Reloaded> Ethos of Druk School

20: Four major exams are conducted round the year. First Term test, Mid- Term, Second Term test, the Annual exam and all classes from PP – X appear for 100 marks in each test and it’s of 2:15 minute’s papers. Tests are conducted weekly on first and second Term Tests with one subject weekly for PP-VI and two subjects for VII-X. Subject spelling tests are conducted daily bases.

They keep on writing....

21: The instructional classes are conducted from Monday to Friday. Saturdays are kept as off day though on alternative Saturdays, the management arranges some professional development programs for the faculty. 1^st and 3^rd Saturdays are considered as personal days for banking, medical etc…No body leaves the campus during school hours: 8:20 Am – 5:00 Pm.

A Class room...

22: We have IE (inclusive educational) Periods included in the timetable at the last period of each working day. The purpose of it is to finish the incomplete tasks of the day. The practices for concerts and other school programs are also done within this IE period. No instructional time is wasted for extra- curricular activities.

On Field Trip...Me with my students

23: Each class in Druk School goes for a field trip at least once in each academic year. The field trips are also awarded to the classes which has 100% class attendance and to the classes which excels in academic performance.

24: At the beginning of each academic year, the school hosts a lavish Awards day function to honor excellence in academic and non-academic performance of the students in the previous year. The main objective behind the delayed function is to motivate the children to start working hard to excel in their studies right from the beginning of the new academic year and to allow the award winners to take a place of respect. The beauty of this function is that the parents get the honor of presenting the certificates of merit to their own child.

25: Class teachers eat their lunch with their students inside the class room. Table napkin is imperative for each child to use while dining. Wednesdays are observed as GREEN DAY where children and teachers are expected to bring any green vegetables to eat. We are also expected to wear GREEN on this day.

Lunch with children always taste delicious...

26: Female Care givers look after the overall well being of the primary students. They look after children while they visit toilet, help tie their shoe laces, help them wear their uniform properly, wash their hands and keep the classrooms clean.

27: Special classes on Arts and Crafts, Health and Physical Education, information Technology, Music and library classes are spread throughout a week’s timetable. Classes PP-X has one of these special classes in a day. These classes are in cooperated to provide a space for children to learn new skills and to make the work days more fun.

Music class on progress

28: At least four teachers and school prefects are deployed on the parking lot of Druk School every morning. The purpose of the Teachers on Parking Duty is to ensure the safety of our children in the morning rush hour. Respective points are installed to drop their children and exit the parking lot. The Teachers on Parking Duty happily opens the door of the cars (for small children) and help our small Drukains come out and walk to their alma mater. With a smile on our faces we welcome the child for the day and silently assure the parents that their child will remain happy or will be happier at the end of the day when parents come to pick them up.

I once jokingly told to my colleagues that the beauty of the parking duty is that it allow my hands to get hold of the cars that I won’t even buy in my dreams!

For more details log on to www.drukschool.com

Ethos of Druk School

The whole school gets in tune to sing birthday song for them...

The day I started working at Druk School after two long years of dedicated service to a small and isolated community school in eastern Bhutan, I have been mesmerized by the ethos and professional rituals conducted day in day out here in Druk School.

To brief on the current status of the school, Druk School has been recently honored with THREE STAR certificate from the ministry of Education. The Certificate is the ONLY of its kind received by a school in Bhutan. Druk School was ranked as one of the TOP TEN schools in our country for last three consecutive years owing to which the SPECIAL certificated was awarded to the school.

Following are the ethos that Druk School strongly believes in and puts in action with great pride.

1: Classes are divided into three courses; Primary section (PP – III), upper Primary (IV – VI) and lower secondary (VII – X). The courses are headed by course leaders who are sole responsible for the academic affairs of its respective courses. The administrating functions of the Primary and Upper Primary sections are looked after by Assistant Principal and Deputy Principal respectively. The Principal of the School looks after the lower secondary section.

We also conduct morning assemblies separately except on Mondays to disseminate some important information properly and effectively. We also wear Kabney and Rachu on Monday assemblies.

2: Birthday songs are religiously sung for each student in their respective assemblies. Prayers are also conducted to mourn the decease family members of our students. Meticulously, no one has been deprived of the birthday songs or the prayers till date.

3: On Mondays, School Anthem is sung with our heads held high. We also sing the Anthem when new visitors come to visit our school and as and when a new teacher joins us.

4: We raise our head high and proudly sing our national anthem looking at the national flag with utmost respect.

5: Teacher-Aids are attached with Pre-Primary and class I teachers to function the affairs of the classroom more productively and professionally. The strength of all the classes in Druk School is kept to 24.

6: A new student is not required to appear for written exam or interview to get an admission. We believe in equal opportunity.

7: Students are never referred to with their roll numbers. We, in Druk School, call them out with their names only.

8: Not a single instructional period is missed out for the sake of competitions held in the school. The IEP periods and morning assembly time is used for them.

9: All the working days are FULL day at Druk School. We don’t believe in half-day. The students and the faculty works till the end of each working day whether it is the first day of the school reopening or the closing day in the end of the academic year.

10: On Fridays the faculty members attend the week’s reflection meeting. The meeting brings in the issues of the week to discuss and plans for the coming week. The student body consisting of all school prefects meets on every Monday to discuss the issues of the school from their prospective. The meetings are chaired by the Principal.

11: During the recesses including the lunch break all the teachers are out with their children playing and talking with them. It is done purely to be extra vigilant to any accidents.

12: Teachers on duty (TOD) are privileged to conduct the day’s affairs of the school. The TODs are responsible to hand over one child at a time to his/her parents and they are usually the last group of people to leave for home. Class Teachers of Primary Section also see off their children handing over one child at a time.

19: Belief statements chartered in our school diary:

a.       We believe successful teaching takes place when there is safe, secure and stimulating environment.

b.      We believe each child should be motivated in all aspects of learning by doing.

c.       We believe in wholesome development of every individual.

d.      We believe successful teaching and learning takes place when there is mutual understanding between parents and teachers.

e.      We believe reflection is an integral part of learning.

f.        We believe in honoring human potential.

g.       We believe all teachers make difference in the lives of children.

h.      We believe all learning takes place when children are encouraged to think creatively and critically.

i.         We believe in providing student centred class.

j.        We believe in encouraging risk taking and problem solving.

k.       We believe in recognizing every child’s contribution.

l.         We believe in working collaboratively and helping each other.

                                                                                                                         To be continued……

Dear Brother Facebook and Sister Twitter, it's my b/day tomorrow!

Tomorrow I will be one year old. I was born on 27^th August, 2011 in a remote place called Lichen, Trashiyangtse, in eastern Bhutan. You know, dad was working as a community teacher there. I believe dad was in love with Miss Internet; a young, smart and sophisticated woman for 6 long years before she conceived us. I am told that they were so deep in love that they couldn’t even imagine being apart for a day. They romanced through mobile phones, wifi, dial up and the broad band connection day in day out. So, romantic!

In 2009 dad and mom had decided to have their third child (me). You two were already five year old, up and active in the world of cyber raising your voice and updating your status. Mom told she conceived me on that same night. People say, in those days dad and mom couldn’t meet often. Dad was just out of college and busy in search of a decent job and mom use to only wait for him at cybercafé. One fine day dad had told mom regarding his appointment as a teacher in a remote school in eastern Bhutan for two years. The place he was going to was not connected with internet. She had requested him to withdraw his appointment but he was determined.

Brother Facebook and Sister twitter, you may not know, it was on 8^th April, 2010 that they finally had decided to get separate and move on. It was also the day when dad aboard the bus to Trashiyangtse to serve in the community school. From that day they didn’t bother about each other. They lived their own lives. He told me that the hardest part of the separation was to depart from you two, the agents of his happiness.

The remote life had so much to offer him. The genuine respect from the community, immense job satisfaction in teaching the village children and the local people pampering him by offering fresh vegetables, dairy products and he was dined and wined lavishly too. He couldn’t ask for more. But his heart silently always wanted to meet you all. As years came to months he couldn’t afford being without you all. He told me once that missing you all for more than a year has only taught him how to love you more.

Luckily, by the fall of July, 2011, Data Card became hot and happening in Yangtse. So, dad didn’t give a second though on purchasing the data card to start a fresh beginning. He had a lot of stories to share about his stay there and about the life of the local people. He really wanted to express in minute details of life in a remote setting. So, in the evening of 27^th August, 2011, I was born and dad proudly named me as ‘diarification’. What our mom had conceived in 2009(creation of the blog) ultimately gave birth (published the first post) in 2011. And the lost love and romance this time, I believe, started to take off with a rocket speed.

On my first birthday, with more than 10,700 visitors and counting, 36 active followers and numerous comments/likes, I wish to thank a lot of people but would start with you two.

Thank you, brother Facebook and Sister Twitter for making what I am today. You two have done what all brothers and sisters lovingly do for their siblings. You introduced me to the world of writers( blogyul, TOBDEN and Writer's Association of Bhutan) and helped me create a world of my own. And for sure, I alone couldn’t have made dad go crazy on mom..hehe.

The credit goes equally to all the blog followers and diehard fans in encouraging dad to write more on my page, for making the joy of writing much exciting for him and letting dad experience his freedom of expression through me.

With you two under my wings and with the amalgam of dedicated followers I have only improved. I have come a long way from being a village oriented page drawing in a lot of emotions and feelings to the urbanization provoking sensitive thoughts when he came back to Thimphu. Thank you for warmly welcoming me here. Your likes, interest, comments and frequent visits mean nothing less than jewels and diamonds.

Thank you for making my life worth living….the love and encouragement I have received in one single year shall remain credited for a life time.

With love

Younger brother

Diarification

Address: (www.gayatribhandari.blogspot.com)

Our SPECIAL visit to Chang Bang Du Primary School

In Druk School it’s almost mandatory for teachers (class and subject) to take their children out for a field trip at least once in each academic year. The children wait for it with utmost delight.

In our bus....here we come.....

Yesterday, Class II (A, B and C) went for a field trip to Chang Bang Du Primary School. It was more of an exchange program designed to bring two groups of students and letting them spend a moment together.

The primary aim was to provide an avenue for our children (Druk School) to explore a new school; observe the school environment and just interact with their new friends whom they have never met before and above all to let them experience the joy of giving.

Chang Bang du wasn’t the first choice but ultimately it proved to be the perfect one. The School was small and the majority of the students whom our children were scheduled to visit were from middle class families. Our gifts consisting of a chocolate bar, a story book and hand-made wishing cards with the recipient’s name written on it went to the needy hands!

Pema Tenzin ( II C, Druk School) Presenting his gift to
 his new friend Jamyang Phuntsho ( II  B Chang Bang du Primary School)

As the students started to exchange gifts (The host children were also ready with hand-made cards for our children) the smiles slowly invaded the silent class. The new faces and the place had silent our otherwise very noisy and hyper-active children. They looked nervous, confused yet excited and happy. The apparent blush on the faces of our children were obvious because they were meeting the students for the first time, but the long breath they took after handing over the gifts, I felt, did bring some happy feelings to our children. The host children were very happy too. The trip was well received. A host teacher was found giving warm hug to our children.

A host teacher showering warm hugs to Drukains

Then they went out with their respective friends at the courtyard of Chang Bang Du School and spent some more time giggling and flipping over the cards that they have exchanged. There, i felt the magic of the whole trip unrevealed in ease.

The card becomes the talking point

Happy students of Happy Chang Bang Du School

Vote of Thanks to the children of Chang Bang Du Primary School

A short vote of thanks by one of the students of our school marked the end of this special visit. The children waved their little hands to each other with heart filled with joy and deep appreciations for their new friends.

After leaving the school, we travelled through the heart of Thimphu city and entered the Centenary Children’s Park. There the children engrossed themselves playing in sand, slides and swings. We took a lot of photographs. Then we had our lunch.

At Children's Park

When we exit through the big iron gate of the Chang Bang Du School, a girl from my class speaks out with a lamented voice (on departing from her new friend) yet reiterating her promise to meet her again with her mother soon…this time with more chocolate bars…more story books and more love and affection for her new friend.

At that moment our purpose of the field trip, I guess, was silently fulfilled.

The field trip ended smoothly as we entered back through our school gate at 1:30 pm. The students enjoyed their day out without a scar but I strongly believe that the special meeting, though a brief one, with their new friends must have engraved a deep mark in their hearts and stirred a millions thoughts of friendship in their little minds.

The Escorting Team
With me Miss Tenzin P Wangdi, Madam Kamala Ghalley and Lopen Jamphyel

WARMEST REGARDS AND SPECIAL THANKS to the lovely students, kind faculty members, generous vice- Principal and the Principal of Chang Bang Du School for sparing us their valuable time on our field trip at their campus.

In the land of woman…anything is possible.

One find day, a happy and continues relationship of many years suddenly comes to an end. It would mean nothing to one lady while another woman joggles many more years to decide settling down with one.

Women price a man’s genuine love and affection with your bank balance, the type of car you drive or how high you fly in society. A tight wallet and a macho style sweep the ground beneath their legs. Yet, at the end of the day she only needs love and care to have a sound sleep at night.

Biggest irony? Women give birth -a symbol of LOVE, but they don’t mind giving love a bad name. They don’t want to be the first one to pop the question or initiate a relationship. They take man for a rollercoaster ride along the LOVE Ave. They accept gifts, they don’t mind dining and they cajole for minute favors from man to meet her needs- to which man only serves flamboyantly.

They hide their true feelings for a man yet they wear designer clothes and use a lot of cosmetics to look confident, elegant and beautiful.

They always appear clean, fresh and beautiful yet Jealousy is what women are infamously known for.

They shed tears so effortlessly yet fail to understand how painful it would be for their men to witness it.

For them “goodbye’’ could only mean a chance to start a fresh beginning. For men it’s the last word they wish to utter.

Women sleep over their fancy dreams and men dream only about “them”.

One woman will never accept your love even if you have expressed it in a million ways while for another woman 5 seconds of ‘side walk’ is enough.

One woman arrogantly wants to read 1000 pages of a man’s history to accept him while another woman doesn’t turn a page, she falls in love looking at the design of its cover page.

All said and done, women play a great role in keeping the human race alive. How? The beauty of each woman is the grace they are bestowed with (apart from the apparent physical beauty). What’s that? It is the ‘duty bound’ yet sweet responsibility of women to look after two generations. First she looks after her own children and later her grand children are brought up with her undivided love and dedicated care wrapped with the warmth of her affection. Go Women Go……..