“Ask not what
your country can do for you,
Ask what you
can do for your country.” – John. F. Kennedy
Independence Day and Republic Day are two important national festivals
that we celebrate. Students participate in flag hoisting, the choir sings the
flag song and some patriotic songs, the pledge is taken, speeches are given and
cultural programs are conducted. Students and teachers proudly wear the
national flag. This is what we do year after year.
When I was a child I used to choke while singing the national anthem. I
never understood why I felt a lump in the throat and had tears in my eyes.
Today I understand that my connect to my country started very early in life. My
love for my country cannot be explained. It is a feeling.
NSN is nurturing students for the nation. Our best practices are aimed
at creating responsible citizens and not just erudite scholars. Childhood
experiences create lasting impressions in the minds of children. So, we give
them all the necessary experiences.
It begins with punctuality, which is an essential quality that we imbibe
in them. This teaches them commitment. Students and teachers clean the school
campus every Friday. This has been happening for the past eleven years. They
learn to take the responsibility of keeping their surrounding clean. Every
class ends with the teacher wishing the students,” Jai Hind!”
Sharing and caring is an important aspect of their schooling. Students
not only contribute to a social cause, they also create awareness through
street plays amongst the general public, on important days like, World Mental
Health Day, World No Alcohol Day, Prevention of Plastic Pollution, etc.
They are taught to make their life count. So, they learn to be selfless.
This is a quality that is conspicuous by its absence in the society. Everybody
thinks only about their needs. They forget about the less fortunate in society.
Together we have raised funds and contributed to many noble causes. We have
built restrooms in many government schools, where they do not have the basic
facilities. The student council is taken to these schools to inaugurate the
restrooms.
This is our CSR
(Collective Social Responsibility). These are experiences that they will
always remember. Many of our students continue to contribute to society.
These are just a few of our many best practices that mould our students
to become contributing citizens.
Such an education prepares them to become not only responsible citizens,
but also enables them to work towards making their country proud through their
achievements. There are students who have attained national eminence in
different fields.
As an educationist, I not only plan for their academic excellence, but
also think about ways to contribute to the nation. What is your value add on to
the country? No matter which profession we are in, we can be part of an NGO or
CSR. Each one of us, in our capacity, can contribute to the nation, by ensuring
that individual good is integrated with
the larger good.
1.Just begin with keeping your street clean with the help of all the
residents.
2. You can do composting of kitchen waste in your apartment and convert
it into manure.
3. You can plant saplings in your street. Thus, we can create a green
environment.
4. You can collect used toys/ clothes, which are in good condition and
donate it to a home for abandoned children.
5. Bringing up our children to be cultured and responsible, itself, is a
huge contribution to the nation.
We can choose different ways to serve the nation. Let us instill this
noble thought in the minds of the younger generation. As Dr. Kalam says, “Three key societal members who can make a
difference are the father, the mother and the teacher.”
#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting
