The Significance of Siddhi Day: Reflections on Krishna’s Descent and Personal Growth

-SandhiyaBala

C3SLD provides many opportunities to engage with events at Auroville and when I received a message from Poovizhi that for the Siddhi Day, Arulvazhi School organized a speech on The Mother and Sri Aurobindo at Savitri Bhavan, delivered by Varatharajan Sir, and Shyamala Amma I decided to participate in it and learn from it. I had heard them share some of their experiences with the Mother as pioneers of Auroville and I was eager to learn more.

Conversations on THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SIDDHI DAY (24 November 1926)

DISCIPLE: I do not know the significance of the 24th of November 1926; some say it is the immortality day while others say it was the descent of Krishna’s personality.

SRI AUROBINDO: It has nothing to do with immortality. It is the descent of Krishna.

DISCIPLE: Some say November 24th is a day of victory. By that, some mean that the Supermind (supramental consciousness) descended into the physical consciousness of Sri Aurobindo. Others say it was the coming down of Krishna into the physical consciousness. If it was the descent of Krishna, does that mean the descent of the supramental light?

SRI AUROBINDO: Krishna is not the supramental light. The descent of Krishna would mean the descent of the Overmind Godhead preparing, though not itself actually bringing, the descent of Supermind and Ananda. Krishna is the Anandamaya, he supports the evolution through the Overmind leading it towards his Ananda.

— Sri Aurobindo, CWSA 35: 272-273 In the talk Varatharajan Sir and Shyamala Amma shared their profound experiences of how they connect and interact with The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, offering deep insights and inspiration.

I attended sessions by Varatharajan Sir and Shyamala Amma, where I experienced something profound—goosebumps ran through my body, and it felt as if the whole world was embracing my heart. One significant lesson I learned from them is, “You work with the people who come to you.” This insight will guide and support me in my future growth.

They also emphasized that those with goodwill are always welcome in Auroville, as they can contribute to essential areas like education, water management, healthcare, and creating work opportunities.

Additionally, I had the privilege of decorating flowers at the Matri Mandir. This act felt like a meaningful offering for Siddhi Day.

The divine beauty of the flower arrangements reminds me of Krishna’s consciousness. It feels as though I can hear Krishna playing His flute under the Banyan tree! His consciousness, descending into the physical realm, impacts life on Earth in the most profound and transformative ways. It helped me connect with the universal values of happiness that manifest through me.

Salem Workshop-Vidhya Peetham iSchool

-SandhiyaBala , Soundhariya, Saranya, Ilkaiya, Dinesh, Arun, Rajesh and Nithya Santhosh

STEM Land was invited to Salem to conduct a three-day capacity-building and Electronics workshop with the Students of 7th and 9th grade along with all the teachers at Vidhya Peetham School. The workshop aimed to engage with the Students and Teachers and help them understand basic Electronics and on building leadership skills in the teachers and students using Radical Transformational Leadership Tools (RTL) (Monica Sharma, 2017).

Day-1(On 23rd August 2024)

Morning Session:

We introduced ourselves using our universal values which made the students and teachers curious about the same. The introduction was followed by a session Stand & Fear Tool where the students and teachers identified and enquired about their universal values and how they can harness them to face their fears. After this we gave a brief introduction on Mathegramming and our core values, we proceeded the workshop with the foundational concepts of electricity, creating a truly dynamic learning experience!

Purpose: Empowering Minds and Energizing Learning

The primary goal of this workshop was twofold:

  •  To help participants tap into their inner strengths and develop leadership skills.
  • To provide a solid understanding of Electric current and its principles. This included learning about charge, voltage, current, power, and energy.

Later, Dinesh introduced the exciting world of electric currents, explaining fundamental concepts and giving exercises to solidify understanding. Participants learned about household electricity, types of batteries, and even calculated energy consumption!

Afternoon Session:

Post-lunch, the mood was lightened with a fun video and a dance session (Thought break), and we introduced Deep Listening and Background Conversations with both Students and Teachers. The session incorporated time for reflection they can reflect on the past and apply what they learned to think about what they could have done differently.

Using materials like LEDs, multimeters, and connecting wires, students explored real-life applications of electrical concepts. They tested conductivity, and body resistance, and learned the differences between poor and good conductors. The hands-on activities not only deepened their understanding but also made learning incredibly fun!

Outcomes:

Day 1 of the basics of electronics workshop was a remarkable success. Participants discovered their inner values, learned to face their fears, and Deep Listening and Background Conversations, and gained a thorough understanding of electric currents. They didn’t just learn the theory—they lived it!

Electronics and Circuits Workshop – Day 2(On 24rd August 2024)

The second day started with a two-minute stillness and focused attention on breathing, then we introduced to the four profiles i.e., an RTL Tool to understand different parts of our identities.

The purpose of Day 2 was threefold:

  • To guide participants in connecting with 4 profiles and types of Complaints tools.
  • To deepen their understanding of electric circuits, resistors, and the practical application of these concepts.
  • To start to give the exposure of kirigami to children.

Morning Session:

Saranya kicked off the session with exercises that encouraged students to connect with their inner values and introduced 4 profiles. This was followed by a discussion where each group shared their insights on stage. Dinesh kickstarted the electronics and circuits workshop taking the stage to explain the essential concepts of electric circuits and the function of resistors. Students learned to calculate voltage and current using resistors and LEDs, exploring these concepts hands-on with multimeters, and breadboards. The activity was not just about theory; it was about seeing, touching, and feeling the flow of electricity!

Afternoon Session:

The afternoon kicked off with an energizing video and dance(thought break), recharging everyone for more learning. we reconnected with RTL tools and explained the three types of complaints. This made them see complaints from a different perspective rather than usual.

Participants learned to work with seven-segment displays, understanding how to use switches to control the flow of electricity. The fun didn’t stop there! A creative craft session led by Sowndharya introduced the art of kirigami. Students crafted intricate paper balls, enhancing their concentration and creativity. This unique blend of electronics and art not only made the learning experience holistic but also incredibly enjoyable!

Outcomes:

By the end of Day 2 of the electronics and circuit workshop, students gained invaluable insights into their inner strengths and the practical application of electronic concepts like resistors and seven-segment displays. The creativity and teamwork on display were truly electrifying! 

Day-3

On the last day(Sunday), At First, we planned to take the advanced electronics session only for teachers but the effectiveness of the last two days’ workshop triggered students to participate even on Sunday to take part in the session along with teachers.

We hadn’t expected students to show so much interest and join the optional session on Sunday.

They learned types of switches, connecting 2 letters/ numbers (7-segment display) in the breadboard, and potentiometer to vary the resistance.

In the afternoon we introduced scratch and polypod to explore mathematics visually. In Polypod children were also to project on their own with the guidance of the mentors.


Palm sprout planting in STEM Land campus:

We had a good experience in cultivating Palm sprout in Isai Ambalam last year along with school children. Understanding the benefits of Palm sprouts for health, this year we decided to cultivate them on our office campus. On Aug 3, 2024, we collected more than 150 seeds from different areas in Auroville and around the office. We created a bed for planting the seeds which was around 8×3 feet in area and then we sowed seeds on the bed. It may take more than 3 months for these to sprout and then we will harvest it to have a feast.

Here are the few reflections from our team members on their experience in planting Palm seeds:

Ajay:

My name is Ajay. I stand for happiness and self-awareness for myself and others. Last year, we planted palm sprouts at Isaiambalam School with the children, and we cultivated them in large numbers. This time, we planned to plant them in our office garden area. So, we went along with the children from Isaiambalam School and collected palm fruit/seeds for our garden. We planted those seeds in our garden with the help of our colleagues. While doing this activity, I noticed the interest and involvement towards our traditional practices. We will see the results of those seeds in a span of three months.

Sivaguru prasath:

My name is Sivaguruprasath and I stand for courage, full potential, and equanimity for myself and for others. Last year I felt that I hadn’t contributed to collecting and planting seeds for Palm sprout harvesting, but I delighted in and enjoyed eating the sprouts. This year I decided I should participate fully and along with my team collected and planted Palm seeds. Without team effort and planning, it wouldn’t happen at all. From this, I noticed that we are connecting with healthy things in our tradition, and I feel complete and whole being a part of this activity.

The team was really interested and involved planting the seeds; it felt more like a physical activity for us.

Saranya:

Teamwork and Bonding – Working together on planting helped us bond and improve teamwork. It was fun to share tasks and support each other in a different setting from our usual office work.

Environmental Awareness – The activity reminded us of the importance of taking care of the environment. It felt good to do something positive for nature, and it made us more aware of sustainability.

Stress Relief and Well-being – Being outside and doing physical work was a refreshing break from our daily routine. It reduced stress and made us feel more relaxed and happy.

Reflecting Organization Values – This activity showed that our company cares about teamwork, the environment, and employee well-being. It demonstrated our commitment to creating a supportive and engaged workplace.

Arunkumar:

My name is Arunkumar, and I stand for peace and equity for myself and others. I supported the Isai Ambalam children in collecting and sowing palm seeds for the second consecutive year. As part of C3SLD, where we have been growing some vegetables and flowers around the campus, we decided to plant the palm seeds. We started with only four members, and as we continued, it inspired others to commit to action, which led to the entire process of bed making and placing the palm seeds above it within a time span of 2 hours. The learning from this is that any complex issue can be solved if there is group commitment.

Rajesh:

My name is Rajesh, and I stand for care and integrity for myself and others. While seeding palm seeds for palm sprouts, I noticed that what we have been doing at school with children has become normative for us. That is why we took the initiative to do it at our office. I could see the bigger picture: of taking the importance of palm trees our homes, and community.

What we think are small actions may seem small, but each new initiative we undertake at Isai Ambalam School is something big and good for society.

Pratap:

The palm seed planting activity with the team member was successful done in the last week. I saw the team work while making the bed and collecting palm seeds. It served as a reminder of the importance of taking time for nature and each other, even in a busy office environment. I look forward to watch the palms grow and engaging in more such meaningful activities in the future.

Vasanth:

I am able to connect with what we learned in school by working with children to collect palm fruit and make palm sprouts. I helped with digging, which provided some physical exercise for me. I also noticed the group coordination and teamwork involved. We split into two groups to collect the palm fruits, dug the soil, and sowed the seeds. From this, I learned how to strive for a self-sustainable life by understanding the interdependence within a system and the value of working together to achieve sustainability.

Poonguzhali:

My name is Poonguzhali. I stand for courage for myself and others. When I contributed to planting palm seeds at STEM Land, I could see my value. This was a new experience for me where I could push myself to do more. By participating in the planting of palm seeds, I came to know more about the benefits of our tradition. By setting this up, I noticed the collaboration of our team and their full potential towards it. I also noticed full involvement, courage, perseverance, and teamwork.

NithyaSandhosh:

My name is Nithyasandhosh. I stand for kindness and equality for myself and others. When I was palm seeding, I noticed I was excited and happy to be working with my team mates again after a long time doing this type of hard physical activity. As I waited for the first green sprout to emerge, it was satisfying. It was a powerful reminder that with consistent care, kindness and patience, even the slowest progress can bring great reward.

Inspiring Young Minds at Our STEAM Camp

-Mathegramming Team

A five day Science Technology Engineering Arts and Maths (STEAM) Camp was organised by all the Auroville schools from 27th May to 31st May to inspire and engage young children in STEAM activities. Children participated in STEM activities over a course of five days at different venues. STEM Land introduced children to electronics, Makey Makey, games, puzzles, programming, and craft work. Each day 25 children between the ages of 6 to 13+ from different schools in Auroville came to STEM Land.

We began the sessions by talking about the link between universal values (Monica Sharma, 2017) and technology, as the two are often assumed to be on opposite ends. We used examples of instances when technology was used constructively versus destructively to enable children to imagine the numerous ways in which technology can be imbibed with values. Sessions began with “Stand and Fear” a tool used in Radical Transformational Leadership to recognise our universal values and harness them to manage our fears.

The students were divided in five groups, and they were asked to think about a person they admire most, someone they look up to but not from their immediate circles, – maybe a character from a film, a celebrity etc. children were then asked to think about the qualities in that person that inspire them. The children began to think about their values and what they stand for. Then they shared their thoughts with their partners. The session closed with children affirming their universal values and sharing their insights about what they got to learn about themselves, children shared that this exercise made them feel proud and confident.

Hands-on Activities with Makey-Makey

After the leadership session, we divided the team into five groups. The children were introduced to Makey-Makey, before the session began children were asked to collect leaves or other conducting materials from the school campus. Children were not only excited but also curious to know why they were doing so. After the children got back to the classroom, the Mathegramming team explained how Makey-Makey works – the kit allows users to connect conducting materials like leaves, vegetables, water, etc. to the computer functions of arrow keys, mouse and space-bar using crocodile clips. When those objects are touched, they send signals to the computer, producing different sounds or elicit other responses (such as increase in the size of the sprite on Scratch) depending on the programs we put in Scratch.

Understanding Makey Makey

Basic Components: We showed the children the main components of the Makey Makey kit, including the circuit board, crocodile clips, and USB cables.

How It Works: We explained the concept of conductivity and how Makey Makey uses this principle to turn objects into touchpads. Children learned how to connect Makey Makey to a computer and set it up to work with different software programs.

Hands-On Activities with Makey Makey: Each group worked on a different Makey Makey project. Below are the highlights:

1. Banana Piano

 We connected alligator (crocodile) clips to bananas, each representing a different piano key. Using a Scratch program, we mapped each banana to a musical note.The children played their banana pianos, creating tunes by tapping the fruit. This activity was not only fun but also a great introduction to basic programming.

2. Dancing Console

We created a dance mat using foil and paper, connected to Makey Makey. The children programmed a dancing game where stepping on different parts of the mat would show different dance moves on the screen. The children took turns showing off their dance skills.

Additionally children also participated in the following activities:

  • Games and Puzzles: children played many games and puzzles that helped them enhance their critical thinking and collaboration skills.
  • Scratch Programming: Kids learned the basics of coding using Scratch, creating their own animations and simple games. This activity helped them think logically and apply their thinking.
  • Math Materials: Children also explored math materials like Dienes blocks and fraction kits, they were briefly introduced to how these materials can enhance their understanding of mathematical concepts.
  • Kirigami: Similar to Origami, kirigami is also a Japanese art that creates three dimensional designs. It helps them to understand how different folds and cuts can turn into 3D creations.

Conclusion

While children enjoyed the STEAM Camp, they were struck by wonder looking at how Makey-Makey works, everytime children were introduced to Makey-Makey at least one child in the group expressed their wonder using “How cool is that!”. As adults who want to instill values of collaboration in children, we at STEM Land were moved by how compassionate, responsible and fair children were when exploring materials including Makey-Makey, they all ensured that each child in the group is getting a chance to explore the materials.

The children were excited and inspired to adopt a new perspective about technology. We are looking forward to having more such sessions to continue sparking curiosity and creativity in young minds. 

INFANT JESUS SCHOOL, KANYAKUMARI

  • IlakyaArasi, soundhariya, Premkumar, Dinesh, Preethi and SandhiyaBala

The Mathegramming team visited Kanyakumari to conduct a three-day capacity building workshop with the teachers at Infant Jesus Girls High School in Mulagumoodu. The aim of the workshop was to engage with the teachers and help them understand how they can change the pedagogy of mathematical concepts by using materials and visualizing the metacognitive process adopted in solving math problems, and engaging in interactive storytelling. Additionally, the workshop also focused on building leadership skills in the teachers using Radical Transformational Leadership Tools (RTL) (Monica Sharma, 2017).

Day one opened with an introduction to help the teachers understand the context of Mathegramming, what we do, and who we are. We introduced ourselves using our universal values which made the teachers curious about the same. The introduction was followed by a session on using the Stand & Fear Tool where the teachers identified and enquired about their own universal values and how they can harness them to face their fears. After this brief induction on Mathegramming and our core values we proceeded to mathematical concepts.

The first session revolved around identifying patterns in numbers and how they change when added, subtracted, multiplied and divided, the same was done by visually showing these concepts using materials like the Cuisenaire Rods, Dienes Blocks and Ganith Rack. Multiplication of numbers was shown by the concept of area method using Dienes Blocks. We started with primary concepts to help the teachers get comfortable with the concept of visualization, this was done because basic clarity of the concept will help them deal with higher level concepts in higher grades.


In the afternoon the teachers were introduced to the four profiles i.e., an RTL Tool to understand different parts of our identities. While closing on day one the teachers came to share their insight about all the tools and activities they learned.

The second day started with two minute stillness and focused attention on breathing, then we introduced Deep Listening and Background Conversations to the teachers. The session incorporated time for reflection so that teachers can reflect on the past and apply what they learnt to think about what they could have done differently. This was followed by a session introducing square numbers using Dienes Blocks and square roots of perfect square numbers by understanding the pattern behind the square numbers.

We introduced addition and subtraction of integers using the Othello tokens. In the afternoon they learnt about System Principles (RTL) by watching a short film titled the Story of Stuff. After closing System Principles, we moved to visually explaining the concept of fractions using the fraction kit. Afterwards teachers were given time to explore the scratch projects related to the concepts they learnt about in the past two days, developed by the Mathegramming team. They were interested in showing theseprojects to their students. The day closed with four reflections.


 by the teachers highlighting the usefulness of background conversation and deep listening. Teachers also shared that they liked the concept of opening a session with two minute stillness and adding thought breaks. They are motivated to adopt the same in their practice with the students.

The last day began with the two minute stillness followed by introducing the Conscious Full Spectrum Response Model (CFSR). The teachers struggled to fill the sheet as it demanded them to think about different areas. We encouraged them to come up with an idea to fill the CFSR model using the examples from our own CFSR sheets.

After we closed the session on CFSR sheets we moved on to explore how to visualize decimal numbers and how to multiply decimal numbers visually. At first, they were hesitant and thought that multiplying following the usual method would be better, but afterwards they realized how their students could benefit from this technique. Then we introduced algebraic equations using weighing balance and algebraic tiles to differentiate the confusing terms. They all worked on the algebraic tiles on how to show different terms in their class. They liked the visual idea of the algebraic tiles and how to make them.

In the afternoon, we reconnected with RTL tools and explained about the three types of complaints. Then, we explored concepts of electronics such as resistance and how it works. We started with measuring our body resistance using the multimeter, then measured the body resistance with ultrasound gel. Then we explained how our body resistance plays a role in lighting up the LED light with a 9V battery.

Since the sessions were delivered in Tamil, the concepts were easily understood by the teachers and did not daunt them. The teachers had never thought of teaching Mathematics visually, they were inspired to do it with their students now. However, the teachers much like the students were hesitant in coming up and sharing their learnings but after doing this a few times they got comfortable with the process we adopted, and voluntarily came and shared their insights.

Mathegramming team is grateful for the opportunity to hold this session with the teachers and create a change in how mathematics is taught. It directly impacts our growth and pushes us outside of our comfort zones. We look forward to more such opportunities in the future.

Reflections:

My name is Premkumar I deeply care about courage and equality for myself and others. I have learnt that I can do more and I can change many things if I want to change. It was a nice journey with the teachers and I am looking forward for many events like this to develop my learning and give something valuable to others to make their life better.

My name is Soundhariya. I deeply care about courage for myself and for others. It was a great opportunity for me to work with the teachers. They were excited and curious to learn about mathematics and electronics and how these subjects are used in our daily lives. They shared their thoughts with the group while working on the RTL session and mathematical concepts. The session created values of equality, responsibility, and reaching our full potential.

My name is Dinesh. I stand for care and perseverance for myself and others. It was a new experience for me to train the teachers, and I had a great chance to share my learnings with them. On the first day of the session, I was the PC for my table and initially acted from my fear(judgment). I answered their questions and guided them on how to do the exercise, which brought confidence in me. I noticed that I acted from my stand, not from my fears. I realized that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act in spite of fear.

My name is Preethi. I stand for courage and kindness for myself and others.  It was a wonderful experience to work with teachers and get to share my learnings with them. When I work with teachers, I get to recognize areas where I can grow and develop my skills. I learnt how to be creative so that I can make them engage and understand the concept. It built confident in me to teach them effectively.

My name is IlakyaArasi. I stand for patience and courage for myself and others. I learned that training the teachers-to encourage them to do things differently, to make them act out from their comfortable space is a challenging work. This journey made me reflect to prepare myself differently for the further opportunities.

My name is Sandhiya Bala. I stand for courage, care, and happiness for myself and others. It was a new experience for me to teach the RTL (Stewardship tools) to teachers, and I had a great opportunity to share my learnings with them. It removed my fear while conducting the session with them. Personally, it gave me a chance to reflect on many aspects of my life, such as my career. I noticed that I acted from my values (universal values) while teaching the tools, and I learned how to manage work-life balance. It has built my confidence to teach them effectively

Vaasavi school student’s projects

-Ilkaya(Mathegramming Team)

The Mathegramming team’s partnership with Vaasavi school children resulted in a series of interactive and innovative Scratch mathematical projects, which enriched the learning experience and logical thinking of the children. The work started on September 12, 2023 to February 15, 2024 for the 7th graders. Scratch was introduced to the students in the way of making games, drawing shapes and asking questions which induced their creativity, thinking and the sense of building.

After that it was moved to math concepts like Fractions, integers, decimal multiplication, algebra and simple interest with visualization. Each concept was visualized in a specific way that students could learn the concepts well and explore in a creative way. Since it takes time work on the math project from scratch, we made some core modules for each topic that they could build on and make their own projects. A scratch account was created for each four classes. Then, students logged in with their class account and used the modules to create the projects with our help.

Shifts:

1. Transforming students from rote learning to visual learning of mathematical concepts that fosters curiosity, innovation and lifelong learning

2. Not challenging students to challenging the students with creative tasks to make their learning more interesting.

3. Low confidence in bringing out confidence in every student.

4. From no access to programming to access to programming platforms integrated with mathematics and making a space where students can be at their full potential.

Fractions were visualized using the circles. When the module was given to the students, they were asked to explore it and do what fun things they can do with it before going into the concept of fraction.

Here are some of the projects children made with the module on drawing a fraction as a circle



https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/959229613
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/958292626
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/958292914
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/961898846

Decimal Multiplication was done using the area of the rectangle concept. Since, the module for this is easy to make instead of using the old module. Students learned to create their own module with the help of the team. First, they observed the blocks and found the pattern and the variables to make their own blocks.

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/957761814

Integers were taken using two colored tokens one color for positive integers and other for negative integers.

In scratch, there is a student-teacher account facility available. With a teacher account, the  teacher can enroll many students to their class and create separate accounts for each student. The teacher can also post the update of their class, links for the required materials and can monitor each student’s activities.


https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/948192981
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/942093108
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/943042794
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/942179064
 

Algebraic terms were introduced as each term is an area of a rectangle or a square. This method is particularly to help students to identify the like and unlike terms using different colors and lengths for each variable. This really helped the students to understand that ‘x’ and ‘’ are two different terms even though they have the same variable.


https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/948194332
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/948192976
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/948165437

Simple interest was shown using the bar graph.


https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/959499552
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/959499576
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/948192981

Learning scratch also inspired students to build their own fun projects not only on math projects but on fun interactive games.


https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/963056578
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/963835229
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/963056138
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/942318284

Reflections:

My name is Dinesh. I stand for care and perseverance for myself and for others. While teaching Vasavi children I noted that I gave the students what I have expected in my school life, as I wanted to learn mathematics, programming in a logical way rather than mugging up. As a stem teacher I contribute my best to the Vaasavi students and I made them think logically from scratch and gave the problem statement and asked students to solve the problem statement on their own. With that some students were able to find the logic and who were not at that time, peer learning went well. Students helped each other and helped their friends to find the logic, I saw the quality of care in the students.

My name is Premkumar. I deeply care about courage and equality for myself and others. While working with Vaasavi children I learnt that I can add some value to the student’s Education. It is a big group of students which was challenging in the beginning and after it became easy to work with them and the students were very enthusiastic about learning new things and learning mathematics in a different way which boosted my confidence to work with them.

I have learnt many things in this journey and I have practiced deep listening throughout the process and I am able to see the commitment behind complaints and I am able to see the distinction between business as usual and acting from my full potential. It was also a learning journey for me also and I am grateful to work with Students.

My name is Soundhariya, and I stand for courage for myself and others. When I worked with the students of Vaasavi International School, I introduced a new way of learning math concepts through the Scratch program. In the traditional method of teaching math, students often felt difficult and disconnected. However, our Mathegramming approach filled this gap by creativity and logic of programming. The students showed great excitement while engaging with the Scratch program, and our team found themselves inspired by their curiosity and eagerness to learn. Working with the students was a fantastic experience for the Mathegramming team and the school management.

My name is Preethi. I stand for courage, kindness and perseverance for myself and others. For many kids including me when I was kid, math is a scary and confusing subject. The methods I learnt often involved lots of memorization and worksheets, which made me hate math. But in Vaasavi school we taught children math concepts with materials and did projects from scratch  With this method they learnt math more excitingly. Instead of just remembering math rules, they really get what they’re doing. Through Scratch projects, they learnt to think critically and logically as they debug their code and figure out how to make their programs work just right. While they were working on the project, they worked together and encouraged each other and helped each other out when they got struck somewhere. It built important skills like problem-solving and teamwork, and most importantly, it empowered them to become confident and creative thinkers. When we taught them math differently I saw changes in them, they were more engaged and confident in what they learnt. It made me feel that I’m making a shift and I feel accomplished.

My name is Sivashankaran. I stand for equality for myself and others. When teaching visual math, the way we teach and the things we use in class change. Instead of just talking and writing on the board, we do more activities where students get to draw and work with pictures to solve problems.

Udavi school open house (4th to 6th)

-Rajesh

Introduction:

An open house is an event where the children display whatever they have done over the year in their classroom and invite parents, friends, teachers, and everyone to have a look at their creativity, innovation, and progress. This event took place on 26/03/2024.

Stem Land also supports Udavi school students in stem education, and I am supporting 6th grade. I was informed about the event 10 days before the event was going to happen. I thought of doing something new with the children that could be displayed on that day.

I met our Steward Sanjeev Ranganathan to ask if we could do something new in electronics with the Mathegramming team’s support. After completing the conversation with Sanjeev Anna, I came to learn from him the importance of being principled. He was so principled that he said to me that doing new just to show parents is not valuable.

Instead, do what you were doing with them over the year. He also opened space and opportunity for the children to have sessions on electronics with the help of the Mathegrammimg team before the event and then display what they have learned in that session.

Then with the help of the Mathergramming team, who always work for children’s education by doing scratch projects, electronics projects, and RTL, gave a session on electronics.

Concepts covered in the session:

  • Difference between voltage, current, power and energy,
    • Energy Calculation,
    • Battery backup required to setup invertor,
    • Resistance.

Outcome after the session:

  • students learned the difference between voltage, current, charge, power, and energy,
  • Students were able to calculate their electricity bill,
  • Students were able to estimate how long they can power their house using an inverter battery,
  • The Minimum voltage which would shock them,
  • what a resistor does and the importance of a resistor in a circuit.

 The mindset of children before the session:

  • If there is no power in their house, students said current cut, no voltage is coming, power cut,
  • Some students thought that a 9V battery can shock them.

What children did at the open house:

  1. Energy calculation

They explained how to calculate the energy consumption to their parents with the help of a chart that they made during the session. The energy that each electrical appliance consumes was made clear to parents. It gave a sense of high energy-consuming appliance to them.

  1. Understanding of Voltage

The water tank example that the children learned in the session helped them understand voltage with ease.

They also showed a demo of an LED light connection. The minimum voltage requires for the light. How voltage acts to brighten the LED.

  1. Resistance

With the help of a multimeter, the children showed a demo of finding the resistance of the body. From this they were able to find the minimum voltage at which it could hurt them .

Robotics (Mindstorm):

The children did an EV3 Raptor. This was made by the whole class. Each student involved themselves by splitting each work among themselves. Few gathered the parts, few worked on the head, the tail, the body, and few on wiring. Finally, all of them were able to complete it and make it work. This was fascinating to children and the parents were thrilled with what their child was able to do.

Insights and experience from parents:

          I was amazed to see that my child was explaining to me how the Electricity bill was calculated and the consumption of electrical appliances we had at home. It also made me wonder how come at a young age they were able to understand. I would like to thank the teachers for introducing concepts at a very young which would give them confidence. Proud to say that I have learned from my child which I was not taught in my school.

            All the projects made by the students were excellent. I was happy to see what my child was able to do. She has always been dull at home. The way she has made projects doesn’t seem she is like that. I understood that the school environment has made her show her abilities. Looking forward to making the home environment the same as school so that she can be at her best and express her abilities at home too.

            My child kept reminding me about the open house two days before the event. I could see his enthusiasm in showing me what he had learned at school. To my surprise, he showed me a robot which he made. I was surprised to see it. He also demonstrated it. It was made by a group of students. I am happy for all of them.

            In the beginning, I thought that the teacher would have made it the most. But later found that the teachers were just being the guide. I found it by the way the children demonstrated it. They demonstrated it so nicely and clearly, this showed how well they have learned these.

Insights from people who supported and attended the open house:

Rajesh – Math Teacher

          My name is Rajesh and I stand for care and integrity for myself and others. When I want to see a difference in education, I open new opportunities with my effort and the partner with whom I enroll. I am also clear about what the enrolling partner could do in this process. This allows children to be at their best with their ability to do things on their own, with creativity and understanding, this makes a lot of difference. Even the parents get confidence and belief in their child and the way I teach which is always going to be for their good. This confidence helps the parents to move from the fear and worries about the mark and focus the child to be at their best and attain the maximum of knowledge.

Dinesh – a person who supported electronic session

          My name is Dinesh, I stand for care and perseverance for myself and others. While taking electronics sessions for Udavi school students, I felt that I added value to their learning. With Small examples about speed, distance, and time, I was able to make them understand better. From this, I learned that the things that I already know help me convey what I want to convey clearly.

Ajay:

          My name is Ajay, I stand for self-awareness for myself and others. During the Open House conducted at Udavi School, I noticed that many things reminded me of my school days when I used to participate actively. I thoroughly enjoyed the children’s performances in short plays, songs, and dances. Additionally, seeing their projects in the classrooms, such as the robotic snakes made with Mindstorms, was very impressive. Observing the children with their projects made me happy and excited.

Sivaguruprasath:

          My name is Sivaguruprasath, and I stand for courage, full potential, and equanimity for myself and others. I have learned about children’s creativity in coloring, crafts, and their experiments in electronics, which were amazing and inspiring. The potential they have shown in creation goes beyond the margin. Additionally, I have learned that education is an unending process, and I must continue learning by stepping out of my comfort zone.

SandhiyaBala:

          My name is Sandhiya and I stand for courage, care, and happiness for myself and others. I have learned in the open house, to see the quality of work children did and the courage to explore and present it to others. I see the preparation to present before is very important.

Sri Bhavani:

My name is Sri Bhavani, I stand for Equality and Love for myself and others. In this open house, children were very excited to present their learnings to their parents and visitors with a demonstration. Two groups of children showed interest in electronics and Mindstorm robot. Children from these groups also enthusiastically presented their projects. I acknowledge STEM teachers who supported children to learn electronics and make projects. I see the quality of care and responsibility. I will retain these values in my life.

Poonguzhali:

          My name is Poonguzhali. I stand for courage for myself and others. In the Udavi open house, children and teachers worked together, created thoughtful crafts, and visualized study materials. All the children engaged in participating and showcasing their creative ideas. In this open house event, every child engages themselves through their mental and physical being. I was able to notice children’s full potential, perseverance, and courage. I will use all these qualities in my life.

REFLECTIONS FROM THE YOUTH ON VIPASSANA PRACTICE

-Sanjay, Ajay, Jayabharathi, Sivaguru and Prem

During the Sunday morning Vipassana half day courses, I notice the following youth come quite often and sit for part of or the entirety of the 4 hours

  1. Jayabharathy: Shifu-ian
  2. Ajay: Software Team
  3. Siva Guru Prasath: Software team
  4. Prem: Mathegramming Team

These half day courses are optional for the youth. They are encouraged to attend but it is not compulsory. As part of the year end reflection, it is a good idea to gather their reflections. Here are some of the questions

  1. Motivation for attending half day course?
  2. How often attend Sunday course?
  3. How many hours when they do attend?
  4. Daily practice?
  5. How many hours per week?
  6. What motivates them to practice/attend sunday?
  7. What obstacles come in to practice/attend?


REFLECTIONS FROM INDIVIDUAL YOUTH

  1. Jayabharathy: Vipassana has helped me to control my emotions and be equanimous.  I first started doing it just because everyone in the organization was doing it. But as i kept on practicing it, i observed some changed within myself. I started accepting reality which was not easier for me earlier. I started keeping calm when i get angry which was again the toughest of all earlier. Knowingly or unknowingly, vipassana has helped me greatly to look at life in a different manner which i had no clue about before practicing it.
  • Prem: My name is Premkumar I stand for courage and Equality for myself and others by attending Vipassana I realise that everything is temporary and it will change after sometime and I notice that doing vipasanna makes me mentally strong and it paves the way to a solution of a problem and it did help me in many circumstances which I felt challenging to solve the issues. I have anger issues from childhood I can’t control my emotions after vipasanna I feel I am more controlled and more calm and I noticed some sense of patience 
  • Ajay: My reflection about attending half-day Vipassana course is to retain the daily practice and to keep my mind healthy and bring the sense of calmness and make myself more aware of the surroundings and show love and compassion for every one. When I practice Vipassana I am able to concentrate more and it helps me to solve the problem faster and give different perspective.
  • SivaGuru: While on doing Sunday vipassana, I notice that it was really helpful for my upcoming work schedules and also, I spend some useful time to enrich my mental health by doing it in a peaceful environment. I felt calm and thoughtful on meditating.
  • Sanjay: I am happy to see people come and sit. I am happy to see the youth at StemLand come and sit. I am happy to know that they are benefiting from the practice in some way or otherwise they would not have come. I am happy that whatever effort I am exerting in this direction does have takers, does have beneficiaries who are able to see the benefit for themselves and not have it explained to them. That gives meaning to the effort being exerted. Talking to the also helps me with my own practice, as I too get to explore why my practice goes up or down. We are not all that different from one another and I find their responses useful to my own practice. I chose the questions as I was curious about what motivates people to practice, increase their practice, what is an obstacle to practice, are they able to isolate benefits to the practice itself etc. This is based on my own reflections on vipassana practise.

Women’s Engineering College Visits STEMland

Preethi, Sivasankar, Premkumar,Ilakya and Soundhariya

Women’s Engineering College from Puducherry explored STEMland for Learning. This visit was a special chance for students to learn about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in a fun and interactive way. The Mathegramming Team welcomed them warmly and explained what STEMland is all about and the importance of the ground rules. We focused on working together, being respectful, and creating a friendly space for everyone

The Mathegramming Team showed the college students how to teach STEM stuff to children in a fun way. After being given a deep explanation to students, we started to explore the games, solving Puzzles, materials, and modules from scratch. The trip made them want to find new ways of teaching and got them excited to try out creative ways that can make students interested and help them understand and enjoy learning .

As the hour came to a close, the students left STEMland with a fresh passion for STEM education. This visit was a small step towards making STEM more enjoyable and available to explore for everyone.

Reflection from our Organization members

My name is Sivaguruprasath and I stand for Courage, Full potential, and Equanimity for myself and others. Stepping up and sharing the learnings exhibits the values of full potential and dedication. I see myself as responsible for guiding students to play STEM games and explaining how they enhance Mathematics knowledge. Students were very much eagerly involved and learned games.

My name is Jayabharathi and I stand for courage and care for myself and others. It was a different experience interacting with college students when they visited our campus. They understood the difference between the usual education system and the change our organization is bringing out during the first minutes itself. I was asked to explain what Udavi taught me apart from education. It was a great chance for me to explain about the values that I gained from Udavi apart from education. They expressed their views about their way of learning which they felt was boring since it was mostly filled with mugging up concepts. I interacted personally with a few students and they were eager to know more about our organization.  They were fascinated by the various puzzles and games they experienced playing within the time given to them. A few students expressed their interest in visiting us back and taking part in our activities in the future. I noticed myself being in my stand while rendering my support to help them experience this environment and make them understand the true purpose of education as far as I can.

My Name is Sribhavani. I stand for Love and Equality for myself and others. In this session, I have noticed how youngsters are curious to learn maths using materials. This session allows me to learn new games and puzzles and support others to learn. Each one in the crew had a good time to see how schools are encouraging children to learn things differently. I see the rigor in the students to explore more about STEMLAND.

My name is Sundaresan. I stand for happiness and courage for myself and others. Interacting with college students brings back memories of my own college days. I can connect their current learning experiences with the lessons I learned during my college days. After the students learned about algebraic formulas involving cubes, they began to realize that the education system primarily emphasizes rote memorization for grades rather than fostering a deep understanding of the subject. To illustrate this point, I introduced the Dimension game to the students. Initially, they viewed it as just a game, but after my explanation, they discovered the hidden benefits of playing. The game helps improve concentration, presence of mind, honesty, and the ability to think of solutions within a given time.

My name is Ajay I deeply care about happiness and self-awareness for myself and everyone. During this visit, I can recall some of the games from stemland and support the Mathegramming team on this. There were about 60 students I explained the games like Abacan, sputnik, and some puzzles. They were excited and they wanted to spend more time in each game but they couldn’t. In the end, some of them shared what they had learned.