STEM vs STEAM

I am a science teacher at school. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, which stands for STEM, is a discipline offered in my school. 

Our principal, Madam, is trying to get STEAM offered in my school. Slowly, we teachers are trying to introduce the arts in explaining science subjects, Technology and Mathematics. 

First activity we introduced encouraging students to make educational art collages to write and explain a summary of the topic taught in class. 

2nd activity we organised in school is to write #poems about concepts taught in class. 

3rd activity we organised is #drama or play on stage by students to explain the concept taught. Recently, we science teachers explained the covalent bond to students through drama. 

Arts makes the STEM concept easier to explain. Introducing art in STEM no longer makes the concept very dry. It makes students culturally rich and close to the community. It helps them develop high EQ. 

Once students get interested  in subject through arts, then students  feel comfortable in learning of STEM. The goal is to make students  motivated to learn subject concept. Arts plays best role to do so.Therefore  STEAM  is useful for students  and teachers.

Sukarma Thareja 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521260060

🌐 Website: https://sites.google.com/site/drsukarmaranithareja/home 

✉️ e-Mail: sukarma@iitk.ac.in

Let Children Resolve Their own issue

I am a science #teacher in a government school. With the grace of God, I am grand-grand-grand-grandmother to little kids who go to #primary school.  Whenever I get time, I visit my #grand children very fondly. I do help them, advise them in their #work and problems which they #face in day-to-day life. But my strong observation is that children find out the ₹solution to their own problems, and that path makes them #wise, strong individuals. To #support my observations, my submissions are as follows.  1. My grandson is prone to #allergies. As soon as winter #starts, he will start getting a little #cough. treatment with #antibiotics does not help him much. But still he used to believe in taking #antibiotics instead of turmeric milk, suggested by me, an ayurvedic remedy to #boost the immune system of the body. But suddenly he realised whenever he takes #turmeric milk at night, he gets relieved of #symptoms of cough. To our surprise whenever he faces problems of cough, he himself reminds his mother and says"Mom kindly serve me a hot one cup turmeric milk before sleeping, as I get benefited from same" Moral- one can give #suggestions to handle the problem child is #facing, but the best solution to problems comes from #children themselves. Therefore, parents should give children enough #space and time to #resolve their own problems.  Sukarma Thareja  Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521260060 🌐 Website: https://sites.google.com/site/drsukarmaranithareja/home  ✉️ e-Mail: sukarma@iitk.ac.in

Decreasing Screen Time

 During the summer holidays, we went with our teenage daughter and son by road. Normally, whenever we go for a road trip, my daughter will use i iPad for her queries to be answered through the internet, while my son will be playing video games. My husband will be doing his office work. In this exercise, we all four of us will remain disconnected from each other in spite of traveling in the same car.

I consulted my kids and husband, how about if we decrease our screen time to zero and listen to a spiritual audio book of the Hindu epic Ramayan.

All three agreed to my logical suggestion. My children said," We have little glimpses of the Ramayana epic as dear dadi used to tell us stories of the same.

As the audio story of Ramayana developed children's curiosity toward Ayodhya, little Rama(Ram lala), which is in the news nowadays, also developed to a great extent. After every break for lunch and bathroom during the trip, both children will ask small questions about the important character  Lord Rama and his brother Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan. 

I told the children our country got the name "Bharat after the name of Bharat." The road trip was full of fun as children asked many questions about Bali and Sugreev and Angad, and Ravana. 

 First, it seemed strange to me to implement a no-screen-time policy during our road trips, but I found we feel more connected to each other without the screens — even if it means we are less connected to the rest of the world for those hours in the car. But the spiritual Ramayana epic we enjoyed a lot through an audiobook. And expressed our gratitude to the mighty for being so kind to us. 

Sukarma Thareja

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521260060

🌐 Website: https://sites.google.com/site/drsukarmaranithareja/home 

✉️ e-Mail: sukarma@iitk.ac.in

God Worship Wisdom

Please do not believe  in doing illlogical activities in life.Be careful your actions in life in any way do not destroy environment and hurt humanity. Be in love with same that is best form of worshipping  God and showing gratitude to all mighty.

Sukarma Thareja 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521260060

🌐 Website: https://sites.google.com/site/drsukarmaranithareja/home 

✉️ e-Mail: sukarma@iitk.ac.in

Please Do not be Copy Cat

 I had a friend, Asha, in #school. She was a good teacher, but was never # content with whatever she had in life. 

 Her husband, Mr. Goyal, was a successful businessman, and an abundance of money and wealth surrounded her. Asha lacked peace, not money.

I was  astounded by the way Asha spent money in the #market. She was a copycat. She would buy things that her #relatives had, #purchased costly dresses she saw her college friend wearing on Facebook. She had no idea whether those dresses suited her or not. She #desired the same style crockery in her kitchen. She already had plenty at #home.

She bought all the stuff #without thinking. 

She invited me to her house I saw overflowing #cupboards filled with beautiful yet seemingly #useless things. 

She will say, "Madam, my day starts #accumulating things here and there in the house and ends by arranging them in cupboards. "

She could never look at #horizons beyond her material acquisitions attitude. She never believed in experience and sense of satisfaction, and peace. She was restless all the time. Disturbed and anxious, too.

I requested her not to be so materialistic. I suggested she spend time and money on her health programs. I also suggested she be outgoing and get involved in well well-being of #orphan children. 

I am so happy she agreed to my #suggestions. Now Madam Asha is a very popular and #respected teacher of our school. She is ready to render helping #hands to the needy. Asha is changed #person. I am so happy that she has learnt to spend her resources and energy in positive way. She is a calm and composed person now 

Sukarma Thareja 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521260060

🌐 Website: https://sites.google.com/site/drsukarmaranithareja/home 

✉️ e-Mail: sukarma@iitk.ac.in

Worshiping God

 My friend Sudha always plucks flower from my garden to give to God in her temple.

My gardener do not like Sudha doing so.

Indirectly  I request Sudha not to pluck flowers as my Gardner get upset for same.

But she strongly believe flowers get honored when they are put on idol of God.

My gardner says" Sudha Didi you are worshiping God by putting flowers on idol of God.

He further  says " It is an insane activity as you are destroying beauty of flowers created by God.What type of worship is this I do not understand. "

I also believe flowers are essential part of plant which help in reproduction.Moreover flowers are very important  part of beautiful environmental  plucking flowers means we are destroying  environmental. There fore while using flowers  for worshiping ,on one hand your pleasing God and on other hand your destroying  environmental  created by God.This is not logical. I hope my friend Sudha will understand meaning of this logic which help in sustainability  of an environment. 

Sukarma Thareja 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521260060

🌐 Website: https://sites.google.com/site/drsukarmaranithareja/home 

✉️ e-Mail: sukarma@iitk.ac.in

Sustainable Fashion

I am a science teacher in a government school. The other day I was # shopping in a ready-made #garments shop. I met my old females #students in the shop, who had come to shop for ready-made garments for the #marriage of their friends. 

One student said, "Madam, we have so many ready-made garments with us which are #brand new, but we have to follow the unwritten norm of the #group. "

I said, What is that norm? Please let me know. One student said," Madam, for  every function one should buy new dress, otherwise it is understood by group members that we are being  miser and missing the fun of  occasion. "

I said, "Dear student, it is no harm  to repeat a dress for more than one  occasion. That shows you believe in #sustainability of fashion."

Another student said," Madam, by practising #sustainability in garments, we are saving our environment."

Another student said, "Being students of science, ma'am, we know all garments originate from trees. The more garments we throw as #rejected materials, it means more trees of the environment we are #destroying".

Another student said, " Thanks, madam, for #educating us. We #promise you we will practice #sustainability of fashion in the future also. "

I thanked my students for #agreeing to my scientific, logical suggestion.

Sukarma Thareja 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521260060

🌐 Website: https://sites.google.com/site/drsukarmaranithareja/home 

✉️ e-Mail: sukarma@iitk.ac.in