by Bethany Institutions | Oct 4, 2023 | Uncategorized
Dear Mrs. Sandra Rosario,
Hello Madam, it is tough to believe that time has passed so quickly that almost a year has come to completion. I wanted to say that I’m very thankful to you for being a great mentor. Especially as a mother of two kids, often I couldn’t concentrate on Mithulram during his class hours, but I was never worried because you always take care of each and every child by turning their camera on and keeping them attentive with your unique way of teaching.
You not only taught curriculum to the students but also you taught them discipline, manners and punctuality which is most important to shape them as good human beings. I admire the way you organised extra classes for the students who were absent during class time, which shows your dedication towards your work. I also wanted to share one more instance for your dedication which made me speechless personally. One day you started the class as usual, I remember the time was not 9 o’clock yet, you got a call with some uncertain news, with your eyes filled with tears you completed that class and took a day off. Hats off ma’am.
I am very grateful to you for supporting Mithulram during his medical emergencies. I convey my heartfelt thanks for making this academic year a wonderful and fun filled learning experience for all the students of Std 3A. I always feel that Mithulram is lucky to get very supportive and caring HOD’s Mrs. Shanti Ravindra, Mrs. Smitha Elizabeth Oommen and all other teachers from pre-nursery onwards.
I also want to express my sincere gratitude for all the efforts that BETHANY MANAGEMENT have taken so far during this pandemic. I thank the management for the awesome teaching techniques that have been followed from the beginning to till date which helped our child to learn, explore and understand new things and update himself on a regular basis.
Thanks & Regards
S. Karthika Babu
by Bethany Institutions | Sep 30, 2023 | Bethany General, Pre Primary
Bethany – In Retrospect
There hasn’t been a day in the last 40 years of life in Bethany that I didn’t want to come to work because I love my job and enjoy being with children. What a blessing it is to be able to say that. I always feel Bethany and I belong together. My journey with Bethany has been a memorable one. As I served, I also learnt. With its warm atmosphere the institution has given me space to grow. While a healthy routine is maintained there is always something new to look forward to. Bethany in retrospect, has fostered the best educational experience I could have asked for. I was 28 years old when my association with Bethany started in Langford Road. As I go forth on this journey, my source of inspiration and encouragement is our director Dr. Akash Ryall and principal Mr Robert Khin. All my professional growth I owe to Bethany.
Bethany is like a breath of fresh air. While ensuring academic progress, it aims at the holistic development of the children through installing core values coupled with a myriad of extracurricular activities. This strong foundation ensures the students become an integral part of society.
To head the Pre-Primary department has been very challenging .Especially dealing with children in the age group ranging between 3 and 6 years. It is designed primarily to introduce very young children to a school type environment, that is to provide a bridge between home and a school-based environment. Most importantly, the time here encompasses the journey of a child from dependence to self-reliance. It is thanks to the commitment and hard work of all the teachers whose abundant enthusiasm, patience, empathy and love for children results in such a diverse and interesting atmosphere for the children to learn and grow.
None of the above would have been possible without the help and commitment of the whole school community, the management , the teachers the parents and the pupils. My sincere thanks to the parents for their interest and constant support in all our endeavours. Bethany has been and will always be an integral part of my life .
May God bless Bethany for what I am today.
Bharathi Ponnappa.
HOD Pre-Primary Department
by Bethany Institutions | Sep 1, 2023 | Bethany General, High School
D. H. Lawrence ‘The misunderstood Genius’ reminds me of children with a specific learning difficulty.
As a lecturer in English Language and Literature I was so immersed in that world, contentment knew no bounds. I would prepare hard for each lecture and would pour my heart into the attempts to touch my students and rouse in them the same zeal and passion for these subjects as I was. As always life moved on and personal priorities took over professional pursuits. Time rolled on….and life presented an opportunity where I could pause and take an objective assessment of where I wanted to be. Soon found myself in the world of special education.
As special educator for children with specific learning difficulty has been a short journey with long lasting experience. I felt a sense of achievement when a child in the mainstream could interpret a literary piece differently. Now although the child cannot put it on paper it is a sense of fulfilment when a child with specific learning difficulty is also able to interpret differently. As a special educator, have walked some ways with the children in understanding their specific learning difficulties. Bethany High School fosters a happy environment for learning and enriching students with varied learning issues. They are children with average or above average IQ, who are neither ‘lazy’ nor ‘disinterested’. And with complaints such as illegible handwriting, poor spelling, unable to copy from the black board, limited vocabulary, unable to read due to inefficient visual memory, difficulty pronouncing words leading to poor comprehension. Our students require more individualised and intense remedial programme.
Among other skills, what I personally found challenging was to make them understand that writing is also a form of communication and unless they write, another has no window to their thinking. Their writing becomes so restricted and hence it is difficult to appreciate their ideas and thoughts. The fear of incorrect spellings limits their expression, due to deficits in recall, retention or phonological processing. As an educator we ought to encourage writing with ample practice and instil confidence in them and look at ‘writing’ as a way of self-expression.
Yet another challenge that I have come across has been in the area of ‘following instructions’. It was often intriguing how they couldn’t understand or follow simple instructions. The difficulty lies in their short-working memory capacity and slow processing speed.
Instruction could be tailored to the child’s specific needs and eye contact should be made along with explicit instruction are some of the ways.
I am at this juncture where I am truly motivated to make that ‘leap’ and value those small but significant changes in them and for myself. It’s a revelation/self-revival. From measuring success in terms of marks and grades to achieving reading, comprehension, spelling and writing skills is an important milestone in my journey with them. Am grateful to Bethany for giving me this opportunity and allowed me grow from within. The school has taken greater responsibility in providing support services and well-structured learning environment towards inclusiveness. It should be every special educator’s goal to imbue confidence in them to brave society and lead an inclusive life.
Savitha Raja
Special Educator – LEAP
Bethany High, Bangalore
by Bethany Institutions | Aug 9, 2023 | Bethany General, High School
As a parent, I had been associated with Bethany over several years and could think of no better place for my children to be nurtured. But would I live up to the high benchmarks set by my child’s teachers? Would I be a misfit after a sabbatical from the corporate world?
A thousand questions swarmed my mind and doubts niggled every waking moment as the big day approached. I felt like I was venturing into unchartered waters, when I decided to take the plunge and join Bethany as a teacher. But, after the Teacher’s Orientation, all the trepidation vanished like dew on a bright sunlit morning.
The warm and friendly colleagues, the ever-approachable Headmistress and management made sure every new teacher felt welcome and at home. And before I knew it, here I was looking back over three years that passed by in a whirl of academics and activities and events that filled up our calendar.
A thoughtful gesture, a kind act of encouragement, a word of caution have all played a significant role in shaping me into what I aspire to be at Bethany. There have been highs and lows, there have been times of doubt, worry and anxiety, but with each new morning, there has always been the promise of a better day ahead.
The best gifts that are the ones given unexpectedly- –the warmth of a child’s love, the comfort of lasting friendships that help navigate difficult times, the appreciation of parents, the grace of trust….. –and I savour these moments that have filled my days.
As I look back, I realize that I took a leap of faith and I am glad I found a safe landing place here at Bethany.
And as a new phase begins, I know that Bethany will always be like the favorite book that one reads and re-reads and where meandering thoughts find solace and a safe abode.
Anna Jacob
Teacher
Bethany High Sarjapur
by Bethany Institutions | Apr 10, 2023 | Bethany General, BJS 2, High School, Junior College
When I, Smitha Oommen, became a part of BJS II, we functioned out of 2 colourful, cosy houses. 3 & 4 year olds in one and 5 & 6 years olds in the others. It had its own set of stories!
Children (like puppies & flowers- for me) always brighten every corner they are in.
Since children deserve the best, the Bethany Management built a spacious and cosy, sun lit and bright building which brought together all the age groups under one roof. It was a delight to see the little babies interact with their seniors, although just a few inches taller. A five year old would say about a younger one “oh! How cute that baby is….”
At the beginning there was a challenge with our neighbours. In their expectation, a School would turn out to be a noisy and crowded experience in a calm locality like HSR. They, in an attempt to protect what was theirs in a long time, placed some difficult situations and decisions for the management to make. However, children continued to do their magic completely oblivious to these issues outside. Eventually the neighbour’s fears were put to rest. It remains a peaceful locality with a fully functional school.
In my experience, the rainbow in the sky, was to see the little ones feel safe and enjoy their learning at school – learning to use the stairway in respect for each other, working with materials in great awe, looking after plants in our terrace garden by speaking kind words as they poured water only to see baby Lady’s finger, Brinjal, Chillies and flowers budding out of their precious plants. So much magic all around – why waste time being unhappy!
It was heart-warming to see the Teachers being touched everyday by the innocence of these ‘little’ people. It is almost a chant every day, “How tiny Pranav was when he came! How he has grown! “What evolves through the year is a remarkable relationship between teacher and child, making the learning process fun and positive.
Tears roll down our eyes as we tell them, “Next year you will be in another Teachers care, but I love you and will miss you! You are now strong and smart! You can be everything you want to be”
It has been a happy place that means serious business!
– Smitha Oommen, HOD of BJS2
