My Self-esteem is based on MY thoughts...- What I think, what I think I want and what I think others think

 

Building the childs self esteem - if we cld treat the child as equal and give her as much respect as you want others to give would that not help??

 

Mina

 

Aug 28 Circle Time Review

Circle Time

I think our TTT classes to date have been circle time
sessions; we follow its structure and rules: We sit
in a circle, including the facilitator. The
atmosphere is safe so anyone can express their
thoughts without fear of being judged or put down.
However, there is no pressure on anyone to speak if
they don’t want to. We naturally take turns
talking.

Aditi had said that circle time is a long term
investment. Looking back at our group when we first
began the session and today, I feel we have become
closer to each other because of this format.
Comparing what we do in TTT vs. a classroom where the
teacher lectures and the students face the teacher and
mostly listen and take notes â€" circle time is so
much better. I feel that if classes in elementary and
middle schools were held in this manner, we’d have
less bullying and other misbehaviors.

We’ve had some icebreakers in our sessions â€" I
remember in the very first class when Vanita and I
were exchanging impressions and information about each
other. Another icebreaker -- giving fishes to each
other… Wow!

Stimulation â€" could be the activity of the magical
floating pipe which we somehow had to bring it down to
the floor, working together as a team? I can’t
think of other stimulations we have done, but I’m
sure there were more..

A thought â€" family meals (when we are all together)
could also be considered circle time…

Yoga

That was the coolest yoga session I’ve ever had. It
was so much fun - I went home and redid it with the
kids. They also loved it!

Sujata

Re: what helps me in learning more ?

hi kirti,

u r not the only one. most of us r sailing in the same boat, the only diff is of the rows in which v r sitting.

u know something in the beginning sessions i accepted everything as told by the facilitators, those were very boring sessions. when i tried at home, things didn't work atall. whenever i thought i have found the ans my son did something exactly opposite. that made me think what am i doing. when it is not easy to handle one child, what about handling a group?

 

pragya

kirti lodhe <amkirti@gmail.com> wrote:

well, doubting the statement given by ratnesh, has also brought in
some insights in me.




On 8/31/07, Minakshi Prabhu wrote:
> These days more than confused, I am finding myself at a loss - I understand
> feelings, emotions etc. but I just dont know how to react
>
> So I think there is a lot of doubt today on how to respond / react. I see
> / understand what my husband is going thru, my daughter is going thru' , my
> mother is going thru etc. etc. but I face so much doubt in HOW I respond to
> it.
>
> So my take is there is DOUBT, and as it transpired when I articulated my
> "I am feeling" statement, it is very clear that " I am not feeling"!!
>
> When Anu brings up an issue / sweetie / Pragnya throw up these straight
> "doubting" questions then it only leads to a better understanding in me
>
> Mina
>

session review on 30th august session

Was it on discipline ???
I came with an expectation that it would be about how to give choices,
and conequences ........
And I am so thankful that it wasnt about it. It was about something
which is much much more important and basic.

I hmyself have gone through discpliining techniques, but I wasnt able
to use them effectively because, the problem was somewhere else. I
myself wasnt relaxed, in negative state of mind, and hence everything
would fail. Beause nothing was realy applied.

Now u havent given me the steps actually, but I am realxed. I am
trying out diff things. Now I am remembering that I read in those
articles, and now I am trying to apply them.
Now I can see my daughter and myself in feeling good state.

It is so imporetant that in everything this "=" thing is more
important. Acknowledging feeling, giving respect, acceptance, freedom,
choices, everything includes me as well as other person.

I have the choice to feel good and learn something or feel bad when
somebody says something to me. God, this is so wonderful. Something
happened today morning itseslf, and I felt bad,and was at to react
but i held myself back and since then I am thinking abt it, what other
choice do I have, can I learn something from this. Can I get
something out of it. How am I feeling.

In all this, I am not hurt, I am understanding the person better. Yes
its a choice, but it takes lot of awareness. At that moment, i may not
be able to do it, need to ponder over it for some time.

kirti

self-esteem

I am still confused on what is self-esteem now.
Whenever I feel there is anything negative feeling abt myself, I can
always introspect, and learn from it , accept myself and still have a
choice to feel as I want to.

If I have a choice over all my feelings, then is self-esteem is my choice ?
Then how do I nurture it in kids, isnt it their choice ?

I am not able to put in exact words?? I woud always choose to feel
good abt myself in all the situations, if its just a choice to make.

When I feel upset, is it my choice alone. And if it is, I should never
be upset then?

kirti

Session Review on Circle-time and Yoga

CIRCLE TIME AND YOGA

 

I never knew that a concept like circle-time ever existed. Practicals have always been more fun than theories. Isn't it? I had a great great time in the session.  In my opinion it was one of the best sessions we have had so far. Friends, I am taking the liberty to compare!! J

 

 But I am still wondering will I be this natural and honest with a closer set of people (like my relatives, my friends etc)? Obviously in our batch 9ttt we all are sailing in the same boat and are pretty much in the same state of mind so its OK to discuss anything and everything under the sun without the tention of labelling.  

 Also, looking back at the set of activities that we did in Circle-time and Yoga, I am not able to place ICE BREAKERS. Was it a combination of activities?

 

My question still remains that Is dance also a form of meditation? Though I am not a trained dancer, during the meditation I am always doing a hardcore bharatnatyam in my mind. Why is that so?

 

waiting for ur thoughts,

Nupur

P.S. Never knew Yoga was that interesting!! :-)

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yesterday's session

hi all,

yesterday's session was about-----------------------

 

i am still not able to accept all the things discussed at geniekids as told by the facilitators.

 

with 80% of the kids the things told at geniekids might be true but what if some day you are with a group of children who are from the remaining 20%.

 

it is good not to put the blame on the child by saying "you irritate me" or "you hurt me" or -----------------

 

but when you are happy why shouldn't we make the child feel that "i am happy because of you". i understand about pressure but a coin has two sides.

 

just think about an incident when your child really felt for something but didn't do it coz "my mummy will be unhappy about this".

 

if it is alright to be angry then why isn't it right to make the child feel that "yes i am proud of you because you have done this" that doesn't mean that i am not proud of you always, yes this have increased my height by 1/10th if a mm.

 

won't if help in booming the self esteem of the child. we have to teach the child to take it in a +ve way and not as something to pressurize the child.

 

sayonara

pragya

 

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Listing down the assignments that we've had till date. You can use it as a ready reckoner to check your own progress

 

1. Essay about yourself

2. Goal assignment

3.  MI Assignment - Teaching a topic using each of the intelligences

4. Motivation assignment

5. 50 question on Values assignment

6.Mindmap on values

7. How will you teach this value to your child

8. Goals assignment

9. Objectives as a parent

10, Book Review

11. Guided Visualization

12. Constructing Support

13. Circle Time assignment

14. Creativity assignment from Mini

15. Football Coach assignment

 

If I've missed out anything please help me by adding to the list

 

Mina

 

The Yoga and Circle time excercises were really very nice, the entire session was experiential which was really nice

 

I had come in with some notion of circle time - In my college we used to have these feedback sessions which could really get people over the edge. So I was quite skeptical. I also thought that we were going to do some session on asanas,,,,

 

I experienced it as a powerful too.  Three rules - one at a time, no put downs and can pass on

 

The process has foll stages -

 

- Getting people aware of the circle

- Ice breakers to get them into the circle

- Discussion on the topic

- Closure

 

On Yoga too, I fel that this was such a novel way of doing Yoga. If children were taught this way and also maybe with new stories ever so often, how wonderful it would be. This stimulates so many of the intelligences - Kinesthetic, intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Linguistic, Naturalist too ( becuase of the storyline) is what I could count

 

No experiences yet

 

Mina

 

 

 

I just knew that circle time, we all sit together and do acitivites together.

My idea was it would be more of sharing, respecting the fellow participants.

 

and all i thought was true but it has lot more to it.

 

the circle time is for getting everyone together, listen to each other, connect with self and others.

It helps in listening to everyone, without judging them. It relaxes you, it makes u comfortable,

it helps u respectr everyone's thoughts and feelings.

It also helps in regulating self.

 

The three rules in circle time, found them very useful for me to be relaxed.

Initially though I was very conscious while tearing the paper, but eventually I was comfortable and on my own once the exercise was over.

 

I liked the rule of not putting down anybody, I could open myself more.

One idea sparking many other ideas, was really very true. Every idea was making me think more on what was being said.

 

The circle time was disciplined but still it was fun.  We had freedom as well as some restrictions.

Restrictions made our discussion oprganised as only one person can talk at a time.

It also gave us freedom to express ourselves freely because of the rule that nobody would be judging.

We were very much connected with each other but still were connected to ourselves. We were talking only abt self which was also making my understanding abt other also clear.

It helped me listening to others.

 

And it made more concentrate when I was trying to feel , taste , see and hear what other person was saying. It made sure that I am all there.

 

I feel it can be very useful in case of conflicts as well as when u start some new activity.

It can also help in brainstorming sessions. Ideas would be flowing in all the directions.

 

I wish I can design it in such a way that it can be used in smaller group too effectively

 

I feel the talking object can be used with any no of people, to solve problems. It made me clear on how to listen to others.

 

as of now everything looks like would work very fine but actual experience of it with some other group would make it clear. I feel its important that I try to implement this on non TTT members and see how it works.

 

Yoga :

My understanding was in Yoga the most important thing was pranayam. Thats the first thing that u should be doing. I never knew meditation has so much depth. To me 10 mins of meditation was enough.

 

But there is lot to learn, the body mind connection.

Though I m not very clear on how they are connected, how our postures get improved automatically, but want to learn more n more abt it. Yoga has come as flash to me.

 

My understanding abt yoga has not deepen but it has made me curious to know it.

 

And it was amazing to see how yoga asanas or postures and breathing techniques can be doe by children that too in an interesting way.

 

Now I want to explore yoga more deeper.

 

kirti

Yesterdays session was one of the best sessions we've had. I could see so many concepts flowing into that one session...

 

The session was on Respect and I think we've not explored it enough. We did a Mindmap on respect and what I got out of it was...

 

Respect = Discipline

Respect to me means respecting - feelings, choices, values, freedom of both self and others.

As I sit and ponder about it I feel that respect also includes respecting nature, respecting things, earth etc.etc.

To me each of these will also bring in awareness and hence discipline in me....

 

Today I did try just stating that I am upset. And it got everyone else even more worked up. The KEY I think is between knowing and accepting.... I know I am upset vs I accept the fact that I am upset.

 

We also had an interesting discussion on the value of rewards.

 

I found that this session linked back into -

- how to appreciate

- Habits of Mind

- Even Blooms taxonomy ( because that is where the shift has to happen for me - between knowing and applying wholeheartedly and thus synthesis)

- also the shift from unconscious incomptenece to unconsiouc competence

- And raising self-esteem

 

Listening ecercise - yet to do

 

Take care

Mina

 

50 Questions on planning

Hi,

Attached please find with ref to above subject

Regards,

Kavita.B.R

 
 

Not sure why the mesg is titled react vs respond... ( my reaction)

 

However I can see this link beautifully inro HOM (and thats my response)

 

Rgds

Mina

 

Not sure why the mesg is titled react vs respond... ( my reaction)

 

However I can see this link beautifully inro HOM (and thats my response)

 

Rgds

Mina

 

Not sure why the mesg is titled react vs respond... ( my reaction)

 

However I can see this link beautifully inro HOM (and thats my response)

 

Rgds

Mina

 

React Vs respond

Dear all

 

Please see the enclosure

 

Ramki, Zonal Director

Brainobrain Karnataka

11, 21st Main, 5th cross,

JP Nagar II Phase

Bangalore - 560 011

Ph: 2649 3756 M: 98452 83564

Life is not what happens to us or what we get;

It is what we make or create with all the potentials we have.

 

 

Aug 23rd Session Review on Discipline

I've been thinking a lot about this session...

1. "disciplining" equals "punishing":

The desire to punish comes when you take things
personally. I take things personally when my feelings
get hurt. My feelings get hurt when i believe that
the act was committed without regard for my feelings.
So then i wonder/realize:

a. How selfish i am when i get angry at my child for
misbehaving, because i'm putting myself as the center
of his world. I'm blocking out his other motivations
and focusing on me.

b. When i set out to punish (and vent my
frustration), the heretofore positive objective of
teaching him something of value is replaced with the
goal of teaching him how not to hurt me.

c. How can anything positive come out of a desire to
hurt?

d. Parents resort to punishment because it is seen as
a tool for shaping behavior in a child. But as we
learned in one of the earlier 9ttt classes, you can
only change someone's behavior by changing that
person's beliefs. How does punishing someone change
that person's beliefs which caused the (wrongful)
behavior?

e. I hadn't realized that offering rewards for doing
a task, and which you hold back if the task is not
done, is also punishment. I saw it as incentivizing
my kids. I thought this was a much better strategy
than simply withholding a privilege for not doing
something. Why is this considered a punishment --
after all, there is no anger/vengefulness/frustration
involved? Yes, the child does get hurt when the
reward is withheld, but the child was in control of
the situation. Perhaps it is punishment because not
getting the reward would leave him feeling resentful?
Have to think more..

f. How proudly i claimed in class that we don't
punish our kids at home...but i do get angry at them,
and surely i radiate hostility during such times. (i
really believe that there's no hiding from your own
children, can fool yourself but can't fool them one
bit, they can smell you) So isn't that punishment?
Better to inform them i'm angry and walk away, than to
cover up and behave artificially.

g. Disciplining is not limited to children..so at
times when i act out of anger, aren't i punishing my
spouse, family, friends?

2. Disciplining without punishment

Is this possible? Am i getting caught up in semantics
-- after all, the term "disciplining" seems to be
politically incorrect?

what do you call it when you guide your child towards
positive behaviors? I always thought this part of
disciplining.

3. Parenting with a light touch

This session ratcheted up my awareness that parenting
is best when done with a light touch. of course,
something similar has been said previously, Kahlil
Gibran's poem says the same beautifully, but somehow i
lose sight of this in day to day practice. I'm quick
to give solutions (still, but becoming more aware), i
get angry/resentful with the kids frequently, etc.
etc.

Actually, it boils down to living life with a light
touch or living light-heartedly. Parenting is just
one aspect.

Sujata

Session Review

Hi,
    Though I had attended the same session with 8ttt, experience with this group was a new one.
The first step to do when you are confronted with a challenging situation is RELAX. I realise the importance of this though I donno how far I'll be able to tell myself to do so.
This proverb makes some sense with slight modification here 'If you can't change the situation, join them and have fun'
I think if you put the child in the same level as yourself, u'll never hit/shout the child.
Imporatance of non-verbal/leaving a note here and there will do the job more effectively.
Throwing tantrums Vs  Anger makes me think about situations where I got confused b/w both of them.
I am also thinking of situations where discipline becomes important, not necessarily for kids but adults too. Following Qs arise in my mind
1) A look at our MPs and MLAs reinforces the importance of discipline.
2) What about collages and institutions? Isn't it important there?
3) Why is discipline stressed so much in army, navy and airforce? What'll happen if discipline is absent in these places?
4) Isn't discipline a set of rules 2 parties agree to abide?
5) What is SELF DISCIPLINE?

Regarding Punishment
1) Is it enough to face consequences than let someone be punished?
2) In a group if someone is causing a problem to others then is some sort of step to be taken? Ex 'getting out of the class' or sitting alone. Will it be viewed as punishment?
3) If rewarding for a good job is fine then not rewarding for an 'okay' job punishment especially for an expectant child?

Keep thinking,
Shubha

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Good luck Pragya.

 

Today we were making bfast (it was past 10:30 and I was really hungry having got up at 7:00) and I was gen feeling "hungrrrrrrry".

 

My daughter was doing this that and other and i was getting upset. She found a cover and started standing on it making this crushing sound. My husband was also irritated with her. Suddenly, what struck me was that it was an oppurtunity. I took another cover and joined her. We stood on it and started twisting and dancing - great fun it was......

 

I think again and agin that it is the frame of mind that I ( parents) bring in which makes the difference.

 

Take care

Mina

RE: spilling of milk reply

thanks kirti, ramki and ofcourse ratnesh and others.

today i can say that i have changed one of my old beliefs and am mentally prepared to experiment.

i might create the scene just to see what happens. i feel if we are allowed to create something funny, the chances of repetition of the same mistakes reduces slowly and slowly. even we get boared on seeing the same comedy film again and again.

i will need lot of patience and will power in future. i have kept next 3 days as my observation period.

 

sayonara

pragya

ramki <ramki@brainobrain.com> wrote:

Hi Pragya

 

Doubt. mmmm. It is good state to explore. Better would be to experience? 

 

My views:

The incident (Spilling the milk) is an accident and is not voluntary. Whether it is done by a child or an adult. It is neither wrong or right. It cannot be reversed. May not get another chance to have a FUN of the incident. So, why not have a fun?

 

Can always learn to be careful next time anyway, instead of regretting what happened.

 

I had experienced once. What a FUN it is!. May not get next chance in life time.

 

With lov

 

Ramki

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Pragya Tak [mailto:pragyatak2007@yahoo.co.in]
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 3:18 PM
To: amkirti@gmail.com; suma s; 9ttt@geniekids.com; geniekids1.9ttt@blogger.com
Subject: spilling of milk reply

kirti

i still have doubts regarding this.

will a child understand that spilling of milk is wrong when he/she know how much fun they can have from it?

will the feeling of pleasure and fun the child will have, not overpower the understanding?

how  can we empower the child ?

 

pragya

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change in my son

hi all,

till date i was in a delima of what am i doing?

sometimes my son used to listen and most of the times he would not. it made me think was i on the right track? was i putting all my efforts? and all sorts of negative thoughts started coming into my mind.

something happened today morning which i want to share with you all

i called my son for breakfast. he said he has a stomach ache. i asked him "what do you want me to do" he said "i want eno" i gave him eno, and after he finished i told him "how is your stomach ache now" he said "gone" so i told him "that's good, now finish your breakfast" and he actually sat and finished it in 10 minutes.

my mother smiled at me and that smile told me that i was on the right track.

 

hat's off to you ratnesh. now i know that i am transforming into a better person coz i can see changes (very little) in my son's behaviour.

 

pragya

 

 

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spilling of milk reply

kirti

i still have doubts regarding this.

will a child understand that spilling of milk is wrong when he/she know how much fun they can have from it?

will the feeling of pleasure and fun the child will have, not overpower the understanding?

how  can we empower the child ?

 

pragya

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Re: My reflections on todays session - 23rd August and others..

I liked this . Free the child from myself. I am also thinking on the
same lines.

On 8/23/07, Minakshi Prabhu <mina_prabhu@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I quite liked Bhavana'scomment at the end of the session - why do we need a
> session on discipline and related to it - what is discipline.
>
> I am still reflecting on it - is it corporal punishment, it is shouting,
> is it a show of anger - what is it...
>
> Anus confessions touched me - it also helped me to open up about the
> topic. Till about two weeks ago, I used to raise my hand sometimes and my
> voice often. Now I am very conscious and aware of when I get angry. I move
> away after telling her that I am getting angry ( so its my feeling...)
>
> Todays session made me turn the question upside down and say what is
> punishment - is it just raising my hands or shouting or is it more.....
>
> Bhavana made a comment - We've all read this saying CHILD IS GOD, then why
> dont we show the same respect to the child.....
>
> There is one change that I am conciosly making - that is to "free" my
> child from me, I will be there when she needs me but let me not impose
> myself on her ( I realsie that not having a child for so many years of our
> marriage has made me run my whole life around her, I am working on changing
> that). At times I feel lost if she is spending time with someone else...
>
> Mina
>
>

Re: spilling of milk

this is what I feel,

playing with spilled milk gives message that, its ok things happen.
Instead of worrying abt it, lets enjoy it. But yes, once the kid is
out of that fear of getting scold after spilling milk, it can be
discussed o r use open ended questions so that kid knows that he is
expected to be careful.

Playing with spilled milk , brings down my tension levels too. Then we
both are more open to think of how he can be more careful next time.

On 8/24/07, Pragya Tak <pragyatak2007@yahoo.co.in> wrote:
> hi all,
> i have a doubt regarding the spilling of milk that we discussed yesterday.
> the next time my child spills milk and i play in it. won't it give a
> message that whenever you want to splash in milk, spill it (ofcourse by
> mistake) . it can develop into a hom also. so what next? how to handle
> this? ----------------
>
> sayonara
> pragya
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> DELETE button is history. Unlimited mail storage is just a click away.

spilling of milk

hi all,

i have a doubt regarding the spilling of milk that we discussed yesterday.

the next time my child spills milk and i play in it. won't it give a message that whenever you want to splash in milk, spill it (ofcourse by mistake) . it can develop into a hom also. so what next?  how to handle this? ----------------

 

sayonara

pragya

 

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about today session on discipline

hi all

first of all Bhawna it's nice to know you. what you have asked is like you have given words to what i think or rather want to say. but something just pulls me back.

 

i kept thinking and is still sthinking------------------------------

 

1  if i come at 11 o clock on tuesday and tell aditi that i was stuck in a traffic jam so request her to start the yoga session from the begining. how will she react?

if the schools are not strict in closing the doors will the kids come on time?

can we let the children decide what they want to wear to the school (not the uniform) ?

my son is still in class 1. so if he decides (that is what he has being doing fro the last 3 weeks) that he doesn't want to study, it doesn't matter much. But what if a class 10 student says this? can we let the child decide then?

 

a child (from a well to do family)  has a habbit of picking things from others bags just like that. the teacher and the parents and others also have tried many things but all their efforts were in vain. this child has being doing this for last many years and has changed 3-5 schools. how to help the child? the child's intentions are good (fun and pleasure). then also the actions cannot be justified.

 

my daughter got up

bye

 

 

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todays reviews for 23.08.07

hi everyone,

today's session was a precious learning for me.

1. parent child control from superior or powerful poit of view is little difficult and it sometimes fails also.

2.but when we RESPECT  THE CHILD  the magic light spreads all around.and itseems to work like an everready battery or a duracell

3.who dislikes being complimented for a child's behaviour and who dosent feel bad for a child's complaint?

can you still remain at peace of mind after a complaint? 

decepline for our house can be a CHALEGA  TYPE OR SAB CHALTA HAI..

BUT our society will not accept it..

For celebrites it becomes fashion or style but for a layman it does not work.

you cant go with a colourful shirt and a short pant and slippers  for a corporate interview.

you should even maintain punctuality.

you should have decent speech ,tone and even language.

so decepline at some extent is necessary and important to me .otherwise we will be laid behind .

       After the session i felt that i should set an example of good behaviour to my child .

it is also possible that she will see others not so good type of behaviour also and may be she may learn that also  .and she should decide which is healthy for her.

4.we should also use the word SORRY for them when we feel we are wrong or hurt her. as we do for our elders.   then why not to our own children.

5.even one word from our side is pretty enough for them.

6.best key for expressing our feelings is to speak out rather than sit alone with a balloonlike face. no one likes it at all and by doing so, unintensionally we are hurting so many else.so speaking about our feelings will always be  a type of short cut to a major MAHABHARAT.

7.I will love to seek HELP from my children

 

comments and appreciations are always welcomed.

even god loves praises ..... phir mein to insaan hoon...

happy sweety...

 

 

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todays solution 23.08.07

hi all,

todays session was very very helpful to me because when i came in the morning many of us noticed that i was not in as good mood as i always am. i was feeling very much lodaded with frustration and anger and what not. that i really blasted like a balloon when i was asked a very simple question by ratnesh. since last week i was putting all my  or may be 4-5 efforts of mine to be in peace but i was loosing my temper, felt helpkess and so became rather hopeless....

then when ratnesh led me to the reality show  i was  actually floored. it was really an eyeopener to me.before that i thought that still something is missing in me BUT now i know that i was not fully open  or rather the nozzel was little small for me to come out.now i am trying to offer choices to my daughter and it worked in the evening at same store  but for different thing.today none of us was chasing and we both came happily today.

---

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I quite liked Bhavana'scomment at the end of the session - why do we need a session on discipline and related to it - what is discipline.

 

I am still reflecting on it - is it corporal punishment, it is shouting, is it a show of anger - what is it...

 

Anus confessions touched me - it also helped me to open up about the topic. Till about two weeks ago, I used to raise my hand sometimes and my voice often. Now I am very conscious and aware of when I get angry. I move away after telling her that I am getting angry ( so its my feeling...)

 

Todays session made me turn the question upside down and say what is punishment - is it just raising my hands or shouting or is it more.....

 

Bhavana made a comment - We've all read this saying CHILD IS GOD, then why dont we show the same respect to the child.....

 

There is one change that I am conciosly making - that is to "free" my child from me, I will be there when she needs me but let me not impose myself on her ( I realsie that not having a child for so many years of our marriage has made me run my whole life around her, I am working on changing that). At times I feel lost if she is spending time with someone else...

 

Mina

 

Session Review on Habits of Mind (Aug 21, 2007)

 

The team work we all showed in bringing down the stick was awesome. But what brought it down? The minute we all had a common goal and a strategy and each one of us was putting an individual effort, the stick came down in no time.

 

A very powerful thought: What's the use of having an experience if we don't take the time to reflect upon it, learn from it, and figure out what happened, what worked and what didn't or even how I would approach if I face the same situation next time?

But how can I reflect upon certain experience? May be by first thinking about the situation, how I felt at that time, how I am feeling now when I am thinking about it and what I learnt from it. May be I can try out this strategy to think about my past, some pleasant one and some not so and try to reflect on what I want to learn from those.

 

Debate and my listening skills… How good I am in listening others point of view? How important is to prove my point of view when I won't be gaining anything from it?    How can I improve my listening skills?

Unless I take out my shoes and then put myself in other person shoes, I won't be able to listen with an open mind, understand and take in what he has to offer. Every time I listen, why not say to myself that this person has something very important to offer, which I won't find anywhere else. It is so much easy to swing to any side when my point of view is some what on the line. But I have yet to explore and test how easy it would be to listen to some body with an empty cup when I am totally opposed to what other person is saying.

 

So much to learn, experiment, practice and make it my habit of mind….

 

Anu

Aug 20 & 21 Sessions

Both the creativity and the HOM sessions, and Tagore's
essay on creativity, were amazing, and
thought-provoking.

As a parent, i thought it was part of my job to
inculcate values into my children -- not i see i was
wrong.

This also goes back to earlier sessions in which we
discussed not giving solutions, leave a child
wondering..why is it taking so long for these simple
lessons to sink in?

It also strikes me how disrespectful i'm being when i
don't listen.

Truly, i'm feeling overwhelmed.

T T T
Chai peeyo ji
With salt swirled in.

Sujata

Re: a Q on Sujatha\\\'s mail on Indep

Shubha, i think it comes down to the term
"responsible".

I believe you and i are on the same page when saying
that independence also encompasses choosing not to
act.

But when i choose to perform an act, and then not
follow through because of inertia/laziness, then how
am i exercising my freedom?

It's like not voting as a protest because you don't
like any of the candidates. In this case, you are a
responsible citizen although you didn't vote, and
there wouldn't be any internal disturbance for the
inaction.

However, if i feel strongly about a particular
candidate, and then choose to not make the effort to
vote because of a minor inconvenience, then i have
acted irresponsibly, even though i've exercised the
freedom to not step out of the house (at the cost of
the freedom to vote). This scenario would leave me
feeling guilty and not happy with myself.

I do think there is room for laziness in life of
course, but if it is at a significant cost to your
internal harmony or to others, then i should think
seriously about being lazy.

Sujata

--- Shubha Srinivasan <shubhsri@rediffmail.com> wrote:

>
> Hi,&nbsp; Sujatha\'s, mail on independence was good
> and thought provoking. If freedom of acting is
> independence then is freedom of not acting/choosing
> not to act also not independence? Then how does
> laziness figure in? Laziness is a wish not to act at
> one\'s own will, isn\'t that freedom too?Shubha
>
>

Fwd: August 16 Session Thoughts

--- Sujata Aji <sujata_aji@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 20:07:54 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Sujata Aji <sujata_aji@yahoo.com>
> Subject: August 16 Session Thoughts
> To: 9ttt@geniekids.com
>
> Before this session, i always believed that i was
> quite open-minded. The "love marriage" and "beauty
> pageant" exercises made me realize this was yet
> another illusion i have about myself.
>
> Throughout the exercises, i was oppressed with the
> need to outline my point of views, and make everyone
> understand the bases for my positions before i could
> open myself up and listen to other perspectives that
> threaten my beliefs. My feelings were mostly
> frustration and exasperation. Very interesting.
>
> And to think i didn't even feel strongly about
> either
> issue. Looking back, i can only imagine how i must
> have come across on issues that i am actually
> passionate about.
>
> Very disturbing indeed.
>
> Have to think more about letting go, cutting bonds,
> ..
>
> How many learnings have passed me by..
>
> How many more illusions about myself i will
> discover...
>
> It's SO IMPORTANT to be self-aware from moment to
> moment.
>
> Strategy: Recognize emotions such as frustration,
> anger, disdain (emotions that feel self-protective,
> defensive) as signals to myself for self-analysis to
> kick in; pause and think and analyse; then act.
>
> sujata
>

Fwd: Re: What is Independence?

--- Sujata Aji <sujata_aji@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:39:16 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Sujata Aji <sujata_aji@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: What is Independence?
> To: 9ttt@geniekids.com
>
> When i think of independence, i think in terms of
> freedoms.
>
> My first answer was that independence is freedom to
> act (responsibly) in accordance with my inner
> motivations.
>
> Then i thought (apart from "wow, what a shallow
> answer"), what's stopping me from doing so? I came
> up
> with the following:
>
> -- fear (of repercussions, of hurting someone,
> etc.)
>
> -- beliefs (i am incapable; etc.)
>
> -- laziness/inertia
>
> So independence to me is freedom from fear, beliefs
> and inertia.
>
> Sujata
>
>
>
> --- Pragya Tak <pragyatak2007@yahoo.co.in> wrote:
>
> > Hi everyone,
> > Happy Independence Day to you all.
> > Pranav (my son) asked me "What is Independence"
> ?
> > While explaining him, I found out that though I
> > know the theoritical part I have doubts about its
> > meaning, the essence of Independence.
> >
> > Is rash driving Independence?
> > Is giving and taking bribres (everywhere from
> > temples to hospitals) Independence?
> > Is making our streets dirty Independence?
> > Is not paying the taxes Independence?
> > What the poloticians do is this Independence?
> > Is not bothering about anybody else
> Independence?
> > Or Independence is what everyone from realtors,
> > shopkeepers, doctors, accountants, sweeper, mall
> > owners, auto or bus drivers, etc are doing?
> > In last one year I have read or heard about
> > atleast 8 incedents of stray dogs biting kids.
> Both
> > CMC and animal activists are fighting about what
> > they can do, if allowed. But not doing anything.
> Is
> > this Independence?
> > The rich are becoming richer and poor, poorer.
> Is
> > this Independence?
> > Trees are being cut everywhere which has
> resulted
> > in GLOBAL WARMING. Is this Independence?
> > The male to female ratio is decreasing. Is this
> > Independence?
> > Some people don't have food to eat whereas some
> > spend lakhs for a sip of that old wine.
> > -----------------
> > -----------
> > --------
> > -----
> > I am sure anybody can write atleast 100
> questions
> > about it. but the basic question is still there
> > "What is Independence"
> >
> > I remember old people saying "The British Rule
> Was
> > Better Than This Independent India in many ways".
> >
> > Is this what we will give to our kids?
> > Where are we heading towards?
> >
> >
> > my daughter got up so
> > bye
> > pragya
> >
> >

Re: WHat is learning?

Understanding what learning is has also evolved for me
in the last few weeks.

Now I think that learning is anything which leads to
personal growth. It happens when i:

-- read something that triggers me in some way (to
think or question, or leads to "aha" moments)

-- really observe (which happens only when i am fully
present in the moment)

-- truly listen (which happens when i am not listening
to myself)

-- apply by doing (after overcoming inertia and feel
free from fear), making mistakes, shifting gears, and
re-doing

-- share experiences & knowledge

Sujata

Fwd: WHat is Learning?

--- Shubha Srinivasan <shubhsri@rediffmail.com> wrote:

> Date: 13 Aug 2007 07:15:02 -0000
> To: "9ttt" <9ttt@geniekids.com>
> Subject: WHat is Learning?
> From: "Shubha Srinivasan" <shubhsri@rediffmail.com>
>
> Hi all,Nice to see so many learnings....Now after
> all these sessions at ttt, have we changed our
> thoughts on learning? Can we compare it with what
> eachone of us said at the beginning of the session
> during introduction?Personally for me, now I see
> what the word means more clearly. Now for me,
> learning is not simply knowledge&nbsp; but how we
> understand it, organize it, make use of it and&nbsp;
> how we recollect it.

Shubha
>

 #start

Creativity

 

Each one of us was asked if we were creative?

Why put it on a scale? Compare?!

Is that safe for my self-esteem?

How does that translate into "measuring" a child's creativity?

 

Two spices in the cooking was an interesting constraint.

 

I realized that we were thinking inside a box while mind mapping "creativity".

 

I enjoyed "observation" exercise. We were operating from our HOM while Observing.

 

How are these exercises related to working with children? :-

1 Be a "Peace" sculpture!

2 Make a "peace" logo using the object!

3 Show "perseverance" in sand by using props (in Ms. Mini's session)!

 

How was Haiku writing important in understanding/responding to a child's writings/work?

 

How big a role or what role does "recognition" (from society) play in grooming a child's talent? Is being talented same as being creative?

 

What it means by channeling creative energy?

 

How to work with children with emotional or substance abuse problems?

 

How important is a mentor?

 

What was I doing while visualizing a pink elephant climbing a ladder?

How difficult it was for me to leave my knowledge of a grey elephant at the doorstep and imagine afresh? Did I see the rough texture I see of the grey one? Did I see the big flapping ears and the heavy-unable-to-lift feet?

 

If a child were to tell me about a pink elephant climbing a ladder, how much would I really believe his story? If I won't really truly believe it, it may show.

Is that hindering a child's imagination?

How can it have negative impact?

How true is to tell children facts as we know them?

Imagination is part fantasy. When to break this fantasy world? Why? Why not?

 

.........reflections!!

Bhavana

today's session was a hit. i was so involved that i forgot my manual at geniekids. writing haiku was marvelous.

 

putting constraints on the existing ways (coming out of the comfort zone)increases creativity. that is why sweety and i were late today. exploring a new route, with less traffic.

 

observe, imagine

set barriers and compose

is creativity

 

i am still thinking about the situation when a child brings a fancy rubber from the school. not satisfied with what we discussed.

 

sayonara

pragya

 

HOM

Like every session, this Thursday also I came home with a boggled mind. Some times I want to talk,sometimes not.

HABITS OF MIND!!!

Funny topic! Very interesting! So like us, our mind also has habits which form and break, form and break! And it is different than beliefs!

 

I love Ocean, but since Tsunami, I am scared of it. So much so that I plan an escape route, just in case, before going to the beach, or better yet don't go to beaches which are traps even at High tide. So what HOM am I operating from?

I like to talk. In the class, I feel that there is a right or wrong answer, so I keep quite(sometimes) HOM or belief?

Why was I not participating in discussion?(Love marriage better/Beauty pageant harmful)What was the habit of my mind?

 

I keep thinking that we (9ttt fellow participants) are so intrigued and confused by these sessions. How does it feel to have all that knowledge?(teachers before us who have already been introduced to these topics all over the world and have gone beyond the introduction)

 

What is agree/disagree? How does it limit our learning?

---

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admire everyone

hi eveyone,

after reading sujatha's mail i think i would love to tell something to all those whom i left out to say and really wanted to tell them what i felt for them. these are my feelings for you amd it is not something to butter you .

i want to tell PRAGYA that you have always been helpful to me and be as you are .

keerthi is very transparent and shares even the smallest with all.

vanitha is very much impressing me by her simplicity

suma suresh is very much worried for her kids and i want to make her aware of it.if at all you need any kind of help from me just shoot at me....

bhavna is a smart and deep thinker i would like to have tips on that from you

minakshi can paraphrase anybody's thoughts very nicely.

i loved to read anuradha's goal and was very much carried away by it that even i thought again for my own goals

sujatha is a very good writer i am very much fond of reading her reviews. they are very simple and hepful to me.

kavitha can debate very nicely on kids issues because of her experience

kayal  has very nice thick and long hair. i like her.

suma v is a kind of very sincere girl to me.

vaishali speaks very less but whatever she speaks is very much to the point.

ramki is a multi talented person to me.

jaysheela to me is putting all her efforts to be at geniekids on time and her favourite is brinjal curry.so i remember her many times.

nupur is a very good friend and a brilliant artist.

shuba is having a lot of knowledge and i always like to read her feedback.vedic maths was very nice.

shalini is a very soft spoken and cooperative girl.

these are my feelings for you. i liked each ones qualities and am going to learn each of these from everyone. i will try and try and try to be all.

so now i can learn  HOW from you all.

ok then bye .. have a nice weekend.

with regards

sweety.

---

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Fwd: session review for 16.08.07 thursday

sweety desai <sweetypinakin@yahoo.com> wrote:

Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:52:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: sweety desai <sweetypinakin@yahoo.com>
Subject: session review for 16.08.07 thursday
To: 9ttt@geniekids.com

hi everyone,

todays session was very interesting for me and i learnt from it that even an Anadi in music like me can create notes if we make an attempt. when we tried with the simple 1234 rythm it became so easy and it broke my belief that i CANT learn music.

but now i feel that it can be learnt.

even the habits of mind was a topic which i personally feel that exploring it is like :

it is like a cave for me where i am happy to receive the treasure also and on the other side i am a bit afraid also to go into it.but i have made up my mind that i am going in this cave and get the hidden treasure by TRYING and working more on the why and how part so that it becomes easily ACCEPTABLE for me. coz only acceptance is not sufficient .i want to agree amd respect it by cultivating the habits of mind.

after the session i went through the thinking skills assignment topics and am still thinking How can i cultivate these in me. i want to get rid of those beliefs that are formed only on the basis of assumptions.i have started working on it to make them more effective.

 

 

with regards,

sweety

 

---

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---

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The thoughts which I carry in my mind on the session on 14th are:

 

- The shape making - how many of us said - I got only a circle and a triangle, when in the first place we were the ones who picked up our shapes...

- Finger painting and the play with clay are fun activities - can help me get in touch with my inner self

- Wht is communication and the whole bit on effective communication

- I realised I could sketch quite reasonably, I am also pondering on what in me asked me not to take the "easy" path of saying that one shape bent / folded can give us different shapes..... Is it my inability to accept someone elses thought / idea easily??

- Linked to it - can i take help from others easily, Do I listen to thers point of view

 

16th session thoughts

 

- I am starting to look at the why more deeply - what and how look like straight forward to me and it is becoming clearer that if I can realise the WHY, rest of it will be easy

- Understanding the others point of view, Will not forget the cacophony which we had trying to explain / defend our point of view

- WHY, WHY, WHY.... Will spend time internalising / questioning this for the next few days...

- It looks to me that if I practise my child will follow - IT IS as simple as that is what I feel, but I need to internalise the WHY...

- back to the statement which Duryodhana made - Janami Dharmam na cha me pravruthi, janami adharmam na cha me nivruthi ( ie I know Dharma but there is no progress, I know what is Adharma but it doesnt dissuade me). Is this also answered by the WHY...

 

I also realise that I am more sensitive to certain thoughts, feelings etc. than my husband right now. That is leading to a lot of friction :))). The churn has started.........

 

 

Mina

Fwd: Integrity - 50 questions...

First - Thanks Sujata for helping me realise how useful this could be

 

1.    what comes to yr mind when I say integrity
2. Who have you seen demonstraing integrity
3. Who have you seen not demoing it
4. What situations have you personally faced when this has been challenged
5. what wld happen if people did not have integrity
6. Do you know a situation when it would be dificult to maintain integrity
7. What will you get by showing integrity
8. What are the negative conseuqences of not showing integrity
9. What is the origin of the word
10. How do you think it is important / not important
11. Any stories that you can think of on integrity
12. Do you think everybody has the same understanding of integrity, what could be different understandings
13. Situations when integrity is called into action
14. Symbols for integrity and what makes you associate them
15. Was Rhett Butler a man of integrity, what makes you say so
16. Rama, Yudhistra - Was he a man of integrity
17What would you feel if someone said you did not have integrity
19. How do differnt socities view integrity
20. Situations when acting without integiry cld be +ve
21. Are there situations you have acted without integrity? What did it do to you

22.  How will people with integrity look

23.  What would their feelings about self be

24.  Honesty and Integrity – Are they the same, Explain

25.  If all people acted with integiryt, how would the world be

26.  Is there a thing as TOO much integiryt

27.  Trust and Integirty – Is there any relationship

28.  Was Krishna a man of integrity

29.  Gandhi and Integrity

30.  I want to eat four chocolates, but  tell my child that she should eat only 1… what interpretation of integrity will my child draw from this

31.  How can I inculcate integrity in me

32.  How can I inculcate integrity in my child

33.  Abdul Kalam and Integrity – what images do you see

34.  Indira Gandhi and Integrity – what images do you see

35.  How important is integrity

36.  A ninety year old man's only child has died. The old man is himself not well. Should his grandchildren tell him about the childs death or not? Explain

37.  Integrity and self discipline – what correlations can you draw

38.  Can I be dishonest and still have integrity

39.  Can I be honest and not have integrity

40.  Would a person of integrity speak much or listen much…..

41.  When I promise my daughter something ( maybe just some pretty bangles) but I then forget about it – what does it say to her about my integrity

42.  Can you respect a person who does not have integrity

43.  Amitabh Bachan and Integrity – what images come to mind

44.  Can people with integrity be successful? Name a few..

45.  What feelings would I have about people who have integrity

46.  What feelings would I have about people who do not have integrity

47.  What price can you put to integrity

48.  What is the relevance of integrity in todays world

49.  Can you do business with integrity – name some examples

50.  Importance of integrity in each profession – what could be the consequences if a doctor acted without integrity, teacher, maid…..

# end

---

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"person" I admire

At the start of the Aug 14th session, we each named
one person (who couldn't be a friend) in the class
whom we admired and gave reasons why.

This exercise still rankles me, so hence this e-mail.

I am not sure what doing the exercise added to the
session (couldn't it have been done differently?
perhaps naming anyone OUTSIDE of the class) -- and i
feel hurt for those whose name wasn't mentioned.

I wish i had stuck to my guns and insisted on not
naming one specific person.

Fact is that there is more than one person i admire;
the class has my dearest friend whom i would have also
spoken of; but most importantly we all together have a
wonderful synergy so there is much learning going on,
with a large dose of fun.

So thank you -- each and every one of you!

sujata

Session Review of 16th Aug

Today's session was both enjoyable and introspective.

While the music opened up our creativity, we were relaxed enough thro' it to skip the meditation. I am thinking of what Ratnesh would say in connection to this on Tuesday session.

 Debates/understanding other's point of view showed me that I was so obsessed with expressing MY viewpoint that I wasn't paying any heed to the objective. Looking back I see how many times Ratnesh pointed it out to us as we strayed away from the objective. Till we stop our assumptions we aren't going to understand other's perspective. We are going to remain blindfolded and see the elephant the way we feel it.

Here I have a doubt, if everyone in our group had decided that we will follow the objective, who would express their point of view? Won't it be 'pehle aap, pehle aap' situation. If I don't express my view point, how are others going to know it and vice versa? Some one please confuse me more…

The gradual shift to HOM was wonderful. First the mention of this 'HOM' reminded me of the story of TenaliRama where he trained a cat to hate milk. We can train/habituate our mind to do anything. The relevance of thinking skills assignment sinks in now. I am going to redo it. I was so shaken by it that a few others and I sat discussing abt it much after 1.00pm. See the persistence in understanding it even though we were hungry (remember the last activity in Mini's session?)

I am not signing off this review

More thoughts\confusions\experiences to follow

Shubha

 

 

 

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind

Why do we need to answer the child?
why can’t we let her to wonder more?
and why can't we let her think more ?
Observing the world around us and make her conclusions (inductive thinking) why can’t we think of letting the child make some hypothesis and then think of some ways to check the validity of the hypothesis (deductive thinking) ..........

I will not go on to Google
I will look out of my window and start wondering :-)))))))

according to me the worst thing we can do is make children sit in front of the discovery or national geographic channel (however nicely packaged it might be - its STILL just pure knowledge - so BIG DEAL). I would rather gather children and take them to the nearest jungle and fill in their heads some thousand more questions, curiosities and doubts and .......................... let then experience, experiment, and explore
these three Es are to me the real Education or as we say....

....lets dirty our hands (on Google you don't!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

the answer my friend is blowing in the wind
the answer is blooooowingggggg in the wind

ratnesh

-----Original Message-----
From: Sujata Aji
Sent: 10 August 2007 23:03
Subject: Re: Questions....


I thought about this and realized i hadn't a clue (!)
so had to find the answer on the internet. 

So now that i know that wind is caused because of
uneven heating of air on our planet (air over oceans
vs. land mass; warm air rises and cold air displaces
warm air) and because of the planet's rotation, how do
i translate that idea to a demonstrable level for a
child? 

For planet's rotation, i think u could demonstrate
that by showing how windy it gets when sitting in a
moving car vs. car standing still.  (hopefully she
won't ask why u feel the wind when the car is moving
and not standing still).

As for warm air rising, perhaps showing that the
ground floor air is cooler than on the 2nd floor (or
higher). 

Thanks for the exercise!

sujata


--- Minakshi Prabhu wrote:

> My daughters question today - what causes wind?
>   
>    I told her about water boiling, condensation etc.
> but... still cant find a way of explaining what
> little I know....
>   
>   HELP...
>   
>   Mina
>
>       
> ---------------------------------
> Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!
> Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's
> economy) at Yahoo! Games.



      
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Reply to Kirti\'s mail

Hi Kirti,
I share your quality on tidiness. I am surprised when I see others home, cuboards, cabinets so clean...I will have a pile of clothes pouring down if I open my cuboard. Imagine my topic for 50 Qs is 'Organized'. While I was writing the Qs, I got my answer. It is not that I don't like tidiness, but organizing home is not one of my priorities. I feel I can do so many things(like relax, watch TV or spend time talking) instead of tiding up every now and then. I let all the work accumulate and then finish everything at one go. I also related to some person whom I knew was v 'Organized' and I really didn't like that person much. So I am unconciously trying not to be like him/her.
Now that I know my priorities and the reasons, life has become easy. Try writing 50 Qs for  'Organizing' may be you'll  find your answer.

Shubha

Fwd: Reviews.

Note: forwarded message attached.

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Fwd: My Experience

Note: forwarded message attached.

---

Bollywood, fun, friendship, sports and more. You name it, we have it.

My learnings from today\'s session

Hi all,
Today the introduction to VAK for me was a boon for my child. He always fidgets something/looks somewhere/dances around while we are saying something serious to him, we would always say 'concentrate' or 'do one thing at a time' and he used get really upset saying 'I am listening to u'. Today when he came back from his school, I told him that I understood this behaviour and I accept him as he is, and I said sorry that I had shouted at him before and I saw the smile on his face...It was lit up and I gave him a hug. It was great ! Thanks Ratnesh for breaking my beliefs in today's session.
I was also trying to help my son in double digit multiplication(he couldn't recollect well how his teacher had taught him), anyother day I would have taught him 'MY METHOD', but today(after Geniekids...) I explored various ways of teaching him when I accidentaly came across this video from Youtube.
Wonderful visual techniques. A must see for ppl who love Visual....
http://vedicmathsindia.blogspot.com/search/label/graphical%20multiplication

Pls go through all the methods by clicking on Menu in the video.

Shubha

Session Review

Session on Thinking Skills (7^th August, 07)

 

In our daily life, we all are faced with so many different kinds of problems. But surprisingly we tend to take similar kind of approach to solve all our problems - verbally. We don't try to look at it from different angles and figure out the best possible way to solve it. Only after today's class, I came to know that there are four different ways we can look at a problem or think in general:

·        Verbal (mentally think about the problem)

·        Visual ( think by drawing)

·        Mathematical ( apply math, figure out some formulae)

·        Kinesthetic (use our body parts like we use fingers to count)

 

If we can train our mind to think in these four different ways, it would be like having many different tools in our tool box. Each problem may need a different kind of a tool to solve and we would know which tool is best to solve it.

 

Why can't we train children to think in these four different ways? We need to understand that when a child is given a problem, speed is not important, but how well the child understands the problem and approach he or she takes to solves it.

 

Learning can be fun if we make the child relate it to a metaphor or a fantasy or something the child already knows. Blooms Taxonomy can be yet another excellent thinking, teaching and learning tool. Here a child can be encouraged to learn by making them think over a problem or a concept in six different levels:

1. Knowledge – What   (Mastery of subject matter, major ideas)
2. Comprehension- Why   (Understand meaning of subject matter)
3. Application – Where I Use   ( Use the information in different situations)
4. Analysis – How It Works  (Break things apart, understand cause and effect, compare and contrast)
5. Synthesis – With  (Combine different concepts to form a new one)
6. Evaluation – So What Value ( Make judgment over the matter based on personal opinion)

 

     The activity on how to make a child understand the concept of infinity and flipping of coin were very useful in understanding concepts of four ways of thinking and Blooms Taxonomy.   Discussion on "roti rolling" left me thinking that even though we learnt so many concepts at school and college level, yet we were so incapable of understanding and applying these concepts in real life.

 

Yet again today's class has left me thinking how I can make a real change in my Thinking!

 

Anu 

Should calculators be allowed into school?

Should calculators be allowed into school?

            I think calculators should be used in higher classes, not for primary & high school children. As we keep on using calculators, our mind stops thinking logically and mind becomes idle. When a problem was given, we naturally don't think and tend towards using a calculator.

            Maybe ABACUS or logarithmic tables may help them to some extent.

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review-august 7th

hi everyone,

                ^{After  these sessions, I'm feeling like I'm good for nothing, so much confused & I even wonder why did I do some degree course which is of no use in any way? I was discussing with my spouse, how these school, colleges teach just to mug up things and kids learn nothing about life skills. How about starting a LIFE SKILL degree course Ratnesh?}

Review –August 7th

            About thinking skills, I know other methods like visual, kinesthetic but mind jumps to verbal thinking unknowingly/naturally. I realized that kids should be trained to solve the problems in different ways.

            The activity about teaching the kids the meaning of INFINITE was very nice. I realized the difference between difficult to count & infinite. The solutions are around us, but we fail to recognize them some times.

METAPHOR for INFINITE: symbol itself, circle, join the dots, stand b/n 2 mirrors were excellent.

            "I'm still wondering and looking for the answer to why chapati goes round while rolling?"

            BLOOM'S Taxonomy :- I'm still at the application level. Though I'm applying, I don't know the why?part eg. Rolling the chapatti.

            The activities we do energises my thinking skill.

Still thinking about the last activity-> how to motivate a child to go to school? …

 

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Learning 1 : How much have I been conditioned to think of "use my mind" and not the body / a paper. How much emphsis do we place on speed rather than approach and understanding

 

Learning 2: During the discussion on chappati rolling, I was feeling so much inadequate - so much time we have spent and studied, got brilliant marks and great degrees - but have I looked at these simple things and observed them, Can I apply my concepts to the real world - way to go- maybe I shld start back with 5th std maths and physics!!

 

Learning 3: Blooms taxonomy, and here I am restating it her for my internalisation - knowledge,comprehension, application ( This is the stage at which I feel my knowldege is on most things) down to the path of analysis, synthesis and evaluation

 

Reviews

Hi,
   Today's session's review leaves me thinking(A sigh of relief) 'How nice my son has never protested to go to school like Bhavna did', but I sit back and think what if he did in a different way, what would I do?
I am yet to discover...
On the first activity(which day is....) I discovered our beliefs on 'which is the clever way to solve a problem'. I am reading a book 'Hare brain Tortoise mind' I related this to the book. I'll review this book soon.
On the activity on infinity, I was confused with infinity and not able to count, I realise how wrong I was. How easily I can find metaphors around me.
Exploring Bloom's taxonomy was an interesting one. How it can be linked with MI is only natural I think.

Shubha

Its been a month of attending the TTT program. I tried to summarise / review my learnings, actions etc. and just put it together in a sheet. Have appneded it below. Feel free to add, expand etc. etc.

 

Mina

 

What are my key learnings till date – Concepts and applications

Concept	Application
Feelings dictionary and connect with feelings	Can I respond by restating the feelings / eg. When my daughter throws something can I try to connect to her anger feeling / frustration rather than tell her not to do something
Self Esteem – The three images of self – own, own as I wld like to be and as seen by others, need for congruence	Nowadays, whenever I converse with my daughter, I am very conscious of the fact that I don't want to destroy her self-esteem
Fish, Can you give fish freely	What happens when I give lots of chocs or chocs for no reason.. Tried and it makes her so hapy – carving for chocs has in fact come down. So I have extended and applied this to many other thngs
How to react when a child shows a "painting" – Level 1: Very good, Level 2: Comment on specifc things I liked in it, Levl 3: Ask the child how she liked it, Level 4: Appreciate the key qualities which went into making the "painting"	I have applied this and cn see a marked difference in the way she responds
The understanding triangle – appreciate, agree or respect. Very often, we react to the action and not the intent and all intents are good. Can  I try to react to the intent and not the action	Many situations, where as a post mortem, I know I am reacting to the action. Yet haven't got down to applying it at a level where I can say I am "confident"
Unconsc. Incompetence to unconsc. Competence : The journey	This has helped me respect, appreciate the difficulties my daughter must be going thru specially given the number of new things she is learning. Partly applied – started swimming, but the weather has put paid to it..
Multiple Intelligences –Theory of MI and the various intelligences – Linguistic, Logical, Kinestic, Naturalist, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Visual, Rhythmic	Very interesting, but haven't got down to any consc application of it yet ( Other than in class)
Why do we have to give the answers? Help thinking by posing questions and enabling them to explore / seek answers	This I apply regularly and sometimes, I get a vry perplexed look. Slowly learning when to appy and when to not and give an answer
Mind mapping rechnique	Still to apply
Thinking Theory	Still assimilating

 

Session Reviews

REVIEW ABOUT 10-7-2007 CLASS

Set of question were given to answer. The incidents
mentioned that were small issues which we faced in our
life. But we didn’t give importance to that. When we
are asked to answer for that it makes me think.
Important thing I learnt in this class is “to be
aware of our selves”. When something happened to me
what I expect the respond to be. But how am I
responding to my kids?

REVIEW ABOUT 12-07-2007 CLASS

We leant about unconscious incompetence, conscious
incompetence, conscious competence and unconscious
competence. Then we discussed about how to help the
child to achieve their goal i.e., FAIR â€" fun, aim,
involvement and reward. The important thing in this
class is “TAKE CARE OF THE FEELNG” which we often
neglect.

REVIEW ABOUT 17-07-2007 CLASS

Today we asked to do some creative work with Straw,
Rubber band and Stick. When I do that with interest
and involvement I got lot of ideas.

REVIEW ABOUT 19-07-2007 CLASS

Class started with drawing. I was blanked for a while
when I asked to draw my thoughts. It’s a very good
start. We discussed about self esteem, respect v/s
love, self confidence v/s self esteem. Which was
really an eye opener for me. What am I? What others
think who am I? What I like others to think who am I?
Made me think lot. It helped me to come out of my
boundaries. Respect v/s love discussion made me to
realize how much I have taken my loved ones for
granted.

Self Confidence v/s Self Esteem discussion made me to
understand what I lack? And What I have more? Now I
have to concentrate to improve my lacking skills.

REVIEW ABOUT 24-7-2007 CLASS

Today we are exposed to new topics “SELF TALK”.
Here I leart to change myself from I word to you or
she word. And I learnt not to judge on behavior. To
work on this we have to connected â€" understand the
intention, create connections, giving choices, make
them to act. Very important thing what I learnt today
is ACCEPTANCE. Which is easy to learn and difficult to
practice. I am trying.

REVIEW ABOUT 26-7-2007 CLASS

We done activities on interpersonal and intrapersonal
about the topic whom do you think to be the President
of the World? At first everyone wants to give their
own choices. After the break then we restart I learnt
that I have to listen others. One more activity is how
to teach., :, ;, -, ?, /, through bodily kinesthetic
intelligence which was very funny and enjoyable.

To learn intrapersonal intelligence ratnesh made us a
water drop and took us to a lovely and interesting
journey through the plant which was very interesting.

REVIERW ABOUT 31-07-2007 CLASS

In this class we discussed about what is knowledge?
What is thinking? And which one is important? I learnt
not to stop the thinking of the child by giving answer
immediately. Let them learn by their own experience.
Learnt to ask meaningful questions using how? And
What? Rather than Why? Today I learnt about
TIMEZONE-Past (Analyze) and present (emotional) and
future (creative) and How to apply to change a
person’s thinking? I liked it very much. Because
still I am learning how to deal with my emotions? Even
in my Assignment about Objective as a Parent I
mentioned I have to prepare them to deal with their
emotions. TIMEZONE helping me a lot.

REVIEW ABOUT 2-08-2007 CLASS

Class started with drawing of picture which we never
thought of drawing (Run fast, jump high). Then we
asked to draw first thought coming in our mind when
the words are given. We learnt about Visual
Association and Text Association. Then we learnt about
how draw a MIND MAP and how to organize it? Using
pictures, colours, patterns, Links and keywords. We
were thought to how to read the book? SURVEY
(collecting information) Question (Making mind map),
Read interactively (getting more answers and more
questions) and recite (talking about it) and review
(re collecting it ) Example going to Goa.

Tribal story was given and was asked to compare with
similar story what we read. Then classify reading into
4 categories and where it will fit? We were taught how
to use FISH BONE DIAGRAM to analyze things (Cause,
effect and conclusion). We learnt about inductive
thinking (Own conclusion) and deductive thinking (give
choices for conclusion which one we will choose). This
is very interesting class especially MIND MAP which
helps us to be a good organizer.

Kayal

REVIEW 2 AUG

HI ,

   Today"s session started with lot of drawings  as dog, cat,  lap.tap,pump,hump--------------slowly came action words  run ,jump-------------------,interesting to draw but were little difficult.

With this i learnt a lot ,how kids express their words,visual memory is stronger iin kids.Then Ratnesh told some words ,we have to write the first thought came in mind associated with that word, like  yummy---i wrote cake,  sleep-----bed-so on .ITs like how we associate things to remember them.

How friends become close friends because we understand them .

then came graphic organiser,how can we make it.We can use pictures.patterns,connections and key words to make it .

Intesting part was to learn making mind map,he taught us by an example,that gave a clear idea how to make mind map.

We made mind map of planet Mars,really it helps  and give u lot of interesting facts.

We  compared cow and telephone,genarlly kids do this to learn.then we were told a story  .Then we categorised stories in 4 groups,then write the whole story in one sentence,,then we drew fish bone  diagram of the story  CAUSE  AND EFFECT  so  on-------------So

 Thinking  skills are

1. Comparing

2. Classifyi

3. Abstracting

4. Induction

5. Deduction

6 Constructing support

How to read non fiction book,we learnt this with a nice example.Suppose we want to go to Goa ,how will find  what to do their ,how to go and when to go .SO we will ask friends ,serch net  so on  that means we did SURVEY  then   asked  QUESTIONS  ,then READ INTERACTIVELY. RECITE it and made a REVIEW   and we sorted out how to go to Goa ,what to do their  so on-----

Same thing go to read book ,instead of going through all the pages  we can SQRRR about the book.

Survey  -what do u want to learn

Question - ask  

READ INTERACTIVELY - question leads to reading and more questions and further reading

Recite - Go through what you have learnt

Review

Reviews

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review-august 2nd

Review of  august 2^nd session

The session started with a VISUAL ASSOSIATION activity which was very nice. Some concepts were  abstract but the KEY is that we were associating things which are far from one another. While THINKING we make more & more ASSOCIATION and that's LEARNING.

MIND MAP: it's the one which our mind likes since it is a pictorial representation which contains   *LINKS

               *PICTURES

               *COLOURS

               *KEY WORDS

               *PATTERNS

Mind maps are open. It can be expanded any time.

            The concept of "How to Read a Book" using SQ3R formula is helpful.

S – Survey

Q – Questions (mind map)

R – Read Interactively

R – Recite

R – Review 

Since there is time constraint, we can spend the time optimally while reading a book.

            I learnt many thinking skills.

1.Comparing (we explore more)

2. Classifying

3. Abstraction (focus on what is the core idea)

4. Induction

5. Deductive Thinking (using fish bone diagram)

6. Construct support

Writing the mind map of life on another planet was exciting. From that, I learnt that with the help of a mind map, it's easy to learn & remember any topic.

      

suma v

Aug 2nd Session Review

GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

Ratnesh listed some words on the whiteboard which we
are asked to draw (e.g., dog). The exercise grew more
complex when we had to draw an action, like a dog
jumping onto a person's lap.

After performing the above exercise, we realized that
the process of drawing automatically forces us to
think of key characteristics of the subject we are
visualizing, and then showing them on paper.

The above was also an exercise in making visual
associations. Children, by the way, have very strong
visual association prowess. [Note that our brain
really likes pictures. Our visual memory is much
stronger than our audio(?) memory, and we make
visually connections foremost. School textbooks
should contain more pictures!]

Next, Ratnesh spoke a list of words. We were asked
to jot down the first word that came to mind upon
hearing each word.

Now, each of us probably jotted down different words
upon hearing any of the spoken words. For instance,
when Ratnesh said "mummy", I wrote down "Egypt"
(because I don't call my mom "mummy"), whereas others
would probably have written down something to do with
mom, home, comfort, etc. The point is that we think
in terms of associations.

Thinking is making multiple associations as we go
along.

What word comes to mind when given the word "Jabet"?
Chances are that this is an unreconizable word to us,
and the mind automatically gropes for some link,
searching the memory banks, seeking a connection to
this word with some data that may already exist in the
mind.

This goes to show that anything new cannot be seen in
isolation by the mind.

When you learn, you are making new associations. The
more you learn, the more associations you make.

Question 1: How does a friend become a close friend?

The more connections you have with the friend, the
closer you become. Another way of saying the same is
that the more wired you are together (i.e., the more
number of wires you have hookedd into each other), the
closer you both become.

Question 2: What is understanding?
Understanding has to do with making connections; the
more and different connections that are made, the
deeper the level of understanding.

Therefore, when teaching a child some material in one
way, teaching in additional ways will enhance
understanding of the material since you are creating
more connections for him.

Make associations, and make them stronger via
repetition, building strong connections, building
multiple connections.

Everyone knows what an apple looks like. We all have
visual and other connections to an apple. To create
more connections, try:
• slicing the apple unusually, say by cutting it
crosswise instead of the normal way of slicing it
through the center from stem to base
• using a scooper, dig away at the apple by scooping
out the pulp
Now, you've built more connections to apple in your
brains.

XXXXXXXXXX

Consider this analogy: You meet someone at a party
who looks familiar but can't quite place her.
Sometime later you find out her name, and aha! -- all
sorts of memories related to that person come flooding
back to you. So, why carry the whole house (i.e.,
facts, knowledge, information in our consciusness when
we could only be carrying a bunch of keys (i.e.,
triggers) with us? We could then free ourselves to
understanding as opposed to memorizing.

There are techniques developed for organizing
information and determining keys to groups of
information. One such process is Mind Mapping.

Mind Mapping is a map that the mind likes. Some
characteristics of Mind Maps are:

• Typically drawn on paper that is positioned
horizontally
• Subject is circled and is in the centre of the map.
• Uses key words (where one key word is placed on one
line; only capitals (for visual appeal)]
• Contains lots of links
• Can use pictures, in place of or addition to key
words
• Contains categorization of patterns
• Colours enhances the mind map
• Is a tree-like structure which is then all wired up
• All Mind Maps are open (endless)

You typically have to go through a number of
iterations when drawing Mind Maps, as you see more
patterns emerging.

ASSIGNMENT: Make a Mind Map of subject assigned under
Thinking Skills/50 Questions (e-mailed to class
earlier), and bring it in to show to Ratnesh. Use
colors!

HOW TO READ A NON-FICTION BOOK

It is not necessary (indeed, undesirable in most
cases) to read a book from cover to cover without
having some sort of idea in your mind as to what you
want to learn from it. The following describes an
efficient way to read a non-fiction book.

Ratnesh used the analogy of planning a vacation, where
you'd first do some research (say internet, asking
questions of friends) to figure out where you're
going, what is to be seen, where to stay and eat.
Once you know what you want to accomplish from the
trip, you go on vacation. While there, you may adjust
your vacation (say, to spend time on a festival which
you didn't know about). Then you come back and tell
everyone about how your trip went. Finally you review
your trip with friends, showing them pictures which
you got back from the photo shop.

The above process is called SQ3R:

1. Survey – do a broad survey to determine what you
want the learn from book
2. Quesitons – ask
3. Read – interactively [steps 2 and 3 is an
iterative process; questions lead to reading; reading
leads to more questions which leads to more reading,
etc.]
4. Recite – After reading book, you go thru what
you've learned
5. Review

THINKING SKILLS

1. Comparing
First thinking skill, very commonly used by children.
Describing how things are the same or different.

2. Classifying
A story was put up on the screen. Determine 4
categories in which all stories can be placed, and
identify in which category the story falls into. The
process of classifying forces you to consider relevant
characteristics of each item, define categories and
place each item in the defined categories. A lot of
thinking going on!

3. Abstracting
A story was put up on the screen. We were asked to
summarize the story in one sentence. Summarizing
forces one to focus on what's important to convey the
essence.

4. Inductive Thinking
We learned about fish-bone diagrams, where you
identify cause and effects, determine that causes can
become effects which inturn because causes, and leads
to a conclusion.

5. Deductive Thinking
We have a conclusion, now we see how we can use it.
Opposite of inductive reasoning.

6. Constructing Support
Process of gathering and presenting information. Need
to be persuasive too in addition to understanding
concept.

7. Decision Making

8. Problem Solving

ASSIGNMENT: Write an essay on should calculators be
used in school. If yes, when? If no, why not?

Sujata

July 31st Session Review

Hope those of you who missed the last class find this
useful..

Today's session focused on the subject of THINKING,
and the 'why' and 'how' of it.

A number of questions were up on the screen, and we
were asked to try answering them in our heads. We
then discussed the nature of these Q's, and decided
that they were of broad range (on a variety of
subjects, and had MI imbedded in them); were generally
open-ended; stimulating and fun.

[Looking back at that session, i now realize that none
of the Q's were factual in nature. They didn't have a
right or wrong answer which could be verified. This
is probably why we found the Q's fun and stimulating.]

Factual questions test your knowledge. Is having
knowledge so all-important? Our culture places too
much emphasis on knowing facts. Knowledge should be
treated as raw material. Is it more important to know
the raw material, or know how to convert the raw
material into say, a work of art? How to apply
knowledge, or thinking is more relevant (or important)
in today's world.

SCENARIO 1: A video clip was shown of a child running
up to the camera, pointing to it, and asking where
does the sound come from? We are asked to think about
how we would have replied to the child.

Many of us would have tried to provide an answer.

SCENARIO 2: You are walking with your child and you
come upon a traffic signal, which is red. She asks
you, why does red mean "stop"? How would you answer?

Again, most of us would have attempted an answer.

But none of us should have done so, not least because
we ourselves don't really know the answer!

In scenario 1, when the rest of the video clip was
played, we found that the videocamera holder did not
try to explain, but turned the question around and
asked the child how did he think the sound came from
the camera. Surprisingly, the child then explained,
providing the answer to his own question!

We tend to provide knowledge, give answers, when asked
Q's by a child. In doing so, we are not raising
thinkers, learners, decision makers, because we are
not training them to think. We act as repositories of
knowledge even when our understanding is far from
perfect.

We need to let the child think. Remember that
understanding comes from exploring, doing.

In fact, if your child gives an answer, challenge him.
Try to confuse the child, because it will force the
child to think.

Ask Q's of your child. If child asks a Q, turn around
and ask her even more Qs. If the child is silent, she
is probably thinking; give her time.

Page 62 of the TTT Program Manual lists 40 Qs; use of
these Qs will engage a child and encourage thinking.
Please read and re-read these Qs. Note that none of
these are factual in nature. We went through some of
the Q's on p. 63 and identified which were factual and
which thinking type of Qs.

Important to know that to stimulate a child's
thinking, DO NOT ASK A "WHY" QUESTION.

To illustrate the reasons for this precaution, we were
asked to jot down a few "why" questions that we would
ask of ourselves, a loved one, etc. Then we were
asked to rewrite them as "how" Qs.

Repeat a "why" Q to yourself, and then the
corresponding "how" Q. Notice the different feelings
both Q's bring up in you. Generally, why Q's are
passive, and have a feeling of helplessness/negativity
to them. By converting them to "how" Q's (and also to
"what" Q's), you've now changed the viewpoint to a
more positive, going forward, kind of tone. Research
shows that depressed people normally ask themselves a
lot of "why" Qs.

At Geniekids, their observation is that:

When we think about the past, we analyze [why]
When we think about the present, we are emotional
[how]
When we think about the future, we use creativity
[how, what]

To learn and understand, we need to learn in all the 3
zones. Therefore, when teaching, we have to give
experiences [present], use creativity and
hypotheticals [future] and at the same time, ensure
that they have an understanding of basics [past].

In fact, if a child is stuck, ask him a future type of
Q. It will immediately get a child to think.

Try this on yourself too! When we get stuck
emotionally or otherwise, generally we are stuck in
one time zone. Try to shift your thinking to a
different time zone; your outlook will immediately
improve. you are now opening up your thinking.

Try this at home.

Keep sending mails, sessions reviews, questions to
everyone.

HOMEWORK: Read all the 40 Q's on p. 62 of the manual.
Re-read. Post the list up.

Sujata

July 26th Session Review

Warning: I've been asked by some of you who were
absent to submit a review summarizing what transpired
in this session, so i'm essentially transcribing my
notes here. Sorry Shubha, the write-up is a bit dry
(smile).

Today's session continued exploring Multiple
Intelligences. Ratnesh put up seven activities --
one for each MI -- for the class to do, in whichever
order we wanted. Examples are:

• Squeezing fists and toes 5 times
• Hum a national anthem
• Think of a happy memory from childhood
• Draw an animal; etc.

For most of us, the order was influenced by what
seemed easy, and we did the easy ones first. Some of
us who are musically inclined did the humming first,
and others more logic-oriented finished off the math
problem first. The activities that seemed easy to us
means that we are generally intelligent in those MI
areas.

It's not about HOW MUCH a child is intelligent, it's
about HOW the child is intelligent.

In other words, we focus too much on the degree of
intelligence, when what we should actually be paying
attention to is trying to discern the areas of MI the
child is intelligent in.

Once we recognize our child's natural aptitudes, we
need to ACCEPT (truly and fully) the ways in which she
is intelligent.

Because for the child, true acceptance from the parent
can propel him to himself wanting to explore and excel
in fields that he doesn't have a natural aptitude for!
He will also be better able to distinguish between
his own wants and needs.

We as parents and teachers need to HONOR a child's
intelligences and desires.

Question: Can you accept (truly and fully) that your
child is say, kinesthetically intelligent but has
little inclinations towards math/logic and linguistic
? Think about that one.

We then tried to define the term "intelligence" –
ability to unerstand; capable; ability to apply
learnings naturally and effortlessly (i.e., with
finesse); etc.

It is important to expose children in all
inteligences.

In India, only Linguistic and Math/Logic intelligences
are valued, whle the other intelligences are
considered to be "extracurricular", if that.

INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENÇE

Of the MIs, Interpersonal Intelligence is probably the
least-used mode of teaching in school. We are taught
to do school work by ourselves, and then expected to
excel in working in teams/with other people, upon
graduation and joining the workforce. Why not do
teamwork in classes, so children can be taught about
cooperation, etc,?

Another concept which takes advantage of interpersonal
intelligence and is very beneficial to children and
which should be encouraged by parents is the "study
buddy". We send our children to do homework in their
room, when actually, learning is more robust and
enjoyable when concepts are discussed, fought over,
and taught by one student to another.

INTRAPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE

We did a five minute "Guided Visualization" (GV)
session. GV is a tool of intrapersonal intelligence.
It was in some ways a mini-meditation (with soothing
taped music in the background), where you sit in a
meditative pose with eyes closed, and the instructor
uses a pre-prepared monologue to guide you into
visualizing yourself to be various parts of a plant,
or in the ocean swimming as a fish, etc. Can be done
on any subject. I noticed that in the monologue, he
tried to bring in awareness of all five senses.

Ex. "Notice that you've become the leaf. Feel the
texture of the leaf. Notice the veins. Look at the
color of the leaf and the veins. What are the edges
of the leaf like? Is it a long leaf or a short broad
one? Move from under the leaf to on top of the leaf.
How are the two sides different? Is the leaf fuzzy or
is it smooth? "

GV is a powerful tool, and requires a lot of
preparation.

OTHER

Telling stories is a very effective tool for teaching.
A good story can utilize all intelligences.

GV assignment given.

Sujata

review 31 july

Hi all,

     Today session was an eyeopener 4 me,really by giving answers to their Q we never give our kids chance to think.And then we complain that our kids don't think .

Now i use more How and What   instead of Why? , it really worked my kids are helping me a lot ,as i asked my son" How can u help me in keeping the table  nicely , clutter free"? and immediately he said i can take away my toys ,papers and books to my room to help u.Amazing today i found  everything was kept  neatly.In these 3 weeks only,i am  changed a lot .

Thanx to Ratnesh 4 sharing his experiences and showing us the right way to understand our kids.

 Now my  kids are making   decisions which they used to ask me.

 bye

shruti

Fwd: review session 5

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shruti Rao <shruti.solan@gmail.com>
Date: Jul 23, 2007 10:17 PM
Subject: review session 5
To: 9ttt@geniekids.com

          I really liked  the way we start our new session, like today we  have to tell everything through drawing . tough but interesting.

 Then  disscussion about ,what is self esteem?????  . and  what is self confidence?.

  Interesting part was to differentiate  between respect  and love .Generally. all parents love their kids but do we  give them respect too.And we all know the answer ,so many times we also make that mistake.

       Then we dicussed if these three are matching their is peace or harmony

1.what i think of myself.

2 what others think of me

3.what would i like others to think about myself.

 Lastly" we dig  for gold .but keep thinking about mud and forget the gold".t

review 31 july

Hi all,

     Today session was an eyeopener 4 me,really by giving answers to their Q we never give our kids chance to think.And then we complain that our kids don't think .

Now i use more How and What   instead of Why? , it really worked my kids are helping me a lot ,as i asked my son" How can u help me in keeping the table  nicely , clutter free"? and immediately he said i can take away my toys ,papers and books to my room to help u.Amazing today i found  everything was kept  neatly.In these 3 weeks only,i am  changed a lot .

Thanx to Ratnesh 4 sharing his experiences and showing us the right way to understand our kids.

 Now my  kids are making   decisions which they used to ask me.

 bye

shruti

Fishes!!

Dear Friends,

I have to share with you something.. i am getting lot
of fishes from who else but my daughter.. these days
once in a while she comes and hugs me and says "mamma
i love you hundred and thousand" .. guys, its not even
two weeks of acknowleging her emotions.. and its
raining fishes..

cheers,
Nupur

Review of 31/7/07 Session

tuesday session is a eyeopener to me and my
husband,because thats exactly what my husband would
do,give them fatafat answers all the time.

u always need to create a thinker who has
knowledge,and not viseversa,this is wonderful quote.
and as far as the concept of planting and not pouring
knowledge is concerned ,it makes sense because in the
first session ratnesh showed how a glass could
overflow if u kept pouring into it.nothing remains
inside.thats dangerous. basically what we do is we
force ur kidsto see through our eyes,and not thro
theirs.what i mean is think like us. an exp to share,
my kid 7yrs walked up 2us , telling us why we need 2
brush in the night also,i was shocked, he had
understood the minute of things about it , this he
learnt from the interactivesession , it was not a
lecture.given at school by dentist. this is corelated
to ratnesh exp with the kid , because this doc did not
give them ready ans but made them think. at the end i
realised that we shd allow them to think and keep
watching for the results.

bye
Suma S.

from nupur

Todays session on THINKING was a stunner. It left me
totally astonished on how we unintentionally curb our
children's thinking capabilities. Simple oppurtunities
where they can learn to make decisions are snatched
away from them like deciding what to wear, how to
wear, what to eat in the restaurant etc. I am on
"alert" now. I have been observing a change in me
since we have attended this session. i am trying to
ask more questions then straight away jumping to reply
them.

I really found the questionnaire on Ramayana
excellent. It was as if my own confusion and thinking
on the epic has been penned down in our manual.

The shifting from one time frame to another sounds
quite effective and fun too.

Bhavana and Meenakshi, you "need" to attend this
session whenever it happens again in the future..

Nupur

from pragya

Today's session was an eye opener for me. I had never
thought that doing small things for children hampers
their thinking process so much.
How wrong was i to let my son win everytime we played
cricket. i had never dreamt about it.
After today's session i have stopped telling the
results straight away. In the process of asking
meaning full and open ended questions, i have also
started thinking. I have never used my mind in last 10
years, the way i am using it for last 3 weeks. We all
want our kids to be leaders but don't allow them to
make decisions on their own.
I tried shifting from one time zone to another and
guys it really works.
Watching the child remove one layer after another to
find out what is inside an onoin can be so much fun.
What I need is lot of patience and understanding and
the will.
The more i read those 40 questions, the more i think
and more becomes my determation.
I had never realised that changing a "Why" question to
a "How" question can make our lives so simple.

sayonara
Pragya

                        Review of the eighth session

I learnt one major thing that KNOWLEDGE is not very important but THINKING & UNDERSTANDING the concepts are more important. Then automatically it'll be saved in the memory. No need for memorization.

"EMPOWER the child to THINK" makes lot of sense. I shouldn't give knowledge to the child but let her explore. Playing with the child is important than playing for the child. I realized that "HOW" questions shows +ve frame of mind while "WHY" questions gives excuses.

Thinking Skill:-

Past (why?)  -> Analyse

Present (emotions) -> Feel

Future (how?/what?) -> Creativity

Learning using all three thinking  helps us open up.

If the mind is stuck in one time zone, change the time frame & the mind starts thinking & it opens up. (this works great as I had nice experience of this.)

suma

Review  of the seventh session

 

The session started with several questions to answer & some answers came immediately to my mind and some I had to think for sometime & then I realized that I'm good at some MI & I can put my effort & be good at some other MI.

            Once again I realized that ACCEPTANCE is the most fundamental part in understanding a child.

            The guided visualization we did was splendid. It helps a lot in absorbing concepts.

The activity about punctuation marks was nice. Many came with such a wonderful ideas that if we adapt those in teaching children, they naturally will be motivated to study all the subjects.

suma

review - 6th session

Review of the sixth session

            The session started with Self Talk. How I talk to myself? I do this quite often but never noticed such difference when I talk to myself using you/she. Nice exercise.

 

            I never gave thought about the person's intentions & always used to judge the person   by his behaviour & end up in –ve thoughts. This session is a great learning for me & I feel much relaxed now as I see everything through +ve vision. I'm trying to ACCEPT  & it is making me relax quite a lot.

               INTENTION            BEHAVIOUR

               Reason(for self)       action(for others)

" Behind every action is a +ve intention".

"Understanding" the child 's feelings & acceptance of the same is important to build a rapo with the child.

Acceptance frame :

Act of  understanding, agreeing ,respecting ,appreciating has all the meaning to ACCEPTANCE.

When expectation becomes need, then there is a problem in accepting.

So many nice thoughts in this session. Liked it.

 

 

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                                                Review of the fifth session.

 

The session started with think about & write what comes to my mind about the session. That was nice as saying goes "thousand words is equivalent to one picture."

Self Esteem- never thought about it in so many angles. Mr Ratnesh well said about SELF ESTEEM.

 

 

 

 

 

If  all the three are same -> harmony/peace within ourselves.

                             Different-> disharmony

We should appreciate ourselves & then there is no need to expect appreciation from other people.

 Respect and Love – everybody expects respect & love. We should RESPECT our child's FEELINGS as we love them.

 

Self Esteem & Self Confidence - They are indirectly connected and I realized that social confidence & self confidence are two different qualities.

 

We should "recognize the child's effort" & "praise the child in" what he/she is doing RIGHT & "not give importance" to what "mistakes" they make. Then the awareness of her potential is realized by the child & is naturally motivated to do what she wants. We should help the kids to appreciate themselves & we should not be a judge.

suma

Review July 31, 2007

Todays session on THINKING was a stunner. It left me totally astonished on how we unintentionally curb our children's thinking capabilities. Simple oppurtunities where they can learn to make decisions are snatched away from them like deciding what to wear, how to wear, what to eat in the restaurant etc. I am on "alert" now. I have been observing a change in me since we have attended this session. i am trying to ask more questions then straight away jumping to reply them.

 

I really found the questionnaire on Ramayana excellent. It was as if my own confusion and thinking on the epic has been penned down in our manual.

 

The shifting from one time frame to another sounds quite effective and fun too.

 

Bhavana and Meenakshi, you "need" to attend this session whenever it happens again in the future..

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