Shanti Ananda English Medium Upper Primary School

Newsletter 8/2010

The new gate view from the school area

On September 29th the long expected iron main gate was set up this wonderful piece of art with a Merkhaba (star tetrahedron) in the centre is visible already from some distance clearly to be identified as the symbol or landmark of the school. In the weeks after it was integrated into octagon towers but these works were very difficult because of special circumstances. In October heavy rain falls and a motor bike accident of project manager Horst Wagner - which put him out of action temporarily wrecked our timing schedule. In November a cyclone of an unusually big dimension again brought heavy rain falls causing damage and high water in Andhra Pradesh and in the neighbour states Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Such a climate is very extraordinary, especially in this non monsoon season; the rain water missing in the past years now comes down too fast and in too big amounts On 20th October 2010 a very auspicious date we drilled a bore well in the west of the school area; in 3 meters depth only we found water with an amount of approximately 3000 litres/day (good drinking water, but not sufficient for the plantation of the area). So it might be necessary to drill once again to fulfil our needs. In the moment a new water tank is built very near to the school area for the inhabitants of Mudigubba; we will be able to use this water for drinking purpose as well. A connection to the watchman and multipurpose house which fundament was built already is planned.

project Coordinator Chandra Mohan and project manager Horst Wagner in front of the ground water department in Anantapur

In the school we missed some days because of the heavy rain falls; in our tiny fresh air class rooms it is not possible to have normal teachings with such weather conditions the students know this and dont come to the school So the teachers had the opportunity to be busy with some other topics, for example with the reports of the parents visits or as well with the preparation of our next project week planned as a science fair. Because of a generous donation some desperately needed books for instance encyclopaedia (very important for the preparation of the project week) and pedagogically valuable kinder garden materials as well as some special games for the elder students could be purchased. For the introduction of the new materials into the school life we plan to conduct an indoor games day after some time. A Maintenance Day is planned as well; we think that it is pedagogically very meaningful students learning to care for, repair and maintain the items they are using every day. Maintenance is a critical point in India very often curtains in hotels are not washed properly, public buildings are not painted, roads are not repaired, and garbage can be found nearly everywhere In October during the Dassara holidays (Dassara is a nine days festival to honour the divine place. mother - Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Durga und Kali) our annual teacher training took place On five days we had a music workshop led by Horst Wagner, a kinder garden workshop led by me, an excursion to the RishiValley School near Madanapalle (www.rishivalley.org ) started by Krishnamurthy (nowadays it counts more than 75 years of very successful experience), a deeper activity with the speech of Red Indian tribal Chief Seattle (see attachment) and the structural planning of the next project week led by Linda Whitaker.

kinder garden Experiencing with self made music instruments in the kinder garden workshop

This pretty frog visited us while fleeing a cobra

A. Saraswathi brought a rain forest plant from the RishiValley School Andhra soon? - did she know that the climate in Andhra Pradesh would change soon?

Head mistress Sabitha informs about necessary changes in the teaching periods

On the last day of the teacher training head mistress Sabitha gave impulses and inspirations for creation. School necessary changes in the teaching period creation If we want to be a Creative Nature School the Creative school and of the school area should be created in an ecologically inspired and sustainable way; the teaching periods should be vivid and inspiring according to the nature of the students; the teaching aids and materials should be natural or nature made as far as possible, the periods

should take place outside in the nature if possible. Our teachers learnt a lot of skills and knowledge in some numbers of workshops and practise a much better teaching style than usual at Indian schools. Nevertheless we can improve our teaching style even more to earn the name Creative Nature School proudly and servedly. Because of this reason we have a new special conference for the teachers - the Pedagogical Meeting Progress Meeting - to discuss and arrange the changes mentioned above under the leadership of head mistress Sabitha as Pedagogical Advisor. It will take place every two months alternating with the Creativity Progress Meeting (Creativity Advisor: A. Saraswathi); this meeting is planned Creativity Meeting to discuss, evaluate and improve the quality of the creativity lessons offered in the afternoon. Furthermore one time monthly an Organisational Meeting is arranged for all the persons in the Organisational Meeting Orga school for sharing with each others and implementing necessary changes. On the leaders level one time monthly we have the Managing Committee Meeting (head mistress, coordinator, project manager and project director). Every Saturday under the leadership of the head mistress the teachers share their teaching experiences in the week before. Furthermore we have society meetings every few months because most of the teachers are members with special functions in our Shanti Ananda Educational Society. As soon as the society receives the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Account) we will have to arrange some changes All these meetings are well. necessary to guarantee a special quality standard and the needed communication as well Because we are an all day school it is not possible to have these meetings in the evening; they have to be arranged within the normal school timings. The students are busy with special works and materials in these times.

These colourful cups were made by the students on their own

Thanks to the service of Andreas Marloth I can send the newsletters now as a printable PDF file; (see attachment). Furthermore you can find the famous speech of the Red Indian Tribal Chief Seattle to the President of the United States in the year 1855 in the attachment; the speech is very remarkable and worth to be thought about. With cordial greetings from South India! Yours, Helga Shanti Frndt

Donation Accounts

Prabath Rural Development Society Syndicate Bank, Puttaparthy Branch Puttaparthy 515134, A. P., India A/c. No.: 31322200012524 Concerning: Mudigubba

Persons in India can give their donation to the Shanti Ananda Education Society.

Shanti Ananda Education Society Geetha Nagar, Mudigubba 515511 Andhra Pragathi Grameena Bank Branch Mudigubba Account No. 7880