Making PYP Happen - My reflections (Module 4)

 

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, trainings and workshops play a vital role in shaping our understanding, refining our practices, and ultimately enhancing the learning experiences we provide for our students. Attending this program on Primary Years Program – Making PYP Happen – Implementing agency, has been a transformative experience. As I reflect on the workshop, and the three key questions: How has agency been supported and nurtured? How is my understanding of PYP principles and practices evolving? And, most importantly, how can I apply this learning to my own teaching and learning journey?, I feel, I have so much to think and also experience a growth in my own understanding of the concepts of teaching.

Nurturing Agency Through Active Participation

One of the most impactful aspects of the workshop was how it fostered a sense of agency—not just in theory, but in practice. Agency, in the PYP context, is all about empowering students to take ownership of their learning. Throughout the workshop, I found myself actively engaged, not just as a passive recipient of information, but as a co-constructor of knowledge.

Our facilitator, Ms. Shaimaa Karara, encouraged us to voice our thoughts, engage in meaningful discussions, and collaborate with peers. This approach mirrored the very principles we aim to inculcate in our students—choice, voice, and reflection. By allowing us to explore topics of interest and engage in self-directed learning activities, the workshop itself became a model of how agency can be nurtured in the classroom. There was a lot of thinking and looking around my own classroom for reflection, practices and methods to determine what works best to enhance the student learning experience. It reminded me of the importance of creating learning environments where students feel empowered to take risks, ask questions, and drive their own learning journeys.

Evolving Understanding of PYP Principles and Practices 

As educators, we are always on a path of growth, and this workshop significantly deepened my understanding of the PYP's core principles and practices. The PYP framework is built on

inquiry-based learning, transdisciplinary themes, and a commitment to fostering international-mindedness. Through the workshop, these concepts moved from abstract ideas to actionable strategies.

One of the most enlightening aspects was the practical application of these principles. The

workshop provided concrete examples of how to implement inquiry-based learning in the

classroom, from crafting open-ended questions to designing interdisciplinary units that

encourage critical thinking. My perspective on teaching within the PYP framework has

expanded, and I now feel more equipped to create learning experiences that are not only

engaging but also deeply meaningful for my students.

Applying Workshop Insights to My Teaching and Learning

The real test of any professional development experience is how it translates into practice. As I reflect on the program, I see numerous ways to integrate the insights gained into my own teaching.First and foremost, I am inspired to give my students even more ownership of their learning. This means creating opportunities for student choice in projects, encouraging student-led inquiries, and involving students in setting and assessing their own learning goals. By fostering agency, I hope to cultivate a classroom environment where students are motivated, engaged, and confident in their ability to learn.

Furthermore, the opinions and suggestions that came from my cohorts expanded my knowledge about the practices that they follow in different parts of the world. The emphasis on inquiry- based learning has prompted me to rethink how I design my lessons. I plan to incorporate more open-ended questions that challenge students to think critically and explore multiple perspectives. By designing activities that require exploration and reflection, I can help my students develop the skills they need to become lifelong learners.

Finally, the workshop has reinforced the importance of reflective practice. I am committed to making reflection a regular part of my teaching routine—not just for my students, but for myself as well. By continually assessing my own practices and seeking ways to improve, I can ensure that I am providing the best possible learning experiences for my students.

Conclusion

This workshop has been a powerful reminder of the importance of agency, the value of deep

understanding, and the potential for applying learning in transformative ways. As I move

forward, I am excited to implement the strategies and insights gained from this experience. By nurturing agency, embracing inquiry-based learning, and committing to reflective practice, I hope to create a classroom environment where both my students and I can thrive.

The journey of learning and teaching is one of continuous evolution and I am grateful for the opportunities to grow along the way.

Making PYP Happen - Module 2 (My Reflections)

 As we move into the third week of our online training, my understanding of the practices and policies of PYP continues to grow. This module particularly lays emphasis on inquiry, student led agency and shifting the onus on to the learner. Some of the viewpoints shared by my cohorts were also insightful.

I particularly loved the ideas that my cohorts came up with using the dance and music routine to build on student agency and help them become responsible and reach their academic goals as well. What stood out for me was the fact that it challenges my prespective to shift from a traditional teacher-centered approach to one that is more collaborative, where students' ideas and interests shape the learning experiences. This approach not only enhances their critical thinking and problem-solving skills but also builds their confidence and independence, preparing them to be proactive learners and global citizens. However, it requires careful planning, flexibility, and ongoing communication to ensure that students are supported in making meaningful decisions and reflecting on their learning.

The other key takeaway from this module for me, is the value of collaboration—sharing experiences and challenges which allows for richer insights and the development of more effective practices. I also realise that implementing inquiry requires a balance between providing structure and allowing freedom, which can be challenging but ultimately leads to more meaningful learning experiences. The forum underscores the need for continuous reflection and adaptation, both in planning and in response to students' evolving needs and interests. This process empowers students to become active participants in their learning, fostering deeper understanding and the development of lifelong learning skills.

As we moved along to the next stage, I realised that I was totally naive about the use of the planner. Although we have been using it at school but the through this forum discussion, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of thoughtful planning in supporting student agency and inquiry-based learning. The discussions emphasised that the planner is more than just a document—it's a dynamic tool that guides the teaching and learning process, ensuring alignment with the PYP framework while allowing flexibility to adapt to students' needs and interests.

 The collaborative nature of the forum highlighted the value of sharing and reflecting on planning practices with colleagues, which enriches our understanding and leads to more effective and innovative approaches.

Moreover, the forum discussions reinforced the importance of regularly revisiting and revising the planner based on student feedback and emerging learning opportunities. This ongoing process ensures that the planner remains relevant and responsive, ultimately enhancing the learning experience and supporting the development of internationally minded students.

Shipra Jindal

Making PYP Happen - Module 2 - My Reflections

                                    Making PYP Happen - Module 2 - My Reflections

As we move ahead this amazing journey of learning, I realised that there is so much more to becoming a teacher - it needs a lot of patience, diligence, team work and perseverance.  A lot has happened on the work and personal front. As India, my beloved country, celebrated its 78th Independence Day, last week, it was a time for a lot of personal as well as professional reflections. The ongoing IB PYP training is moving smoothly, although, I did have to make certain changes to my schedule to be able to submit the modules on time. Here are some of my thoughts for the second module:

 - Transdisciplinary learning program

The first part of the second module was about transdisciplinary learning and I quite enjoyed doing it. Since being introduced in our school, the IB PYP program has laid significant importance in making and implementing transdisciplinary learning strategies. In my opinion, it starts beautifully with the teacher collaborations and aligning all the concepts to be taught in a particular theme. In the beginning it was a little difficult but over a period of time, it has become easier. The students were initially finding it difficult to understand and make connections but over a period of time, with practice, they are able to make connections across disciplines. It is wonderful to see the students collaborate with their peers, it underscores the importance of flexible, inquiry-based learning where students can explore, question, and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways, thus nurturing critical thinking, creativity, and international-mindedness.

- Concept Driven Curriculum Forum

This part of the training module was indeed a challenge for me. Developing the transdisciplinary theme, which key concepts to choose and how to build lesson plans around it can be a struggle for any beginner and one may feel totally at sea. However, engaging with this forum has deepened my understanding of how concepts like form, function, and systems can guide inquiries that are both broad and deep. It has also highlighted the importance of flexibility in teaching, where the focus is on the development of transferable thinking skills rather than just content delivery. This helps both the educators and the learners to think critically, ask questions and explore ideas in a way that is relevant to their lives and the world in which they live.

- Approaches to Learning Forum

Engaging in approaches to learning forum, I have learned to dwell deeper in the into how the skills like thinking, self management, communication, social engagement and research are the foundation stones of for the success of students. Reading through my cohort's opinions and viewpoints, I also understood, the various challenges that the educators' fraternity faces the world over. Shortage of time and lack of parental support at home are two aspects that stood out in almost every ladder diagram. Going through the discussions in the group, I also advanced my knowledge about how the various approached to learning help in fostering a life long love for learning, acquiring skills that will go with the students for the rest of their lives and help them navigate through the various challenges, with confidence and resilience.

As I was writing this blog and looking at the last week of learning on this forum, I smiled with the knowledge that I moved a step closer at understanding my profession and the commitment towards it.

Making PYP Happen - My reflection

 Reflections on my first week of IB PYP training:

Being an Assistant teacher for the last 5 years, across different grades, gave me a lot of understanding of how the young minds work and how they evolve over a period of time. This academic year, I became a  home room educator for grade 3 in a school in India. Our school moved from the traditional curriculums to IB PYP curriculum in 2021. 

A lot of our learning happened on the job as the new methods of teaching and learning were implemented. All of us had to learn a lot of new things and unlearn a lot of old ideas and methods. There is a saying that "Change is the only constant thing in life" and for a lot of us, the change was both, a welcome one for some and unwelcoming for some others. It gave a fresh opportunities to learn and grow in the present day world where things move fast, and of course learning among the young one is faster while some were still critical about the change and skeptical if it would work. 

The first week of my online IB PYP training has been and eye opener. I realised that there is so much more to learn than what I had imagined. It made me think and realise that there so much more to learning and upgrading my skills as a teacher. 

Here are some of my insights about the Module 1 of the training program:

Developing Global Citizens Through the IB Learner Forum:

The focus on IB learner profiles as means of developing global citizens was indeed enlightening. Each attribute  of the learner profile is thought evoking and takes me back to the classroom where I keep reflecting on how my day was and how I tried to integrate each of the attributes through classroom activities and discussions, where students sometimes struggle to express their ideas and thoughts and sometimes, it comes out in creative aspects. I aim at integrating my new learning in the classroom to help students become more confident and think out of the box.

Embedding International Mindedness:

One of the important cornerstones of IB learning is creating a generation of young people who appreciate other people for who they are - their culture, religion, country of origin and come up with collective solutions to universal problems. As the world around us becomes more complex, understanding our histories and awareness of people from other parts of the world becomes extremely important. In the next decade, these learners will inherit the world we all live in. Therefore, it is important that they learn well to collaborate, understand and learn to make connections to make a better future. From this training, I was able to come with so many different ideas that could be implemented in our schools and collaborations among schools from other countries will be so much more helpful.

The Role of Language:

As an educator in school where 4 different languages are taught and language support is given to students from other countries/ cultures (Special ESL/ Hindi), this part was really exciting for me. It was interesting to read about all my cohorts opinions and learn about some of the practices that are followed in their schools. Languages are more than just for communication. They give us an identity and help us understand other people, cultures and appreciate their perspectives. As a person who studied all her life in India and grew up learning 4 languages (English, Hindi, Punjabi and understandable Spanish), I could relate to so many contexts. The appreciation for languages can open so many doors of an inclusive mindset and opportunities.

This week of learning on this forum as been quite exciting and I am looking forward to add to my existing understanding of the profession that I chose 6 years ago. The insights that I have gained here are have deepened my curiosity and inspired me to think more about implementing good practices among my students. 

Shipra Jindal

 

Everything comes with an expiry date.

Someone once said that there is always a first time in life and some firsts. You first day at school, your first best friend, your first kiss, your first date, your first fight with your mates, your first trip abroad. These are some of the things that make up your memories, memories that last you a life time, moments that rekindle hope in your life, times that you feel alive when the whole world backs out on you.
There are also times when you find it hard to let go of these memories, even if they impede your way to move on. No matter how precious things are, after a certain point you have to let go of them. People will either leave you and move on into their own lives or you would have to leave them. Other materialistic things will also come of age, maybe you will feel the same way about them, maybe not. Some things will break with time, while you would want to break some other things. You might just start to feel differently about people, things and emotions.
Every relation in this world is time bound, with people, with things and even with your own thought process.
Its always a matter of choice about what you want to keep with you and what you have to let go of. Because things and people that you care the most about are the hardest to let go of, Especially if they are deeply embedded in your mind as memories. The ones that you want to let go of are both the best and the worst times that you have had. After a while they both become too much of a pain to keep inside your head. The good ones because we know that they might not come back again, the bad ones, because they make you weak in your knees and you want to go back in time and undo every trace of it.
We do live in the present and work for our future, but its the our memories that make us the people that we are. Other people might call it "Experience".

goodbye part 2

So in my previous blog I wrote how painful the word "goodbye" is for me. This one is just a little reminder to myself that no matter how much you hate things, you cant really hide from them.

In the last 2 months, i said goodbye to Aru (my adopted baby sister) who left for college to a bigger, messier and complicated city, Anupma (my pool mate) who also flew into the big apple of India to pursue her ambition of flying high as a air-hostess, Anu (my car pool pal)who also quit her working career to pursue something more worhtwhile in terms of a career, to Sherry (my other adopted sibling) who just moved half way across the globe to pursue his life, his music, to Sam (my ex-boss and a good friend) who moved on a new posting to Europe.

It was tough to co-op with so many people departing and in a span of a short time, 2 months precicely but with time again, you have a connection, you can choose to run with it but not hold it.
One new thing that I read recently and agreed with is - every relationship hasits own time limit. I guess my permitted time with all these people is over, or at least will never be the same again but like I said in my earlier page, there is little that you can do but say a prayer in your heart for you loved ones, wish them love and luck and move on in search of a new realm in life.

Music makes me happy.

There have been many things that I have read in all these years of my life, a few things I remember and a lot I choose to forget. Some I wish I could retain in the think tank called mind and still a lot more I wish I could adopt as a way of life. Today I decided to look back on things that I actually tried to adapt in my life and their final outcome (and finally one of those blogs which is actually about ME!!!!!)


1. Always speak the truth - I tried and I tried very hard, but always got into trouble for it. Got a good beating from mum when I spoke the truth about spiling ink on her favourite outfit, a miserable cold shoulder from dad when I told him that I was the reason for that broken tail light of his car and a room with two different beds when I admitted that I ruined my sister's project report for school. After being chased by my neighbour's dog for admitting that I stole the mangoes from her orchard, I decided...... what the heck....... and now I'm being me and I hope I'm doing it just fine.


2. Travel to one new place every year - This was one thing that Dalai Lama said and I so much wanted to adopt it. Of course I insisted my dad to follow it the most and he took it pretty well. So instead of taking me to a new place every year, he took me to a new place every month. of course these new places were well within the reaches of the city and they included a trip to the oldest sabzi mandi in town, the next month was a new place called the city "junk yard" and trust me a visit to these new places was not even half as exciting as I thought it would be.


3. Dont be reckless with other people's hearts and dont put up with people who are reckless with yours - I have a long story to say about this but to cut it short, you have no choice when the class romeo hits on you pretty badly or for that matter when you and your best friend land up having a serious kinda crush on the same guy. Phew...... there goes another philosophical bit in the bin.


4. Say " Please" and " Thank you" a lot - Man this one surely got me the title of being so " uncool" along with tons of suggestions to just "chill out". Trust me, in most cases, it was so not worth it.

I may have a hundred other odd experiences to write about my life but I think on a public forum life this, cant let it be a source of entertainment for others.

The moral of the story is what Baz Luhrman describes the best - " sometimes you are ahead, sometimes you are behind........ the race is long, and in the end, its only with your ownself."

Until the next blog...... ciao.

Goodbye..............

Au revoir in French, Auf Wiedersehen in German, Joi wooi in Cantonese, Addio in Italian.

If there is one word I hate to use, it is "Goodbye". To me it symbolises the end of an era, the time that you have actually spent with someone, an end to the memories that symbolise the time that you shared with a person.

They say "Sorry" is the hardest thing to say, but I am of the opinion that "Goodbye" is the hardest word to say. It attaches a lot of emotions to it. If you have ever see teary-eyed people at the airports, railway stations and highways, you will understand the gravity of the word "Goodbye".

Even though you wish love, luck and best wishes to your loved ones and wish they succeed at every step in life, a part of you still wants this moment to freeze and maybe even go back.

Goodbye to me means a whole bundle of emotions in the heart and tears in my eyes and a mental movie of old times flashing before my eyes, an unknown fear of a void that will be created which may or may not be filled in someone's absence and even if it does, it will take a very long time. A feeling of insecurity and lonliness, a feeling of leaving someone you depend on for whatever reason.

The only time I made a complete fool of myself at a public place was when my friend was leaving for her hometown after finishing college, it was just too painful for me to see her leave. For the first time and perhaps the last time..... I cried in public.

Goodbye to me seems like a chapter of life has come to an end, and in some cases the begining of a new one because when you say goodbye to someone, its for the new begining of a new phase, a new career or a new life for either you or them. And like most things in life, its a never ending story.

People come and people go, you want some people to stay in your life and you hope for some others to walk out, but you or me do not control the reins of time, rather its the time that determines when, how and to whom you say "goodbye".

Baby's day out.

One of the most exciting thing that keeps me glued to my job is that there is always something new happening in the office. New Year raffles, Christmas parties, Diwali Pooja in the Indian style, Hamukkah, the Chinese New Year, charity programs, the French Bastille day and each month has its own exclusive agenda to look forward to.

Another initiative taken by the top bosses was the "Bring your children to work" day since most collegues have children and there schools had closed for summer break. The idea was to inculcate a sense of respect and belongingness among the children and also to let the parents spend some more "quality time" with the parents. Good intention but bad out come.

Here is how it all started......... my workplace has a majority of women staff (much to the envy of men) and mostly married working mothers with children aging from 3 month old babies to 17 year old teenagers. The youngest ones did not stop howling in an attempt to adjust with the new envoironment that they were thrown into, the kindergarten students were busy trying to prove the fact that their mothers were the most loving mothers or that their dads were stronger than Spiderman. The 10 year olds were looked as they had just landed from the outer planet and had endless questions begining and ending with "what, when, why and how".

And then there were the most curious of them all - the 13-15 year olds who could neither be classified as kids because they were'nt and neither were they the big enough to talk global warming and new playstation about. This lot somehow came well prepared with a whole bag ful of Nancy Drews and Hardy Boys and Enid Blytons, since there was no escape.

Finally there were three 17 year olds who had that confident look of being "almost there", the most annoyed of the lot. They spoke of new things and new issues and in each sentence tried to convince me that they knew a lot more on every topic including a software that I had been using since long. They seemed to be in a hurry to grow up and were facsinated by every object around that had anything to do remotely related to physics and it made some kind of a noise, which includes the paper shredder.

Eight and a half hours later with a day full of babies screaming, children pulling my stole to grab my attnetion and losing all my stationary to the little "angels", when every parent leaves with the apple of their eyes, some single and young people liek me are left behind and forced to volunteer to clean up, clean up all the baby food that the little monsters threw up when the mothers were forcing it into their mouths somewhere in the middle of trying to finish an assessment report, clean up the crayon and colour stains that the budding painters and artists left behind on the carpets and walls. Arrange all the books and maps on the shelves, throw away all the paper craft works which the 10-13 year old army had left behind in their quest to know and learn more and try to arrange all the furniture which was ransacked by the still older generation. The elder ones in order to prove their extensive and newly acquired knowledge about MS and the world on their fingertips with the internet had left 2 systems with viruses downloaded straight from the internet and 3 broken mouses, I was forced to change my perception about "quality time".

The most happening place

Whats your ideal idea for a perfect weekend? Are you a regular visitor to the dance clubs and discoes in your city?????? May be you go there to take your girlfriend out in style, maybe thats just your idea for having fun or do you like to enjoy the look on the faces of otherwise decent and cultured faces of the society going nuts on the dance floor after a couple of drinks and some rocking music or are you just a big fan of dancing and the groovy beats.

Whatever the reason be, whatever your idea be to spend your night out in a crowded, dark and smogy atmosphere, most people certainly miss out on the real action in these so called happening places. Any guesses where the most "happening" corner of these colourful nights is....... the washrooms. Trust me when I say that.

Like most young people my age who look for fun things to do after work hours and to spend time with friends, I went to this place called "Bottles & Chimmney" in the sub-urban area of Hyderabad. The ambience was good, drinks were free for women ( and we made the most of it), the crowd was grooving and the music was just right, the DJ was awesome and the bouncers alert (they looked like grumpy men who were denied their share of booze for the day).

Anyway, so after a couple of drinks we set out the dance floor to remind ourselves of the college acts that we learnt and did so well, and the drinks were going along too.
Suddenly my friend decided that she is not in a position to handle her drinks and rushed to the washroom. For the sake of courtesy, I decided to accompany my friend (who was now rather drunk and could not even walk properly).

While she was busy throwing up in the washroom and I'm was cursing the moment when I decided to miss out on all the fun and accompany her. One rather skimplily clad girl walks in, bangs her head against the mirror and starts to cry. The hidden angel inside me wakes up and I decided to comfort her. When I asked her the reason for her sudden outburst, she said her boyfriend (now ex I'm sure) was eyeing other girls and she was upset about it.
I simply gave a piece of advise that he is so not worth it and then she walked out. The last I saw of her was she sitting right next to the bar .
I had barely taken a sigh of relief when another heavily drunk woman walks in and starts howling, her reason was that her ex-boyfriend (who she had walked out on) was out there dancing with another girl. (WOW!!! so much to my amazement).
I had not even finished up with her when a couple of girls walk in and start to strip...... excuse me.... was my first reaction. Oh, one of them said, these girls had bunked school and were now changing back to their school uniforms to be able to go back home.

Even though I took my own moment to digest what was going on around me, I decided that I've had enough of a pleasent evening at this "Happening" place and it was time for me to drive back home my friend who was really out of her wits by now and others who were tired after exhibiting their dancing skills.

But yeah the moral of the story is that if you are the kind of a person who wants to know more about other people, you know where to head for.

Crazy is the word.

What is that one thing that Jayalalita, Paris Hilton, Sarah Jessica Parker,Celina Jaitely, Dia Mirza, Aishwarya Rai and my next door neighbour have in common........... they are all crazy about one thing........ SHOES.

What is it about the strange passion that makes each one of them (and a hundred million other women) go to a shoe store and spend the last penny in their wallets for a new pair of shoes.

Stilletoes, boots, slip-ons, keds, slippers, flip-flops, sandles, cow-boy cuts and a few hundred other designs and colours ranging from the basic black to unimaginable purples, blues, reds and even bright yellows, women want it all. This one for work, the other one for a camping trip, this one for a party at the boss's, that one for a girls day out, the reasons for buying shoes are countless and as ridiculous as " oh I just saw them, liked them and bought them."

The other day I heard a woman sitting with her girl-friends in an upmarket restaurant planning her 25th birthday party and asking her friends to buy her a pair of high heels, the new Vercace designs and so on and so forth for each one of them, since her husband was now sick of her buying them on her own. I found this too much to digest for my sensibilites.

Strangely enough, it appears to me that the "infection" for buying shoes among women has assumed mounting proportions since I often hear my carpenter that he is extremely busy these days desining glass cabinets for shoes and that orders are pouring in from women all across the city.

I was taken aback when I went to use the rest-room in a friend's place only to discover shoe shower curtains, a shoe coaster, a shoe shaped dustbin and catalogues only for shoes. My friend took the last breath out of me when she showed me her newly acquired much talked about possession.............. a shoe shaped, diamond studded necklace.

The only thing that keeps me going on.....

Dreams may come and dreams go, but what should not go is the heart that dares to dream.

My morning starts with a vision to do something meaningful in life.... and as the day passses by, the aspirations dwindle away, the dreams are shattered by the stones of reality, the illusions fad away into the oblivion and I tell the plans to go take a hike.
Every time I cry about something, I promise myself that this is the last time I'm letting anyone hurt me badly and the last time that I am letting a situation get out of control......... but history repeats itself. I often face a conflict between my heart and mind where the two think in opposite directions, each one presenting their own case with full explanations in the courtroom of my soul. My sensibilities go numb and education jumps out of the window. I doubt my judgement about issues and people in general.

These are just the "black days" when people tell me that I probably woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

On one such "black day", I hope the sun would smile out from somewhere in between the clouds and tell me that everything has been taken care of, people are not mad at me for some reason or the other and every piece of the jig-saw puzzle has fallen into place accurately.

I guess there is only one word that describes the feeling and we all live it....... Hope.

The skin show.

Long ago I heard this song on radio "we had joys, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun........."
and like most people, I could identify so much with the lyrics. It took it me on a train of memories of my wonderful childhood.

One of the few things I always remember about my childhood is wounds. They were always there... on my knees, elbows, wrists, legs, basically everywhere. Somehow I always found it amusing that I could walk safer and run faster when I had an injured knee and wrote my exams quicker with a bruised elbow.

As time went by, I remember the wounds becoming smaller and skinned knees becoming a history. By the time I reached grade 10, all i can remember was appearing for my matric exams without any kind of injury. I had given up playing basketball and riding my bike to school for the sake of my academics. For some time it felt alien to not have a persistent pain in one body part or the other. I missed running to the nearest medical store for the "band-aids" that cme in all colours and sizes and with all kind of cartoon charecters prinited on them.

With time, all of this became a memory that was conveniently staked up in the attic of my memories. It all decided to come flashing back to me when one fine day I actually managed to trip on an uneven surface and skinned my knee (of all the things!!!!!). Suddenly, it seemed that there was a sharp blade like thing that just cut my knee and blood was oozing out. It was no the pain but I was surprised at my ownself for the way I reacted on seeing those drops of blood tripping down my leg. I was hysterical, I actually tried to control my tears and instead of going for a simple "band-aid", I decided to rush to the doctor. And if that was not all, I opted for a tetanus shot (which I hated as a 9 year old) and got a complete dressing of my wound done.

It only took me a few painkillers to get proper sleep during the night.

I was surpirsed at the change in my own perceptions with time and age. What I took in my stride as a kid was not a scary experience for me. What I thought was a part of my routine in good old days now looked like a tragic paiful and an embarrasing thing to have happened to me.

Do wirte in a line if you think you agree with me.

Thank you Ms.Shetty

A true story from a friend in London.

Unbelievable –but true.I was travelling by the train on a travel card & when I reached the destination station,at the exit barriers I had 2 tap my travel card.So I tap it,but it says ‘no entry’.So I go 2 the security guy standing there,who looks at my card & says ‘Ma’am you havea pre paid travel card which is not valid for travel on this over ground train..you have to pay a 20£ fine’’.So I’m like ‘I didn’t know the card is pre paid it doesn’t say so anywhere on the card and I didn’t know its not valid on this train.’ And I’m cursing myself for not checking if its pre paid and I’m like ..now what do I do.and of course I’m quickly calculating & converting comes to rs.1740..ready to beg …plead …So the guy points to this other man –his senior and says ‘Talk to him about it’’.The other man comes & is like ‘You’ll have to pay the fine ma’am’’ I am almost teary eyed & say ‘I am sorry..I ddin’t know & I don’t even live here,I’m a visitor’ So hes like ‘Where you from?’

So I reply ...’I’m from India’ .And then his face lights up and he looks at the other guy and say ‘hey what was her name sh…..’ and other guy replies ‘Shilpa Shetty’!So the boss guy is like ‘You from Shilpa Shetty’s country!!’ And I’m thinking -well is that a good thing or a bad thing..He takes out his key,opens the barrier and says ‘Go Go…Be careful next time!’I was so surprised almost shocked …thanked him a dozen times and smiled my bestest smile..almost hugged him…lol !Ya so Thanks to Shilpa Shetty I saved 20£!!!By the way :
1)I honestly had no clue it’s a pre paid travel card not valid on that ‘over ground’ train, but only used on ‘underground train’
2) both these guys were Africans
3) I kept smiling for the rest of the day

Monday..... am i scared of it???

Its a monday morning and as usual I have to force myself out of bed. The tmeperature outside is 4 degrees and I have a lot of pending from friday on my desk...... sometimes I wonder whats it going to take to have a new boss......... also the passing thought of picking up some urgent medecines while coming back home comes in and while i'm in the middle of all this, the snooze on my cell phone rings again and I realize that if i dont get out of bed NOW, i'll be a dead duck.

I some how manage to reach office on time only to realize that people left, right and center have the same grumpy look, "the monday blues". Nobody speaks a word for one hour before they get the hang of the begining of another "working week" with nothing more to look forward to but monotonous meetings and files.
More work, more arguments and to make things worse, all of a sudden there is flash on the computer screen and BOOM..... the systems fail. Those of us in the middle of actually getting some work done have a look of sheer frustration on our faces and worried if it would "auto-save" itself or not, while others have a satisfied smile in anticipation of a longer, forced coffee break.

Another two hours pass by and after a lot of phone calls, "change of strategy" meetings and countless discussions over the daily work, we manage to get our systems up and running, but its half the day gone. By now all of us are comfortable with "monday" and the fce of things to look forward to this week. Most of us are praying silently for this week to pass by without any major issues, problems and mindless meetings with our bosses and looking forward to dear "friday".

Strangely enough, no matter which age group you belong to, you always look forward to the weekend for your own personal motive. For some its a holiday to look forward to, for some its escape from school bullies, others look at it as an opportuniyt to spend time with family.
Whatever you personal reason maybe, have a happy work week and look forward to the next weekend.