“Education is the process in which we discover that learning adds quality to our lives. Learning must be experienced.”
William Glasser quotes
At Pathways, the learning and education is not only confined to books but also to the varied experiences that we provide our students with. It is amazing to see that though the experience is the same, the learning each student takes from it is different.
This term was an exciting term for the middle school during which they went through number of activities. ‘Jharokha’ , an education fair was one such activity. This had an active participation by our students. They demonstrated their project work, which was culmination of their efforts put in for planning, resource acquisition, knowledge acquisition and application of mind in putting it all together. As students applied their knowledge to create different projects and went through the entire process, they learnt many skills and showcasing them in the fair gave them a sense of achievement and confidence .
Students in middle school also went for Yamuna Walk. This walk was organised in collaboration with the NGO 'Swechha'. The unit on Rivers was extended beyond the classroom. The walk along the preselected course of the riverproved to be simple way for students to understand and be sensitive towards drastically harmful ways in which the city, its dwellers and its industries pollute and damage the sacred river. Prior to this walk, a week long activities were taken upto commemorate the water day in the school. This commenced with a talk and movie screening by environmentalist Mr. Vimlendu Jha and culminated in the Yamuna Walk. This was then followed by an inter house quiz on the entire subject.
“ All the world’s a stage, all the men and women are merely players.” This was the thought based on which a group called ‘Commotion’ presented their workshop appropriately named ‘Drama for Life’. Students of Form 6 & 7 attended it. It was an interactive session, in which the presenters worked with the students in making them realize the importance of their role in various life situations. This wonderful experience was best summed up by Ayona Sen Gupta, a Form 7 student who commented as under :- “This workshop left us pondering over a question, “Do I want to make a difference?” Throughout the assigned three hours, we took part in a variety of discussions and activities. The core message ‘Commotion’ left with us was that our life’s course is entirely up to us. We can choose to watch from the sidelines, or choose to take the step ahead and make a difference. I am absolutely sure that everyone would love to have workshops like ‘Drama for Life ‘again. They leave us immersed in our thoughts and seem to provide enthusiasm to every person attending.”
Julia, a guest student of Grade 8 from Germany, left after a month of learning experiences with us. It was a teary farewell as Julia said that she would come back as she loved the school. This feedback is encouraging for us as we work towards creating a positive learning environment .
Sunanda Sandhir
Midddle School Principal
