BRITISH COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AWARD 2012

The British Council School International School Award (ISA) is a benchmarking scheme that accredits schools as having an outstanding level of support for its teaching practice to add

(a) International dimension in its curriculum

(b) Innovation to classroom curriculum transaction

DAV Public School,Sreshtha Vihar, Delhi is a proud recipient of many prestigious awards. The British Council International School Award is the award the school is aspiring for as the ISA activities give wings to the curriculum. The international hue and dimension given to the curriculum makes the students reach beyond the text books. It was indeed a magical journey taken by the school, students, parents and teachers to such unexplored regions, that at the end of the year the feeling is ecstatic and the experience enriching.

The British Council creates international educational opportunities world wide and is known for its quality. The same is expected from the schools who aspire for the ISA. The trust and faith reposed by the British Council on the schools is immense. The approved action plan is the guideline and all the actions planned and executed are put together in a massive dossier.

The Collaborative and Online Projects are a revelation. The Collaborating schools come together to plan activities which involves frequent exchange on e-mails and communication through skype. After zeroing on the Project that could be taken by both the schools, activities were planned, keeping in mind the respective curriculum and age range of the students.   

The ISA Coordinator, Ms Sangita Biswas and her team have been working relentlessly and with great vigour and zeal to get the activities planned and executed. Many congratulations to the entire ISA team, students, teachers and parents. Looking forward to many more such enriching experiences.

SAVE WATER, SAVE LIFE - An effort by DAV PUBLIC SCHOOL, Sreshtha Vihar



Save Water, Save Life



SAVE WATER SAVE LIFE - an effort by DAV Public School, Sreshtha Vihar

 Water conservation is a big thing, but every little bit helps, so don't think that what you do doesn't matter. A whole lot of people doing a little bit adds up to a whole lot. We must all make changes in our lifestyles that will change the course of our water and its quality. Water conservation needs to be a way of life, not just something we think about once in a while.

Water conservation means using our water wisely and caring for it properly. Since each of us depends on water for life, it is our responsibility to learn more about water conservation and how we can help keep our water pure and safe for generations to come. Since we all enjoy the benefits of having pure, clean water, we must help conserve water so that we may continue to enjoy these benefits. Water conservation is not a job of someone other than you. It is a job for the every person who just likes to have access to the life sustaining resource of water. We must all recognize that water conservation really is our personal responsibility and not just leave it up to other people. We all enjoy the many ways that we use water, so why not do our part in caring for our water?

Our water supply is finite, which means that we do not have an endless supply. We only have the water that we have now. Ninety - seven percent of all the water on the earth is salt water which is not suitable for drinking. Only three percent of all the water is fresh water, and only one percent is available for drinking water. The other two percent is locked in ice caps and glaciers. With all the people on Earth relying on such a small percentage of all the water on Earth, it only makes sense that we must preserve and conserve our water. We must not pollute our water because it is the only water we will ever have. Some people do not realize the importance of water, and they are continually polluting it. Only about ten percent of waste water is disposed off properly. We must learn to save water now for the future. The quality of our water is very important.

We have the same amount of water now as there was when the earth was created. This is the water we have, and we must preserve its quality. Water is the foundation of food and life. Next to air, water is our most precious resource. We cannot live without water. Saving water helps to preserve our environment. It reduces the energy required to process and deliver water, which helps in reducing pollution and in conserving fuel resources. Saving water now means having water available in the future for recreational purposes, too. Conserving the water we have minimizes the effects of water shortages and helps build a better defense against future drought years. If we save water now, we are helping to ensure a water supply adequate for future generations. Saving water saves money.

We must save water today so that it will be available to us in the future. We need to think of future generations, people who will not have a sufficient supply of water unless we become more concerned with how we use our water today. There are many things that we can do to help preserve Washington's water. These are not things that are hard. All it takes is a little bit of extra effort, and soon it will be second nature. 

Water conservation, water preservation and water sharing are the burning issues faced by the population of earth today.

Save water, Save Life - an effort by DAV Public School, Sreshtha Vihar, Delhi is taking initiative through activities to create awareness in people about sustainable use of water and its conservation. 

People can join this initiative of the School students and teachers to let our Earth remain a blue planet.

Post suggestions, give ideas, create awareness in your naighbourhood, make lifestyle changes in using less water, recycle and reuse water.

GOING PLACES by a r bARTON

GOING PLACES  by  A R BARTON

1.     What is an idiom?

An idiom is a phrase (group of words) whose meaning is not clear from the meaning of its individual words and which must be learnt as a whole unit.

   ‘Going Places’, is an idiomatic phrase which means to become very successful/ make progress / succeed especially in one’s career.

Sophie is day dreamer who wants to own a boutique( a shop specializing in elite and fashionable items such as clothing and jewellery). To get money for fulfilling this dream, she dreams further. She tells her friend Jansie, that she would become a manager or else an actress. If she would become an actress, she could still have her boutique on the side ( as a side business). All these her fantasies.  She very often talks about her fantasies which no one in her family believes. Her latest one is when she tells her elder brother Geoff that she met the Irish football prodigy (a young person with unusual or remarkable qualities) Danny Casey. She describes him as having gentle green eyes and also tells Geoff and her father that Danny Casey told her about buying a shop.

Sophie tells Geoff that Danny Casey had promised to meet her again. It was a kind of ‘date’ (o go out with someone). She wishes that Geoff would believe her. She is very close to Geoff and wants to be a part of his grown up world. She imagines him to be going  to far off places and have exotic friends. She dreams about riding into his world behind Geoff. All these reiterate the fact that Sophie was a dreamer living in her world of fantasies.

On Saturday, she went with her father and brothers to watch Danny Casey play and win the game for his club, United. Later, she goes to the wharf ( Where ships are tied for loading or unloading) to wait for Danny Casey. She imagines him coming to meet her and talking to her. When time passed, and there was no Danny Casey, she resigned (accepted the inevitable) to the fact that he would never come. She is upset.

The story ends with the fact that the only place and time Sophie met Danny Casey in person, in reality was at the stadium, when he played the match for his club the United.

Character of Sophie:

1.     Ambitious 2. Wants to go places, wants to break free rom her world

2.     Lives in a world of dreams, fantasy

3.     Loves Geoff, her elder brother

4.     Wants to be a part of his grown up world.

5.     Possessive about him, wants him to understand and believe her.

6.     She idealized Geoff, felt comfortable sharing her secrets with him.

7.     His quiet personality attracted her because, she could imagine about his friends and the places he was going.

Character of Jansie:

1.     Practical because she tries to dissuade Sophie from her dreams by talking about their real situation.

2.     Realistic because she tells her friend about them being earmarked (somebody reserved for a specific purpose)for the biscuit factory.

3.     Contented – happy and satisfied with whatever she had. Not very ambitious. Doesn’t want to go places.

4.     A gossiper according to Sophie. Sophie did not share her imaginary meeting with Danny Casey with Jansie.

Character of Sophie’s father:

1.     Hardworking (his appearance when Sophie came home).

2.     Wanted to provide better facilities for the family (he asks Sophie to buy a decent house if she gets some money).

3.     Practical

4.     Doesn’t humour (encourage) Sophie by believing her wild stories.

5.     Doesn’t indulge in self pity. Contented with his socio-economic position.

Socio-economic background of Sophie:

1.     Middle class (conversation between Sophie and Jansie).

2.     Need of a decent house, earmarked for the biscuit factory.

3.     The incongruity (out of place) of her mother’s apron bow with the house and her mother’s bent back.

4.     Small room, steamy.

5.     Geoff working at a young age as an apprentice mechanic.

6.     They went to the match by bus.

7.     Her father’s bicycle at the pub seen by Sophie.

This chapter is about adolescent hero-worship and fantasizing.

Sophie hero worshipped Danny Casey and Geoff.

She fantasized about Danny Casey and dreamt about her brother’s grown up world.

The title of the lesson too is justified as ‘going places’ is an idiomatic expression meaning to be successful in one’s career. The lesson is about Sophie’s wish and fantasy to come out of the drudgery of belonging to the lower strata of society and to go places.

FRIENDS...

WHY FRIENDS??

From time immemorial, in all countries and culture, friends are at the top of the hierarchy among one's acquaintances and relatives.
In Hindu mythology, Ramayana glorifies the friendship of Lord Ram with Sugreeva, with Hanuman, with the simple boatman Guha and with Ravanaa's brother Vibheeshana.

The best example of purest friendship can be seen in Mahabaharatha. The friendship between Lord Krishna and Sudhama is worthy of emulating. What about the friendship between Dhuryodhana and Karna? These were two personalities from dissimilar backgrounds and yet Karna's friendship was purely unconditional. There is an interesting episode in their lives to glorify their friendship.
 
One day Duryodhana's wife Bhanumathi and Karna were playing a game of dice. They were so engrossed in the game that they did not notice Duryodhana entering the room. He came near them and then Bhanumathi noticed him and stood up in a hurry. Karna, who even now was unaware of the presence of his friend, pulled Bhanumathi to sit and broke a string of pearls adoring her waist.  Duryodhana, in true friendship says, what shall I do now? Shall I string the pearls back??

Karna understood his friend completely and is moved to appreciate the sincerity of the friendship of Duryodhana. His attachment to Duryodhana grows further.

Our Panchatantra and Jataka tales are full of exploits of friends.

There are thousands of stories about friends and friendship. There are enough real life experiences of friends and friendship. Words are not enough to describe the feelings one has towards one's friends. Each experience is unique.

 Sir Francis Bacon says about books - Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. The same holds true for friends too. True friends however far physically away are with us in spirit and thought. In today's world of e-mails and the Net, it is easy to nurture friendships.

One can go on writing about this gift of God. I have been blessed throughout my life- since my nursery class till now - with abiding friends and beautiful friendship. My husband, my parents and my son are all my best friends.

This post is a tribute to all my friends, especially Chitra, Nirmala, Rukmani, Sowmya, Chinta Sasi Subhashini, Shweta, Alpana, Ekta, Nidhi and scores of others... The list is endless... I have not mentioned other names not due to callousness but maybe because of carelessness. Forgive me for the same.

Happy friendship to all.
Bye.

Felicitating Madam Principal

Madam Principal, Smt Prem Lata Garg, received the highest honour in her  the National Teacher Award 2011 from the Hon'ble President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee. It is a proud moment for the entire DAV Public School, Sreshtha Vihar, Delhi, family.

The three Principals from Delhi who had received the award were felicitated by the alumni, parents and friends at India Islamic Centre, Delhi. M.Srinivasan, is seen wishing Madam Principal here.
  

A New Exciting Beginning

Vakra Tunda Maha Kaya Surya Koti Samaprabha
Avignam Kuru me Deva Sarva Karyeshu Sarvada

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi, and let us all pray for His blessings in all our endeavours.

I, as a teacher am always pained to see my students treat their study material in a casual manner. I was trained by my parents to treat all my study things as an embodiment of Goddess Saraswati. She is the symbol of purity, wearing spotless white always with the majestic swan which symbolises truth. She is the Goddess of learning. It is ingrained in me to treat all my learning paraphernalia with great respect. I am not supposed to tear leaves off any book or notebook, not step on anything. If I am guilty of doing any of these things, I have to pay respect by touching them to my forehead.

One need not be a follower of any particular religion to respect the tools of the trade. A student has the responsibility on his shoulders to be proud of his possessions and respect them. They have this selfish tendency to be careful about their property but when it comes to others' it is trash, dust. why so??

I read somewhere that the respect and sincerity one shows in small things brings greater success in bigger things. So let us start by being careful about our study and learning materials.

Bye for now.