The Monthly Newsletter
Issue 121 | December, 2015 | www.ei-india.com
ASSET Talent Scholars - Inspiring Students ASSET Talent Search
ASSET Talent Search
Student’s Zone
COVER Story Self-Awareness in a World of Constant Chatter Technology and self-awareness can seem incompatible. In fact, mobile devices often prevent us from seeing what’s right before us.
Self-awareness helps us to see ourselves as uniquely different from other people. It involves knowing our own minds, feelings, bodies, and sensations enough to promote and sustain physical, social, and emotional health. Through reflection, we gain self-awareness and make meaning from our experiences.
On a recent trip to a shopping mall, I watched a group of eight teenage friends, each silently using their cell phones. Suddenly, one of the boys embarrassingly collided with a girl, as he was texting while walking. The teens laughed and returned to their At adolescence, the young need private conversations. moments of silence to reflect on their experiences - to discover who It’s mind boggling to imagine how they are as individuals, what kind of many conversations were happening relationships they desire, and what while those eight teens walked they value and believe about life. through the shopping mall. When do Tuning out the noisy world would young people find time to develop help develop the ability to reflect and self-awareness, to silently reflect on grow. who they are in a world of constant chatter?” How to Foster Self-Awareness in Childhood and Adolescence Why Silence can be Golden Taken from Dewey’s work on We should encourage children to learning, here are four ways to explore silent spaces as selfencourage a child’s ability to make awareness is vital to human meaning from their experiences: development and learning. John Dewey, a renowned psychologist and 1. Invite conversations that ask kids education reformer, claimed that the to go deeper, rather than talking only about the surface of experiences. ability to perceive and then weave How did that experience make you meaning from our experiences is feel? What were you feeling in your critical.
body? Anxiety? Fear? Exhilaration? What does that say to you? 2. Explore a child’s attitudes and self-awareness that resulted from a particular experience. When adults challenge young people’s assumptions, it encourages them to think more deeply about their choices.
awareness! 4. Talk about self-responsibility. Dewey examined the link between how we think, feel, and act. Being responsible implies that we are acting on meaning that is fully our own, not someone else’s.
When we engage the young in conversations encompassing the 3. Honor the validity of young above suggestions, they become people’s thoughts and feelings rather curious and desire growth, which will than judging them. Dewey says, lead them to times for silence and accepting ideas open-mindedly is not introspection. They will ignore the blind acceptance of another person’s noise of text messages, social media, way of experiencing the world, but is and nonstop activity and realize that self-awareness has a willingness to listen to different perspectives. When an adult accepts become an internal strength that will help and listens to a child’s feelings, it them navigate through allows the child to explore deeper life. meaning and increase self-
By Marilyn Price-Mitchell - Source: http://www.rootsofaction.com/self-awareness-in-world-of-chatter/(edited)
STUDENT’s Zone ASSET Talent Scholar 2014-15 Interview of an ASSET Talent Scholar Soumil Aggarwal St. George's School, New Delhi
Q.1. Apart from having a thirst for knowledge, what else excites your mind? Well, I am interested in music, a lot. I like to listen to music whenever I have time to spare. Also, I like to read novels and books from various genres. Q.2. If you were a time machine, what period in history would you go back to? And, why? If I had a time machine, I would go back to the time before the Industrial Revolution, as I would like to see how nature was before human activities altered it forever. Q.3. Do you idolize anyone? If yes, then, who and why?
Q.8. If you got a chance to travel the world, which places would you like to see? If I got a chance to travel the world, I would like to visit i. San Francisco Bay Area, USA ii. Zurich, Switzerland
I idolize Mr. Narendra Modi, The Prime Minister of India. He inspires me to work hard and to be honest in whatever work I do.
iii. The African Savannah
Q.4. What is your favourite book? Give reasons why?
iv. Niagara Falls, US-Canada Border
My favourite book as of now is 'Three Men In A Boat' by Jerome K Jerome. I like it because it is a fantastic novel with humour that sounds fresh and crisp even so many years after being written.
v. Japan (both rural and urban) vi. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Q.5. What is your favourite TV show?
There are other places I dream of visiting, but I think I'd rather not bankrupt my sponsor.
My favourite TV show is 'Dark Matters: Twisted But True'. Although the channel Discovery Science has stopped airing it, I sometimes watch it's episodes online.
Q.9. If you could make one rule in the world for everyone to follow, what would that be?
Q.6. What other talents do you possess? Well, I learn to play the guitar. Although I'm just a beginner, I like to believe that I am not among the worst Q.7. If you could be someone else for a day, who would that be? If I get a chance, I would like to be Mr. Narendra Modi for a day.
If I could, I would make a rule that nobody should impose their own choices on others. Unless they harm others, everybody has the right to live their lives as they want to. Q.10. What do you aspire to be, when you grow up? I would like to become either a musician or be the founder of a startup company.
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