If you ask people what their goals are some will answer to be an engineer, to be a businessman etc. Few people will answer that their goal is to be happy. Philosophers have long pondered on the question of happiness and what makes us happy. The pandemic has given people time to reflect and introspect on what really matters to them and what makes them really happy and satisfied with life.
Happiness for children can mean different things. The pandemic has brought about a drastic change in the lifestyle and routines of children, especially for children in kindergarten schools in Goa. This change might have been difficult for many as they were separated from their friends for long periods and were left confused with the things happening around them.
Making children understand what unconditional happiness means is a challenge because their understanding of the world is different as compared to adults. Being unconditionally like the name suggests is being truly happy with yourself without a condition being needed to be happy.
E.g. If you tell yourself that if I get this grade or if I get this phone only then will I be happy, it is happiness with a condition. It is not wrong to want and aim to strive for these things but when we base our entire happiness on it, it then might be an issue.
At Sunshine Worldwide School we welcome our students to a world of unconditional happiness. Being one of the best higher secondary schools in Goa we encourage inquiry and help our students make sense of the world while empowering them to become lifelong learners. Change is one of the major sources of stress in our lives and our ability to manage external stressors will greatly affect how happy and satisfied we are with our lives.
Our curriculum is adaptive to be more relevant to embrace current changes happening in the world and to make it interesting for students as well. For young learners, it is important to keep them engaged and focus on relevant learning. We use different approaches to support their learning. It is important for users to make the learner more knowledgeable, open-minded and balanced by focusing on the learner more than the curriculum.
Developing social and emotional competencies is also important for students to develop into well-rounded individuals and also helps boost their self-esteem and develops empathy. Using group activities that facilitate listening, teamwork, listening helps develop agency among students and helps develop a better sense of purpose.
Developing Emotional intelligence is also an important aspect to consider when one talks about unconditional happiness. Having the ability to manage emotions of self and others, setting goals, managing change and self-discovery are important skills to develop for being unconditionally happy.
IB learner profile also plays a key role in this regard. One of the key aims of an IB school is to develop students into internationally minded people who recognize their responsibility to humanity and the planet to create a better and more peaceful world.
From the learner profile, some of the most important things we inculcate in our learners to live happier lives are being reflective and balanced.
REFLECTIVE: Students are taught to respect and consider the world around them and consider their ideas. This helps them support their learning and personal development.
BALANCED: Students are taught the importance of living balanced lives. Living a balanced life is to balance different aspects of our lives like intellectual, physical and emotional aspects. Students are also taught to recognize their interdependence with other people and the world in which they live.
The development of learner profile attributes in their journey helps them become self-aware of their strengths and areas of improvement which leads to creating a better version of themselves in this world where Change is the only constant.
Being one of the top private schools in Goa, we at Sunshine Worldwide School make the learning environment such that there are no ranks or medals awarded and every learner is recognized and encouraged for the efforts the individual has put in, which thereby fosters an attitude of neither being carried away by the awards nor being demotivated when they have not performed up to their expectations in their early life which builds a strong foundation for being unconditionally happy as they grow up.
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