thriving in exigency

-By Souromi Dhar(LSR, DU)

“Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” – Confucius

These words by the renowned philosopher Confucius have indeed been our mantra during these testing times. The painstaking efforts put in by our teachers and non-teaching staff collectively, especially when the world is reeling under a pandemic, bear a testimony to our motto. The school’s vision has been to prepare students for their future endeavours and to take up challenges in stride. The school envisages to fuse the students with virtues like empathy and compassion, values that are the need of the hour. Imparting quality education while acquiescing to the new environment has been our motive this year.

The intention traces its roots to the decision taken by the Management Committee to introduce classes online in April, a resolution with the robust support of the Principal and other teachers alike. However, the initial planning was only the tip of the iceberg. Teachers, especially the Technical Team recruited from across the country, toiled hard to develop an infrastructure that could augment this process, keeping in mind the constraints imposed by these extraordinary times. Hence, incremental steps were taken for attaining this end.

The first stride involved commencement of classes for IX and X. After striking a conspicuous success, the team set to expand this setup to the lower classes as well.

Being a firm believer in overall development, the school concluded to initiate fun and frolic activities not only to complement online learning, but also to keep mundaneness, an inevitable evil in this pedagogy, from gnawing at the minds of the exuberant students. Along the lines of this thought, the first phase of ‘Quarantine Quizzing 2020’ was conducted. The quizzing session, however, could not have been devised in one fell swoop. All the members contributed zealously towards making the programme a huge success. The competition met with enthusiastic participation from the students’ end. Besides, fun riddles are posted regularly on the school’s official Instagram and Facebook page to ensure consistency with regards to spheres like General Knowledge, Logical Thinking as well as Grammar because it is the touchstone of all kinds of language performances. The team lived up to everyone’s expectations in the second phase of ‘Quarantine Quizzing 2020’, which was an inter-school competition.

Albeit there has been a shift in the paradigm of learning, but our teachers have strived to bridge the chasm between the students and them by arranging virtual events for them in a similar manner as it was done in school. For instance, on the occasion of Rabindra Jayanti, children were encouraged to take up different forms of art so as to pay homage to the revered and multi-faceted personality. The creative minds responded with ardour by reciting poems, singing mellifluous songs, dancing gracefully, and drawing pleasing portraits of venerated individuals. Videos of the same have been uploaded on our social media accounts. The same eagerness was demonstrated by the pupils while celebrating important days like Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day. What caught everyone’s eye was the students’ rising to the occasion on World Environment Day, where in light of the current affairs, our ingenious children prepared posters that evoked a sense of responsibility towards the environment. The young minds are indeed making tangible changes in their daily lives. The patriotic fervour was brought to the fore by the staff members on Independence Day while singing songs highlighting the indomitable spirit of our national leaders and freedom fighters. A plethora of events were organised in a similar way, marking occasions like Durga Puja, Diwali, and Children’s Day. One of the most ‘out of the box’ attempts was made at celebrating Christmas. Santa Claus visited our school to wish everyone mirth and merriment and to keep a bag filled with goodies for students in their school, their safe haven. The spirit of festivities was all bright during New Year’s gala with the announcement of the title of the School Magazine 2020. The Magazine, itself, will be launched during the Annual Day Programme, in the presence of personalities who had foreseen the formation of this institution.

The magazine reflects the ethos of this organisation. It is an embodiment of a tangible legacy, evincing the originality of the students and staff members and also their flair for doing wide-ranging activities. The magazine would not have been brought to the world without the unending support and sheer enthusiasm that we have received from all quarters. This publication will work as a springboard for taking treads in the right course.

I am summing up my piece with a maxim by Enid Blyton, “The best way to treat obstacles is to use them as stepping-stones. Laugh at them, tread on them, and let them lead you to something better.”