It’s the beginning of the week, and you’re sitting in a classroom with your classmates and your teacher, who wants to get her class geared up for the exams ahead. “We need to strike while the iron is hot!” your teacher insists, slamming her fist against the table and accidentally spilling her bottle of water. “The early bird catches the worm, after all.” “It’s going to take some work, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but when the going gets tough, the tough get going!” What is all this talk about irons, worms, and Rome? Why is she so excited, this early in the day? Surely, there’s no use for riddles this early in the week! Hasn’t anyone heard of the “Monday morning blues”? The fact is, these are not riddles or phrases but proverbs.

An English proverb is a short, succinct statement that usually offers life advice, imparts wisdom, or shares some truth. Proverbs are so common that native English speakers may use them in conversation without realising it. Proverbs can be extremely useful in imparting information in a clear yet concise manner. Just imagine instead of your teacher saying, “We will only be successful if we study hard and persevere,” she can simplify the explanation to “The early bird catches the worm.” Everyone in the class will know what she is trying to say and the message will be conveyed more effectively. Proverbs communicate an understood and accepted message in a few well-worn and well-known words.

Often, proverbs are used to drive home a point. In terms of stylistic appeal, they differ from regular forms of speech or writing because they are metaphorical or symbolic. A proverb is a short saying that gives advice or expresses truth. Proverbs aren't usually literal sayings; proverbs use figurative language to make a statement about life. There is a hidden meaning in most proverbs. Some proverbs can be reflective of a specific culture or community, though the majority transcend regional barriers and are widely embraced and often passed down through generations. Every region and every community has a different proverb that can trace back to their history. Proverbs often make use of grammatical and rhetorical devices that help make them memorable, including alliteration, rhyme, parallel structure, repetition of keywords or phrases, and strong imagery.

Some of the earliest recorded proverbs date back to the ancient Sumerians in 2000 BCE. According to an archaeological study, nearly 700 tablets containing more than 1,000 proverbs written by Sumerian scribes were discovered by researchers. When translated, the researchers were surprised at how easy it was to understand these snippets of Sumerian wisdom, showing how proverbs transcend across cultures and time.

Incorporating a proverb is your creative writing that can make your piece of writing stand out. If you start an essay about the topic-’The Benefits of Growing Up and Reading Books’, with, “Those who do not read are no better off than those who cannot read.” It is a very effective literary device to help you get an edge over others. In an essay, for example, it can be a good choice to start with a proverb that is controversial. Since the goals behind formal essay writing are objectivity and specificity, it is advised to use a prover that is fitting to the topic being spoken about rather than using one that is broad-ranged. For this very reason, including a proverb can give your argument teeth or draw in the reader to read on and be intrigued by what you have to say.

As Dr. Seuss said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Using proverbs in your speech as well as writing depicts your depth in understanding the marvellous richness of human experience. I hope that the blog has helped you gain some insight into the history and usage of proverbs along with their efficacy in written as well as spoken language.

Akshaya Abhilash

TGT, English

Getting your child to do the homework on time is still a mundane task for all. Be it for a teacher or a parent, getting a few tips and guidance on how to get it done will be worth millions. Especially in this post-covid scenario it's more than a blessing!

We struggle to get the little ones to school and after a day's disciplined time spent in school they wouldn't be even ready to sit and do the homework once they reach home.

So does the problem lie with them? Not wanting to spend their time doing the homework?

What is the root cause?

Let's start off by renaming our HOME-WORK to HOME-FUN.

That's right! Let's make it fun. It's not work anymore. Only a few are lucky enough to enjoy our job. So making studies work for the child to do is the first mistake we make.

1. Let's make it Fun.

Let the child know that teachers are giving home-fun for them to enjoy doing it at home.

The parents could join them in doing the home-fun. Make it as much fun as possible. Indulge in a fun-filled time. Let them make mistakes and we can guide them to the right answers.

Never give away the answers directly, children should explore them on their own.

But isn't it a waste of time? NO. Never. Through this, we are allowing them to awaken the most basic instinct in human beings. Curiosity! They are born learners. Lets allow them to learn rather than mugging. Conduct activities and let their hands get dirty. Learning more should be the focus than writing more.

2. A dedicated place to do homefun.

Now we found ways to make home-fun enjoyable for the child. But again they have a very short attention span, so easily they might get distracted by the things around them. So the first and foremost thing is to keep aside a calm, serene and clutter-free place for the child to do homework. Make sure to let them know that this is the only place where they have to come every single day to do their homework at the same time. It is also important to keep everything that they need to be ready in the place. Like pencils, paper, colours etc. Getting up again and again and spending time searching for them will lead to distraction.

3. Learn by experiencing.

Children learn effectively when it involves multisensory activities like see, touch, smell, hear and taste. Let’s let them explore the world around them, let them learn by doing. Learning by doing has more benefits than sitting in a classroom reading books and practising writing.

There’s a world beyond books and this world opens up to them a whole new world of experiences along with a whole lot of knowledge and skills. This can be achieved through the usage of everyday objects that are found around them like a cardboard box, newspaper, clay or mud, spoon, ballpen refill, papercup, fruit peels, discarded clothes etc.

4. Motivation motivates not bribes.

Will they really sit and do homework just because we said so? What if they don't do it even after we ask them? Yeah! That's why you're here. We have to motivate them. But how?

Giving chocolates? Toys? Allowances? TV or Mobile time? Going out?

Nope. Materialistic rewards will seem like an easy way to get the task done. But in the long run, it does more bad than good.

We are teaching them from a young age to work for an incentive. Do the job to get a reward. In the absence of such a reward, they'll stop doing the homework. They are doing the homework only as a reward not to learn. Thus we must motivate them intrinsically.

We shall explain why they are asked to do homework. Teachers and parents could tell them how this homework is going to help them in their studies. That it'll help them in improving grades, managing time, staying up to date with the portions taught in school. Give positive feedback. Praise them for taking the initiative to do it, for doing it on time, and for making lesser mistakes. Give them a high five or a hug. They'll respond well to them and will teach them to stay motivated on their own rather than focusing on the rewards that they'll get for doing it.

Team Orbis continuously works towards making learning fun. Teachers incorporate games and activities in classroom learning. Involves children in group activities and encourages collaborative learning to bring about a holistic development in students. Digital contents and field trips give a break to the regular textual teaching and lets the children see the world through a new point of view. We celebrate learning everyday in and out of the school.

Homework should now be a new game for them, fun for them. Let's work towards making it an enjoyable, memorable experience to prepare them for a bright future.

Aswathi Nair, CT 4 Sirius

The Orbis School Mundhwa

Nurturing children is a skill learnt from trial-and-error methods; it is challenging because there’s no one certain way that works for every child. Fostering children for life skills and implementing habits that could make them better at dealing with life is an everlasting process which goes on each day for parents, teachers, and care givers. Organization is a skill which not only helps manage the clutter but also saves time, and as the saying goes “An organized, trained, and focused mind has perfect control over its thoughts and emotions. Such control over thoughts and emotions further channelizes our energies in the right direction.” – Dr. Prem Jagyasi
Inspired by these words, Orbis School has always aimed to inculcate healthy habits which could help a child grow holistically, beyond classrooms. Here are some tips and methods that could help you help children be more organized –
1.Making a Timetable:
 Making a timetable which is flexible and yet accommodates all the necessary daily tasks will help prioritize tasks and manage time effectively. A time table should also be considerate about accommodating leisure activities.
2.Reinforcement Checklist:
 Cumulating a checklist for daily tasks and rewarding the child at the end of the day/task with constructive feedback or small reinforcement like extra time for their leisure activity, cooking their favorite meal, choosing their own rewards etc.
In Orbis school, reinforcement is provided in the form of merit cards. This motivates the child to do better and increases their efficiency. 
3.Establishing Household Routines:
As parents set a routine for dinner time, bedtime, play etc., it may work wonders in fostering healthy habits. Assigning basic day-to-day household chores will make the child responsible and independent.
4.Autonomy -
 In Orbis Schools, we ensure that each child gets equal opportunity for leadership roles, which not only makes them responsible but also helps to foster independence and time management. On teacher’s day, the student council managed to organize a great show all by themselves. These small steps lead to big learnings. Also, letting the child take responsibility for simple tasks like ironing their uniform, for the next day, buying groceries etc. 
5.Setting Timeline -
 Setting a timeline for each task.
 For example – If the child has been assigned an important project, the first step will be marking the submission date, then the task can be divided into small chunks, starting with utilizing the first week for research and reading, using the second week to write and so on. In school, the deadlines are strictly followed with the intention of harnessing time and task organization skills.
6.Assign Chores that involve sorting –
 Cleaning the cupboard, grocery shopping, sorting photos, filing papers, etc. are great choices that involve pre-planning, making lists, strategizing, and arranging things optimally. Performing small tasks such as those in the house develops a habit for organization in children.
7.Self-Reflection -
 Introspecting about their own thoughts and feelings at the end of the day, parents and teachers should ask the child to reflect upon their feelings after every major task. This will help the child understand their internal process gradually and so that they can take up responsibilities independently.
Also, understanding that being disorganized and messy is very normal among children and teenagers, the care givers can only foster these skills with patience, empathy, and consistency.  Being mindful that the end goal of planting healthy habits, can only grow in a nurturing environment.

On 1st April, a grade 4 student very eagerly walked up the stairs and reached her new class. It was the first day of the new academic session and she was excited to meet her classmates and new teachers. What interested her the most were the new academic books she would receive. The first book that was kept on her desk was named ‘Science’. It caught her attention and she asked her teacher, Ma’am, “What is Science? “ The teacher, very confidently said “Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world, using a systematic methodology based on evidence.” On hearing this definition, the student was puzzled and her teacher decided to answer again in a simple language: “Science involves understanding the world by watching, listening, observing, and recording. It can be called one's curiosity in thoughtful action about the world and how it behaves”. Wow! The whole class exclaimed, this is so much easier to understand.

This explanation of science by the teacher made every child inquisitive. One of her students immediately asked, Ma’am, what is the importance of science in our day-to-day life? To which the teacher replied, “The importance of science is highlighted in the way it influences most aspects of everyday life, including food, energy, medicine, transportation, leisure activities and more”. She further added many examples from daily life of a child, to make it more relatable to them and said, “Almost everything that makes our daily life easier are the wonders of modern science. Indeed, there are far too many to be counted. The moment we get out of bed we apply paste on the toothbrush, both of which are provided by science. With the help of things like microwaves, fans, smartphones, and cars, science and technology have made cooking, sleeping, communication and transportation easier and faster. In fact, even baking necessitates a rudimentary understanding of science, while baking appliances such as ovens and microwaves are scientific endowments”.

The above conversation between a teacher and her students, highlights the teaching-learning approach adopted at The Obris. We can't deny the fact that science is indispensable in today's world and technological inventions over the years have made our modern lives more sustainable. Consider scientific wonders of the 20th century alone: air travel, automobiles, computers, television, robotics and more. It’s difficult to imagine a world without these, and the ways our lives have been impacted.

Orbis recognizes this importance of science in everyday life and therefore provides an education that is a potent blend of conventional and modern ways of teaching-learning. Mentors at Orbis integrate science and technology seamlessly into the curriculum by using smart boards for digital content and browsing. Robotics training is introduced for students of classes 4 to 8 which equips them to use motors and sensors, and provides a holistic empowerment to students by integrating STEM learning approaches to solve real problems and develop core life skills. Learners at secondary level are given an insight into a skill subject 'Artificial Intelligence', which is an extensive curriculum consisting of hands-on activities like Google experiments, teachable machines, smart homes etc, designed by CBSE in collaboration with Intel.

As Orbians, we acknowledge that starting from the technology we use to communicate and share information with other people around the globe, clean our clothes, prepare our meals, move from one place to another, and in all everyday items like floorboards, door locks and furniture, is the role of science. However, it is also a fact that we have now started taking these everyday items for granted since it seems less impressive to us than self-driving cars or 3D printing. So, to end, here is a thought “Science is omnipresent and omnipotent in every aspect of our lives. It is more like a mystery that invites anyone who is interested to become an explorer and join in the fun of.

Have you heard the quote “Man is a social animal’’, by the Greek Philosopher Aristotle. Indeed, one must second this great thought that, he who lives without society is either a Beast or God. Aristotle had new ideas on how the world should be studied. He liked to make detailed observations of the world, taking notes and records of what he saw. One of the greatest philosophers who felt the potential for virtues to exist within our nature is possible only if we habituate them.

The essence of the fact is that man has always belonged to a society of some sort, without which he can’t exist at all. There is a very close relationship between individual and society like that of cells and body. Society satisfies all our needs and provides a sense of security . .

How can one transfer social skills to our students?

It is essential that as responsible citizens we proclaim with pride that “Man is not born human but is made human” by the environment he lives in.

Self-awareness is the KEY. Individuals should be honest about their personality traits, and be able to assess when they are being socially inappropriate. On transitioning back to in-person classrooms, the ability to see yourself clearly and be able to understand and respond, comes only after being self aware.

How to get better at it? By practising active listening, acknowledging the strengths of peers, empathetic thinking, developing better communication skills, voicing gratitude, being aware of interpersonal emotions will definitely polish our relationship skills that can act as a bridge between Man and Society.

Acquisition of this skill is a process that is developed during childhood and perfected as an individual ages. Social awareness is a crucial component of classroom behaviour that contributes to an environment that is conducive to learning.

 

Orbis School is where these skills are demonstrated by the teachers who actively listen to children’s concerns and create a safe and comfortable environment and help students to transpose from a mere Human Being to Being Human!

School! A word we both dread and feel excited to experience. Why? Because school is not just an edifice where we are required to be punctual and disciplined about our studies; it is an experience and journey which makes our childhood absolute and enjoyable. But after nearly 2 years of the pandemic and home and technology-based teaching, the idea of offline re-opening of schools was quite stressful and intimidating.

Preparing for school was necessary, at the same time scary. How could I make this a piece of cake? The answer gradually dawned on me.

A week after my exams ended, I started preparing for the re-opening of school; mentally preparing myself from the sudden change, because I struggle to adjust to change in surroundings quickly. I bought the books, uniforms and experienced a sense of nostalgia, absolutely for free!

The workload of school hit us like a storm, brutal and unforgiving. Preparing for assignments and assessments; the pandemic having made us all lazy haha!, just added to the mountain of anxiety but hey, happiness can be found in the darkest of times if one remembers to turn on the light!

  1) “With great power comes…… great need to take a nap. Wake me up later!” -Nico di Angelo, The Last Olympian

Who needs a fiesta when you can have a siesta. A short nap relieves you of all your troubles, after waking up, you’re fresher than ever and you can finish home assignments and prepare for tests as well!

  2) See it EVERYWHERE

Whether it is biology or geometry, the things you learnt can be found everywhere! The Cartesian System can be visible to your eyes at intersections of tiles, and you can judge which Quadrant you’re walking on; you can look at plants and observe and guess at which position which tissue is located; read a book, and find the various literary devices used in the paragraph, etc. This will make the topic relatable and easy to remember.

  3)Enjoy it

Life is a roller coaster for all of us. Most of us may feel a little stressed while preparing for maths or physics or any other subject, but music may solve it. Music can boost your interest, which will boost your concentration, and before you know it, your work will be done! About the stress? You need to calm down. Just shake it off, shake it off.

  4) Call up your partner in crime

There is nothing like talking to someone sailing the same boat as you. Talking to a friend is the best therapy ever because they know exactly how to calm you down.

School may get overwhelming at times, but anything can be fun if you put your heart and soul into it. It is only in the past two years that we have truly understood the joy of being with friends and teachers who are just like family. Good and bad days are just a part and parcel of the whole process and it is exactly that which shapes you into that amazing person you will be. So just stay calm, live in the present and enjoy life!

-Jhanvi Pendyala, 9 Antares 

Proud to announce that The Orbis Schools have been ranked top in 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗺, 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗺 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗜𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 by Times School Survey 2021. This follows the Times Education Icon Awards received last month. Thank you teachers, staff, students, parents and the Times of India. #timesschoolsurvey2021