DIWALI—the festival of light holds importance among the Hindus. Likewise there are festivals like Eid, Christmas and Guru Nanak Jayanti etc.which are celebrated by people of different faiths. While adults understand the significance of the festivals, it is important that children too should be educated about the cultures, rituals and traditions attached with our festivals. This can be done effectively in the growing years by family and teachers in school.
Many schools lately carry out various activities to give children an understanding of various important days and events. For example, rangoli making competition, diya and lantern making competitions during Diwali make children aware of its significance in the festival. It also gives an outlet to the creativity of children, hanging their hand made lanterns or lighting their hand made diyas at home.
Taking Diwali as an example, here’s how children can be educated on our traditional beliefs and practices both at home and in schools… Teachers can read and discuss stories, show short films on how and why Diwali is celebrated in our country. The significance of houses adorned with lights is to welcome back Rama and Sita and to invite Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good fortune, into each home. Festivities last for five days and mark the start of the Hindu New Year. Besides educating about the significance of the festival, these stories also give moral values to the children, which is important for character building at an impressionable age. The stories, traditions and celebrations that are part of Diwali are exciting and colourful, and a perfect starting point for children to explore Hindu beliefs. Here are some Diwali themes to explore with children.
This can be explained by reading or enacting the story of Rama and Sita. During 14 years of exile, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana lived happily in the forest, until a ten-headed demon tricked the trio and kidnapped the lovely Sita. A battle had to be fought and won, before Sita returned to Rama, with the help of the monkey god Hanuman. Lights welcomed the couple home. This Diwali story exudes the message that good ultimately triumphs over evil. The universal theme of good overcoming evil can also inspire children's thinking. Encourage them to share real-life examples of good and evil and explore the idea further in stories from different religions. Hindus worship Lakshmi during Diwali and use decorations, patterns and meaningful objects to welcome her into their homes.
Children should be delegated with work like distributing sweets to visitors and research the meaning of Diwali decorations before decorating the doorway of the classroom with Lakshmi's footsteps, Diva lamps, lanterns and rangoli patterns. Many Hindus celebrate Lakshmi Puja during Diwali at home or at their business place. It is a good idea to invite a parent, member of a Hindu mandir into school to share their experiences of puja with the children. Children can then compare the Lakshmi Puja to other forms of worship they are familiar with and spot any similarities and differences in religious traditions and practices. Diwali is a time for celebrations. Families come together and share sweets and gifts. It’s a time for bonding between family and friends.
Ask the children to search online for video clips and images of local Diwali celebrations. Encourage them to write imaginary diary entries, plan a Diwali celebration or compare Diwali celebrations with their own experiences of familiar festivals. Let them make their favourite rangoli at the doorstep and let them help you out with Diwali delicacies or cleaning the house, all the time explaining the significance of each act. Besides learning, children will feel like a part of the festivities and also enjoy the feeling of sharing and bonding with family. IN today’s times, besides academic success, what is increasingly being viewed by contemporary researchers is emotion regulation among students. It’s importance is said to be the foundation for well-being and positive adjustment throughout the life span. It is also known to improve attention, and contribute to motivated learning. Today’s education system is building a lot of stress for young students. The number of subjects that children need to cope with, the competition level, the pressure from teachers, parents and peers can take a toll on them. This stress can impair attention, emotion and mood regulation, sleep, and learning readiness in classrooms. It could be more severe if these childhood stress experiences have lifelong impacts on mental and physical health.
In such a scenario, emotion regulation is very much needed. A concept called mindfulness in this regard is fast gaining momentum.
Mindfulness is the energy of being aware of what is happening inside and around us in the present moment. It is increasingly being recognized as an essential support for students, teachers, school administrators and parents. Mindfulness is really a secular philosophy and set of techniques adapted from thousands-of-yearsold Buddhist meditation traditions. Meditation is proving to be quite conducive to creating mindfulness in students. They are made to do five-minute mindfulness exercises—from counting breaths and focusing on the sensations of breathing, to visualizing thoughts and feelings—that he uses to help train their attention, quiet their thoughts, and regulate their emotions.
Some other examples of mindfulness techniques include teachers striking a music triangle or bell and asking students to pay attention for the exact moment where the sound turns into silence, giving students a piece of chocolate or a slither of chilli, asking them to place the food on their tongue and then pay close attention to what is happening to their taste buds, their salivary glands and the temperature in their mouth; or asking students to clap their hands forcefully for 20 seconds and then observe the physical after-effects such as tingling and pulsing in the palms.
These teaching techniques may not seem of sufficient academic nature to take place in schools. But the science is showing that, through these techniques, students are learning to build their attention skills and regulate their impulses. Both are critical at school and in adult life.
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