Anjali - Lessons from a soccer game

Not really a soccer game, but me and Anjali, kicked one plastic Mickey Mouse ball around yesterday afternoon. Nothing goes by without the deepest involvement with children her age and I watched the intense involvement that Anjali brought into the game - constantly changing rules, improvising her own techniques and most importantly, not forgetting to give me some gyan.

When you do something, give it everything you got

To begin with we had our own goals at either end and we were kicking at the other's goals. (I was warned that she was the one to win, so I made sure I stuck to her rules.) Noticing that she had more goals than me after a while and noticing my slightly wayward kicks, she stopped the game and told me the first. 'Nanna, you should aim and kick. Otherwise it will go here and there. Aim at the goal and then it will go there.' So true my dear and thanks for the 1st principle.

We were at the game for a while longer and she was scrapping hard with the ball and kicking it with lots of gusto. She finally got time to tell me what she was doing right (obviously she was even higher on points by now). 'Nanna, see why I am getting more points. I am kicking and kicking and kicking and kicking. You should also keep kicking'. Okay, never stop the action and keep at it in a scrap.

Remember to chill and pose for pics

In a while we got to the phase when she heard me appreciating a strong kick that she had executed. 'Stop cheering me Nanna,' she admonished me. 'Cheer yourself. Otherwise you will never win.' Oops. Keep the focus on yourself and keep motivating yourself instead of getting distracted by others.

But I could not resist saying that she really was putting a lot of effort in her kick and that was why I appreciated it and she nodded, thinking that perhaps I was now ready to imbibe the secret behind kicking the ball well. 'Just keep looking at the ball and kick at it. Look closely at the ball. Don't look here and there.' There was a bit of technical input of how I should take a small run up and kick the ball hard as well.

And then came this as I stood waiting for the ball to come my way. 'While waiting for the ball don't simply stand there,' she said. 'Keep moving.' Sound advise I thought.

And then she gave me, the willing listener and the eager learner the last of her words of wisdom from the football game. 'And think Nanna. It is a thinking game.'

Attack the opponent with all you have

And then she smiled and gave me credit for the last one. 'You told me remember, when I was crying when I lost in chess that it is all a thinking game! I am just telling you what you told me.'

I smiled at the teacher, happy that she gave me credit where due. And with that, we wound up after a hard game of football where I, as usual, ended up on the losing side in the game, but gained a lot of wisdom from a willing and spontaneous teacher. But enough there, for anyone who is competing for something, to get an extra advantage - aim at the goal, keep scrapping and don't be complacent, cheer yourself, look closely at the ball, keep moving and keep thinking.

Raju, the Dog - Learnings at Sorako Soft

Was at Sorako Soft yesterday doing a team building exercise with Amar, when our old friend Prem Chand their MD, showed me Raju, a handsome white mongrel. Apparently Raju had attached itself to the office and stays there with the team. It takes its watch dog role seriously and we could sense it, as it growled when we got close to it.

While explaining the concept of knowing our role and assuming our responsibility even if we are not told explicitly, I could think of no better example than Raju to tell the team. I told the gathering of 25 young and enthusiastic team members that Raju comes not with any conditions - he does not perform his duties only when offered a certain salary, a letter, a certain salary and perk. He has decided for himself that he enjoys being with Sorako Soft, has demonstrated his keenness and willingness in many ways already by performing his assumed duties - of being watch dog and loyal companion with zero conditions, and has made a place as a permanent member of the Sorako Soft family. He has already gone beyond the call of duty, in fact, when there was none, and provides comfort and security to the Sorako Soft family. There is an air of gratitude about him that is highly infectious and endearing and he is certainly one of their most loved members.

In a world where we see young employees (and old employees) show less and less gratitude and appreciation for their work, for their employer, and for their job and all they seek is to barter shortchange the organization by giving less than adequate work, Raju should serve as a shining example of how to go about one's job well. Thank you Raju for the wonderful lesson in gratitude, knowing one's purpose, discharging one's role and responsibility by being absolutely clear about it and taking ownership for it. Fantastic stuff.

Thought of the Day - The Connection between Creativity and Ownership

There is a connection between creativity and complete ownership. To do any job well, to take complete ownership for a job, more or less indicates to me, that some seriously creative work would follow. While dealing with youngsters at work, or team members who are not pulling their weight, I hear their parents, teachers and managers despair about how their wards never push that much more.

It is an interesting issue because ownership really is about creativity. All creativity needs you to walk a rather lonely path, to put up your work for evaluation, and that could be rather scary. Fear, could certainly be a factor in a person not taking complete ownership.

But when one takes the plunge and takes complete ownership for his work, one is no more worried about rejections (or even if he is, grits his teeth and goes on), is up for criticism and moves on and creates, irrespective of what is happening around him. He looks anew at the work, seeks to find ways to improvise, looks for new meanings and addresses it accordingly. Even if he did manage to do something like tallying his balance sheet (supposedly left brain and analytical stuff) through the ownership route, it is a creative process in my dictionary, mainly because he has explored a new area in his mind, seen a new pattern.

That then is about creativity and courage and ownership. And the key to good work. To address this issue as a teacher, mentor or coach, I feel one must work at the aspect of the fear that holds the ward back from exhibiting his creative work.

Day Out at Daksha School - The Olympic Day

These days all Anjali talks of is about the Olympics. Apparently much sporting work is happening at Daksha and they play some game everyday. Yesterday Anita invited me to chat with the children about sports and perhaps explain something about the game of cricket to them. The audience was daunting (really) - 60 kids of 1st class and PP II - the smallest I ever addressed.

As the ages of children go lower, it gets even more daunting to me. They find you out quicker than anyone else. You cannot pretend with them and you need to know exactly what you want to tell them. Also keep them involved. Huge challenge.

With much apprehension I walked into the school at 11. In a while the two classes came out and sat neatly in rows. I was introduced by Anita as Hari Uncle, a cricket player. They all nodded appreciatively. Two children, one of them being Anjali, came up and gave me a bouquet of roses and they said 'Welcome to our school'. I thanked them and they went off.

Next the children were to introduce themselves. They were very meek and we could hardly hear their voices. We decided to give them the mike. And then each one would shout his or her name at the top of their voice and the rest of the group would guffaw as loudly as they could. It was hilarious to see so much fun and energy. After they all finished yelling and laughing and holding their tummies and ears (Anjali), we moved on to the main issue - my talk.

I asked them if they all played games. Yesssss, said they and a jumble of games were shouted back. I asked them if they played cricket and once again a jumble of cricketing related words came back at me - batting, bowling Sachin umpire, Deccan Chargers and many more words. Then I asked them how they played the game. Bat, ball, pads they shouted back at me. I added umpires, two sides, wickets etc. By now it was getting too unruly as everyone wanted to tell me that they played, or had a bat or wanted a ball or something like that. Anita told them not to shout and to raise their hands if they wanted to ask anything. Mnay hands were raised - and they all wanted bats, balls or wanted to tell me that they had some. Some wanted to bat.

We decided to engage them in the game. Once again a roar of approval went up and there was much shouting of "I want to bat" and "bowl" and 'Uncle' and 'Hari uncle' going on. I split them into batsmen and bowlers and the others (very few) just strolled off to sit on the steps. One boy only wanted to field so we made him keep wickets. Every pair got two balls bowled by each bowler (one ball per head) and every time the batsmen hit the ball, they took a run. All the teachers helped and fielded as well and by the end of one hour, I was sweating like crazy, and everyone got a bat and a bowl. Anjali wanted to bowl again and batted too and it was all over in one hour.

One of the most hectic interactions I have ever had in a long time but all the kids were happy and it showed. They all came and shook hands with me, faces smiling and joy pouring out of their eyes. It was a morning well worth it and I have never had so much fun in a long time. Thanks Daksha and Anita and the children mainly for showing me how much fun life really can be.

Anajli - And the State of Being

I was talking to Anjali about something and the word 'happiness' cropped up. I asked her how one can be happy?
'Smile,' she said simply.
Oh, I said, and when we are sad, then how to be happy?

'Arre,' she said, rather exasperated with all this convoluted talk. 'Why do you have to learn anything? If you are happy, be happy, if you are sad, be sad. That's all. Why do you need to learn something else.'
That ended that particular conversation.

Durgam Cheruvu Boat Ride - APTDC pull up your socks

I went to Durgam Cheruvu this afternoon with Anjali and she wanted a boat ride. The pedal boats were all taken quickly by youngsters and I had no intention on going on one of them anyway with a four year old, so I waited for the minimum quorum on the motorboat which was eight. There were four of us and we waited patiently as a bunch of enthusiastic and noisy youngsters got on the pedal boats and quickly ran themselves aground. The operators started yelling at them telling them that they were not listening to them and not following their instructions. I was right next to them while all this was going on and I can assure you that no such instructions were given. The kids were left to themselves stuck in the middle for a while with no life jackets on, and its a miracle people just don't drown and die.

When our turn came the motorboat was packed with some 15 people, some almost standing. Certainly overloaded, no question of life jackets, and for someone who cannot swim like me, a real threat. I yelled at the boatman to stop piling on more tourists as the boat was already precariously loaded. Not a life jacket, not even a floating tyre, nothing to save you if the boat went under except a prayer. And it proudly had the APTDC brand printed on it.

Its a shame that they can get away with such carelessness and negligence in the middle of the capital city of Andhra Pradesh and that too under the aegis of the government body. I hope whoever is in charge does the needful and take the necessary steps. I know human life in India is not too expensive but such greed and carelessness bugs you. Its just a tragedy waiting to happen and for the want of basic stuff that is probably already purchased or if not, at least billed for.

Pull up your socks APTDC and take the safety aspects more seriously.  Sadly I have no pictures but I might just go and get a few next time I am there.

Creative Writing Workshop - Week 1 and 2

Week 1 and 2 of the 6 week Creative Writing workshop at Oakridge (Future Author's workshop) are done and for those who wish to look in and perhaps get a feel of what has happened, here's a snapshot.

Week 1

The rules were that there were no rules. Participants would write and express themselves without fearing about the correctness of grammar and spelling - one of the main reasons why people don't write or express themselves is because of the ridicule or the feeling of 'being wrong'. Secondly, the workshop would lead them through the process of constructing a short story, so they understand the  mechanics of the story writing process.

The outcomes I look at from the six sessions are that of making them understand and use structure, laws of construction, sharing the process, making them write more and more fearlessly so they enjoy writing.

The participants were asked to do a free writing exercise about anything that came to their mind as to why they were doing this workshop.

After that the participants shared about their writing process, their reading habits, favorite books and authors. They wrote down their expectations from the workshop and their dreams and aspirations and dreams with writing. 

The purpose of why one is writing.

We discussed the purpose of why we write. To express. But it can also help to write well when we want to inform. What do you like doing best? Career options. Writers. Novelists. Journalists. Script writers. Screenplay writers.

Also how writing is a form of communication and how good writing helps in good communication. Basic tenets of communication. 

Understanding the basic tools of writing. 

Language. Grammar. Spelling. Imagination.

Words. Sentences. Paragraphs. Chapters. Sections. Books.

 

Creative writing 

Creative writing is anything where one expresses thoughts, feelings and emotions rather than simply convey information.

Fiction. Poetry. Biography. Creative non-fiction. We decided to create stories here.

The participants wrote about the story that impressed them the most. They shared and then they wrote it down in a few paras. After they did that they were asked to write about it in two lines. The gist of the story came down to two lines. 

Can we all create?

We all can. We create all the time. We create better if we create more. Honesty, courage, imagination, passion required. Most importantly clarity. Good writing is all about the organization of your thoughts. Writing is hard work. But satisfying. It is challenging, but fun.

Have you created anything yet? Would you like to create something? How often do you write? Participants shared their journey.

A novel or short story has its own laws of construction that one can learn. Knowing the laws can help write a good story and easier. Start small. (Not trilogies). A short story. A novella. Just get going, without worrying about the quality of the work you produce.

Step 1. Organisation of thought.

The process of - Prewriting (Topic, Main idea, Order), Writing and Editing

Step 2: Generation of ideas.

What are you going to write about? What can you write about the best? Write down all the possible ideas you think you can write on.

Possible segments to explore: Your interests. Things you know well. Things you feel strongly about. Things that bother you. Things you want to express.

Sit and write about which one attracts you the most. Can you write easily, will your pen flow? Can you write credibly, convincingly? Do you feel like you know that story and characters well? Get going on that. Don’t try to impress. Be honest. Write about stuff that makes you happy. Or that bothers you. Create the life, the endings you want. Write about fun things, about funny things, about dramatic things, about daily stuff. Me and my experiences. Stuff I feel strongly about. Need to get it out of my system.

Once you identify the idea on which you wish to write about we now move into the sharpening of the core idea.

Understanding the importance of the hook – the core idea.

The hook or core idea: What is your story about?

Tips for writers:

• Write every day for ten minutes at least.
• Carry a small notebook for ideas, NEW WORDS. Conversations, visuals, people, situations etc.
• Find the best time to write
• Don’t worry about getting it right. (Write first, edit and polish next, ask fellow writers to give feedback.)
• Keep writing - small and big.

Week 2

Expanding the hook. Structuring the work. Developing the plot. Understanding the beginning-middle-end. Making broad sections and breaking them down. Development of characters. Importance of research and background information.

Recap what we did last week. Evaluating the work. Break the class into age groups of 10-12 and 13-16. 

Core idea

We re examined the core idea and discussed in groups of 5 which kind of a story was best suited for the story. Ideally stories one knows well, coming from experience were suggested as they were simpler. The groups discussed their hooks and see they were clear about the ideas presented.

For more difficult ideas, the importance of research and background information on characters and setting was discussed.

The core ideas were sharpened some more.

Structuring the work. 
Making broad sections. (one para each)

Beginning. (introduce main characters, their goals, the setting and the conflict (or what happens to challenge them and their dreams)

Middle. (Events of complications that arise in the path, characters deal with the challenge and change and grow, head towards the big conflict etc)

End. (The big conflict is resolved, loose ends tied up, end resolves and the cycle is completed).

  

Assignment: To write everyday for 10 minutes. To start with writing about humour.