The need to switch off - Lawrence High School

We have come a long way in the world of technology in terms of being connected. Those were the days of landline telephones and snail mails. The walkie-talkies, then the mobile phones and then the internet caught up with us and enveloped us all in a single enormous wave. We cannot function without google, Facebook and WhatsApp now.

While, the technology did bring in a lot of good, somewhere the social behavior in the real sense is being eroded, especially with young children and the teenagers. These have fallen prey to the technology in a not-so-positive way. Socializing has taken a new meaning for these youngsters, wherein they are extremely comfortable carrying on lengthy conversations with a stranger on the internet but clam up or turn into a recluse in real life.

Many youngsters can be seen poring over their smart-phones (who carries a basic cell phone these days?!) updating their Facebook statuses or chatting or browsing the net. Even when in the company of close family members, they seem uncomfortable to part with their gadgets. A pending online presence seems more important than conversing with parents or siblings or socializing during family functions. And, it is not uncommon to see young kids playing games on iPhone's or even being given a gadget as a treat for being good.

While, not everyone falls in the extreme case where medical help is needed, this phenomenon is slowly catching up to alarming levels. Even adults are not spared of being caught in the technological quick-sand. We are simply unable to switch off!

It is all about taking a deep breath and having a quiet introspection about our priorities. Is it really all that important to answer that email or respond to a Facebook status immediately? Will something untoward happen if the activity is pushed to some minutes later? We, as adults and parents serve as examples to our children and when we set ourselves boundaries, the children will follow suit or at least be willing to hear us out when they are pointed out to be in the wrong.

So, resist the urge to be a virtual person at all times and start living in the real. 

A trip to the “Indian institute of astrophysics” - Lawrence High School

The students of classes VIII, IX and X were taken to The Indian Institute of Astrophysics at Koramangala, Bangalore for a field trip on 28^th January 2013. Below is the account of the trip by a student.

Our trip to the IIA was extremely educative while at the same time full of fun and it brings me great joy to recount the high points of our trip.

We were first taken to the auditorium, where a presentation was shown about the SETI – Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence, by Dr. Jayant Murthy. It was indeed wonderful to learn about the lesser known facts about the UFO sightings, including communication with outer space to search for extra terrestrial life and loads of other information.

After the presentation, a short but fun quiz was conducted to assess whether we had grasped the basics of the Universe.

After a short break, we were taken inside a dome-shaped structure-situated on top of the building-that had a telescope among other machines. A technician explained to us about the structure and the functioning of the telescope. It was a very interesting experience for us to see a live working telescope which had an amazing feature of self-detection of celestial bodies in space.

We were then shown a “balloon experiment” performed by Mr. Sreejith. This experiment covered factors like altitude, temperature, pressure and mass, friction, etc. Although the experiment was a complicated one, Mr. Sreejith explained the analysis of the experiments to us in a simple and effective manner.

The next stop was at the “Photonics division” of the institute where we were familiarized with various kinds of lenses used in the telescopes.

We came back to the auditorium to watch a video clip called “Powers of Ten”. The feature dealt with how huge numbers can be represented by powers of 10. We were greatly benefited by this video as it explained the concept in a way that was simple and easy to understand.

At the end of this session, we had a question and answer session with Dr. Jayant Murthy. This gave us a chance to raise the many questions that boggled our mind, to which Dr. Jayant Murthy gave satisfying answers.

The trip was amazing as we not only gained precious knowledge but also had a wonderful experience in learning valuable pieces of information from the vast subject of astrophysics.

Lawrence School Activity Round-up (January 2013)

Spell-Bee for our Tiny Tots         

We held a Spell-Bee competition for our Kindergarteners on 3^rd January at our school. 30 kids from the KG classes and 8 students from the Pre-KG classes took part in an event that included coloring, filling in the missing letters, arranging words and pictures in alphabetical order, joining the dots and identifying pictures. The kids enjoyed the different challenges and every participant walked away with a Gold medal. The winners of this Spell-Bee competition now move on to the next level where they will pit their wits against kids from other schools. We wish them every success!

 The event was conducted by Marrs International.

 

 The English Language Classroom Workshop 

An interactive and informative workshop was held to help our English teachers understand and handle the challenges of teaching the English language. The workshop focus points were:

·         How to be an effective teacher of the English language, and

·         The challenges in a contemporary classroom

Many creative ideas and solutions were generated to tackle language challenges. The ideation included deciding on the course material for different classes, the SMS language, teaching vocabulary and writing effectively.

The post-lunch session focused on group discussions on two streams: 

#1: Who is responsible for the problems associated with teaching of English and why? 

#2: Why do so many of our schools fail to meet the objectives of teaching-learning English?

A lot of what was presented and discussed could actually be translated into tactical classroom techniques. The areas covered included:

• Using different approaches to learning English
• Listening and speaking skills for effective communication
• Integrating different approaches in teaching grammar and vocabulary
• Critical thinking and assessment
• Writing as a process

The workshop was a great learning experience and our English teachers had many key takeaways that they plan to apply in their classrooms.

 

A look at our recent activities - Lawrence School

The Christmas Bells Program

We celebrated Christmas with a special “Christmas Bells” program. Teachers and students came together in this infotainment program that explained the significance behind popular Christmas symbols like silver bells, stockings, the Christmas tree, Frosty the Snowman, and the Nativity Scene.

Our Santa-capped choir of little angels sang wonderful Christmas carols while one of our students even donned the famous red suit to spread Christmas cheer with a loud Ho Ho Ho.

Great job, everyone!

The Mock Job Interviews

Mock job interviews were organized for grades 9 and 10. At Legacy, we believe in instilling real skills for real life in our students. The mock interviews saw each student prepare himself/herself for a job based on their strengths. Each student had to identify his/her career goals, make their resumes, and prepare for the interview and the dynamics of facing an interview panel.

We place special emphasis on soft skills and communication that enable our children with the confidence to speak openly, confidently and politely with adults. Visitors to our school have often complimented us with the easy confidence with which our students communicate.

The Grade 7 Food Fest

Students of grade 7 put up food stalls that offered lip-smacking snacks and food. These stalls were a treat to the eyes and to the taste buds. Thronged by students and staff alike, the stalls saw awesome volumes of food being passed across the counter.  The finger licking hits were the pani puri, bhel puri, chips, samosas, fruit juices, and milk shakes to name just a few.

Beside the challenge of sourcing/making this food, the Food Fest gave the students an opportunity to learn real life skills in the areas of organization, coordination, taking responsibility, accounting and marketing.

Well done, Grade 7. We all put on a few extra grams of weight!

Grade 8 Presents a Skit on Substance Abuse

As part of their learning from SALT modules, students of grade 8 presented a skit based on Substance Abuse.  The skit saw a gratifyingly huge turnout of 300+ people that included all the teachers and students from grade 4 upward. The skit ended with loud applause and hoots of appreciation.

Grade 8 Presents “Fun Time”

With all the homework done, it was time to relax and play.  The Fun Time event included games for teachers and students alike. Two such games that really saw everybody have a brilliant time were the Lemon & Spoon Race for the teachers and the Paper Dance for teachers and students. Congratulations to our grade 8 stars who conceptualized and managed the whole event.

Annual Sports Day celebrated at Lawrence High School (ICSE)

Lawrence High school celebrated their Annual sports day on Sunday, 2^nd December 2012, at the Police grounds, Adugodi-Bangalore.

The huge and sprawling ground was decorated with festoons, flags and buntings. The well-laid out tracks were clearly an indication of what was to be a well-contested sports event.

All the school participants looked special in their sports uniforms. Parents too attended in large numbers and the stands were full and overflowing!

The Chief Guest, Mr.Bangara, M.D. of Auto Striping India, Pvt Ltd, arrived promptly at 9.00am. He was personally welcomed by Mr.P.M.Subbaiah,Chairman ,Board of Trustees,Lawrence High School (ICSE). Mr. Bangara was escorted to the podium directly where he received the general salute, followed by the salute at the march past led by the school captain.

The four Houses- Nalanda, Mithila, Taxila and Magadha- marched past smartly, doing their respective Houses proud.

In his address to the students, teachers and parents, Mr.Bangara stressed on the importance of excellence, total commitment and hard work being the foundation to success in life and that sport too emphasizes these values as is exemplified by all great sports personalities and their achievements.

The speech was followed by varied displays that showcased the talent of both- the students who performed and the teachers who groomed them. There was an extraordinary display of order, coordination and a sense of rhythm.

The rest of the day was devoted to conducting various track events like the 100m, 200m, 400m and the most exciting- Interhouse Relays.

The Tug-of-War was great fun to watch. Some of the teams were so evenly poised that it was difficult to guess who the winner would be!

 Races were held for the parents and teachers alike and it was thoroughly enjoyed by the participants as well as the spectators.

The winners of the events were suitably rewarded at the Prize distribution ceremony with bright, glistening trophies and certificates.

The Sports celebrations ended with a fitting vote of thanks given by the school vice-captain for sports. 

How to make and stick to resolutions - Lawrence High School

Image: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7113/7537707854_d25600fd30.jpg

The New Year begins with fresh resolutions and a desire to start everything clean and afresh, erasing past mistakes and paving a clear road for the time to come.

“Oh! Please let this year be, I’ll surely study every day from the next academic year!” Isn't this a familiar phrase that we get to hear from our kids during the schooling years? Making resolutions and sticking to them is a tricky job and we as adults and parents need to help our children set realistic goals and stick to them.

Here are a few tips that can help you and your child decide what works best and what approach works best when it comes to following the set goals:

Set realistic goals: Any expectation needs to be realistic and in tune with the innate aptitude and capacity of a person. A child that gets an average of 60% in all subjects cannot be expected to score 90% all at once the next time onwards. A more realistic goal like understanding the concepts better or taking more efforts to keep the answer sheets neat and clean could be some realistic targets that can be set.

Break down the goals into smaller, manageable ones:  “I will study better next year” is a vague and open statement that can lose steam once the year begins and activities pour in. Instead, setting aside a specific time frame for a particular activity each day will make the goal more achievable and will also give a better perspective of where one stands viz-a-viz the larger picture at any given point of time.

Expect setbacks: Old and annoying habits take a long while to change. A lapse in the new routine is natural and bound to happen, and especially if it is quite drastically positioned to the existing one. The trick is to not get de-motivated by these small failures. Always keep the larger goal in mind, brush off minor setbacks and prepare yourself to surge ahead with renewed vigour.

Keep aside time for self-improvement and hobbies: goals need not always be related to studies or academics. It is vital to grow individually and become a better person with each growing year. Taking time out to experience newer places, reading more books, reaching out to others and pursuing hobbies are some of the things that play a more vital role in shaping one’s personality. Make an attempt to include these in your list of”to-achieve”.

And last and not the least,

Be sincere in your approach: do not start the year with the notion that resolutions are meant to be broken! Own the resolutions that you set and make every sincere effort to see that they are fulfilled.

How to teach your kids about safety - Lawrence High School

Teaching kids how to be safe is one of the most important things that need to be done.  In today’s day and age, where children are exposed to so many different people in supermarkets, parks, play areas and the neighbourhood, it is important to teach them a few things about their safety. Here are some tips:

1.    Teach your children their full names, address, and home telephone number.

2.    Teach your children the parents full names and cell phone numbers.

3.    Give them instructions to keep the door locked and not to open the door to talk to anyone when they are home alone.

4.    Set rules with your children about having visitors over when you’re not home and how to answer the telephone. 

5.Travel the route to and from school with your children and familiarize them with landmarks. 

6.Tech them about using public transport and safety of using the same. 

7. Ensure your child goes with friends whenever they go out to play. Remind them to stay with a group if they’re waiting at the bus stop. 

8. Educate children never to accept a ride from anyone unless you have told them it is OK to do so in each instance. 

9. Teach your children to say NO to anything that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused and teach your children to tell you if anything or anyone makes them feel this way.

10. Teach your children to never approach a vehicle unless they know the owner and are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult.

11. Teach your children how to find their way at theme parks, sports stadiums, shopping malls, and other public places.

12. Teach your children to identify people who they can ask for help, such as uniformed policeman, security guards and store clerks with nametags.

13. Teach your children that if anyone tries to touch or grab them, they should make a scene and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting.

Children are innocent and naïve which make them easy targets to attackers, therefore it is essential to ensure you take care of them in every possible way that you can. Teaching your children the right things about safety can go a long way in making sure they are safe and protected from the bad world outside.