MUN@Neev - Webinar (2nd April 2017)

On 2nd April, the students of Grade 7 and FB experienced their very first WIMUN webinar with more than 100 students from around India! The webinar was held by the organizers of the WIMUN India 2017, Finn Carlson and Chris Siakkas. On behalf of all the students who attended the webinar from our school, I can say that the webinar was a wonderful and educational experience.

We got to learn so much from Finn about the procedures of the conference and how each stage will take place. In the end, we were also allowed to have a live question and answer session in which we were able to clear our several doubts about WIMUN India 2017.

We also learnt about the meanings and importance of the different organs of the UN. The major advantage of the webinar, was that we had a dedicated section in the last 15 minutes, to ask questions and get them answered for each of the different things that we learnt from the webinar.

Mehr Sohal
Abinav Venkatagiri

MUN@Neev - Discussion with Miss Katherine Bonner

Over two days, we had the privilege of speaking to Miss Katherine Bonner via Skye. Miss Bonner is the Under-Secretary General of WIMUN. She had started participating in MUN when she was in 9th Grade, around the same age as us.

It was great to know that the WIMUN is an excellent platform as we take our first steps in MUN.

During the Skype call, she explained what happens in the sessions and what is expected of delegates. She briefly outlined the background of WIMUN and the procedures it follows. The session begins with the plenary, during which all committees meet and discuss the agenda. The main agenda for this year’s WIMUN is the 2030 sustainable development goals set by the UN. After the plenary, we meet as committees and have a Formal Debate. In this, the delegates are required to give a speech of 2-4 minutes on the topic. Miss Bonner also gave us the basic structure of the speech and the kind of language to be used while addressing the rest of the delegates. Following this discussion, we will have a time during which we can move around and talk to other delegates informally. We also found out that we would be part of blocs (groups of countries with similar interests), and would have to make a resolution document for each bloc, and then combine them.

We learnt that we should put in a lot more preparation, effort and research to be ready for the WIMUN conference. Our biggest learning was the consensus model – that it is not about getting our solution imposed, but creating a solution that each country would be more or less happy with – it is about compromise.

“If something is not agreed on, then find a way for everyone to agree.”

                                                                     

New Beginnings

From 29th April to 3rd May, the students of Grade 7 and Foundation Batch will participate, for the first time as a school, in the WFUNA International Model United Nations (WIMUN) in Agra. This event is organized by the World Federation of United Nations Associations. The students of MUN@Neev have started preparing for this conference.

23rd February 2017  - The Preparations Begin

In our first MUN meeting, we worked on developing our understanding of the procedures of the MUN, using a new strategy introduced by our teachers. We were assigned groups and each group had a summarizer, a definer, an interpreter and an evaluator, working on different aspects of the topic. We used our collaboration and research skills.  We will present this to the rest of the class next week. This activity really energised us.

        

Students working in their groups.

2nd March 2017 - The Presentations

Today, each group presented their research on MUN procedures. Was our research good? Did we address the topic in detail? Did we work well together as group? Did we speak clearly, articulating well? These were some of the things we discussed. We look forward to working on the feedback we received.

Students presenting their work.

[Photos: MUN@Neev]

Grade 4 - Lemonade Stand set up by our young Entrepreneurs!

Date:  8th February, 2017,  Wednesday

Grade: 4

A day was filled with anxiety and excitement for our children was not just a learning experience but a true challenge which gave them lifelong profound learning. The day started off with the class taking an oath that whatever happens they will be principled when they conduct the sales. As a team, they set up their stalls, mixed the lemonade and got ready with exuberance. The market opened and our budding entrepreneurs did make us feel proud when they put together their learning of the past 6 weeks together to meet the demands of the market. They not only used the learning from the unit ‘How we organize ourselves’ but also went back to what they learnt in their advertising unit to market their business and persuade customers to buy their product.

Now it is time to reflect on the how they did in terms of profit. The groups were anxious to know what their revenue was and if they made a profit or not. They used costing sheets to calculate the revenue and come up with an overall understanding of the unit. It was interesting to see their reflections that showed how students exhibited their learner profiles, skills and attitudes during the whole process.

Field trip to Anthargange by Grade 4 on 17 June, 2016

Date: 17 June, 2016, Friday

Grade: 4

Anthargange is situated in the Kolar district of Karnataka in the Shathashrunga range, about 70 km from Bangalore. The mountains at an altitude of 1712 meters from sea level with rocky boulders, small caves and dense plantations are one of the best getaways for trekking and rock climbing.

As a part of our inquiry process for the Unit – Who we are, we decided to do this trek with the grade 4 s. Our purpose was to make links between how our body systems are interdependent on each other to perform a function and understand the connection between exercise, nutrition and physical well-being.. We also wanted students to reflect on strategies that we use to manage and face challenges to help us develop new strategies to cope with adversity.

We all set out with excitement on the morning of 17^th June in a bus at around 6.30 a.m. Ms. Kavita and her group of mountaineers were with us to guide us and help us through the trek. When we got to the base of the Anthargange hill, there was more excitement to see monkeys on the steps of a beautiful old temple. Students though a little worried and scared, were enthusiastic to climb the hill. When we got to the first point at the top, we walked through the amazing farm land. We took short water breaks and managed to get to the summit in one and half hours. It was a great feeling for all of us to reach the summit and see the breath taking view of the Kolar district.

Mr. Kunal our expert in the fieldtrip and Ms. Vandana discussed the objectives of the fieldtrip and made connections to the concepts in the unit. It was an interesting discussion that led to an overall understanding of how the systems are interdependent on each other.

Students pulled through very well during the trek. On the way back, we rested for a while, had lunch and came down the same path. It was great to see courage, independence and empathy in our students which brought out the PSPE objectives.

Discussion (with Ms. Vandana and Mr. Kunal) when we reached the summit based on the PSPE outcomes and learning outcomes of the unit - (some discussions.. There were many more)

An achievement and satisfaction in going up to the summit. Yes we did it!

A glimpse into history....

Field Trip Date: 4th to 7th November 2015

                 Grade: 4

“The use of travelling is to regulate imagination with reality, and instead of thinking of how things may be, see them as they are.” – Samuel Johnson

To explore the characteristics of the past civilizations and to understand that the present is connected to the past, the grade 4s went on a field trip to Hampi.

Hampi (UNESCO world heritage sites) is a small village in northern Karnataka, situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River.Today the site remains as the ruins of Vijayanagara Empire

En route to to Hampi, we stopped to explore the Chitradurga fort which was a part of the Vijayanagar Kingdom.We also watched the sunset at Tungabadra reservoir situated few kilometers before Hospet.

On the first day we visited the Royal Enclosure of Hampi which was once the seat of power of the earstwhile king. The area is packed with numerous palace bases, underground temple, aquatic structures and the likes.We also saw the ruins of the Krishna temple where we noticed the bazaars and the step well tank. Our little explorers found broken pieces of pots which date back to as old as 500 years. We then visited the Hazararama temple, whose walls unfold the story of Ramayana.We visited the beautiful Virupaksha temple which is the oldest shrine still in active worship. Our day ended with the climb up the Hemakuta hills where we watched the spectacular lights of the temple come on as the day transformed into an even more beautiful night.

On the second day we visited the Vithala temple, famous for its fascinating musical pillars and magnificent stone chariot. We also visited the Tungabhadra River flowing at the back of the temple where the famous pioneer of Carnatic music, Purandaradasa sang..This was followed by a visit to the Lotus Mahal and the elephant stables influenced by Islamic architecture brought in by the Bahamanas.The evening ended with the trek to the Mahatunka hills from where our inquirers soaked in the unbeatable splendour of the entire kingdom that once ruled on the banks of the mighty river.

The trip left the Grade 4 with lasting memories of enduring learning and understanding different cultures. 

The Neev Lake Initiative – Big Day for Neev at Bellandur

The Teachers and students at the MYP level at Neev Academy – Encore have been working in visioning and conceptualizing on how we could come up with a community-based, socially relevant Initiative which could make a genuine impact in the lives of people of Bangalore and the possibility of real-world experiences and the rich learning.

After long deliberations amongst the students and teachers at Neev – MYP, the Neev Lake Initiative (NLI, for short!) was conceived. The Initiative was born in response to the sad state of affairs of almost all the major lakes of Bangalore. During the Units dealing with Eutrophication of water and the impact of Urbanization on common resources of Bangalore, the students spoke passionately about the pain they experienced whenever they crossed the extremely polluted Varthur Lake and the humongous amounts of chemical froth it generates. The students narrated horror stories of how the lake surface once caught fire and burnt for hours, spewing noxious fumes. The students (and teachers!) spoke of the general apathy amongst the Government bodies and how “Nothing happens”...”They are not doing anything to save the Lakes” “Nobody cares anymore”.

This scepticism and helplessness was something the students may have, unwittingly, picked from the general atmosphere. Some of the teachers started asking “Who is ‘they’?”... “Who should care?”The teachers persisted till the kids came to this realization that they, as the citizens of tomorrow, have a huge stake in the issue. Very gingerly, the students started asking what could ‘we kids’ do about it. That was the moment ‘The Neev Lake Initiative’ was truly born!

Soon, things started to stir and move with a group of teachers going on a Recce to the Bellandur lake and engaging with the community. The less-privileged families around the Lake were the hardest-hit by the deteriorating state of the Bellandur lake. Some parts of the community reaped the benefits of the growing economy and have prospered. The lake was really dirty. But the question was...how dirty? Could we measure the levels of pollution? How are the Communities affected? When did these problems start? How did the Lake originate?

• The teachers evolved strategies to understand the problems:
• Exploring the historical origins and cultural myth-making of Bellandur lake.
• Engaging with local communities through field visits and understand them through ‘participant observation’.
• Field trips and scientific investigations on the Water quality, lake ecology and causes of degradation of Bellandur Lake.
• Engaging with communities using Art and Theatre as medium of expression and communication.
• Community outreach programmes in collaboration with local communities.

As they say “Many men talk a good game...few deliver”. We at MYP wanted to walk the talk and soon organized an exploratory visit along with the entire MYP cohort, including students and teachers to The Bellandur Lake site. 

The students first visited the up-coming Yemalur Campus of Neev and saw how the locals were siphoning off the ground-water from the aquifers for commercial purposes. They also witnessed how the raja kaluves (storm drains) were connected with pipes carrying sewage and the consequent pollution of the lake. 

The students then visited a local government primary school in order to have a first-hand understanding of the children there. The teachers helped break the ice and before we knew it...the kids started actively engaging with each other and our kids picked up the basic rudiments of the Kannada language. Soon, a wonderful game was organized by Pradeep, our enterprising Arts Teacher, simply called  “IN...OUT” and the effect was electric. Soon everybody was participating in the game and our kids forgot their new surroundings, giggling and jostling with their  new-found friends.

The Neev students gave away apples to their new-found friends as a gesture of goodwill.

The students then visited the historical Bellandur Lake temple and spend some ‘quality time’ appreciating the architecture.

The only disappointment was that the Bellandur Lake was completely fenced off by The BBMP and there was no safe access to the Lake...essentially out-of-bounds. Concerned staff are working with the local officials on creating a safe access route to the lake for carrying out scientific/ecological investigations

This exploratory visit was a hugely satisfying and fulfilling experience for the students and teachers and we intend to follow it up on though deeper reflections and dialogues with the students.

This is still a ‘work in progress’ and miles to go before we sleep.