March 10th Class

Main Topic: Faith

• We continued to explore the idea of faith by discussing examples which highlight the difference between "believers" and "non-believers". 
• Two students from the Chinmayam class joined us for a round table discussion about challenges faced by 7th grade students in school, life etc.  The discussion was free flowing and we commend  our Chinmayam representatives as well as the Vijayam class for their open and candid exploration of real life moral and ethical dilemmas we all face.  Most of the discussion centered around scenarios faced by our students in school in individual and group interactions related to note sharing, homework, lab work, test taking, time management etc.

Home Work

• This is a repeat of last week's home work with a new emphasis on completing the review questions before you come to class.  It helps our discussion, if you've read and thought about the material ahead of time.  So, please read/review Values in Bhagavad Gita, pages 22-31. Shanti and Arjavam.  Write down the anwer to the review questions at the end of each section.

• Gita Chanting:  Continue your daily practice of the Chapter 13.  Spend as little as 10 minutes a day, you wlll be amazed at your own progress.  See our main blog site for a list of online resources available to help you including online recordings that is there to help you sloka by sloka.

• In addition, at 9AM Balavihar Day, come to Room 503 before the assembly for 25 minutes of practice with an expert to help guide you.  Take this opportunity to test your private practice results with a control group who are all learning just like you.

• As previously mentioned,  if you are motivated to create an artwork based on Chapter 13, we will give you our blog spot to showcase your work, for all to see.  Please discuss with your Vijayam teachers if you would like to take on this challenge.

Reminder about our class protocol:  

You are doing a wonderful job with this and we appreciate your continued cooperation in this area:

• When you get in class, please take your shoes off and help us arrange the desks in a circle that can seat 16 people.  

• Opening Prayers

• If time allows, we will do a round of Openings where you can share something with the class that you just have to get out (No more than 10 Minutes total on this)

• Moderated discussion on the main topic for the day. In this part of the schedule,  it is important that we stay focused on the topic presented and your input (which we welcome), should be your opinion about the main topic. It does not have to be the same opinion as the moderator's or the other students' - but it does have to be related to the main topic.  If we don't follow this simple rule, we won't finish the material and that will take away time from other fun things we want to do.

• If time allows, we will do a round of Closings where you can share something with the class that you just have to get out (No more than 10 Minutes total on this).  This is a good place to talk about "squirrels" *1.  This is also the time slot that we will use use to explore other topics related to personal values, leadership etc.

• Closing Prayer

• Before leaving, please help us put the desks back the way we found them.

March 3rd Class

Main Topic: Faith

• We continued to explore scenarios where faith is brought out as a necessary next step toward progress.  We heard the story of a patient who just had yet another eye surgery after many attempts to provide him vision.  The surgeon who has done everything he can asks the patient open his eyes to test the results and the patient is only willing to do that if the the surgeon can guarantee him that his vision will be restored.  We will complete the analysis of this story in the next class.
• Due to schedule conflicts, we had to make a change to the planned visit from the Chinmayam students.  Look for them this coming Sunday, March 10th.

Home Work

• Read/Review Value in Bhagavad Gita, pages 22-31. Shanti and Arjavam.  Also tackle the questions at the end of each section, as it will help you with discussions in class

Reminders

• Gita Chanting:
• Continue your daily practice of the Chapter 13.  Spend as little as 10 minutes a day, you wlll be amazed at your own progress.  See our main blog site for a list of online resources available to help you including online recordings that is there to help you sloka by sloka.
• In addition, at 9AM Balavihar Day, come to Room 503 before the assembly for 25 minutes of practice with an expert to help guide you.  Take this opportunity to test your private practice results with a control group who are all learning just like you.
• As mentioned in last week's blog, if you are motivated to create an artwork based on Chapter 13, we will give you a blog spot to showcase your work, for all to see.
• Now, a word from our sponsors about class protocol:  We are happy to see attendance increasing again after the February drop off.  For those who have not been with us for a while, this is just a gentle reminder of the class protocol that we need to follow so that we can get through our curriculum material and have some fun along the way:
• When you get in class, please take your shoes off and help us arrange the desks in a circle that can seat 16 people.  
• Opening Prayers
• If time allows, we will do a round of Openings where you can share something with the class that you just have to get out (No more than 10 Minutes total on this)
• Moderated discussion on the main topic for the day. In this part of the schedule,  it is important that we stay focused on the topic presented and your input (which we welcome), should be your opinion about the main topic. It does not have to be the same opinion as the moderator's or the other students' - but it does have to be related to the main topic.  If we don't follow this simple rule, we won't finish the material and that will take away time from other fun things we want to do.
• If time allows, we will do a round of Closings where you can share something with the class that you just have to get out (No more than 10 Minutes total on this).  This is a good place to talk about "squirrels" *1.  This is also the time slot that we will use use to explore other topics related to personal values, leadership etc.
• Closing Prayer
• Before leaving, please help us put the desks back the way we found them.

*1 - If you're a parent and don't understand the reference to "squirrel", please ask your Vijayam student or see the movie UP! ;-)

... and while we're talking about "squirrels", here is more information on the Folding Toy Puzzle that consumed unnecessary part of our class:

http://www.google.com/patents/US6264199