My Good School - Sunday 20th September 2026

 Exploring Corfu, Civilisational Identity, and Industrial Vision: Sunday Reading Session Recap

Our latest My Good School Sunday Reading Session was a vibrant celebration of literature, history, and cultural reflection. Bringing together diverse narratives—from the sun-drenched shores of the Mediterranean to deep-rooted reflections on Indian heritage—the gathering showcased our students’ keen analytical skills and love for reading.

Here are the key highlights and discussions from the session.

1. Adventures on Corfu: Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals

Brinda opened the session with a delightful journey through Gerald Durrell’s classic work. Focusing on the family’s expedition to Corfu, she brought to life anecdotes about their famous boats, the Bottlebum Trinket and the Sea Cow. The reading captured the island’s lush natural beauty and offered a lighthearted exploration of human and animal nature.

2. India as a Civilisation vs. a Nation: Bharavi Jani’s Insights - Highway to Swades

Jugjiv transitioned the reading to Bharavi Jani’s impactful work, prompting an engaging discussion of India’s core identity.

Key themes included:

• The Symbolic Significance of the Ganga: The group reflected on how the river shapes both geography and spirit.

• Democracy vs. Republic: The group examined the conceptual distinctions between political structures and legal foundations.

• Living Unity in Diversity: Grounded in travel experiences spanning Nagaland to Karnataka, this session illustrated how distinct regional cultures weave into a single national tapestry.

Multilingual Student Reflections

Our students enriched the discussion with reflections across multiple languages, including Hindi and Assamese:

• Salah highlighted why India’s identity extends far beyond its status as a political entity.

• Rishika shared an evocative comparison between the energetic, youthful flow of the Ganga in Rishikesh and its solemn, spiritual rhythm in Varanasi.

• Shivangi summarised the text’s broader impact on how we understand our national heritage today.

3. Historical Insights: The Gandhi-Tata Connection - Reading Tata Stories

Neenu presented a thoroughly researched historical account detailing the relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and the Tata Group:

• Early Support (1909–1912): The session highlighted Sir Ratan Tata’s crucial financial backing during Gandhi’s early struggles against apartheid in South Africa.

• The Jamshedpur Visit (August 1925): Details were shared about Gandhi’s historic visit to Jamshedpur, where he publicly commended Jamsetji Tata’s vision for industrial and social development.

• Modern Leadership: A profile of Xerxes Desai illustrated his visionary leadership at Titan Company, which revolutionised the Indian watch market starting in 1987.

4. Interactive Learning & Vocabulary

The session concluded with an interactive Q&A addressing vocabulary and language nuances from the readings. Key words discussed included:

• Acquaintance: A person one knows slightly, rather than a close friend.

• Faithful: Firm and unwavering in loyalty, allegiance, or duty.

Thank you to all the readers, presenters, and participants who made this Sunday reading session enlightening! Join us next Sunday as we continue our journey through great books and ideas.

Embracing Change, Living the Present - Sneha

My Good School session made me reflect on how life, much like nature, is constantly changing. While listening to My Family and Other Animals by Brinda Ma'am, especially the chapter Woodcock Winter, the description of winter in Corfu, the changing weather, and its impact on the landscape reminded me that change is a natural part of life. Just as nature adapts to every season, we also go through different phases that shape who we become. It made me realise that every phase, whether comfortable or uncertain, has something valuable to teach us.

Reading What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, read by Jugjiv Sir, also made me reflect on my own aspirations. As my teenage years are about to end, I often feel unsure about many things. Sometimes I worry that I should already know exactly what I want to do or where I am heading. Thinking too much about the future often makes me anxious. However, the reading reminded me that while having aspirations is important, it is equally important to live in the present. The future is built through the practices we nurture today.

-Sneha

Literature and meaningful lessons - Sunbeam School Lahartara

Sunbeam School Lahartara

“My Good School session with Brinda Ghosh on My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell was a rich and engaging example of how literature can bring together humour, observation, and meaningful life lessons. The episode of Larry inviting guests without planning highlights a familiar and relatable family conflict: his carefree, impractical attitude contrasts sharply with Mother’s sense of responsibility and concern. This dynamic not only adds humour to the narrative but also reflects how different personalities coexist and adapt within a family.” Samriddhi Banerjee

Read the wonderful reflections from Sunbeam School, Lahartara, where the students share their joy of reading the book My Family and Other Animals with Brinda Ghosh. Literature can bring together humour and lead us with meaningful lessons. 

My Good School 19th April 2026

PLEASE NOTE, FROM NEXT WEEK WE WILL HOST MY GOOD SCHOOL IN WEBINAR MODE AND THE RECORDING WILL BE SHARED ON YOUTUBE AS ALWAYS.

Sunday School for Reading and Reflection

To read and discuss two books, “My Family and Other Animals” and “Time Stops At Shamli (Hindi).”

Key Takeaways

• “My Family and Other Animals” Reading: The Durrell family moved to the “Daffodil Yellow Villa” to accommodate unexpected guests. Gerald’s observations of swallows and an oil beetle (Melloproscarabeus) highlight the book’s core theme of nature discovery.

• “Antim Sanskar” Reading: A boy processes his father’s death, feeling isolated from the adults. His unique coping mechanism—imagining becoming a flower to help new life grow—was praised for its maturity.

• My Good School Retreat: A recap of the Jaipur retreat showcased its focus on reflection and community building. All future My Good School sessions will be held in webinar mode to increase capacity and improve YouTube recording quality.

Topics

My Good School Retreat Recap

• Manisha Khanna shared photos and a video of the recent Jaipur retreat, which hosted 11 schools.

• Key Activities:

  • An art exhibit where participants turned line drawings into full artworks.

  • “Discovery of India” session based on a book about travelling across the country.

  • Talent night for student performances.

• Reflection Method: Participants used flip charts (“joy of learning diaries”) to document their experiences, prioritising human intelligence over electronic media.

• Resources: All retreat photos and flip charts will be posted on schooleducation.com.

Program Updates

• Webinar Mode: All future My Good School sessions will use webinar mode.

  • Rationale: To increase capacity, reduce interference, and improve recording quality for the My Good School YouTube channel.

• Program Overview: Sandeep Dutt reviewed the My Good School ecosystem.

  • Sunday: My Good School sessions.

  • Saturday: Teachers Academy & Youth Engaging Society (YES) master classes.

  • Retreats: Held twice annually (April & October).

  • Membership: Open to schools and individuals (via a small donation).

Book Reading: “My Family and Other Animals”

• Brinda read from Gerald Durrell’s memoir, set on Corfu Island, Greece.

• Plot Summary:

  • Larry’s unexpected invitation of 7–8 guests forced the family to move from the “Strawberry Pink Villa” to the larger “Daffodil Yellow Villa.”

  • The new villa was a decaying Venetian mansion with an overgrown garden.

  • The new maid, Lugresia, was a hypochondriac who constantly detailed her ailments, causing the family to avoid her.

  • The family was swept into a festival for Saint Spiridion, the island’s patron saint.

    • Ritual: Kissing the mummified saint’s feet.

    • Outcome: Margot kissed the feet and contracted influenza, while Gerald feigned it.

  • Gerald observed swallows nesting under the eaves, noting the distinct personalities of the male birds.

  • He found a flightless oil beetle (Melloproscarabeus) with shrunken wing cases.

    • Life Cycle: Its larvae prey on a specific bee species.

    • Significance: This discovery was identified by Gerald’s biologist mentor, Theodore, who visits weekly to help with specimens.

Book Reading: “Antim Sanskar” (The Last Rites)

• Manisha Khanna read a Hindi story by Ruskin Bond about a boy at his father’s funeral.

• Plot Summary:

  • The boy felt isolated from the adults, who were focused on their own grief and social etiquette.

  • He reflected on his father’s lessons about nature during their walks.

  • Coping Mechanism: He imagined that after death, he would become a flower, and a bird would carry his seeds to help new life grow.

  • Final Thought: He recalled his father’s words, “The strongest person is the one who stands alone,” as he walked home through the fog, feeling alone but determined.

Next Steps

• Manisha Khanna: Post Jaipur retreat photos and flip charts to schooleducation.com.

• My Good School Team: Transition all future sessions to webinar mode, starting next Sunday.

• Participants:

  • Use a notebook to record new vocabulary and concepts from the readings.

  • Join the next session in webinar mode.

The Power Of Reading

My Good School

To read and discuss two books, focusing on themes of nature, friendship, and history.

Key Takeaways

• “My Family and Other Animals” (Gerald Durrell): Gerald’s plan to get food from shepherd Yanni during siesta backfires. Yanni, a deep sleeper, only wakes after Roger the dog’s barking accidentally sends a cat fleeing up a grapevine, making the trellis shake.

• “The Whistling School Boy” (Ruskin Bond): The story details Bond’s friendship with Umar at Bishop Cotton School, formed over shared experiences and a secret, satirical manuscript. Their Bond is tested by the 1947 Partition, which forces Umar to leave for Pakistan.

• Reading as Reflection: The session opened with a discussion on reading’s power to cultivate patience and reflection, citing Manisha’s blog on libraries and Brinda’s reference to Barbara Kingsolver on how reading shapes temperament.

• Next Week’s Special Session: Kartik Bajoria will lead a session on writing effective book reviews to help students share their reading and encourage others to read.

Topics

The Power of Reading

• The session began with a reading of Manisha’s blog post, “Championing Readers,” which reflected on students talking in the library rather than reading.

• The post questioned if reading has become a “leisure activity” and argued it requires patience, attention, and imagination.

• Brinda connected this to Barbara Kingsolver’s view that reading changes temperament and is a source of hope for humanity.

• Jugjiv Singh added that reading cultivates self-reflection, citing the example of Eichmann’s unthinking obedience during the Holocaust.

“My Family and Other Animals” (Gerald Durrell)

• Context: Brinda introduced the book about naturalist Gerald Durrell’s childhood on Corfu Island, Greece, providing background on his family and passion for animals.

• Plot: Gerald and his dog, Roger, are hungry after a swim. Gerald avoids Leonora’s house to escape her daughter’s health updates and Taki the fisherman’s siesta.

• The Plan: Gerald decides to visit the shepherd Yanni, a light sleeper who rests under a grapevine trellis. He instructs Roger to bark loudly to wake Yanni.

• The Outcome: The barking fails to wake Yanni. However, it startles a cat, which flees up the trellis, causing it to shake violently and finally waking the shepherd.

• Hospitality & Lore: Yanni offers Gerald food and wine. He then shares a local remedy: a scorpion steeped in olive oil to cure stings, and a cautionary tale about a shepherd who died from a scorpion bite in his ear.

“The Whistling School Boy” (Ruskin Bond)

• Context: Manisha Khanna read the story in Hindi, noting that it is autobiographical and provides a historical lens on the 1947 Partition.

• Friendship & Shared Experiences: Bond, a quiet boy, befriends Umar, another quiet student. Their Bond strengthens as they play hockey together (Bond as goalkeeper, Umar as fullback) and share a secret manuscript.

• The Manuscript: Bond writes a satirical manuscript about school life and teachers, with Umar as his first reader. It includes a poem mocking Mr Oliver.

• Discovery & Discipline: Housemaster Mr Fischer finds the manuscript under Bond’s mattress. Bond receives six cane strokes but becomes a temporary “hero” among his peers.

• The Partition’s Impact: Lord Mountbatten’s visit to Bishop Cotton School, where Bond’s father was an alumnus, is followed by the devastating 1947 Partition.

• Separation: The school announces that Muslim students must vacate the hostel and be escorted to the new border. Bond and Umar meet one last time in a tunnel, discussing their uncertain future before Umar leaves for Pakistan.

Next Steps

• All Participants:

  • Submit reflections (write-ups, drawings, role-plays) on today’s stories for publication on the “Joy of Learning Diaries” website.

  • Prepare for next week’s session with Kartik Bajoria on writing book reviews.

• Students:

  • Keep notes on characters and vocabulary from “My Family and Other Animals” to aid recall.

AI-generated content, please read with due care. We are supported by FATHOM-AI.

My Good School Sunday the 8th of Feb 2026

Jai Hind

I am really grateful for the opportunity to attend this session. It was not just a learning session but an experience that made me think deeply. The story discussed during the session was beautifully explained, and every part of it was simply connected to real life. The way the story moved from nature to human emotions made it very interesting and meaningful for me.

One part that I especially liked was how the speaker explained things using examples like jalapeños and grapes. Though they look similar, they are very different, and this comparison helped me understand how appearances can be misleading. This idea was closely connected to the story, in which observation, understanding, and the proper use of words play essential roles. It helped me realise how important it is to look beyond the surface.

All the essential words from the story were clearly discussed, which helped me understand their meanings in context rather than just memorising them. The story also taught me to be more sensitive towards nature, people and situations. It showed how small details can carry deep meaning and how learning can happen through curiosity and observation.

Overall, this session was very enriching and enjoyable. It helped me understand the story better and taught me life lessons in a gentle, practical way. I truly appreciated the effort put into making learning so interactive and thoughtful, and I would love to attend more such sessions in the future.

Aarinee Tripathi, Sunbeam School Mau

“Thank you for this feedback, Aarinee!”, Brinda Ghosh, coach and mentor at My Good School.

“It was quite refreshing being present at My Good School session this Sunday morning. Both the chapters from “My Family and Other Animals” & “What You’re Looking for in the Library” intrigued the listeners, and there were some fascinating responses from the audience. It was good to see both their excitement and the ability to reciprocate. More such Sundays awaited." Harshita Dalawat, host at My Good School.

Learning Empathy Through Animal Communication and Literature - Akanksha Rai

Today's session was meaningful and thought-provoking. The first part helped us understand how animals communicate through signs, body language, and expressions, allowing us to sense their feelings and emotions. We also learned that animals understand human behaviour and have souls like us, which taught us empathy and kindness towards them.

The second part included a Hindi reading from Ruskin Bond’s The Whistling Schoolboy. The opening lines showed how even our shadows share our sadness, making the story emotional and relatable. Overall, the session helped us become more sensitive, observant, and compassionate.

Akanksha Rai, 9C, Sunbeam School Ballia

Voices Beyond Words: Understanding Souls, Emotions, and Bonds Between Humans and Animals - Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

I think communicating with animals depends on how long you have spent time with them. As animals don't know our language and we don't know their language, they still do some particular actions to tell us about a particular thing. We understand each other's emotions and what we are trying to say.

An animal's soul is not different from our soul. Their souls don't allow them to speak like us, but they feel the same, even though they have more powerful senses. Every living being has feelings on Earth. Animals are one of the important parts of the ecosystem. We all live together with almost the same feelings and emotions, and live just like a society.

Khyati Madeshia, 9th E

Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Everything in the world that is natural has its own way to express emotions and feelings. Humans express through words and actions, and so do animals. They produce some sound or radiate some energy to another, or they perform certain acts to other mates. Personally, I've never had a good experience with animals, but I've heard my mother talk about them. When she was a kid, her grandmother used to have a cow and it had a baby calf. My mother, along with her siblings and cousins, used to play with the calf, and it also enjoyed as much as my mother did.

Deepanshi Maurya, 9th F

Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Souls are those feelings and energy existing in a living body which urge it to be free from the chakra of life. Souls may have different characters but have the same aims. Animals are one of us, created by God, but were not provided speech, which made a big difference between us humans and animals. These animals are innocent and want human support despite harassment and cruelty. Animals also have sympathy and empathy just as humans, but a lot of humans use them as a key to money. Some make them pets, and some pathetically enjoy harassing them. We humans are special; we should help them instead of using them.

Rishima Rastogi, 9th J

Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Everyone has a soul. Animals, birds, and human beings have feelings and emotions. People say a soul never dies; it only changes from one body to different living beings.

Animals have feelings and emotions. When we have a pet, it sometimes becomes attached to us. They start feeling safe and comfortable with us.

Amie SriRam, 9th B

Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Today's session was led by Manisha Mam, who told us about "The Whistling Schoolboy" by Rustin Bond.

How do animals communicate with humans?

Animals and humans connect or communicate with each other through bonds, for example: when we are coming from the office to home or from school, the dog starts jumping or running towards us because of a relationship built over one year.

The story of The Whistling Schoolboy was mysterious and suspenseful, and people think about who that boy was who was whistling and why.

Ezra Minsen Matthew, 7 G

Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Today's session with Manisha Mam was a blend of fun and learning. We read a story, The Inner Life of Animals, which changed my whole thinking about the soul. Everybody possesses a soul and feelings—humans, animals, and birds. Souls change from one body to another. Animals also have feelings; we should make them friends and make them our pets, care for them instead of embarrassing them.

Darshi Baranwal, 9 G

Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Today's session was special. It made me realise that everyone might have different perceptions of viewing the world, but after all, we are living beings who breathe the same air and share the Earth, and ironically, we will all meet the same end called death. Today, I got to know that the soul may not be defined, and interestingly, its perception may vary from one person to another, but the common ideology we share is that the soul is the very essence of life. It is not static and keeps moving from one body to another, whether a human being or any living entity, connecting the universe and rejuvenating the cycle of life.

To conclude, I argue that we should treat everyone with all the kindness we have because we never know how it will come back to us in some form and will make our and others' day happy too. Hence, humans and animals sustain life, and that is why we have an existing idea called the ecosystem.

Snigdha Singh, 9 H