MGIS ranks among India’s top 30 schools 

MGIS also received the ‘Educational Excellence Award 2012’ for Inclusive and Quality Holistic Education at the IIT, New Delhi.

As an innovative model of education, MGIS has succeeded in integrating and educating students from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. A PPP model in collaboration with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, it is a pioneer in active pedagogy and project based curriculum. MGIS is the first International Baccalaureate (IB) school with international faculty in Gujarat and the first school in India authorized to deliver the UK based BTEC Program in technical qualification.

MGIS has state of the art editing and recording studio facilities. We have a fully equipped IT lab and studio with high performance Macintosh computers, Final cut pro and other professional softwares, automatic scheduled back up hard disks (Drobo), iPads, Bose speakers, cameras and other professional audio-visual equipment.

• The technical infrastructure available to students and teachers include -
• A  projection room with surround sound system
• Canon EOS 7D (A digital SLR that captures HD video)
• Sony HD Movie Camera (A professional video cam)
• Zoom H4N4 Sound Recorder (A professional sound recording device)
• Boom (professional)
• 800w Mandarin Red Head Lights with filters (professional lights)
• Sennheiser Microphones and Headphones
• Canon Powershot G12 (A powerful photo camera)
•  40 Apple Computers
• Wifi enabled campus

MGIS defeated Barca Football Club from Baroda in the finals. The final match was a draw as the score was 1-1 and MGIS won the penalty shots by 4-3. Ansh Parikh (4 grade) was the man of the match, most valorous player title was won by Akash Zaveri (4 grade) and the best scorer was Jay Murthy (4 grade ).

Mr.  Bernard Diouf from Senegal, Africa together with Tiash Vaday (9 grade) has been coaching these students which has made this victory possible. The names of the players of MGIS team are as follows:

Aryan Shah – 4 Grade

Malkan Rathod- 4 Grade

Shishir Sompura – 4 Grade

Jay Murthy – 4 Grade

Dev Nayak – 4 Grade

Vinit Solonki – 4 Grade

Akash Zaveri (Captain) – 4 Grade

Ansh Parik – 4 Grade

Dhaviya Gandhi – 4 Grade

Shlok Vyas – 3 Grade

Deep Shah – 3 Grade

Minjae Lee – 3 Grade

By : Queency Christi

The trip took place from the 14^th to the 17^th of December and was organized by Sundarvan, a Nature Discovery Centre in Ahmedabad. Gir is eight hours away from Ahmedabad and is surrounded by many water bodies, including Kamleshwar Dam which hosts a large crocodile population.

The first day was eventful, with a short trek to a Crocodile Breeding Centre, where they breed crocodiles and then release them into the wild as well as take care of injured or ill animals. The Orientation, which is right next to the Crocodile Breeding Centre. There, they explain Gir’s geography and topography as well as how the park functions.

The next day, there was a Safari into the Sanctuary. There were many lions, many who had just hunted or had given birth to cubs as well as other species; spotted deer, plum-headed parakeets, etc. The guides were very helpful and informative, talking about everything from the history of the Park to the behavior of animals to how the various plants and trees grew. It was a very interesting experience for all most of who had never seen wild animals so close.

The next day, there was a long trek through a village where jaggery was made. Jaggery plays an important part in Gujarati cuisine; it is used to sweeten curries as well as desserts or just eaten with roti. There was an enormous jaggery field and the adjoining field was filled with jaggery husks. There was a small factory that made jaggery out of the juice of the plants as well as jaggery juice. The owners of the farm made a fresh batch of jaggery juice for everyone, a sweet treat which is often unhygienic in the cities.

Next came the “bat show”, not exactly a show, but more of an information session about the bats of Gir. Bats are considered to be bloodsucking parasites, when in fact they are the opposite. They eat only fruits and the carnivorous ones eat either mosquitoes or other insects.  There were two gigantic trees which were host to a minimum of ten thousands bats each. When disturbed, which happens quite often, they fly into the air, obscuring the sky from view. In a village where there is livestock and agriculture, the bats have enough food to sustain themselves, but the pollution from machines and vehicles harms them and their delicate wings.

After nearly being gored by over-excited bulls, the group headed back to the resort to see a Dhamaal Dance by the Sidi community of Gir. The Sidis are natively African who came to India, mainly Gujarat, centuries ago as slaves or on their own accord for a better life. They have preserved their African roots by performing a tribal dance where they imitate wild animals and break coconuts on their heads. They soon got everyone to join in; a true round-the-fire dance party.

The next day, they visited the Devalia Interpretation Centre where the preservation of the park and animals is further explained as well as the preservation of the flora and fauna. Then, in mid-afternoon, they visited the famous Somnath temple, which is located on the water. The temple has millions of visitors each year, from all over the world. The temple is home to numerous idols and statues and is the income of the small village that borders it.

The next day was the last day and there was one last stop to Hingolgadh fort, where there was a traditional Gujarati lunch and a climb on the rocks to the fort. The fort was built in the 1665 on top of the older fort and is situated 1000 ft above sea level. All the antiques, including clocks, personal items and cutlery are all preserved within the fort which also holds a small bird sanctuary.

Soon, the group was back home, exhausted but happy. Special thanks to Jadeja sir of Sundarvan as well as all the helpers and teachers who came along. The trip was exhausting, but lots of fun and left everyone wishing for more.

Photos by Harsimran Kaur Anand

The idea started to evolve; instead of just performing, why not make the setting a kind of Shakespearean village where the scenes were performed in different parts of the school? Of course, logistically, the scenes would have to be on the same floor, but the idea was interesting. And why not follow the Hamlet format of a play within a play? Hamlet could address all the actors at the beginning, and then the plays would begin. But what could be used to tie all the plays together? The answer came quickly, a narrator was needed, someone related to the Shakespeare world, but who was dynamic and entertaining.

As the pieces of the play were slowly put together, the main issue that needed to be addressed came to light, the costumes. How in modern day India is it possible to find the materials to put together a full Elizabethan costume? We must remember that in the day, the society was extremely conservative and has a different perception of beauty. Waistlines were tiny, faces were white, hips were huge and the dresses were layers over layers over layers. Finally, even that problem was resolved, thanks to Minoo Joshi (MYP 5 teacher) and a very interesting trip to the Sindhi bazaar.

Slowly, the production came together, with music, lights, costumes and props. The play turned out to be a success, with the audience giving extremely positive feedback to all the actors. But it is not the only actors, who were to be commended, but also the MGIS staff, especially Bharat bhai, Shankar bhai & Manoj bhai as well as Seher Hashmi of grade 10 who helped out with makeup and backstage. The last thank you goes to Ms. Anju Musafir, the DP2 theatre teacher and the principal of MGIS. For all those showed up, thank you and for those who didn’t, feel free to look at the video clips and the albums!

By Queency Christi

Students of Mahatma Gandhi International School won one gold, three silver and one bronze medals at the 2nd International Karate Championship-2011. It was organized by Shito-Ryu Karate School of India and held at Resort Marinha Dourada, Tambudki, Arpora Bardez Goa from 9th to 13th October 2011. Our two Karate instructors, Mr. Altaf Saiyed and Ms. Hussanara Alvi, accompanied the students who underwent rigorous training. Hussanara Alvi (Karate Instructor/ Sport Coordinator) says, “They knew winning would not be easy as the tournament was International Championship. So the students underwent a tough training of four hours continuous daily. As expected it was a challenging match with four countries (Germany, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India) participating in it made the competition tough. In spite of tough competition the championship became a success by hard work and strong determination of the students.” Jatin Solanki a student of grade 12^th says, “Representing MGIS in international tournaments has been possible only because of the guidance and support of Hussnara Maam and Altalf Sir. MGIS has provided me the platform to flourish and has made me believe in my dreams”.  Jay Joshi and Jatin Solanki are socio-economically underprivileged students studying at MGIS. The school has not only helped all these students to discover their talent but is constantly encouraging them to achieve greater heights in life.

The focus of Edexcel’s BTEC qualifications is on “learning by doing.” This program aims to provide learners with employability skills and transferable skills such as problem solving skills, the ability to plan and schedule work, the ability to work as part of a team and the ability to multi-task on different projects. The program will not only train them for the professional environment but for the larger picture of life. It opens new avenues for students and will enhance their technical and creative potential. Thus student will be fully equipped with knowledge as well as on hand practical experience which will enable them to join the industry and excel in it. For more information about the course, log onto: www.edexcel.com

by Queency Christi

In the first ice-breaking activity, students put together a puzzle of a cut out painting and created a tableau vivant explaining their understanding of the painting once they put it together. This way they came together in groups, collaborated and initiated a reflection on art and current social issues and events. Students and teachers paid homage to the late M.F. Hussain, a leading Indian artist whose bold work gained him international acclaim and a volley of controversies as well.  Students tried to understand the iconography and visual language of M.F. Hussain and later discussed larger related issues of freedom of expression and censorship that his work raised. They asked themselves if there were other ways to deal with art works that offended them as an individual or a group of people. They said it was possible to express their discontent legally, voice their opinion and engage in a verbal debate with the artist and experts, try and understand what the artist intended…and other alternatives in lieu of violent expression of discontent that hinged on overwriting the right and freedom of expression of others. Students also raised questions related to art:

Who do you paint for? Yourself or the buyer? Is art supposed to question your beliefs and bring the viewers to think and push their boundaries? If my belief system is strong will I react violently if someone else offends me? How do you negotiate freedom of expression and censorship? After pondering on these issues, students moved on exciting activities.

The students dispersed in their respective groups which had been assigned earlier. A “mela” arrangement had been set up, with students moving every ten minutes to different stalls. There were eight different stalls, housing among others, an epistemological discussion and a creation of an experiment in the physics lab.

First up was setting a table with a theme, a chance for students to express their creativity and to gorge on the chocolates set on the table. Next was the recycling activity in which students were asked to create a colour/symbol code for each of the trash cans in the school. They were also asked to create different strategies for the recycling and re-using the waste produced in the school. These strategies are to be implemented in the coming school year by both the seniors and juniors, who continuously strive to make MGIS a more eco-friendly school.

The third activity was on the sports ground, where the students enjoyed the recently acquired equipment; a basketball net, a table tennis mini-court and a soon to be very popular trampoline! The activities involved a game of basketball, but with the players having to keep their feet planted on the ground and having to rely on their arms and good aim. The next activity also challenged the students’ aim; hitting a single cricket stump with a tennis ball. Though not everyone succeeded, it was fun and challenging to try and certainly helped a few improve their aim.

Up next was a scientific activity. Each group was required to recreate an experiment from the provided books and write up a quick lab report. True to MGIS enterprise and initiative, students were quickly making changes and tweaking the experiments to make them better. Then, students were heading downstairs for a philosophical discussion featuring topics based on current news from local newspapers, as they would do in Theory of Knowledge, alias TOK.

After that, the students headed to the back of the school to play the Jambe and learn the two new schools songs, composed by Bernard Robert Diouf, an exchange teacher from Senegal. The songs, originally composed in French, both describe the qualities of Mahatma Gandhi, on whose principles MGIS is formed.

The Jembe, which is a West African drum, was taught in a mathematical way, with numerical codes used for the different sections of the drums. This method mixed two different disciplines, mathematics and music, which are not ordinarily seen together. But it was soon time for the penultimate activity of the afternoon, an activity using only the voice. Students watched a video and decided which characters they would dub in for. Using only their vocal expressions students attempted to create different scenarios for what was happening on the muted video, an extract from a popular television show. Finally, students headed to the library, where a vast array of books awaited them. Quotes from these books were taken, and students had to match them to the book selection. After reading the back of each book, students matched the books and quotes.

All in all, the half day of activities was successful, with regular classes resuming after lunch. The school year started off on a positive note for both DP1 (grade 11) and DP2 (grade 12) students, and will hopefully be the start of an amazing new school year.

The First Day was put together by the teachers of MGIS, who plan days ahead, in order to make the first day of school every year, a memorable, fun and educational day. MGIS recognizes their efforts:
1. Cafe Activity – Khushali, Sukhmeet
2. Science Lab Activity- Deepa, Gurmeet
3. Segregation of waste- Seema, Queency
4. Theory of Knowledge discussion- Anita, Minhaaz
5A. IT Lab Activity – Roona, Hussanara
5B. Photobooth pictures- Isha, Reema
6. Library Activity- Minal, Monika
7. Music and more- Bernard, Arpan
8. Sports- Altaf, Tapan
9. Photography and Web management: Lissa
10. Coordination and Management: Minoo, Ravinder, Anita
11. Organizing art material for starter: Minal
12. DP Orientation: Ravinder and respective subject teachers

By Rutvi Ajmera

Student of Grade 12, MGIS

Senegalese teacher at MGIS gives the beat as the students say their script

As part of their project on communication, the Grade 3 students of MGIS went to Radio Mirchi to understand how the work is done. Inspired by their visit, they created their own radio show. They collected information from different classes and after a few activities on voice modulation, recorded and edited their own show on Garage Band.

Students wrote their script, rehearsed their lines and recorded their part. They selected the songs and taking turns, some of the students compiled and edited the show.

Collaborating teachers: Khushali, Lissa, Bernard, Neha

The radio show will be uploaded shortly. Check this space for more…

Hussanara Alvi, their class-teacher asked the students to use their recess time in a constructive manner. While brainstorming for ideas, this group decided to create a detective agency which they called ‘Detective Investigation Department’ or D.I.D. Other groups engaged themselves in teaching English to younger students, creating artistic tattoos with paint and mehndi etc.

About the idea of starting a detective group, Ameya shares, “We used to frequently hear from our friends that they lost some of their belonging. Initially our group used to help our fellow students to trace their belongings, from there we thought why not start our own detective group and solve cases.” The kids of D.I.D spend a lot of time planning their work and thinking about their strategy to solve their cases. They have also put posters on prime locations at school with their names and how to get in touch with them. The group slowly and gradually became popular as they solved every mystery that came up. Till now the six have solved 25 cases on campus. The six have even traced a laptop that belonged to a class tenth student. They read relevant literature such as Sherlock Holmes and have invested their pocket money to buy gadgets to help them work more efficiently.

“I am so happy that the kids’ work is appreciated by the teachers and especially Mr. Pascal Chazot who has given value to their work and made them believe in their potential. MGIS has provided them the space where they can come up with their own ideas. This has helped them come up with innovative ideas” says Ms. Seema Joshi, mother of Ameya Joshi.

MGIS provides a platform where these children can express their own creative ideas. The atmosphere is student centric and is conducive for children to develop their academic pursuits and creative, social and community service interests. The teachers make children believe in themselves and this helps them develop an immense faith and self confidence. The case of D.I.D. reaching out to the school community, creating a city level interest in their efforts through their work and their communication skills and engaging with the print and broadcast media, on their own without the intervention of the school, is not only commendable, it is a also an integral part of the school philosophy. MGIS encourages its students to take initiative and create a space for themselves through constructive action. According to Mr. Chazot-

Although this effort (D.I.D.) can be seen alternatively as a game (fun) or a (serious) enterprise, it can also be seen as a fun enterprise. What is essential is that the students are learning and enjoying, while ‘doing’ and engaging in a specific project or task. The formation and activities of D.I.D reflect this powerful idea.

As these young detectives graduate to grade 5, we wish them luck and success in solving many more cases…

Queency Christ and Lissa Chazot report from MGIS campus with inputs from Ameya Joshi, Seema Joshi and Pascal Chazot.

How to encourage voting and develop an active democratic voice among the youth?

Anju Musafir, Head and founder of Mahatma Gandhi International School, Ahmedabad (India) was invited to the National Consultation of Voters Participation organised by the Election Commission of India on 4 March 2011 in New Delhi. There were ten thematic groups that were formed to make suggestions to the Election Commission of India on different current themes to help improve voting, voter participation, awareness. Ms. Musafir was part of Group Number 9 along with Ms. Anita Karwal, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gujarat; Mr. P.C. Lawmkunga, CEO Manipur; Mr. Kumar Anshumal, Special CEO Bihar and Mr. Shangara Ram Principal Secretary, ECI. This group represented by Ms. Musafir on the dias during the presentation to the Commission and the invitees, made pan-India level suggestions on the theme- ‘Curriculum restructing- inculcating values of democracy and electoral practice’. The Commission requested her to prepare a document and systematic presentation on this issue with specific recommendations and examples inspired from her practice at Mahatma Gandhi International School.

It was selected as one of the best 50 Personal Projects from among all IB schools, and is available for viewing below.

“It was a fun, yet challenging project”, said Sharmeen about the process. “I merged two cultures on a musical instrument, by immersing myself in all of them.”

To view the full report and finished product click here.

To see the Personal Projects listing on the WAB portal click here

Image courtesy Ahmedabad Mirror

The Detective Investigation Department, or DID, was a recreational club formed by young students of MGIS, with their headquarters on campus. Read the article below.

NO. 1 CHILDREN’S DETECTIVE AGENCY
From lost shoe to Rs 40,000 laptop, six 10-year-olds from Mahatma Gandhi International School have solved 25 cases on campus
By Shraddha.Singh @timesgroup.com

On the table lies magnifying lens, night vision glasses, binoculars, battery-powered torches, spy goggles and a secret messenger device. If you thought you have entered the secret lair of gadget maker Q who creates super cool stuff for James Bond, you are wrong. These tools of spycraft belong to six spirited 10-year-olds — Ameya Joshi, Manav Shah, Arjun Puri, Spandan Pandya, Ryan Kapur and Yuvraj Patel — whose adventures mirror author Enid Blyton’s young detectives.
They haven’t dealt with the Mystery of the Invisible Thief or stumbled on a Mystery Island but these Class 5 students of Mahatma Gandhi International School have earned the gratitude of schoolmates and teachers for recovering lost items like spectacles, pen drives and even a laptop!
The self-proclaimed shishyas of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes have gained so much success in their endeavours that they have started their own agency called Detective Investigation Department, popularly known as DID.
CASE OF THE MISSING SHOE
Their escapade began with the case of the missing shoe. “The shoe belonged to our classmate. When he failed to locate it, he came to us for help. We searched high and low for the missing shoe and finally found it under a carpet in a field behind the school,” said Manav.
The six have solved 25 cases on campus. The six even traced a Rs 40,000 laptop belonging to Class X student. “We found it in the corner of the library, buried under a pile of books. Even our teachers come to us when they need our help to track down something. Our schoolmates trust our detective abilities now,” said Ameya.
However, it was not always the case. “We started the agency last September to help students and teachers retrieve their lost belongings. We saved our pocket money to buy gadgets and when our parents came to know of our interest, they pitched in too. Initially, our batchmates made fun of the agency. Some even came up with silly cases to test our abilities. They would ask us to look for diapers, pencils, rubbers and other petty things. One of our classmates even asked us to help him find spectacles he was already wearing!” said Arjun.
ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR WATSON
The six remained undeterred. “We solved cases successfully and gained the respect and trust of our classmates. We usually form pairs and divide the work,” said Spandan.
“We look to Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes to solve our mysteries. We also watch detective serials and read books for help. Holmes’ astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve difficult cases is simply mind-boggling,” said Ameya.
The children also have a set of rules to make DID successful. “We have a list of do’s and don’ts that we stick to at all cost. When embarking on a search operation, we draw up a plan, conduct a detailed survey, take a long walk around the school and talk to everyone who may know something about the lost belonging. We also try to find as much as possible about the person, his behaviour and belongings. We finish our lunch quickly so that we can utilise our breaks for DID work,” said Yuvraj.
The group enjoy their holidays hiking, camping and exploring new regions.
With the onset of summer vacations, the spy kids are working on making DID more professional. “Ryan is away on a holiday but we are working on having our own website, office and uniform. With every case, we are getting more involved in the craft. We enjoy taxing our brains and solving mysteries,” added Spandan, who manages the requirements of DID and keeps everything going.
Here’s wishing them luck on their future adventures!

SPIRITED SIX: (L to R) Yuvraj Patel, Manav Shah, Ameya Joshi, Arjun Puri, Spandan Pandya and Ryan Kapur (absent)

The spy kids have started their own agency called Detective Investigation Department

Read article on AM website here

Click here to view the embedded video.

the Education Committee of the Board of Governors

of the International Baccalaureate Organisation, Geneva.

Here is Pascal Chazot and his wife, with us. They dared to think differently in education, which is the need of the hour.

Pascal Chazot was invited as a speaker at this Summit to address the issue:

Higher, Technical and Vocational Education : Is Integration Possible ?

The Summit was inaugurated by Shri.Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of HRD, Shri.Ashok Chavan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Dr. Indu Shahani, Sheriff of Mumbai Convenor, H.E. Paul A Folmsbee, US Consul General among other eminent dignitaries.

Article on MGIS in the Mumbai edition of DNA

They will do a theatre workshop with noted alternative theatre director Parnab Mukherjee for the children of Charanagar, they will have an arts workshop with renown artist Pravin Mishra, teach English to underprivileged children and set up a micro credit initiative that was kickstarted by their peers in the previous exchange.

Continuing a longstanding relationship with the school community of MGIS and different communities of Ahmedabad, it is a pleasure to welcome them back a third time for yet another enriching intercultural experience.

Photo credit: Abida Desai