January Diary
January had us pondering, wrangling and wracking our brains over issues that are usually considered ugly and at best avoided for the social stigma that they carry with the mere mention of their name…Drugs, Alcohol ,Flesh trade, Dowry deaths, Female Infanticide…However, being equivocal or evasive has never been a reasonable way to deal with problems, so we decided to help our young citizens to fathom and cope with the reality, empowered with factual awareness, inner fortitude and a will to better the world they inhabit.
While the topic of concern for class 11 was-‘Alcohol and its effects on teens’, in class 9 we dealt with ‘Drugs and their effects’. We discussed the reasons that lead to experimentation and later addictions. We deduced that curiosity; peer pressure and the desire to be ‘cool’ was what prodded children. Also, feelings of dejection, depression and a low self-esteem prompted them to become victims of substance abuse. It is vital to understand that warmth, love and support goes a long way in keeping our youth secure against such harmful influences .We learnt about different forms of substance- abuse and their harmful effects. We also studied some methods of overcoming them and concluded that practicing the adage- ‘Prevention is better than cure’ was the best! Interesting and educative presentations, videos and smart-classes made the learning interactive and lasting .It is worth mentioning, that
our students (class 9 ) presented their impressions through skits and songs and the band, infact Class 9B ‘s own band, ‘Unhealed Venom got into the act with applause-worthy presentations. A talk session with School counsellor, Dr. Shakuntala Dawesar for the students of class 9 on the subject helped in clearing many doubts in the childrens’ minds.
In class 8, we veered from last month’s topic, ‘Traffic Safety Rules’ to ‘Transportation and it’s effects on the environment’ this month. I tried to help them understand the impact of relentless combustion of fossil-fuel in compounding the greenhouse effect. Short but riveting movies like ‘Climate Change’, ‘Stop Global Warming’ and ‘Road rage’ helped in making us realize the urgency of the situation. On a lighter note we also saw some fun videos like-‘How to drive on Delhi roads’ prepared by Brahmansh and Tushar of class 8A. Under the ‘Buddy- Study’ plan, senior students were sent to classes 3, 4 and 5 to educate their younger colleagues on the various topics learnt as also on ‘School Safety Rules‘. Students were also asked to visit the Traffic department office and collect learning resources.
In our previous classes we had discussed Fundamental Rights and Liberties especially concentrating on the Right to Equality. This month again I tried to reconnect by posing a new question before them. ‘Do women enjoy the same status and opportunities as men in a democratic India?’ As a study into the various facets of Gender issues, we dealt with it’s various aspects at different levels. In class 10, we attempted to comprehend the enormity of the Flesh trade in India, why and how it’s tentacles were making innumerable innocent girls their target. In class 7, our concern was Dowry deaths’. Dowry is the major cause of female infanticide and why girls are looked down upon as a burden and hence unwanted. Presentations, skits and movie clips were some of the resources utilised. In class 6 we attempted to understand the term ‘Gender Inequity’ by Role Play, poster-making, preparing power-point presentations and debate. Dr.Dawesar spoke on the topic and helped us to understand that despite physiological differences, each of us deserves the right to equality and that progress can only be facilitated by an environment of equal opportunity and respect for both men and women.
At the primary level, the mood was jubilant as we neared Republic Day. The students of classes1 and 2 were read aloud to, from the book, ‘ We the children of India’ by Leila Seth. They were also shown multimedia presentations and short movies on our national symbols, the flag, anthem etc. The children were prompted by a ‘ Show and Tell activity’ to articulate ‘ What I want to do for my country’.
In classes 3, 4 and 5, we concentrated on developing good personal-hygiene habits and familiarised ourselves with the do’s and don’ts of being well-groomed. It was reinforced that when we talk of ourselves, we must realise that
our environment is not separate from us and that environmental hygiene is equally important for our healthy existence. We watched presentations on various aspects of hygiene in the smartclass and also participated in an interactive session with the School nurses.
The journey thus continued one step at a time.
