School LIVE Jan issue

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20 15 vo lu me 5 JA NU AR Y

MEHR TARAR OOL ATTACK PESHAWAR SCH LAND R CARLYLE MCFA , LUCKNOW LA MARTINIERE SPOTLIGHT OL, KOLKATA O H C S E E Z A R MOUNT LITE ESAI RAJDEEP SARD OL, MUMBAI O CAMPION SCH

NEW YEAR

SPECIAL

INSYNC

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Quizzer dares you to take our quiz

Radio and TV broadcaster

E D I T O R I N C H I EF Richa Anirudh richa@schoollive.in EDITOR

Teena Baruah teenabaruah@gmail.com SUB EDITOR

Smita Jain

EDITORIAL TEAM

Garima Srivastava Swagnikaa Roy DIRECTOR SALES AND MARKETING

NIVEDITA SINGH

JITIN CHAWLA

Saurabh Bhramar (North & West) saurabh@schoollive.in

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

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

Gaurava Yadav (East & South) gaurava@schoollive.in DESIGNER

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MEHR TARAR

PANKAJ AGRAWAL

A former op-ed editor and a freelance columnist based in Pakistan

email queries@schoollive.in

IIT graduate, sports enthusiast and blogger

50

2015 volume 5 JANUARY

NEW YEAR

SPECIAL

MEHR TARAR L ATTACK PESHAWAR SCHOO LAND CARLYLE MCFAR LUCKNOW LA MARTINIERE, TA SPOTLIGHT ZEE SCHOOL, KOLKA MOUNT LITERA SAI RAJDEEP SARDE L, MUMBAI SCHOO ON CAMPI

SAURABH PANDEY A banker by profession, Saurabh specialises in children’s photography and has shot our cover photo in this issue

PHOTO: SAURABH PANDEY MODELS: LASYA PUROHIT & TARA BARUAH

JANUARY 2015 01

ed-note

LIVE

Hi,

Guess where I am writing this letter from? I am sitting at a lonely, serene beach in Konkan. The village is called Ganpatipule and this is a no-frills, no-fancy beach area which is the best place to go if you don’t like crowded tourist destinations.

2014 ended on a sad note after violence in Peshawar and North East India. A tragedy is a tragedy but it hurts more when it hits children. But terror is blind and terrorists are heartless. Mehr Tarar, a columnist from Pakistan has sent a beautiful message for all of you. Do read it carefully.

I personally feel that it’s the duty of our generation of parents world over to raise our children as good human beings rather than good Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or Christians and good Indians, Pakistanis or Americans. That's the only way out of this dreadful tragic phase of terrorist attacks, wars between countries, riots between communities.

An Indian has won the Nobel Peace Prize this year. Let’s all work towards a peaceful world. You are our only hope for a better tomorrow.

Wishing you a peaceful life Lovingly yours

Richa Anirudh tweet to me @richaanir udh

T’ LIST I ‘ Y M ON Mr KY aIPdOaDm

Chaa

from film PK

ON MY PLATE Vatata Vada in Konkan

ON MY BOOKSHELF

Princess

by Jean Sass

on

JANUARY 2015 03

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

RECIPE BY REKHA BADAL

INGREDIENTS: Urad Papad 2-3 Onion (finely chopped) 1 medium-sized Tomato (finely chopped) 1 Potato (boiled) 1

PROCEDURE: 1. Roast or fry the papad, till crisp. Do not brown them 2. Finely chop the onion, tomato and potato into small pieces.

Coriander Leaves (chopped) a few

3. Add salt, buknoo and lime juice to it and mix properly.

Green Chillies (chopped) as per taste

4. Spread this mixture on the papads.

Lime/ lemon Juice 1 tsp Buknoo (powdered mixture of several spices) 2 tsp Salt 1 tsp

5. Garnish with coriander and green chillies.

6. Serve immediately, before they turn soggy.

The secret ingredient which adds taste to this recipe is Buknoo. Buknoo is a powdered mixture of various species like black salt,ruhland(saunth), turmeric, carom seeds (ajwain), cumin seeds(jeera), harra, asafoetida (hing), peepar, marodfali, baibirnag and a few drops of oil. Buknoo not only enhances the taste, but has medicinal properties also. It aids in digestion and helps in avoiding problems arising from indigestion.

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

contents

LIVE 03 Editor’s Note

Regulars 22

Mount Litera Zee School, Kolkata

19

Scoreboard: Carnival of Cricket

24

Brainstorm: Quiz

28

Worthy Opponents: Make or break New Year Resolutions?

27

QUICK EDIT

School in Spotlight:

Teen Travelogue: A slice of USA

25

Career Chat: Counsellor Jitin Chawla 13 Rap Up: Reviews 18 Ask Nivedita 26 Watch This Space 06 Principal’s Pen: Carlyle McFarland La Martiniere College, Lucknow

20 Down the School Corridor: Rajdeep Sardesai

Cover 08 Log Out: Internet addiction in children

View Point 12

Positively Positive: Art of Giving

17

Expert Expressions: Mehr Tarar on Peshawar school attack

As I edit School LIVE’s New Year issue from an ancient tea garden bungalow in Kaziranga National Park, while browsing Wikipedia entries and countless online journals, I cannot help but appreciate the Internet’s uncanny ability to connect the dots from across the world. But the Net has a dark side and we feel compelled to flag it to you young readers. Read our cover story, Log Out, to discover how Internet addiction is fast becoming a serious public health issue with heavy users suffering isolation, fatigue and withdrawal symptoms. Take the test given at the end to find out if you too have unwittingly become prey to the lure of the web.

Hope you have a wonderful year ahead.

HAPPY READING! Teena Baruah

JANUARY

08 26

P R I N C I P A L ’ s

P E N

Carlyle McFarland

‘Learning is just one component of education’ School LIVE meets with Principal of La Martiniere College, Lucknow. Garima Srivastav reports to what has been done in class.

How are you using technology to support teaching and learning in school?

There can be no replacement for a teacher. Today, we are moving towards completely digitising schools, where the option of using a digital system of teaching will be made available in every classroom. We have not reached there yet, but if the teacher has the choice of teaching the conventional way or using interactive audio video visuals aids to do the same, we would welcome it.

Do you have a particular educational philosophy?

Learning is just one component of education. A child has to be educated to be able to adjust to the society according to his ability. A child who gets 43 per cent in academics has as much a right to quality life as somebody who gets 93% grade. For the 43% to co-exist with 93%, both should be aware of each other's individual strengths and limitations,

and that is the educational philosophy of this school.

What is your approach to homework?

Usually, we do not encourage it because there is so much to do within the school hour, but sometimes things do need a little more extra preparation or brushing up and students need to learn through projects and research in their spare time. So, the concept of homework is more of a value addition

How do you support students who have academic, social or emotional difficulties?

Our teachers, who deeply care about the boys, are more than equipped with affection to be able to deal with adolescent emotional or psychological disturbances. But when they can't help, the boys are referred to school counsellors.

How often do you interact with students, teachers and parents?

I am with them 24 hours a day.

We strongly condemn and take action against group violence, or groupism resulting in violence Since we are a boarding school, my house becomes the home for all boarders after school.

What are the traits of an effective principal?

It depends on what we call effective. If effective is just getting job done, then I suppose there would be certain parameters, certain indices which have to be matched. But my role is more of a facilitator. When we are dealing with the boys, I have noticed, fairness is what they appreciate and what they recognise. Also, they need to know what the rules are. We presume that they know what the limits are, but they are living their 14th year first time, their 8th year first time, so they need to be told that at the age of 8 this is their limits. Thirdly, we need to create an atmosphere of fearlessness.

Who is a good teacher? How do you make sure teachers are living up to your expectations?

I will start with the second part.

Syllabus has to be completed. Sanctity of an examination has to be maintained. These are there in inverted commas. But what makes a good teacher is the ability to teach a child and not just the subject. Chemistry is only the reason why you interact with 40 children, but the 40 children are way above any formula in chemistry that you might teach them. The child comes first.

When you visit a classroom, what are the first things you look for as signs that the classroom is an effective learning place?

When I enter a classroom I see how clean the classroom is. But once I move beyond cosmetics, I sit and share a lesson with the teacher to find how engrossed the classroom is. When your interest is captured as much as that of children, with the teacher cracking a joke, or scolding at the right time, or making an eye contact with a particular children to attract his attention, I am satisfied with the levels of relationship established in the classroom.

In your estimation, what assessment strategies should be used to determine what a student knows and is able to do?

You should assess what a student

knows, but not what he doesn't know.

That is my strategy. Rather than saying, 'isko ye nahi aata number kaaton', say, 'isko ye aata hai iske liye number do'.

What discipline standards or procedures have you found to be effective when dealing with students?

Discipline is not that you will not laugh, you will not do this, you will not do that. It is about proper behavior in proper place. We strongly condemn and take action against group violence, or groupism resulting in violence and any kind of outside influence coming into the school.

Since the boarders live with me, I have to parent them. Our college has banned corporal punishment. So when I find a boy with a cigarette in his pocket--it's a boy's school, after all--he will tell me, 'Sir beat me, thrash me, do anything, but don't tell my parents.' But I do just the other way around, I do not touch him, because it is not my job to touch you, you are your parent's child. I involve the parents to discipline the child.

What will be your 'fingerprints' on this building after you leave?

Nothing. The school is much greater than I am.

JANUARY 2015 07

c o v e r

Internet addiction is fast becoming a serious public health issue with heavy users suffering isolation, fatigue and withdrawal symptoms. Teena Baruah reports

PHOTO : SAURABH PANDEY; MODELS: LASYA PUROHIT & TARA BARUAH

E

very morning, the first thing Preeti (name changed) does after getting up is to go online and check her messages. She gets depressed, moody and nervous when she's offline and finds creative ways to lie about, or hide her smartphone use.

She gets depressed if her photographs get less likes than her friend's. She throws tantrums when her parents nag her about the amount of time she spends online chatting, gaming, or using the computer, smartphone, or social networking and becomes defensive when asked about what she does online.

Preeti is just 13 and is currently undergoing treatment for her Internet

addiction in Delhi's Uday Foundation Centre for Children in Internet and Technology Distress where counsellors and psychologists guide children as young as 10 years old to participate in activities such as indoor games and engage in conversations with each other.

Preeti currently spends her weekends at the Centre where she is counselled on the harmful effects of being online for long hours. She is also encouraged to play indoor and outdoor games such as hopscotch and seven stones, read books, practice yoga, and participate in storytelling sessions.

“The idea is to let her discover the joys of traditional games and physical

interactions,” said Rahul Verma, Founder of Uday Foundation.

HELP IS AT HAND Uday Foundation — located in south Delhi's Sarvodaya Enclave — seeks to address the increasing problem of Internet overuse among children and works with young children, their parents and schools to provide primary prevention for young students, such as offering mentalhealth education, to establish an Internet addiction early-warning system and to provide counselling.

It has a counselling room, an activity-cum-play-room and a library.

The walls are adorned with blackand-white photos of children playing

outdoors and posters warning children of the ill-effects of Internet addiction and safe usage of social media such as, 'Life was much easier when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits'.

Rahul Verma's team works mostly with young people aged between 6 and 19 and their parents. “We aim to inspire, empower and teach children how to create more balance in their life with stress-free environment, good physical and mental growth. We work through cultural events, interactive education, science-based unique programming and curriculum, devicefree retreats and camps, school workshops and seminars, and community building. We also plan to collaborate with the education sector and technology industry to tackle this issue,� he says.

THE CASE ABROAD The issue of Internet addiction is much debated abroad, with some researchers questioning whether it can be classified as a formal addiction.

There is evidence that British

children spend more time online than many of their European peers. A 2012 European Union-wide study of children aged 11-16 by the London School of Economics found that UK was among the worst nations for indicators of apparently excessive Internet use, with more than a quarter saying they spend less time with family, friends or on schoolwork

JANUARY 2015 09

c o v e r

The study published an advice guide for pupils and schools about Internet devices, advising they be switched off before bed and during study times, with set times allocated for online activity because of being on the web.

Earlier last year, a survey conducted in England and Scotland found nearly 50 per cent school students aged between 14 and 15 years complaining of using the Internet on a compulsive basis for socialising, with more than three-quarters of similarly aged pupils taking a web-enabled laptop, phone or tablet to bed at night. The study published an advice guide for pupils and schools about Internet devices, advising they be switched off before bed and during study times, with set times allocated for online activity.

CAUSE AND EFFECT “Teenagers are particularly prone to Internet addiction. In many cases, the addiction leads to insomnia, depression and social withdrawal,” says a Delhibased school counsellor. She blames the parents for the child's apparent inability to disengage with the Internet. “We come across many children who try to make virtual friends because in real world they have few people to talk to. In many case, these kids have both parents who are working. In some cases, Internet overuse is seen in parents of such children,” she added.

“I see at least 10 children with severe

Internet addiction every week,” says Delhi-based psychiatrist Jitendra Nagpal. “Thankfully, both schools and parents have realised the magnitude of the problem and are taking corrective steps,” he says.

LIVING IN DENIAL Doctors say addiction to the Internet could be leading to a drop in grades and increased aggression among kids. But getting the child to accept this is difficult.

“Most of them would flatly refuse. So we came up with a questionnaire (see box) where we ask indirect questions such as time spent on the mobile and the number of social networking sites where the child has an account. The answers are shocking. Even fifth graders have access to Facebook, WhatsApp and Hike messengers. They have multiple games on their phones,” said Rahul Verma.

DON'T EAT AND SURF Dr Sandeep Grover, a psychiatrist at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, said that people who ate their meals while surfing the net suffered from two problems. One, that the addict was unwilling to leave his computer for a meal. Second, that the addict was combining two coping mechanisms at the same time – seeking comfort online and eating.

SMART KIDS, NOT SMARTPHONES The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) started a de-addiction clinic in Bangalore called Shut (Service for Healthy Use of Technology) last April.

“We had a case where a child was so addicted to online games that he lost all interest in studies, failed and finally dropped out of school. Internet addiction, if untreated, can have disastrous consequences. There is a need for a mass awareness programmes about judicious use of technology,” said Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma, associate professor at Nimhans and coordinator at the Shut clinic.

c o v e r

ARE YOU AN ADDICT? 1. What does your child own among following gadgets? ¨ Smart Phone ¨ Personal Computer ¨ Laptop ¨ Ipad/Tab

8. Does your child remain busy with smart phone while having meal at one of their favorite restaurants? ¨ Rarely ¨ Occasionally ¨ Frequently ¨ Always

14. How often do you complain about the amount of time your child spends on-line? ¨ Rarely ¨ Occasionally ¨ Frequently ¨ Always

2. Average time your child spends on PC/ Laptop/ipad/tab combined ? ¨ Less than 30 mins ¨ 30mins – 1 hour ¨ 1 hour – 2 hour ¨ more than 3 hour

9. Over exposure to internet has distanced your child from their sibling? ¨ Yes ¨ No ¨ May be

3. In which of the following Social Networking site, is your child having an account? ¨ Facebook ¨ Twitter ¨ BBM ¨ Ask.Fm ¨ Whatsapp ¨ Instagram

10. Have you ever tried to become friend of your child so that instead of sharing their feelings in social networking sites they should share the same with you? ¨ Yes ¨ No ¨ Don’t Know

15. How often do you think that your child's grades have suffered because of the amount of time they spend online? ¨ Rarely ¨ Occasionally ¨ Frequently ¨ Always

4. How frequently your child checks their mobile phone? ¨ Every 15 mins ¨ Every 30 mins ¨ Every 1 hour ¨ Every 2 hour

11. How often does your child neglect household chores to spend more time on-line? ¨ Rarely ¨ Occasionally ¨ Frequently ¨ Always

5. Do you feel that your child has started avoiding social outings and instead wants to be busy online? ¨ Yes ¨ No ¨ May be 6. Does your child prefer eating while surfing Smart-phone or Computer? ¨ Yes ¨ No ¨ Don’t Know 7. Average time your child spends on Smart phone a day? ¨ Less than 30 mins ¨ 30mins – 1 hour ¨ 1 hour – 2 hour ¨ more than 3 hour

12. Do you think that your child's more indulgence on internet is due to the reason that they have very less friends in school and neighborhood? ¨ Rarely ¨ Occasionally ¨ Frequently ¨ Always

16. How often does your child check their smart-phone before doing something else? ¨ Rarely ¨ Occasionally ¨ Frequently ¨ Always 17. Does your child get restless/irritated if wi-fi or 3G network suddenly goes off? ¨ Rarely ¨ Occasionally ¨ Frequently ¨ Always

13. How often does your child prefer to spend time on-line rather than with the rest of your family? ¨ Rarely ¨ Occasionally ¨ Frequently ¨ Always

To assess level of addiction, please evaluate your answers using following scale: 1 Point = Rarely, Less than 30 mins, Smart Phone, Personal Computer, Laptop, Ipad/Tab, Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, BBM, Ask.Fm, Instagram 2 Point = Occasionally, 30mins – 1 hour 3 Point = Frequently, 1 hour – 2 hour 4 Point = Yes 5 Point = Always, More than 4 hour No = 0 Point

level of addiction and the problems Internet/smart-phone usage is causing. Here's a general scale to help measure your score: 20 – 49 points: Your child is an average on-line user. They may surf the Web a bit too long at times, but you have control over your usage.

50 -79 points: Your child is experiencing occasional or frequent problems because of the Internet/Smart.

80 – 100 points: Internet / Smart Phone usage is causing significant problems in your child's life.

Please add the numbers you selected for each response to obtain a final score. The higher your child score, the greater

Source: Uday Foundation Center for Internet & Tech De Addiction

JANUARY 2015 11

P o s i t i v e l Y

P o s i t i v e

ART OF GIVING

A simple act of generosity goes a long way. Ayesha Thatte buys caps for night guards with her pocket money on her birthday

By Ayesha Thatte Class IX, Step by Step School, Noida

O

ne of the many things that gives me pleasure is to make someone else smile. To be honest, I am quite a self-centered and thankless girl (that's what mom always says). So, this was her way of making me more considerate towards others.

As I was busy mulling over what to wear on my 14th birthday and how to celebrate the big day ahead, my mom told me in her signature Ayesha-youare-becoming-a-spoilt-brat tone to do at least some act of charity to mark the special day. Knowing how difficult it is to convince mom about anything after she has made up her mind, I reluctantly agreed.

After a serious debate and discussion stretching for hours, my mom insisted that I donate money to an NGO and give away my old books to a

government school. But as winter was about to set in she decided to buy woollen caps for the 25 security guards posted on night duty in our society. The caps would help them brave the harsh winters.

I tried my best to convince her that the caps would be of no use as our guards might already be possessing one, and still she made me spend my pocket money on those caps.

That night, when I went down to

As winter was about to set in we decided to buy woollen caps for the 25 night guards in our society, with my pocket money!

distribute the caps amongst the guards they happily took them and wore them immediately. It gave me immense happiness and satisfaction to see the guards wearing them. I never knew a simple thing like a cap could bring a smile on their face. This incident would remain etched in my memory forever and will remind me that a small act of generosity and kindness can give more happiness than buying a precious gift for birthday or spending a huge amount on celebrations.

It would not be correct to say that I've turned into a selfless human being, but yes, I have become a bit more considerate and grateful for what I have.

movies R A P

U P

LINGAA Director K. S. Ravikumar Rajinikanth is at his spectacular best pulling off twin roles with panache and style.

But his portrayal of Raja Lingeswaran steals the show, as he bowled me over with his majestic style and confident performance. Though Kochadaiiyaan star may have turned 64, he looks no more than 40 in Lingaa. Thalaivar dances, fights and romances with such ease that it made me wonder why he has been away from films for all these years.

Rajnikanth has a double role in the movie, of a thief and the grandfather Raja Lingeshwar, however I would say he has third role of playing Rajnikanth himself.

Rajnikanth is a phenomenon that is never seen in the world and would never ever be seen again. We have superheroes Spider-Man, superman, Iron man...all of which are fictional. Rajnikanth is the first and only real super hero.

The only flaw with Lingaa is, it's a 3 hour long movie , stretched a bit too long and could have been crisper. Otherwise it's a complete paisa vasool. So, I give Lingaa a full blown seeti ( whistle ) and a 4 out of 5 popcorns. Go and enjoy Lingaa, Thalaiva, Rajni ...whatever you want to call him.

PK Director Rajkumar Hirani Once in 5-10 years you come across a movie that leaves you startled, happy and joyous. Raju Hirani certainly has a strange sense of humour and is a gifted director who can pick up the most complex subjects and weave them into simple narratives.

PK is a marvellous movie with an amazing script. From its dialogues, to each and every sequence, PK takes the audience on a journey of introspection and self realisation about every essence of life. The story is a bit like JK Rowling fantasy, but touches the social stereotypes in such a subtle way that the audience is pleasantly shaken. PK is certainly not an Aamir Khan movie, it has Raju Hirani written all over it. Anushka Sharma has done a wonderful job and there are special appearances by Sushant Singh and Sanjay Dutt. But the surprise package of the movie is School LIVE Editor in Chief Richa Anirudh, who has a small, but special cameo in it. I give 4 stars out of 5 to PK. It is a must watch for anyone looking for his own brand of God.

JANUARY 2015 13

TECHWISHLIST

R A P

U P

iPad Air 2 By Shreyash Nigam Class IX, Step by Step School, Noida

Sony Playstation 4 Power? Check. Style? Check. Games?

Double check! The Sony PS4 is arguably Sony's best console ever, and while our friends in Europe and America got their hands on this masterpiece way back in September 2013, we Indians got it only last year.

With games like Infamous and LBP 3, and future titles like Bloodborne and Uncharted, the Playstation 4 will surely please a lot of gamers.

iMac with Retina 5K Display This is not your average desktop.

Those of you who have used a 4K display know that it's hard not to admire that astounding clarity. What if I told you that there's a display out there, that even trumps that. iMac with Retina 5k comes in with a resolution of 5120-by-2880. That's 14.7 million pixels! 7 times more than HD! But it's not all good news. The new iMac costs a whopping ₹1,79,900. Ouch!

LG G-Watch R I like my watches smart, classy and elegant. The LG G-Watch R delivers just that. A beautiful display with its big and masculine yet sophisticated design, this is the best smart watch on the market right now. Period.

What do you get, when you take an already excellent tablet, make it lighter, more powerful, more beautiful and add even more features?

If you said iPad Air 2, Congrats! You can read! Jokes aside, the iPad Air 2 is one of thinnest and lightest tablets around, just 6.1mm and 436 grams, and with its stunning screen (2048x1436), 64 bit architecture and that super powerful A8 chip. The iPad Air is a supercomputer as big as your book. Did I mention it also comes with a fingerprint scanner?

Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan Z

Android ONE

Now, This is what I call Extreme Power! Built around two Kepler GPUs and 12GB of dedicated frame buffer memory, TITAN Z is engineered for next-generation 5K and multimonitor gaming. Powered by a total of 5,760 processing cores, or 2,880 cores per GPU, both GPU's in this dual GPU card run at the same clock speed, so neither GPU creates a performance bottleneck. What's more is that this is one of those rare graphics cards that actually manages to stay quiet…at 4k gaming! To quote Nvidia CEO, JenHsun, “If you're in desperate need of a supercomputer that you can fit under your desk, we have just the card for you.”

Not exactly a tech product, but this initiative taken by Google is certainly worth an applause. Android One is a standard created by Google for Android systems mainly targeted at customers in the developing world.

Android One smartphones will run software close to stock Android and updates will be handled by Google.

Google also makes a reference hardware design available for Android One, meaning that OEMs just have to manufacture the phone. This is something extremely unique done by Google to level the playing field, so everyone, regardless of economic status, can enjoy the latest and greatest in technology. Good job, Google!

E X P E R T E X P R E S S I O N

STOP KILLING

INNOCENT LIVES

I

, along with my son and other Pakistanis, thank you for observing two-minute silence in your school for the very brutal killings of 132 of our children in Peshawar. In this time of unmentionable grief when Pakistan has lost 144 people to an unspeakable act of terror, each message of condolence means a great deal to us. Although most of you are too young to understand why some terrible people do really horrible things, all of you stand together to share the grief of families who lost their children – children like you. And for that I thank you with all my heart.

I have a 14-year-old son who is heartbroken by what happened to those 132 children, but he remains

determined not to let his grief turn into anger. When he heard about the killings in the Peshawar school, his tremendous grief was visible from his tear-filled eyes. But then he just reiterated his determination to be kind to everyone around him.

You cannot change people by being cruel to them. You can only bring about a change if you believe that all human beings are equal, and all of them respond the best to one thing: kindness. I see that in my son every day. Everyone he knows, everyone around him, loves him, and that is simply because he believes in the power of kindness.

Try it!

In this age of globalisation, all of us are connected to one another through media, social media,

Do not let the way you pray to your God be a judge of how you look at others

movies and books. Borders do not matter, and borders do not divide when the values are universal: of humanity, of empathy, of tolerance, of sharing pain, of love. Your faith, nationality, ideology, or beliefs shape your personality, but always be very careful that you do not judge others by what you believe in. India's biggest strength is its pluralism, its diverse cultures, its many languages, and the many faiths people follow. Be true to who you are, and allow others to be who they are. Do not let the way you pray to your God be a judge of how you look at others. Open your hearts and minds, and you will find that children all over the world are just like you: innocent, smart, funny, interested in sports and video games, hate homework and exams, and happy when the school holidays start!

JANUARY 2015 17

A S K

N I V E D I T A

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

Bubble Wrapped Q: I am a working mother of a teenage girl. I am very protective and possessive as a mother, and consumed by the guilt of not giving enough time to her. My daughter has started spending excessive time over phone and social networking sites. This is driving me mad. I often scream at her, confiscate her phone. I feel I am becoming obsessed with my daughter, her friends and her lifestyle and I am turning into an insomniac.

Please help.

Dad Drinks Q: I am 10 years old and as far as my memory goes, I've known my dad to be an alcoholic. When he is sober, he is an awesome dad, but once he starts drinking, he becomes a monster and turns really abusive and violent. It is really scary to see dad in that state and this lasts for about a week or two. Mom gets really upset and exhausted and I hate it when this happens, but I really don't have the guts to go and tell mom to leave dad! What am I supposed to do?

It's one of the toughest situations to be in this age. It is really troublesome and stressful for a ten-year-old to try and fix a family condition. Any form of addiction, whether alcohol or substance or narcotics abuse, takes a toll on the entire family, making the environment at home unpredictable and hostile. The family goes through an emotional roller coaster, feeling helpless, frustrated, angry, hurt, guilty and scared. They are also deprived of all forms of human nourishment as they nurse their wounds in isolation, while holding on to the family secret. You are too young to be able to do anything, but not too young to express your feelings to your Dad. You can always tell him how his drinking affects you.

Hopefully, someday realization may dawn on him and make him want to change. Don't lose focus whereas studies are concerned and continue to strive hard and do well. Th at's the best you can do for your Mom.

Juggling a job along with parenting a teenager is an uphill task. We end up adding to our degree of difficulty when we undertake the journey 'consumed by guilt' and accompanied with 'screaming and shouting'. If you have the time and are choosing to invest it somewhere else rather than on the child, then change that. On the other hand if you don't have the time, then venting your anger will leave you with even less time and energy to engage in a meaningful interaction with your teenager. The instinct to protect is natural and no matter what anybody says you will continue to be concerned about her safety. Just don't overdo it. It does not help to bubble wrap the child and mollycoddle her. Please remember, as adults these children will have to deal with a world which was raised juggling studies with “phones, social media and chat sites.'' These are new age realities which you will have to teach the child to navigate through with a degree of preparedness. Rather than being overprotective, empower the child by teaching her to respect and value her freedom, by using it with responsibility. Put the burden of trust on her and please pull the plug on your fear and hyper vigilance.

Obsession, possessiveness, insomnia and anger are like parenting a fungus, which is likely to ruin the sanctity of the parent child relationship.

Invest in forging a deep bond with your child, where there is mutual respect and sharing. Be gentle when a child commits a mistake so, that the child learns to accept small setbacks and is able to pick herself up even as she learns from her experiences.

s c o r e b o a r d

CARNIVAL OF

CR CKET Pankaj Agrawal sets the stage for ICC Cricket World Cup on February 14

I

n around one month's time, ICC Cricket World Cup will kickstart in Australia and New Zealand.

Administered by the international governing body of Cricket, International Cricket Council, Cricket World Cup is the third largest sports extravaganza worldwide in terms of popularity and viewership after summer Olympics and FIFA Football World Cup.

This year, India will be the defending champion as they won the last World Cup in 2011, which was played in Indian sub-continent So far, total ten editions of Cricket World Cup have been played, with inaugural World Cup taking place during summer of 1975 in England. Since then this tournament has come a long way. In inaugural edition in 1975, eight teams participated, only 15 matches were played and the tournament lasted for just two weeks.

However, in 2015 World Cup, 14 teams will fight for the title and total 49 matches will be played over a period of one

and a half months.

England hosted the first three editions of the World Cups in 1975, 1979 and 1983. West Indies won the first two Cups in 1975 and 1979.

India was the surprise winner in 1983.

In 1987, World Cup moved out of England and was played in the Indian sub-continent.

The 1992 World Cup was hosted

by Australia and New Zealand and the tournament got its first major facelift.

Coloured clothing, day-night matches and white ball were introduced. South Africa, who was under boycott from the international Cricket fraternity due to apartheid, made a comeback in international sports and for the first time played in 1992 World Cup Cricket.

It is going to be exciting battle as India, Sri Lanka, Australia and South Africa are strong contenders for the title and flexing their muscles for the same In 2003,World Cup was hosted in Africa and in 2007 it moved to Caribbean, thus making it the first sporting tournament in the world to be hosted in all six populated continents in the world.

With four titles, Australia has been the most successful team in the tournament history. India and West Indies have won two titles each. This year, India will be the defending champion as they won the last World Cup in 2011, which was played in Indian subcontinent. It is going to be exciting battle as India, Sri Lanka, Australia and South Africa are strong contenders for the title and flexing their muscles for the same.

Let's hope that it's going to be an amazing carnival of cricket and of course, may the best team lift the trophy on March 29 in Melbourne, Australia.

JANUARY 2015 19

D o w N

T h E

S c h o o L

C o r r i d o r

CAMPION CHRONICLE Rajdeep Sardesai Affable and humble, Consulting Editor of India Today Group Rajdeep Sardesai speaks on his cricketing ability, multiple degrees and alma mater Campion School, Mumbai, in a conversation with Teena Baruah

C

osily embedded in a deep leather armchair inside his stately home in South Delhi’s upmarket Panchsheel Park, veteran journalist Rajdeep Sardesai recalls his school days with remarkable clarity. “When I look back at my childhood I can’t remember much except the time I spent at school. My school time stretched till late in the evening, so there was hardly anything to do after school.”

During school, he participated in a lot of debating and quiz shows. “I was a better quizzer than a debater.

I represented my state in Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest hosted by Amin Sayani. It was really a tough quiz contest. I did a lot of elocution, drama, participated in debates at the same time and played cricket,” he recalls.

Rajdeep was born to Indian Test cricketer Dilip Sardesai and academician Nandini Sardesai, who headed the Department of Sociology at St. Xavier’s College Mumbai. Was Sardesai’s childhood a juggle between academics and cricket in school, we wonder. “It certainly was, but it helped me to be a little bit good in both without

Photograph courtsey Surinder Nagar

excelling in either. I was always happy in the cricket field than I was in the classroom. Good thing about cricket is that it is meritocratic. I realised I wasn’t good enough. As time passed, I was able to concentrate on academics. I think mother being a professor helped in maintaining discipline. It’s great when your parent’s take your ambition and interests seriously,” he says.

That certainly is a modest sum up of a cricket career that finds a dedicated page on ESPN Cricinfo. But he speaks with candor and self-deprecation, “No, I don’t think I gave up cricket too early. I think I was not good enough. I was reasonably good at a certain level under 19, university-level. But to make it to the next grade you got to have something special in you. Maybe you have to have a certain hunger in you, not just skill. I had every facility with me. So, I am not being modest, I am just saying that there was a level beyond which I couldn’t go.”

In fact, the cricket ground was where he bonded with his father. “We spent a lot of time together at the cricket pitch. We bonded over cricket.

I also tried to introduce my children to some of my other childhood hobbies, like quiz, but none of them showed any real interest in it,” he tells School LIVE.

Incidentally, back in school, he had no real interest in journalism. He graduated in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai and went on to study MA LLB in Oxford. Why so many degrees? We ask him. “I didn’t know what to do with life, so I kept studying. Obviously, BA was something which you have to do. The MA LLB in Oxford was essential because one had the scholarship to go there and study. I was quite interested in doing Law. I thought law was a potential career. I liked the idea of debating, arguing and all. So, I thought I would become a decent lawyer. I think the training one received as a lawyer, became useful in this part of my life,” he says. Also, at

Oxford, he played a lot of cricket for the Combined Universities team in the UK. But being at the helm of Prime Time journalism, did he find time to engage with his children, Tarini and Ishan, to keep them grounded? “Actually, Sagarika (Ghosh, his wife) is the one who actually brought them up. I simply made guest appearances,” he confesses, adding, “But there is one quality that I hope I’ve passed on to my kids. And that’s modesty. I hate arrogance. My children don’t think of me as a celebrity. They think I am popular because I am on TV. And that’s true.” In this day when newsmen act like movie stars, Sardesai is truly a man of exception.

JANUARY 2015 21

SCHOOL IN SPOTLIGHT

PUTTING VALUES FIRST Mount Litera Zee School, DHR, Kolkata, imparts old school values with a modern touch. By Pooja Mehta

M

ount Litera Zee School, DHR, Kolkata offers an ideal mix of oriental and occidental traditions. It firmly believes in imparting old school values, but with a modern touch.

With the changing times, 'old school' may be largely seen as a pejorative term, but the school is changing the mindset.

GENESIS OF A DREAM SCHOOL The school started in 2007 in the City of Joy. An offshoot of Zee Tele Films Ltd, Mount Litera Zee School, DHR, Kolkata provides an ideal and secure environment to its students to grow and excel. The school invests in

not only the academic, mental, physical and spiritual growth of its students, but also believes in preparing global leaders of tomorrow who are enshrined with values, such as integrity, honesty, justice, etc.

With the changing times, 'old school' may be largely seen as a pejorative term, but the school is changing the mindset

COMMITTED TO HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT The main objective behind setting up this school was to provide a holistic platform to nurture excellence in each student. “The school has been successful in providing a complete education solution under one roof,� says school principal Anita Brooks.

She adds that the school has outlined a larger plan for its students. It is in the process of expanding its facilities in a new location very close to the existing set-up. It is driven by the desire to provide children a suitable ecofriendly environment where their holistic development can take place.

The new campus that is soon going to be ready will truly be every student's delight.

WORLD CLASS CURRICULUM The school curriculum is a perfect amalgamation of the best educational policies practiced both in India and abroad. It has been designed in such a fashion that it enhances learning in a playful manner. The use of cutting edge technology stimulates different areas of intelligence and helps them develop into highly productive member of the society. The learning model followed at the school is modern in its approach and uses latest

teaching methodologies and aids.

Skilled and dedicated teaching staff ensures that holistic development of each and every student takes place.

Besides academics the students are encouraged to excel in extra-curricular activities like music, art and craft, sports, etc. The school encourages its students to participate in the drives and campaigns launched by government agencies. Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw students of Mount Litera Zee School DHR, Kolkata actively participate in it.

TECHNICAL EDGE Like most city-based schools, Mount Litera Zee School also supports technology driven learning. While the school has taken several steps towards promoting e-learning, some are still in the pipeline.

“E-learning promotes collaborative learning in which students have numerous opportunities to interact with their peers and use their classmates' knowledge, comments, and research to enhance their own knowledge of a subject. There are more and varied opportunities for teachers to assess student progress and for the students themselves to evaluate their own progress,” Brooks says.

She highlights that a technological thrust is very important in the education system. The school has replaced traditional black boards with

smart class interactive learning white boards. The school has its own econtent developed by a dedicated team based out of Mumbai, under the Zee banner.

“Perhaps we have moved ahead from the period, chalk and talk. We use interactive white boards and content that has been especially

customised for Zee schools. The content is edited and updated on a monthly basis,” adds Brooks.

The school has its own e-content developed by a dedicated team based out of Mumbai, under the Zee banner JANUARY 2015 23

B R A I N S T O R M

SCHOOL QUIZ LEAGUE WHAT'S IN A NAME? 1

2

Which Asian team won the Cricket World Cup in the Year 1992, held in Australia/New Zealand?

Open is an autobiography capturing which sports person's life?

Which technology company owns the video sharing site YouTube?

Which country won the Champions Trophy held in India recently?

7

An Internet slang, ROFL, is an acronym of?

If you are visiting Honolulu in which country will you be in?

5

4

6

3

8

Which Indian business house owns the Hindustan Times newspaper?

9

To which town of MP does Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi belongs to?

Hyundai, the business conglomerate, belongs to which country?

10

Who said the famous line, 'I have a dream‌'?

For answers see page 26

C A R E E R

C H A T

Be An ACTUARY Join the league of anonymous mathematicians, who with their unbeatable analytical skills play a pivotal role in ensuring the psychological, financial and physical health of the society, says Career Counsellor Jitin Chawla

I

t's not just the finance minister who knows the pulse of the economy. There are many spin doctors who work behind the scenes to ensure that the country has a sound fiscal and financial health. Actuaries are one such advisor-cum-risk managers. It is because of their unparalleled risk management skills and analytical skills that businesses can grow and people can invest with confidence. Let's decode and understand the nuances of this profession bit by bit

CAREER IN ACTUARIAL SCIENCES Eligibility criteria: Those interested in pursuing a career as an actuary can

ACTUARIAL SCIENCE IN A NUTSHELL Actuaries play a key role in insurance companies; they design insurance plans, determine the premium, monitor the profitability of insurance companies and recommend corrective action when appropriate. They are financial experts who apply mathematical and statistical methodologies to assess risks - financial or otherwise. Scientific valuation of financial products is also a part of their job. They use mathematics, statistics and financial theories to study uncertain future events, especially those concerning insurance, investment and pension programmes. They also ensure that insurance companies have set aside enough funds to pay claims and provide advice on how to invest the insurance company's assets. A high degree of aptitude for mathematics and statistics is required to become an actuary.

join Actuarial Society of India, after passing Class XII with at least 85% marks in Maths and English as one of the subjects. The incumbents thereafter have to appear for an aptitude test wherein their mathematical/statistical and actuarial skills are assessed. Graduates and post graduates possessing at least 55% in Maths/ Statistics, Econometric, Computer Science, Physics and Engineering, CA, MCA, ICWA, CFA, MBA (Finance) are also eligible.

COURSE The course at Institute of Actuaries of India (IAI) does not have a fixed duration, however, it takes at least 3-4

years to complete it, if pursued dedicatedly. The examinations are conducted twice a year, in the month of May/June and Oct/Nov. The students are supposed to appear for a total of 15 papers.

The course at Institute of Actuaries of India is divided into four stages: a) Core Technical Stage, b) Core Application Stage, c) Specialist Technical Stage and d) Specialist Application Stage. The students need to have a thorough knowledge of: Financial Mathematics, Finance and Financial Reporting, Probability and Mathematical Statistics, General Insurance, Life and Health Contingencies, Statistical Methods, Business Economics, Financial Economics, Health and Care, Life Insurance, Pension and other employee benefits, Finance and Investment, General Insurance and Enterprise Risk Management.

OPPORTUNITIES GALORE LIC provides on-the-job training for actuaries. It has a three-year apprenticeship programme wherein the students are expected to clear the examination of the Actuarial Society.

What awaits them after this is a magnificent career in life insurance. A host of other career opportunities that beckon them include, retirement benefit consultant, investment consultant, risk manager, banks, etc.

Also one can look at making a career in operation research and statistics.

JANUARY 2015 25

W a t c h

t h i s

s p a c e

DURBAR DAY

Colvin Taluqdar’s College, Lucknow

T

he commemoration of 125 years of Colvin Taluqdar C o l l e g e , L u c k n o w, s a w Scientist and Former President APJ Abdul Kalam joining the students and teachers at the celebration. Addressing the august gathering, he said, “It is a historical day in the calendar of the college since it was first established in the year 1889.” He advised the

students to follow four postulates suggested by him to achieve success in life. They should have an aim in life; be equipped with adequate knowledge on the subject; be persistent in their efforts and be ready to toil hard, if they wanted to succeed in life.

He also urged the students to set up a library at their homes, starting with

mere 10 books. He said the day won’t be far when the collection grows to a few thousand, with each generation contributing to the existing collection.

The event marked the culmination of the annual sports meet, felicitation programme and Old Boy’s Week.

SEASON OF JOY

St. Francis College, Lucknow

CHRISTMAS CARNIVAL SJ International School, Lucknow

S

t. Francis College Lucknow celebrated the season of joy on December 19 and 20 with gaiety and fanfare. The celebration kicked off with students staging a nativity play at the institute, this was followed by melodious rendition of Christmas carols. Hymns and a play on birth of Lord Jesus were staged. The special celebrations that marked the season of giving filled every heart with joy and love. However, it was the surprise visit

by Santa that brought smile on everyone’s face. He was welcomed by loud applause as he went about gifting presents to children. The day ended on a happy note with children taking back with them lessons of love and peace.

T

he students of SJ International recently celebrated winter carnival for the first time in their school premises, attended both by the students and parents. A host of cultural programmes were organised on the occasion, including, baby show, fancy dress competition, creative writing competition and beauty queen contest for the parents. The highlight of the day was a play on the birth of Lord Jesus. The children received surprise gifts from Santa Claus. The delectable items too were available at various food stalls at the carnival.

SCHOOL QUIZ LEAGUE ANSWERS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Pakistan Andre Agassi Hawaii Google Germany

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Rolling On The Floor, Laughing KK Birla South Korea Vidisha Sir Martin Luther King Jr.

TEEN TRAVEL

A Slice of USA Highlights from Saoirse Saini Tope's trip to Disneyland, Santa Cruz beach and more

Saoirse Tope Class IX, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, New Delhi

I

t was hard to contain my excitement and happiness after discovering that our family would be flying soon to America for a vacation. What followed next was hectic planning and preparations, and finally the big day arrived, and I found myself rushing from one counter to another for security check at the airport. I never knew when I fell asleep.

When I woke up the plane was about to land.

SETTING FOOT IN THE DREAMLAND When I got off the plane in San Francisco, California, the first thing I noticed were the trees. They were dressed in fiery red and flawless green leaves. We took a cab to Pleasanton to my cousin's house. The house was nestled in a quiet street behind a hill.

What caught my eye was a beautiful graffiti painted on a wall

The fresh air and the calm environment that prevailed there could make anyone dig into his or her favourite novel, without discovering how many hours have elapsed.

LETTING THE HAIR DOWN After two days it was time to hit Santa Cruz beach and enjoy.

It would be an understatement to call the sea breeze cool. It was chilling-yetrefreshing. The beach also housed an amusement park and people were selling ice creams and popcorns, performing tricks and jamming on the street with their instruments.

However, what caught my eye was a beautiful graffiti painted on a wall.

For some it would classify as an act of

vandalism, but for me it was a slice of their culture.

A DATE WITH MICKEY MOUSE A trip to USA can never be complete without visiting Disneyland and Universal Studios. It brought the kid in me alive. We watched the Disney parade and enjoyed an 84-feetdeep ride at Universal Studios. I still find it hard to decide what was more entertaining, the fireworks at Disneyland or the 'Mummy-ride' in Universal. It is the perfect destination for a travel obsessed-shopaholic-lazy vacationer like me.

JANUARY 2015 27

W O R T H Y

O P P O N E N T

MAKE OR BREAK NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS? As another year draws to a close and the slug fight over whether to make New Year Resolution or not reaches its peak we bring to you the views of those who strongly propose making resolutions and those opposed to it

Chaitri Sengar.

Nadia Shahidi

Class VII, Mayoor School, Noida

Class VII, Lotus Valley School, Noida

Time to Begin Afresh

A Tradition that has Lost Meaning

It is that time of the year when people want to put aside the mistakes and follies of previous year behind and begin the year afresh with vitality and enthusiasm. Yes, it is time to improve and improvise as we usher in the New Year. I strongly believe that there is no harm in making resolutions. In fact, they serve as a personal roadmap of improvement for the next 12 months. It does not matter whether you are able to meet all the goals and aims that you set for yourself at the beginning of the year, what matters most is that you had the courage to take on the responsibility. It makes a lot of sense to begin the year on a fresh and clean slate. It could be making a simple promise such as drinking a glass of milk everyday to doing something revolutionary. There is nothing better than living up to the promises that you made to yourself. It is important not to lose the sight of your goals in wake of difficulties. Armed with courage and belief in self you should be ready to ride high on hope to face all the problems of life. So, if the question is, are New Year resolutions still important? My answer is yes, it is.

Making New Year resolution has become a tradition that we blindly follow every year, immaterial of the fact that most of us forget or choose to forget about them the very next day. Why do we need a special day to hit the road to self improvement? Imagine, getting up on Christmas and realising it is vital for you to exercise daily. Would you really wait for New Year’s Eve to make it a part of your daily r e g i m e ? A study conducted in the year 2007 shows that around 88% of the people who make New Year resolutions fail to accomplish them. It is as easy as promising yourself on January 1 that you will exercise for at least half an hour daily and come January 3 you realise that you have completely forgotten about your plans.

It takes just 48 hours to cheat on your goals. It makes little sense to wait for the New Year to reflect on your mistakes and rectify them. The author of Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill has beautifully summarised this thought in these lines, “If you make a plan and it fails, make a new one. If that plan fails, make another one. Don’t give up.” You don’t really have to wait for the next New Year to set new goals.

There is nothing better than living up to the promises that you made to yourself

It makes little sense to wait for the New Year to reflect on your mistakes and rectify them

2 0 1 5 HAPPY NE W YEAR

Our next topic for Worthy Opponent is: Is media responsible for increasing cases of sexual harassment?

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