May 21, 2017

Hari Om, Parents

We had the last class of instruction last Sunday, but we are not done yet for the year - CORD Color Run and Samskriti are coming up! We missed a couple of kids at the last class, and hope you all can make it to the two events!

Jun 4th 2017 9am - CORD Color Run is at River Road Park, Bedminster, NJ. Please register, and have fun, while supporting a great cause:

More details at: http://www.bbnjbalavihar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=108

Jun 11th 2017 - Samskriti: As already mentioned, we will be doing 2 things that day - Audience engagement at Samskriti and also hosting 'Wheel of Dharmam' at the Fun Fair after Samskriti

We will have questions ready for them, and also instructions. Our ask is to be present 30 minutes early to go through instructions, that is by 9am. We will communicate if different. Please have the kids dressed in Indian Festive clothes.

We hope to have all the kids present at Samskriti. In case, they are not able to, please let us know ASAP, so we can plan accordingly. thanks!

Please sign up for Potluck for these events:

June 4th CORD Walkathon food sign up:  2017 CORD Walkathon Potluck

June 11th Samskriti sign up link: 2017 Samskriti Potluck

Now to the class summary...

You will agree that teaching/learning is a '2 Way Street'. In the last class, we were sitting down to hear the kids presentation on what they learnt this year - Kudos to the kids who prepared '10 (one child did more than 10) things that they learnt from the classes. It was interesting to see how different lessons/topics appealed to different kids, their way of presenting what they learnt. We can clearly see how kids 'dug in' deep into their memory, and talked about things that touched them. And this touched us !

We also went through an exercise of what they liked about the class, and what they did not like. Some of the likes:

• Learning about their country of origin and different aspects - Science, sports,Geography
• Doing Yoga and more importantly the theory of yoga, thanks to Mythri Aunty
• Classes inspired one kid to take up Tanjore Painting classes, and others to know what kind of paintings do they have at home
• Slide Shows on various topics
• Dressing up as Indian Leaders, and learning about them in the process
• Mini Painting exhibition
• Dancing
• Mini Music Festival
• Learning to play Kabaddi, Kho-Kho

Not surprisingly, 'Waking up early on a Sunday morning' is not something that our class kids like. So that's something we all need to work on, to make Balavihar classes even more pleasant. 

We did a polling exercise on 'To me, India is....' in September 2016 and repeated it in May 2017. Please see below for a screenshot of the comparison and how the opinions have changed over the course of the academic year.

We chanted Gita Dhyana Slokam and Tapovana Shatkam for one last time. We concluded the class after some Munchkin treat,  a class picture (attached), and a graduation ceremony with certificate, gratitude journal etc., You will remember that at the beginning classes, we talked about the importance of an 'attitude of gratitude', and this journal is to help the kids started with 'gratitude' journal entries. 

We, indeed, are very grateful for a wonderful set of smart, and fun kids, and an active, engaged and supportive parents! We had a great time, teaching and learning !

Wishing the kids and you all the very best!

May 7, 2017

Hari Om, Parents

Good news - Jun 11th - Samskriti - We are now able to secure presence in the Samskriti day program. Our class will be performing a crucial and fun 'audience engagement' activity - in the form of quizzing the audience in between other class presentations.

The same day after Samskriti, as we had indicated earlier, as a part of 'Fun Fair', we will be hosting a 'Spin-the-wheel' India Quiz. 

There won't be any assembly presentation or Class picnic on May 21st. We will have our last class of instruction that day on an altered schedule. Class begins at 9.30am. Please stay tuned for BBNJ broadcast email for details.

May 14th - Class - India Inc, IT, Global Indians,  Indian Scientific Facts

May 21st - Journey of Life, Sat Darshan, Philosophies,

Jun 4th - CORD COLOR WALK/RUN (Details to follow)

Jun 11th - Samskriti (in Bridgewater High School during Balavihar hours, followed by Fun Fair and Potluck Lunch)

Perfect Attendance! is what we had today  - great to see all the kids. Hope we can keep up the perfect attendance for the rest of this academic year.

After reviewing lessons from the past few classes for the benefit of those who missed, we continued our quest into India by going through a slide deck presentation. We learnt how India stands united amidst diverse cultures and languages. Indian Spices - what, and why? Indian Food - Varieties, Betel leaves, & Betel nuts, how what we eat determine our Gunas - Rajasic, Saatvic or Tamasic, importance of Ayurveda, Diversity as seen in clothing, how temples are 'speed-breakers' in life, temple architecture with Shikara, Garbagriha, Kalash, Mandapa etc., famous temples of India - Konark Sun, Puri Jagannath, Thanjavur Brihadheeswara, Lepakshi, Madurai Meenakshi, Chidambaram Nataraja, Rameswaram, Golden Temple, Bahai, etc.,

Kids should be able to identify and name Indian Spices, determine if a food is Rajasic, Tamasic, or Saatvic, find out which part of India somebody is from, looking at traditional clothing, identify and name famous temples.

Please note:

Kids have agreed to prepare and present '10 things' that they learnt this year on May 21st. Please remind them. Thank you!

April 30, 2017

Hari Om, Parents

Just three more classes of lessons for this academic year!! Please mark your calendar for the following:

May 7th - Class - Language, Seasons, Spices, Health, Food, Clothing, Temples, Journey of Life, Sat Darshan, Philosophies,

May 14th - Class - India Inc, IT, Global Indians,  Indian Scientific Facts

May 21st - Assembly Presentation, Class Picnic

Jun 4th - CORD COLOR WALK/RUN (Details to follow)

Jun 11th - Samskriti (in Bridgewater High School during Balavihar hours, followed by Fun Fair and Lunch)

In the Yoga segment, we learnt and practiced Surya Namaskar, and several other Asanas from our resident Yoga Guru, Mythri Aunty. Earlier, we reviewed lessons from earlier classes, and also learnt about the geography of India - Mountain ranges, rivers, how Himalayas was formed, why Indian Sub-Continent, why Indian Ocean.

Tapovana Satkam:

We also learnt the next verse and chanted the first 3 verses of Tapovana Satkam 

Mantuuna shakyo manasa kadaacid | Vaktum na kenaapi tathaa na vaacaa Boddhum ca buddhyaapi tathaa na sakyo | Buddhyaadi-saaksi khalu kevaloyah Sarvendriyaatita-pada –sthitopi | Sarvendriya-prerayitaa paro yah Sri-soumya-kaasisa-mahesvaraaya | Tasmai namah Svaami-Tapovanaaya

Salutations to Swami Tapovanam, who is Maheshwara-the Lord of Soumyakasi, who can never be thought of by the mind; neither can he be described in words by anyone, nor can he be known by the intellect, being the witness of the intellect etc. He, even though rooted in the state beyond all senses, is the supreme Propeller of all of them.

Please let us know if you are interested in a Class Picnic on May 21st, by 5 May 2017, by email or Whatsapp.

See you all on May 7th,

April 23, 2017

Here's your homework for this week :) - Ask your kids to identify the painting style of Traditional Indian Paintings that you have around your home, your families/friends' homes. It should not be another 'Indian Painting' rather 'Tanjore' or 'Madhubani or Mithila' or 'Kerala Mural' or 'Rajasthani' or 'Patachithra' or 'Mysore' or 'Mughal' or 'Warli' Painting according to them. At least, that's what they have been asked to do this week's class.

As you would have seen in 'What'sapp', we had a mini exhibition of Indian Paintings in the class, and a slide deck discussing the salient features of each of the Indian Traditional painting styles. 

Earlier in the class, we had the privilege of learning about the 'what', 'how' and 'why' of Yoga, from our own resident Yoga teacher, Mrs Mythri Menon. 

Reminders:

May 21, 2017: Mark your calendar for our class presentation at the assembly, in class activity, followed by class picnic. This was originally scheduled for June 4, and had to moved up due to CORD Color Run now scheduled for June 4th

Please let us know if you are interested in a class picnic. This can be in a nearby park. We would also need a couple of class parents to coordinate the picnic.

June 4, 2017: CORD Color Run

June 11, 2017: Samskriti (for grades upto 4th) and Fun Fair by Grades 5th and above. Followed by lunch (Pot luck)

Apr 30, 2017: Topic for the class is 'Geography, Language, Seasons, Spices, Health, Food, Clothing'. Please pass this information to the kids so they can read the relevant pages. 

Thank you, and see you all on Apr 30th.

April 2, 2017

Hari Om, Parents

Here's a chance to go down memory lane, and recollect your fond memories of your favorite sports persons, favorite sports moments ! Today we learnt about top sports persons that India produced ! Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Vijay Amritraj, Leander Paes, Milkha Singh, PT Usha, P V Sindhu! and also World Cup Cricket Wins, Tennis, including Davis cup, brief history of Cricket, Olympic medals !! 

Please take this opportunity to introduce and spend time watching your favorite childhood sports with your kids! Hope the kids will be able to recognize these sports stars from pictures, achievements, records, now that we went through a slide deck on Sports Persons!

Our next class is on Apr 23rd, when we will discuss Indian Painting, Yoga, Journey of Life, Sat Darshan, Philosophies. Please encourage the kids to read the relevant chapters from the book.

We also started learning 'Sri Tapovana Satkam'.

Vyaaptam jagadyena cidaatma bhaavad | Rajjvaa yathaahirhi caraacaram yat Sannyasya sarvam ca sadaatma bhaave | Swayam samastam ca babhuva yastu Nihsanga-nirmukti-padam prapadya | Brahmaatama-bhavena viraajitoyah Sri-soumya-kaasisa-mahesvaraaya | Tasmai namah Svaami-Tapovanaaya

Salutations to Swami Tapovanam, who is Maheswara- the Lord of Soumaykasi, by whom the entire movable and immovable world is pervaded in the form of Consciousness, just as the mis-apprehended rope pervades the snake. He, having renounced i.e. dissolved everything in his True Being, again manifests himself as all (names and forms).Abiding in the state of total detachment and liberation, He is shining as the Self-identical with Brahman.

Reminders:

1. Seva Project is on Apr 16th at Vrindavan Ashram. We will be helping clean up parts of Ashram building. More details will be shared as and when available.

2. Gita Yajna on Apr 22nd at Bridgewater High School. Hope you all are registered to participate.

3. Please remind the kids to email us and deposit to the Question bank

4. Please encourage kids to send us take aways, and their '5 shares' about any of the topics for the upcoming class

5. Also encourage them to continue with their gratitude journal

6. Spring break is also a good time to watch Indian movies - we talked about Gandhi, or freedom struggle based movies, to learn to play Cricket. hockey, etc.,

7. Competing to see who sings Indian national Anthem well in the family makes for a fun exercise, and helps them remember the Anthem

March 5, 2017

Hari Om! 

Come Rain, Come Snow, Come gusty winds, Nothing can prevent the Dharmam Class Parents and the kids to miss a Balavihar class! So fortunate to have such dedicated parents and kids in our class! Thanks for making it happen!

Today we completed learning Geeta Dhyana Slokam, and also chanted upto Gita Chapter 17 Verse 17. We ask them whether we need to slow down, and repeat after. But they just keep going. Shows their enthusiasm and interest! Please ask them to chant/memorize at home, and encourage them to register for the Gita Yajna on Apr 22nd.

Gita Dhyana Slokam:

Mookam karoti vaachaalam pangum langhayate girim; 
Yatkripaa tamaham vande paramaanandamaadhavam.

8. I salute that Madhava, the source of supreme bliss, whose Grace makes the dumb eloquent and the cripple cross mountains!

Yam brahmaa varunendrarudramarutah stunwanti divyaih stavaih, 
    Vedaih saangapadakramopanishadair gaayanti yam saamagaah, 
Dhyaanaavasthitatadgatena manasaa pashyanti yam yogino, 
    Yasyaantam na viduh suraasuraganaa devaaya tasmai namah.

9. Salutations to that God whom Brahma, Indra, Varuna, Rudra and the Maruts praise with divine hymns, of whom the Sama-chanters sing by the Vedas and their Angas (in the Pada and Krama methods), and by the Upanishads; whom the Yogis see with their minds absorbed in Him through meditation, and whose ends the hosts of Devas and Asuras know not!

After the chanting, we focused on the 6 Management principles, lessons from India, including from Indian Scripts, how the Indian Management emphasized that we all have the infinite potential to do anything, and answered questions on 'Why work', 'What is Work', 'How to work', and learnt the 'Spirit of work', and the resources. We also learnt to differentiate between the general management and Indian Management ways, how communication is key to management and most importantly, leadership, and how Hanumanji is considered one of the best communicators, Goals of life, Varnashrama, Swadharma, Motivation etc., We also did a quiz between boys and girls team, and added to a running tally.

Talking about quiz, we are now embarking on another learning tool - creating a question bank on India - learnt and to be learnt. This document is shared with all the students whose emails are already with us. Please encourage your kids to email us from their emails so that we can share the document with them. The goal is to get them to learn, share, and encourage others to learn. 

Family Social/Guru Paduka Pooja: Friday Mar 17th 2017
As we mentioned in our phone calls/texts/emails to you, we will have a Family Social/Guru Paduka Pooja on Friday Mar 17th 2017. For those who are yet to RSVP, the host needs a final headcount by Monday Mar 6, 2017. You can email/Whatsapp/text us.

Field Trip - Sunday March 19th 2017
Our field trip is now moved to 19th March 2017. As mentioned earlier, this trip is to 'Chinmaya Madhvan'. It is at 905 Big Oak Road, Yardley, PA 19067 

For more details about the Ashram, please check out:
http://www.chinmayamadhuvan.org/index.php

Please plan to be there by about 9.30am. We will have combined classes with Chinmaya Madhuvan Balavihar, and will also have some fun activities. Lunch will be served. More details to follow.

Mar 12th Class: Poets. Please read up the relevant chapters, and come prepared to talk about it.

Jun 4th Class: As mentioned before, please mark your calendar to stay the whole class- Assembly, in-class, and a class picnic. More details later.

Take Aways: Always love to receive '5 take aways' from the kids.

February 28, 2017

Hari Om