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Group discussion

Participants: Dr. Sekar srinivasan, Dr. Parvathi, Dr. Balasubramanian, Mrs. Vijayalakshmi menon and Azeez

Topic: Instill civility in children

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¶ Let's define civility:

It is the behavior that recognizes the humanity of others – a key element of sociability.

It is to recognize and to appreciate.

¶ Psychological elements of civility:

Civility demands restraint and an ability to put the interests of the common good above self-interests.

It requires us to treat others with decency, regardless of our differences.

The psychological elements of civility include self-awareness, self-control, empathy, and respect.

¶ Is Civility on the Decline?

• Dr Sekar Seenivasan: Strictly saying it is not on the decline.

Most of the observations on civility is from vested media propaganda.

In reality with the enormous population and in the rural sides it exists as a core human value.

• Azeez: True to some extend. Because it is impossible to know if civility has declined because it is difficult to measure scientifically.

But by all subjective measures, most of us measure civility by hearing stories daily about ridicule, bullying, and simple rudeness – and these stories are happening in homes, classrooms, on social media, and even street corners.

• Dr Parvathi: Now a days people have started to be reserved as much as they can because the environment around them has become challenging, more of selfishness, lack of trust, truthfulness and people are not concern about the harm they are doing to others knowingly and unknowingly as the situation is demanding them to do certain things and in doing so they dnt even think of their sanskriti, culture, values etc. So you can say civility is lacking in people now a days but as there are 2 sides of coins so there are some people in this world still who think of others and are scared of doing harm to others.

• Dr Sekar Seenivasan: The reasons for non civility is the availability of shortcut or otherwise not straightforward processes and procedures. For a country like India the human race evolved and rich cultural heritage and performances as observed in literature strongly uphold our points. Yet by invasion of others made us develop a slavery mindset and the dividing rules had fueled this.

But our young students settled in different parts of our globe explicitly depict our esteemed civility in all spheres bringing trustworthy charecter across their fields. True emancipation of civility to be well demonstrated during assembly and recognised even in small levels.

It forms the basis of social networking and vasudeivika kudumbam.

In short civility is like pranav which is all inclusive and like prana in human body where the real life enlives.

• Azeez: There are several reasons for this seems to decline. But truly not, and it can be brought once again into the power.

Some ethics scholars suggest that as society has become more informal, there are no longer agreed-upon rules for respectful behavior.

The borders of societal norms have become more broad and fuzzy.

Shows like “The BigBoss” and “Live in together” highlight back-stabbing behavior as admirable and winning qualities. And above all our social media.

• Dr Sekar Seenivasan: Our generation had seen both. With the advent of making (mocking only) pseudo equality amongst people with vested interests and even in public domain without responsibility speaking ill of others in the seige of freedom of speech this undesirable culture evolved. The social set up had spoiled even basic family values. Yet a ray of hope still lingering in our minds if literature studies are made in proper ways the recovery may be accelerated.

• Azeez: Basically, we all, children included, are exposed to rudeness, vulgarity, and violence that would have been unthinkable in previous generations.

That isn’t going to change anytime soon. But if we are truly a world turning away from civility, we may be in for tougher times ahead.

Studies show that incivility leads to violence, unhealthy communities, and societies paralyzed by conflict and political division.

It’s not exactly the kind of world we envision for our kids.

Our next generation children are systemically connected to everything around them.

The world is their learning environment.

We are their teachers. And as parents, teachers, coaches, politicians, social media producers, and others who impact children’s lives, we have a responsibility to foster civility in children so they grow up with less, not more violence and ridicule.

Unfortunately, there is no neatly organized curriculum for Civility because civility is learned through respectful relationships.

The truth is, we are all teaching a class in civility to children – parents, teachers, youth mentors, and everyone who comes into contact with kids.

So what can we do? We can teach kids the foundations of civility every day in the way we communicate with them.

• Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Menon: Agree, to your point. Children are innocent and gullible. What they see and hear is gospel for them and they inculcate it. They are exposed to many things good and bad and unless they are guided they will go astray.

• Azeez: Some of foundations what we do communicate with our kids are as follows:

We can teach kids the foundations of civility every day in the way we communicate with them and others, including the following:

• Think about the impact of words and actions on others before you use them.

• Apologize when you are wrong.

• Set ground rules for civil behavior at home and in classrooms.

• Teach kids how to become engaged citizens.

• Treat children and adults with the respect that you expect from them.

• Demand civility of politicians and public servants.

• Use respectful language when you disagree with someone.

• Don’t let anger and emotion get in the way of listening to others.

• Be tolerant of people who are different from you.

• Teach character strengths, like respect and empathy, at home and in classrooms.

• Challenge people’s views, but don’t attack the person.

• Acknowledge others for their civility and respectful behavior, regardless of their viewpoints.

• Remind kids often why they – and you – should be civil.

• Empower children to take a stand against bullying.

• Lead by example.

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A lovely little girl was holding two apples with both hands.

Her mum came in and softly asked her little daughter with a smile; my sweetie, could you give your mum one of your two apples?

The girl looked up at her mum for some seconds, then she suddenly took a quick bite on one apple, and then quickly on the other.

The mum felt the smile on her face freeze. She tried hard not to reveal her disappointment.

Then the little girl handed one of her bitten apples to her mum,and said: mummy, here you are. This is the sweeter one.

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No matter who you are, how experienced you are, and how knowledgeable you think you are, always delay judgement.

Give others the privilege to explain themselves.

What you see may not be the reality. Never conclude for others.

Which is why we should never only focus on the surface and judge others without understanding them first.

Those who like to pay the bill, do so not because they are loaded but because they value friendship above money.

Those who take the initiative at work, do so not because they are stupid but because they understand the concept of responsibility.

Those who apologize first after a fight, do so not because they are wrong but because they value the people around them.

Those who are willing to help you, do so not because they owe you any thing but because they see you as a true friend.

Those who often text you, do so not because they have nothing better to do but because you are in their heart.

Those who take out time to chat with you, do not mean they are jobless or less busy, but they know the importance of keeping in touch.

One day, all of us will get separated from each other; we will miss our conversations of everything & nothing; the dreams that we had.

Days will pass by, months, years, until this contact becomes rare... One day our children will see our pictures and ask 'Who are these people?' And we will smile with invisible tears because a heart is touched with a strong word and you will say: 'IT WAS THEM THAT I HAD THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE WITH'.

Thank you for making me smile for sometime in my life.

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Self-Awareness: The Key to Professional Success is Understanding your Personality

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Self-Awareness: The Key to Professional Success is Understanding your Personality

As individuals, our personality is unique; however, there are basic shared characteristics among us and it is important to understand our personality as it impacts the relationships with those around us.

A simple definition of personality is our natural or preferred way of being.

Naturally we feel competent, productive, and energetic, and sometimes are not aware of our innate way of being.

Knowing our strengths can be a good asset, but it can also be a liability if they are used inappropriately. Paying attention to our personality characteristics and knowing how to manage them can enhance our relationships and allow us to be successful.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a personality assessment that categorizes your personality preferences in four dimensions: The first dimension includes where you focus your attention - Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I). The second: way you take in information- Sensing (S) or Intuition (N). Third, the way you make decisions- Thinking (T) or Feeling (F).

And fourth, how you deal with the world- Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).

Knowing your personality gives you a framework for self-awareness and can lead to better self-management.

This personality indicator allows people within groups to speak more effectively about their needs, expectations, preferences and identify conflicts.

Awareness of this tool can be used with a group for team and relationship development.

Let us talk about the different dimensions of the Myers Briggs personality test.

The first dimension is where you focus your attention or how you gain energy. Those who prefer extraversion (E), usually talk and think in real time, preferring verbal communication (so they will not read your long emails), and find listening difficult.

They prefer action over reflection, and seem approachable and social. On the other side of the spectrum are introverts (I), who think first and then speak. They also prefer to write their thoughts, and are good listeners.

Introverts sometimes seem reflective and contemplative. That is because they learn best by reflecting first, and like to work alone or in pairs. Both of sides of this spectrum contribute greatly to a group. For example, E gives external focus, voice and expression, and diverse ideas. At the same time, an I person contributes focus, organization, and feedback of ideas.

It has been found that the distribution of this spectrum is almost 50-50%. Often introverts and extroverts are attracted to each other and enjoy working in a mixed group.

In my case I am an extrovert because I like to speak and bring people together, but I have a more-introverted side when I organize my ideas before a meeting or an experiment.

The second dimension involves the way you take in information. Individuals that are sensing oriented are focused on the present details, the here and now, and what they are going to take out of their experiences. They are highly data driven.

Sometimes, they can get frustrated if they do not have specific instructions and they tend to micromanage situations. Those who are intuitive are more future-focused, more interested in the big picture and generalities, focus on theory over data, and do not depend as much on details.

In a group, S individuals can provide extensive background, providing data-rich information. They are curious about what happened in the past and what is going on in the present.

Additionally, they bring realism and detail to the group. N individuals, have vision and tend to generate concepts, trends and patterns. They are curious about the future and possibilities, and speak in a general and figurative way. Statistically in the U.S. 66-74% of the total population are S and 26-34% are N.Isabel Briggs Myers, believed that this dimension is very important in defining how we learn.

The third dimension is how you make decisions. Are you oriented by your feelings or do you prefer to use objective thought? Thinkers are objective, give strong and direct feedback and are problem first and people second. They solve problems by making clear and organized decisions, and they are driven by the need to be correct. F individuals tend to minimize conflict and prefer to be liked over being correct. These individuals are very centered on their values. Because they put people first and problems second, they tend to connect well with people. Remember, regardless of your personality, you can take on either T- or F- perspectives; the key is to identify the appropriate one to use depending on the situation. In the U.S, 40-50% of the total population are T and 50-60% are F. Myers suggest that this dimension is the slowest to be fully developed.

We can easily switch between being a T or a F depending on the situation. Within this third dimension, people are focus on deciding what to do or not do upon gathering new information. This is the function can define your life mates, careers, and other decisive actions.

The last dimension is how you deal with the world; do you prefer things to get decided or you are open to new information and options? Judging (J) individuals plan in advance, make a schedule and follow it. They tend to be easily irritated by unexpected changes and they complete tasks with strong and clear direction. Perceiving (P) individuals avoid planning and want to see the options, enjoy changing protocols and activities, and are very flexible. They can get easily distracted and diverted from deadlines and usually answer questions with more questions.

This dimension can sometimes be the cause of tension among PIs and trainees. However, both groups are very important contributors to the work environment. J individuals bring decisions, closure, structure, and an organized life. P individuals brings spontaneity, perpetual curiosity, and flexibility. There is an estimate of 54-60% J and 40-46% Pindividuals.

One important thing to remember is that only you can validate your type preferences.Exploring your personality and managing your preferences will get easier with practice.

It can also be a good idea to invite your lab members to discuss each person’s different personality and how to interact in order to have a better work environment. Remember, that there is no good and bad personality, it is about adjusting for the appropriate time. For example, I prefer extraversion, sensing, thinking and judging. According to the test I am a “life administrator” which prefers takes charge, organizing, knowing the facts and push hard to accomplish the goals. In some ways, I found that this is true. For example, I am very organized, so one of my liabilities is that I don’t like changes in my schedule.

With my PI, I learned that I need to save some time to try other assays, improvised meetings or changes in the agenda. To improve upon this, I have been saving some time in my day for those things and prioritizing my tasks.

I needed to make those changes because I was missing networking, association meetings and others activities that are important to my development as a researcher. Now, I am participating in new groups and meeting more people in the area. The take home message is that if you learn how your group works you can take advantage and see how everyone can complement each other.

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BUILD A SAFE SCHOOL CULTURE!!!

Here are eight ways for improving school safety culture around.

1. Build strong relationships:

Your success at creating a well-managed school depends more than anything else on the quality of the relationships that teachers forge with students. Staff-student relationships influence everything—from the social climate to the individual performances of your students. The research on this is clear. When students feel liked and respected by their teachers, they find more success in school, academically and behaviorally. Conversely, when interpersonal relationships are weak and trust is lacking, fear and failure will likely start to define school culture.

Building strong relationships needs to be a whole school priority. How do you do it? Teachers need to have time to talk to their students in and out of the classroom. The goal should be for every adult in the building to maintain a high rate of positive interactions with students and to show genuine interest in their lives, their activities, their goals and their struggles.

2. Teach essential social skills:

How to share, how to listen to others, how to disagree respectfully—these are the kind of essential social skills we expect our students to have. But the truth is they may not have learned them. Whether it’s 1st grade or 11th grade, we need to be prepared to teach appropriate social and emotional behaviors.

“You can’t hold kids accountable for something you’ve never told them,” says Erin Green, Director of National Services Operations at Boys Town. “Behavior should be treated like academics, and students should be taught the skills they need to execute desired behaviors.” These behaviors and values include honesty, sensitivity, concern and respect for others, a sense of humor, reliability, and so on.

Together as a staff, you should identify the social skills you want your students to have and the step-by-step routines to teach them.

3. Get on the same page:

Every classroom environment contributes to your school culture. Sometimes, for real change to occur with students, it’s the adults who have to change first. Together as a staff, you need to create a shared vision of your school. That means developing consistent school rules and ways of defining and meeting student behavior. When students believe that the rules are fair and consistently enforced, it goes a long way toward building trust. Inappropriate behavior shouldn’t be laughed off in one classroom and punished in another.

4. Be role models:

At school, students learn by watching just as they learn by doing. Observing the actions of others influences how they respond to their environment and cope with unfamiliar situations. Think about what messages your staff’s behavior communicates. For example, research has shown that when a student is rejected by peers, the rejection is more likely to stop if the teacher models warm and friendly behavior to the isolated student. The opposite is also true. As educators, you set the tone.

5. Clarify classroom and school rules:

Classroom rules communicate your expectations to your students. They tell students “this is the positive environment you deserve. This is the standard of behavior we know you can achieve.”

Positive rules help create a predictable, stable environment that is more conducive to healthy interactions. Ideally, classroom rules are simple and declarative (e.g., “Be respectful and kind”). And they don’t need to address every possible problem.

You don’t need a rule about gum chewing or water bottle use, for instance—your policies on these issues should be clear from your overarching expectations for good behavior. Most important, rules need to be consistent across the building. The same expectations need to apply in the classroom, the gym and the cafeteria.

6. Teach all students problem solving:

Problems will always come up inside and outside of school. Students are much more likely to recognize and resolve them appropriately when we teach them how to do so. Problem solving can also be used retrospectively (with the luxury of hindsight) to help students make better decisions in the future.

The Boys Town Education Model uses the SODAS method to teach students the general skill of problem solving.

SODAS is an acronym for the following steps:

S – Define the SITUATION.

O – Examine OPTIONS available to deal with the problem.

D – Determine the DISADVANTAGES of each option.

A – Determine the ADVANTAGES of each option.

S – Decide on a SOLUTION and practice.

7. Set appropriate consequences:

Establishing classroom and school-wide rules and procedures is an important step in any effort to bring more structure to your school. But of course, students will push the limits and you’ll still need consequences. Effective consequences show young people the connection between what they do and what happens as a result of their choices or actions.

Consequences need to be appropriate, immediate and consistent. Equally important, they need to be delivered with empathy, not in anger.

You might think about the current consequences for inappropriate behaviors and how their connections to the offenses can be strengthened where necessary.

For example, having a student serve detention for misbehaving on the bus isn’t necessarily the best consequence. Instead, the student might write a letter of apology to the bus driver and serve as “bus monitor” for one week. You might even consider Restorative Discipline as a school-wide program.

8. Praise students for good choices:

Kids don’t care what you know until they know that you care. Many of our students, especially those who struggle, don’t receive nearly enough positive feedback in the classroom or in their personal lives.

“When kids are taught with a proactive, praise-heavy approach, they tend to do better,” says Erin Green of Boys Town. But be specific. Generic, overly generalized comments such as “Good job!” don’t really help.

Complimenting a specific behavior (“Thanks for showing respect to our visiting guest”), on the other hand, reinforces that particular behavior. Challenge your whole team to give 15 compliments a day, or 25 or even 40. You might just be amazed at the difference it makes.

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A man asked the wise man, how would I know if my wife loves me?

The man replied, when she does 14 things be assured that she loves you.

The man asked, so what are the 14 things?

The wise man answered:

1- If she likes to hear about your demeanour be sure that she loves you.

2- If she didn’t get angry when you contradicted her opinion.

3- If she becomes sad because of your sadness or anger.

4- If she always tries to create topics to make conversation with you.

5- If she always consults you before she makes something or takes a decision.

6- If she gets very happy when you gift her with something even if it’s a very simple gift.

7- If she always tries to help you or even do some of your tasks.

8- If she worries about you in your absence.

9- If she cares to do what pleases you, and never repeats what angers you.

10- If she doesn’t care about how little you earn (money).

11- If she patiently bears the harm which was caused because of you.

12- If she likes to share whatever you like and cares to become a part of your world and your hobbies.

13- She don’t feel shy of whatever you do.

14- She always gives you good news personally, instead of you hearing from a third party.

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Worried in the present to allow the grief from your past define your future?

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Then this story is definitely for you...

🐬 Shark Bait

While conducting a research experiment, a marine biologist placed a shark into a large holding tank and then released several small bait fish into the tank.

As you would expect, the shark quickly swam around the tank, attacked and ate the smaller fish.

The marine biologist then inserted a strong piece of clear fibreglass into the tank, creating two separate partitions. She then put the shark on one side of the fibreglass and a new set of bait fish on the other.

Again, the shark quickly attacked. This time, however, the shark slammed into the fibreglass- divided and bounced off. Undeterred, the shark kept repeating this behaviour every few minutes to no avail. Meanwhile, the bait fish swam around unharmed in the second partition. Eventually, about an hour into the experiment, the shark gave up.

This experiment was repeated several dozen times over the next few weeks. Each time, the shark got less aggressive and made fewer attempts to attack the bait fish, until eventually, the shark got tired of hitting the fibreglass divider and simply stopped attacking altogether.

The marine biologist then removed the fibreglass divider, but the shark didn’t attack. The shark was trained to believe a barrier existed between it and the bait fish, so the bait fish swam wherever they wished, free from harm.

¶ De-briefing of this Story

After experiencing setbacks and failures, we emotionally give up and stop trying. We believe that because we were unsuccessful in the past, we will always be unsuccessful.

This generalization of the experiences from the unsuccessful past creates a barrier in our heads, even when no ‘real’ barrier exists between where we are and where we want to go.

Don't let your past define your future. Remember, you are what you grow into and not what you were born. Create your own reality.

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Gratitude Strengthens the Heart, Mind, Body and Soul

Gratitude reminds you of what truly matters in life. It is all too easy to get caught up in day-to-day stresses and take for granted the things that are important to us. If you remind yourself each day of the things you are thankful for, you begin to focus more on the important and less on the superficial.

Gratitude is one of the most important foods for the soul, as it has the ability to enhance and maintain happiness and well-being, and this in turn nourishes the mind, body and spirit. Being thankful for the things you have and appreciating both the good and the bad in your life has the power to transform the way you actually live your life. When you are constantly reminding yourself of what you have to be happy for, you will be happy. And when you're happy, you can live a longer and healthier life. In fact, a study at the University College London revealed that elderly people who were happy with their lives lived up to 20-35 percent longer than their not-so-happy counterparts. Now, that alone is something to be thankful for. The following are some reasons why gratitude is so important:

• Gratitude reminds you of what truly matters in life. It is all too easy to get caught up in day-to-day stresses and take for granted the things that are important to us. If you remind yourself each day of the things you are thankful for, you begin to focus more on the important and less on the superficial.

• Gratitude makes your problems seem less daunting and more manageable. We all have issues from time to time with work, family and friends. However, these issues often get blown out of proportion, causing stress and misery. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 90 percent of all illness and disease may be stress-related. Try to be thankful for the challenges in your life, and the problems won't seem so bad. For example, the next time you have a problem at work, you may want to remind yourself of how thankful you are to have a job in the first place. Say thank you and be well.

• Gratitude always comes back to you. When you begin to be thankful for what you have, you also begin to be more thankful toward other people. This cultivates positive feelings, and as the saying goes, "what goes around comes around." In addition, the more you focus on the best in life, the more you will attract the best in life.

Some may say that being grateful is easier said than done. After all, problems arise on a regular basis and it can be all too easy to concentrate on the problems and stresses in life. However, gratitude is something that can be cultivated and fine-tuned. In fact, it is very easy to incorporate gratitude into your life. Moreover, gratitude costs nothing, but the benefits are substantial.

To start nourishing your soul with gratitude, take a few minutes each morning when you wake up to think of five things to be grateful for. This could be your job, your family, your health, or even your new pair of shoes. You don't have to say your thanks out loud or write anything down. Just lie still for a few minutes with your eyes closed and focus on these five things that you are truly grateful for. You could incorporate this practice as part of your daily meditation. Rather than focusing on your breathing or on a candle flame, focus your mind on your list of gratitude. If you do this every day, you will find that you will begin to feel happier, lighter and more energized. Problems that seemed insurmountable before will seem easier to manage, you will experience less stress, and you may just find that good things start coming your way, all from the simple act of gratitude.

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Enemies are inevitable in life. He who has no enemy is not living. By mere existence there are some people who are just so insecure in seeing you. We have different dimension and types of enemies. We have enemies of our career, enemies of our proffession, enemies of our marriage, enemies of our relationships and all sort of various enemies. If we have God on our side and have faith in His Holy and righteous name, we will definitely very soon , stand on our enemies. There is not a mountain too big for God. That problem or challenges we might be facing will soon change one day, and on that day, we will put our leg on the neck of the enemy/challenge as a sign of victory. Be strong and courageous, encourage yourself in the Lord, the victory is always yours, it is not negotiable. Victory belongs to us.

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CHARACTER ASSASSINATION

One mistake you should never make in life, is to allow yourself to be recruited by someone, to hate another person who hasn't wronged you.

Hear this: “ We must avoid taking hasty conclusion because of what others are saying about someone else.."

What people say about others, says a lot about them. I am repeating this more directly: The things you say about others, say a lot about you! I can tell a lot about a person by what they choose to see in others.

CHARACTER ASSASSINATION is a pervasive and destructive phenomenon that is found everywhere.

You find it in families, POLITICAL ARENA, PLACES OF WORSHIP, ORGANIZATIONS, WORK PLACES, etc.

CHARACTER ASSASSINATION is the deliberate, malicious, unjustified and sustained effort to damage the reputation or credibility of an individual.

CHARACTER ASSASSINATION is the slandering of a person usually with the intention of destroying public confidence in that person.

CHARACTER ASSASSINATION is the act of lowering one’s character in a bid to ruin the character of others.

There are people that take maximum delight in ruining other's reputation. These set of people have what I will like to call ‘Destructive Tendencies’. They oil their own ego by pulling other people down. PhD(pull him down).

False allegations are the most chronic form of mental abuse. When people can’t kill your dreams and purpose, they will try to assassinate your character. There are some people that your spirit will always irritate their demons! Once they realize hating isn’t working they start telling and spreading lies about you. People are assassinated once but ‘Character Assassination’ kills daily! Character assassination is a form of emotional violence against others.

Someone once said, “A friend of my enemy is my enemy.” One of the things that hinders us from living a fulfilling and inclusive life is bringing past bias and sentiments into present relationships. A friend of your enemy is not necessarily your enemy; it all depends on intentions and contributions. God can use your enemy’s friend to bless you!`

7 critical ‘DON’Ts’ that you really need to guard yourself against.

"REFUSING to getting TRAPPED in them will help you live a more PRODUCTIVE, FULFILLING and UNBIASED life. They are:

1. Don’t conclude about people because of what others say about them: Never draw up conclusions based on what others tell you about someone. It is a lack of social intelligence that makes people draw conclusions on others based on what other people say about them. I know you’ve heard about emotional and financial intelligence, but there is something called social intelligence. This is the kind of intelligence that keeps you sane even when others are trying to pollute your mind against someone else until you have thoroughly confirmed the veracity of the claims before you. Judges are trained to have this kind of intelligence in order avoid biased judgments.

2. Don’t inherit other people’s enemy: It is total lack of education and enlightenment when you automatically make your friend’s enemies your own. Don’t make people your enemies just because they are not in good terms with your friends.

3. Don’t use your children as weapons of war:

God can use your enemies to bless your children. Stop using them to fight those you don’t like. Your children will need to discern their enemies for themselves; never use your parental influence to make your children hate others. You may often need to guard them with their choice of friends but never plant the seed of discord in the heart of your children against someone else.

4. Don’t gang up with others to hate someone: Don’t join the majority to hate someone – you may realize that the person has no offence. Someone said, “If you don’t see it with your own eyes, or hear it with your own ears, don’t invent it with your small mind and share it with your big

mouth”. Never join the multitude to hate someone else.

5. Don’t be used as weapon in other people’s battle: It is not every battle that you must involve yourself in. Refuse to be used as weapons in other people’s battle. When people fight dirty, refuse to take sides. Observe deeply before concluding finally.

6. Don’t hate people just because they don’t behave like you: That someone is not your tribe doesn’t make them your enemy. It is a waste of education if the only people you like are those that are like you. The greatest proof of our education is in how we respond to people whose opinions are different from ours. People who think their opinions are superior to others are most prone to overestimating their relevant knowledge and ignoring chances to learn more.

The people who don’t think like you are your greatest source of enlightenment. Normally, it is people that are not like us that help us grow the most. Companies that had maximized growth are really those that value diversity and inclusion.

7. Don’t judge people until you know the whole story: Someone once said, “Beware of the half-truth. You may have gotten hold of the wrong half”. Don’t judge other people’s choices without understanding their reasons.

If people say something bad about you or judge you as if they know you, don’t easily get affected. Remember this, dogs bark if they don’t know the person. People who are intimidated by you talk about you with hopes that others won’t find you so appealing.

Stay away from people who talk bad about others daily; these kind of people carry a negative spirit, and a negative spirit, is contagious. The real problem is not that they are unhappy about others, but they are unhappy with themselves.

Stop the destructive habit of talking about people behind their back. Talking badly about someone else while they aren’t there to defend themselves says more about you than the person you’re talking about. When you have issues with people, try and discuss it with them. Stop discussing it with others. Someone once said, “Don’t talk about me until you have talked to me”. Stop spreading false information and rumours about others.

Rumours are carried by haters, spread by fools and accepted by idiots! Stop creating walls of contention, rather help build bridges of understanding among people.

Avoid ENVY and JEALOUSY. Everyone has a different destiny.

Be your very best always.

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REAP WHAT YOU SOW

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If you sow GOSSIP

You will reap ENEMIES

If you sow SIN ,

You ‘ll reap SPIRITUAL DEATH

If you sow BITTERNESS ,

You will reap TROUBLE .

If you sow LAZINESS ,

You will reap STAGNATION

If you sow WORRIES ,

You will reap STESS

If you sow GREED,

You will reap ISOLATION.

If you sow ENVY,

You will reap DEPRESSION

If you sow PRIDE ,

you’ll reap SATAN’S SIN .

If you sow JUSTICE

You will reap RIGHTEOUSNESS

If you sow SELFISHNESS

You will reap LONELINESS

LIFE is just like FARMING

You always reap what you Sow

Everything in Life goes exactly

according to what is written in

God’s Word.

STAY SAFE

STAY BLESSED

STAY CONNECTED

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WHAT IS LUXURY?

They made us believe that luxury was the rare, the expensive, the exclusive, everything that seemed the unattainable.......

Now we realise that luxury were those little things that we did not know how to value when we had them and now that they are gone, we miss them them so much....

Luxury is been healthy ...

Luxury is not stepping into a hospital...

Luxury is being able to walk along the seashore...

Luxury is going out on the streets and breathing without a mask...

Luxury is meeting with your whole family, with your friends ...

Luxury are the looks...

Smiles are luxury ...

Luxury are hugs and kisses...

Luxury is enjoying every sunrise...

Luxury is a privilege of loving and being alive ...

All this is a luxury and we did not know...

Stay blessed!

Stay grateful!

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A rat swallowed a diamond and the owner of the diamond contracted a man to kill the rat.

When the rat hunter arrived to kill the rat there were more than a thousand rats bunched up and one sitting by itself away from the pack. He killed the one by itself and that was the exact one that had swallowed the diamond.

The amazed owner of the diamond asked: How did you know it was that rat?

He responded: "Very easy"

When idiots get rich they don't mix with others!!!"

LESSON:

When God answers your long awaited prayers,maintain your normal profile.

Don't be Proud. Maintain your friends and dont just abandon them for a higher class of people. ...Be Humble!!!

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A man asked the wise man, how would I know if my wife loves me?

The man replied, when she does 14 things be assured that she loves you.

The man asked, so what are the 14 things?

The wise man answered:

1- If she likes to hear about your demeanour be sure that she loves you.

2- If she didn’t get angry when you contradicted her opinion.

3- If she becomes sad because of your sadness or anger.

4- If she always tries to create topics to make conversation with you.

5- If she always consults you before she makes something or takes a decision.

6- If she gets very happy when you gift her with something even if it’s a very simple gift.

7- If she always tries to help you or even do some of your tasks.

8- If she worries about you in your absence.

9- If she cares to do what pleases you, and never repeats what angers you.

10- If she doesn’t care about how little you earn (money).

11- If she patiently bears the harm which was caused because of you.

12- If she likes to share whatever you like and cares to become a part of your world and your hobbies.

13- She don’t feel shy of whatever you do.

14- She always gives you good news personally, instead of you hearing from a third party.

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INTERVIEW TIPS

1. Believe in yourself. Believe in ALLAH.

2. Stay cool, calm and confident.

3. Don't play with your expressions; keep a gentle smile on your face.

4. Take permission before entering the room (May I come in Sir?)

5. Your voice must be strong, clear and audible.

6. If the interviewer shakes hand with you, then it’s OK otherwise just say Assalam o Alaikum Sir (Must).

7. Don’t shake hard very firmly/hardly; be well mannered in hand shake.

8. Don't sit on the chair unless he/she tells you to sit.

9. Don't stare at the roof and walls, keep focus on the interviewer.

10. Sit with your legs straight, don’t sit with cross legs.

11. Your back must be straight, don't sit in a relaxed manner.

12. Don't sit with both hands holding each other. Keep them apart.

13. You will be asked to introduce yourself, prepare your introduction.

14. Answer in the same language in which the question is asked.

15. If you are not sure about any answer, say "sorry Sir", avoid guessing.

16. Always give the close-most answer to every Math related question. Don't skip it.

17. Look into the eyes of the interviewer while answering to show your confidence.

18. Don't shake your head or move your hands while explaining.

19. Do not laugh if he tries to crack a joke. Just smile.

20. Personal questions will be asked, don't get angry, keep your cool and answer with logic.

21. Don't play with your dress, tie or shirt.

22. Show patriotism and determination.

23. First think, and then answer. Don't give the answer instantly because that will be considered a guess. Take your time even if you know the answer.

24. If you don't know the answer, still take your time, and say sorry. Don't say sorry instantly.

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mlearning: An Innovative Pedagogical Tool

⭐

•Blog write up by Mrs Suman Purohit Das

With the advancement of educational technology, our teaching-learning process has faced the utmost changing trends. The classroom technology trends are changing so swiftly and speedily that the teachers and educators have to keep themselves equipped to meet the expectations of a diverse classroom for optimum learning.

21st century Gen Z is born with technology in hand, that’s why these children are known as “Digital Natives”. If we do not bring innovative technology to the classrooms then our classrooms will be dull, boring and it will be difficult to engage and excite children for learning in future.

Teachers have to embed technology into their innovative instructional planning. Around 5 years back on the name of educational technology, most of the schools had started changing their chalk & black boards into digital/interactive boards so called “Smart Boards”.

But that also got out dated as the changing digital transformation trends are emerging & inflowing very fast into the education system. The latest digital tools available to bring innovation in pedagogy are Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, mLearning, Cloud Computing, Speech-to-Text options, 3D printing etc.

The mLearning is simply learning using mobile (m + Learning). The mLearning is an effective technology, reason being; firstly nowadays everyone has smart window or android mobile phone with mega pixel high resolution camera, hence it is easily available and secondly, the fast speed 4G mobile internet services.

Few years back teachers used to struggle with downloads & uploads with poor internet connectivity for making technology based instructions. The buffering used to suck lot of time.

Now the mobile which is in the hands of everyone can be used as an excellent tool for teaching-learning process and making innovative instructional plans.

A teacher can click images of class work & home work from his mobile and share with the students hence the home work of day will reach to parents as well as students on just a click.

A teacher can shoot a video of his teaching and share with students on a social group as well as can create a you tube channel and upload; later the link or url of the video can be shared with students.

A live teaching on mobile can also be seen.

Such data-driven instructions can be re-read, re-seen as well as can be used in future too. It can also be used in future to recall concepts & important things before the examination. It will also help in personalised learning as each student learns with different pace. If a student did not understand once then he/she may watch the videos again.

Children may be asked to watch experiments in virtual labs in science, virtual maps in social science, and virtual 3 D figures in mathematics in the mobile apps for experiential learning. Kahoot games quiz is an another example of collaborative learning using mobiles.

At one go all the students in the classroom can answer altogether in such quizzes as well as scores can be seen immediately at the end of the quiz. Teachers may design subject based quizzes, use such apps on mobile for assessment of students learning at the end of a topic taught. Spell, Vocab & Grammar check can be done with enormous effective apps in the mobile.

Mobile as a learning tool is also used to keep parents being informed about the progress of the child whether socially, emotionally, physically, mentally & academically. Social groups on the mobile phone may be used by teachers to keep parents informed of what’s happening in the classroom. With such social groups students feel more connected with the teachers as they are free to ask any question at any time related to the topic taught.

The mLearning is a boon to the children with learning disability. Parents having such children used to feel stressed whenever they had to look for a scribe for their children. A mobile app called “Dragon speech” has resolved the mammoth problem of such students & parents.

The mLearning has changed the traditional classrooms into flip classrooms. The self learning classrooms which we used to see a decade back have now converted into flip classrooms. With such technology students will be getting more time in the classroom to perform practical tasks. Mobile technology has to be adapted for constructive usage. Parents, Teachers & Students have to be briefed about cyber safety and safe mobile apps.

Parents have to support teachers & students for monitored usage of mobile technology & internet access. The mLearning is an amazing tool for innovative pedagogy, active & experiential learning. It is the future of pedagogy and will certainly make a place in mainstream education.

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Do not be drawn into unnecessary battles:

Someone wakes up daily with a demonic assignment to break your focus, steal your joy and to offend you.

There is someone at your job who clocks in just to get on your nerves. Someone will intentionally do something crazy just to rub you the wrong way.

Someone will try to engage you into a petty argument just to get you mad.

Someone will exaggerate things and twist facts to cause you to overreact.

You will be intentionally misunderstood just to see how you will react.

Someone will confront you just to start a quarrel with you.

Someone will send you a message just to invoke your anger.

Do not permit it. Refuse to be offended. Refuse to feed any contentious spirit. It steals your joy and breaks your focus. If you fight with a pig, it will drag you into the mud. Keep your peace, and you will keep your power.

Remember, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." (Proverbs 15:1)

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Positive thinking people sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and can achieve the impossible but sometimes passionate, purpose-driven people don't see things clearly but after some consideration they changed their minds.

There are three important lessons here:

Firstly everyone deserves another chance. After all, that's what God repeatedly does for you. Now, in extending grace you can get hurt and disappointed, but if you're going to be Christlike it's a risk you must take.

Secondly Not everyone has the same calling. The person you're upset with may not be called to do what you're called to do, or they may have been called to do it in a different way. Never make your personal preferences a condition for loving, accepting and working with someone.

Thirdly Look for the best in others, not the worst. That means everyone you deal with has 'treasure,' but it comes in a flawed 'earthen vessel.' It also means it's your responsibility to look for that treasure and value it.

Generally speaking, when people feel appreciated they try to rise and meet your expectations.