Arina Stetsiuk, age 16, Ukraine

Oksana Sheremeta

In autumn's embrace, the leaves gently fall,
A tapestry of colors, nature's grand hall.
The air turns crisp, with a hint of chill,
As daylight wanes, the world grows still.
Pumpkins, apples, and golden corn,
Harvest delights from dusk till morn.
The earth prepares for a season's rest,
As autumn arrives, at nature's behest.

Poetry

In a KidSpirit poem, teen poet Oksana Sheremeta celebrates the season of fall.

In Autumn's Embrace

Adya Sarin

How does the school experience shape individuals' identities across different cultures and societies? 

Spending my formative years in an institution where my character was treated and developed with the same importance as my academic education, I believe I owe much of my identity and ability to engage with the real world to my schooling. As a recent high school graduate who now has no choice but to confront the world around me and break through the bubble I prefer to keep myself isolated within, I see myself as the happy result of my slightly unorthodox education. 

I spent my childhood and adolescence in two very different schools; different by design, and consequently, different through my experiences. I vividly remember faking sick and spending most of my years in the first school in the nurse's office, waiting for my father to come pick me up. What my family and I excused as the menial antics of a six-year-old was actually a projection of my own discomfort, a discomfort that soon faded when I joined the second school. I soon stopped “falling ill” every week, and spent more and more time in the classroom, engaging with my peers. I could justify this by saying the second school had better teachers, or friendlier students, or perhaps it was just a better fit — but in any case my school experience was drastically altered for the better. The restraints of a stereotypical Indian education that had been cast over me at the first school were magically lifted; no longer was I expected to spend three-fourths of my day sweating over textbooks. Instead, the wonders of experiential and adaptive learning took over, and I was able to find joy in my schooling. Over the last 10 years, I’ve watched myself blossom into someone I doubt would have emerged if I had remained at the first school, someone I am truly proud to be. 

One’s schooling has perhaps the largest impact on their development as a human being. Spending over eight hours every day in one community, surrounded by the same group of people, could either make or break who you become as a person. It’s a hive mind you’re introduced to, and more than anything, it’s a closed bubble that often consists of individuals with similar beliefs and similar identities — subconsciously synced to follow the same frequency even if they differed earlier. To break out of this almost overwhelmingly enclosed mindset is a feat, and my school has made every effort to help the students do so, blending concepts from the more collectivist, academically-oriented Indian education with values of critical thinking and individualism that a Western education may prioritize. And while both these stereotypical education systems would choose to ignore the hive-mind that is bound to follow the creation of these academic bubbles, a more holistic approach consciously helps steer clear of such dangers.

One of the most unusual, yet impactful, experiences my school introduced me to is the “Persistence” Programme. Akin to a community service program, Persistence encouraged us to pick a local organization at the beginning of the academic year and stick with it, visiting and volunteering there every week. While I was definitely uncomfortable with these weekly excursions at first, over time I grew to enjoy them, and I looked forward to the time I spent with the individuals at these organizations that enabled me to expand my own understanding of the world and people around me. I found that there was a core quality of empathy instilled in me through this program, and while I may not have appreciated it or noticed it being nurtured at the time, it has followed me through my travels and my interactions with others, and I am confident it will follow me as I head to college as well. 

The ability to build healthy and strong relationships is another key quality I’ve noticed is severely lacking in many individuals around me, another key quality that most schooling systems tend to overlook in the face of test scores and rote learning. Yet my school went out of their way to ensure this facet was instilled in us from our youth through the “Buddy Programme.” I was part of this program from second to seventh grade, and it was probably my favorite way of moving out of the monotony of a fixed group of classmates, which would have otherwise dulled my years and restricted me socially and emotionally. Through this experience, I developed fresh and new relationships with individuals I may not have interacted with on a day-to-day basis. We were all paired with a student from a younger grade, and met with them every week for self-planned activities. To this day, I remember the names and faces of each one of my buddies, and I still say hi to them as I cross their side of the campus, and catch up with them whenever we meet. 

I suppose the fact that I went to a relatively small school also helped me build this strong sense of community — something that I find myself subconsciously carrying on in my everyday life. Thanking a bus driver, or striking up a conversation with a fellow passenger, comes as second nature to me; I forget I’m no longer mandated by school rules to “be a good citizen.” I have unknowingly become what I believe my school intended for me to be.

I do recognize, however, that I have been fortunate enough to be part of a school that is consciously working to shape each of its students' identities into that of an open-minded, empathetic, and communicative individual, and not all schools have the time and resources to engage in such thoughtful character development. Nevertheless, the impact these varying experiences have on our identities is the same. I do believe that signing up for school is in and of itself signing up to have one’s mind molded. What could easily become a factory, churning out rote learners and variations of the same individual, has the potential to change lives, and to develop free, creative thinkers and individuals able to withstand the pressures of time and change. 

These qualities of gratitude, empathy and individuality are the true fruits of an education, one that rightly transcends the fixed binaries of what classical schooling must be. While the contents of education boards and syllabi may differ across continents and cultures, it’s one's character that a good education influences and shapes to withstand challenges of the future. Exposure to the universal concepts of community service and relationship building allows for the ultimate fostering of a strong global identity, the formation of individuals able to adapt to varying societies and cultures grounded by their collective humanity. While my experiences as someone who has spent her entire life in the Indian subcontinent may vastly differ from those of someone living halfway across the globe, I can, with confidence, assert that my education has prepared me to appropriately interact and empathize with them — my cultural identity and education not restricting me but empowering me to connect with others on an emotional, psycho-social level. 

In a KidSpirit Big Question article, teen writer Adya Sarin explores how the school experience shapes individuals' identities across different cultures and societies.

The Classroom Effect

Nandana Thakershy

We cannot limit the benefits of an education to academic wellbeing. 

When educational institutes, especially schools, advertise their curriculums, they emphasize their students’ academic achievements, grades, and spectacular job prospects. While these are crucial parts of how schools contribute to the lives of their students, education does much more. 

According to the book Democracy and Education by John Dewey, the difference between education and schooling is in scope, context, and ultimately, objective. Education is the multifaceted process of acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values from various sources over a lifetime. In comparison, schooling is the formal and structured learning of specific curriculums by trained facilitators in classrooms. What Dewey was arriving at was that education is the holistic growth of a person. It is for this reason that we cannot limit the benefits of an education to academic wellbeing. So how does education contribute to such growth? There are two ways. One is by design, and the other is by circumstance. 

First, school curriculums are designed to include subjects like history, civics, and economics, which teach us about the systems on which our world is run. The C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) explains that schools also promote values such as respect for others and a sense of equality, which add to civic awareness. Furthermore, schools often encourage discourse on current events and social issues which reinforces critical thinking and forces students to think about civic matters.

Second, some school subjects go beyond their technicalities. Take chemistry, for example. As I study this science, I’m realizing that chemistry comprises a hundred laws with a hundred thousand exceptions. Studying these exceptions teaches us acceptance. It explains to us that while there are general laws, there are always people who defy them in some ways. There is always uniqueness. 

The other idea chemistry teaches us is understanding. We study ideas that we cannot see. We know that iron rusts because it reacts with oxygen and water, but can we see the reaction take place? No. We see merely the product. In the same way, we never know the kinds of experiences a person has gone through, we see only the products and results of these experiences. This is why we must be kind to everyone; we never know what they’ve been through. 

Looking at a subject as theoretical and practical as a science through the lens of life lessons fortifies how education adds to social development. As mentioned by Anita Woolfolk in the book Educational Psychology, social development is a journey of learning to interact with the society around us. It builds empathy and a sense of belonging to a community. In Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Process, L.S. Vygotsky asserts that education teaches social values, provides a platform for social interactions, and encourages cooperation. When we communicate with other stakeholders at school, when we adhere to school protocols, when we work in teams, we are recreating environments in the ‘real world’ where we are required to interact and work with people with whom we aren’t familiar. School prepares us for situations like that by creating these conversations every day. 

This idea of creating platforms for interconnection brings me to the other way school aids development: by circumstance. We end up spending twelve to fifteen years with our classmates. While we’re unsure of whether or not this is design, we know it is convention. This convention of being in a "class" with our peers plays a pivotal role in social development in early years. It is with these thirty (or however many classmates you have/had) people that we experience the highs and lows of childhood. I spend eight hours a day with my class, and I have realized how much their opinions and perspectives have shaped my worldview, not just now, but since kindergarten.

Third, everyday school practices are tools with which we evolve into socially responsible citizens. Have you ever considered the fact that when you steal some food from your friend's lunch box, you are actually tasting a bit of their culture? Especially in countries like India, where cuisine is a crucial part of culture and many students bring their snacks and lunch from home, each lunch box comes from a unique background. As a result, the seemingly inconsequential lunch break makes us more open minded and increases our willingness to entertain/accept diverse traditions. Increased diversity of exposure also makes us more empathetic, circling back to social development.

Additionally, we develop emotionally while at school. In her book Infants, Children, and Adolescents, Laura E. Berk elaborates on how schools are safe environments for self expression, social interaction, and building relationships. Communication with other people at school, be it teachers, peers, or support staff, creates self regulation and mindfulness. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) expands on these ideas and suggests how emotional development takes place in and out of classrooms. Positive student-teacher relationships fostered through contact outside classrooms can cultivate social awareness, conflict resolution, stress management, and emotional regulation. These experts also talk about structured learning of emotional skills via counselors, programmes, and activities that create safe environments for expression along with fostering interpersonal skills. 

Moreover, school ensures that students are able to work under stress, with time constraints, and in unfamiliar environments. Academic testing builds time management skills, stress regulation, critical thinking, and attention to detail, as mentioned in James H. Mcmillan’s Classroom Assessment: Principles and Practices for Effective Standards-Based Instruction. Rick Stiggins, author of Student-Involved Assessment for Learning, also discusses how preparations leading up to examinations can build mindsets of goal setting, motivation, and self discipline by enforcing the need for regular practice/revision. 

Finally, receiving an education is how students grow civically, socially, and emotionally. These areas of development instill skills and values that are relevant to the 21st century and help them develop as members of society once they graduate. They contribute to student personalities in social situations, making them socially aware and responsible. According to Dewey and the NCSS, moral and ethical development, cultural awareness and acceptance, socialization, and community engagement all contribute to students’ being better citizens. 

In conclusion, research, academic journals, and psychologists all advocate for the multi-dimensional benefits of education. It allows for growth of the entire person, mind, body, and heart, by cultivating principles of civic, social, and emotional awareness. It enables students to express themselves, stand up for what is right, and make meaningful contributions to society. Education makes us students of the present and better people of the future.

Berk, Laura. E. Infants, Children, and Adolescents (9th ed.). Pearson, 2021.

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Framework. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 2020.

Dewey, John. Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. Macmillan, 1916. 

McMillan, James H. Classroom Assessment: Principles and Practice for Effective Standards-Based Instruction (6th ed.). Pearson, 2013.

National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). (2013). College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards. National Council for the Social Studies, 2013.

Stiggins, Rick J. Student-Involved Assessment for Learning (4th ed.). Pearson, 2005.

Vygotsky, L. S. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press, 1978.

Woolfolk, Anita. Educational Psychology (14th ed.). Pearson, 2019.

In a KidSpirit Feature article, teen writer Nandana Thakershy explains the importance of fostering social and emotional development in schools.

The First 15 Years

Amy de Bruyn

It felt as if I were watching someone’s life in front of me instead of reading text on paper. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Steven Chbosky, is a compelling coming-of-age novel that follows 15-year-old Charlie, an introverted and observant teenager, through his freshman year of high school in the early 1990s. 

The book is told through letters written by Charlie, although it is not specified to whom the letters are written. These letters show how Charlie’s life changes throughout his first year of high school, as he meets new people, experiences new things, and learns lessons through it all. Through these letters, he shares his experiences with the reader, telling the story of a young person discovering the ins and outs of teenage joy while also learning the ropes of the real world. However, what sets The Perks of Being a Wallflower apart from other similar coming-of-age novels is the way it discusses the intricacies of adolescence. Chbosky captures Charlie’s life in a raw and realistic manner, which lets readers empathize with the characters rather than simply “read” about them. When I was reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower, it felt as if I were watching someone’s life in front of me instead of reading text on paper. 

The way Chbosky portrays Charlie in this story is one of the most important features of the book, since it is his perspective that depicts adolescence in a way other books do not. Charlie, like many of us in high school, is innocent and naive, easily trusting of his friends and open to new experiences. He also loses a close friend and struggles with his mental health, which deteriorates as the story develops. However, through his letters, readers get to see the world from his perspective as they get to know his new, older friends, who recognize him for the "wallflower" that he is and welcome him with open arms. Readers watch as Charlie tries to take the advice of his well-intentioned English teacher to “participate,” seeing things he does not expect to see and seeing others that he should have earlier. Acceptance from his friends is especially emphasized in a few scenes, such as when Charlie accidentally gets high with his friend Patrick. This is when Patrick identifies Charlie as a wallflower, telling him, “You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.” He explains how Charlie experiences the world from a distance, watching things happen and letting them pass. 

Readers easily connect with Charlie's story because of the simplicity and bluntness of the writing, and the letters allow readers to empathize with Charlie and understand why he sees things the way he does. The novel does not hesitate to hit the tender spots of the heart, evoking sobs, laughter, and embarrassed chuckles.

Through Charlie’s voice, Chobsky effectively explores the complexity of people, and characters continue to develop as the book goes on. Charlie is not sheltered from bad people, and after seeing people do bad things, he tries to find out why they do it. He wonders why people behave the ways they do, and he wonders how much of that comes from their environment and the people around them. Instead of shutting negativity out, he actively sympathizes with people; an approach that is so heartfelt it entirely affects the way the book reads, as Charlie is not afraid of being as direct as possible about his feelings while making sure readers see everything in its true authentic form. On a personal level, Charlie’s authenticity resonated deeply with me, and reading the book felt more like reading my thoughts. The honesty with which Charlie shared his experiences especially strengthened that connection. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is an especially important read for adolescents who may feel out of place in a fast-paced and unfamiliar environment like high school. Chbosky is not afraid to discuss heavy topics like sexuality, mental health, and abuse, but also makes sure to balance them with stories of love and friendship, making the book digestible yet memorable. Generally speaking, literature allows us to step into another person’s shoes, letting us experience the lives of people of different genders or sexualities, different places and times, and different values, which helps us to build empathy with one another. Sometimes, however, there is a character that so closely relates to something a reader has been through that it feels less like empathy and more like a reflection of your own life. Regardless of the reader’s background, Charlie in The Perks of a Wallflower serves as this kind of character. 

There is much to learn from Charlie’s experiences, and his voice transcends context: inside every teenager is their own “Charlie,” and inside every adult is a fond memory of theirs. All in all, I would rate the book four out of five stars for its compelling expression of the high school experience. I would highly suggest any high school readers try The Perks of Being a Wallflower because it is a captivating, emotional, and relatable novel that offers a unique perspective on adolescence.

In a KidSpirit Media review, teen writer Amy de Bruyn explains why Steven Chboskys' YA novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a must-read for any adolescent.

Adolescence in The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Orin Sim

My family had an opportunity to live in Japan for six months, and I had to attend the first semester of eighth grade at an international school. 

I grew up in America speaking both Korean and English. I was used to people complimenting me or thinking it was cool to be bilingual. So the thought of a language barrier never really hit me until I arrived in Japan. For the first few weeks, I really did have to take a step back and think through some things to just accomplish daily tasks. So when I entered the international school on the first day with the opportunity to speak English, I was a bit relieved. But, along with this feeling, nerves overwhelmed me. What would people think of me? I knew this went through every kid’s mind on their first day of school, but that didn’t make it any less scary. 

To make matters worse, my train to the school was delayed, and this resulted in an embarrassing escort to science class. Everyone in my class was already in their own groups. A group of boys at one table to my left. A group of girls at the other table to my right. I just tried to look calm, ignored the stares, and planted myself at the back of the classroom. 

I had a few conversations with my peers throughout August, but I missed the comfort of school in America. I knew how things worked there. Being in a new place with a different set of gears was more intimidating than I thought it would be. And one day, after a couple of weeks adjusting to the new school, our physical education teacher announced that we were going to take a wilderness trip to Hakuba for four days. Everyone else instantly cheered. I was excited for what awaited us there: jumping off of waterfalls, canoeing through the lake, s’mores, a bus ride. However, I was still terrified on the inside. This meant that I had to confront my fear of bonding with my classmates. So, as the trip approached, my sense of half-excitement and half-fear divided me. 

Then the day came. I was off to Hakuba. The wilderness. A school trip with my class. It was an eight-hour ride, but I sat where I could be alone and quietly embraced the beautiful mountain view. Once we arrived at the hotel, our group leader sent us out on a scavenger hunt. I grudgingly went off with my group and, although we didn’t win, I had a decent amount of fun. 

The next day, it was announced that we were going to go canyoning. We would follow a safe route downstream and eventually jump off of a waterfall. I was thrilled that the moment of fun had finally arrived at my doorstep. After attaching ourselves (with difficulty) to the safety gear, our group got into a car. The tour guide had mentioned that it was going to be a very bumpy ride, but I just shrugged it off. Once we went up the hill route, the car began to shake. A lot. My helmet, although strongly latched, was pumping up and down rapidly, and at that moment, I held on to the back of my seat as hard as I could. My knuckles were turning white, and a huge turn made all of us all grab whatever was to the left of us. A mixture of laughter, groans of pain, and a shout of surprise filled the car. As soon as the ride was over, the driver looked back. I could tell he expected complaints barraging him, but to his surprise, he just saw happy grins and eventual laughs from all of us. It was then that it hit me — this trip wasn’t so bad after all. 

Finally, after a hike up and down across the mountains, our group arrived at the waterfall. I was excited, but as I looked around, I realized that a lot of people were absolutely terrified. A friend I had made earlier was looking a bit nervous. He told me that he was scared of water and couldn’t swim well. I tried to reassure him, but nothing really worked. One by one, people screamed and plunged into the water below us. Many of us laughed, but my friend was getting increasingly nervous. Once I, my friend, and about two other people were left, I told him that I would go down first. I was hoping this would reassure him. I promised I would help him when he got down. He nodded yes, but I could tell he was still scared. 

I treated myself to joy as I tumbled down the slippery rocks and into the water. The cold plunge left me feeling excitement and exhaustion, but after that, I immediately looked up. My friend was sitting at the top of the waterfall, debating whether he should slide down. The class was watching intently for moments. We were all wondering: Will he come down? I could even feel my own heart race, because it was nerve-racking for me too, to jump off of that waterfall. But then our question was answered when, after a few moments, he came down with a splash. He was struggling to swim, but I helped him up to the boulder our class was sitting on. Our guide came to us, with a stunning backflip, and offered to take a photo. 

Once we were all lined up, I whispered to my friend, “Are you alright?” He nodded to me and said, “Thanks.” I just smiled, and teased him about how it took so long for him to come down. It was then I realized that the school experience is not only about education, but also about forming connections. Moments like these were special and would only push me across the line of nerves and friendship. And I knew that I had built many special ones on that thrilling trip at Hakuba. 

When it was time for me to leave Japan, I felt a wave of melancholy and nostalgia. On my final day at Kyoto International School, I realized I was going to leave a school that certainly had a place in my heart. I looked at the school for the last time before I left, sad that the thrilling ride was over, but happy for the memories and connections it had built inside me. 

In a KidSpirit Awesome Moments article, teen writer Orin Sim remembers his earliest experiences as an international student in Japan. 

The Jump

Liz Fabiola

I started teaching when I was nine years old, volunteering for an after-school program at the Superkids Association. 

There I first learned how to teach reading and writing and, now that I am 15, I also teach reading comprehension to other children. When you are a teacher, your main job is to provide the best education possible to your students, but in some cases, the students actually teach you how you can be better or they make you feel happy when you are together. From my point of view, kids can have a large positive impact on their teachers’ lives.

I experienced this last year, when I taught comprehensive reading to my student, Lucy. I remember the moment when I went to the third-grade classroom to meet my new students and I first saw her. At first, she looked like a shy and quiet kid, and at that moment I thought it might be hard to have a long conversation with her. However, when the day of our first class arrived, we went to the school yard and I started to talk with her and get to know more about her. She answered every question and even started to ask me about myself, and with each question we began to trust each other more. It was awesome, and I felt very proud, because for me, it’s very important that my students trust me and feel comfortable with me during and after class.

At the beginning of our lessons, I noticed that she read slowly and made some mistakes when writing. I remember the first book we read was about a dog who lost his family and his greatest wish was to have a loving family. She loved that story because it made her laugh, and she loved to imagine the possibilities of what could happen on the next page. That book had some hard words that she didn’t understand, so I taught her, and the way that she learned the words’ meanings was by writing them in her notebook and using them in a short story or a sentence. Before taking her back to her classroom, I gave her some homework about writing sentences with some words that she didn't know yet. I also prepared some dynamic games and challenges, because she learned better by playing or doing something that she enjoyed. She always returned to her classroom happy and the teacher thanked me for everything I was doing to help her.

The satisfaction that you feel when someone recognizes that you are doing a really good job is awesome. One day, after I took Lucy to her classroom, her teacher told me that she had made good progress with comprehensive reading and she had improved her orthography. She was very proud of how much Lucy had advanced in such a short time, and I felt even prouder of all Lucy’s effort and a wonderful sense of fulfillment for all my hard work teaching her.

Lucy has been one of my favorite students. She is amazing in all the ways you can imagine. One of the things that I really love about her is that she always has a smile, and she is very kind with everybody. She is very persistent; when she doesn’t know how to do something, she tries again until she achieves her goal, and I admire that. From my point of view, she has so many things to show to the world and she will be able to do incredible things with all the potential she has.

Lucy was my student and my teacher at the same time. She taught me that it does not matter if someone says something negative about myself and my abilities. At the end of the day, I am the only person who knows who I am. Lucy is strong and she knows how to convey her strength, because in the most difficult situations she always smiles and says that she will be able to overcome any obstacle. She taught me that we should never lose our perseverance, and if we fail, we should smile and try again. Some people will say that those are insignificant things, but for me they are very important.

At some point in life, most teachers have a student who teaches them how they can be their best self. Every student has strengths, but it is indisputable that some of them have outstanding qualities and will teach you wonderful things that will serve you for life. Life as a teacher is exhausting sometimes, but is one of the best experiences since you receive the most genuine feelings and unique love of all — the love and smile of a kid.

In a KidSpirit Helping Hands article, teen writer Liz Fabiola shares the profound impact of teaching younger students to read and write. 

The Smile of a Student

Richard Siyi HE

Every time I walk through the bright and bustling corridors on the second floor of the school, I can’t help but become alert. 

The screams of my classmates at play echo directly into my heart. They inevitably remind me of the darkest moments I’ve experienced —

The day’s troubles had already put me in a bad mood. Moreover, the orchestra rehearsal ran late, and it wasn’t until 5:30 that I finally packed my schoolbag to head home. On the usually sunny campus, the moonlight now filtered through the clouds, yet it failed to illuminate a trace of the road. Tree branches crisscrossed, gnarled and claw-like, now coated with a white sheen — a drifting, uncertain veil. Subconsciously, I quickened my pace, returning to the classroom to pick up the receipt I had left behind. Perhaps due to the lateness of the hour, the lights in the hallway and lobby were extremely dim, and the howling wind echoed in my ears, making the place seem hollow. I increased my speed further, even breaking into a trot. There was no one around, except for the amplified sound of my own footsteps. As I walked to the dark and silent classroom door, the palm of my hand holding the doorknob was already damp with sweat. Hesitating, my heart began to beat faster, thumping and pounding. I stomped my feet, rushed to my seat. I groped around the desk, only to find that the receipt was not there. I froze.

Time was ticking, but I didn't dare to move, regretting that I hadn’t turned on the lights when I came in. I turned my head slightly — “Ahhh!” I exclaimed, staring at the window of the classroom’s back door. There, a face appeared! With a loud thud, I scrambled out of the classroom, running as fast as I could toward the only remaining light in the hallway. I don't know how many times I tripped in the panic, but I still remember the bruises on my limbs when I got home. Gasping for breath, my heart still racing, I dared not turn around. But at this point, I was so upset with myself for suddenly remembering — I had left the receipt in the basement during my morning gym class.

I don’t know where I got the courage, but I found myself stepping into the basement. As you know, accidents always occur in such places, as is the general routine in horror movies. I felt my way along the handrail, my legs trembling and my teeth chattering as I stepped into that endless abyss.

Later, I wouldn’t even know what belief was sustaining me. I just moved mechanically, step by step. The creaking of the wooden floor was admonishing me, but I knew there was no turning back. Relying on the touch of my hands, I kept feeling my way forward — any change in sensation, from the icy chill of the metal railings to the skin-like texture of the cushions, sent shivers down my spine. I realized, deeply, that the unknown is the greatest fear, perhaps even more so than sadness, because it leaves you unable to cry, even when you want to.

When I finally got my receipt, a faint sound of metal trembling echoed in the silence. All I can say is that fear is something that I can't put into words. I prefer not to recall the feeling of being so tense that I was about to "shatter" when I returned to the ground. However, the memory that remains vivid is waking up the next morning with swollen eyes and seeing the remnants of a yellow paper stuck to the glass of the classroom’s back door — a paper that had been posted during an exam. I wanted to laugh, but the laughter wouldn’t come.

Returning to the normal routine of attending classes every day, isn’t that what school life is supposed to be? Yet, such a class schedule often leaves me feeling as though something is missing. It could be the emotion that comes with finishing an anime series I’ve been following, the excitement of a sports match, or the shock of a new discovery. This sense of mundanity perhaps originates from the excessively smooth progress of study, or maybe it is the result of the attitude of letting go of everything. I feel that people truly live only for a few moments — brief joy, fleeting sorrow — and what remains is but a dull passage of time.

Suddenly, I heard the metallic noise again, the same one I had encountered in the basement. It was a faint hum, occasionally punctuated by sharp peaks, as subtle yet powerful as a heartbeat. An indescribable discomfort settled in my chest, as if something clandestine was brewing within the school. “Answer this question,” the teacher’s voice abruptly pulled my attention back to the class. “I . . . don’t really know,” I stammered. “This lack of effort won’t get you far,” the teacher scolded. As I lowered my head, it dawned on me that the top of the desk had borne witness to more fervent prayers than a church. The sorrow emanated from every student who prayed silently, hoping not to be called for a parent-teacher meeting. Beside me, there was the familiar sound of mocking laughter. Without needing to look, I knew who it was. He suddenly squeezed water from his bottle onto my pants and shouted, “Wow, he wet his pants!” Everyone turned to look at me, and my face flushed. Their focus was solely on the water dripping down my pant legs, rendering my explanations futile.

The malice in a person’s heart is uglier than any monster, yet it can be constantly nourished and multiplied under the sun — such irony. My resentment and animosity surged uncontrollably. I noticed blood from my bitten lip seeping out, staining my white shirt and forming cursed patterns. All the spirits seemed to begin to converge and flow toward the basement . . . My thoughts were interrupted by the bell ringing for the end of class, and it was only then that I realized that the metallic noise I had heard was actually the sound of demons flapping their wings hidden in the basement.

Can the strength of forgiveness soften and dissolve malice and despair? Looking at the glass of the classroom’s rear door, I went up to wipe it clean, leaving no remnants of the paper. After all, kindness is the very quality that demons dread most. The classroom was quiet, but not lonely, peaceful, but not empty. A serene fullness filled my heart. Bathed in the gentle sunlight falling through the window, neither warm nor cold, I finally felt as though time had slowed down, if only a little . . .

In a KidSpirit short story, teen writer Richard Siyi HE brings to life the anxieties of high school.

Haunted School Horrors

Siddhant Raj

My Hindu upbringing has inculcated a sense of value and respect for all my teachers. 

In a speech by Swami Vivekananda that I recently came across, the illustrious philosopher and teacher said, “The father and mother give me this body; but the Guru gives me rebirth in the soul.” This thought succinctly delineates the significance that a teacher holds in shaping one’s future, accentuating the fact that the guru (teacher) is the one who transforms the minds of His or Her disciples by educating them. I view education as the offspring of the entwinement between the hearts and souls of a guru and a shishya (student). 

As a fervent devotee of God, I think that having faith in the Almighty is one of the primary catalysts of a wise man, and in my culture, it is believed that one who imparts education is esteemed as God Himself. Therefore, in India, we encourage kindling a sense of reverence towards teachers, for they are the ones that bequeath knowledge upon others out of sheer compassion and trust. In Hinduism, the concept of Gurudakshina, or an offering to a teacher, is highly important. Gurudakshina is a honorarium to a teacher that has configured the traditional Hindu education system. It is a way for students to show gratitude to the knowledge the guru imparts to them. 

In my opinion, every teacher is like the sun, perennially bestowing their light upon students, continually dancing with the moon — a symbol of insight and guidance — in the vast skies of education. Consequently, education is an orb around which a shishya and guru revolve, with knowledge being the core objective.

My school greatly emphasizes respecting and showing gratitude to our teachers, who support our cognitive as well as emotional development. There have been many instances where my teacher has helped me devise ways to tackle an ordeal. Once, I took the initiative to contribute towards our class’s teacher’s day celebration, and felt that my peers weren’t paying attention to an idea I was trying to share. Perturbed, I approached my homeroom teacher to inform him of the incident. He explained to me that, in life, when others don’t heed my words, I must address the situation with patience and learn to communicate with more conviction. Now, I always go to him whenever I have any issues. This is how teachers become our educators for life and at the same time friends, too. They are like the doorway between problems and solutions. 

Along with being a mentor and friend, a guru is one of our key well-wishers, for he or she is the one that unlocks a plethora of opportunities for us pupils according to our interests. My teachers go the extra mile to ensure we engage in numerous extracurricular activities to help broaden our horizons in various fields. For example, my school teachers recognised my keen interest in creative writing and communication, and they not only introduced me to KidSpirit but provided me and my peers with various opportunities to showcase our skills and improve along the process. 

Teachers are our guiding light, advocates, confidants, and the link between us and God. All in all, teachers are our role models. We, students, are like their echoes, their shadows, and their reflections, exactly how we are to our parents. We are, in some way or the other, a facsimile of them, for their actions, values and attitudes reflect in our behaviors, too. As per the cognitive dissonance theory, when people hold opposing beliefs, they feel a certain discomfort. Hence, to prevent this discomfort, students tend to observe the actions of teachers and accordingly practice them, too.

True education lies within the connection between a teacher and a student. Thus, while a guru is responsible for teaching, a shishya must have a sense of humility and an inquisitive attitude. In Hinduism, there is a story about an underprivileged boy named Eklavya, who doesn’t have the means to learn the art of archery from a royal guru named Dronacharya. However, he creates a statue of the teacher and practices everyday in front of it. One of the disciples of Drona finds out about this, and frames the guru for being disloyal to his students. Hence, as Gurudakshina, Dronacharya asks the boy to give up his thumb. As a fervent devotee of the esteemed teacher, Eklavya does so, thereby exemplifying the essential quality devotion that every student must have. This fable serves as the epitome of discipleship and the sacrifices that even students must make in order to receive education, and that is how I view school.  School must be a place where each student respects their teachers and sacrifices for them. These sacrifices include valuing lessons by giving up free time to practice, and stepping out of their comfort zone to actively participate in class. This story has inspired me to repay my teachers’ efforts with these small yet significant sacrifices.

As Swami Vivekanda rightly stated in the same speech, “There are hundreds of thousands of teachers, but it is hard to find one disciple.” 

True education is not free, it must be earned. And the only way it can be earned by us is if we constantly appreciate and show gratitude to our teachers, carrying within ourselves the learning mindset. As Malcolm X rightly said, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today." This quote delineates the fact that education must be actively pursued and earned, and that the true purpose of education is to kindle inquisitiveness in students.

In a KidSpirit Interfaith Connections article, teen writer Siddhant Raj shares how his Hindu upbringing has taught him to view education. 

Keystones of Education

Elisha Donkoh

In the classroom, young minds awake 
To knowledge’s call
So many ideas to make.
With each lesson, a new world uncurls
A sacred space for boys and girls. 

Books crack open, like doors to new lands
Guided by the teacher's patient hands.
Friendships blossom in this shared class
Every lesson 
We try our best. 
Tests and trials, part of the ride
With every struggle, growth inside. 
School is not just about the tests and scores,
It’s life's practice opening doors!

In a KidSpirit poem, teen poet Elisha Donkoh evokes the many meanings of school, knowledge, and learning.

In the Classroom

Vincent Chang

Why do they even teach a dead language? He took off his blazer, felt the gush of a sun-drenched breeze wash over his face. The heavy woolen garment was draped over a rickety seat. He took the hundredth glance down at his shirt: there was nothing left to smooth out or to tuck under or to fidget with, each individual button shone with an oily glint.

Exam season is horrible. But there is a special kind of horror when it comes to language assessments — hours of French oral practice, scrunched-up Chinese practice essays, that Spanish dictionary that seems to grow thicker every day you see it on the table. Look beyond the bustling library stalls where students are buried in LOTE, the Languages Other Than English revision room, and you might catch one or two Latinists — a rare and solitary group — utterly defeated by the wall of text in front of them . . .

He watched the other Latinists file in row by row like convicts (or at least he thought so). Memorial Hall, a stately, dignified place, was now full of the jests and erratic footsteps of rowdy schoolboys. Bum-ba-bum went the dusty shoes against polished floorboards. The tables screeched as the boys crammed themselves into the chairs, not even bothering to pull them back before they sat. And all along, this animated scene was glazed by a glaring Melbourne sun, so that the faces were hazier and the shirts were stuffier.

There’s something peculiar about a language like Latin. There is no oral component, nor are you expected to write about yourself and your experiences. You might be preparing a mock interview in French, a presentation in German or Italian, or maybe even a song in Japanese . But when you get to Latin, things get odd. We can’t search for videos of Julius Caesar delivering his speeches — so his words are the next best thing. Learning Latin is all about translation, especially from Latin into English. Exciting in the classroom. Frightening in the examination hall. 

It was a rectangular sheet of doom, with black letters jutting out from a pristine expanse of untouched paper, judging his every movement. He dared not put his hand near it, save to touch it or flip it around. To him it was so otherworldly, so alien and harsh. Latin, latin, latin. He felt something looming over his head; he tasted iron in the air, heard the hollers of his imaginary crowd and the smirk of his executioner. The heat crept up his nostrils and lit his eyebrows. He was burning.

There is a task in Latin, called the “Unseen,” where you are given a passage that you have never come into contact with and expected to translate it under time pressure. Sounds bad enough. Even worse — Latin likes to shapeshift: something might look like a noun, but be an adjective; a verb might change forms between the lines, becoming something spelled entirely differently from what you might remember. There is a little voice in his mind which pipes up whenever he gets himself into a tangle — What’s the use in learning Latin anyways? 

Inside, his mind furiously worked at the words: fumbling them about like a toddler and his building blocks. laboro, laborare, laboravi, laboratus. Yes, that’s how it goes. But which one meant “to work” and which one was “had worked”? He scratched at his head and forced his eyes shut. What was the infinitive of subtuli? What about the ablative of rex? Why did the verb sum conjugate in the way it did? When did Emperor Nero watch the burning of Rome?

If it’s so painful to prepare for, why bother with it at all? If you asked any Latinist, they would probably agree with you on the outset! But he imagines that, in the middle of all the chaotic and frantic revision, there is an odd attraction to this old fossil of a language. Latin is one of those things which pops into his daily life in really, really subtle ways. When he says et cetera in a conversation about his weekend — “and the others.” When geography hits him with per capita — “by (each) head.”  Latin lives on in the everyday; and learning about it might, if mindrackingly confusing, be an angle to seeing how we use English, or French, or any other contemporary tongue. 

As he slouched over the table, these thoughts rushed through him in a surge. He had found it in that moment — why he learned Latin! Because it was a language that looked into the past — on the tongues of marching soldiers, pious empresses, and scheming consuls. Because it was a language that lives in the present — given new life, it nestles into English sentences, French poetry, and Italian operas. Because Latin will look into the future — it will name unknown animals, unsolved theorems, and nascent stars. Latin no longer belonged to one country, or one people, or one moment in history  — but like a magical staircase it plunges into the deepest depths of antiquity, and ascends to futures he could not yet imagine.

And now he felt confident. Now he was in control. He had seen those words before. He opened his eyes and the first bell rang — You may now begin writing. 

In a KidSpirit Awesome Moments article, teen writer Vincent Chang finds meaning in the study of a language this is no longer spoken but very much alive.

Why Do I Even Learn This? (And Other Thoughts During the Latin Exam) 

Lily Wang

Candidates will respond to an unseen excerpt from a work of fiction prose, non-fiction prose, poetry, or drama.

1. Write in black, not blue. Shows better when scanned. And for heaven’s sake, fix your handwriting.

2. Keep an eye on the time. Remember: silence is only worthy when paced. Write by that steadfast grip and manic flush. Don’t rush.

3. Read the text thoroughly. “Unseen” but not never-been. You know it already, in the soft sibilance of speech. The juxtaposition of you against everything else. The accidental rhymes that unfold in real time. Introduce yourself and make friends with it.

4. Dissect it. Don’t be afraid, you are no destroyer, just determined. Peel off the skin and grip it raw. Watch it squirm under white light. Listen to its shriek. If you do it right, you hear its secrets. If it goes still, ask yourself: do you have the eye, the hand, that probe of pen? Don’t worry if it crumbles. All beautiful things can be taken apart. Don’t bring glue or tape. There is no time to mend.

5. Proofread your work. Look for spelling and grammar mistakes. This can raise your mark in Criterion D.

6. A decade from now you will stumble upon the passage stuck between pages in some different space. There is no pace, no pen, no white light. You will remember it. Restore the pieces and find it beautiful again.

In a KidSpirit poem, teen poet Lily Wang gives voice to the unspoken instructions for a past assignment.

A Guide to English A Literature Paper 1

Jenny Xu

The first time I watched High School Musical, directed by Kenny Ortega, was during primary school, when I was on a long, monotonous flight without much to do. 

I recall flashy costumes, creative choreography, and, of course, unforgettable music. The characters and songs remain clear-cut in my memory, each with their own distinctive personality and musical flair.

A few years later, not much has changed. The characters are still larger than life, the songs are still as catchy as ever, and the set design still manages to maintain a delicate balance between the Broadway musical genre and Disney movies. The timeless message and entertaining plot guarantees the movie a solid four stars, yet some of the humor and clichéd stylistic features might be a bit outdated. The film is an enjoyable watch for all audiences, yet would best be suited to a primary school audience of around nine to 13 years old.

Even at such a young age, the simple love story of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez was memorable enough for all the songs to be seared into my memory and remain largely unaffected for the past eight years. High schoolers Troy and Gabriella meet at a ski lodge before the beginning of the school year, delivering the film’s first song, “The Start of Something New.” The song provides a solid introduction to the film, with the simple musical accompaniment highlighting the talented vocal performances of the protagonists. 

When the term begins, Troy is shocked to discover that Gabriella has joined his school. During a basketball training session, Troy is conflicted by his feelings for her and his desire to try singing, even though it contradicts his image as a “jock.” Gabriella and Troy audition for the school musical, yet are constantly thwarted by the “tyrannical mean girl,” Sharpay Evans. The jealous Sharpay tries to prevent Gabriella from auditioning for the musical by encouraging her to sign up for the scholastic decathlon, which conflicts with the audition time. The school is shocked by Troy’s attempt to engage in activities outside of his immediate clique, and this inspires many other students to start sharing their secret interests. After a series of mishaps, Gabriella and Troy are able to attend the callback for the musical, while not compromising their other activities.

High School Musical caters to almost every type of teenager: teenagers who love theater, sports, science, baking, music, or dance; teenagers who are loud and boisterous; teenagers who are caring and sweet; teenagers who are contemplative and quiet. Although the show does overdo quite a lot of these qualities, the musical-like way it approaches showing the different personalities of the characters ensures that a wide range of young people can see representations of themselves in the film.

Aside from providing different representations of the average high school student, High School Musical also depicts relatable characteristics in teachers and parents. The enthusiastic, caring, and somewhat eccentric Mrs. Darbus is likely to resemble a teacher high school students are familiar with, and the passionate yet authoritative Coach Bolton is a figure that many might recognize.

The film’s popularity can also be attributed to the somewhat timeless nature of its soundtrack. Heavily inspired by Broadway musicals, the soundtrack is largely upbeat, with a pop and theater sound. Highlights include songs such as “What I’ve Been Looking For” and the highly creative “Bop to the Top,” which incorporates a blend of diegetic and non-diegetic sound. Each song is accompanied by dramatic, over-the-top choreography that emphasizes the personality of each character.

Viewers have criticized the film as an oversimplification of the stereotypical high school experience, yet I would argue that this is what makes it so timeless and relatable. The film leans heavily onto existing stereotypes for high school students, only to subvert them and challenge the boundaries of each clique. 

It can be argued that High School Musical’s approach to representing the experiences of teenagers at school is surface-level and oversimplified, yet the message of the film rings clear and true 20 years after its release. Perhaps one of the reasons why the popularity of High School Musical has endured is because of its simple message. 

The idea that young people should subvert social stereotypes and pursue their personal passions is not a revolutionary one, yet all young people have struggled with overcoming social expectations at some point. Just like Troy and Gabriella overcome the social limitations that high school cliques force onto them, the film encourages young audiences to seek opportunities and experiences outside of their immediate interests. At some point in their lives, all young people have faced challenges and decisions similar to the ones Troy and Gabriella experience, and thus the film maintains its reputation as a relatable and timeless watch.

In a KidSpirit Media review, teen writer Jenny Xu explains the timeless appeal of High School Musical.

High School Musical: Here to Stay

Judy Liu

Online learning overcomes boundaries. However, it often dilutes the quality of education.

On a Chinese website, I saw two parents arguing: one was praising video classes for their convenience, but the other was complaining that her son had become addicted to online games ever since virtual school began. 

As technology advances, knowledge is more frequently delivered through the Internet and a considerable portion of studying is now carried out online. Online learning overcomes boundaries regarding students’ location, time, and financial state, producing educational opportunities. However, it often dilutes the quality of education.

Online learning saves time. In a case study about a group of Pakistani medical students’ online learning experiences, teachers reported that “students had become self-directed learners and they learned asynchronously at any time in a day,” and students commented that online learning was “saving the traveling time to attend class as well as the waiting time between class as a result of a scattered timetable.” Online resources eliminate the necessity for students and faculty to meet at a specific time and place and allow flexibility. That saves time otherwise spent on communication, arrangement, and travel.

Online learning unlocks geographical limitations. Online sessions and video recordings are much more accessible than offline classes. Students can go beyond their school to find more advanced classes on websites such as EdX and MIT-Online to satisfy their interests, without actually needing to go to the university that records those courses; more and more colleges are opening online libraries, and various academic websites are easy to access on web browsers, allowing students from all around the world to obtain the newest and most recognized forms of knowledge without the need to walk into a great library. As researchers from a survey that gathered feedback from online MBA students concluded, about 70% of the participants rated the experience as rewarding, and they highlighted geographic flexibility.

Online learning breaks financial barriers. Traditionally, only students with the ability to pay tuition and housing fees, or to afford student loans, can enjoy classes and acquire knowledge. Many families cannot afford an offline degree. The average global household income is $12,235 per year, but the average tuition of a US graduate school is $21,730, which means the majority of families do not have access to these universities without loans or aid. Online courses, however, are often almost free to take and people do not need to pay high prices to become educated. There is no or little cost to download a PDF of a textbook or a series of videos, even to understand sophisticated concepts such as nuclear fusion. Starting in the 21st century, thousands of people have chosen online programs to study and advance their career skills, and they can learn regardless of financial obstacles.

While bringing convenience, online classes also have drawbacks – academic integrity is reduced by online learning. Both the learning experience and learning efficiency are decreased. Nevertheless, these problems can be solved by countermeasures.

Online classes often fail to create an interactive learning environment. A student engaging in online classes does not have access to face-to-face interactions, and that reduces the enthusiasm for participation and the effectiveness of communication. It is hard for teachers to see if students follow by observing the class atmosphere, or for students to discuss with each other and enhance understanding. Group work is also limited, since students cannot cooperate hand-to-hand. Thus, a learning process in which the student is isolated from classmates and teachers is not likely to be enjoyable or highly productive.

The online learning process cannot guarantee high academic quality. Particularly for younger generations, concentration is a great obstacle. As there aren’t any direct interactions, it can be hard for young kids to focus on the content delivered; multiple distractions like electronic games, websites, and video platforms worsen this situation. Children are easily drawn from classes to the attractive things on their electronic devices. Self-reported data shows that a low level of concentration is negatively linked to an understanding of knowledge. What’s more, through an online approach, it is hard for a teacher to find out whether a student is concentrating. With live online sessions, the teacher can ask students to turn on their cameras and microphones to engage and can occasionally assess the students’ states – better than never. However, for independent tasks or video classes, the teacher has no idea whether a student has done the homework by him/herself or gained knowledge from a class. Therefore, the teacher cannot guarantee how much students are taking away from the class, nor can he/she make improvements based on students’ learning outcomes.

Online learning resources, though abundant, do not guarantee their level of accuracy. It is doubtful whether a persuasive unofficial online article can contain useful information, yet many students and adults believe what they read. Multiple attention-seeking passages are titled with emotion-triggering words such as “Shocking!” or “someone finally admits!” and use loose logic loops to prove something that even the author does not believe, to seek readers and fans. When researching a problem, people may not want to think deeply, go to direct sources, or read papers. Therefore, they might just open one of those attention-seeking articles and accept a biased conclusion. Since the Internet makes the spread of information much faster, biased information is more likely to spread online than offline. Online resources can even become a tool for political campaigns or social rumors.

Society cannot deny a learning approach that is convenient and will boost economic opportunities, yet the problem with academic integrity will need awareness-raising and legal solutions. Luckily, people are creatively trying to solve this problem.

Companies that host online classroom applications are trying innovative ways to regain high-quality online learning experiences. Take ClassIn as an example. In a ClassIn classroom, the teacher has the authority to download warm-up games for each student, assign the right to draw on a shared board, and give blackboards or quizzes to each student and collect them. This imitates the real classroom, where students can talk, answer questions, and share thoughts on the blackboard in front of the classroom. Fancy online tools might be attractive enough for young kids to pay attention to class content. Creativity in online functions can help students gain an interesting and full-attention learning experience.

Another approach to assist online learning and increase learning efficiency is supervision. Evolutionarily, our brain is not developed to pay long-term attention to a fixed electronic screen. This is especially true for children, due to the fact that their natural attention span is relatively low. Online learning can be torture as learners struggle to focus under various temptations and tiredness. In a survey about children’s remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, 23.8% of parents reported that their children had difficulty staying on task. With a tidy environment and proper supervision, however, students are more likely to concentrate. In the survey mentioned above, 58.2% of parents reported that the most frequently used strategy is related to routines and schedules. Parents can spend a little time each day to see how their child’s online learning is going, and tuition organizations can hold learning groups to support and supervise each other. Also, offline learning lounges are a good place to find a learning atmosphere. Still, more proper and formal supervision tools that can be carried out cheaply need to be created.

The issue of questionable online learning resources might be solved by legislation. Learning resources might be forced to be examined before they are posted on official learning media, so as to ensure their quality. 

The prevalence of online learning is an unavoidable result of technology development and the COVID-19 pandemic. It allows students to learn more conveniently and gives many more individuals an opportunity to learn, but it also raises concerns about the quality and efficiency of learning. Innovation, supervision, and legislation are needed to adopt online learning fully into our lives.

1.K.Mukhtar et al. Advantages, Limitations, and Recommendations For Online Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic Era. Pakistan Medical Science, 36(COVID19-S4):S27-S31. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.COVID19-S4.2785

2.K.Kim, S.Liu, C.Bonk. Online MBA Students’ Perceptions of Online Learning: Benefits, Challenges, and Suggestions. The Internet and Higher Education, Volume 8, Issue 4, pp.335-344. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2005.09.005

3.Roy, Amy K.,Breaux, Rosanna,Sciberras, Emma,Patel, Pooja,Ferrara, Erica,Shroff, Delshad M.,Cash, Annah R.,Dvorsky, Melissa R.,Langberg, Joshua M.,Quach, Jon,Melvin, Glenn,Jackson, Anna,Becker, Stephen P. A preliminary examination of key strategies, challenges, and benefits of remote learning expressed by parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. School Psychology, Vol 37(2), pp.147-159. Available at: https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2022-42199-001

In a KidSpirit Feature article, teen writer Judy Liu explains how online learning can enrich our lives, if we can safeguard academic integrity.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Online Learning

Max Green

Is school fun,
What a great pun,
The clock moves no faster than rocks,
If you didn’t know,
Rocks are quite slow,
Slower than snails on the go,
And homework is bad,
It makes me so sad,
The concept is completely mad,
Tests are so boring,
You can catch teachers snoring,
So save some time,
Make a good rhyme,
It’s not a crime, 
No more school? Yay!

In a KidSpirit poem, teen poet Max Green deplores the boredom of school.

Is School Fun?

Ananya Verma

“Catch it! Don’t let it get away!” 

My shout echoed across the battlefield between “bold, courageous red” and “cunning, serpentine green.” The feel of the soft, stormy wind cooling my face, the stands and sidelines cheering with an exhilaration that would never die, the band playing an arousing melody, and the whooshing of precious wooden sticks across the pitch to the Quidditch hoop were all that make a childhood complete. 

My Gryffindor teammates and I were racing against Slytherin to protect the ball in Harry’s hands, paving the way for him to throw the ball into the ring and win the game of the wizarding century. Just as Harry was about to cross the goalkeeper, Draco flew out of nowhere and lit his broom on fire using the Incendio spell. Harry completely lost his balance and started falling toward the ground, and gravity made it worse. Just before he was about to crash, he threw the ball toward me and, due to an odd reflex, I caught it. Now I was in trouble. 

Like a swarm of monsters, Slytherins came to attack me, and I ran, or rather flew, for my life. I was swirling in the air like a professional, which, even in my fantasies, I was not, but the loyal Gryffindors protected me as I spun around in the sky. After a few minutes of experiencing what a life-threatening situation feels like, the coast became clear. The clouds opened up and a single ray of sun shone on my face (so dramatic!), almost blinding me for a second.  I heaved a sigh of relief and regained my focus; before I knew it, I was a couple of meters away from the hoop!! A little closer, just a bit closer, I could see the trophy for the “Best House” awaiting me…

“Wake up, Ananya. It’s time for school.”

I didn’t want to go today, like many days when it’s too cold or I’m simply sleepy. Don’t get me wrong, I like school, in fact I can even say I often look forward to it, but being a human, I feel ambivalent about waking up when I can just sleep in my soft and comfortable bed. However, today was one of the several times a year when I had to get up and board the bus; it was the Annual Sports Day.

The date was August 24, 2018. I was in fifth grade, which is the senior most grade in primary school, so being present today was crucial, to “set an example” for the young ones. Most of my classmates and friends were very ebullient in anticipation of the Sports Day, but I was just looking forward to the event’s end so I could go back home. You see, since childhood, sports activities were hardly thrilling for me. I used to find them quite unstimulating. 

But that year’s Sports Day was absolutely worth it. 

Every year, for this occasion, students from each grade need to prepare a routine to perform in front of their parents. For 10th grade, these activities involve yoga, for 7th grade, rope-skipping, but juniors had to do acrobatics while wearing the school uniform. 

Another part of “setting an example” is to look prim and proper. All the kids would write down instructions for the special day; neat and ironed uniforms, clean hairstyle, and, last but not least, sparkling white shoes. 

Touching upon the last three words of the above paragraph, you’d think the shoes should be well polished and white. However, when you are a fifth grader, this can be perceived in another way, which is considering “white shoes” as a singular noun. This leads to viewing the instruction as white shoes that should sparkle.

It is said that in every grade, every batch, there is one child whose mischief is more popular than their name. The story was the same with my class. Ayaan was what you would call the prankster extraordinaire! He was the most energetic and playful boy of the entire grade, who loved sports classes and would excel. His jokes and tricks were never short of amusing. Sometimes he would hide the white board eraser or put a fake spider inside the teacher’s drawer or pop a balloon during class. No matter what he did, his lighthearted jokes would always bring a good laugh to school. On events such as this one, he was reminded to behave and keep control over himself, and so he did, but discipline never stopped him from being hilarious. 

As soon as I entered the class on Sports Day, the initial boredom vaporized when I saw my friends. Everyone was ready for the final performance after weeks of practice under the scorching sun, excited to give the best they have ever given. Little did I know, this day was about to be much more fun than I gave it credit for.

Everybody arrived on time, everybody except Ayaan, but it wasn’t surprising; he was almost always late.

However, today, of all days, I think he believed that he should be fashionably late. He arrived in class with the same uniform we had, the same hairstyle for all boys, the same props, but sparkling and shining shoes, completely covered in blue-green glitter.

On the day when you have a Chief Guest visiting with the Management Board to watch the performance, and you are at the very front with shoes that look like they were meant for Halloween, there can be just a tiny bit of trouble.

When the teachers came to give us last-minute touches and saw Ayaan, his iridescent shoes sparkling under the sunlight coming through the window, there was only one word to describe their expressions: mortified.

The next scenes witnessed by the whole grade were like the adaptations from the most amazingly written comic book story!

The teachers began frantically pacing around, trying to find a pair of shoes, running from classroom to classroom, panting and yelling since they were so terrified.  

Ayaan was the Best Sports Student in junior school for four years in a row, and replacing him would be like benching Ronaldo or Messi in the FIFA World Cup. Somehow, the day and performance were salvaged by borrowing a pair of shoes from one of the children of the security guards who lived on campus, and Ayaan’s performance was good enough to continue his streak as the Best Sports Student.

What a day that was! No one, not even the headmistress, could hide their laughter. By sheer serendipity, the glitter shoes became the highlight of the day.

When we grow up, we don’t remember the chapters and lessons that scared us unless our friend was scared too; we don’t recall when we cried about our result unless a kind-hearted teacher consoled us; we don’t remember when we hurt ourselves unless we were able to leave school early because of it.

The ineffable joy of these fond, beautiful memories are what I will not only cherish forever, but also find comfort in when I face obstacles.

All the times I participated in events with my friends, the times I had a heartwarming laugh with the whole class, the moments when I struggled with carrying my projects up the stairs and a random senior helped me, when my best friend and I had a surprise test and miserably failed. These are the souvenirs I’ll carry with me. 

Now I’m a high schooler in my junior year, and among the many memories, a framed picture of the blue-green glitter shoes hangs on my wall. 

In a KidSpirit Fiction piece, teen writer Ananya Verma finds joys and laughter in mishaps and pranks.

Memories in My Pocket

Abhinayya Saravanan

Every experience is a victory if it makes us stronger for the future. 

In a KidSpirit Awesome Moments article, teen writer Abhinayya Saravanan describes how an artistic swimming competition taught her the value of resilience. 

The False Start

The word “school” conjures different meanings for all of us: learning, opportunity, boredom, anxiety, privilege. How does the school experience shape our growth? How does it differ from place to place? How does it prepare us for “the real world”? Join teen contributors across the globe to explore education from every angle.

In Autumn's Embrace

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