Reflection Sunday 17th November 2024

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Sunday School No. 163

Guru Nanak Docuseries-

1. What was your takeaway from the session today? 

2. What were the key points in the episode? 

3. Wisdom, Right Knowledge, and Intellect- How can you connect with these?

- From Hidden Life Of Animals -
1. Did the story connect with you today, and why?
2. Find out about-
a. biological automatons
b. Leipzig and what it is famous for?
c. magnetic resonance imaging
3. What is instinct according to you?
4. How can we compare animal emotions with human emotions?
5. How are humans different from animals?

Key Takeaways

• The documentary series on Guru Nanak's travels highlights the interconnectedness of different philosophies and cultures across India.
• Recent school visits, especially to Doon School, provided valuable learning experiences for students and teachers from rural areas.
• There's an emphasis on regular reflections and sharing of learnings among the community members.
• The group uses various WhatsApp groups and online platforms to facilitate communication and learning.

Guru Nanak Documentary Discussion

• Explored Guru Nanak's travels through Assam, Nagaland, Bangladesh, and West Bengal.
• Highlighted similarities between Guru Nanak's philosophy and local traditions in these regions.
• Discussed the concept of oneness and the universality of emotions across species.

Recent The Doon School Visit

• Students from Arthur Foot Academy visited Doon School, marking their first trip to an urban area.
• The visit highlighted the disparity in exposure between rural and urban students.
• Emphasized the importance of such experiences in broadening students' perspectives.

Reflection Practices

• Encouraged regular reflections from all participants, including teachers and students.
• Discussed various platforms for sharing reflections, including WhatsApp groups and online diaries.
• Stressed the importance of consistent engagement and sharing of thoughts.

Community Structure and Communication

• Explained the purpose and use of different WhatsApp groups:
• My Good School: For general discussions and reflections
• Teachers Academy: For teacher-specific content
• Impact Team: For assessment and evaluation
• Joy of Giving: Focused on Arthur Foot Academy project

Book Discussion

• Reviewed chapters from a book discussing animal emotions and instincts.
• Drew parallels between animal and human behaviors, emphasizing the universality of emotions.

Next Steps

• Participants to send reflections on recent experiences, including the Doon School visit.
• Continue regular engagement in various WhatsApp groups and online platforms.
• Implement learnings from recent experiences in respective educational settings.
• Improve the technical setup for future online meetings based on today's experience with new equipment.

Action Items

• Create reflection piece with probing questions from The Doon School visit. Add to Joy of Learning Diaries. 
• Write/send reflection on The Doon School visit to Manisha. Post in My Good School WhatsApp grp. 
• Write/send reflection on Doon School visit to Manisha. Post in My Good School WhatsApp grp. 
• Post announcements for upcoming sessions in My Good School WhatsApp grp. 

Students and teacher may create a school newsletter incorporating Joy of Learning content.

These are some suggestions. We're looking forward to your excellent and thoughtful reflections, which you can email to mk@learningforward.org.in

In case you missed the session today, reply the video:

Appreciation - Tenzin Jambey

Image courtesy Pestalozzi World website.

Regarding appreciation, the image of people clapping for you and words like thanks and thank you come into our minds. Almost every people appreciate others by saying thanks and thank you. Some people think that only getting the word of thanks from others is an application, but I don't think about it that way.

Regarding my application work, I have done numerous good jobs. Whenever I do any good job or something, I first appreciate myself because it doesn't bring me any sadness or down feeling because of not being appreciated for my good work by someone; we should be the first to enjoy ourselves if we do any kind of work. Doing an excellent job in the presence of someone can be seen, and others might praise you for that, but being yourself without anyone's presence is a different thing; at that moment, there is no one to clap for you, and that's the moment when we should pat on our back for doing a good job. We should be good and kind to all humans, but what about plants and animals? They, too, have the right to live a long peaceful life. Humans are taking so much from nature and animals; in return, we are doing nothing helpful but destroying, killing and taking their life.

We should be kind to the plants and all the animals around us; in the hostel, I have planted varieties of flowers and plants since I am so attached to nature and the environment, and sometimes I water them in the evening. When I see that the soil level is unequal, I add soil and organic fertilizer like cow dung and decomposed vegetable peals. After returning from my vacation, I found that the plants had dried, and some had even died. I felt sad about that as I cared for them with my heart, I watered them, and the next day I saw them growing again, which thrilled me. No one appreciated me, as none saw me doing that, but when I appreciated myself, I heard the soundless appreciation of my plants and flowers. As the wind blew, they began to move, and I imagined they were dancing and singing with joy because I had watered them after so long.

We must come out of the mindset that being only kind to a human does not bring us appreciation, we must equally respect our mother earth and all the components of nature like air, water, land, soil, fire and even the dumb stones that stays in a fixed position and says nothing but we use it for many purposes.

Tenzin Jambey
Pestalozzi Children's Village India

Understanding between animals and humans

As we know, an understanding person can understand how others are feeling and forgive them if they do something wrong. The four steps of understanding are " know, use, expand and surpass". We should also understand the feeling of animals as they can't speak for themselves in our language. As we studied in our Sunday School, many animals want to share their emotions with us.

The relation between animals and humans in which man understands the feeling of an elephant. The emotional state of many animals is easily recognizable by their faces, eyes and how their muscle-tone changes, eye size and gaze. Many animals need help and are in danger because people are trying to kill them. That is why they became man-eaters; we still don't understand them. Instead of making them comfortable and able, we are killing them. So we should respect wild animals by keeping a safe distance away, not approaching and removing their environment. If you are scared of wild animals or found while travelling, just don't chase them, stay quiet and calm, and don't touch or get close. So we should also understand the emotions of animals.

Aayushma Gaha

Understanding has a unique value that other epistemic states, such as knowledge, do not. This fact threatens the justification for the focus on knowledge that the history of epistemology displays. Elsewhere it has been argued knowledge does not possess this exceptional value. There are a couple of lines of argument, however, that threaten to extend and denial of this unique value for understanding. Underlying all such challenges is the apparent fact that the language of knowing and understanding are closely related. This discussion argues that the kind of understanding we prize most is immune from the concerns plaguing the theory of knowledge. Animals don't understand the language in a language,  but they understand what you want to mention by your gestures, body language, and tone. These are animals like parrots, monkeys, dogs etc.
Sunita Bk

Understanding is that without which you cannot be a good human being. To be a better human being, one should have understanding. Understanding can improve explanatorily when one has more true beliefs of fundamental epistemic value. Stepwise, we should have an understanding of animals. In understanding animals, Lars Sevendsen teaches us how humans can attempt to understand the lives of other animals. We should understand the feelings of animals then. Only animals and human beings can have a good relationship between them. Let's take the example of a dog and how a dog understands us. Dogs read more into our tone and body language than actual words. They focus on us and observe our physical clues to determine what we want them to do. Understanding why some animals help others at the potential cost of their own survival and reproduction, for example, not only gives us insight into their behaviour but could also help us understand our species' ideas of altruism and sacrifice.

Samarika Karki 

Since humans are more advanced and social, we should have empathy. We should be understanding, caring and loving not only between us and the other person, but we should be understanding, caring and loving to animals also, as they have feelings too. If would be trust between the animal and humans, the world would live in peace. We should betray animals that rely on us; only then will there be a bond between that animals and humans.

Ngawang Lhamo

Humans have various ways of survival. Animals are only dependent upon nature. So, they do not have any other means of survival. Humans have become much more advanced and know several ways to survive and sustain themselves. Animals do not have such survival techniques; therefore, they only depend on nature for food. We can speak a complex language. We use our logic. But animals only do their actions based on instincts. Apart from the differences, humans and animals are similar in certain aspects and have an outstanding bond. Their bond mutually benefits people and animals and is influenced by behaviour essential to health and well-being. This includes, among other things, emotional, psychological and physical interactions between people, animals and the environment. 

Akshra Singh

As we know that the human and animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between humans and animals that is influenced by behaviour to the health and well-being of both. This includes, among other things, emotional, psychological and physical interaction of people, animals and the environment. 

Animals have been protectors, companions, co-workers and even best friends. Humans need animals in their lives to stay healthy, mentally and even physically. Animals are used in standard therapy to increase movement in the handicapped. We should also understand animals' feelings. They can't speak or show their emotions as we can; it doesn't mean we will not respect or treat them however they want. Because they are also like us, they also have feelings. 

Shraddhanshi Rawat

Courage - Arjun Verma

 

Courage is when you do something that you are scared of. It is the ability to

control fear in a dangerous situation. If we do not have courage, we will

not do some things that we fear a little or a lot today. It also builds our self-confidence.

Now, I'd like to share a poem on courage-

I want everyone to have courage,

That is something I’d like to encourage,

If you help an animal, even if it puts you in a little bit of danger,

It’ll be happy to receive help from a stranger,

You need bravery,

To let go of wavery,

So be brave everyone,

And you will soon be confident enough to do what you fear a ton!

Arjun Verma
Grade IV
Gyanshree School