Scool LIVE April issue by School LIVE

L O O H C S

E V I L Inclusive

Education special

15 Volume 8 | April 20

Before I Go

Aisha Chaudhary Tamana School of Smiles

Kartik Sawhney Denied @ IIT

Abha Sahgal, Sanskriti ‘Don’t judge Kids’

E N J OY T H E I N C R E D I B L E TA S T E A N D F L AV O U R

PRESENTS

FROM GRANDMA’s Kitchen

ALOO PANEERCMahhaaraasethrtrian mb

Kaushambir RECIPE BY KUNTI SOLANKI

Recipe BY Sunita Thatte

Cucu Salad

Procedure: •

Take a mixing bowl and add chopped cucumbers, tomato, onion and green chilly.

•

Add peanut, chaat masala and salt. Gently toss all the ingredients.

•

Serve chilled in a platter garnished with coriander leaves.

Ingredients: Large cucumbers (Chopped)

Onion (Chopped)

Tomato (Chopped)

Green Chilly (Finely chopped)

Coriander leaves (Finely chopped) ¼ cup Peanuts (Crushed)

½ cup

Chaat Masala

A pinch

Salt

As per taste

(This dish comes loaded with the goodness of calcium, while aloo has been added to enhance the taste. Chaat masala and lemon juice lends it a tangy flavour.)

(This easy to make healthy recipe is rich in fibre, protein, calcium and minerals. While peanuts lend this dish a crunchy taste, green chilli and chaat masala enhance its taste.) An ISO 9001:2008 and HACCP CERTIFIED COMPANY Goldiee House, 51/40 Nayaganj, Kanpur-01 (UP) India fax: +91-512-2319479 | info@goldiee.com Consumer Care Manager Phone No.: +91-512-2316862 | www.goldiee.com

An ISO 9001:2008 and HACCP CERTIFIED COMPANY If you liked our recipe share your feedback queries@schoollive.in Goldiee House, 51/40 Nayaganj, Kanpur-01 (UP) India fax: +91-512-2319479 | info@goldiee.com Consumer Care Manager Phone No.: +91-512-2316862 | www.goldiee.com

If you liked our recipe share your feedback queries@schoollive.in

contributors

S C H O O L

L I V E EDITOR IN CHIEF

Gaurava Yadav

Quizzer dares you to take our qiuz

JITIN CHAWLA

Educationist and career counsellor tells you how to pick the right course

Richa Aniruddha richa@schoollive.in EDITOR Teena Baruah teenabaruah@gmail.com SUB EDITOR Smita Jain smita.jain2k8@gmail.com Principal Correspondent Prerna Jaiswal prernajaiswal@hotmail.com EDITORIAL TEAM Garima Srivastava

NIVEDITA SINGH

Psychologist-counsellor answers your queries about relationships, family, school and life

Jyoti Dhawale Surve

An HIV activist who has been hearing impaired since age 3

George Abraham

Blind activist and founding chairman of the World Blind Cricket Council

DIRECTOR SALES AND MARKETING Gaurava Yadav (East & South) gaurava@schoollive.in DESIGNER Ashish Kumar Mimansa Grafix PRINTED AT Eminent Offsets A-61, DDA Shed, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-2 New Delhi-110020

email queries@schoollive.in

Mugdha Kalra

Former TV Journalist and a blogger. Follow her at raisinganonconformist. wordpress.com

S C H O O L

LIVE Inclusive Education special

Volume 8 | April 2015

Before I Go

Aisha Chaudhary Tamana School of Smiles

Kartik Sawhney Denied @ IIT

Abha Sahgal, Sanskriti ‘Don’t judge Kids’

Cover photo by Ravi Choudhary

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

Visit Dudhwa National Park dudhwatigerhinoresort@gmail.com --,,--------,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

ed-note

S C H O O L

L I V E

Hi!

What’s up? Hope you all got good scores, good enough to protect you from dad and mom’s scoldings :) Even if it wasn’t, don’t worry. Set yourself better goals for the next academic session. I shifted into a new home last week and it once again reminded me how constant change is important for one’s life and growth. My daughter had teary eyes as she was leaving her friends, her society, her daily evening games behind. I tried to explain to her that if we are not willing to change our base, how will we explore the world? How will we ever get to meet and make new friends? How will we grow and learn? Often, we feel safe where we are and a slightest change in our regular lifestyle makes us apprehensive and insecure. We need to learn to deal with such emotions which prevent us from moving ahead. Experience them, but don’t let them tie you down. Life is meant to flow, to move… Every bit of nature gives us that message. So, don’t be afraid to explore, to move into unknown territories, discover new things, new places, new friends.

Wishing you a peaceful life Lovingly yours

Richa Aniruddha tweet to me @richaanirudh

MY ‘IT’ LIST

platego flavoured Man ams ice cre

ipod

I am Glad You Came

book

A Calmer You by Sonal Kalra

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

F e a t u r e S p o n s o r e d

SD PUBLIC SCHOOL

AN IDEAL MODEL OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

he SD Public School, Pitampura, started its journey as a small institution with 17 students and 5 staff members in the year 1993. Today it is an ISO 9001:2008 certified school, proudly recognized as one of the frontrunners in the field of education, in the Delhi-NCR region. The school stands out for the excellent work which has been done particularly in the field of providing education to differently-abled children. Mrs. Anita Sharma, the principal of the school is an avid mathematician, who did her M.ED in education from the CIE, Delhi University. She is the leading light, the inspiration behind the successful inclusive education set-up in her school. But according to her, she herself was inspired by the grit and determination shown by a physically challenged girl Divya, who walked into her school, with the zeal to study and become something in her life. Starting that one admission 10 yrs ago in 2005, the SD PUBLIC school today has more than 100 students, with different types of disabilities , who are being provided with a conducive environment for their physical, mental and emotional growth. The school regularly conducts teacher training workshops and parent orientation programs to help them better understand the challenges faced by the differently abled. A firm believer in the abilities of these children, Mrs. Sharma herself takes interest in their lives. From innovative ideas like forming a WhatsApp group for

the parents, to the challenging task of changing the mind set and sensitizing the teachers, parents and the society, she has tried to make a difference in her own special way. Her positive attitude towards the children with disabilities has inspired the teachers to spread the message beyond the school boundaries. SD public school continues with its endeavours to bring about a schooling environment wherein no child feels left out and the whole idea behind inclusive education is practiced to perfection. The school and its faculty truly stand out as the role model for other schools to follow.

S C H O O L

contents

L I V E 5

Editor’s Note

Mentor’s Note: Sanskriti School Principal Abha Sahgal

Student Blogs

Cover Before I Go... Aisha Chaudhary

School in Spotlight: Tamana School in New Delhi

Positively Positive: Technicolour images of Holi shot by School LIVE readers

Career Chat

Quick Edit

verybody loves a happy ending. Kartik Sawhney managed to score 100% scholarship at Stanford University despite being visually impaired. Jyoti Dhawale-Surve, who suffers from 102% hearing loss since childhood, was heckled needlessly in school, but she still managed to be the poster girl of HIV activism. ‘The good thing is that I was unable to hear what they were teasing me about as I could not hear them,’ she recalls. But the fact remains that schools need to have a more accepting attitude and a willingness to provide equal opportunities to students with disability. Take the case of American Embassy School. The way it groomed 18-yearold braveheart Aisha Chaudhary till her last is simply an awe-inspiring story... This is an issue close to my heart. And I hope you draw oodles of inspiration from it.

Happy reading!

27 Watch This Space: Events

Teena Baruah

Parenting: Reverse Inclusion

Brainstorm: Quiz

30 Potpourri: Timeline of Rôshogolla

Ask Nivedita

Rap up: Reviews

Scoreboard: Cricket for Blind

14 S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

M e n t o r ’ s N o t e

Abha Sahgal

’ d o G y a l P t ’ n o ‘D

Sanskriti School’s Principal Abha Sahgal insists that educators must never be too quick to label students or guess their destiny. Text & Photo byTeena Baruah

ow did teaching happen? I never knew I’d become a teacher. I was 23 when I decided to fill in a leave vacancy in DPS RK Puram in 1980. I was married, had a degree in English Literature, and was toying with the idea of opening a salon when this opportunity

came. But that one month in the classroom set my life in order. I taught grade 9. I found the experience of being in a classroom so vibrant and energising that I decided to go in for teacher’s training. That’s how the journey began. In 1995, DPS gave me the responsibility of heading a Primary School and in 2000, I left

the country to start a school for DPS at Sharjah, UAE and returned after eight years to join as the principal of Sanskriti. After 37 years in teaching, do you still feel as alive and nervous when you enter a class? You could be teaching for years, but when you enter a class there

should always be a bit of nervous trepidation. That’s what makes you grow as a teacher and pushes you to always prepare for your class and go through the lesson plan. Even today if I have to take a class without preparing for it, I will find something else to do with the children rather than teach. What is your vision and philosophy as an educator? As educators, sometimes, we start having our own aspiration what we want for our school, how should our school look? We get involved with all that and the focus gets shifted from the children. Whatever decision we take must be taken keeping the children in mind. Also, remember, every child has potential. The school must recognise and nurture their plurality. It should give equal recognition to all of them and nurture their talent. We were just doing a result discussion today and a teacher

This year we want to introduce tablets in the school to address the multiple intelligence we have in classrooms

pointed out that a child is extremely weak in spellings. I asked her if that is going to hamper his achievements in life. The answer was no. I know a lot of students who have a great flair for writing, can express themselves well, and have gone into academia, but were once terrible in phonetics. Even after so many years in education I cannot predict what a child will be 10 years from hence. Children keep surprising us. But as adults we are so quick to pass judgments: yeh to kuch nahi karega, yeh toh mumphali bechega, or this one is definitely going to be-

come a doctor. And we pass these judgments so confidently. And when it does not happen, we as adults get disappointed and start applying pressure on the child. And that’s when we stop treating the child as a child. We are only worried about what we had wanted for this child. And that’s why you find today’s youth getting frustrated.

How dynamic or challenging is your role as a principal? Children today are growing much faster, thinking very fast, they are digital natives while we are still struggling with it. So it’s constant learning for us. Every year as a principal I sit with my faculty and try to make learning more relevant and exciting for my children. And yet the books are the same… It doesn’t matter. Books are only springboards. Our curriculum and books can never be our master. They give you a base to plunge into deeper realms of knowledge. We must understand the require-

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

M e n t o r ’ s N o t e

ment of children. That’s the first thing a teacher must understand. She must equip herself, empower herself, add to her own expertise. We are living in the information age. Find out exciting information, don’t just Google, go to sites where you can interact with students and educators. As principal, I watch TED Talks regularly to understand how to tackle different situations in school. Often bright children get neglected in classroom, how to deal with that. We got ourselves registered on Edmodo, where teachers communicate with each other on a regular basis about new classroom strategies and share assignments and assessments. My job as a principal is to take teachers on a particular path. I can’t give them solutions. This year, we want to introduce tab-

I watch Ted Talks regularly to understand how to tackle different situations in school

lets in school. Teachers are part of this journey, they have gone through workshops, orientation programmes, so nothing that we do in school, whether it is introducing tablet, or an activity, should be done without adequate research and brainstorming sessions. We will make a lot of mistakes in the first year, but we will learn from them.

Will tablets replace books? No. As an educator I understand the need to be innovative and dynamic, but I do not want to give away everything that is traditional. So, it will be a happy mix of traditional and modern pedagogy. It will add variety. There will be chalk and book, hands-on project work for students, oral lessons by

teacher, tablets to enable tactile learning. I hope tablets will help us to address the multiple intelligence we have in classroom.

Is there scope for innovative curriculum in CBSE? I feel CBSE gets this unjustified criticism. It doesn’t stop us from doing anything till Class VIII and even in Class IX, X there is a scope for a lot of creativity. We, at Sanskriti, follow CBSE curriculum. Any more changes you have introduced recently? We have decided not to have Computer Science as a subject and integrated it in all subject learning. We are also introducing subjects like Creativity and Strategy.

S C H O O L

L I V E I wish to subscribe to School Live Magazine for............... year/years. Name ........................................................................................................................................................................ Address ........................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................. City ................................................ Pin ...................................................... Telephone ................................................. ..................................... Mobile... ...................................................... Email Id ........................................................................................................................................................................ School ........................................................................................................................................................................ Date Place Signature A Demand Draft/Cheque bearing no ............................... dated ................................. drawn on ........................................ Note: All the Payments to be made in favour of “FUTURE READY EDUCATION SERVICES PVT. LTD.”

Year

Issues

Cover Price (Rs.)

You Pay (Rs.)

Mailing Address : 510, C Block, Kasmanda Apartments Hazratganj, Lucknow - 1 For More Queries: queries@schoollive.in or Connect us on + 9810560472, 8808423124

Partner With us Back Cover Inside Cover (Back/ Front) Full Page Half Page Quarter Page To Book space call School Live Advertising at 9810560472, 8808423124 or email us at queries@schoollive.in

All the above rates are subject to change depending on the print area. colours and apecific issues. Conditions apply*

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 11

S t u d e n t

B l o g

I Am Special

Kartik Sawhney sums up his brilliant but rollercoaster academic journey that took off at mainstream DPS, New Delhi. He scored 95.8% in Class XII, was denied admission in IIT and is currently studying Computer Science at Stanford

was a topper at DPS, RK Puram. Everything was ideal until Class X when I had to choose an educational stream for the rest of my schooling. I wanted to go for Sciences, but I had to convince the CBSE of my decision (which took me over nine months, several letters, campaign by an NGO and a request from my school Principal). Finally, the Board issued a circular that allowed blind students to pursue Sciences. However, managing Science replete with diagrams and figures was a big challenge in itself. I had to develop softwares and techniques to help me understand and present scientific content. For instance, I developed a software that converts a graph into its corresponding audio, conveying the monotonicity (varia-

tion) of the graph through musical notes.

ed in Stanford University with a 100% scholarship.

Denied @ IIT

Life At Stanford

At the same time, I joined a coaching centre for preparing for the IIT Joint Entrance Exam. However, after two years of preparation, however, I was told that I will be given a student from Humanities or Commerce (without Mathematics) streams to read my paper (who, of course, could not read the paper, given the various technical symbols and notations in Sciences). I was shattered, but was inspired by what Dr APJ Abdul Kalam told me when I met him in 2005, “What is required to succeed is not vision, but a vision”. I decided to apply for universities abroad as late as November and in March 2013, I was accept-

The university has an outstanding program to cater to the needs of its students with disabilities, and the entire atmosphere is truly very inclusive. I continued disability advocacy at Stanford, and was selected as a member of UNICEF’s Youth Council (20 students from around the world). The most rewarding experience, however, has been the opportunity to mentor and help other blind Science students in India. And this summer, I will be working with the Microsoft Operating Systems Group at the company’s headquarters in Redmond. So, studying abroad has been very satisfying and rewarding.

S t u d e n t

B l o g

I Hear

You Hearing impaired since age 3, Jyoti DhawaleSurve recalls quirky snippets from school days

have nostalgic memories of school days. Some funny, some worth the pain - that made me stronger and bolder. There are some words I am unable to pronounce properly and they are C, S and X. Whenever I pronounce ‘ship’ as ‘chip’ or vice versa, or a girl’s name Cecily as Chechilly, it becomes a butt of jokes. “Don’t be silly” becomes, “don’t be chilly”. I was often laughed at by my classmates. But I didn’t let it affect me. The good thing is that I was unable to follow what they were teasing me about as my back was towards them. In the classroom, I had the privilege of sitting in the front middle row so as to lip-read the teacher. When teachers were difficult to follow, my parents hired tutors for private lessons. I was good in sports, general knowledge quiz and crafts and was encouraged to hone those skills. I have an impaired hearing. I suffer from 102% hearing loss, but in my world of silence I learnt to hear through the movement of lips and through vibrations, until high-

I learnt to practice speaking through the art of touch, feel and vibrations of my fingers on my throat and by seeing where/ how the tongue is placed in the mouth

end digitally-computerised BTE (behind-the-ear) machine came into the market. I learnt to practice speaking through the art of touch, feel and vibrations of my fingers on my throat and by seeing where/how the tongue is placed in the mouth. All I needed was the ‘sight’ and the ‘touch’ to help me through my vocabulary. And if I can do it, then so can you.

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 13

C O V E R

Before I Go American Embassy School student Aisha Chaudharyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parting wisdom about life and happiness

y story is different from most, because I had to undergo a bone marrow transplant when I was just 6 months old, and now I have Pulmonary Fibrosis, which is a serious lung disease, and my lung capacity is now only 20%. My name is Aisha Chaudhary, and I am 17-years-old, and today I would like to talk about what really matters most to me in life. Now, life can be tough, when every single breath you take is a struggle. And the slightest infection causes a serious life threatening exacerbation. And the last one for me was in November last year, when I went from being able to walk around freely and go to school, to suddenly being bedridden, unable to turn over in bed without getting out of breath. And I must confess that I did wonder if I was going to die, and I would have sleepless nights, just thinking, tossing and turning with this idea that soon I may be gone, and if that is going to happen then what’s the point of anything? I’d think about this for hours and get nowhere, but then it suddenly struck me that I am not really alone in all of this, is it not true that not just me, but all of us are going to die one day. Yes, all of us are going to die. I’d like you all to just think about that for a moment. In the next 100 years, all of us will be gone. Just at different times, some sooner than the others. So then, if death is the ultimate truth, what should really matter most in life? The only thing that matters to me is being happy, and happiness is a choice one makes, it’s simply an attitude. I can either choose to be happy and try to smile through all my difficult times, or I can choose to be miserable and get overwhelmed by it all. Now it’s not that by being miserable that I am going to get any better. So, I may as well choose to be happy.

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 15

Photo by Ravi Choudhary

C O V E R

COVER And if I have to have Pulmonary Fibrosis, I choose to have a happy Pulmonary Fibrosis. Now, I would like to share with you a few difficult moments in the recent past, where I have chosen to be happy. This year I was quite unwell, and I had to undergo several medical tests. And one such test was a sleep study, done to check if my oxygen levels were okay when I sleep. I was almost trapped in a bunch of wires, some stuck to my face and some to my body, to monitor my heart, my brain, and my breathing. Despite all of this, I am still smiling because I refuse to let this illness get the better of me. I just won’t let it. And I choose to find humor in observing the man who was doing my sleep study. I couldn’t help but laugh at the way he would just put up his feet on my bed, and go off to sleep himself, snoring away. And this obviously made it difficult for me to sleep, and maybe that’s why my results were so bad. “How ridiculous!,” I thought to myself. Later that month, my family and I had to go to England for a full medical check-up. And the days were filled with long boring medical appointments, talking about lung transplant, and what seemed like endless amounts of tests. After the long day at the hospital we were headed to see a broadway show

I believe that it is important to create many happy memories, so that we can try to wipe out the sad ones

‘AES found Aisha a Burberry print wheelchair’

Aditi Chaudhary talks about her daughter Aisha’s inclusive education at American Embassy School American Embassy School (AES) is very close to my heart - their caring and love above and beyond the call of duty - their ethos that each life is unique and counts - their belief that we are one family and one world is something we have witnessed first hand. They educated me on how to manage the emerging situation (gave me relevant reading material) and had several meetings. They helped us think through ways on making Aisha more confident in herself to handle the peer relationships. Aisha struggled with peer relationships in middle school - the counsellors stepped in - well trained and knowledgeable - they implemented their zero tolerance policy without hesitation but with utmost respect for Aisha and her peers. When Aisha’s class had a school trip for river rafting, she wanted to go but because she had a feeding tube in her stomach, we could not afford to have her fall in the water. AES hired a van that could pull Aisha out of the water before the Rapids and put her back in the boat lower down the river - they helped her participate as much as she could. Their belief that life experiences are as important as the ABCs and their will to enforce this despite special dis/ability is unique. As Aisha’s health declined, they continually changed her schedule so she could attend as much school as she could. Their staff is amazing - they pushed her to do her best but were always mindful of her health. Their counsellors and educators bring the best training from the West and I will always be grateful that such an institution exists and was part of our life. Aisha could never have achieved what she did without the excellent care and education that the AES provides. The health care at AES is of the highest quality and their empathy for us was a blessing throughout the last five years. When Aisha fell very ill and I was too busy caring for her, the health office at AES stayed in touch. They found Aisha a Burberry print wheelchair - they knew how particular she was about how things looked. Paediatric masks are impossible to find in India and they supplied us one from their stock. The list goes on and on.

COVER in London. And it was fabulous, I was able to put the trauma of the day at the hospital behind me. And I still managed to find the will and the excitement in going out for a play, and spending quality time with my brother. I believe that it is important to create many happy memories, so that we can try to wipe out the sad ones. After having quite an unpleasant summer with all of these medical issues, my family and I decided to take a holiday to the Maldives, and there was so much to do in the Maldives. But of course, my health didn’t permit me to do a lot of the things that I wanted to. And one of the main activities was snorkelling, and I desperately wanted to try it. But, how could a person who has difficulty breathing go snorkelling? I wore my snorkelling gear and popped my head into the water, and saw the most beautiful, vibrant coloured fish. And I am not going to lie, I did only dip my head in for a second, but I did what I wanted to do, and that moment for me was worth everything. And I felt extreme happiness and was even surprised at myself for doing something that everyone wasn’t sure was really possible. So, happiness is clearly a choice one can make. No matter what, no matter where, you can find it if you look for it. In fact, Tom Wilson once said, “A smile is happiness you can find right under your nose.” I feel that happiness is also doing what you truly love. And for me, my love is for art, simply because it allows me to express myself in such a beautiful and unique way. As I dip my brush in the vibrant colours of paint, and can almost feel the paint being smeared on to the fabric of the canvas, I tend to forget all of my worries, and the difficult situation that I am really

in. And art makes me happy, because it almost becomes a whole another world, where I can escape, atleast for a little while. And these days my most favorite subject to paint is dogs. I would like to introduce you to my own two dogs, Coby, the labrador, and Rolo, the black pug. I find it so interesting that even though they can’t speak a word, dogs can become the closest thing to your heart, your very best friend, and your companion. I love to observe them and try to figure them out, and I can’t help but get inspired, dogs are so similar to humans, yet they carry qualities that

we humans struggle to achieve at times. Dogs can find happiness in the smallest of things, dogs are delighted with a walk, ecstatic with a small treat, and in heaven when you tickle their belly. And now all of this doesn’t mean that life is always one big song and dance, it really isn’t. Of course, there are days when I feel extremely down, where I feel like simply curling up into a ball and just giving up, but then the realisation that things could always be much much worse, always pushes me to get back up on my feet, and put a smile on my face.

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 17

COVER

Together We Learn Better What is inclusive education? We believe that each student can and will learn and he/she has unique contributions to offer to other learners. Diversity in the classroom is to be accepted and appreciated to get effective learning results with the collaborative efforts of all students. Is your school inclusive? We provide conducive and enriching environment for all children to grow and develop life skills to cope with day-to-day challenges and become selfreliant. Equal opportunities are provided to all children keeping in mind their pace of learning. Apeejay School, Sheikh Sarai AP Sharma, Principal What is inclusive education? Inclusion is designed to benefit every student, including those from ethnic/linguistic minority or those with difficulty or learn-

ing disability. It is crucial that all teachers ensure inclusive practice for all students in their classroom and the wider school. Is your school inclusive? Our strategy is 360O exposure to students to hone their skills with an assurance that making mistakes is part of the growth. Also, teachers attend workshops and seminars on inclusive practices to be sensitive to this issue. Sehwag International School Dhirendra Singh, Principal What is inclusive education? At Ryan, we regard inclusive education as an umbrella term used to educate both learners who experience learning breakdown and those who are regarded as disabled. Is your school inclusive? When children with disabilities learn in an integrated setting

good things happen. We don’t merely understand variations of intellectual capacity but we plan and strategise to empower every learner. Special worksheets are designed for both gifted and weaker students to enable them to enhance their growth potential. Remedial classes are held for identified weak students to improve their skill in a non-intrusive environment. Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj Sandhya Sabu, Principal What is inclusive education? Inclusive education helps the students to work on their individual goal while participating with other students of their own age hence maintaining proper discipline in class and fostering a school culture of respect and belonging. Little Angels High school, Gwalior Dr Shabana Rehan, Principal

Compiled by Prerna Jaiswal

I could have easily been born into a family that wasn’t as loving and caring as my own. So, I thank God for the family that I have. And I know for a fact that there are children out there who are much less fortunate that I am. And although I have this disease, I am still grateful that I can walk around, and do what I love to do. So, happiness is an attitude, happiness is doing what you truly love, and I feel that happiness can only come from acceptance. I accept who I am, I accept where I am at, and I accept the challenges that I am battling with today.

And I am even more determined to make the most of this wonderful gift of life that God has given me. As Anderson once said, “Enjoy life, there is plenty of time to be dead.” So, I really hope that all of you enjoy your lives, with as much happiness as you can possibly find.

(This article is published with the permission of INKtalks.com. Its author, Aisha Chaudhary, 18, died on January 24, 2015, the day her book, My Little Epiphanies (Bloomsbury India), was launched at the Jaipur Literature Festival.)

S c h o o l

i n

S p o t l i g h t

School of Smiles

Walking through the corridors of Tamana School in New Delhi, you know there is something special about this institution. Prerna Jaiswal reports

he Tamana family of schools â&#x20AC;&#x201C; School of Hope (Tamana Autism Centre), Tamana Nai Disha and Tamana Special School â&#x20AC;&#x201C; were set up with the aim of meeting life goals of each and every one of its students. Inaugurated by Lady Diana in February 1992, Tamana Special School focuses on every area of a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development, depending on the need as well as potential. The regular school curriculum is a vital reference point for students

who have the potential to be included in a regular classroom or join the open school program. Tamana was the first institution to recognise autism as a disability distinct from others and the first to start programs for Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Tamana Autism Centre, with its state of the art intervention, provides productive education and therapy to hundreds who do not fit into existing special education programs. At the Nai Disha Vocational

Training Centre, students above the age of 16 are assessed for ability and interest in learning skills for life vocations. They are imparted training in office skills (secretarial, typing, Photostat), home management (cooking, baking, serving and cleaning) and computer skills. Some students also learn canteen management, paper recycling and paper bag making, etc. These skill sets help students to be gainfully employed and gain a sense of responsibility and independence.

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 19

S c h o o l

i n

S p o t l i g h t

Tamana is in constant search of people who need special care and services, but are unable to move beyond the confines of their neighbourhood, due to societal stigma and financial disabilities. This is the philosophy with which the Ekta Basti School was set up in 1990, through a literacy project for the slum children at Ekta Vihar. This project provides basic quality education for children below 5 years and helps school dropouts complete their education. At the Tamana schools a lot of importance is laid on vocational training and therapies. Every student enrolled in the school is assessed and examined by a special educator, psychologist, speech therapist and occupational therapist. This helps prepare the Individualised Education Plan (IEP) to help monitor the growth of the student. Children are taught in a one-to-one situation and in a group â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the student-teacher ratio being one to three. Other than the therapies that form the core of any effective pro-

S c h o o l

gram for the special needs population, what sets Tamana apart is its emphasis on other alternative strategies and therapies, including nutritional guidance, yoga, sports based activities, community orientation (shopping trips, picnics, excursions and movies), computer aided learning and in-

Dr Shayama Chona, founder and president, is excited about the two new features under the Tamana umbrella – Reverse Integration and Tamana Plus tegrated arts that include drama, dance and music. Dr Shayama Chona, founder and president, is excited about the two new features under the

i n

S p o t l i g h t

Tamana umbrella – Reverse Integration and Tamana Plus. Reverse Integration is the enrolment of regular children with the special children – a one-of-its-kind experiment in the world. Tamana Plus will provide extra classes to students of regular schools with special needs that are unable to get vocationalisation, therapy and one to one. Special counselling sessions and therapy classes are held for parents of differently-abled and special children to help them emerge stronger and counter any challenges that may come when dealing with their offsprings. It has been a long struggle since Tamana was first registered in 1984, but the fight still continues. From ‘disabled’ to ‘differently abled’, Dr Chona and her team are working towards an equal world where special children and their families don’t have to fight any stigmas and prejudices. Their inspiration is the smiles of the children. Warm endearing smiles from the heart.

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 21

P o s i t i v e l y

P o s i t i v e

Rainbow Natio School LIVE brings the technicolour images of Holi shot by our young readers. The festival of colours was celebrated in an explosion of iridescent powders, paints and dyes to mark the end of winter

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 23

P o s i t i v e l y

P o s i t i v e

Photographs courtesy: Aryaman Jaiswal St. Francis school, Lucknow; Kaustubh Aggarwal, Amity International School, Noida; Nitya Singh, Convent of Jesus and Mary Waverley, Mussoorie;

P o s i t i v e l y

P o s i t i v e

Ria Chopra, Amity International School, Saket; Srishti Jain, Cambridge School, Noida; Inayat Sachdeva, Amity International School, Noida

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 25

C a r e e r

C h a t

Special Support

Career Counsellor Jitin Chawla provides an overview of the various opportunities that are available to special educators

special educator uses special instructional methodology, learning-teaching aids and equipments to meet the needs of children with specific learning disabilities.

they are comfortable interacting with students, parents and colleagues. They should have the inherent ability to understand the needs and abilities of a child, keep track of each child’s progress and

Courses:

There are several institutes offering Bachelors as well as Masters Programme in Special Education. Though, short term courses spanning two weeks to one month are available, it is advisable to take up a course of atleast a year. A Bachelor’s degree provides an in-depth knowledge about various teaching methodologies, whereas Master’s degree programme is specially devised for those who are already working in the field and wish to pursue higher studies.

Eligibility criteria:

Those willing to pursue Bachelor’s degree in Special Education should have an aggregate of at least 50% marks. Those applying for Master’s programme should have Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from a recognised university. For pursuing a diploma in Special Education, it is essential to pass 10+2 exams.

Essential attributes: The

applicant must possess excellent communication skills, so that

be familiar with the use of assistive technology devices used in the classroom. They should have an in-depth understanding of human psychology and emotions. It is imperative for a special educator to encourage and motivate children, instill confidence and be creative and flexible in their approach with disabled children.

Areas of study: A programme

in Special Education offers specialisation in teacher training, curriculum development and behavioural management. Some of the major subjects covered during the course of the programme include, Child Development, Educational Psychology, Child Assessment, Behaviour Support,

Communication Techniques and Disabled Student Instruction.

Opportunities galore:

A special educator works closely with speech therapists, psychologists and physiotherapists. Their job responsibility entails communicating and coordinating with others involved in the child’s well being, including parents, social workers, school psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, school administrators, and other teachers. They even suggest techniques to promote learning at home.

Institutes: Thakur Hari Prasad

Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for Mentally Handicapped, Hyderabad; National Institute for Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad; Department of Special Education, Visakhapatnam; Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi; Spastic Society of Northern India, New Delhi; Institute for Special Education, YMCA Nizamuddin, New Delhi; B.M. Institute of Mental Health, Ahmedabad; All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore; SNDT Women’s University, Department of Special Education, Mumbai.

W a t c h

t h i s

S p a c e

ay Annual D

Song Of Joy The Annual day function ‘Pallav 2015’ was held on March 11 in Apeejay School Sheikh Sarai. The Pre-Primary department of the school celebrated it with a lot of fun and enthusiasm. It was a big event in which all the children from KG to Class I participated. Students of kindergarten presented song and

dance shows inspired by their fantasy and imaginations, Meri duniya sabse Juda and Pari Lok. There were dance performances on the popular numbers Que Sera Sera and Bum Bum Bhole. Students from Class I presented a play based on the story of ‘The goat and the seven kids’. Chief Guest Richa Anirudh, Editor in Chief of School LIVE and the Guest of Honour Mahua Shankar, renowned kathak dancer, also witnessed the event. The programme concluded with distribution of awards to students excelling in different fields.

1st Milestone The graduation ceremony ‘World of Joy’ was held in Ryan International School, Mayur Vihar for Montessori kids on March 1. The event started with the prayer by tiny tots which was joined by the audience. The events included various dance performances by pre-primary students and singing by the school choir. Principal Sulochana Raja inspired the students and presented awards and accolades won by the school at different platforms. The programme was aimed at nurturing and grooming kids and empowering them with knowledge and skills which is the vision of Chairman Augustine Francis Pinto and Director Grace Pinto.

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 27

P a r e n t i n g

Reverse Inclusion If Santa Claus was a thin and petite woman, then surely it would be Smita Awasthi, the Founder and Clinical Director at BMI

When your young, barely verbal child is diagnosed with autism, after the initial cycle of shock, denial, absorbing and eventual acceptance you start the process of intervention. Former TV journalist and blogger Mugdha Kalra recalls her journey

remember my first day at the Behavior Momentum India (BMI) when we decided to go in for full time intervention and withdrew Madhav from a regular school. I had to leave Madhav for about two hours for an assessment. The moment he saw me sneaking and running out of the centre he wailed until two staff members rushed to hold him back. I started walking fast as tears rolled down my eyes, and then started to run because I could not bear to hear his cries that echoed till the end of the street.

I called my husband and howled, standing right in the middle of the road, aghast at my helplessness in comforting my child, giving him a normal childhood and finding peace for us. It felt horrible to leave him at a school where all children were in the spectrum and some even at the severe end. His being not a normal child was more pronounced in my face. After two hours I went to fetch him, dreading the worst, thinking he would be angry with me and would be traumatised with the experience. Instead, there he was chuckling

and smiling, holding the staffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand and waving them a cheery goodbye. To date, BMI remains the only place where Madhav bids me goodbye happily. Apart from the individually designed 1:1 intervention programme, BMI has full calendar events planned for the entire year covering- Movie day, Supermarket day, Restaurant day, Fun day and all the major festivals. They believe that while table-top learning is important, it is equally important to have new contexts, which allow one to practice the new skills learnt. Madhav also attends their HiFive club which works on development of social skills and helps improve peer-to-peer interaction. If Santa Claus was a thin and petite woman, then surely it would be Smita Awasthi, the Founder and Clinical Director at Behavior Momentum India. She, along with her stellar team of Sridhar Aravamudhan and Karuna Kini, is not just helping our kids discover their potential, but is also training parents and professionals in the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). These are the people whom I have invested all my faith in. Every time I drop Madhav to school and see him walk in happily, I feel lucky to have found them.

B r a i n s t o r m

School Quiz League What’s in a name?

Who was appointed as Governor of Haryana by President Pranab Mukherjee on July 25, 2014?

What will be the next big offering from Apple Inc?

Recently, 175 essential drugs have been brought under the price control regime. What is the total number of drugs which are under price control mechanism?

What is the name of the first indigenously developed Rotavirus vaccine of India?

Which Indian state is the largest producer in the world of the golden coloured ‘Muga’ silk?

The Line Probe Assay (LPA) and Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CBNAAT) are the new diagnostic technologies used globally to determine which disease?

RBI has power to print currency notes of up to what denomination?

Recently India has become the third country in the world to have Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) in the world. Name the other two countries which have SBTF facility?

Kathy Cross, who has become the first woman umpire on ICC panel, belongs to which country?

Ace, double fault, smash, second service, and game point terms are related to which sport?

• For answers see page 33

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 29

P o t p o u r r i

Timeline of

Roshogolla

While you celebrate the new session with roshogolla, School LIVE digs deeper into its sweet, syrupy history

ôshogolla is a syrupy sweet of Bengal and Orissa. It originated in Odisha, as khirmohana. In 1868, a Kolkata-based confectioner named Nobin Chandra Das modified the recipe to produce the less perishable spongy white rôshogolla variant that is widespread today. One morning, a horse carriage carrying the wealthy Marwari merchant Bhagwandas Bagla and his family came to a halt outside his shop. One of Bagla’s children was thirsty and they were looking for some water. Nobin Chandra, as hospitality demanded during those days, offered the child a sweet—in this case a rôshogolla— along with the water. Seeing the child relish the new kind of sweet,

the father could not resist helping himself to one, and was so delighted that he bought a large quantity of rôshogollas. Nobin Chandra’s ‘invention’ soon became famous by word of mouth. One friend of Tagore, whenever he visited the poet in Shantiniketan, would always carry along a potful of rôshogolla purchased from Nobin Chandra’s shop. One day, when he stopped at the shop on his way to Shantiniketan, he found that the rôshogollas were sold out. He bought a potful from another shop, hoping that the poet would not be able to tell the difference. But Tagore only had to taste one to remark, “These rôshogollas are not from Nobin Chandra Das’s shop, are they?” In 1930, the Chandra family

introduced canned rôshogollas. In 1935, they acquired an upscale sweet shop in Kolkata where liveried waiters served sweets to patrons in porcelain plates. Sweets were no longer packed for customers the traditional way—wrapped in leaf—but in cake boxes. In 1946, the confectionery house set up a factory in Baghbazar—where it installed the boiler of a steam locomotive—and began to use steam, instead of open fire, to prepare the sweets.

N o

w o r r i e s

No worries Counsellor Nivedita Singh answers your queries about relationships, family, school and life

Sticky Finger

Unequal Equation Q. I have this friend who can never admit he’s wrong. He gets mad at me a lot whereas I let things pass. On a few occasion, he’s decided that he’s through with our friendship but I apologised even though I knew I wasn’t wrong. I feel I should just let it pass, since we’re going to go our ways anyway next year in Class XI, but then he infuriates me so much. I don’t know what to do. Arguments are necessary in a healthy relationship. It is not about who wins or loses but about giving each other the permission to be honest and spontaneous and speak one’s mind freely. It shows how rock solid the foundation of the friendship is when it can withstand disagreements. It is about accepting and respecting the fact that two people are different and have the right to have different views and opinions on a subject. If, however, your friendship leaves you with a feeling that things are no longer in your control, then its definitely loaded in favour of your friend. Somewhere, you are giving him more leeway than you can comfortably give. This self-sacrificing behaviour is going to leave you feeling violated and not equal in the equation you share. You are also compromising on the basic tenets of friendship which is integrity and honesty. It’s not a bad idea to share your experiences and be honest about the way it is affecting you.

Q. I have got this disturbing habit of stealing petty stuff from shops. It has nothing to do with paucity of pocket money, my parents have never denied me anything. It began very early when I would steal stationery from my friends in class. It gives me incredible thrill, but I know it’s not right. How do I deal with it? Let me begin with applauding the fact that you are seeking help. It is not easy and requires not merely insight but also courage, strength and vision to do so. There are a couple of things you can do. A). Writing therapy helps. You can begin by writing down your thoughts, emotions, experiences and triggers. B). On a scale of 0–10 rate your need to steal against each trigger and factor in a reward ev-

ery time you are able to diffuse the trigger. C). Write down all the possible consequences like shame, guilt, fear, expulsion, etc. that can possibly happen if and when you steal. Jotting it down and reading it acts as a deterrent and a negative reinforce. D). Balance the writing by having a column where you put down all your accomplishments you are proud of. E). Seek the help of a therapist who can help you manage impulse control through CBT techniques. F). It always helps if you have someone around who you can talk to. Your parents, a teacher, a school administrator or any other person of trust. Sharing and seeking support always helps.

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 31

R A P

U P

DUM LAGA KE HAISHA

Director: Sharat Katariya

et in the mid 90s in the quintessential small town Haridwar, Dum Laga Ke Haisha is the story of Prem Praksah Tiwari (Ayushmann Khurrana), a tenth-standard failed man who runs his father’s audio cassette-repair shop and an educated, but plump girl, Sandhya (newcomer Bhumi Pednekar). The story revolves around Prem, a down-onluck youth who is unable to pass Class X because he repeatedly fails in his English exam. He is a mild-mannered person who spends his day listening to Kumar Sanu songs in his father’s shop. (Sanu’s songs have a strong presence throughout the film). He has no aim in life. His family bullies him into marrying Sandhya, a rotund, but an educated and talented girl. In her, Prem’s father (Sanjay Mishra) sees a bahu who could improve the family’s economic condition. Prem, however hard he tries, cannot summon up the slightest affection for his wife. Meanwhile, Sandhya relentlessly tries to win over her husband’s love and attention in vain and both end up on the brink of divorce. Unlik e other films from Yash Raj banne r which are synonymous with Swiss Alps, chif-

fon sarees and its choice of heroines, this film stands out because it is one of the most relatable and grounded films, which does not evoke mawk ish emoti ons, but sucks you in its own world with its well etched characters and taut cinematography. With this kind of storyline, there is always a slight chance of the film slipping into the deep and dark realms of melodrama and sappiness which is a very common occurrence in Bollywood. But thanks to some brilliant screenwriting and clever dialogues by Sharat, this film is sweet, but not sappy. Ayushmann with his right diction and body language gives the movie a promising start, but it is Bhumi Pednekar who steals the show. The script gives seasoned theatre actors like Sanjay Mishra, Alka Amin, Seema Pahwa and Sheeba Chaddha a reason to be there, mining laughs from unexpected places. In brief, it is a simple, but beautiBy Amlaan Kumar ful observation on Class X love, marriage and Amity Internation al School divorce. Noida

R A P

A Teen Icon I AM MALALA Malala Yousafzai

hat makes this memoir compelling is the way the remarkable tale of a young girl’s solitary fight against the Taliban and girl’s education has been worded. It is a window to her heart, feelings, thoughts, aspirations and dreams. It also gives a brief insight into the history of a region engulfed in a deadly war for years. This book, co-authored by Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb, changed my perspective towards life forever and strengthened my belief in women power. Born in the picturesque Swat Valley, Pakistan, Malala is a freespirited Pashtun girl who believes in emancipation of women through education. At the age of

12, she started writing a blog for BBC Urdu under a pseudonym, describing her life under Taliban occupation, their strict laws, and her views on tutelage for girls. It was then that a British journalist decided to make a documentary on her life. Malala gave innumerable interviews, vociferously speaking about difficulties of growing up in the shadow of guns, problems faced by Pakistani girls and her outlook for a better Pakistan. The 15-year-old did not even squirm when she was shot point

U P

blank. She underwent a reconstructive surgery in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, England. The assassination bid on her life sparked public outrage world over. Malala did not let this incident make her lose sight of her goals or derail her plans. She gave a powerful speech in the United Nations headquarter, drawing attention to the conditions of girls in Pakistan. This fearless memoir of the most famous teenager in the world today is a must-read. By Anahita Garg Class X, Step By Step School Noida

Fitbit Charge Still Lags Behind

fter more than a year since the ill-fated Fitbit Force, Fitbit has finally released its replacement. This new fitness band has got all the basic features that we have now come to expect from every fitness band, like steps taken, calories burned, quality of sleep, floors climbed and it even shows you what time it is. To add to that, Fitbit has also added to this tracker, a few extra bells and whistles, most notably, Notifications from your smartphone are

SCHOOL QUIZ LEAGUE

ANSWERS

now viewable on the band’s screen. The clasp design has improved, making it more comfortable. Lastly, the battery life has also improved, lasting approximately 10 days on a single charge. However, other fitness bands, not

1. Kaptan Singh Solanki 2. Smart car

only offer a wider variety of viewable notifications, but also come with extra features like a continuous heart rate sensor, so you can see how the heart handles both workouts and daily stresses. By Shreyash Nigam Class X, Step By Step School, Noida

3. Assam 4.Tuberculosis

5. 615 medicines 6. Rotavac

7. Rs 10,000 8. New Zealand

9. US and Ukraine 10. Tennis

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 33

S c o r e b o a r d

reaking arriers

Cricket is a great way of fostering inclusion for blind kids, says George Abraham

s a youngster growing up in Hubli, Karnataka, I was first introduced to cricket while I was still studying in Class III. Like most boys, I was drawn to the game and used to follow test matches on radio. I aspired to be a fast bowler, but had to drop the idea of a possible career in cricket as I realised that with my poor eyesight, I was going nowhere. In 1989, I was staying at the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehradun, guest house when I woke up one morning to the sound of cricket commentary. I immediately jumped out of the bed and rushed to the playground. A group of children were playing cricket and they were all blind. As a child bowled a white plastic ball filled with ball bearings, I realised that the bowling was fast and accurate, and the batting was skilful and

efficient, while the fielders were quick and athletic. Their Physical Training Instructor told me that the game was entirely based on sound. At that very moment, four thoughts crossed my mind. The blind kids loved the sport. Sport was an exciting medium to develop oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personality in terms of leadership, competitive spirit, positive thinking, teamwork, strategic planning, physical fitness, mobility and so on. Given the popularity of the game in India, it was a powerful platform to project tal-

ent, ability and potential. Finally, since the game was being played across the country at various special schools, I realised that this game could be promoted at the State, National and the International levels and decided to get involved with the promotion of cricket for the blind. In 1990, I organised the first National tournament, followed by first World Cup in New Delhi in 1998. I hope that this kind of a tournament (World Cup) win will throw open more opportunities for the blind.

S p o n s o r e d

F e a t u r e

USK Foundation Always supportive of development causes

e are a registered body under the Societies Registration Act, 2011, and are primarily focused on Empowerment of Women & Child Development. We work relentlessly for the cause of women from all strata of society, across rural and urban areas, so that, they can enjoy their Constitutional and Legal entitlements, as well as discover opportunities to grow. USKF is also dedicated to imparting education, instruction and training in different branches of learning to meritorious students from socially and economically backward sections of society. We provide grants, aids and scholarships for such students, apart from conducting various awareness, training & scholarship programmes, health check-up camps, etc. Under the village development project USKF has adopted a tribal village named Ahupe. It is a beautiful tribal village just 135 km away from Pune, Maharashtra with only

Under the village development project USKF has adopted a tribal village named Ahupe two state transport buses for public transportation. Remote and very far from development, Ahupe wears a natural and beautiful look, but the villagers had to fight all the odds almost daily. They did not have access to the amenities which we consider basic. Usha Kakade, Founder, USK Foundation came forward with the determination to change things for the better. She adopted the village for development. Under her able guidance, Ahupe is now walking on the path of development. The main objective of this project is to increase food production and raise the income of tribal families, with specific focus on tourism. The project strategy includes, planting trees along the hill slopes to generate income, as well as utilising soil conservation measures to restore the ecological

equilibrium; improving the productivity of food crops through improved irrigation and farming technology; formulation of a community development strategy to ensure sustainability of economic development; and identifying measures to address the chronic indebtedness among tribals by strengthening credit and marketing systems. At the outset, USKF discussed with the villagers from Ahupe to understand their problems and needs. USKF organised health check-up, dental check-up, eye check-up camps. It lectures and conducts workshops on how to increase food grains, how to make and market Ayurvedic products, various food products made from rice and ragi and markets these. USKF also conducts workshops on the importance of SHG. When Usha Kakade visited Ahupe, the villagers presented her their art. Men and women showed their traditional games and skills. Women recited self-composed songs.

S C H O O L L I V E April 2015

| 35