Veer Bal Diwas is commemorated on 26th December in order to pay tribute to the sons of Guru Govind Singh ji, the young martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation. In order to enable learners to acquire the qualities of courage, steadfastness, confidence and mindfulness, the day was celebrated by means of well-though-out activities in Grades I-III. The enthusiastic learners of Grade I were familiarized with the heroic life story associated with Veer Bal Diwas followed by learning vocabulary related to bravery, fearlessness and heroism. The curious minds of Grade II identified and wrote about the values learnt from the lives of the Sahibzadas and how they can incorporate them in their own lives. The zealous learners of Grade III drew inspiration from the two gallant heroes and wrote an inspiring short story about an imaginary character who stood courageously against all challenges and adversities. We pay tribute to the mettle, unflinching faith and supreme gallantry of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh ji and Sahibzada Fateh Singh ji, who inspired millions to follow the teachings of Gurus and live with peace and harmony. There is always light. If only we ’re brave enough to see it. If only we ’re brave enough to be it.
Our bodies are our gardens- our wills are our gardeners Lotus Valley International School and Arney's Fitkid recently joined forces to inspire young learners of the Primary Wing with an exciting new initiative: 'Sow and Grow Microgreens'. The project aimed to foster healthy eating habits among children by teaching them how to grow their own microgreens - small but mighty plants that pack a powerful nutritional punch. In fact, microgreens can be up to 40 times more nutritious than their fully-grown counterparts, making them a tasty and nutritious addition to any dish. These tiny greens come in an array of vibrant colours and intense flavours, which makes them a perfect ingredient for salads, sandwiches, and smoothies. But the benefits of growing microgreens extend beyond their flavor and nutritional value. It's a sustainable and cost-effective way to produce seasonal vegetables locally, providing a much-needed boost to our health and the environment. Growing plants can also have a positive impact on our mental well-being, fostering a sense of calmness and grounding. The activity proved to be a great success, with learners gaining practical skills and experiencing the joy of watching seeds sprout into tiny green shoots.
Colours are the smiles of nature. The festival of colours brought cheer as our young learners from Pre-Primary to Primary grades celebrated the festival of Holi with enthusiasm. They explored the diverse culture of our country and learnt the significance of celebrating the festival by watching a movie. An array of fun activities was planned for the learners, which was thoroughly enjoyed by them. Learners were engaged in class deliberations regarding celebrating Holi in an eco-friendly manner so that it doesn’t harm the environment and human health. It was a day full of joy as learners greeted each other, applied chandan tilak and gulal while making beautiful memories to last a lifetime.
In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn. When it comes to the world of knowledge, mentors are the torchbearers in showing learners the path to the future by means of proper guidance. The school believes that mentor training is a continuous process and therefore organizes regular workshops to enable mentors develop better and newer proficiency, which in return assists learners’ progress. Instilling the love of reading empowers learners to build selfconfidence, know the world around them better and boost their imagination. In an engaging workshop by Ms. Dalbir Kaur Madan, the founder of One Up Library, the Pre-Primary and Primary mentors were guided on how to effectively promote rea ding amongst learners. Likewise, a workshop on the ‘Safety and Self Awareness Programme’ was conducted by Ms. Pratibha Malhotra to help mentors give learners the confidence to acknowledge their emotions in order to stay safe. It emphasized on the importance of learners becoming cognizant of their rights and developing skills to deal appropriately with strangers. The workshops proved to be very effective in equipping mentors with strategies to ensure the well-being and advancement of learners. After all, it is aptly said that, ‘The duties of a teacher are neither few nor small, but they elevate the mind and give energy to the character.’
“Learning to code is learning to create and innovate.” The school upholds a firm belief that there exists a strong relationship between spatial intelligence and academic excellence. Therefore, our learners are familiarized with Spatial Intelligence and Coding since early years to accelerate the adoption of mathematical, abstract reasoning and problem-solving skills. Mentors have the responsibility to show learners the path to the future by means of proper guidance. Therefore, a workshop on Spatial Intelligence and Coding was organized to make available a comprehensive hands-on experience to them. The workshop guided mentors to code and programme without the use of a computer language. Furthermore, several methods were discussed in the workshop using which a mentor can effectively engage every learner in the class. The imagination is the workshop of the soul, where all the plans for individual achievement are shaped.
He, who dares to teach, must never cease to learn. The rapid changes and increased complexity of today's world present new challenges and puts new demands on our education system. The teacher, who is at the centre of fundamental reforms in the education system, plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the next generation of citizens. With a recent shift of learning from a teacher-centred approach to a learner-centred one, which has also been emphasized in NEP 2020, the need for ‘Educating the Educators’ in order to empower them to upskill themselves is more than ever. In our consistent endeavour to develop newer proficiencies to further refine the teaching-learning process, a Capacity Building Programme on ‘Learning Outcomes and Pedagogies’ was organized by CBSE-Centre of Excellence in the school premises on Saturday, 25th February 2023. The training was conducted by Dr. Ritu Bedi and it aimed at enabling mentors to provide Competency Based Education to learners, equipping them with essential skills of designing and implementing lesson plans aligned with learning outcomes, effective evaluation and content sharing methods. It was an engaging session where mentors were encouraged to carefully utilize a range of pedagogical approaches to ensure that desired learning outcomes are achieved. Furthermore, strategies to support learners’ active participation in teaching-learning process in a variety of contexts were shared with mentors. The importance of providing learners with a voice in the assessment process was also emphasized upon during the workshop. The workshop equipped mentors with 21st Century pedagogical techniques to make the teaching-learning process stress-free, joyful and closely linked to real-life situations.
Behind every young child who believes in himself is a parent who believed first. During childhood and adolescence, encouraging and supporting a child's physical, emotional, social, and intellectual growth through positive parenting results in improved functioning in the brain regions linked to emotions and cognition. In addition to raising a child's self-esteem, effective parenting also establishes boundaries and teaches children how to be disciplined. In order to empower parents with effective parenting skills to facilitate the development of children into responsible and independent human beings, the school organized a virtual workshop on ‘Parenting Skills’ on 11th March’23. The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Trideep Kumar Choudhary from Fortis. He gave parents insightful tips on how to encourage children to make their own decisions so that as they mature, they become self-assured adults. He also shared strategies to help children deal with peer pressure. Dr. Kumar responded to queries from parents about how to encourage kids to complete specific tasks. He also emphasized the value of empathy and the use of positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviour in children. Parenting is a learning journey and the workshop equipped parents with strategies for raising happy, healthy children who are well-adjusted and able to thrive in the world.
‘One Ounce of practice is worth a thousand pounds of theory’ The school firmly believes in ‘Service Before Self’ and makes consistent endeavours to ensure that the value of giving is inculcated in our learners. Accordingly, the school had organized ‘SEVA MELA - Learning and Earning for a Cause’ on 14th November’22 to celebrate Children’s Day with a difference. The Seva Mela witnessed learners, mentors, parents from all grades participating wholeheartedly. It was gratifying for us to be able to generate funds to support the NGO-Tamana. Seeing all learners work earnestly for the cause had filled our hearts with pride and joy. The stalls put up by Myra Jain from Grade IX and Toshani Yadav from Grade Prep had made the maximum contribution and therefore they got the opportunity to visit TAMANA School in person to handover the generated amount to Dr. Shayama Chona, Padma Bhushan Awardee and Founder, Tamana School. It was an awe-inspiring moment for both the children to visit Tamana School and meet Dr. Chona and Tamana Chona. Dr. Chona showered the learners with affection while they shared interesting stories about their school and home life. It was undeniably a productive conclusion of everyone’s diligent work, efforts and noble thoughts.