From September 30, 2024 to October 4, 2024, a group of students from Arulvazhi School visited STEM Land to explore and learn about various STEM activities. We warmly welcomed them and began the session with “Stand and Fear.” Through this activity, students reflected on their full potential. These sessions helped break barriers and encouraged teamwork. Each student introduced themselves and shared their qualities in unique ways. When students shared their fears or challenges, it created a sense of connection and understanding among them. This openness encouraged care and love, allowing participants to see each other as individuals rather than just classmates/schoolmates.
Children said that, they
were able to realize who they were from deep inside. They mentioned that the
socialized fears were prevalent in their everyday lives and they wondered how
they failed to notice them before attending the RTL session. The tools helped
them notice, name and let go of their fears and helped them to understand who
they from possibility. One of the students mentioned that RTL was more related
to life than the usual lessons they learn in classrooms.
After the RTL session,
the students eagerly explored different STEM activities such as Scratch
programming, Electronics and Robotics. It was a memorable experience for both
the students and our team. Initially, we started teaching electronics as they
were keen to learn it. The session began with an introduction to basic terms
like resistance, current and voltage.
They learnt about
resistance and measured their body resistance using a multimeter. They also
learnt how to light an LED with the help of a battery and a resistor, and even
through their body. Following this, the students had time to explore Scratch
programming and were given simple tasks to accomplish. They had the opportunity
to work with Makey Makey, which helped them understand conductors and
non-conductors.
They were able to apply
their Scratch knowledge in their Makey Makey projects. Additionally, they were
introduced to Finch robots and were able to control the robots by creating
simple programs using the Snap app. On the last day, the students explored the
games available at STEM land. We observed teamwork throughout their visit. All
these activities helped the students improve their knowledge in various
domains, and for many, it was their first exposure to such technologies. Their
active participation each day fueled our enthusiasm for teaching.
At the end of the session, children were asked to give feedback regarding their learnings at STEM. They said that they got an opportunity to explore material-based learning. It helped them to understand the concepts better and in an easier manner. They also said that the method of teaching both electronics and programming helped them to think more. They were able to find out solutions from their learnings without the answers being directly given.
Reflection from
Madhivadhani S (Student from Arulvazhi):
The learning sessions at
STEM was very useful for me. I learnt to make sounds using makey makey, program
a robot and to code in scratch. The activities made me think a lot. I could
visually see the outputs in scratch coding. It helped me correct my code by the
movement of the sprite, when it did not do what I expected it to do. When I
made a mistake, the teachers did not tell me the right answer directly, instead
they gave clarity on why my answer was wrong. This helped me find the right
solution by myself. The learning session gave me a platform to do peer
learning. It helped to get along with my friends by helping each other which
made the learning much easier and more interesting than the usual individual
learning.
Reflections of
facilitators…
Jayabharathy:
My name is Jayabharathy.
I stand for care and courage for myself and others. The session with the
Arulvazhi school children gave me an opportunity to work with children of
different grades simultaneouslyrather than a single grade. Through this event,
I learnt to change my level of explanation as per the understanding capability
of children of different age groups. I also learnt to maintain a domination and
groupism free learning space. I initially went there thinking I would support
them for an hour or two. However, their eagerness to learn about electronics
and Scratch motivated me to assist them throughout all the sessions they
attended. I could see the joy of learning among the children as they made the
LED glow using a battery, resistor, and wires. I also observed peer learning
among the children. The older ones gave space to the younger ones and helped
them accomplish tasks. These were valuable lessons that I intend to incorporate
into my own life as I work with my team and juniors.
Arunkumar:
My name is Arunkumar I
stand for Peace and Equity for myself and others, I supported Arulvazhi
children on electronics and Makey Makey sessions, it was an interesting
session. When we asked children to taste the current, initially hesitated out
of fear they were then able to transcend it and taste the current. The children
were from 4th grade to higher secondary so I assumed that only the elder
children will learn more and won’t work along with the younger ones, but they
were actually inspiring the young ones and shared their learnings and guided
them to participate fully.
Poonguzhali:
My name is Poonguzhali I
stand for courage for myself and others. I volunteered to support the holiday
camp whenever I had time. As a team, we worked to our full potential, children
took part in many activities they enjoyed. I feel grateful for being a part of
the camp as it allowed me to interact with children in the during the break and
I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent supporting it.
Soundhariya:
My name is Soundhariya. I
stand for care and courage for myself and others. I saw that the children were
able to understand concepts and learn how these ideas connect to concrete
visualization and everyday life and it madelearning more effective and fun.
Using hands-on tools allows children to grasp concepts more quickly and enjoy
learning.
The sessions had a
positive impact on students and it helped them develop critical thinking and
problem-solving skills. I was able to notice this during the LED experiment. I
gave an introduction about the terminals of the LED, the battery and resistance.
With this information, they were able to make the LED glow from light to dark
through the help of different resistors. This approach also encouraged
collaborative learning with others.
When students actively
participate in STEM activities, they become more aware of their own progress.
As I was teaching them operate finch robot, they said the coding that they
learnt the previous day in scratch helped them to do the finch activity. They also
said that they were able to notice their improvement as they moved from scratch
to snap. .
Gunavathi:
My name is Gunavathi, I stand for happiness for myself and others. While I was teaching students about finch robot 2.0, I felt responsible. When they understood the concept of move and degrees, I noticed children being curious and enthusiastic. At that moment, I understood inspiring children will lead them to learn themselves.
Poovizhi:
My name is Poovizhi, I stand for equality and equity for myself and others. Arulvazhi school teachers were inspired by the sessions we did during the STEAM camp we did during the summer and they have heard from children that they are interested to learn more from STEM land, so the teachers contacted me and asked if we could have a one week program for children during their quarterly leave. STEM land is open for anyone at any age who wants to learn and organised for the transport and the sessions. I feel grateful that I was able to coordinate and organise the session. I saw the joy of learning in children.
On the 12th
of October 2024, a group of teachers from Odisha came to visit STEMland. It was
an exciting day filled with learning and fun activities.
STEMland is a place where children and adults can explore and learn science, technology, engineering, and math in creative ways. Here, we use different materials and activities to make learning interesting and hands-on.
First, we start with Stand and Fear in Radical Transformational Leadership. Through the STAND, teachers reflected on their identities, who they are, what they deeply care about, and the fears that keep them from reaching their full potential.
These sessions helped them break down challenges and work better as a team. Each teacher introduced themselves and shared their qualities in a special way. These are the qualities the teacher shared in this session.
After completing the RTL session, they explored some
STEMland activities like Finch Robot using Snap, Games,3D printer, Maths
materials and Craft work.
Finch
Robots in Snap:
The teachers got to play with Finch robots, which can be programmed using Snap. Snap is a simple coding platform where we can move robots on the floor, but the code was used here to control the robots. They learned how to make the robots move, dance, and even follow a path using simple commands. Using the Pencil, we can draw the diagram using Finch Robots on the chart paper.
Games: Games are a fun way to learn different skills. The teachers saw how we use educational games at STEMland to teach math and problem-solving. These games make learning feel like play, which helps teachers understand concepts in different manner. While playing the games, we can notice how we are thinking in a logical way and its very fun activities.
Math Materials: In STEMland, we have special math tools that help children learn math through hands-on activities. Our guests explored these materials and saw how they make math more visual and understandable, instead of just solving sums on paper. We explained how multiplication is visualized using the Dienes blocks, and they also understood place value concepts like Ones, Tens, Hundreds, and Thousands through area models. Then, they explored algebraic tiles to understand expressions like (a+b)², (a+b+c)², and the Pythagorean theorem, which shows how c² = a² + b².
Craft Work: Besides learning science and math, STEMland also encourages creativity. Our visitors enjoyed seeing craft work like Kirigami. This Craft activities help improve hand skills, attention to detail, concentration, and allow to express their creativity, such as in the precise folding techniques used to make craft balls.
3D
Printer:
It is a special machine that can take a digital design and turn it into a real object by building it layer by layer. Our guests had the chance to explore our 3D printer. This was an exciting part of their visit, where they learned about how 3D printing works and even created a small object themselves.
So, we showed them how it works. We selected a simple
design—a small pyramid—and demonstrated the printing process. The printer
carefully built the pyramid layer by layer, using a special plastic material.
It was a slow and detailed process, but our guests were excited to watch as the
small pyramid visually.
Watching the
3D printer was fun and a great learning experience. By creating a small object
like a pyramid, they understood how 3D printing can be used in various fields
like design, engineering, and art. The little pyramid they printed became a
memorable part of their experience!
Conclusion
The visitors
from Odisha left STEMland with a lot of new ideas and experiences. They were
excited to take some of these ideas back home to share with others. It was a
wonderful day of learning, exploring, and exchanging knowledge.
Visiting Teacher’s Reflection
The group
observed the PCs and others in STEM Land have developed certain life skills
which are integrated into each and every activity there. The STEM Land people
are aware of their STAND or their universal values which connect them to the
purpose of their lives. Each of them is aware of their socialized FEARs which
makes them aware of what changes in themselves they would bring in and make
necessary progress.
Thus, the
whole STEM Land is a space for inner progress while dealing with the tools,
machinery, games, activities and projects whether within Auroville or for
external companies.
One
discovers the purpose of life to pursue and the slough to clear in one’s life
and makes necessary progress to realise the aim of life in STEM Land
consciously. Activities and projects are media to realise these objectives.
This was clearly felt by the group members while they were there whatever short
time they had.
Their
openness to learning and helping others to learn about themselves is something
unique among STEM Land members. Some group members perceived as some STEM Land
members are really sadhaks
Poovizhi
My name is
Poovizhi and I stand for Equality and Equity for myself and others. When the
teachers from Orrisa came to our campus Ramanarayana introduced me to the team
and I welcomed them and introduced STEM land. I gave them a broad view of the
B.Voc, Shifu program, C3STREAM land and went into STEM land and shared our core
values and how we put them in action and shift system and cultural norms. I
explained the ground rules and how we work with children. They were interested
to hear that we also have provided trainings for teachers as STEM educators. I
did the setup of sourcing our own inner capacity but they were more comfortable
in doing the session in Hindi so Sanjeev anna came and supported the session.
Later they explored STEM activities I had a good experience and it would have
been a bit challenging if anna was not available. I got inspired that I need to
learn more than two languages.
Poonguzhali
My name is
Poonguzhali, and I stand for courage for myself and others. In this session, I
realized my full potential while working with Odisa teachers. I explained one
of the STEAM activities, Kirigami (Papercraft). Before we started making
kirigami balls, the teachers were excited about how we would make a ball from
pieces of paper. We began by coloring the paper, and some of them drew
different patterns they liked, before finally cutting the paper with scissors.
They were very focused and patient in their work, and when we finished, I could
see the satisfaction and joy on their faces. I enjoyed the session and got to
engage with new teachers.
Arun Kumar
My name is
Arun Kumar i stand for Peace and Equity for myself and others, I learned that
everyone love to learn and play. The Teachers showed great enthusiasm and a
competitive spirit in games like Abalone, Tangram, Dobble, and Genius Square.
Their eagerness to participate and win proves how important it is to keep
learning and staying active, no matter how old we get. It also showed me that
doing things together makes everyone happy and connected.
We have recently visited Pichandikulam, and it was a
wonderful experience! This place is not just beautiful; it tells an amazing
story. A long time ago, this area was mostly empty, but the local and Auroville
community worked hard to plant trees and create a forest.
As we walked through the forest, we were amazed by all the
plants and animals. The trees, which the villagers and Auroville community
planted with love, provide homes for many birds and small animals. It felt
peaceful to listen to the birds singing and the leaves rustling in the wind.
They shared stories about how they built the forest together
and why taking care of nature is so important. Their passion for protecting the
environment really inspired us.
Pichandikulam showed us how small actions can make a big
difference. We left with happy memories and a strong desire to care for our
planet.
Santhosh’s Reflection:
My name is Santhosh, I stand for kindness and wisdom for
myself and others. I have learned many facts and pieces of information about
forests. In the museum, I learned many things about our Tamil people’s
traditions and history and enjoyed the presence of nature in the Pitchandikulam
forest trip.
Figure 1: Snacks around the forest and
its types
Arun’s Reflection:
My name is Arun Kumar, and I believe in peace and equity for
myself and others. Last week, while exploring the man-made Pichandikulam
forest, I discovered a wealth of medicinal plants. The trees here don’t grow
beyond 50 feet due to the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest climate. This forest
was created by bringing seeds from other similar forests, with a strong focus
on medicinal plants.
Figure 2:Things people have used earlier and Fossils
Additionally, I explored ancient fossils and equipment used
by ancient people. I also came across a strong variety of lemon plant. The
experience was enriching and deepening my understanding of nature and
history. The overall experience makes me
realize that when I act for a noble cause, even if it appears crazy at first,
it ultimately demonstrates my unwavering commitment to care and compassion over
time. The initial suspicion fades, revealing the strength of my beliefs.
~ Jayabharathy, Poonguzhali, Tamilarasan, Sandhiya Bala, Kugan, Duraisamy, Poovizhi
RTL session was conducted
for the B.Voc students on 14th and 21st of September. 1st,
2nd and 3rd year students took part in it. It was
conducted in Tamil. It was the first time the first years were attending the
session. The session on 14th started with few minutes of meditation
followed by ground rules. The Tamil PCs came up with tools like stand and
feart, four profiles, deep listening and commitment for action behind
complaints on the same day. Though it was something new for the first years,
they participated actively by sharing their insights in the plenary.
One of the students said
that he noticed that the values and fear that he recognized during the activity
was not something new to him. He said, it was already present within him and
RTL helped him to bring it out which he has not been giving much importance to
before. Again, one of the first-year student shared in the plenary that he
doesn’t like when someone does distracted listening when he speaks. So, he made
a commitment that he will also not do distracted listening thereafter.
The session continued
again on 21st as well during which tools like Systems principles
(story of stuff film), Architecture for Equitable Change: Partial &
Conscious-Full Spectrum Response Model, Emotional reaction Vs Courageous heart
response and Realise & Respond were handled by the PCs. The designing of
project using the CFSR sheet helped the participants to notice the shifts they
can bring out by finding solutions to the issues that lie around them. Students
eagerly discussed their own examples of when they acted from their emotional
reaction and how they could have transformed it to be better if they had used
courageous heart response. The session as a whole provided a gateway for the
first-year students to get exposed to RTL and to mingle with people around
them. The session helped the other participants to learn the tools again with a
fresher’s mindset and to reframe their projects with their new learnings.
Jayabharathy:
My name is Jayabharathy.
I stand for care and courage for myself and for others. As usual I participated
in the RTL session with a beginner’s mind. I was taking part as a table anchor
(English PC). The first session was a little challenging for me. I found it
interesting to bring out the values and stand of students. It wasn’t that easy
as it was the first time the first years were attending RTL. Few members of the
team initially seemed to be not interested. When I talked to them, I noticed
that they had a pre assumption that it will be like one of their subject
classes where they will be simply asked to not down concepts and study. As the
session proceeded, they understood that it was something related to their self-realization.
I could notice increased keenness sometime later as they shared their examples
within the group and insights in the plenary. As a PC, motivating the
participants to share their insights in the plenary was enthusiastic too. I
managed to provide enough suggestions and motivation to ask them to share their
thoughts in front of others. When thy were hesitant to go in front of others
and speak, I was able to relate their actions to the fear that they said. I
asked them to overcome by using the tool that they just learnt and it worked
out well. Since they were a new batch, they did not know each other much. By
participating in the session, the students who already took turn and shared insights
started motivating others who were neglecting to share. I was able to notice
the team work and interdependence among the students. It was a great
opportunity for me to mingle with the students and to learn along with them.
Poonguzhali:
My name is Poonguzhali. I
stand for courage for myself and others. These RTL sessions helped me to look
at myself deeply and reflect on it. I saw the RTL program as both a personal
transformation and a team-building program. I coordinated the RTL session this
time. It was a very unique experience for me and it helped me to overcome my
fear of presenting in front of others. I felt that it was a fulfilling
activity. The B.Voc students actively participated and shared their reflections
on stage. I noticed courage as not the absence of fear but the ability to act
despite it.
Tamilarasan:
My name is Tamil. I stand
for courage and compassion, for myself and others. My reflection on the B-Voc
RTL session is that I feel glad the students are learning RTL. During these
sessions, students faced many challenges with their stand. It’s very helpful
for them, as it allows them to make better decisions. Additionally, they have
learned to listen deeply to others’ conversations, which is an important skill.
While practicing tools, students are collaborating with each other, which helps
build healthy relationships.
SandhiyaBala:
My name is SandhiyaBala
and I deeply care about courage, care and happiness for myself and others. I
noticed that stepping up to work in the comfortable zone is an uncomfortable
zone. I learnt to step up to support others. I learnt to process insight from
others
Kugan:
The sessions were
engaging and provided valuable insights. The students displayed a keen interest
and actively participated in discussions, which enriched the learning
experience for everyone involved.
Duraisamy:
My name is Duraisamy Pandurangan I deeply care about dignity, wisdom, and the freedom of myself and others. While session with children and youth, I see that they bring valuable insights about the world around them. These insights can lead to positive changes in society and help build a sustainable environment that fosters a better world for all.
Poovizhi:
I got an opportunity to deliver couple of tools and supported my team mates in delivering the tools. The session went really well. Some times I found the insights and question for clarities to be processed as challenging but I learnt it. One of my colleague who has done this workshop earlier has come and told me that only this time she got clarity between partial and full spectrum response. The session was both in Tamil and English so there was no language barrier and students shared their insights without hesitation.
Praveen Kumar – 3rd
year student:
I leant to notice my
values and fear. I learnt a new way of introducing myself. Each time, when I
introduce myself in the manner I learnt, it reminds me of who I am. I learnt
how to take complaints in a way that it helps me to grow. I also learnt to act
from my universal values to know my full potential.
Vishal K – 2nd
year student:
Though I have attended
more than two sessions of RTL, this session seemed to be new to me. The session
was in Tamil, which was very different from the previous sessions that I
attended. It helped me to understand better and take part in it actively.
Ayushjena – 2nd
year student:
I noticed that my
learnings are the steps for bringing in improvements in my life. I noticed that
acting from my emotional reaction leads to mental disturbance and I can
transcend the situation through courageous heart response.
My name is Jayabharathy.
I stand for care and courage for myself and others. When I was a kid, I always
looked at teachers’ day as a wonderful occasion to honour and appreciate the
hard work and dedication of educators. The celebration at Udavi typically
involved a range of activities like singing, dancing and skits as a token of
expression of gratitude. It reminded me of my school days.
I could see myself as one
of those kids sitting at the same place (under the banyan tree) for the
teacher’s day celebration that took place when I was a kid in the same school.
Nothing much has changed in the love and bonding between the teachers and the
students. Children came up with songs and poems, drama and dance which were
heartwarming. I could see the quality of joy and happiness as they did their
performance in front of everyone. The activities which they had for the
teachers were interesting too.
The most interesting part
of the entire event for me was the gift that were given. We were given plants
which were arranged by the 10th std students. The idea with which
they planned to give us plants was that, they wanted us to raise the plants at
our homes like we raise them with care in classrooms. I got inspired with their
thoughts and I have planted it at my home and will nourish it with good
qualities as I do with kids. Overall, the event was enthusiastic and it gave me
an opportunity to feel the love expressed by kids. It made me feel proud to be
a teacher and do even better in my future endeavours.
Poovizhi:
We were invited to a
Teacher’s Day celebration at Udavi, where we support children in learning
Mathematics at STEM Land. The children themselves organized the event, and it
was interesting to see them take responsibility and host it. They planned the
event thoughtfully and joyfully.
The celebration began
with a moment of silence, followed by a welcome speech in which they
acknowledged teachers for their work and expressed gratitude. After that, there
were activities for teachers, such as tongue twisters, guessing proverbs
through actions, and speaking Tamil for a minute without using any English
words.
The students then sang
songs, danced, and performed a skit. They also prepared gifts for the teachers,
which were meant to remind them of the students and be cared for, just like the
students themselves. The gift was a flower plant, symbolizing different
qualities.
I felt deeply connected
and grateful for the opportunity to teach children.
Rajesh:
My name is Rajesh and I
deeply care about Integrity and care for myself and others.
As a student, I always
looked forward to Teachers’ Day with excitement and admiration. It was a day to
celebrate those who guided us and inspired us to dream. Now, as a teacher
myself, I find myself on the other side, receiving that same gratitude from my
students. It’s a humbling and rewarding experience, knowing that I can shape
young minds just as my teachers did for me. The celebration has taken on a
deeper meaning, reminding me of the responsibility and privilege of being more
than just a teacher—a guide. It’s a role where the fruitfulness of learning is
passed on, creating a continuous cycle of growth, inspiration, and gratitude.
Saranya:
The Teachers’ Day
celebration at Udavi School (This is my overall observation): It was a special
and joyful event. The students demonstrated how the school helps them practice
English—both understanding and speaking without fear—through a skit. They also
showed how much they value their teachers. A touching song about teachers added
to the heartfelt atmosphere.
A fun part of the day was
when the students challenged the teachers with tongue twisters. It was a
delightful and entertaining activity that everyone enjoyed.
The students explained
that, just as teachers have taken care of them and helped them grow, the
teachers should care for the plants in the same way they care for their
students. They said the plants are a token of remembrance, meant to remind the
teachers of their students and the care they provide.
Arunkumar:
The tongue twister
practice in both Tamil and English was a delightful experience that celebrated
linguistic diversity and enhanced pronunciation and fluency. The activities
revealed the hidden fears of many teachers, who eventually overcame their
hesitation to participate. The teachers acting to bringout the proverb from
other teachers were truly entertaining, and I was impressed by the children’s
enthusiasm and effort in expressing gratitude through fun activities.
Interestingly, I observed that English was used more frequently than Tamil
during casual conversations after the exercise of speaking exclusively in Tamil
for a minute, which made me realise that excessive consumption of anything will
ruin the originality.
Monitoring water levels can be a fun, hands-on learning and an educational project, especially for students learning about electronics and programming. In this project, we used an ultrasonic sensor and an Arduino UNO board to measure water levels in a bucket, indicating the levels with different colored LEDs.
Classroom Experience
During the class, students filled the bucket with water and observed the LED indicators. When the water level was low, the Red LED glowed. When the bucket was half-full, the Blue LED lit up. If the water level was high, the Green LED illuminated.
Students engaged deeply with the project,
experimenting with the Scratch code to make all LEDs glow simultaneously and
turning off all LEDs under certain conditions. This interactive experience
allowed students to explore and learn about water level sensing and coding.
Adding a
Buzzer for Alarm
Inspired by the practical application shared
by 8th class teacher Thenmozhi, we plan to add a buzzer to the circuit. Once
the water tank is full, the buzzer will sound an alarm to indicate it’s time to
turn off the motor. This addition will help students understand the real-world
application of their project.
Exploring
Sound Types
This project involved the use of an ultrasonic
sensor, which is a type of sound wave. Here’s the different types of sounds
which children learnt from this project.
Infrasonic sounds: Below 20 Hz, felt as
vibrations, Elephants use infrasonic sounds to communicate over long distances.
Sonic sounds: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, audible to humans, used in
everyday communication and entertainment.
Ultrasonic sounds: Above 20 kHz, inaudible to
humans. Bats use ultrasonic sounds for echolocation to navigate and hunt for
insects in the dark.
Supersonic sounds: Related to objects
traveling faster than the speed of sound, resulting in sonic booms and used in
high-speed aerodynamics. Supersonic jets travel faster than the speed of sound.
Components
Required
Ultrasonic sensor (HC-SR04)
Arduino UNO board
Breadboard
Connecting wires
LEDs (Red, Blue, Green, and another for full level indication)
Resistors
Buzzer (for future extension)
Setup
Assemble the Hardware:
Fit the ultrasonic sensor at the top of the bucket.
Connect the sensor to the Arduino UNO board.
Attach the LEDs to the board through appropriate resistors.
Connect the components on the breadboard using connecting wires.
Connections:
Ultrasonic Sensor:
VCC to 5V
GND to GND
Trig to Digital Pin 2
Echo to Digital Pin 3
LEDs:
Red LED to Digital Pin 13
Blue LED to Digital Pin 12
Green LED to Digital Pin 11
Full-level indication LED to Digital Pin 10
Coding
Here’s the code used in this project,
generated by PictoBlox:
My
name is Jayabharathy. I stand for care and courage for myself and for others. Every
Saturday morning, we do insights or acknowledgements. This helps to review
myself regarding what I have accomplished in the past week for my own growth
and how I have supported others for their growth. I feel it establishes unity
between different teams and we get to share what deeds of others have helped us
move forward. When I receive acknowledgment from someone, it acts as a driving
force for me to move forward with full potential and do even better next time.
On the other hand, when I acknowledge someone, I feel I am grounded and
appreciated for looking into the good qualities and values of the other person.
I find this sharing of acknowledgements and insights is very unique to our
organization. Sometimes we write down the acknowledgements after sharing it to
the gathering. This helps me to keep reminded of my support to others and the
support of others to me throughout the week. This in turn serves as a
motivation for the entire week as I read it whenever I go to the ismart room.
It
helps me not only to look into my own growth but also the growth of others.
Sharing insights helps me to notice the gaps in what I do. Each time we share
something, we start with “My name is…… and I stand for……”. This helps to keep
me reminded of who I am from deep inside and what I care about the most.
Sometimes, the insights that we have shared regarding gratitude in the past
have helped me notice how gifted I am for the life and the environment I have
around me. Being acknowledged even for the small deeds and support that I have
provided over a week, makes me feel joyful. The other important aspect that I
noticed while sharing either insights or acknowledgments is that, there is no
senior or junior priority. I have seen even the senior most person in the
organization acknowledging a trainee. I see the quality of equality and I
admired it when I first came over here. Now, since I have also developed the
same quality in me, it seems to be very normal to me. I also notice the quality of interdependence
among the team mates and how each one extends help to whoever is in need of
help.
Sundaresan
The Saturday morning
meetings helps bringing my office teammates together and to improve our
communication. They also help me to get over my fear of speaking in front of
others, which will help me in the future to speak confidently without
hesitation.
Getting acknowledgments
from others makes me feel more responsible and aware of myself. It also
encourages me to support and acknowledge others, which builds good
relationships with my colleagues. Writing our acknowledgments and sticking them
on the board helps everyone see them, and sharing our accomplishments lets us
know what others are working on. This can make us more interested and excited
about our projects. Overall, these activities help me remember everything that
happened in the past week.
Rajesh
My name is Rajesh and I
stand for care and integrity for myself and others. Saturday morning meetings
have always been a day to look for me as I can share my learning over the week.
It makes me share my learning and learn from others when they share their
insight. Weekly sharing as a group makes me aware of various activities and
learnings in our organization.
Sivaguru
My name is Sivaguruprasath, and I stand for courage, full potential, and equanimity for myself and others. From the Saturday morning sessions, I learned that I am able to recollect what I have done for the week and who supported me in my work. It is also an opportunity to share my acknowledgment with them. It reminds me of being in my stand and being integrity for what I committed for.
SandhiyaBala
My name is SandhiyaBalaAnand, and I stand for courage, care, and happiness for myself and others. I have learned how to synthesize my insights and share them with others. When I practice acknowledgment and gratitude, I notice how much I involve myself with my team and the skills I learn from others.
~ Sivaguruprasath, Preethi, Nithyasandhosh, Poonguzhali, Ajay, Sri Bhavani
This year’s yoga marathon was organized by
SAIIER, Auroville for a week to celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21,
2024. School children from Auroville and outreach schools were invited to
register for the Yoga Marathon. Around 130 children participated in this event,
which took place at Bharat Nivas over four days and fifth day is in Matrimandir,
Amphitheatre.
Sanjeev was invited as a special guest for this
event and inspired the children by saying, “We are here to learn how to
correct our sitting posture to make ourselves better”. Two senior
Aurovillians, Varadarajan Iyya and Shyamala Amma, were also special guests for
this event. They sponsored yoga mats for the children.
Last year, in 2023, the yoga marathon was held
in Matrimandir, Amphitheatre. This time, the team planned and arranged
everything to the best of their ability. They organized yoga mats for the
children’s use and arranged healthy breakfasts. The children were divided into
three groups: below 10 years old, 11 to 14 years old, and above 14 years old.
This arrangement helped manage the groups effectively when teachers taught
asanas and pranayamas.
@Amphitheatre, Matrimandir on Yoga Day
Sri Bhavani’s learnings:
I was inspired by the Organizing team in
handling the children from different age groups and they took an effort to make
things workable in the present which are missing in the past. Ajay, Sivaguru,
Preethi, Meganathan from our team also contributed their support in
distributing breakfast for the children with the organizing team. Shifuians (NithyaSanthosh
and Pachayappan) were supported the event arrangement. I acknowledge the team
members whoever supported this event and make it happen. I see the quality of Care,
Sincerity and Generosity in them, I will use it in my life.
What do I notice differently this yoga session?
Usually, all the children were invited to
Amphitheatre for this yoga marathon session. Techers will be at the center;
children will follow the instructions of teacher. For this massive gathering it
was hard for the teachers to handle the children to move forward the session.
This time teachers separated the children into
3 groups. Each day teacher will go in the rotational order for each group. One
teacher taught us Surya namaskar and standing asanas, other teacher taught us pranayama’s
and another teacher taught us sitting asanas and some difficult asanas. Children
as well as teachers get enough to do asanas perfectly.
From our team, this time number of person
showed interest towards yoga had increased. I felt happy for everyone’s
participation.
Group Gathering @Bharat Nivas
Ajay’s
Learnings:
I participated in the yoga marathon with
children, and it was an amazing experience. I learned different asanas and
noticed that practicing the old ones has greatly improved my physical health.
The marathon lasted four days, with the fifth day being International Yoga Day.
On that day, many people from Auroville joined us, and we also experienced a
sound bath, which was wonderful. I helped manage the children and provided
snacks for them daily during the five days.
I felt that my body became more flexible, and
starting my day with some asanas made me feel refreshed throughout the day.
Practicing pranayamas helped me to feel their benefits, and I learned about
their uses. After Yoga Day, we continued practicing some of the asanas from the
marathon in our campus in the morning after meditation, which I believe
inspired some of my colleagues to join us next time to keep themselves healthy.
Sound Bath on Yoga Day
Poonguzhali’s Learnings:
My name is Poonguzhali I stand for courage for myself and
others. When I participated in the Marathon yoga camp, I learned different
asanas that helped me make my body strong, flexible, and balanced. I learned breathing techniques that calm my
mind and give me more energy. While doing meditation I find out how to relax my
mind and focus on the present moment to feel more peaceful. When I do yoga at
Bharat Nivas and Mathirmandir, I feel close to nature. I enjoy hearing birds
singing and feeling the cool breeze on my face. It feels like nature feels
peaceful inside. I had a great experience.
Preethi’s Learnings:
My name is Preethi. I stand for courage and kindness for
myself and others. My insight from the yoga marathon is that it felt good to
wake up early morning and do something that good for my body and mind. When I
did yoga, I felt calm and energetic the whole day. I learnt different Asana’s and exercises that
make my body feel good and strong. And I find out how well I can concentrate
and how to improve my focus. When I attended this yoga marathon I get to meet
and practice with lot of children, which is really fun and helped me to feel
more connected to those around me. I felt calmer and more peaceful and felt
more connected to the natural world around me. The natural setting helps me
connect more deeply with myself and my inner thoughts. It’s a wonderful opportunity
to attend this workshop and I really had good time and enjoyed it.
Sivaguruprasath’s Learnings:
On attending the Marathon yoga, I feel energetic and calm
and also, I felt responsible on guiding children to do Asana’s properly.
Children were provided with morning breakfast, yoga mat and transportations.
More number of students were participated than the last year. It was one of the
very great opportunities for us to practice yoga regularly.
We practiced different Asana’s in different days of the week
which enhances the relaxation of the different parts of the body.
Nithyasandhosh’s Learnings:
My name is Nithyasandhosh. I stand for kindness and equality
for myself and others. I noticed that, practicing for YOSA for one week,
dedicating one hour each morning, can be incredibly beneficial. This focused
time allows me to make significant progress with consistency and discipline.
Morning practice can enhance my concentration and set a positive tone for the
rest of my day. Each morning session brings me one step closer to achieving my
goals and excelling in my performance.
As part of the Mathegramming team, we initially planned a summer camp for students at STEM land. However, there is a buzz of STEAM and we decided to collaborate with other school teachers, including those from Auroville and the bioregion in a collective STEAM event. We formed a core group with Aikiyam, Deepanam, Transition, and STEM land, along with SAIIER for this collective event. We planned, created posters, and invited children to register for the event. There were two different posters: one for team captains (> 12 years) and another for children aged 8 to 12 years old.
We selected five topics: Forces, Magnetism,
Electronics, STEM Land (Makey Makey),
and Biology, and named the event Auroville Schools STEAM Adventure! It took
place from May 27th to May 31st. The goal was to foster collaboration between
Auroville school children and those from the bioregion, break ageism, and
create an environment where children of all ages could support and learn from
each other. We reached around 140 children. Forces, Magnetism, Electronics, and
Biology sessions were conducted in Bharatnivas, while Makey Makey was done in
STEM land. The children were divided into five groups, named after colors: RED,
YELLOW, ORANGE, PURPLE, and GREEN.
A special session was given to the captains
before the event began. Each group had four captains (from different schools)
and two facilitators from STEM land. An orientation program for team captains,
volunteers, and facilitators was held on Saturday at STEM Land to prepare for
the upcoming week.
Being a core group member of this program was
a great experience for me, though it was a bit challenging to coordinate plans
for facilitators from STEM land, especially with Tamil PC training and Tamil
RTL sessions happening the same week. As a team, we supported each other and
succeeded.
I supported the Mathegramming team in STEM
land and conducted sessions where children explored who they are and what they
deeply cared about, connecting these insights to their learning and how they
wanted to apply their knowledge. During the session I viewed in that technology
is value-neutral, and it is our choice to add values to it by knowing who we
are and what we deeply care about.
I conducted the sessions in both English and
Tamil, and it was interesting to see that even small children were able to
articulate what they deeply care about and shared their insight on how to
transcend their fears by reminding themselves of their universal values.
At the end of the STEAM fest children were so
happy and they remembered each one us (even those who were not available for
the closing) and thanked us by giving a small gift which made me feel more
connected with them.
Saranya:
This event was well-organized, and the instructions
were clear. The planning and execution went very smoothly. There were five
stations, each focusing on one topic from STEAM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). I was part of the Orange Team. The first
station we went to was Biology.
Biology:
We were further divided into four groups. In the
Biology station, there were three sub-stations: 1) Biology/Cells, 2) Leaf, and
3) Nest. We learned what an animal cell looks like and made an animal cell
using crafts. At the Leaf sub-station, we imprinted leaves, identified the
leaves around us, learned their names, and which family they belong to. Then,
we moved on to making nests with natural materials found around us.
On the first day, we felt really happy about learning
about the environment, and by the end of the session, we were able to make
something to take home with us.
STEMLand:
Technology is value neutral and we talked about the
values we will add in technology to make it a force of good. The session
started with an activity called “What Do I Deeply Care About?”
Children from different societal backgrounds and schools participated. They
explored questions like “Who am I?” and “What is my socialized
fear?” The children were able to identify what they truly care about and
what their socialized fears are.
Then, the STEM Land facilitators conducted a session on Makey Makey, which was really interesting for both the children and the captains. The roles of the facilitators and captains were very clear, and we were able to guide the children effectively. The children understood how Makey Makey works.
The children also found the caste puzzles intriguing and played various games in STEMLand. Most of the kids were fully engaged throughout the session.
Forces:
They started by asking what we understand by the word “forces” and where we have seen or experienced it. It was a basic question with a simple answer: push or pull. The children found it interesting, and we fully enjoyed and engaged with the session. There were both theoretical lessons and activities. The children found the activities very interesting, felt they learned something new, and made something from the activities to take home.
Magnetism:
There were four stations, and the children went to all the stations and participated in the activities. They learned how generators produce electricity, how iron can act like a magnet, and how magnetic energy can be transferred to iron through exercises. They also learned that sand contains magnet and how to identify a magnet. The story about Magnes was particularly interesting.
Electronics:
We learned how to use a multimeter. With the help of
the multimeter, the children measured their body resistance and discussed why
it is different for everyone. We explored the question: When an LED is
connected through our body, will the LED glow?
The children performed experiments with a given
circuit, drew the circuit diagrams, and tested them. For some children, the LED
light glowed, while for others, it did not due to differences in body
resistance. The children concluded that when body resistance is low, the LED
glows brighter, and when body resistance is high, the LED glows dimly or not at
all.
We repeated the same experiment with a potentiometer to adjust the resistance (R) value and control the brightness of the LED light.
Sanjay:
My
name is Sanjay and I stand for freedom and wisdom for myself and for others. As
regards the STEAMFEST, I had the opportunity to volunteer only for one session,
on Friday morning (May 31) in Bharat Nivas at Bhumika Hall for FORCES. I was in
the purple group and was substituting for Poonguzhali who had to attend an
all-day RTL PC training session on that day. The main topics covered were
center of gravity and centrifugal force. I and the children found the center of
gravity demonstrations to be the most fun
The
most fascinating thing for me with regard to forces was a demo with regards to
center of gravity that was similar to what was shown in this video, Balancing Toy 01 (CG below pivot) (youtube.com)
So
this was quite a big learning experience from me even from a technical
standpoint. The teacher was very friendly and passionate about her subject
matter and freely engaged in a discussion with me as to why the object would
not topple over.
The
children had a great time at the fest. There were some children who were truly
wonderstruck by what was happening and seemed sceptical that some of the
demonstrations were on the level. They really suspected some hanky panky and
inspected the apparatus to verify that it was not rigged in some way. To me,
this showed that the students were really engrossed and were not dozing off as
happens in a formal instruction setting. It also showed a willingness to
challenge and question the teacher, which is a pre-requisite for any one
wanting to get to the bottom of things. I was very happy to see both these
occurrences.
I hope that this experience goes some distance towards triggering a lifelong love for learning about natural phenomena. If that is the case for even one of the students who attended, then this FEST was a success
Sohela:
Through my interactions with children and undertaking
stand and fear exercise with them, I was moved by hearing how reflective
children are. Children picked characters like Spiderman and while we adults are
quick to dispose the comic characters and movie characters, children seem to
connect with them through their universal values. It was even more inspiring to
see how children were scaffolded to use their universal values and think about
innovative technology that helps others, especially in today’s times when
technology is becoming synonymous with danger. Children came up with ideas like
making a box that can sense touch and ring the alarm. However, there were
elements of playfulness and joy in everything children did which allowed me to
slow down and observe how children learn, mostly by making and tinkering which
is a process they adopted while playing games and while learning art + STEM.
The gradual change from children walking-in clueless
to leaving with knowledge about makey-makey, and scratch allowed me to think of
the impact that meaningfully engaging with children can unfold. I observed that
even when children were not asked to be inclusive, they attempted to
collaborate and make everyone feel included. This helped me to shift my
perspective from believing that kids from diverse groups won’t comfortably
mingle.
Apart from that, engaging with children was full of
joy.
The camp also gave me opportunities to interact with
and help my team members. Doing simple things like checking the LEDs that are
working and the ones that aren’t was fun because it wasn’t just sorting LEDs
but it was also preparing for the next day so that when children come and
learn, the process is seamless.
Poonguzhali
I volunteered to support the STEAM fest. It gave me an
opportunity to engage with children. I took part in many activities and I
observed the quality of deep listening within myself. This camp helped me to
learn a lot of new things and to exchange my thoughts with the kids I worked
with. I feel grateful for being a part of the STEAM camp and thoroughly enjoyed
the time spent supporting it.
Premkumar
My name is premkumar I deeply care about courage and
equality for myself and others from the STEAM fest what I have learnt about
myself is giving challenge to myself will make me grow more and give challenges
to children will also help them to grow and I learnt that making an enabling
environment for children to learn is must so that they can enjoy learning and
they feel that the time they invest is not wasted. The best part of the
programme is children come up with their own creative ideas which is appreciative
and they enjoyed it the most. Children were at their at full potential which is
the aim of the programme I am so glad to be part of this programme and I have
enjoyed it throughout the whole process.
Tamilarasan
My name is Tamil, and I stand for courage and
compassion for myself and others. Being the Team Leader of the yellowTeam at
the five-day STEAM Fest in Auroville was an amazing experience. The event took
place at Bharath Nivas and STEMLAND, featuring different activities each day
such as Electronics, Biology, STEM Land, Forces, and Magnetism. This variety
kept the children excited to learn something new every day.
In my role, I learned a lot about leadership. I made
sure everyone was involved, helped resolve any issues, and kept things running
smoothly so the children could learn without distractions.
On the last day, the children wore matching outfits to
show our group’s unity. Organizing this camp taught me how much effort it takes
to bring together many schools and facilitators to teach children.
Overall, the STEAM Fest was a rewarding experience
that helped me grow as a leader
Choudery
My Name is Choudery, I stand for Justice and Equality
for Myself and others.
In STEM FEST, I got an opportunity to support children
with Electronics. A day strat with creating a team and then starts to explain
the basics of electronics and components.
Topics chosen to teach children are
1. Find the Human body resistance
2. Identify the conducting and non – conducting
material.
3.Glow LED using the body resistance.
4. Create a number using the 7 segment display.
When I start to work with children, they are very
curious to learn electronics, they experience a taste of the small electric
shock of a 9V battery. And then we ask them to find the body resistance, with
the help of multimeter children set the multimeter to 2000 ohms and find their
body resistance.This experiment was done in two ways with and without gel. In
absence of gel the resistance value is high. Then children applied the gel in
their hand tips and again checked the body resistance now the body resistance
got reduced. This experiment gives the result that conductivity increases in
the wet and decreases in dry surface. Then children start to find the
conducting and non-conducting material inside the room using the multimeter in
buzzer mode.This experiment helps the children to identify the conducting and nonconducting material in the
room. Then children start to do the experiment using the LED. The children like
to find the polarity of LED terminals. Children find the difference in the LED
and Identify the polarity of the terminal like longer is +ve and shooter is
-ve. After that children start to make numbers in a 7 segment display.
My reflection about STEM FEST is I Learn new things
from the questions raised from children.
Ajay.I
I had a wonderful experience as the Team Leader of the
Green Team in the STEAM Fest event, which was held at Bharath Nivas and
STEMLAND for about five days in Auroville. Each day, we had different
activities such as Electronics, Biology, STEM Land, Forces, and Magnetism.
Since each day featured new activities, the children in our group were excited
to learn something new every day.
This was a new experience for me, where I could see my
leadership qualities as a Team Leader by involving everyone, resolving any
issues the children had, and ensuring there were no misunderstandings among
them so they could learn effectively and not disturb the facilitators
conducting the sessions.
On the final day, the children were asked to wear the
outfits given to them the day before to symbolize unity among the group. From
this summer camp, I learned about the effort and involvement required to
organize an event that involves many schools and their facilitators to provide
children with knowledge on specific topics.
Sivaguruprasath
My name is Sivaguruprasath and I stand for courage,
full potential and equanimity for myself and for others. I recollected the
concepts that were learnt during my school days, especially the explanation of
concept using materials were very much understanding for children as well. The
children were enjoyed a lot and had fun also learnt the concepts. The
coordinators and facilitators have done their job at their best. Volunteering
the children at STEAM fest was a wonderful opportunity to understand the children
better. I felt it is better to have activity sessions for children at their
classes to make better understanding of the concepts.
SandhiyaBala
My name is SandhiyaBala. I stand for courage, care and
happiness for myself and others. I noticed that I have learnt many things in
different topics like force, electronics, biology , magnetism and stem land.
Mainly I learnt how to interact and engage children while teaching and doing
activities.
Arunkumar
My name is Arunkumar I stand for peace and equity for
myself and others. The STEAM camp helped me to realise my leadership skills and
care towards others.The children explored topics like Magnetism, Electronics,
Biology,Force and Makey Makey. While leading them I also had a chance to learn
every activities through real life practices which is completely different from
what I learned during my schooldays. Overall children enjoyed the camp and they
were enthusiastic to explore new things.
The two-week morning Vipassana sessions have significantly
helped me restart my daily meditation practice. Before this course, I struggled
to sit for extended periods and concentrate on my breath. I had also lost
confidence in my ability to focus on my sensations and found it challenging to
control my emotions.
During the first three days, I experienced body pain and
back pain due to the sudden requirement to sit for long periods. However, I
noticed a difference compared to other days; the sessions brought me a sense of
peace and refreshment that lasted throughout the day. By the third day, my back
pain subsided. This positive impact extended to my work and family life,
boosting my confidence to undertake a 10-day Vipassana course.
Additionally, Anapana practice has become a valuable tool
for me throughout the day. Whenever I feel bad or face difficult situations, my
mind automatically prompts me to practice Anapana. I have observed that
meditation has a unique power to transform the mind in a short period. Without
it, overthinking negatively affects my mental and physical health. Currently, I
am able to notice my breath, though I still struggle to fully perceive my body
sensations.
