ARULVAZHI SCHOOL’S INSPIRING WEEK OF LEARNING AT STEMLAND

~ Jayabharathy, Arunkumar, Poonguzhali, Soundhariya, Gunavathi, Poovizhi

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.

A Visit from Odisha to Explore STEMland

~ Poovizhi, Poonguzhali, Arunkumar, Soundhariya, Ilakya arasi, Preethi

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 wayThese 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.

Pichandikulam Trip:

~ Saranya, Santhosh, Arunkumar

Saranya’s Experience:

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.

RTL session for B.Voc students

~ 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.

Blog on teacher’s day celebration at Udavi

~ Jayabharathy, Poovizhi, Rajesh, Arunkumar, Saranya

Jayabharathy:

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.

Water Level Measurement Project with Arduino UNO and Ultrasonic Sensor

~ Sundaresan

Introduction

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

  1. 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.
  1. 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:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQngXheL30uq0bLfaOVoyfF43k4X6cmclT7DHXWzsYerl0qV7XOglNCzlBRBUAh91Quf8X2F1o4stZx/pub

Blog on sharing insights and acknowledgements on Saturday mornings

~ Jayabharathy, Sundaresan, Sivaguruprasath, Rajesh, SandhiyaBala

Jayabharathy

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.

Yoga Marathon

~ 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.

STEAM Fest:

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)

Another demo on center of gravity was similar to this though this was easier to understand than the previous one, This Weird Shape Rolls Uphill Instead of Down – YouTube

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.

My Reflection on the Two-Week Vipassana Course

~ Sundaresan

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.