As it is rightly said, "Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play, children learn how to learn." - O. Fred DonaldsonTeaching through play has always been close to my heart as I believe; play is a gateway and the foundation of learning. Through play, children learn all the critical skills that are needed to succeed and be engaged in the world. Learning, as we are all aware is different for every child because each one learns at his/her own pace, learning in his/her own style, and guided by his/her own intelligence. Through self-directed play, children make choices and decisions, confront uncertainty, overcome fears, and learn to work together as a team. Especially in recent times, ‘Play’ plays an important role to develop skills that are required in the present world. It is also observed that when teaching children, Teachers need to think out-of-the-box to keep learning engaging and fun.We as Educators must focus on developing the 4 important C’s – Critical Thinking, Communication, Creativity and Collaboration. The need of the hour is to hone these soft-skills that will ensure that a child will be best prepared to engage in the futuristic workplace while having successful and meaningful relationships in life.In schools, we rarely set out to learn by playing. Instead of dismissing it as ‘just fun’, one must understand that play is a very important activity that children use in order to learn about and interact with the world, to develop their mental, physical and social skills which are required to succeed in their adult lives. Children learn concepts best through play and the power of play is seen when children master the concepts through fun, rather than learning in a mundane theory class.At VIBGYOR, we place emphasis on teaching concepts in a stress-free environment through play, where each concept is taught keeping the child’s pace and interest in mind. Through play and integrated learning, we realise that we can put children on a discovery path to lifelong learning, innovation and creativity. One of the major distinctive facts which set VIBGYOR Group of Schools apart is the integration of SPA (Sports & the Performing Arts) curriculum with in-classroom learning. The exposure that is given to the child through various SPA activities further facilitates the development of kinesthetic and spatial skills. Our aim is to provide a rich environment for our young learners and to develop their natural curiosity and creativity. The activity-based curriculum of VIBGYOR focuses on offering children unique opportunities for playfulness – to explore, engage and connect with the world we live in.As Vince Gowmon pertinently reminds us that, ‘Play is the language of children. Have you spoken it to them lately?. As Educators, it is our duty to constantly remind ourselves this and ensure that play is always protected and an integral part of children’s learning.Ms. Seethalakshmi, Principal, VIBGYOR High - Horamavu, Bengaluru
“An apple a day keeps a doctor away”, as rightly said, our body needs healthy food for its nourishment, so that we live longer and healthier. But, what about our brain; how does it work and how can we make it healthier. As most learned people in the world would believe, reading a book is mental food. Whatever kind of books we read; it always provides some kind of nourishment to our brain. Historically, reading began on this planet some 5000 years back and there was no proper language then. People in that age read only signs that were scribbled or expressed but were fixed to show a particular process or code. Gradually in a few years when the brains started developing, there were more signs and codes to communicate and hence there was more information to be shared. Thus writing was invented and the fixed language was invented. In older times, reading was considered as a silent and passive activity and writing was considered as a superior art, due to lack of literature across the world. However that does not hold true nowadays, as we believe reading is one of the best investments one can make in life.Scientifically, when we read, we use our right brain which is not normally active. That means whatever activities that we do in our daily routine are all left brain activities, which does not require much effort. But if you activate your right brain through your reading, it may work wonders for you. You can make extraordinary use of your right brain and achieve many great things in your life. For instance, you can score excellently in your tests, or can develop or learn any new skill, language or art quickly.Reading increases your knowledge and thus develops your thirst for exploring new things. Reading gives you mental peace and satisfaction; in a way it connects you to a different world that you can enjoy and experience through a book.Reading Fiction can transport you to a world of imagination. You just have to choose the world you would want to go to, like Cinderella, Harry Potter or Alice in Wonderland.Reading Non Fiction can help you develop your own personality and help you achieve anything and everything that you desire. Through management, personal discipline and setting goals and achieving them step by step, Books teach you to be honest, humble and forgiving. You can be friends with books; they teach you everything you want to learn in life. They help you get success in life both on personal and career front. To achieve academic success and achieve all happiness, mental strength, success, positivity and knowledge, you must inculcate a habit of reading regularly for at-least an hour a day. Books have got hidden treasures in form of knowledge, illustrations and experiences that no one can ever take away from you. Surround yourself with lot of reading materials; encourage yourself to choose different genres every time you finish a selected one. Use technology wisely to boost your reading skills. Read as much as you can and become the enlightened one.Ms. Amrita MishraTeacher, VIBGYOR Kids, Goregaon, Mumbai
Codependency is characterised by emotional dependencies in a relationship, to an extent that the giving is one-sided and so excessive that it hurts the giver. Codependency begins early with parents passing it unknowingly, despite best intentions.How?
By being a super parent! You believe you know the best for your child and so it is you who will decide all aspects of your child's life - right from planning her food to choice of friends, when to eat and what to wear, which hobby to choose and which colours look good. As they grow older they are likely to seek out relationships in which someone else has all the power and control.
By going out of your way, sacrificing all your needs and desires, to ensure all your child's needsand demands are met. You spend lunchtime fussing over your child's food and stay hungry yourself, you go to buy that new toy by cancelling your doctor's visit, you stop watching your favourite serial to ensure your child gets to see his. In life they will either seek relationships to dominate and control or grow to be "Mr. Pleaser" constantly needing others to approve of them.
Be always there to solve problems for your child. You rush to scold the next-door neighbour who pushed your girl or pick a fight with the teacher who did not grade your child well or reach out to help even before your baby can try. This sends your child the message that they are not competent or responsible enough to figure out how to solve their problems and that someone else needs to do it for them. They will always seek relationships in life where another person will tell them what to do.
Codependents are usually nice individuals who are very stressed from carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. They are perceptive of others but not at all perceptive of themselves. Thus the challenge! Codependency usually gets disguised under the pretext of love and the virtue of sacrifice, and most often confused with Interdependency. However, unlike codependent families, where one person makes all the sacrifices even at the cost of their own happiness and dignity, interdependent families go out of their way for each. A member's sacrifices are always respected and reciprocated in an interdependent family.Therapy with codependents involves teaching self-care skills, and most importantly, convincing them that they are not selfish or in danger for choosing to take care of themselves. If you are codependent it is time to rise and love yourself. For your children will learn from what you do and not what you tell them.Oindrila Purohit
Parent of Daanya Purohit
VIBGYOR High, Goregaon
How many of us are aware of the fight that multitudes of women have to prepare for every year? The fight for life, for freedom, for being an empowered, healthy individual – this is a battle that’s estimated to involve over 1797900 Indian women by the year 2020 against a single, looming threat – Breast Cancer.This illness is the most common cancer among women all across the world, and the leading cause of death among those afflicted by it in our country. It’s time for all of us to come together, break through the stigma that surrounds it, spread awareness, and work towards the betterment of women’s health in India through solidarity and positivity. This is exactly what Pinkathon aims towards by focusing on physical and mental self-care through organising of women’s marathons all across the country. VIBGYOR is proud to be the Knowledge Partner of Pinkathon 2017 in Pune.“VIBGYOR believes in the holistic development of students and the community, and Pinkathon is a platform where we can help the society bring awareness among the community. That’s why VIBGYOR is a Partner,” said Ms. Medha Nair, Principal of VIBGYOR Hinjewadi.The marathon took place on the 26th of November at Mulik Ground, with over 5000 women irrespective of age, interests or ability taking part in this movement. The event saw the involvement of mothers carrying babies as young as 2 months old, elderly cancer survivors who were present as Pink Sisters, children from the Blind School, as well as the participation of students, parents, and teachers from VIBGYOR schools in Pune. The venue was packed with energy on this day, with participants gearing for the various runs, or getting pumped up with Zumba routines.
“What’s important is spending a little bit of time for yourself. It’s about realising your dreams, and removing the limitations that you have,” said Mr. Milind Soman, Founder of Pinkathon. “I believe that all of us must set a good example, and children today need to see people doing things that add value to life. Rather than telling them what they should be doing, we need to show it; so I'm very happy to see VIBGYOR parents running with their children.”Success and happiness in the face of breast cancer begins with good health, personal understanding, and self-love. It is this inclination towards overall growth that makes VIBGYOR incredibly proud to be associated with Pinkathon this year. “It’s an honour for VIBGYOR to have joined hands with Pinkathon for such an important reason, i.e. creating awareness among women about breast cancer. I thank the parents, kids, and staff for taking part in this event wholeheartedly,” said Ms. Kavita Sahay, Vice-Chairperson, VIBGYOR Group of Schools.With steady progress in spreading awareness about the importance of fitness, we hope to see a greater change in our society as we move towards women’s empowerment across communities.
Have you ever caught yourself dreaming about the days you were a child? Ever wanted to go back to those carefree, fun-loving days? Whether it is boldness, a spirited nature, or looking forward to a new day, there are various qualities that we attribute to children and reminisce about. Here are 5 life lessons that we can learn from our childhood days as well as the kids around us, and imbibe in our daily adult lives.1. Believe that nothing is impossibleChildren are always looking forward to venturing into something new. We’ve all been there – the constantly changing life dreams from being a rockstar one day to an astronaut the next, nothing seemed impossible, and we never confined our dreams. As adults, however, dreams and accomplishments are closely tied to expectations, self-judgements, and the loss of hope that we may not be good at something new. Let’s learn from the young ones around us and believe that nothing is impossible. Want to learn that new dance or study something new? There’s always a way to do so. Say yes to your dreams! There’s nothing stopping you2. Make yourself laughChildren have a wonderful way of being amazed or finding humour in the things around them. It doesn’t matter if things aren’t going their way; it doesn’t affect their ability to be positive or find joy in little things such as making stones skip over water or playing with bubbles. Let’s learn from this light-hearted nature of children around us. Step away from the things that cause you stress, and spend some time making yourself smile. Whether it’s watching a funny cartoon or playing with dogs, there’s always time for laughter and fun.3. Ask silly questions“Mum, why do we have so many fingers? Are butterflies just small birds? Does Santa wear his hat while sleeping?” Have you ever watched a kid talking nineteen to the dozen with innocence and keenness to learn? For some reason, as we grow older, we start worrying about asking questions that may seem silly. But the greatest discoveries arose from questions that were initially deemed nonsensical. So let’s stop questioning ourselves and start being curious about things that happen in the world as there’s always something new to learn4. Show compassionThere’s an abundance of lessons to be learnt from children when it comes to showing compassion and empathy. Their innocence and soft-heartedness are incredibly prominent. They are quick to feel upset when they see an animal in distress and ready to help someone who needs it. As we grow up, we tend to be preoccupied with our own problems and don’t give much thought to the issues of the people around us. Let’s learn from the goodness of young children, and be kind to others, whether it’s assisting someone cross the road, feeding a stray animal, or donating to charity.5. Every new day is a fresh chapterThe final school bell rings and there’s the sound of feet running down the corridor. Bags are tossed aside as some of them run towards the playground, and others gather around making plans for the evening. That difficult test and the scolding from the teacher are all forgotten. As a fresh day dawns and children get ready for school again, they begin to look forward to new possibilities, new adventures, and new friends. They don’t carry problems from one day to the next. Every day is a fresh chapter, and with the end of the day, ends all their troubles. Let’s learn from this attitude and look forward to each new day as a world of opportunities!There are a great many things we can learn from children that can make our lives happier and more fulfilling. Implement these in your daily life and see the change that occurs!
With my passport to new beginnings in hand, and my school friends, Principal and teacher by my side, I set off on what would be one of the most priceless expeditions of my student life at VIBGYOR. One filled with the awe of adventure: the palpable eagerness to board the flight and fly away, for the first time without the protective shadow of my parents; yet, an undercurrent of nervousness crept up my spine and gave me chills, for the very same reason. Fighting my fears, I took my first step on that plane, because travel begins outside your comfort zone. There was no turning back.After a gruelingly long flight, we finally landed at Schiphol airport, where a grand delegation of teachers and students awaited to welcome us to paradise. The air was unspoiled, the landscape unpolluted; the initial feeling of disorientation and possible homesickness being drowned out by the awe and wonder that I was in another country, on another continent, with other people.We went as travellers, not as tourists. Globetrotters whose main aim was to ‘experience’ the Dutch culture, rich with the most divine sweets and the most elegant dresses. Every aspect was scrutinised by me. A culture so foreign, so different, yet the warmth and hemlines of my host family bridged the gap and greatly reduced the culture shock I would have experienced if I had travelled as a tourist. It was a much needed respite from the comfort of the LCD screen of my phone and spending frivolous hours in large departmental stores: two of my favourite pastimes. My main aim was not to shop, or to snapchat. It was to document every frivolity of Dutch habits, from dining manners to Dutch “Panakooks” and everything in between. My family always ensured that I had a box of delicious soesjes by my side.From Goedemorgen to Goedenacht, we learned of the vast differences that were so skillfully bridged in the experience, right down to the absence of paneer makhani (my absolute favourite). Their inability to pronounce “Namaste” left me in stitches, but was balanced by my inability to pronounce basic Dutch words. In fact, they even tried their hand at Bollywood dancing on the culture night organised in school! Nobody wanted to leave, rather, we wanted life to pause in these random moments: the visit to the Middelburg Abbey, the trip to the cheese farm, the football match (where the Dutch beat us 4-0)… Our final goodbyes were the toughest. Hugs, high-fives, promises, the exchange of phone numbers comforted us, and enabled us to come back to the one place I now longed for, HOME.- Soorya Balasubramanian Grade 9 (IGCSE), VIBGYOR High, Goregaon
