Nurturing Excellence
Asha Sundararajan • October 21, 2023
Fostering Excellence Through a Dynamic and Nurturing Environment
At the LTC, our vision is to cultivate global citizens who care for the environment and are committed to giving back to their communities. We focus on developing executive functioning skills by encouraging students to take charge of their learning through self-directed projects. Here, students are not merely “taught”; they actively “question, experiment, and construct knowledge,” regardless of their academic grades.
Since June 2022, our lab has welcomed over 3,000 students, with 20 dedicated members joining our in-school club program for grades 7 through 10. Students have found a creative haven, spending their lunch breaks, after school, and even holidays tinkering and collaborating on various projects.
Our initiatives include:
- Student-Driven Math Practice: We launched an independent daily math program through IXL.com, where 150 students from St. Joseph and sister schools signed up in September, collectively averaging 6,000 minutes of practice each month.
- Weekly Club Activities: Every week, students engage in 80-minute club sessions where they tackle foundational and challenging concepts. This year, they began by exploring ways to reduce echo in the LTC, diving into the physics of sound. Using tuning forks and ping pong balls, they studied sound as a source of energy and created jal tarangs from various materials to experiment with how sound travels through different mediums.
- Multidisciplinary Curriculum: The LTC employs a circular curriculum that introduces complex concepts such as Newton’s laws, fractions, geometry, Pythagorean theorems, and electrical circuits in small yet meaningful ways. Our lessons flow naturally and are anchored by engaging themes—whether it’s aquaponics, Indian forts, rescue operations, or environmental science.
Through this nurturing environment and best-in-breed resources, many of which are developed by the students themselves, we are committed to mentoring excellence and empowering our learners to thrive.
The Da Vinci Mirror Project, a student's journey As soon as we learned about light and its properties in class, our teacher introduced us to the Da Vinci Mirror project. We were all super excited! The challenge was to create a device that allowed us to write on paper while looking at a mirror, just like Leonardo da Vinci, who wrote in reverse because he was left-handed. We started with just a shoebox and a mirror, and I thought it would be a simple task. Boy, was I wrong! When we got started, my friends and I dove right in, but we quickly ran into problems. First, we had to figure out how to position our mirrors so that our reflections would be clear enough for us to write legibly. It was really tricky to find the right angle! We spent a lot of time brainstorming and experimenting. At first, our designs didn’t work, and we had to rethink our approach several times. Even though we faced setbacks and had to redo parts of our projects, we didn’t give up. I realized that each time we tried again, we were learning something new. Our problem-solving skills grew stronger as we figured out what worked and what didn’t. We learned to embrace challenges, and it felt amazing when, after much effort, we finally crafted functional Da Vinci mirrors! From Mr. Stephen K Nebu, our teacher This project wasn’t just about understanding light; it taught the students a lot of valuable skills. Here are some of the key takeaways I noticed along the way: Scientific Understanding: We got to apply the concepts of light and reflection in a real-world context, which made learning so much more engaging. Creativity: Designing our mirrors encouraged us to think outside the box. We tried different angles and materials to see what would give us the best results. Resilience: Whenever we faced obstacles, we learned to keep going and view them as chances to improve rather than failures. It felt great to push through! Collaboration: Working together as a team helped us communicate better. We bounced ideas off each other and supported one another when things got tough. Ownership of Learning: Taking charge of our own projects made us more invested in what we were doing. I felt proud of what we accomplished and excited to tackle future challenges! Overall, the Da Vinci Mirror project was a huge success. It not only deepened our understanding of light but also helped us grow as creative thinkers and problem solvers. I can’t wait for our next scientific adventure!
Written by Mr. Stephen Nebu and our students On October 21, 2023, the Homi Bhabha Exam took place at St. Joseph's Boys High School (SJBHS) with a total of 55 students participating. The examination commenced promptly at 3:00 PM under the supervision of Mr. Stephen K Nebu, who served as the chief incharge of the examination center. The exam, which is a prestigious platform for young minds to showcase their scientific acumen, witnessed the enthusiastic participation of students from various schools. SJBHS, known for its commitment to academic excellence, provided a conducive environment for the smooth conduct of the examination. The students, eager to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, engaged in the exam with focus and determination. The atmosphere at SJBHS was one of both concentration and excitement, reflecting the significance of the Homi Bhabha Exam in fostering scientific curiosity and understanding. It is anticipated that the results of the examination will be announced on November 30, 2023. This eagerly awaited announcement will mark the culmination of the students' efforts and the beginning of a new chapter for those who excel in the examination. The results were announced on 30th November 2023 and one student qualified for the practical examination. Master Adrith Rai and 22 students passed the examination.
Raising chickens from eggs? Our students did just that! They monitored the incubator, cared for the chicks, and even built them a coop. It was a fun, hands-on way to learn about biology, responsibility, and teamwork—proving that science, life skills, and a little creativity go hand in hand.
