One Look at Our Life

If our life is defined by what we do and become thereof, then we really have to push ourselves beyond the confines of our limited thoughts and ideas. Because beyond our thoughts and ideas lie so many things to view and consider before we conclude the definition of our life. So in the act of pushing ourselves, we confront lots of experiences, both negative and positive which either grease our move or rust our move. Slaying all the evils on our way backed by all those positives, if we end up undefeated, we feel that we have done something great. But how would it tickle our senses if we are consumed by fires and furries of all those negatives standing our ways? Different story, i think. At the end, it is nothing but the strength and stamina of our heart that really matters in pushing ourselves through all concrete walls, firewalls and iron walls if we really have to prove the definition of our life. Only if you feel that your whatever you do defines your life. 

Black-winged Stilt After a Long Time

It has been a long time I haven't written about the birds in my place.  It doesn't mean that I have forgotten about them.  Although not shown outside or observed by others,  I have always been in touch with the winged ones surrounding me.  With many trees in the school surrounding, there are birds galore for sights and sounds and thus my days here in the school doesn't end without a birds or two in a day.  When fortunate enough,  I get to sight beautiful birds which rarely come out in public such as trogan and owls.  Usually,  I get to hear and sight common birds of the place such as bulbuls, sparrows and of course spotted doves.  

     Yesterday afternoon was one fortunate time for me and of course to all in the school.  A bird which we have seen for the first time in our school campus in the summer of 2015 visited us again.  

With lazy steps I was back after having my lunch.  The moment I was about to settle down for a short rest before readying for their afternoon sessions,  I saw a strange bird flying towards my office window from the school garden.  My senses became more active and I watched it intently following its flight.  It attempted to land on the transmission line running above the garden but it didn't.  Instead it made a round of fight above the garden and out flew towards the playground.  I thought that it wouldn't land on the ground.  But then,  I saw the children stopping their play and gasping. The bird landed on the playground. Coincidentally it was lunch break and most of the children were out playing and loitering around.  The bird drew most of us towards it.  Our colleague Rinchen Nidu was out playing kabola with a group of children.  He too stopped the play and was up capturing the bird in his phone.  Sir Rinchen instructed children not to disturb the birds and also warned the children not to harm the birds.  As the children drew closer to have better view of the bird,  it took a flight and landed at the other side of the goalpost.  But in few seconds, the birds took up a great flight and away it flew towards the village and disappeared in the woods behind the academic building.  

     The bird was gone, but its moments remained in me rewinding my time back to 2015 when the same bird visited our school for the first time since my arrival here.  That time,  an incessant rain lasting about a week brought in our school a big puddle behind the academic block. As a result the bird came,  we thought and assumed.  The bird stayed for a long time,  wandering the puddle,  pecking something out. We had great time enjoying its move and rest in the puddle from the back windows in the recess of lessons.  Personally,  I had fortunate moment to photograph the birds as much as I can during the recess of my time.  I didn't know the name of that bird back then. I tried a lot to identify the books referring the books available but in vain.  Now I do with the help of active birders in Birds of Bhutan, a group on facebook.  The bird with long legs,  with body and black wings is Black-winged Stilt.  

     With a gap of a year,  the bird visited us again. This time although the puddle came up last time during incessant downpour time but the continuous sunshine following that dried up the puddle.  May be because of that,  the birds didn't stay for long.  Hopefully it will return some day.  We are waiting.  

Black-winged Stilt After a Long Time

It has been a long time I haven't written about the birds in my place.  It doesn't mean that I have forgotten about them.  Although not shown outside or observed by others,  I have always been in touch with the winged ones surrounding me.  With many trees in the school surrounding, there are birds galore for sights and sounds and thus my days here in the school doesn't end without a birds or two in a day.  When fortunate enough,  I get to sight beautiful birds which rarely come out in public such as trogan and owls.  Usually,  I get to hear and sight common birds of the place such as bulbuls, sparrows and of course spotted doves.  

     Yesterday afternoon was one fortunate time for me and of course to all in the school.  A bird which we have seen for the first time in our school campus in the summer of 2015 visited us again.  

With lazy steps I was back after having my lunch.  The moment I was about to settle down for a short rest before readying for their afternoon sessions,  I saw a strange bird flying towards my office window from the school garden.  My senses became more active and I watched it intently following its flight.  It attempted to land on the transmission line running above the garden but it didn't.  Instead it made a round of fight above the garden and out flew towards the playground.  I thought that it wouldn't land on the ground.  But then,  I saw the children stopping their play and gasping. The bird landed on the playground. Coincidentally it was lunch break and most of the children were out playing and loitering around.  The bird drew most of us towards it.  Our colleague Rinchen Nidu was out playing kabola with a group of children.  He too stopped the play and was up capturing the bird in his phone.  Sir Rinchen instructed children not to disturb the birds and also warned the children not to harm the birds.  As the children drew closer to have better view of the bird,  it took a flight and landed at the other side of the goalpost.  But in few seconds, the birds took up a great flight and away it flew towards the village and disappeared in the woods behind the academic building.  

     The bird was gone, but its moments remained in me rewinding my time back to 2015 when the same bird visited our school for the first time since my arrival here.  That time,  an incessant rain lasting about a week brought in our school a big puddle behind the academic block. As a result the bird came,  we thought and assumed.  The bird stayed for a long time,  wandering the puddle,  pecking something out. We had great time enjoying its move and rest in the puddle from the back windows in the recess of lessons.  Personally,  I had fortunate moment to photograph the birds as much as I can during the recess of my time.  I didn't know the name of that bird back then. I tried a lot to identify the books referring the books available but in vain.  Now I do with the help of active birders in Birds of Bhutan, a group on facebook.  The bird with long legs,  with body and black wings is Black-winged Stilt.  

     With a gap of a year,  the bird visited us again. This time although the puddle came up last time during incessant downpour time but the continuous sunshine following that dried up the puddle.  May be because of that,  the birds didn't stay for long.  Hopefully it will return some day.  We are waiting.  

Importance of Effective Communication Skills, Personal Realization

So successfully and satisfingly, I have attended English  for Effective Communication, a nationwide professional development program for teachers, in Zhemgang Central School. And many things I have learned to propel the effectiveness of my career in particular and life in general.  

Although the sessions seem something I know already, there are many things I have to introspect and retrospect, I pondered time and again throughout the program.  

Effective communication is an key solve our day to day problems.  With effective communication skill in us,  we will escape any sort of problems without any stress and disaster.  Apart from answering our daily needs and wants, effective communication skills helps in addressing global issues and problems without any form of disaster.  No nuclear powered military action is required to solve the disputes between nations if both the parties are proficient in communication.  Our ever giving nature will not fail to give us fresh air and bounty food, if information to conserve our natural environment reaches everyone on the earth through effective mouths and ears.  Healthy relationship brought up through effective communication means will plant timeless peace and harmony in the world in general and society in particular.  Effective communication skills will surely let education shine, business succeed,  nature blossom and human relationships celebrate.  

Particularly in an educational institution,  effective communication skills play important role in realizing the vision of the institution.  If the flow of communication between different stakeholders, for instance,  between principal and teachers,  between teachers and students, among staff and among students,  are powered by effective communication skills,  surely the school will succeed.  And the success of one institution is real contribution to the success of whole educational institution in the nation.  

Through meaningful activities, we have learned how to communicate better which surely is a promise of future success of our work places and beyond.  

To the best of my ability, I will surely use the tactics of effective communication to overcome both certain and uncertain problems in my life.  As far as I'm concerned,  I have been trying my best to deal with others through effective communication means.  And the training really deepened my take on effective communication skills. 

With the training reaching almost all the teachers in the nation,  I foresee the great success of our nation's educational institutions.  The ripple of educational institutions is endless and of course contagious.  

For all the wisdom in form of retrospection, introspection,  and realization,  I sincerely thank those stakeholders involved in coming up with such program.  

Population and Housing Census

Although the first two days of the National Population and Housing Day have been gloomy with non-stop rain yesterday,  the final day that is today is bright. Hope the weather is fine like here in my place.  So that the supervisors and ennumerators deployed in the fields could return to their stations without any problems especially those who are deployed in rural areas.  Especially road is a concern when it rains. 
     Hopefully the census data will be taken into consideration by the future planners while planning for the country.  In a year our nation will see third election taking place and the census data will surely serve the political parties in reviewing their manifestos, I think.  Moreover the concerned agencies who contributed questions for the census will see their concerns answered and will embark to address their issues. 
     For the huge expenditure the government is paying for the ongoing census,  hopefully,  the people across the nation have cooperated with census officials providing them right information.  With the people's true response in addition to the census officials genuine service,  the government will get back the census expenditure in the form of best policies and programs flowing out in the future of our nation. 
     If I were one of the officials,  I would have learned a lot despite tedious work and walk from house to house. Apart from the information required to collect,  I would have learnt the people's normal way of living and the natural environment in which most of the rural settlements are set in.  Of course my world would have expanded connecting with many people in the process of executing my duty. 

Nature Activates our Senses

Today on the sultry afternoon, right after the lunch, I was to teach a poem in class III. As most of the time, afternoon hour wasn't that pleasant and fresh in both me and my children. After a short time of line by line recitation as an exercise of the poem, I took the children out.
     And in the moment of carrying out reading exercises pertaining the poem, this feeling, taking class in a heart of a nature is a key to activate ones senses towards learning especially when the lesson is related to nature, resurfaced in me. The hearts of the children are opened unconsciously to sense the nature at her true nature. Just a gush of breeze through a rustle of leaves activates both teacher and taught to learn better let alone the allure of other elements of nature. The vibrancy of nature simply reinforces learning. In nature's lap, everything is real, open and within our reach to show and inspire. Like in a classroom while teaching nature related lessons, we don't have to exhaust ourselves to create imaginary world of nature often putting children to doze. Everything is right in front of our senses. All we have to do is to pop up the caps of children's senses and everything will bubble up unceasingly.

Our Nation is Still the Best

Stockholm attack, Venezuela clashes, Syria war, St Petersburg attack, Indo-Pakistan tensions, Pyongyang's nonstop deadly missile testing despite heavy international sanctions and most disturbingly the recent most barbaric chemical attack in Syria. The world around  is not in peace. It seems like the world is breaking into pieces. No international mainstream media     houses flash us reports without a scene or two of war, violence, chaos and confusions backdropping all gorgeous news anchors in posh news  rooms. Almost in every part of the world, most people are at unrest fighting for their rights, braving wars and political chaos, tolerating famine, etc.
     As a result of tussle between top leaders, civilians are suffering. The poor and helpless ones are often crushed. The leaders do not come in agreement to restore peace and harmony in the world, let alone building new peace and harmony. Every leader seems to have a mind to outshine others in his/her quest for power and authority. Their everyday effort to cement their powers weakens their abilities to empower their subjects. Are powers of leaders of the influential countries empowering the rights and freedom of their people?
     But back home in our country everything is intact. The people are basking in the sun of happiness. Our leaders are mindful of their decisions that they don't bring in policies that would fracture our society. Although set in between the two emerging world powers, China and India, our mountains still wear white crowns promising us continuous gurgle of fresh water. And our air is still fresh because of thick forest coverage although some towns are mushrooming claiming some natural resources. Even with unrest environmental devastating activities going on in the two giant neighbours in their call to become economic superpowers, our country is still carbon negative. Our systems and beliefs don't let us cross our limits in claiming natural resources. Our education system prepares our children to become mindful global citizens through infusion of life skill and GNH values in their lessons without compromising the quality and content of lesson. At the highest level, our national plan and policies root from the principles of Gross National Happiness with Gross National Happiness(GNH) Commission as planning commission. With all plans and policies rooted from GNH principles and carefully guided by GNH values, everything that happens in our country doesn't go against nature and society. Once in five years we experience some political shift bought in by elections. New political parties come in with promising manifestos. However every aspiring political party's manifesto must be aligned with National Key Areas drawn by the GNH Commission.
     So I feel blessed, thousandly blessed to be born in this nation which weighs the national prosperity by GDP but by GNH. Every time after watching grey scenes of wars, turmoils, disagreements and strugglings backdropping attractive anchors in posh news rooms of international mainstream media houses, I go out or look through my windows and out there birds will be in great orchestra and clean and green scenes unfolds with few mist disappearing at the mountains and I feel our nation is still great in peace and it is not breaking into pieces.  

Just my though

I was just wondering what would be the quality of education if we had a system of teachers with their days' working hours divided equally between preparation and delivery of their lessons. In a school 50 % of the teachers would be made to teach in morning sessions and other 50% in afternoon sessions. Those 50 % who are supposed to teach in afternoon must prepare their lessons in the morning when other 50% are teaching who prepared their lessons in afternoon the previous day. But mind you, the system must ensure that the lesson preparation hours should be optimally devoted in planning and preparing lessons that all the teachers must be in the school on time and leave at the sound of last bell.
      That way, I think, there is no need for teachers to take their works home compressing their family and private times. No worries about works at the sound of last bell of day. And fresh start at the sound of first bell.
     In the present scenario, teachers plan after their last school activities when they are thoroughly exhausted often having to take some parts of plannings home. Most of us believe that quality and flow of a lesson are determined by the quality of planning and preparation hours. So how can teachers aspire to plan quality lessons when they are fully worn by their days' both curricular and co-curricular obligations?

The Sunday Treat

The trees around my residence are generously bearing flowers. Different birds come and visit them on regular basis. They come and quench themselves with the flower juices and swiftly shoot themselves into the woods.  I don't have to go deep into the woods to refresh myself with natural sights, sounds, aroma, and feels. All I have do is to open the windows facing north every morning to awaken my senses. Often birds, little and swift ones greet me and I feel great morning each day.

    Today is Sunday and I have some time to get more of the beautiful sights around. My little boy is up too and he wants  me to be with me instead of being in the bed. Holding him on my lap with a cup of tea served by my wife, I face towards the north to awaken my senses with live natural scenes in front of me. Crimson Sunbirds, Streaked Spider Hunters, Red Vented Bulbulls and some unknown birds are up in the trees breakfasting on the yellow and pink flowers. And in a few minutes, a squirrel  comes to compete  with the birds for the flowers. As the squirrel nibbles the  flowers, debris of petals fall down helplessly.  It is always good that everything in the nature is not so harmful to others. Although the squirrel nibbles the  flowers of the tree denying fruition, the falling petal debris will settle petal by petal under the tree and as time ticks by, after meeting with other natural elements they will penetrate further towards roots as nutrients for the tree.   And as of birds I have learnt that they are one of the agents of pollination of plants.  

    As the morning mature, the birds leave the yellow and pink flower bearing trees. The squirrel keeps on nibbling shifting from twigs to twigs until it is full and leave. And the trees remain adorning the nature with their beautiful flowers.

    No matter how much birds and squirrels take in each morning of the spring, the trees don't loose all their flowers. This is living in harmony sort of state in nature. The trees give as much as their dependents require and yet don't fall short of anything for their growth.

    In the moment of these thoughts running in me, my boy falls asleep. I must put him to the bed to rest. Surely the birds will come and squirrels too. These days Streaked Spider Hunters and Crimson Sunbirds don't miss these yellow and pink bearing trees. And I don't miss a shot or two of their moments in the trees.

    

The Status of Life Skill Education Implementation in Our School

The abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. 
                                                                          -WHO (1993)

Realizing the need to enshrine this  WHO’s meaning of Life Skills in our children, we implement Life Skills Education (LSE) to the best we could do.
Life Skills Education walked into our school unconsciously in 2000 with the very first sound of the school’s bell and consciously in 2013. Our former colleague Mr Tshering Dorji conducted a three day vigorous SBIP after attending a NBIP on LSE in Gelephu. He took us all through the contents of LSE and ways to implement LSE in schools. Since then our school has been ensuring one LSE period for each class in a week. And still today, despite heavily loaded with both curricular and co-curricular obligations, each one us take at least one period of LSE in a week.
During LSE periods, we follow the guidelines of the LSE Guidebook for Teachers developed by then Comprehensive School Health Programme of Ministry of Education to lay concrete foundation of life skills in the children. The guidebook has been very handy in delivering LSE to the children especially when we don’t get time to plan our own LSE lessons. The 19 modules in the guidebook are thoroughly planned and are very essential for our children to pick up and pack up for shaping their futures. The modules running in a format—age group, advance preparation, objectives, activities, facilitators’ guide and fact sheet—serve as readymade food for us to feed the children directly. We make sure that we deliver the modules which are age-appropriate for our children by referring the age group section. However, we try to adapt and instill the modules for adolescents too if they are very beneficial and crucial for our children’s life skills development and advancement. 

Then it is impractical for us to say we only cascade LSE distilled in the 19 modules of the guide book whole through the year. So when we are done with the modules age-appropriate for our children, we immerse them into activities such as games, storytelling, gardening and watching movies demanding exercise of some important life skills. 
Further we don’t just limit our children to embrace life skill values in LSE classes only. As required by the policy, we sincerely incorporate ten core life skills values in our daily lessons without compromising the content and quality of the lessons. We make sure that our lessons breathe at least two of the ten core life skills.  And similarly in co-curricular activities too.
And all these acts of kindling our children with finest values and life skills is reminded by the sign post displaying ten core life skills in our garden at the Nachung Scouts Den. Often we take the children to the sign post to cascade LSE. Surely the sign post stands there braving all weathers to imprint in both children and us the 10 core life skills and actions thereof both in our rush and leisure hours.
Particularly this year, in February, it had been very appropriate for us to cascade some distilled life skill values during the Nation-wide Value Orientation Week as a part of planned programme. The 10 core life skills were divided among us and we were to prepare a session incorporating the delegated life skills strengthened by effective strategies for our children. 
Then on 25/3/2017, Refreshing LSE, a PD refreshed us all with life skills values particularly 10 core life skills and the usage of the guidebook. On that day we re-committed ourselves to instill fine life skills in our children realizing the importance of values and life skills in children whether they excel academically or not in their lives. 
Despite our heavy curricular burden due to shortage of teachers we will make sure to use the guidebook sincerely and cascade some of the best values to our children.
All in all, with LSE Refresher Professional Development Course done, a LSE period for each class per week, LSE values infused in our lessons and co-curricular activities, the 10 core Life Skills post standing strongly, and the school’s both physical and internal ambience emanating endless learning inspiration, LSE will surely succeed in shaping our children with ‘the abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable’ them ‘to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.’ 

The Boy is Born With Grace and Splendor

The collective prayers and wishes of our parents, relatives, friends, well-wishers and ourselves answered at 11:39 pm on 19/01/2017. We were blessed with a baby boy. We wholeheartedly thank the Almighty for showering us the happiness the boy is for us. And from here on we take refuge in the Almighty to guide the boy's dreams and service for the humanity with success and jubilation. 
     The happiness and blessings brought in by the boy are because of the principal sacrifices and hardships undergone by the boy's mother and my beloved wife pushed forward smoothly by the blessings of the Almighty. Since the boy's conception in mid spring last year, I have seen my wife undergoing lots of hardship and sacrifices like all the mothers in the world during their pregnancy period. For nine months, I have seen her braving morning sickness, occasional headache, physical discomfort and occasional mood swingings. Then the last and most challenging shot, the Labour pain, of  pregnancy is a tussle between life and death. My wife undergoing the stages of labour got me into thinking how much my parents had struggled to bring me in the world and as a result my gratitude towards my parents particularly my great mom multi-layered. It is really true that the parents sacrifices and hardships to bring us up is best-known when we become parents ourselves. I strongly wished I could share some of the labour pains my wife. But I was helpless. All I could do was to stand beside her and make her feel she had somebody special to hold on. She nearly took about 12 hours to undergo the stages of labour. I felt genuine respect for all the mothers for their great hardships and sacrifices in bringing new ones in the world. In that critical moment of my better half, I prayed the Almighty and the dieties we revere for the smooth transition of bringing our much awaited child in this world. I strongly called all the virtuous acts I did to bless my beloved wife to deliver the child without much complication through my prayers.
     Thank God, for making everything convenient for us. The delivery was successful without having to refer better hospitals.  The nurse on duty nurse Mr Thinley and the cook of the Panbang BHU rendered their duties beyond the call of their duties. I sincerely thanked them. We found comfort in their words and relieve in their presence(a couple of nurses who monitored the transition of the labour pain before nurse Thinley are also included her for great gratitude).  And of course the other health personals who were involved in our baby's birth since it's conception deserve loudest thanks, particularly the Health Assistant Mr Leki Dorji of Kagtong BHU for being near and reliable guide towards the successful pregnancy. And then let me not forget to respect the duty of the wet sweeper who had to clean up the afterbirth fluids and garbage. The great service and support we got from those health personals involved in our delivery reaffirmed in us the nobility of services rendered by hospital staff around the world.
     Then there wasn't any question of not getting support from my near ones. My parents, siblings and relatives back home and.elsewhere had always wished best for us. In action, my wife's sister residing in Thinleygang, Panbang had been principal support. Of course all our near ones had been praying for us which we won't forget. In addition to unwavering support of our homes, our friends too played major role in some some parts. From friends from far and wide, we received good wishes and prayers. And from near ones,  we received immediate and much needed support. Great thanks to my friend, Sangay Phuntsho, Goshing Agri for being free rides at anytime when we had to visit the hospital (my friend Panbang BAFRA In charge too included here for the thanks). While in the hospital undergoing post delivery monitoring, friend Pema Namgay, Panbang Gonor, and Sangay Phuntsho and their families for timely nutritious food for both the patient and the attendants. My faith and belief in friendship reaffirmed.
     like all the aforementioned, how can I forget the most convenient time the baby was born, winter vacation and most favorable weather. Particularly I was very happy with time to stay beside my beloved at her most critical moment without having to worry about my works and obligations.
     As a result of all these, baby boy came to this world, an additional being in the world. Now the baby is finally delivered to us with grace and splendor. And now it is our responsibility to guide his life towards leading a successful life. We will invest our capabilities to develop the boy with the calibre of a US President, though he doesn't attain any of the great leadership post physically, to meander his life towards the sea of success. Life is all about ones leadership, leading our thoughts and actions.