Reading is not an obsolete pastime!!

In my many years as an educator, I have often come across parents who say:

 “He/She is wasting time reading story books all the time.”

Now let us get this straight!

Do we want to develop a reading habit in our kids? Should they only be reading when they have time to waste?

Make up your minds dear parents. Or else, you leave our little friends completely confused.   

My years of experience as an educator prods me to say that good reading habits and reading skills go a long way in life. In fact, they lay the foundation for great innings both in academics and successful careers. Reading helps develop language skills that hold one in good stead. Subsequently, one feels more adept at communicating and collaborating with others. Reading also increases attention span and promotes greater critical thinking skills.

The key to encouraging good reading habits in your children is modelling it yourself as a parent. Squeeze in that 20-30 minutes each day to read to them or read with them. By doing so, your child will experience first-hand the joys of reading. Spark your child’s imagination and stimulate his/her curiosity by initiating a dialogue about what they have read. This special time spent with your children will have a long lasting impact on their bond with you.

Research says that you can read to your child as early as when the baby is in the womb. Continue reading together through the formative years so that reading becomes a life-long habit and a book becomes a trusted companion to beat boredom. Thanks to technology, reading has become a very cheap entertainment. One may easily download books on kinder and the like. Audio books also provide a wonderful diversion. Though, I’m old school and prefer a paper-back hard-copy of a new book to this day. The feeling of holding a new book in my hand and the smell of that paper as you turn the pages matches none other.

Make conscious efforts to your routines and surrounding to encourage a love for reading. Make a cozy reading niche at home – a bean bag and some colourful fun accessories will make this the best corner of your house. When out, practise reading all kinds of reading material that you come across with your child: menus, posters, hoardings, road signs and more. Help your children to make connections between what they read and their everyday lives.

Most importantly, act as a role model and read in the presence of your children. Watching you read will drive home a strong message about the importance of reading.

Writing our stories

Writing our stories…

Do all our stories have the same beginning and end? Is it always a continuum from birth to death? Isn’t it possible to think of it in a different way?

The opening lines of Graham Greene’s book, ‘The End of The Affair’:

‘A story has no beginning or end; arbitrarily one chooses from which to look back or from which to look ahead.’

The above lines by Graham have helped put the idea of the story of our lives in a better perspective for me. Imagine our life as a library of books of different genres. There are tragic tales and comic tales. There’s non-fiction and some fiction too. Our lives are full of stories about people and places. If only we had the ability to keep one exclusive of the other as they are stacked in a library. The we took choose to re-read ones we like and forget about the bad, uninspiring ones.

The confusion and chaos in our lives stems from the mixing up of story-lines and in our assumption that our whole life, from birth to death is one single story.

I think we must all learn to put aside some stories of our lives that bring us heart-ache and disappointment. While stories that bring hope and put a smile on our faces might be cherished like the ‘chicken Soup for the Soul’series.

Let’s look at our life’s anthology of stories and strive to arbitrarily choose ‘which to look back’ and ‘which to look ahead’. Happiness and peace in our lives depends upon our ability to make the right choices. Let go of that friend who over a period of time has become a nag. Let go of that colleague who always brings your morale down. Move from the apartment that you don’t feel excited to go back to at the end of a long day. Move from the city that  fails to inspire you anymore.

With a little effort we can write new stories in our lives all the time. Make new beginnings by taking ‘the road less travelled’, which could ‘make all the difference’. Taking risks, making new acquaintances, striking new friendships, moving to new places and learning new things are all ways to make a new start, which means writing a new story of your life. So, don’t settle for a mediocre story-line. Start writing your story for the better by playing the role of an active director who has a strong say in the way the story unfolds. Make sure you are the hero of your story. Be prepared to tackle every villain that comes your way based on experiences from your past stories.

A successful story is all about well-chosen characters who play their roles well and a befitting setting for the story to unfold. The choice to begin writing a new story in your life always lies within you. Make that choice when your life becomes boring and meaningless.

The rocking life of a Learnoholic!

The rocking life of a Learnoholic!

I am a learnoholic and I love being one!

Why?

…because my greatest addiction in life is to learn something new all the time. Nothing gives me more pleasure in life than the challenge of learning a new skill or exploring new vistas of knowledge. I don’t do it to pass an examination; I do it to break the monotony of routine, everyday activities.

My love for learning has definitely played a key role in shaping my personality. During my school days, I strived to do my best at everything that came my way; be it curricular or co-curricular activities. My parents encouraged every whim of mine as long as the focus was on learning. Hence, my tryst with destiny was about a flight through the classics and the contemporary where reading was concerned. I devoured every text with equal zest. The written word in any form became an intoxication for me. At other times, I sweated on the field, sprinting away behind all the Usain Bolts of my time. I was far from good at many of the things I tried, especially on the track and field. However, that never deterred me from trying new things, as I enjoyed the novelty and the break from routine that these activities brought.

My love for learning over the years has transformed me into a social butterfly, who can easily stir up a storm at any gathering. The students that I have nurtured during my 2 decade-long- career as an educator have certainly imbibed this love of learning too. My lessons have always been about authentic learning, one that takes my students beyond the narrow confines of the classroom. I have experimented with a variety of innovative learning strategies in my classroom; EduScrum being the most recent experimental hit. I have inspired my students by setting a fine example myself. My most recent achievement in academics is about the Master’s in Education from Murdoch University. My current academic pursuit is a PhD in e-learning Methodologies that I have just embarked upon.

Thus, the exciting journey of this learnoholic continues. I’m still looking ahead for more adventure and more learning. The one lesson that I have learnt as a learnoholic is that, there is no such thing as being born talented. This notion is far from the truth; it is a myth! Talent is nothing but a strong desire to learn. It’s a simple formula: if you have the will to learn and the will to work hard, you will soon wow the world with a talented you that the world has never seen the likes of, before. The most talented in this world who have earned themselves fame and a name will have the same story to tell. Be it Shah Rukh khan or Michael Schumacher or Sachin Tendulkar; all of them had a desire to learn and an indomitable will to practice, practice and practice till they perfected their craft. I too share that passion to learn and the spirit to go on till I succeed.

You are perhaps a learnoholic just like me. However, you just may not have realized this as you have been spending your storehouse of energy on frivolous pursuits that lead you to momentary pleasures. This is your wake-up call! Spend your time and energy on learning a new skill or broadening your awareness of the amazing world around you. Explore new vistas of knowledge by developing a love for learning. Steer your own learning to acquire the 21^st century skills that will equip you for the careers of the future. The future belongs to those who work towards becoming ‘Jacks of all trades and a Masters of some’.

The future belongs to the learnoholics…become one!

What has this life given me?

This life has been a gift in all senses
each day has brought new joys
each hour greater challenges
each moment greater confidence

This life that i take for granted
each day has brought new experiences
each hour greater lessons
each moment greater zest

This life that i pride as mine
each day has brought new awareness
each hour greater realizations
each moment a sense of gratitude.

Abortion...nothing short of cold blooded murder!

Todays edition of the Hindu carries a lengthy article on George Tiller.... a man with a celibrity status for the wrong cause....skill to kill the unborn...



Skill to Kill!



All those years that I spent,

perfecting the art to kill with skill;

were they all nothing but mistakes,

committed in the trance of a will?



Am I nothing less than a killer?

one who deprived many of life,

convinced many to play bold,

by lying guiltlessly under my knife.



Is there any justification ?

Is there hope for my soul?

If there's a God in heaven,

Why didn't he ever edit my role?

( would this have been the last song on Mr George Tiller's lips?)