“Music can heal the wounds that medicine cannot touch.” –Debasish MrihdaA workshop on ‘Resilience Building with music’ was conducted by Dr. Farah Hussain and Ms. Aarti Sharma on 7th March, 2023. The speakers explained the clinical use of music to accomplish individualised goals such as reducing stress, improving mood and self-expression. The session started with a welcome song followed by a discussion on resilience. The speakers discussed and gave a hands-on example on how we can use music to enhance focus. The speakers also conducted a meditation session using music after which the teachers were asked to reflect on people/things they are grateful for and the art of letting go. The session was musical, engaging and touched upon mental health issues in a very subtle manner.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” — Maya Angelou, American poet, and civil rights activist

A workshop on ‘Teacher’s role in International Admission Application’ was conducted by Mr. Vinu Warrier on 1st March, 2023 in the Seminar Room. The speaker highlighted the effective role of a teacher in guiding the students for International admissions. He enlightened the teachers about the various steps one should take if they are planning to study abroad. He said that the students should first shortlist the universities he/she is aiming for. This should be followed by building a portfolio, preparing for SAT/TOEFL/IELTS etc, knowing the requirements, assembling and submitting your applications. The major area of focus for teachers was the do’s and don’ts associated with the Letter of Recommendation. The session was extremely informative and helpful for teachers teaching IX- XII.

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” ― Leonard Cohen

A workshop on ‘Mental Health Issues in Children’ was conducted by Dr. Sameer Malhotra on 2nd March, 2023 in the Audio Visual Hall. Identifying mental disorders in children can be tricky for facilitators. Children differ from adults in that they experience many physical, mental, and emotional changes as they progress through their natural growth and development. They also are in the process of learning how to cope with, adapt, and relate to others and the world around them. The speaker highlighted the most commonly found Mental Health Conditions amongst children and adolescents like anxiety disorders, ADHD, eating disorders, schizophrenia etc. He also talked about the symptoms of mental illness amongst children and explained the major cause of mental health issues amongst children. The session was extremely engaging and informative.

“Self defence is not just a set of techniques, it’s a state of mind that begins with the belief that you are worth defending” -Rorion GracieA workshop on ‘Self Defence’ was organised on 3rd March, 2023 in the Open Air Theatre. Various self-defence techniques were taught to the teachers to help prepare them for unexpected situations and improve their mental and physical health. They were made familiar with the prey position, formation of the fist for the punch, basic punch Position, and hay- sound that is to be made during the attack to make the attack more powerful. The next in line was the introduction of basic and intermediate self-defence techniques, including ashikaga-shi punch position, fingertips attack, neck locks, other block attacks, elbow attack, hand grips, bust attack, book & pen attack, hair grip and defence, other grip attacks and defence. The training programme was full of learning, fun and excitement.

“The theatre is so endlessly fascinating because it’s so accidental. It’s so much like life.” – Arthur Miller.

A workshop on ‘Theatre in Education for Teachers’ was organised on 23rd February, 2023 in the Audio Visual Hall. Mr. Prabhjot Singh asked everyone to introduce themselves using their acting skills to break the ice. Thereafter, he highlighted the importance of observation and how we are conditioned to act in a stereotypical manner using various fun activities. He also explained that the only way to get over stereotypes is by observing our surroundings and as teachers, it’s all the more important to enter the classroom with no preconceived notions.

He concluded the session by asking all teachers to present a skit on ‘Ek tha raja, Ek thi Rani; Dono mar gaye, khatam kahani.’ He explained that any creative process starts by identifying the prop followed by knowing the intention, incubation, investigation composition, letting out, clarifying and finally coming up with the creative product. The teachers thoroughly enjoyed the workshop.