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Wednesday, 22 May 2013

An ode to Sorpotel- ( Not written by me )





 
 
AN  ODE  TO  SORPOTEL

For the hotch potch known as Haggis
Let the Scotsman yearn or yell
For the taste of Yorkshire pudding
Let the English family dwell.
For the famed Tandoori Chicken
That Punjabis praise like hell
But for us who hail from Goa
There's nothing like SORPOTEL!

From the big wigs in Colaba
To the small fry in Cavel
From the growing tribes in Bandra
To the remnants in Parel
From the lovely girls in Glaxo
To the boys in Burma Shell
There's no Goan whose mouth won't water
When you talk of SORPOTEL!

And Oh! for Christmas dinner
Don't you think it would be swell
If by some freak of fortune
Or by some magic spell
We could, as they have in Goa
A bottle of the cajel
And toddy leavened sannas
To go with SORPOTEL

And from good ol' Kolkata,
Please let me add some thoughts,
Of hing-aer kachouris, and tea in chatty-pots.
A perfect combination,
I'm sure you'd remember well,
But for that sit-down dinner,
It's got to be SORPOTEL!

Now the anglo-bras will swear,
by smelly balichow,
And butt curry from Chulias,
(You know, the innards of the cow.)
But they get all stoned and dreamy
when they get that heady smell,
of toddy-drunken sannas and steaming SORPOTEL!

And every bloke from Cal ,
Will talk of kati roll.
Of puchkas, dalpuri and nehari,
And sometimes maachaer jhol.
Panthey Kowswey jhalfrezee and pepper water
Oh I love them as well,
But if we have to go to the polls
I VOTE FOR SORPOTEL!

An ode to Sorpotel- ( Not written by me )





 
 
AN  ODE  TO  SORPOTEL

For the hotch potch known as Haggis
Let the Scotsman yearn or yell
For the taste of Yorkshire pudding
Let the English family dwell.
For the famed Tandoori Chicken
That Punjabis praise like hell
But for us who hail from Goa
There's nothing like SORPOTEL!

From the big wigs in Colaba
To the small fry in Cavel
From the growing tribes in Bandra
To the remnants in Parel
From the lovely girls in Glaxo
To the boys in Burma Shell
There's no Goan whose mouth won't water
When you talk of SORPOTEL!

And Oh! for Christmas dinner
Don't you think it would be swell
If by some freak of fortune
Or by some magic spell
We could, as they have in Goa
A bottle of the cajel
And toddy leavened sannas
To go with SORPOTEL

And from good ol' Kolkata,
Please let me add some thoughts,
Of hing-aer kachouris, and tea in chatty-pots.
A perfect combination,
I'm sure you'd remember well,
But for that sit-down dinner,
It's got to be SORPOTEL!

Now the anglo-bras will swear,
by smelly balichow,
And butt curry from Chulias,
(You know, the innards of the cow.)
But they get all stoned and dreamy
when they get that heady smell,
of toddy-drunken sannas and steaming SORPOTEL!

And every bloke from Cal ,
Will talk of kati roll.
Of puchkas, dalpuri and nehari,
And sometimes maachaer jhol.
Panthey Kowswey jhalfrezee and pepper water
Oh I love them as well,
But if we have to go to the polls
I VOTE FOR SORPOTEL!

Monday, 20 May 2013

Teachers- Yesterday - Today & Tomorrow


When I look back on my years as a school boy, I remember a few teachers who have left an indelible impression on my mind for various reasons. The first two were teachers, who coincidentally, both taught Mathematics. They were energetic, strict and determined to see that no pupil was left behind in the subject. They were empathetic, motivational, original and caring. Period after period and month after month, they went about their task methodically. For them, teaching was definitely a passion. While I did not excel in the subject, what they taught me, stayed with me, and today, when I look back, it was probably one of them who unknowingly motivated me to become a teacher.

The second group of teachers who left an impression on me was a kind of happy-go-lucky set of teachers. Rather friendly, often smiling, they went about their jobs hoping to make a difference in children’s lives. They were good human beings, but they did not believe in pushing students beyond their expectations. Their method was simple. They taught us what they had learnt and how they had been taught, and so period after period, month after month and year after year, they taught the same topic, gave exactly the same assignments, repeated the same tests and hoped for the best. I clearly remember one or two of them picking up notes given a few years earlier to the previous batch and dictating the same to us. Pupils and parents swore by their notes and by their methods and they ensured that everyone passed.

I am talking about the 1960s – 1970s, where we sat in rows at desks and listened dutifully to what the teacher said. Interaction between teacher and student was minimal and we learned without questioning.

Times have changed, haven’t they? Today pupils are living in the most intensely stimulating period in the history of the world. They are being besieged with information from computers, smart phones, televisions and advertisement. The goal of the teacher in the twenty-first century learning environment should be to bring together data, resources, tools and expertise to positively impact teaching and learning. What society needs are people who can ask good questions, come up with creative solutions, critically examine those possibilities to figure out which one creative solution is most likely to be effective, and communicate that solution effectively enough to motivate others into action. In the educational field, it has been realized that students aren’t just consumers of facts any longer nor are schools just brick and mortar structures. They are centers of lifelong learning.

Today’s teacher, besides delivering content, must also be a role model, part time parent, counselor, cashier, administrator, tech expert, nurse and care-provider. He/she must be organized and knowledgeable and must realize that information isn’t bound primarily in books anymore but is available anywhere and everywhere.

When I was in school, teachers dispensed information and education was almost like a production line. Teachers were told what to teach, when to teach and how to teach. I clearly remember no differentiation and all of us were taught exactly the same way. My teachers used the same methods as past generations. Everything has changed today. Teachers are encouraged to adapt new practices that acknowledge both the art and science of learning. They have been made to realize that they first must get to know the student as an individual, in order to comprehend his / her unique learning styles and abilities.

The need of the hour is a generation of teachers who continue to update their skills, as regularly a possible – men and women who aim to develop learners instead of teaching them; who help their pupils to become independent and motivate them not only to learn and think for themselves, but to apply the knowledge they have garnered in real life situations as well.

Besides knowing how to teach reading, writing, mathematics and science, today’s teachers must know how to manage a classroom, differentiate between the high achievers and slow learners, as well as be able to develop curriculum that is rich and challenging in content.

A teacher today must know how to use tests to assess learning and be able to teach pupils to learn collaterally. Their job also entails counseling students as they grow and mature – helping them to integrate their social, intellectual and emotional growth. They must give students the tools to make better decisions and use their knowledge to better contribute to society and the world around them. Rather than seeing themselves as masters of a particular subject they must aspire to be inspirational role models who are able to develop a bond with their pupils.

The age old adage of the teacher being the king /queen of the classroom should have been thrown out with the dish-water ages ago. Today a teacher is a guide, a facilitator and a co-learner. Rather than demand silence a teacher must encourage conversation and make learning a participatory, educational adventure. In order for students to really understand what they are learning, the curriculum must relate to their lives; learning activities must engage pupils and make them curious while assessments must measure real accomplishment and be an integral part of learning.

Effective teaching has to be fluid and adaptive to the current culture. The effective teacher is one who embraces the evolving technological culture and adapts to the student’s needs of today. In  doing so, the teacher will thrive, students will flourish and the goal of education to create men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what past generations have done, will be achieved.



 
 

 

Teachers- Yesterday - Today & Tomorrow


When I look back on my years as a school boy, I remember a few teachers who have left an indelible impression on my mind for various reasons. The first two were teachers, who coincidentally, both taught Mathematics. They were energetic, strict and determined to see that no pupil was left behind in the subject. They were empathetic, motivational, original and caring. Period after period and month after month, they went about their task methodically. For them, teaching was definitely a passion. While I did not excel in the subject, what they taught me, stayed with me, and today, when I look back, it was probably one of them who unknowingly motivated me to become a teacher.

The second group of teachers who left an impression on me was a kind of happy-go-lucky set of teachers. Rather friendly, often smiling, they went about their jobs hoping to make a difference in children’s lives. They were good human beings, but they did not believe in pushing students beyond their expectations. Their method was simple. They taught us what they had learnt and how they had been taught, and so period after period, month after month and year after year, they taught the same topic, gave exactly the same assignments, repeated the same tests and hoped for the best. I clearly remember one or two of them picking up notes given a few years earlier to the previous batch and dictating the same to us. Pupils and parents swore by their notes and by their methods and they ensured that everyone passed.

I am talking about the 1960s – 1970s, where we sat in rows at desks and listened dutifully to what the teacher said. Interaction between teacher and student was minimal and we learned without questioning.

Times have changed, haven’t they? Today pupils are living in the most intensely stimulating period in the history of the world. They are being besieged with information from computers, smart phones, televisions and advertisement. The goal of the teacher in the twenty-first century learning environment should be to bring together data, resources, tools and expertise to positively impact teaching and learning. What society needs are people who can ask good questions, come up with creative solutions, critically examine those possibilities to figure out which one creative solution is most likely to be effective, and communicate that solution effectively enough to motivate others into action. In the educational field, it has been realized that students aren’t just consumers of facts any longer nor are schools just brick and mortar structures. They are centers of lifelong learning.

Today’s teacher, besides delivering content, must also be a role model, part time parent, counselor, cashier, administrator, tech expert, nurse and care-provider. He/she must be organized and knowledgeable and must realize that information isn’t bound primarily in books anymore but is available anywhere and everywhere.

When I was in school, teachers dispensed information and education was almost like a production line. Teachers were told what to teach, when to teach and how to teach. I clearly remember no differentiation and all of us were taught exactly the same way. My teachers used the same methods as past generations. Everything has changed today. Teachers are encouraged to adapt new practices that acknowledge both the art and science of learning. They have been made to realize that they first must get to know the student as an individual, in order to comprehend his / her unique learning styles and abilities.

The need of the hour is a generation of teachers who continue to update their skills, as regularly a possible – men and women who aim to develop learners instead of teaching them; who help their pupils to become independent and motivate them not only to learn and think for themselves, but to apply the knowledge they have garnered in real life situations as well.

Besides knowing how to teach reading, writing, mathematics and science, today’s teachers must know how to manage a classroom, differentiate between the high achievers and slow learners, as well as be able to develop curriculum that is rich and challenging in content.

A teacher today must know how to use tests to assess learning and be able to teach pupils to learn collaterally. Their job also entails counseling students as they grow and mature – helping them to integrate their social, intellectual and emotional growth. They must give students the tools to make better decisions and use their knowledge to better contribute to society and the world around them. Rather than seeing themselves as masters of a particular subject they must aspire to be inspirational role models who are able to develop a bond with their pupils.

The age old adage of the teacher being the king /queen of the classroom should have been thrown out with the dish-water ages ago. Today a teacher is a guide, a facilitator and a co-learner. Rather than demand silence a teacher must encourage conversation and make learning a participatory, educational adventure. In order for students to really understand what they are learning, the curriculum must relate to their lives; learning activities must engage pupils and make them curious while assessments must measure real accomplishment and be an integral part of learning.

Effective teaching has to be fluid and adaptive to the current culture. The effective teacher is one who embraces the evolving technological culture and adapts to the student’s needs of today. In  doing so, the teacher will thrive, students will flourish and the goal of education to create men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what past generations have done, will be achieved.



 
 

 

What has caused more long term destruction ??

  • What has caused more long term destruction - the A-bomb,
    or
    Government welfare programs created to buy the votes



    of those who want someone to take care of them?

    Japan does not have a welfare system.

    Work for it or do without.

    These are possibly the 5 best sentences
    you'll ever read and all applicable to this experiment:

    1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity



    by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

    2. What one person receives without working for,



    another person must work for without receiving.

    3. The government cannot give to anybody anything



    that the government does not first take from somebody else.

    4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!

    5. When half of the people get the idea that they



    do not have to work because the other half



    is going to take care of them, and when the other half



    gets the idea that it does no good to work



    because somebody else is going to get



    what they work for, that is the beginning



    of the end of any nation.



    Whileall this is true, it is necessary toextend

    a helping hand

    to a person in genuine need,

    only to help him/herself,

    Whether it results in encouraging "ability" or

    perpetuates "disability" would depend on

    the character and the hidden agenda

    of both the donor and the recipient.

What has caused more long term destruction ??

  • What has caused more long term destruction - the A-bomb,
    or
    Government welfare programs created to buy the votes



    of those who want someone to take care of them?

    Japan does not have a welfare system.

    Work for it or do without.

    These are possibly the 5 best sentences
    you'll ever read and all applicable to this experiment:

    1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity



    by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

    2. What one person receives without working for,



    another person must work for without receiving.

    3. The government cannot give to anybody anything



    that the government does not first take from somebody else.

    4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!

    5. When half of the people get the idea that they



    do not have to work because the other half



    is going to take care of them, and when the other half



    gets the idea that it does no good to work



    because somebody else is going to get



    what they work for, that is the beginning



    of the end of any nation.



    Whileall this is true, it is necessary toextend

    a helping hand

    to a person in genuine need,

    only to help him/herself,

    Whether it results in encouraging "ability" or

    perpetuates "disability" would depend on

    the character and the hidden agenda

    of both the donor and the recipient.

Saturday, 18 May 2013

ROUND SQUARE


 

At The Millennium School (TMS), Dubai, like all GEMS education schools, we are always looking at ways to provide our students with opportunities that develop their leadership skills. When I first heard the name ‘Round Square’, I was a trifle puzzled. For goodness sake, how could something be ‘round’ and ‘square’ at the same time? A few minutes of research led me to the International Round Square Organization. Round Square is based on the theories of experiential educational philosopher Kurt Hahn who believed that schools should have a greater purpose beyond preparing young people for college and university. Dr. Hahn believed that it was crucial for students to prepare for life by having them face it head on and experience it in the ways that would demand courage, generosity, imagination, and resolution.

Round Square schools are founded on a philosophy which embraces a series of six pillars, which can be summed up in the word IDEALS. They are Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service. Students at Round Square schools make a commitment to addressing each of these pillars through exchanges, work projects, community service and adventure. The overriding goal is to ensure the full and individual development of every student as a whole person through the simultaneous realization of academic, physical, cultural and spiritual aspirations.

Through the efforts of one determined teacher coupled with my enthusiasm, The Millennium School, Dubai became global members of Round Square in the year 2007. Thereafter there has been no looking back. Since then we have been attending one international conference every year. So far, students and teachers have visited Canada, Thailand, The United Kingdom and South Africa. This year they will be attending the conference in Florida, in the U.S. The annual conference is an ideal forum for students to demonstrate leadership skills, and where a high level of responsibility is passed on to students individually and collectively.

We have also been active participants at the Senior and Junior Regional Conferences where students have travelled with an escort teacher and participated in various Round Square activities at other member schools in the region. So far we have attended 10 such regional conferences.

We also have conducted two Junior Regional Conferences on home turf. Considering the fact that we are not a boarding school, we catered to almost 120 delegates from 12 schools, in the year 2009 and then 193 delegates from 17 participating schools in the year 2012. Both were mammoth logistical exercises which were executed to perfection by our team.

The most powerful force in advocating and promoting international understanding is exposure to different cultures. Through student exchange programmes, students are taught to appreciate value and respect all cultures, religions and languages. They learn to see themselves as global citizens and are asked to look beyond gender, class, race, nationality and culture to understand human nature.
As part of this, The Millennium School in 2011 hosted 8 girls from 4 boarding schools in India for a week’s time. These students stayed with the host families (parents of our school students) and attended classes with their buddies. Last week we again hosted 9 pupils from 5 schools in India where students got to interact with each other and learn from each other’s culture and backgrounds, thanks to our parent body which is extremely supportive.

We have also actively participated in Round Square International Service Projects and adventure trips. Our students have been to Panchgani in India, twice for adventure and community service. In collaboration with the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai, students were able to build computer laboratories for children in a village outside of Mumbai, as well as teach them basic IT skills. A project with The Doon School also saw our students work closely with tribal children. TMS students have recently returned from a trip to Nepal also.

A key method used by Round Square to prepare students for life, is by showing them the importance of serving others in the community. Under the banner of Round Square, we at TMS have collected food grains, tea, sugar and toiletries to be distributed to the support staff at the GEMS Accommodation in Sonapur. All these activities have helped our students realize the need to give back to society and impact the less-fortunate amongst us in a positive way.

Our pupils realize that true leadership is found in those, whose convictions are rooted in personal responsibility, kindness and justice. The need was felt to be a part of a much larger dream ….a dream to share a commitment beyond academic excellence; a commitment to personal development and responsibility through service, international understanding, dynamic leadership, adventure, democracy and environmental stewardship and foresight. Round Square is where this dream finds its realization in the lives of young people at The Millennium School it and prepares them to take on the global arena. We are indeed, proud to be a Round Square School.