MATHEGRAMMING ACADEMY N E W S L E T T E R Volume – 1, June 2023

Mathegramming Academy aims to build Responsibility and Rigor in children and generate Results through mentoring and mastery of Mathematics through projects in programming/electronics, and through leadership in action. Mathegramming Academy is a program of C3STREAM Land Designs, Auroville

Philosophies Underlying Mathegramming Academy

The philosophy underlying the approach for C3SLD is based on the principles of progressive and constructivist thinkers like Jerome Bruner, and Seymour Papert in the United States, and Sri Aurobindo in India. The philosophy of Sri Aurobindo of the integral development of the child and emphasizes self-knowledge which the National Education Policy is based on stating “knowledge is a deep-seated treasure and education helps in its manifestation as the perfection which is already within an individual.” The philosophy creates guiding principles as teachers and in how we engage with children.

MATHEGRAMMING ACADEMY’S
baby step
Collaboration with VAASAVI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL – CBSE in
training teachers on Mathematics through programming and leadership program .

The three principles of true education by Sri Aurobindo are:

  • Nothing can be taught which can be linked to the constructivist theory of not forcing knowledge into a child.
  • The mind needs to be consulted in its own growth indicating that the role of a teacher is not to mould or hammer a child into the form desired by the adult. The teacher is a guide, or mentor that supports and encourages a child in the process of learning, enabling them to evolve toward perfection
  • From near to far – which is to work from what is tangible and accessible to children to what is abstract to them

These principles guide our work at C3SLD where Mathegramming is codifying the work that has been done with children over the last 10 years.

A session on GeoGebra tools by Mathegramming Academy:

GeoGebra is a free and open-source interactive mathematics software that allows users to create and manipulate mathematical models, graphs, and figures.
Teachers at STEM Land have already been using GeoGebra for some classroom demonstrations, and the Mathegramming Academy presented a session on GeoGebra that would step up their ability to interact and engage with children and create interactive projects and 3D models.

Dharani presented how to create a GeoGebra activity and then a classroom for students to be able to do tasks and for the instructor to be able to observe the progress in real-time. Dharani created a classroom with many activities and then one that let someone work with a GeoGebra sheet. The rest of the session was done in this classroom which allowed everyone to see the progress of individuals signed in.


  • Sivashankar presented how to create a circumcentre, circumcircle, incentre, and incircle for a triangle. To move the triangle points and see how the construction refreshes and holds. Also, to add color and character to the projects. on how to create a circumcentre, circumcircle, incentre, and incircle for a triangle.
  • Premkumar presented how to create a 11^3as (10+1)^3 visually as a 3D construction with polygon and prism extension.
  • Soundariya presented how to create interactive (and randomized) questions and answers and provide input boxes and buttons and respond to the user’s inputs using the if condition.

The session was intense for 1-1/2 hrs and was enjoyable and enlightening.

Breakthrough meeting of Mathegramming Academy

Date: May 20, 2023

Agenda:
Review Integrity
Discussion of new goals and objectives
Blogs and Weekly update Scaling Stemland
Friday Activity Class

Action Plan
Integrity Check
The team had an integrity check in the previous action plan and discussed what went well and what could be improved.


The team agreed that they will hold integrity to make good progress on their goals but could have been more organized and efficient.

New Goals and Objectives

The Mathegramming Academy team is excited to announce our new goals and objectives for the upcoming weeks. We are committed to making modules exploring Geogebra, Scratch, and Electronics.

– Our first goal is to make Mathegramming Academy more accessible to everyone. We want to make it easy for anyone to take support from Mathegramming Academy.

We believe that these new goals will help us to make Mathegramming Academy a valuable asset to rely on for everyone.

We are excited to work towards these goals and look forward to sharing our progress with you.

They agreed that they wanted to focus on increasing their reach and engagement, website development, and developing new and innovative ways to teach math.

Blogs and Weekly Update

As the team members should write a blog at the end of the week about what they learned and worked

Sending weekly updates on time and Weekly team updates would be sent by taking turns.

Accountability in Stem land

In Mathegramming Academy each person has to take responsibility for Stem land.

How to manage stocks, website management, puzzles, News Letters, Videos, Visitor Management, Stem land(fest), etc.

Action Plan

The team agreed to take the following next steps:

  • Develop a CFSR for the website
  • Pre-presentation on Thursdays for the presentation on Fridays at 11 am.
  • Meet daily from 3’o clock to 4’o clock to review daily learnings and progress.
  • The team is excited to continue working on its mission to make math more accessible and engaging for everyone.

Design session for Mathegramming Academy:

A design session in radical

transformational leadership is a process of creating a vision for the future and then developing a plan to achieve that vision.

It is a leadership program that supports learning what I deeply care about and aligning it with systems shifts and strategic action.

The Mathegramming Academy attended the session which was held on the 24th and 26th of May.

The design session began with a group of people coming together to share their projects. This was hosted by Dr.Sudharshan from RTL Works. This is followed by a discussion of the challenges that must be overcome to achieve these projects. Once the challenges are identified, the group works together to develop a plan of action.

The action plan should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. It should also be based on the group’s values and beliefs. Once the plan is in place, the group can begin to implement it. The design session allows the group to come together, share their ideas, and develop a plan for change. The action plan can then be used to guide the group’s efforts and help them achieve their goals

In the session, the Mathegramming team discussed the following with the RTL works by presenting the three templates of architecture for equitable and sustainable change. Dharani from the Mathegramming team presented the templates with the inputs from the rest of the team. The templates are the Conscious full spectrum response model, Respond and realize, and Synergistic operational strategies.

Defining the problem or opportunity. What is the issue that the group is trying to address? What are the opportunities that the group is seeking to exploit?

Identifying the stakeholders. Who are the people who will be affected by the change? What are their needs and interests?

Generated ideas. Made a list of possible solutions to the problem or opportunity.

Evaluated the ideas. Assessed the feasibility and potential impact of each idea.

Chose a course of action. Selected the best idea and develop an implementation plan.

Implementing the plan. Putting the plan into action and monitoring its progress.

Evaluating the results. To assess the impact of the change and make necessary adjustments.

The session was an eye-opener and paved the way to look at different and multiple perspectives of the project. It narrowed the gaps in the project. It was interesting. We thank the RTL workers for their time and feedback. We look forward to being in action.

Mathegramming Academy explores Pygame

Mathegramming Academy explores different platforms of programming every month since it started. First, we worked on scratch programming and later worked on GeoGebra projects.

This month we looked into Python and started doing projects in Pygame implementing mathematical concepts.

We learned basic programming by doing a guided project in the course era and made a pong game.

Pygame is a powerful and popular open-source library that provides functionality for building 2D games and multimedia applications using Python. We explored different simplest installations for using Python coding. We compared the installation time, size, inbuilt modules, and packages, steps involved in the installation, and arrived at the most feasible and operational way of PyCharm as children will be using it for learning .

Once Python is installed, we proceeded with installing Pygame.
We made projects on pong game,squares visualization , fractions and so on.

We still continue to explore Pygame and extend to make projects in it using maths concepts.The journey is fascinating.

Working in Alignment with School Curriculum and School Reopening

As schools begin to reopen, it is important for Mathegramming Academy to work in alignment with the school curriculum.

This will help ensure that students are able to make the most of their learning opportunities and continue to progress academically.

We started with the specific learning goals for the year. This will help us with a better understanding of what your child is expected to learn and how we can help them.

We focused on creating opportunities to practice what they are learning in school. This could involve reading books, doing math problems, or working on maths projects.

It is also important to be supportive of your child’s learning. This means providing them with positive reinforcement and encouragement. It also means being patient and understanding when they are struggling.

Working in alignment with the school curriculum is an important way to support your child’s learning.

Contributions towards Mathegramming Academy can be directed towards:

Auroville Unity Fund With a note for STEM land and mail it to

Dr. Sanjeev Ranganathan, STEM land Udavi School, Auroville, Edayanchavadi, Tamil

Nadu – 605101 (All donations are 100% tax-deductible in India). www.auraauro.com

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.

Session with Thamarai Students

~Poovizhi, Soundhariya, Ilakya, Premkumar, Dinesh, Preethi, Sanjay

Thamarai (After school program) did a summer camp. Our Mathegramming team visited Thamarai to support students by explaining mathematical concepts visually and in a way that is fun. Our goal at Thamarai was to create a space for students to not only understand mathematics but also to enjoy it.

Visualizing place values:

Using Dines blocks, students were able to figure out what each place value means, such as ones, tens, hundreds, and beyond. They started to play with the numbers in a fun and hands-on way, and they could also identify the place values accurately.

We also introduced another method using sketch pencils. Students can increase their exploration with these pencils. They can use these pencils to identify the arrangements of Dines blocks, understanding the importance of each place value. Whether it’s a simple two-digit number or a multi-digit number, they can figure it out with the help of sketch pencils.

Working with the Thamarai students was a fantastic experience for both the Mathegramming team and the students.

As the team worked with the students, we noticed that everyone was learning new things without even realizing it. It was amazing to see how these simple ways of explanation could turn into grand adventures of thinking and learning. Students started to work together, sharing their ideas and exploring new things.

As our time with the Thamarai students came to an end. They had been amazing to work with, and we were grateful for the memories we shared. On our last day together, the students surprised us with a special ceremony to say thank you to the Mathegramming team.

Sitting in a circle, they each spoke about what they had learned and how much they enjoyed our time together.

To show their gratitude, the students gave each of us a gift. They were simple things, like the handcrafted sand pots they had made and written acknowledgment letters. But they meant a lot because they showed that our time together had meant something special to them.

The experience taught us that teaching and learning are about more than just books and lessons it’s about building connections and creating moments that make a difference for a long time.

We also covered other mathematical topics like decimal division, exponents, algebraic questions- finding age of a person, area rectangle, Introduction about similar triangles.

Divisibility rule:

We taught divisibility rules, By explaining the rules for each number, such as divisibility by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10, students gain a deeper understanding of how numbers interact and can quickly determine whether a number is divisible by another. Later we gave them a random number to divide, there they learned about the recurring and non-terminating decimal numbers.

Decimal division:

In teaching decimal division, we explained a simple method for removing decimal points: multiply or divide by powers of 10. By using numbers like 10, 100, or 1000, we can shift decimal points to make division easier. This practical approach helped students grasp the concept and handle decimal calculations more effectively.

Laws of exponents:

We first explained how these rules work by expanding powers. By breaking down the concepts of multiplication and division involving exponents, students gained a solid understanding of the laws. We then applied this knowledge to the order of equations, focusing on multiplying terms and simplifying expressions using the laws of exponents.

Similar triangles:

The students enjoyed using the geoboard to make different similar triangles and see how they were alike. It helped them understand similar triangles better and practice geometry in a fun way.

Reflections from Thamarai:

“I want to acknowledge your support during the camp and the dedication, you created with the students inspiring us. Thank you so much for the effective iterative session for making the student. self-examine and understand the basic concepts. We will follow up with the report soon and share it with you.” – Savithri on behalf of Thamarai team

Reflections from the team:

My name is Premkumar I deeply care about courage and equality for myself and others what I had felt while working with Thamarai children that I can also learn as many things as possible when I really care about others learning and growth it made me feel so special while working with kids and I really enjoyed the whole process and learnt that I can give something to the kids which they can teach to others and the peer learning will be excellent.

My name is Ilakyaarasi I stand for patience and courage for myself and others. I had a great time with the students. The students were calm and patient to learn from us though it didn’t match with their main core.

My name is Soundhariya I stand for courage for myself and others. Working with Thamarai children, I noticed that they learn to think differently to solve problems by creating their own stories, games, and using math-related materials. Everyone was learning new things without even realizing it, making them more energetic and effective. This approach helps them understand how it relates to daily life.

My name is Dinesh, I stand for care and perseverance for myself and for others. While working with the Thamarai children, I realized the importance of understanding where they get stuck in problem-solving or approaching a problem. I found it effective to engage with them at their level, whether they misunderstood the problem or were unsure how to proceed after certain steps, by offering various approaches such as using pen and paper methods or math materials

Sanjay:

Interacting with the Children at Thamarai was an extremely enjoyable experience. I wish I could have stayed longer than 11:00 AM each day, but I was grateful that I was even able to spend that amount of time with the children. 

I would like to Acknowledge both Sanjeev and the Mathegramming team for their support and for their creative approach to teach Math using materials. It is the teaching materials which made math more like a game than anything else. Mathegramming team members also told me about how enjoyable it was for them to interact with the Children at Thamarai. What stood out for all of us was the enthusiasm of the Children for learning via the materials

I wish to thank the entire team at Thamarai for providing us with the opportunity to do something meaningful and enjoyable. I hope for many more such opportunities for collaboration between StemLand and Thamarai in the future. 

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.

Nayanmargal drama: Rehearsal and Final Play

~ Sivaguruprasath, Ajay, Poonguzali, Arunkumar, Rajesh, Sandhiya S, Soundhariya, Sharmila, Premkumar M, Nithya Sandhosh, Tamilarasan, Premkumar, Poovizhi, Duraisamy, SandhiyaBala

The drama rehearsal happened for about two and half days for the stage preparation, ensuring correctness and coordination of the characters. Additionally, adjustments to lighting for scenes and sound checks were completed for the dance and songs.

The children from grades 4 to 8 from our school contributed their roles in the play, and two teachers played the roles of Lord Shiva and Parvathi. Our STEM teachers have guided and supported the children in making drama utilities, coordinating rehearsal and managing stage play.

The final stage play presented on March 7, 2024, on a Thursday evening (on a day before Sivarathri) at the Bharat Nivas auditorium in Auroville. Thirumuraiyai kanda cholan (jpUKiwiaf; fz;l Nrhod;) – The story depicted occurred over 1000 years ago during the rule of King Raja Raja I, who discovered the Thirumurai (inscriptions written by followers for Lord Shiva, notably Appar, Sundarar, Sambandhar, Manikkavasagar) with the help of Nambiyandaar Nambi and Thiruvasagam story by Manikkavasagar. It was enacted by children as depicted in the inscription. The drama showcased our cultural heritage and history. It also showcased the challenges and the values of different individuals and how they overcame them using universal values and inner capacities. We believe that by bringing our culture and history to life, we can foster a deeper appreciation and understanding among our audience, connecting them with the profound roots of our identity and instilling a meaning and purpose to life.        

Here are the reflections from out STEM teachers on their contribution,

Sivaguruprasath:

My name is Sivaguruprasath and I stand for courage, full-potential and equanimity for myself and for others. On participating in supporting the drama I feel so satisfied and also I learned about my own potential in managing and coordinating such an event. During rehearsal of the event we planned the positioning of backdrop setup, Nataraja statue, Palanquin(pallakku) and giving feedback for the children performance.

During the final play, I took up the role of changing collar microphones for the children according to their respective characters they were playing. The children cooperated well, and I also managed them for their next scenes.

Ajay:

My name is Ajay, and I stand for self-awareness for myself and others. From the Nayanmargal drama, I learned that team effort will pay off in the end. It helps people understand each other and listen to their ideas. I noticed myself putting my full potential into different roles: preparing materials, organizing people, and involving everyone to support seating allocation for children in the auditorium and distributing snacks. I felt happy, and this was a new experience in supporting such big events at our school.

Poonguzhali:

My name is Poonguzhali I stand for courage for myself and others. I volunteered to support the drama. I engaged in making questions based on the story and took part in background painting, craft jewellery, and decoration. I observed the quality of deep listening. This quality helped me to exchange my thoughts and enabled me to accomplish the tasks I did.  Thank you for the wonderful opportunity, I feel grateful to the school.

Arunkumar:

I was appointed as a microphone manager, and that’s a task for which I have to be honest and on time. Constantly engaging with changing microphones to the next character’s. It’s more challenging work than I have done for a while. Moreover, the little acknowledgement and recognition from a stranger urge me to engage in such activities. The children were aware that their voice should reach out to everyone in auditorium they ensured that before going to perform the mic is turned on and after coming they voluntarily asked us to turn it off.  In order to not make noise while others performing.

Rajesh:

My name is Rajesh, I stand for care and integrity for myself and others. I learned that When I am at my full potential, the outcome I can produce is higher and by the output, people get inspired. This can generate a new system in which everyone can involve themselves. I also learned how consistent I can be when I say ‘yes’ and get that done. This creates a huge trust in me. Throughout the practice and final performance, whatever support I was asked, I first said ‘Yes’, then we Did it. In doing the work, I was able to involve everyone from my team. As I was aware of what each individual could do, it was easier to get the required output from each individual.

Sandhiya S:

My name is Sandhiya. I stand for progress as happiness, and love for myself and others. I am happy to be part of the drama presentation. It was so nice to see children participating actively, fully involved, and working as a team. I noticed that everyone who was part of the drama, and those who supported, did so with goodwill. Not everyone needs to be instructed; when there is space for self-development, responsibilities, and creativity grow and show up so well. Many involved in that drama loved their work, and this was clearly seen during the presentation. Children had overcome their stage fear; they enjoyed from preparation to the presentation.

Soundhariya:

My name is Soundhariya. I stand for courage for myself and others. When I worked with the Nayanmargal drama, I noticed the collaboration of teamwork with full potential. All the students were able to participate with courage and break their silos. So I felt very enthusiastic throughout the event.

Sharmila:

My name is Sharmila, and I stand for courage and patience for myself and others.  Students of Isai Ambalam performed the “Nayanmargal drama” on the occasion of Sivarathri in Bharath Nivas. Stemland teachers volunteered to help them make their jewels and backdrops. On the day of presenting the drama, the students were all ready with their costumes, and the whole stage was filled with positivity and happiness. While seeing the children performing their roles, I felt very happy and accomplished. I had a wonderful experience and I’m happy to be a part of this drama.

Premkumar M:

My name is Premkumar Murugan. I stand for self-confidence and equality for myself and others. Through the Nanyanmargal drama, I have gained many new insights. I am extremely excited to witness the performance of the Nayanmargal story by the Isai children. I deeply appreciate the talent of these Isai children. When it comes to speaking or acting on stage, I often feel fearful due to my age. However, I am delighted and pleasantly surprised to see these young children act without any fear. Participating in this drama has been a truly enriching experience for me.

NithyaSandhosh:

My name is Nithyasandhosh, I stand for kindness and equality to myself and others. I proudly supported “Nayanmargal” drama performed by the children of Isai Ambalam School. The children are performing drama in the center of the stage after a screenplay finished. we Dhinesh, Rajesh, and I eagerly worked together with the children to change the backdrop. I am so much involved in that drama. I am developing friendship with people and the children’s dedication and sense of responsibility filled me with joy.

Tamilarasan:

My name is Tamil, and I stand for courage and compassion for myself and others. I have learned that education is not only about studies. Each individual has their own identity and capability. When multiple sources are provided to children, they get the opportunity to develop themselves and their confidence. As a teacher, I have learned that I need to involve other activities that include creativity and create space for children where they can explore themselves and learn. I supported drama sessions with involvement and took on responsibilities such as supporting the setup of the stage backdrop and preparing the pallaku. Later, I was assigned to make a video of the whole process. This video gives a brief view of the preparation, efforts, and goals of the people involved. I was happy to see this video during the performance.

Premkumar:

My name is Premkumar I deeply care about for me and others. The drama was interesting and the students done it very well. The songs were sung in the background were very good. The acting of the children showed their full potential and the efforts were taken by them and the drama also showed the importance of team work which leads to success.

Poovizhi:

My name is Poovizhi and I deeply care about Equality and equity for myself and others.
After watching the drama, I learned about the stories of Nayanmars and their importance. The way the children performed was admirable; they were confident and clearly enjoyed what they were doing. They didn’t just act out the drama but also connected with the universal values behind the story. This connection made me think about spirituality in a deeper way, rather than just following blindly.

Sandhiya Bala:

My name is Sandhiya Bala, I deeply care about courage, care, and happiness for myself and others. I learned the dedication and confidence of each child’s effort . While I support the childen. I felt the spirituality in a deeper inner values of mine.

Duraisamy:

My Name is Duraisamy Pandurangan, I deeply care about dignity, wisdom and freedom for myself and others. After watching the drama performed by the children at Bharath Nivas, I had a wonderful experience. The story of Raja Raja Cholan and Maanikkavasagar deeply connects with values of wisdom and care.

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.

Hackathon workshop on Electronics

~ Mathegramming team, Sundaresan, Sharmila, Poonguzhali, Jayabharathi, Ajay, Sri Bhavani, Duraisamy, Choudery

Learn the principles of Electronic and critical components

The core values of Mathegramming Academy are responsibility,equality,and courage to create.We (Mathegramming team) wanted Children to connect electronics to the world around them and they will relate Electronics to the Mathematics they have been learning.

Our team wanted to have the following shifts:

  • From Theory to Hands-On Practice
  • From classroom Learning to Real-World Exploration
  • From Confusion to Clarity in Learning
  • Moving from Being scared to trying new things to embracing new learning
  • From Disempowering isms like classism, groupism and genderism to equality and creative learning together

The Mathegramming Hackathon was set up to encourage creativity and learning at every stage. We conducted the workshop for around 40 children and the children were from different schools. Our team mixed the children from different schools. So that children got different perspectives, encouraging working together, increased their communicative skills.

We started the day with an reminder about our Stand and fears, by knowing what I stand for or care about I can transcend my fears and work at their full potential.

We talked about the difficulty in learning electronics

  • it is something we can see the impact of, but cannot see directly.
  • Most the terms are known but the distinction is unclear e.g. the power has come, is there voltage, is there current. and all used as synonyms. Related to this there are too many units that appear unrelated.
  • You can go over a large range of values – kilo ohms, to micro ampheres and requires some grounding in Engineering units and some Mathematics.

Then we dived into Electronics, by using the minimum mathematics of Multiplication and two hidden division stories. Using this simple idea, we introduced how to calculate power, current, Voltage, Charge, Energy. We also used only a few units for these that allows children to correlate between the quantities. We then applied this to our real life of understanding how much energy we consume. In time we analyzed how much energy would have been used to do the workshop itself on backup power and how much battery would have been used.

For resistance we use the concept of body resistance students and knew about their actual body resistance using multimeter with that they knew current and resistance were inversely proportional to each other and students also estimated that at what voltage they would get shock. Students checked if it is possible to light an LED through their body resistance (can you?) and also learned the importance of resistor in series with the LEDs.

From the Water Tank analogy students knew about the concept of voltage, current, resistance and energy. We introduced about the precautions while using multimeter for safety purpose. Students knew about how to use the multimeter to measure voltage, current, resistance and how to check the connectivity in the circuit. Students designed their own circuit for the required current flow in the circuit.

We introduced about the battery, resistor, LED, variable resistor, capacitor and also their symbols with that students knew about the symbols of the components.So,that they able to draw the circuit diagram and we showed the sensor(LDR) by showing the demo how it worked students gave different perspective how to use LDR for their circuit.Capacitor as a bucket if a battery is like a reservoir of charge by worked in it. Students knew that more the capacity in the capacitor more the charge it can hold and they saw the working of capacitor by charging using the battery and discharging using the LED.

When the challenges were allocated for each team I saw the enthusiasm with which children learn with engagement, We also saw team work worked well with different school students and each students shared their perspective and some students convenience why their perspective of approaching the problem was correct and some students struggled to understand and hesitated to do the task. students from different schools didn’t isolate themselves stepped up for their new friends worked as a team and got their output from that I saw the Leadership quality in that student and I saw a good team work among the students.

After the workshop came to an end students shared their learnings in the workshop and also shared what they learned about themselves in the workshop by doing the workshop I realised that we (Mathegramming team) added something useful to their life. We had many stdents who had not registered beforehand and our colleagues stepped up for us and supported us in organising the event and I saw the quality of care and that moment brought every one together.

Some of the reflections from our mentors in the workshop:

My name is Sundaresan,I stand for happiness and courage for myself and for others. While working with new children at the hackathon, I learned how to approach them effectively. I realized that I shouldn’t guide them with only wanting to win, but rather focus on their learning new skills and knowledge that will benefit in their future. I was impressed to see how they weren’t struggling with the calculation of power consumption of fans and lights, which showed me their strength in mathematics. Each child in my group has different talents: one excels in Scratch programming beyond my expectations, while another explains the project very well. Reflecting on this event, I recognized what I missed in my own childhood.

My name is Sharmila. I stand for courage and patience for myself and others. This electronic hackathon gave me a chance to contribute my knowledge to students regarding electronics. Students were excited and curious to know about electronics and how they are used in our daily lives. During the hackathon, the students quickly mingled with each other. They also shared their thoughts in the group while working on the tasks that we gave them. The hackathon showcased the values of equality, responsibility, and the courage to create. It demonstrated the transition from individual to group learning, with strong communication between mentors and mentees. Overall, the event emphasized the importance of electronics and their usage in our daily life.

My name is Poonguzhali I stand for courage for myself and others. I could see the values of STEM Land throughout the tournament: Equality responsibility and courage to create. I could see individual learning to group learning. There was good communication between the children and facilitators. We were breaking silos. The children were able to connect real-time examples with the electronic concepts.  I learned some basic electronics concepts from this workshop. It stimulated my interest to learn even more in the future. I felt excited throughout the event.

My name is Jayabharathi, I stand for Equality for myself and for others. The electronics hackathon helped me contribute my knowledge to the children. I was able to see the team work and the coordination among the children of different organizations. It helped me to bring out my universal values (care and confidence) into action. The curiosity of the children after each step of the experiments it helped me to develop my skills to teach them in a simplified manner. Apart from the technical part, children were able to mingle with each other very easily and they were able to help each other. The children were encouraging each other when other teams won the prize. I noticed that they were fostering leadership and i would also practice the same. This hackathon gave me an exposure to experience unity and curiosity with the team members as well as the children.

My name is Ajay, and I stand for love, happiness, and self-awareness for myself and others. My experience at the electronics hackathon with children was amazing. Initially, they learnt about themselves and then moved into the concept of energy consumption. They were able to calculate how much energy they used for the workshop and learnt about units of power, energy, current, and voltage in a different way. It turned into a tournament at the end. I found the part was finding out the body resistance of each member using a multimeter very interesting. As a team, we helped each other and took responsibility to claim the first prize for our team of children. We also assisted other teams’ children to complete their tasks so they could understand, what I learnt I have shared it with others.

My name is Sri Bhavani. I stand for Love and Equality for myself and others. In this Hackathon, our team created an opportunity for the children to work with other school children to get the essence of team work to achieve the goals. My favorite part in this event was that one representative was requested to share their learning to represent their team at random. In this, team members encouraged the team representative to share their team learnings. Children were able to notice their fears during presentation as well as competition, then they were also be able to still themselves to act from their values. Overall, children as well as facilitators enjoyed the event and Mathegramming team, all facilitators, and students acted from their full potential to make this event happen.

My name is Duraisamy, I stand for Dignity, wisdom and freedom for myself and others. Mentoring kids about electronics and how they’re part of everyday life is something new for them. Understanding the different parts and symbols is a first step. It helps them see how things work and sparks their curiosity to learn more. Explaining electronics to kids in simple terms not only helps them understand the world around them but also encourages them to explore and ask questions. It’s important to lay a basic foundation that they can build upon as they grow, fostering a lifelong interest in learning and discovery.

My name is Choudery. I stand for justice and equality for my self and others. In the electronics tournament I just came to have a look how children were doing. Then I sat with a team at random. I have noticed children are curious to learn electronics and doing their tasks one by one. Then I start to teach a child and explain how seven segment display works. One child understood the logic behind the seven-segment display and started to do it by own. This made the other children in the team to curious. The children came to me and ask how to do. Then I ask the children to ask the child who was doing it. The team them learned from him. Here I noticed the curiosity of learning, peer learning and teamwork. This electronic workshop and tournament really helpful for children to have more ideas and thoughts about how the real world working with electronics.

Backdrops painting for Nayanmargal Drama: A Journey of Creativity

~ Sharmila, Santhosh, Poonguzali, Preethi, Nithyasandhosh , Premkumar Murugan

Students of Isai Ambalam School decided to stage the “Nayanmargal” (saints in the Shiva) drama for the occasion of Sivarathiri and how their songs have made it to us now. The creation of backdrops played a crucial role in bringing the production to life. Over a period of six weeks, we embarked on the journey of painting these backdrops, encountering various challenges and experiences along the way.

Initial Challenges Encountered:

One of the initial difficulties we faced was sourcing the right materials after finalizing the scenes of the drama to be displayed. As it was our first-time painting on such large cloth we did not have confidence that we will be able to do it. We decided to create draft paintings on smaller cloth pieces to test our abilities. Upon seeing the results, we gained confidence in our skills. We then prepared a list of materials required for the painting and provided it to the organizer, Anita akka.

Step-by-Step Painting Process:

Conceptualization: Initially, we planned to paint four backdrops: 1) a larger flowing Vaigai river with trees and bushes on both banks, 2) a temple gopuram with trees and people, 3) Nandhi facing sideways with four pillars, and 4) a palace. Later, we added a fifth backdrop—the Kailash Mountain which was painted by Arham.

Sketching: With the concept in mind, we began sketching rough outlines of the backdrops on the cloth and finalized them with Anita akka. This stage allowed us to experiment with different compositions and perspectives to ensure that each backdrop would complement the unfolding story on stage.

Layering Colors: Once the sketches were finalized, we embarked on the colorful journey of painting. Using acrylic paints, we meticulously layered colors to create depth and texture, bringing each scene to life with vibrant hues and subtle shading.

Detailing and Finishing: As the paintings progressed, we focused on adding intricate details and finishing touches to enhance realism and evoke emotion. Every aspect of the backdrops was infused with care and attention to detail. Adding details to the backdrops took more time to complete.

Collaboration and Feedback: Throughout the painting process, collaboration and feedback played a vital role in refining our work. We regularly consulted with Anita akka, friends, and fellow artists to ensure that the backdrops aligned seamlessly with the overall vision of the production.

Overall Insights on Painting:

Painting the backdrops for “Nayanmargal” was not just about applying colors to clothe; it was a journey of exploration and expression. As artists, we discovered the power of storytelling through visuals, transcending language barriers to convey the rich tapestry of emotions woven into the fabric of the drama.

In conclusion, the creation of backdrops for “Nayanmargal” was a testament to the transformative power of art.  When the backdrops were hung upon the stage they looked really good and amazing. As a artist we felt happy and accomplished.

Individual Insight on Painting:

My name is Sharmila, and I stand for courage and patience for myself and others. As I love painting, I volunteered to paint backdrops for the “Nayanmargal” drama. Initially, we were a bit nervous about painting on such large cloth pieces and whether we could finish on time. However, working as a team, we were able to overcome our doubts. After completing each backdrop, the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction fueled our confidence. The praise from Anita akka and others made us feel good and motivated us to carry on and complete the backdrops on time. I had a wonderful team to support me throughout. Through this activity, I noticed qualities such as care, love, taking responsibilities, deep listening, courage to create, and the ability to plan and execute effectively.

Insight of Santhosh

Doing backdrop painting for the Nayanmargal drama was a wonderful experience because this was the very first time I made big-picture drawings and paintings. when I completed my first backdrop of natural scenery with the Vaigai River I felt satisfied and also I had a wonderful painting team to support me with other backdrops. From this activity I learned my life lessons like stillness is very important, focus on what we doing now, full concentration, preplanning plays a major role and more creative imagination.

My name is Poonguzhali and I stand for courage for myself and others. I volunteered to paint the backdrops for the drama. Whenever I had time, I helped with the backdrops. As a team, we worked to our full potential, and I felt accomplished with the work. When the backdrops were hung on the stage, they helped in setting the scene for the play. It was more satisfying and added colors to the atmosphere of the performance. Being a part of the creative process made me feel courageous, happy, and proud of our work.

My name is Preethi. I stand for courage, kindness and perseverance for myself and others. When I’m doing drama backdrop painting, I get to learn lot about myself. when I was painting it reflected my thoughts, emotions, and creativity. It helps me to understand myself better and appreciate the beauty within me. I also realize making mistakes is a part of the process. Sometimes the imperfections make the painting even more beautiful. While doing new things and making mistakes helps me grow and learn. Through painting, I learn to be patient and keep going, even when things don’t work out the way I want. When I paint with others, I learnt lot from them and inspire one another to create beautiful things. It’s really a wonderful experience that I really loved

My name is Nithyasandhosh. I stand for kindness and equality to myself and others. I volunteered to painting a backdrop for Nayanmargal drama. I love painting, before I have done painting in wall and paper but Its was my first time I am painting in a big cloth. I felt happy to paint with my team, and learn from each other. When I was painting I felt more focused in what I’m doing.  After finishing our 4 backdrops, I felt responsible and integrity.

My name is Premkumar Murugan . I stand for self confidence and equality for myself and others. My insight for painting Nayanmargal drama. So far I have only experienced painting on papers, As this was my first time of painting on big clothe, I felt nervous but when I met with my group I felt, I could draw and then I tried drawing and painting and it worked out well. After completing the backdrops, I felt complete and happy. It also helped to recognize my talent within me. It gave me a wonderful experience.

14TH -AUROVILLE MARATHON 2024

~ Ajay, Sundaresan, Sandhiya.B, Rajesh, Murali, Premkumar, Preethi

One of our values is responsibility. This includes taking responsibility of our life and health. Few of us decided to participate in the Auroville Marathon event. While most of us participated in a 10k run, Prem did a half marathon (21 kms). Some of us prepared leading to the event a few others did a bit of a warm up for a week leading up to the challenge. Here are our reflections.

The Auroville Marathon was held on Sunday 18th February 2024. In addition to the marathon and half marathon and a 10k run is available. It is one of the largest and most popular running events in India, with participants from all parts of India which is publicized by past runners through word of mouth or blogs like this.

The event is non-commercial and organized purely for the joy of running. It considers all the finishers as winners.

This year our team participated in the marathon. For that, our steward Sanjeev Ranganathan encouraged us to be physically fit to do the push-ups and sit-ups during the morning meeting every day for a week before the run. This helped us to stretch ourselves as physically fit. It helped us to complete the marathon without any physical injuries.

Insights

Ajay– My name is Ajay, and I stand for happiness and self-awareness for myself and others. I noticed my ability to overcome my fear of not being good enough to complete the marathon. Somehow, I was motivated by the senior people who ran alongside us. This boosted my morale and helped me complete the 10K at the marathon event. It also motivated me to participate in more marathons with proper training.

Sundaresan – I regularly practiced running 5km to prepare for the AV marathon. This practice helped me during the actual marathon. I learned that I can keep going even when things get tough. Finishing the 10km race without stopping made me feel confident. Even though my legs hurt halfway through, I didn’t give up. I realized that pushing through the pain is important to reach my goals. I want to keep this determination in my life. The marathon brought people together and allowed me to meet new friends.

             When I reached the 9km mark, I felt a burst of energy that helped me run faster. Finally, I finished the marathon in 1 hour and 10 minutes (1:10). Now, I want to try a half marathon (21km) next time. This experience taught me that taking small steps can lead to big accomplishments.

Sandhiya- My name is Sandhiya Bala, and I stand for courage, care, and happiness for myself and others. I have learned that by consistently practicing activities such as exercise and walking, the discomfort associated with them diminishes over time.

Taking this initiative, I gained more confidence and completed 10 km marathons after my delivery. I felt a sense of achievement, and I’ve realized that regular practice empowers me to accomplish anything in life.

I acknowledge our steward Sanjeev Ranganathan for encouraging us to maintain physical fitness by incorporating push-ups and sit-ups into our morning meetings every day. This practice has helped me to improve my physical well-being, and I intend to continue using it in my life.

Rajesh- My name is Rajesh and I stand for care and integrity for myself and others, I learned that before leaping into anything the preparation part is important. My organization played a vital part in preparation as we spent a few minutes in sit-ups and pushups every morning.

I also learned life is a long journey like a marathon, which has ups and downs. What matters is how equanimous I am, and how determined I am to explore the journey. Also, in the long run like life or organization or say marathon, Partners play a vital role. Where they encourage courage throughout the hard run. When I am completely down, they give me that inspiration and a positive mindset to continue. I noticed this when I was running with a person throughout the marathon.

Murali- My name is Murali and I stand for happiness and Equality. I noticed that after completing my 10 km marathons, I noticed how I was physically fit.

Premkumar-My name is Premkumar I deeply care about courage and equality for myself and others. While running the 21 kilometers at the beginning I felt I couldn’t finish it but seeing every other person passionately running towards the goal inspired me to finish the marathon. I felt like I was challenged and motivated. It was a great journey that created a meaningful impact on my life.

Preethi –My name is Preethi. I stand for courage, kindness, and perseverance for myself and others. While participating in a marathon, I get to know how tough I am by not giving up when I’m tired or facing challenges. Running a marathon helps me realize how strong my mind can be when I need to keep going. I understand more about how my mind and body work together and how to take care of myself. Staying focused and determined during the race helps me understand how determined I can be. I ran the marathon along with my friend. When I felt tired, he encouraged me, which helped me complete the marathon. Therefore, I acknowledge Ajay for his support and care, and I will carry it with me in my life. Finishing a marathon makes me feel proud of myself, which feels awesome.