Self Discovery Week across the classes

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom-Aristotle.

At the Indian School, we celebrate Self-Discovery Week every year with much lan and enthusiasm.

This year the self-discovery journey began on 2 April and continued through to 8 April, 2018. It spiralled its way across the School from Nursery to XII. The aim was to provide children an insight for rapid personal growth and accelerated success through self-exploration and an understanding of others. Many interesting inter-disciplinary activities were planned to help students express themselves and be able to identify their potential. All activities proposed enhancing their learning of various academic subjects along with self-realisation.

The teachers of English set the momentum by reading excerpts from autobiographies to the students. This enabled them to understand effective writing techniques and be inspired. Students were then encouraged to share their existing passions, friends and family, and their goals over a period of time. This gave them a chance to look back on their lives and steer themselves back to where they want to be by listing their personal vision and mission.

Thereafter, they created their own autobiographies and personal manifestos from birth to present! This provided them with a window to interact with their grandparents, parents and friends. How others view them was a novel and insightful experience.

The senior students drafted Want Ads for an ideal job, ideal boss, ideal house, future spouse and children. While drawing the Freedom Diagram students were asked to introspect and write down the talent/skills they possessed. Below the heading Fun, they named activities they wish to pursue, even if they received no payment. Beneath the caption Demand students listed the expectations of their parents/elders. Students designed the covers of their autobiographies too.

In Hindi, biographies of famous sportspersons were read by students, followed by Mann Ki Baat and self-composed poems. Students also wrote letters to their parents, teachers and friends sharing Kuchh Ankahi Baatein, things they could never really talk about. The movie Poorna was screened in the School auditorium.

Teachers of Hindi, read motivating anecdotes from the lives of the legendary actors, Amitabh Bachchan and Charlie Chaplin and the cricketer, Ricky Ponting.

At every stage of lives, our choices may change. With this in mind, students shared their outlook and acuities about life, on the topic Yadi Jiwan Meri Marzi Se Chalta. The students penned the direction in which their lives are headed, in their perception in Meri Aatma Disha.

Some introspection and the students came up with Mam Jivanasya Lakshya- Mere Jivan Ka Lakshya, in Sanskrit.

In French, autobiographies of famous personalities were read aloud and students were encouraged to write their own autobiographies. They also learnt to address their parents and grandparents in French, while creating their family trees.

In History, students researched the historical background of their place of birth. Travelling back in time; learning about their past, imagining themselves as kings and queens, they wrote about their erstwhile kingdoms. They planned reform measures that they could implement for better governance of their empires.

Students followed their evolution from class VI to VIII, stressing on the development of their personas and behaviour. This activity helped trace their journeys so far, enhancing an understanding of the self. Students explored their roots by outlining the journeys of their grandparents and parents and locating their birth places on the map.

In Mathematics, students created optical illusions with their favourite shapes. Students presented their personal details in the form of algebraic expressions, in an activity called Figure Me Out. In another activity, the students explored various geometrical patterns using the concept of reflection symmetry. A square sheet of paper was cut from an A-3 size sheet. It was then divided into four congruent triangles. Students wrote their names in the first triangle using straight lines only. The mirror images of the names were copied on the remaining triangles to get beautiful and colourful symmetrical patterns. The activity not only enhanced the students knowledge of reflection symmetry, but also helped them in creating wonderful masterpieces with their names.

In Science, the students paid a rich tribute to Stephen Hawking, writing about one quality of the great physicist that inspires them the most. The children were excited to have their hand impressions on paper and marked three fingers with one quality each they possessed, and remaining two fingers with the qualities they wished to develop in themselves-in order to become great scientists.

In Chemistry, the students were asked to explain the changes they had undergone. They pasted pictures of their younger selves for comparison with their present selves.

Students cited a new discovery or invention in the field of Physics, validating their choice. This activity aimed at increasing the students awareness and ability to devise ways to use the knowledge gained from their study.

The week concluded with display of the students work at the Front Reception. It was appreciated by visitors, teachers and most importantly by the students themselves when they saw their efforts showcased. This built self-confidence among the enthusiastic students.

The seed to create truly beautiful personas in the future has been sown.