It’s a fact and beautiful lesson about a farmer in a village in India, who grew largest watermelons. In the world competitions too his watermelons were the biggest and the best. He used to make the village children eat the largest melons that he won. His son would want him to sell those melons instead.
After a few years, the old man died and his son took over the farming. He started selling the largest melons out of the country and making big profits. People from various countries would bid highest for his melons. He became richest village man in two years. He would gloat around and show off his wealth to everyone.https://madhuriesingh.com/thinking-aloud/dont-let-the-best-watermelons-go-out-of-the-country/
The third year, the size of the melons were not large enough neither was the taste good.
People did not pay him much as other countries were now producing largest watermelons!
He thought may be this season there was less rainfall and may be his farm needed more manure. He imported chemical fertilizers from the winning countries. Yet his produce were again smaller than others! He was very upset. Then he went to his father’s friend and shared his problem. His father’s friend told him something that you must read very carefully and slowly.
He said, “Son, your father was a smart man. He used to never let his best watermelons go out of the village. So he would give it to the village children to eat. The village children did the free labor of taking out hundres of seeds and spitting them in his farm. He would collect those seeds and save them to grow the next crop. That is why his watermelons were always the largest and the best. He never sold them to other countries.
You on the other hand were short sighted. You wanted to become rich in short period. So you have given away the best quality seeds to the other countries! Now they are winning while you have poor quality watermelons.
www.Madhuriesingh.com
Moral of the story. When the good brains and good genes is easily allowed to migrate out of the country, slowly the over all quality of brains will deteriorate while the countries where they migrated to will flourish. We need infrastructure and research facilities for the best quality melons to stay back in the country to produce best quality melons in future too. 😁 Or At least marry them here and make them stay here. Government should actually save the genes from these super performers, super achievers and great human beings. 😊
Thinking Aloud
Motivational Talks By Madhurie Singh on Education and Parenting
Greeting and a happy morning dear readers. I have started engaging my spare time in motivating parents, teachers and students.
Mostly the topics I love to talk on are Fads of Parenting styles, myths in Education and Parenting, Career selection, Time Management and How to Be Happy.
These are free sessions of one hour to three hours depending on the audience.
Happy if even one life can be touched.
Write to me on Singhmadhuri@gmail.com
Have a Happy Day.
Why CBSE is forced to look into Math questions paper leak 2016
Mathematics is one subject that allows a student to score cent per cent.
My brother had scored 100 out of 100 in class 12 Math and 99.4 in aggregate only because he was able to score 100 in all such scoring subjects that compensate for those subjects where one cannot score 100.
If the question paper was tough as claimed by many students then imagine the plight of those who are weak but got a copy of question paper! They will score better than the deserving students!
The country is as it is suffering in the hands of caste reservations. This blunder will lead to total injustice.
CBSE YOU HAVE TO REDO THE MATH EXAM FOR THE SAKE OF THESE STUDENTS.
Comic Con Festival of Comic Heroes Pune 2016-17
I attended the festival of Comic characters called as Comic Con today. It's on till tomorrow i.e. Sunday too.
So normally every February this is organized in India.
It was fun to see several highly sophisticated stall crowded inside and outside with equally enthusiastic children. Very few oldies like me were there who were probably accompanying their teens to the event.
My teen found his gang and asked me, "Mom, can I split?"
"What? Split ?" I was taken aback. Then he rephrased and pointed to his gang and I got it. 🙁
As the name suggests, its a show of all the super heroes in the comic world. My knowledge is limited to Superman, Batman, Ironman, Flash and all the avenger characters, but there so many of them that told me dude, I am old.
Anyways the salvation for me was the fact that the stalls were really cool. 50% were selling T shirts of all kinds. The obvious Super Heroes to glowing ones to the very amazing chip enabled T Shirt that caught my eye and kept me engaged with the little technology there.
There were book stalls with focus on only the super heroes. My son saw Amar Chitra Katha stall and said, "You may want to go to that stall and feel good!" I think, my sarcastic style is rubbing on to them too.
There were many action stalls too where one could dance, play video games and compete.
A lot of masks were sold too but were exorbitantly expensive!
We ended up purchasing IPhone skin, I pad back skin and a few key chains.
Since my son wants to become a game designer (thanks to the superindiankid assessment of intelligences I had done), it was an eye opener to see there are several schools in Pune that cater solely to this career. So I was more than happy to carry back the brochures of these design schools.
Vanarts is a Vancouver based institute of Media Arts but the fee for one year web designing course was 25000 dollars in Vancouver!!!!
Our Indian counterpart was SeamEdu, School of Pro-Expressionism.
They have diploma and bachelors courses which was a great relief.
Entry fee is Rs 250/- per head.
http://www.punecomiccon.com/
How ready are you for your children’s career needs?
Today my older son came back from school and announced, “Mom, I will be joining a coaching class from next year! I have to prepare for entrance exams!”
Now that’s something that all parents must be dying to hear. But, I was a bit surprised and also relieved. At-least, I do not have to tell him the value of education!
So, I told him to search the coaching centres around our house.
He again announced, “It is all searched and WE have decided to join the one in Viman Nagar! So all you have to do is pay them something close to Rs 1 lakh for one year. And as you had promised that when I start to travel on my own you will give me a sim card, you have to arrange for that too!”
So for my son, life is set. School, coaching class and a mobile phone with sim card. (Currently he uses my old Iphone without sim)
OMG! I recalled this whole conversation was to avoid giving him sim card, nearly 3 years back!
Time is flying! 2015 just flew past!
Then 2016, 2017 and one by one each New Year will fly by and that big day will arrive when I will be facing the day my first son will be ready for his higher studies. Since his passion and interest is pretty much known to us, we know that he will have to complete his masters to be what he wants to be. He will also have to do his MBA as his final goal is to start a gaming company!
As I am writing, I can feel butterflies in my tummy. Not because he is growing so fast but because my bank balance is not growing as fast!
If you have not read my previous two articles, do read them as they were my initial wake up calls.
How much will the graduation and post-graduation cost in15 years from now
How to generate funds for the kid’s education
Once again I am back to square one. So I did a bit of googling about the expenses for higher studies.
I have a second son who wants to be a Ferrari Racer!
Just the cost of teaching them the basics of racing in Pune cost us 20 thousand for 2 day training! So imagine the cost of training to be a Ferrari racer!
Children today have innumerable career options, thus we need to be prepared and should do our homework. We need to be prepared both emotionally and financially to fulfil our children’s aspirations.
Do Your Homework parents! Like I am doing now.
I found about this link from Axis Mutual Fund to assess how much I need to save per month and lump-sum to provide for my sons’ higher education and plan for children’s future. It’s basically a Homework App to help you first know if you really are aware of what your child want to be and then calculate the amount you need to save for him/her.
I found this chart there but this is a general calculation. You must calculate as per your own child's requirements.
You have to start saving in Mutual Funds and Tax saving plans ASAP! There are plenty in the market. Just choose one and stick to it. Remember Mutual Funds are like the bamboo shoots. You will have to keep on watering them for a very long time but once it grows, it will grow in leaps and bounds!
Reference: http://www.homework.axismf.com/
Download : the_crossword_book_to know your child's career – madhuriesingh
Why my boys can cry and will still be good!
"Ladke rote nahi! Chudiyaan pehani hai kya? Engg banega mera laal! Hamare budhape ka Sahara ho tum! Ladkiyon Ki tarah mat hanso! Kitchen me kya ghusa hai! "
I have heard each of these lines when growing up. Many times, a few pops out of my mouth unconsciously.
Then I immediately correct myself and explain the same to my sons.
"Sorry, I just said something I should not have. I don't believe in this but have been brought up in a society that used these lines so often that they have become part of my language too. But I will not want you boys to use them or believe them at all. You can cry, wear pink, talk to girls, feel scared choose whatever you want to be. Be normal. Be best. No need to be Superboy or superman. You need not be good in every part of your life. If you have to madly follow your passion there will be many other things that will have to be ignored. Don't feel guilty. Don't try to balance your life. It's not possible to be successful with everything balanced. It's a myth.
Some things will suffer. So choose and be happy. No one in this world has everything. No successful person has every part of his life balanced. But being happy is your choice. Don't depend on others for your happiness."
I, Madhurie Singh pledge to make my boys better human being first than run after money or career.
If I had a daughter I would have told her exactly the same. " You can cry, learn science, play any sport, do any job in the world, feel scared too. But don't let the fear rule you. Each human is made of the same type of cells. Use them to serve others. Be successful but never hurt anyone purposely. Don't sacrifice your dreams for me, your siblings or your husband and kids. You are an equal human being and you have the same right to be satisfied when you achieve goals, feel independent when you earn your living, feel happy without any conditioning by any one in this world. Not even you parents. You have one life. Go chase your dream. Being happy is not your husband or child's responsibility. Have a life without them too. Be happy on your own. Choose your priorities and stick to them. Sticking on begets happiness. But don't stick to anything or anyone who abuses you. Stop people who abuse or try to belittle you the first time itself. Cuz second time might be too late. Don't pay attention to what people say. In fact, if you are seriously chasing your dream you won't have time to hear anything negative. Keep negative people out of you life or minimize interaction with them. You got one life prove it."
Do share and like it.
I don’t want to be Yumdoot of schools
Yup, you heard it right! I am no longer interested in being the Yumdoot of the schools and playschools in India.
Yes, I have now the kind of power with reviews I write that can snuff out life out of a school by the reviews I write. But with power comes great responsibility!
A lot of you have been asking me to write more reviews. Now that is why you are reading less reviews written by me. Knowing that when my reviews reach out to lakhs of parents in one shot and then has a dominoes effect ever after the review is spread thanks to Google baba, I am now forced to be cautious to the T. I don't want to be known as the Yumdoot of schools.
Yes, I am blunt and write only black and white reviews. Yes, money is not a motivating factor for me. And yes, I was born fearless and hence I write what is right. But now I am not going to point fingers at the schools and playschools.
I will hand over the reasons too. With SchoolKhojo.in launched in the BETA stage, I can already see the positive effect it is creating.
The aim of SchoolKhojo is to be the nurturer like Vishnu to all the schools in India.
In my opinion, schools do not get the opportunity all the time to hear the right feedback that will help them constructively change the ways of working.
Parents mostly discuss on forums, Facebook groups and Whatsapp groups about the problems they face. But, these problems never reach the right ears. People who have the authority to do something about these problems come to know when a lot of damage is already done to the schools and parents. Then both sides start to engage into bitter blame game or damage control which is mostly face saving act.
Will it not be better, if there was a way to submit all your problems and woes without mentioning your name!
Yes, I understand, as a parents, you will have this thought (fear) in your mind, that the school management or teacher might try to be vindictive and react negatively against your child if you complained to the school.
What if there was a way to ensure that you could rate and give feedback of a school on individual factors that matter to you!
What if the schools had the opportunity to work on these complaints and ensure that these problems were taken care of!
What if after you were satisfied with the corrective action by the school, you had the opportunity to re rate the school to be fair to the school!
All these are not What ifs any more. SchoolKhojo.in is being built to ensure all these what ifs are actually existing in a system and can be implemented too.
What is the main objective of SchoolKhojo? Or let me ask you. What is the main objective of you sending your child to a school?
Yes, you want your child to be educated in an environment that allows creative thinking with understanding of concepts easily.
A school where the teachers are happy teaching their students.
A school where the curriculum is relevant to the current and future needs.
A school where the infrastructure is safe, hygienic and fun that attracts children.
A school which is a true learning place for your darling child.
I am sure you do not want to only point fingers at teachers and staff. You definitely do not want to see the school shutting down!
So why not help the school in helping your child and you. Help the school by joining SchoolKhojo.in as a parent. Rate and write reviews.
If you are a mom and would like to be part of SchoolKhojo's team of brilliant Brand Ambassador you are most welcome! I would love to see you join me as a reviewer of the schools and playschools where your children are studying.
So what is the benefit of you reviewing the school of your child? Firstly, you become the queen of the school 🙂 and suddenly have the responsibility to improvise the school.
You will have the opportunity to change all those things that you were facing and no one was paying any attention to your problems with respect to your child's school.
Isn't that what you want. To be heard and change the problems faced by you or your child in the school? If you have the intention to change it, click here and fill the form. I will connect with you and take it up from there.
Remember, our aim is to improve the schools where your child is going to spend hours and hours everyday for many years to come. If one click can bring that smile why not? Click here.
Should a child be detained in a class or promoted
Nursery kid has to appear for a retest and then since he does not pass the test, he is detained in the previous class to repeat it one more year.
Most of the parents will protest this move by the school. Yet, I find that this move is actually the is the need of the hour whether the parents like it or not. Not that the school can be absolved of any wrong doing.
So lets analyze this situation and ensure you do not get into this turmoil ever.
School conducts a retest for a Nursery class student
Why would a school go through the hassle of re conducting any assessment? If only you understand this it will make your life easier.
Nursery class is the starting of the educational steps that your child has to climb year after year.
So if this step is weak, do you think the child who has struggled to climb the step 2 will be confident? I doubt. This child will still lack the basics of whatever he was supposed to learn in the Nursery class and on top of it he will have to learn the additional things in new class which definitely will be tougher.
So as a school it makes sense to make the child repeat the Nursery class and build as strong base for all future classes. Else the class teachers will have to struggle until class 9 when he reaches there with not much knowledge.
This is a very faulty ruling of RTE (Right To Education). The intention of RTE is great but the implementation is wrong. The ministry wants to ensure that all children pass upto class 8 and be educated. But who is ensuring that are actually learning what they ought to be? Children are going to the next class year after year with no check on how and where they lack the understanding of the subjects taught per class.
So when this child reaches class 9, he will not be allowed to study as the basic knowledge is not upto the mark.
Coming to class 9 and failing or repeating class 8 is no joke. Class 8 children are teenagers who will be going through a different set of problems. Add to this the stamp of being a detained student will crush his confidence and self respect. But by then its too late.
Schools have to send pass report to the board once children go to class 9. Now, obviously no school will be interested in declaring that there is a child who has to be detained year after year in class 8. So its better to take the right step when the child is in Nursery.
Is the school at fault?
You bet. The fact that they took one year to come to this conclusion that the child will be repeating the class is the result of their faulty assessment process. They should have taken the assessment right after 3rd month and addressed the child's parent to ensure either repeating or readmission next year.
Are the parents at fault?
Largely. They are the ones who were unaware of their child' progress to wake up when things can not be undone.
Most probably the child's age could be at fault too. There are children who take time to learn. These kids need to be in the classes where they fit best.
Or may be the child is youngest in the class! Obviously then his brain development is also one year slower that the other children in his class who may be 6 to 12 months older to him. In the younger years, every one month matters a lot.
And I am aghast when parents write to me that "My child will lose one year because he/she is 1 day or one month short of the age criteria for admission!"
Please read this article to know what is the right age to go to classes
Read this article to know milestone that your child should have completed by a particular age. If your child fits into the category of the activities then he/she is fit for the class or not.
Hutching’s school withholds promotion and re-examines student amid confusion over pre-primary ambit, drawing parents’ ire
Source: Nursery kid in retest dilemma – Pune Mirror
How I use my body to communicate powerfully
I have to talk every second day to a new audience. Sometimes a group of people and sometimes a large number. Fortunately I have never gotten cold feet on the stage or podium ever. Yet, I always mind a few body language tips always. These were shared by one of the teachers when I was in class 5 and was selected for an inter school debate.Then over the period of time, I have gathered many more tips from Stanford university and practiced them consciously.
So here I will share a few of them:
I warm up by saying a tongue twister just before the talk: It keeps me in the moment and not worry about anything else
1. How to mind my body position
a) Towards the audience
b) Standing with hands on the sides, hanging in control
c) Hands not on the hips / pockets / hiding the family pride / crossed
d) Never scratching any internal / external organ
e) Never crushing fingers
2. How to handle my hands
a) Use gestures a lot to explain, people remember more
b) Use the "Giving Hand" gesture for explaining "Facts" or giving "Options"
c) Use the "Show Hand" gesture when explaining how you or audience "Feel" for the subject
d) Use the "Chop Hand" gesture when giving stronger message
e) Never use fingers at audience
f) Always use palm up
g) Never close arms to your sides
3. Notice the audience
a) engaged, fidgeting, bored, nodding
Use a sudden question to keep my audience to keep them awake
Source: Stanford university :
Parent Teacher Association must approve fee hike
Good news for parents, schools must convinced PTA before fee hike as per Enactment of the Maharashtra Educational Institutes .
Mumbai: Enactment of the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2011 will give the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) executive committee powers. The Act requires that any proposed fee hike has to be presented before the committee. The management will have to submit details for the proposed fee, along with relevant documents, to justify the hike.
“The clause makes the committee’s role extremely important as managements will now have to convince parents that the hike they are proposing is indeed necessary,” said state commissioner of school education S Choklingam.
The state education department issued a notification on November 29, which brought the Act into effect from December 1. It will determine fees from the 2015-16 academic year.
Choklingam said the Act provides for creation of the committee which is ‘neutral’. The committee has to be formed through a lottery among willing parents. “Very often, if the PTA is elected, the notion is that it will be anti-management, and if selected, it may be pro-management,” he said.
Schools can hike fees by a maximum of 15% on fees of the previous academic year, unless approved by the executive committee of the school or divisional fee regulatory committee. “Schools will have to work along with parents and provide proof for their actions. The executive committee will have to be vigilant while evaluating the proposal,” said Choklingam.
A Thane school parent said, “We have been at the receiving end for long. If implemented well, there is a good chance only justified fee hikes will go through.”
PTA United Forum president Arundhati Chavan said, “It is a great idea but it will empower PTAs only if they are formed authentically.”
Chandrakanta Pathak, principal, HVB Global Academy, Marine Drive, said they have already been involving parents in decision-making.