OAKRIDGE, NEWTON CAMPUS, CELEBRATES WORLD MUSIC DAY

21 June 2012 was a day of musical harmony at Oakridge,  Newton Campus . The day started with assembly at the palm court conducted by the students of class VI. It was followed by the beautiful performances by the students who brought the harmony into picture by singing ‘Mile sur mera tumhara, toh sur bane humara’. The melody was echoed in the next performance with sheer confidence ‘Ain’t no mountain high.’

It was not only the students but also many enthusiastic  parents who played different musical instruments and sang songs to inspire our children. There was also a display of various musical instruments in the atrium where students came for a gallery walk. It was music all over Oakridge. The corridors, the atrium were flooded by the promising harmony of the day. The parents also went to their child’s classroom and enthralled the whole class with their musical talents.  But the end was more musical than anyone thought.

The students performances in the MPH  made everyone rock and thus the festival ended with some great musical memories at Oakridge.

Assembly by Grade 6E

It was a rare privilege for Grade 6E students to conduct the morning assembly on June 19, being the “world happy day”. 

The assembly started with a prayer requesting the almighty to shower happiness all around and bestow peace in this world. This was followed by a thought, which made the students put on their thinking caps and ponder on an important message. 

The children presented a wonderful song to which the entire assembly joined the chorus. Thereafter, few children from the class shared their experiences, elucidated the rationale and the need to smile, which has become a rare phenomenon these days. 

The assembly fostered students an opportunity to open up and share their thoughts with their peers. Further, it instilled in them a sense of pride and confidence to be able to speak in front of a large gathering.

All in all, it was a well conducted assembly.                

Information Day for the Students

The Grade VI batch of 2012-13 had an information day on the PYP Exhibition. They were informed about the purpose, process of exhibition and their role in the PYP Exhibition. 

It started with humming and tapping the feet to the tunes of classic ‘Heal the world’ where after students were asked if the world needed the healing. Most of them answered ‘Yes’. Further they were asked why and they came up saying the world is facing a lot of problems which needed to be solved. On asking if they thought they could heal the world we were astonished at their confident yes to the answer. After this short conversation they were taken through a presentation on the purpose and process of the PYP Exhibition. 

Finally they were asked to reflect upon the presentation with the following prompt: What is interesting about the PYP Exhibition? What may be difficult about the PYP Exhibition? Students were thrilled upon getting an opportunity to do the PYP Exhibition and we are looking forward to a great Exhibition this year.

Congratulations!!!

Vishal Namala of IBDP was awarded a scholarship by the University of Cincinnati in acknowledgement of outstanding academic and leadership achievements. He will be pursuing Bio Medical Engineering at Case Western University, Cleveland Ohio. Vishal has also received a scholarship from the Case Western University.

We extend our heartiest congratulations to Vishal and wish him success in all his endeavors.

Learning to Learn Week - Grade 6

The feeling of coming back to school after the summer vacation carries with it mixed feelings for children – the reality that the vacations have come to an end and it is time to start yet another academic year. Also, the joy of catching up with their class mates and their dear teachers is a unique experience in itself.

Therefore, the school took special efforts to welcome children back after their long vacation and got them started on a new and exciting session with the introduction of ‘Learning to Learn Week’.

The process of tuning in was done through a series of activities filled with fun and frolic, wherein the students were encouraged to participate and express their opinion without any inhibitions. The objective of these activities was to break the ice between the teachers and students, recapitulate what had been learnt in the previous year and above all it helped teachers to understand the strengths and challenges to be worked upon in the ensuing academic year.

It suffices to mention that the objective was comprehensively met and the children were found engaged in learning.

Science Summer Camp

A Science Summer Camp was organized by the National University of Singapore inviting a group of select students from the best schools across Asia. The objective of the camp was to foster inquiry and inculcate a lifelong fascination for Science at the undergraduate level. In addition to the regular sessions on Nanotechnology, DNA Analysis and Animal Classification, new sessions were introduced on Biofuels, DIY-Toys and Jellies.

Pratik Kunda one of our students from the Grade 12 IBDP was a part of the camp and his group won the first place in the Quiz conducted at the camp. This is what Pratik has to say…

‘I have just returned from the NUS science camp . I would like to say that it was an amazing experience. It was a very educational camp and I have gained a lot of insight into many fascinating science theories through practical lab work. I would also like to inform you that we were divided into about 50 groups of 3 people each for the final quiz competition and my group won first place. It was a very interesting and rewarding experience and has helped me learn a lot about myself and make many new friends. So I would recommend that more people join this camp next year and I would like to thank the school for giving me an opportunity to go for this summer camp.’

Congratulations Pratik!!! We do hope to have a representation of more students from Oakridge for the camp in the coming years.

Creating a positive school culture....

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. In his address to the staff Capt. Bajaj spoke about 'attitude' as a prerequisite to promoting positive culture in school. It was inspiring and motivating to learn how attitudes can build or mar relationships be it personal or professional.

Learning does become an enjoyable experience in an atmosphere where students are valued and are given opportunities to feel empowered enough to make decisions and contribute in a productive way. As educators it is imperative that we provide them the right impetus to realize these goals. A little thing as making a classroom more visible and inviting to a student can kindle in him the spark to ‘learn’. In an age where children are susceptible to pressures it is a matter of significance that we create a positive climate that enhances a child’s self esteem.   

We may face challenges in life as adults but that  must only go to reinforce our values of respect and tolerance so that we as teachers are able to demonstrate and show the children the right path of mutual trust and acceptance to make them morally strong citizens.

One Earth, One Life, One Chance....

As part of the World Environment Day celebrations a poster making competition was organized at Oakridge and the entries were judged and given certificates as a token of appreciation and encouragement to the students. Advocating the message of conserving the environment some of the senior students of Grade XII also conducted classes for the Grade IV  on recycling waste. It was a very interactive session and the Juniors enjoyed being tutored by their peer group.  There was also a talk in the morning Assembly and the students spoke on the water crisis facing Hyderabad. It was good to see the awareness among the young crusaders and inspiring to hear them speak and act. 

 

Exploring the world of Film Making

Cinema has always been the most powerful medium of communication. It gives one the edge of exploring different cultures, providing meaningful insights into psychology, history and social changes.  Oakridge has always been a forerunner in providing opportunities for students to explore their creativity and potential to shape them as global citizens.  The film making club in collaboration with the Annapurna International School of Film and Media is yet another initiative by the school in this direction.

There was a presentation by the AISFM faculty at Oakridge for students aspiring to join the film making club. Speaking on the occasion the Principal, Capt.Bajaj said he was very happy that the plans for the film making club have taken off.  Chris the faculty from AISFM spoke to the students about what it means to be a Director and the nuances of film making. The comprehensive course aims at training students not only in film direction but also Script Writing, Advertising, directing music videos and short films.. It was an interactive session and there was a good response from the students who found it an enjoyable experience.