Nothing like a train ride!

On 28 Oct, SMTA students go for an exposure visit to Vikasnagar and the nearby places. They take a train ride in Dakpatthar. They find a old smta teacher working in the park, who is very happy to give them a discount and a ride..

Children on an exposure visit at last!

Melanie, Marian's niece, visited SMTA on 27th Oct. Coincidentally, SMTA students also came down on an exposure visit, to our campus in Vikasnagar on 28th Oct. Twenty students from class 3,4 and 5. Along with two teachers (Mr Chain Singh and Ms Radha). Melanie told them about Europe, her country, her work and about environmental issues. She is working as Urban Ecology planner. Rekha, our president, also interacted with students, who later went to see Ashokan edict and Ashwamedha Yagya site near Kalsi. Both these sites are being preserved by archeological survey of India, as ancient sites of importance. Later they visited Dak Pathar. Next day, 29th. October, students went to Assan lake in the morning and left about 11 am, for  return to Jakhadhar, via Tiger Falls. Children seemed so excited, that even the adults around could not remain 'serious' for long!

Here are two videos, shot by Golu:
This captures the visit to Ashokan edict and Ashwamedh site, near Kalsi, where Chain Singh ji gave a commentary on the archeological importance of the sites.
https://youtu.be/Xv3mskikRsU
Below, Melanie is explaining (sachin translating) the life in general, in a small town in UK,
https://youtu.be/zQk-y-2Znng

English Medium School?

SMTA does not want to adopt that route of English Medium Schools, where children wear tie, greet "Good morning", say "thank you, excuse me" etc. Nothing wrong, but it was more practical for us to teach English as an academic subject as well as a second language- plus a lot more in English, as it opens a big world of discovery... but over all within our cultural concepts and milieu because here is a lot to learn and be thankful for, right here at home.. So, while we show them video clips of threatened Penguins in Antarctica, we also try and discuss the climate change nearer home in the Himalayas and how it is affecting cropping cycle in Garhwal. Just for example. The picture shows our new board, hinting at this. 

दिनांक-8/10/2018 को ईशिता मुखर्जी व अनिल जोशी जी ने जौनसार के सुदूरवर्ति गाँव बंतोऊ व लाखामंडल का भ्रमण कर ग्रामवासियों के साथ पारम्परिक वैध्यो द्वारा जड़ी बूटी की पहचान व  उनके उपयोग पर गहन चर्चा की ।

General body meeting and gbm

6th October, we had the meeting at Vikasnagar campus, which was made special by the participation of Sri N D Joshi, Jacob, Baraf Singh, Kunwar, Pawan, Belam, Rekha and others... lot of discussion and reminiscences...

To Be or To Have?

Can I use 'you' for him, and 'I' for you? I have a pen, or is it I am a pen?

The use of personal pronouns and the two basic verbs - to be and to have, can be quite tricky for young children to understand. After a couple of weeks of navigating bumps, steep curves and innumerable detours, our second graders are finally beginning to wrap their heads around these tricky tricky basics of English language.