Maa, I want to be a kite!
Ari wants to be a kite and experience the wonders of flying in the sky. But he is sad that he cannot be a kite because he got no wings. But his mother thinks that nothing is impossible! Imagination can work wonders! Click on the above link to watch the story being read aloud by a little girl!
The Hundred Languages by Loris Malaguzzi
Poetry: A Summer with Nani
Note: First published at http://unboxedwriters.com/2011/11/stories-from-kashmir-a-summer-with-nani/
It is summer and holidays are here!
What do I do?
Should I read a book?
Or help mummy to cook?
Or should I chase the butterflies
That circle round the flowering nook?
I think and think and think
Till mummy calls out, “Radha, come here quick!
“Pack your bags. It is time to visit Nani for a week,
Who lives far away in the white, snowy hills!”
I do somersaults all across the floor
And dance to a song I hear on the radio!
For I can’t wait to see my Nani
And gallop away with Raju, her brown pony.
I neatly pack my sweater, hat, and gloves
A painting I made for Nani with lots of love!
Our long train chugs along the tracks
Coooooo chhuk chhuk chhuk…
It sings as it passes a brook.
My Nani waits by the door of her house
That has blue windows and green walls.
“Sweet Nani! It is so good to see you!
For all of this week, what shall we do?”
“Dear Radha, do not worry about this week.
It will be as colourful as the rainbow, you shall see!
On Sunday by the violet tulips we sit.
On Monday we knit an indigo scarf and mitts.
On Tuesday we dip our feet in blue waters, so clean.
On Wednesday we walk under pine trees, so green.
On Thursday I ride Raju by yellow mustard fields.
On Friday we see the orange sun set by the hills.
On Saturday we dry red chillies on the floor.
It’s Sunday again and time to go back home.
“My sweet Radha, I shall miss you once you board your train.
But next summer, we shall meet again!”
“Sweet Nani! What a colourful week we have spent!
This summer holiday with you, I shall never forget!
Vaishali Shroff is a freelance writer, editor, columnist, and runs a reading club (www.eikthirani.wordpress.com) for children in Pune. Her work has been published in over 10 titles of the Chicken Soup India Series, her children’s stories can be read at smories (http://www.smories.com/author/vaishali-shroff/) and she can’t wait for her first children’s book to be out.
New Batches starting 4th November!!!
Hello Readers,
After a sunshiny, happy, colourful, sweet, and de-lightful Diwali, we are back with new batch timings.
There will be two batches a week. Each batch will have one session a week. Tuesdays and Fridays, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Starting 4th of November, 2011, Eik Thi Rani will wait for your enrollment calls.
Till then, happy reading. 
Regards,
Eik Thi Rani
My Tricolour – Poems by ETR Children
In today’s reading session we read stories and poetry about our struggle for freedom, the past, the hope, the present, and the future. It was great to discuss what the children think about ‘freedom’ and what the Tricolour means to them. The poetry did ignite the poets in them and they came up with these lovely lovely lines in a matter of minutes. Enjoy them. JAI HIND!
“Saffron is the rays of the sun set
White is the colour where the rainbows met
Green is the loveliest colour of all
Through summers, winter, spring, and fall.”
~ Roshni Deshpande (10 yrs)
“Saffron oh saffron the colour of our flag
Some people have the colours of their school bag
White oh white the best of all
As it remarks our seasons, summer, winter, spring, and fall
Blue is the sky from morning to evening
In winter, there is a lot of fevering
Green oh green we like it, it doesn’t matter if it is he and she
If foreigners look at the last colour,
and they will be embarassed, I’ll be as proud as proud can be.
Jai Hind!”
~ Ramona (9 yrs)
“Saffron is the sun, it is bright and gay at summer days
White is my granny’s hair, I love to play with her hair.
Green is the greenery of India.
The chakra is the blue sky, and is right above her head. “
~ Garima (7 yrs)
The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond
This month we read The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond along with other stories in the 7 – 11 years batch. Here’s my book review. It was first published at Unboxed Writers: http://unboxedwriters.com/2011/02/the-blue-umbrella/
Some time back I watched The Blue Umbrella, a children’s movie based on a novella by Ruskin Bond, and directed by one of my favourite movie makers, Vishal Bharadwaj, known to make movies out of books. And I watched it again. Not because Tata Sky Showcase played it for 12 hours of the day, but because I thought it was a brilliant movie. And I wondered how many children actually got to watch it! Such children’s movies are a rarity in today’s times.
But that was till I read the book in its flesh and blood. And I read it again. And again. Till I realized that even a National Award winning movie in the Best Children’s Film category could have missed its mark!
Nothing compares to reading a book, imagining the characters, being part of the scenes and narrating the dialogs. And the same goes for The Blue Umbrella.
The Blue Umbrella explores a naive desire of a small village girl, Binya, to own an umbrella that is perceived as exclusive and elite and how it becomes an obsession with not only Binya, but Ram Bharosa (Nandkishore Khatri in the movie) a shop owner who secretly wishes to own Binya’s umbrella. How he plots through devious means to somehow get hold of it, and his misery on seeing Binya enjoy the beautiful, blue umbrella, are beautifully captured.
Ruskin Bond brings alive the mountainous terrains of Himachal and the life of its villagers in a manner like none other. The language is eloquent yet so submissive to the story. Every sentence leads so smoothly to another – in thought and in word. And I tried hard, but not a typo or grammatical error that met my naked eyes.
I strongly recommend reading this book even if you have watched the movie and could not flaw the screenplay, direction, or the stupendous performance by Pankaj Kapur.
Your story in “Parent Speak”
Dear Reader (Parent),
Is your child a part of ETR? How has your experience been so far?
Even if you don’t have a child enrolled with us, what do you think about ETR? Our mission?
We would love to hear any feedback from you about us – good, bad, ugly, we will put it all up in our Parent Speak section.
So please Speak to us. We value your presence in our life.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
ETR
New month, new stories!
Dear Reader,
Monday, August 1, 2011 we kick off a new month with new zing, new zeal, new stories.
It would be nice to see new faces too! Do share your experiences @ ETR with your friends who would be interested.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
ETR
Why reading is important? Some stats…
Note: Though this research was conducted and published by the Michigan Department of Education, it’s relevance is universal.
Reading serves as the major foundational skill for all school-based learning. Although reading and writing abilities continue to develop throughout life, the early childhood years – from birth through age eight – are the most important period for literacy development. The development of early literacy skills through early experiences with books and stories is critically linked to a child’s success in learning to read.
- Only 5% of children learn to read effortlessly.
- 20% – 30% of children learn to read relatively easily once exposed to formal instruction.
- 60% of children face a more formidable challenge:
- For 20% to 30% of these children, reading is one of the most difficult tasks they will have to master throughout their schooling.
- 90% to 95% of poor readers can greatly increase reading skills to average reading levels through prevention and early intervention programs that combine: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency development, and reading comprehension strategies that are provided by well-trained teachers.
- 88% of poor readers in first grade have the probability of being poor readers in fourth grade.
- 75% of children who are poor readers, who are not helped prior to age nine, will continue to have reading difficulties through high school. 10% to 15% of children who have difficulties learning to read will drop out of school; only 2% complete a four-year college program. While older children and adults can be taught to read, the time and expense is enormous.
- 80% of children identified as having learning disabilities have their primary difficulties in learning to read.
- Half of adolescents and young adults with criminal records have reading difficulties.
- Half of the youths with histories of substance abuse have reading problems.
It’s Good to Share by Vaishali Shroff
One day Sudha came home from work with four more bags other than her own office bag.
“Sameer and Meera, I’m home!” she called out to her kids as she removed her sandals by the door and put them in the shoe rack.
“Here mom, let me help you with the bags,” said Sameer, as he ran down the winding stairs into the hall. Meera climbed down the stairs one step at a time.
“No sweetie, I am fine. Thanks!” replied Sudha.
“But then why do you have so many bags today? Have you got a surprise?” asked a beaming Meera.
“Oh no, baby! Tomorrow is Independence day and we have a charity program at work. These are clothes, books, and toys for some children whose parents cannot afford to pay for them,” said Sudha.
“Cannot afford? What does afford mean, mom?” Sameer asked Sudha.
“I mean they do not have the money to pay school fees or buy books and toys.” replied Sudha.
“You mean they don’t go to school? But Papa said all children must go to school, right?” asked Meera.
“Yes darling, they don’t go to school. That’s why we are going to help them!” said Sudha, as she stacked the bags in one corner of the hall.
“But do you know these children, mom?” asked Sameer, getting curious.
“I don’t know them. But sweetheart, sometimes it’s good to share and help if it makes others happy. Now, how about a sandwich and some orange juice!” said Sudha as she walked into the kitchen to fix Sameer and Meera some snack.
“Can I help you, mom? I got two rupees in my piggy bank,” said Meera, as she stood before Sudha, handing out her two rupees.
Sudha smiled. She hugged both Sameer and Meera for being so kind and said that they need not worry. That she had got enough clothes, books, and toys for the children.
That night Sameer and Meera did not get sleep. They popped their heads out of their blanket and looked at each other.
“I think we must help the children. But how would we help them?” Sameer asked Meera, as he sat up on his bed.
“How about giving some of our toys to them!” said Sameer. My two Hot Wheels cars, a ball, and a clay dough set. A colouring book too!”
“But my toys will miss me if I give them away, Sameer. I love my teddy and doll,” said Meera, as she held her favourite teddy and doll tightly in her arms.
“Yes, Meera, I’m sure your toys love you a lot. But if you share them with others, they will love you more!” Sameer told Meera as he looked into his toy shelf to see what else he could give.
Meera’s eyes twinkled. “OK, I will give my toys too. But we need to clean and fix them and make them look like new before we give them away. One of my teddy’s eyes is lost and my doll’s dress could do with some stitching.”
“Yes, I could clean my cars and neatly pack the clay dough” said Sameer. “Then let’s get started.”
Sameer and Meera were excited about their new mission. They got their old toys out – a one-eyed teddy, a winking doll, cars, a ball, clay dough, a doodle pad, and a set of colouring books. Meera stuck the eye on the teddy and glued the doll’s dress. She then wiped them clean with a wet tissue to make them look like new! Sameer too got his toys and books together and put them in a bag.
Next morning as Sudha was about to leave for work, Sameer and Meera gave the bag to their mother. On the bag was a small note that read “With love, from Sameer and Meera”.
Sudha looked confused. What could be in that bag, she thought.
“What’s this, kids?” asked Sudha.
“These are some of our toys and books for the children.” said Sameer, as he handed over the bag to Sudha.
Sudha looked very surprised. And happy too!
“That is so sweet! But are you good with giving away your favourite toys to other children?” she asked Sameer and Meera, as she looked into the bag.
“Mom, you said it’s good to share and help if it makes others happy. Our toys will make other children happy, right?” asked Meera.
Sudha had tears in her eyes as she hugged both Sameer and Meera.
“Of course your toys will make them happy. You have done a wonderful thing today,” said Sudha to the kids as she walked out of the door with one more bag of toys and books to give to the children.
