victims of cyberbullying often exhibit symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD, said RoyChowdhury.
"It was a very informative session. Our children know what can happen in the cyber world but tend to get casual. It is essential to remind them to be vigilant. We, as adults, took back more from the talk," said principal Kavneet Khullar.
Art connects
B.D.M. International
Theatre transcends boundaries — the lesson for B.D.M. International's middle-school students, who took part in a theatre workshop organised by Baghajatin ALAAP on August 10.
Theatre enthusiasts got a chance to interact with playwright-director Parthapratim Deb and actor-singer Rup Deb. They educated the students on how theatre challenges us to think, feel and connect differently. Most activities were designed to help them open up and communicate more freely. The students took part in circle formation, a memory game (to sharpen the brain) and an NSEW (North-South-East-West) activity, where students were instructed to jump towards a specific direction and test their listening skills.
Some activities and games taught the students to speak gibberish and understand body language. They were given imaginary scenarios and encouraged to enact them without using dialogues. The session concluded with a wheel dance, Follow the Leader, that created an inclusive environment.
"This workshop was informative, enriching and inspiring. Seeing our students' enthusiasm we plan to organise many more," said principal Madhumita Sengupta.
A room for all, with love
St Jude’s High School
Community services, dance and play — students and teachers of St Jude’s High School presented a range of performances to celebrate the birth anniversary of founder Frank Stanley Correa on the school grounds in Madhyamgram on August 6.
The morning began with students and teachers paying respects to the founder with flowers, lit candles and prayers. Students of Classes IV, V and VI distributed paper bags to local vegetable vendors to make the environment plastic-free. The bags were made by the students during their SUPW classes.
Students of the Multiple Intelligence Nurtured and Developed Specifically (MINDS), the Primary wing of the school, took part in games that taught them new things while having fun.
In the afternoon, the school’s auditorium buzzed with anticipation as students of Classes VII to XII presented a special play to honour the founder’s legacy. It had three acts. The first act focused on Correa’s dedication to helping students with dyslexia. The second act shifted to students, initially rejected by elite schools, who found a haven in St Jude’s High School. The narrative was peppered with dance performances as it showcased the school’s teaching methods and commitment to inclusivity.
The final act was about students, whose strengths lay beyond traditional academics. Correa’s holistic educational philosophy was upheld on stage.
“Today’s tribute to Frank Stanley Correa was a beautiful one. Judeans honoured his legacy with a celebration that mirrored his vision and values,” said principal Aditi Chakraborty.
Last updated on 12 Sep 2024
