tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71877136283876367262024-03-13T08:24:59.064+05:30Lyan's World!< in my view >Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-2183295042867250082024-03-03T01:47:00.001+05:302024-03-11T01:52:40.412+05:30A prayer for a friend<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In a quiet corner of the old church,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">where shadows flicker on timeworn stones,<br />I cast a weave of whispered prayers for you,<br />A tapestry of pleas and wishes; weaving<br />a guardian angel to watch over you.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />Each delicate silky thread of prayers,<br />Woven with countless hopes and wishes,<br />Forms an armor of protective shield,<br />May they protect and rejuvenate you,<br />Like a miracle conspired by the universe.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />With each whispered prayer, our wishes take flight,<br />For health renewed and strength returned.<br />Our prayers, a heavenly manifestation,<br />Brighter days await you tomorrow.<br />Get well soon, my dear friend.</span></div>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-34017295685733125412024-03-01T11:53:00.007+05:302024-03-03T12:02:45.119+05:30Rebellion in Pajamas<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dawn tiptoes and peeks through the curtains,<br />And my alarm blares "Rise and shine, for<br />Life awaits beyond the comfort of your bed!"<br />Yet my leaden body bed me down like an anchor,<br />As I wonder, should I rise or should I starve?<br />And why must I merely survive, when I can live?<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Uncomfortably, I linger in slumber's embrace,<br />While reality waits, tapping its impatient foot.<br />My body, oh, it's no clockwork machine!<br />It carved rest, pajamas, blankets and pillows,<br />To oil the gears and cogs of my tired soul,<br />For sometimes 'living' wears pajamas.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And when I finally rise, reluctant yet renewed,<br />I know this truth: Rest is rebellion,<br />A quiet revolution against the grind,<br />A reminder that living transcends survival.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-4713896081571557622023-05-05T16:19:00.002+05:302023-05-05T16:27:20.199+05:30The Summer Breeze<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The deathly stares of the summer sun<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Piercing through the dense green leaves<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unearthing the bones hidden beneath<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the stillness of the scorching air<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Burning the body to torment my soul<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yet the chaotic struggle is my peace<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">For I have accepted the toll.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> The sun may cause my skin to burn<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> But within my spirit takes its turn<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> To rise above the pain and strife<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> And find a calm within this life<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Standing strong and true<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> To find peace in all I do.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-46231525495741414882022-12-21T08:50:00.005+05:302023-05-05T16:14:05.888+05:30The Winter Calls Me Home<p><br /></p><p>Sure as the season changes and winter sets</p><p>Like basic instinct kicks the birds to migrate, </p><p>My instinct calls me to the mountains</p><p>To the cozy nest that my parents built</p><p>Linger I never, to heed that call</p><p>Sure as the winter calls, </p><p>I'll surely be heading home</p><p>For within that little nest lays</p><p>All the love in the world for me</p><p>All the hopes and dreams -dead and alive</p><p>All the memories that weighted and lifted me</p><p>For I'm made whole by those yins and yangs</p><p>And sure as the season changes, </p><p>I'll always have a place in that nest! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-6899860553468901342022-09-21T11:14:00.005+05:302022-09-21T11:23:27.657+05:30Hope - Seed<p><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Hidden beyond in the shadow</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">In the damp earth that lights neglect</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Where the grimes of dead lives collect</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Spring life from the dead dried seed</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-61919388533356359142022-06-02T09:38:00.001+05:302022-09-21T09:52:35.641+05:30An Eulogy for a Torn Jean<p>Your time has come</p><p>Dear old friend denim,</p><p>May we part in the light</p><p>That you're my absolute favourite!</p><p>Thank you for the snug fitting,</p><p>For you have been my second skin.</p><p>Like a yawn widely stretching,</p><p>Embracing a weight ever-changing.</p><p>Irony is that I tear you,</p><p>When I'd rather cling on to you</p><p>For I have so loved you!</p><p><br /></p>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-47292248680101025022022-01-17T09:56:00.003+05:302022-09-26T14:00:20.884+05:30Lamentation - An old friend<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />What do you do when you heard of the death of a childhood sweetheart that odds and time and space parted?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Do you blame yourself for not mending your friendship with a simple 'hello' or a quick phone call in the decade it takes to gradually die?<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Do you wonder if they also occasionally snoop on your social media to check-up on you but never having the courage to reconnect?<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Do you wonder if you still matter to them the same way they matter to you even though you haven't let them know?<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Do you wonder if they know that you still love and care about them even though the kind of love may have changed?<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Do you wonder if they know that despite everything, that you'll grief and mourn for them?<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Because I do...against my wishes, I do!<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-43133927006018159082021-12-22T11:18:00.005+05:302022-09-26T14:02:57.509+05:30Home<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dancing around potholes in the cobbled street<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sneezing with every swiveling clouds of dust<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Home they said is all in the heart,<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Luckily, the heart doesn't have eyes. <br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But does home sound like the heart?<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Or like the whistle of the winds on the tin roof,<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Or the constant humming of the crystal creek? <br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Like the heavy footsteps of the tired labourers<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Or like the sound of the tired hoe attacking the barren soil? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Home is like my old and tired mother <br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A hidden world of safety and comfort<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Struggling yet strong<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dying yet thriving<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Hopes abound<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Content! </span></span><br /></div>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-69221130734733479322021-10-02T11:15:00.001+05:302022-09-21T11:16:38.964+05:30Traces of You<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wherever I am, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wherever I go, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I find traces of you</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the lines of a song</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the rays of a sunset</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the sounds of the rain</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In random laughter </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Sundays</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And prayers</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And many daily things</span></p>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-68468332198589774772021-06-17T11:08:00.007+05:302022-09-26T14:10:21.912+05:30To my walls<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dear walls, you have seen and heard everything, </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">and I know you have seen me at my worst </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">but have you ever seen me at my best, </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">for I can't remember. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You have seen me break-down into silent sops </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">of forsaken nightmares </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">but how often have you heard my laughter? <br /></span><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">-Remind me now, for I need to know that all were not black. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dear walls, you've seen me love and hate with the same fire, </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">tell me what do I wear better? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Tell me if I look better with tears soaked angry smiles </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">or with the lifeless smile of a rotting spirit? <br /></span><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">-Remind me now, for I need to know that all were not as bad. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dear walls, you've seen me slip into the wide open arms of self hate </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">and crawl through the filth of existence to a semblance of life, </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">tell me why do you stay still? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Tell me, dear wall, that there is a reason still of why you and I are here still. <br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>- Remind me now, for I need a reason to live another day. </i></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-29024625743906994492021-04-06T11:04:00.001+05:302022-09-21T11:07:41.415+05:30The Old Oak Tree<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Upon that old oak tree where the songbirds sing</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Wherein my childhood laid I upon it's flatten branch </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">To gaze upon the blurring horizon beyond my reach</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Dreamt I a world sweeter than the songbirds' songs</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Upon that old oak tree where the songbird nest</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Wherein I dreamt away the grim childhood of my reality</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">For a moment of peace undiluted by the cares of the world</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Dreamt I while tearing the fresh saplings off the old oak tree</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Upon that old oak tree where the songbird hatch</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Lay I as the hatchling fed as I have never been</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pass I all the cares of this world as life leave me to hatch</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Dreamt I of life as my rotting flesh feed the old oak tree</span></p><div><br /></div>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-58590091984899475172020-02-04T13:58:00.000+05:302020-04-24T13:59:52.702+05:30My Head<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I screamed to the void in my head</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Asking existential questions to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The tangled mess of the past, and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To the blurry promises of the future</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But in all fairness, my dear soul</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Why do I fear an answer, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Why do even an echo seems scary</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Yet the eerie silence provokes me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Perhaps I do not look for answer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In the chaotic present that I resent. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As the vicious agonist is my head</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Yet a spot of paradise is my head!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-87935826849724786352019-09-05T12:36:00.000+05:302019-09-05T12:36:35.224+05:30Happy Teachers Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouMRCmooLIuk6gGeGcV_5vvXs27YO2GSomJn95nYaT4nvSx8TZ_OuzJSv6dulIMWso2RAF3o_EJgdJ8LNLoaHr-z8SCG-sQw7HJadPOSGreZq2XCq2jqpXUbjMaGX0Hw6McpsX1IjKTtF/s1600/Teachers+Day+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1112" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouMRCmooLIuk6gGeGcV_5vvXs27YO2GSomJn95nYaT4nvSx8TZ_OuzJSv6dulIMWso2RAF3o_EJgdJ8LNLoaHr-z8SCG-sQw7HJadPOSGreZq2XCq2jqpXUbjMaGX0Hw6McpsX1IjKTtF/s640/Teachers+Day+Poster.jpg" width="444" /></a></div>
<br />Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-51522245430417232842019-04-21T00:30:00.003+05:302020-08-12T11:33:00.835+05:30After the funeral<i>(with Mom, waiting for Dad)</i><br />
<br />
When all is said and done, and when all the tears are wept,<br />
in the aftermath, of the funeral; alone here we are, you and I<br />
choking upon, our tears and words; watching, the teapot burn<br />
waiting, as if the crowing rooster will bring better news,<br />
upon the hearth, we await, the morning dawn, silently.<br />
<br />
Unlike us -the sun, the moon; they didn't change their ways -<br />
the day is as bright, and the night is as dark, as always,<br />
Here again, alone, upon the hearth, we sit - you and I -<br />
wary of the bellows, of the lost calves, unconscientiously<br />
as if they were, to herald, a news, somewhat different<br />
eyeing the closed door- continuously, suspiciously.<br />
<br />
Time passed, or so they say; and back to our routine, we try<br />
and in the midst, we thought, of the abnormality of our day -<br />
as if the sky broke, the bitter undigested tears, it rains-<br />
a thousand knives, stabbing our heart, sobbing a riot,<br />
-it's real, it's true, that Dad will never be back again...<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0Churachandpur, Manipur, India24.2993576 93.25836260000005523.3734246 91.967469100000059 25.2252906 94.549256100000051tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-42475647465879139692018-11-10T13:08:00.000+05:302019-04-26T10:44:50.244+05:30Child-Friendly Assessment<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-language: HI;">In one of my earlier
post, I talked about the need for assessment of learning, and that assessment
need not necessarily be a burden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
to clarify again, assessment starts the moment we first interact with the child
and ends when the child left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a
continuing process, and how you used the findings will determine its
importance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-language: HI;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-language: HI;">Assessment can be done
through our daily observations, activities and interactions with the child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, our education system also demands a
child to go through some form of written paper-pencil test which are most often
standardized, and this is where the issues and gross misunderstanding of
assessment arises. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A written paper-pencil test, especially those of the summative
nature, are often large-scale, standardized, and more often than not, assesses only
the recall and retrieval ability of the child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Such assessments are a burden and can even have major implication on the
self-esteem of the child. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s no wonder standardized assessment are
often seen negatively because it assumes that every child learns in the same
way, took away the autonomy of the child and the teachers, and reduces the
whole being of an individual into statistics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But large-scale standardized assessment must not be confused
with individual assessment (worth of a being) as it has its own objectives and
usage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are meant to be quantified,
and it has its due share of benefits. <span style="mso-bidi-language: HI;">Large-scale
standardized assessment, if designed objectively and executed methodically can
yield several benefits, such as: ensuring accountability of the delivery
system, monitoring performances at various stages/levels of the schooling
system, informing educational policy and planning, facilitating better
teaching-learning processes through instructional diagnosis and generating a
discourse on quality of student learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Large-scale Assessment has often been misused that it has
become an exacting experience for the students and the teachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Students are habituated to an assessment that
can only lead to stress, marking, pass or fail, and a tension for their future.
Large-scale standardized assessment must veer-off from that perception, and one
way to do that is to adopt a child-friendly approach of assessment. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Child-friendly assessment is a concept that can be
defined simply as the deliberate process of administrating a contextualized assessment
in a stress-free environment through a friendly process. Child-friendliness
must start from the conceptualization of the tools that we used for assessment, on how we present the reports and how we used it.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Child-friendly assessment is a deliberate process, and every
aspect of it must be though-out before starting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It begins from the tool development process
till how we choose to present the data at the end. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Elements of Child-Friendliness in the Tool of Assessment:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Tool must have Diverse questions types with
more MCQs than constructed responses:</b> MCQs can cover broad topics, can
easily detect misconception and misunderstanding, are more reliable and ease
the checking process; while we need few constructed responses to test the depth
of understanding.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Tool must take into account the aptitude and
capabilities of the children:</b> The structure, language used, and content of
stems are derived from the existing syllabus considering its
age-appropriateness.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Tool must take into account the experiences
of the child:</b> The constructed responses must focus on the child’s narrative
of their life experiences.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Tool must respect and acknowledge the social
and cultural context of the child:</b> The tools are designed to ensure context
appropriateness, and sensitively includes examples and contents from each area
of where the tools are administrated.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Tool must respect and accommodate the prior
knowledge and experiences of the child: </b>Besides asking questions that are
directly related to the experience of the child, it also asks them question
related to topics which they have covered previously.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Tool must have simple language and design:</b>
The papers are designed in such a way that it minimizes room for confusion (eg.
No questions are broken across pages, differentiation between number and stems,
consistency in formatting and wording, and proper instructions), have
illustrations and pictures to make it more attractive. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>An Exhaustive Rubrics for Constructed
responses:</b> The rubrics or answer key must consider the child’s point of views.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tool developer must pilot their tools
before finalizing it, exploring all possible ways a question can be
answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The child’s point of view on
an issue will come within a context, and such views must also be assessed from
that point of view. </li>
</ul>
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<b>Elements of child-friendliness in Practices and Processes
of Administration:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Be very selective of the Assessor: </b>Be
very selective of who you select as assessors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You don’t want random people to go to school to administer the
assessment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want someone who is
approachable, pleasant and friendly to children, and have had experience of
working with children before, and have had basic introduction to the various
concept of education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also want that
person to be able to comprehend the process of tool administration and maintain
data quality. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Emphasis on training of assessors: </b>Assessors
must be thoroughly trained for every processes and practiced for a number of
days. The training must include mock-sessions for every key process like how to
introduce yourself to the schools and students, how to introduce your tool to
the students, what to say to the students to assure the students and reduce
their stress, how to build rapport with the students, etc.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Rapport-building with the students: </b>Make
it compulsory for the assessor to focus on rapport building with the institution
and the children before starting the assessment.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Have a set of what to do and what not to do:</b>
Train your assessors on a set of good practices that includes what to do and
what not to do, how to speak, how to behave, and even appearance. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Focus on reducing the stress/tension in the
assessment location:</b> Train your assessors on how to assure the students
that the assessment is not an assessment of their worth and talk about how one
can change our destinies.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Reading of Questions: </b>In Primary school,
the questions could be read-out by the assessors (just have a separate
instruction manual on what to read and not to read, and which word to
emphasize, based on the objective of each of the questions).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Defined Process: </b>Have a well-defined
process for tool adminstration that is also documented as a manual and can be referred to by the
assessors at all time and ensure that the assessors adhere to the manual.</li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Large-scale assessments are always expensive, as such it usually
come with specific objectives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
mostly summative in nature, but many parts of the tools must be used
formatively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doing assessment only for
quantification purpose should be a crime, it’s not fair at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The data has so much potential to enhance the
learning, so the findings must invariably go back to the teacher so that she
can deal with the misconceptions and other challenges.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As we can seen from the above, standardized assessment can
be versatile and can also be used for formative purposes also, however,
standardized assessment has its own specific objective, as such, a teacher must
refrain from using tools of such standardized assessment for assessing their
own students, except for preparing them for such assessment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
No one knows the students better than a teacher, and the
teacher is the only qualified person to design a more contextualize tools. Consider
the level and context of your child when designing, ask them question in a way
they can fully understand what is being asked of them, focus on critical
thinking and analyzing misconception, and most importantly, use the findings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It is in human’s nature to always want to know if they have
achieved their objectives or not. Assessment is done basically because we have
objectives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And all our institutions
that sets out with specific objectives, want to see if they are progressing as per
their expectation, where and when they need to do course correction, and what
remedial issues need to be taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Standardize assessment is here to stay, in school and outside school, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and we need to ensure that the tools we used
and the processes we followed doesn’t add to more stress for our students. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-45655258592159503982018-10-07T12:40:00.000+05:302020-03-17T12:50:22.507+05:30The Place of Workbooks in Primary School<div style="text-align: justify;">
The reason usually given as to the purpose of having a workbook was for the students to work in independence of the teachers to follow-up and practice each lesson that was covered inside the classroom, so that the limited time in the classroom can focus on 'mastery'.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This view has it's pros and cons. If students are expected to use the workbooks at home, then it might increase the burden of the children. However, if the child wants to work independently at school or at home, then workbook are a really wonderful resource to further and supplement the classroom learning.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We also want our students to continously engage with their learning and stay connected, in that sense, workbooks serve an important role. And making our workbook colourful and attactive enhanced students desire to be engaged with it. But as mentioned above, it should not be forced or else it become a burden.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Workbook are really useful for some contents that focus on practice and mastery, especially mathematics. While workbook can also be effectively used for enhancing learning in social sciences and language, engaging them in a real life experience is a much more effective pedagogy for most children to learn language and the social sciences.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Saying that, the whole purpose of having a workbook is to supplement the limitation of the classroom...so a workbook should avoid repeating what is already in the textbook. Even if it's repeated, then it should take a step further.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And for workbook writer and designer, your focus is on making learning vibrant enough so that children would rather engage with the workbook in the face of the various activities available to them. Make the workbook attactive, vibrant, and interesting -it has to be more interesting than the textbook. Know and organize the competencies you want to focus-on to make life easier for the teachers. And please, by all means, remember that workbooks are not meant to be a replacement of a teacher, so don't prepare the worksheets expected of the teachers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And dear teachers, workbook are meant for your students to work independently at home (with or without support of parents) or when you're busy in the classroom especially when you're teaching multi-grade. Please prepare your own worksheet and remember, workbook can never replace a well-prepared lesson plan from you. Afterall, a workbook is just a book, while your lesson plan take into account your knowledge and understanding of your students which is the most valuable components of an effective teaching-learning process.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-45208051054346812932017-09-20T11:47:00.003+05:302017-09-20T11:47:47.824+05:30On assessment and the needs<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assessment is often considered a necessary evil today. It is often associated with evaluation, test and examination, and each of these words have become cursed in the education sector. And the reason for that is deeply rooted in misunderstanding and its appalling misuse.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assessment is a process of gathering and analyzing information from multiple and diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand, and can do with their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences (summative). The assessment process culminates when assessment results are used by teachers to adjust their learning-facilitation strategies, and by students to adjust their learning strategies (formative). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assessment, teaching, and learning are inextricably linked, as each informs the others. It is a powerful process that can either optimise or inhibit learning, depending on how it is applied. In our current school system, the assessment process is often misused and thus become a burden to the teacher and a bane for the students. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assessment is needed in learning simply because we have learning objectives. Assessment in learning is directly derived from the learning objectives; and without objectives, assessment will not have any relevance. Likewise, until and unless the teacher have a thorough understanding of the aims of education and schooling, and know and understand the objective of teaching and learning a particular subject and its contents, assessment is meaningless.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Education, schooling, teaching and learning have aims and objectives. We can very well dismiss assessment and keep only the objectives. But it is in human's nature to want to know where we currently stand, if we are in the right track, or if we have achieved what we set-out to do. If I invest money and time in educating myself, I'll definitely want to know if I am getting my money's and time's worth, and how best to optimized my investment. And the only way to know that is through assessment. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assessment is necessary, but it need not be evil. Assessment is a continuous process, and can be and must be done continuously. It need not be in the form of test or exam either in written and/or oral format. Assessment can take any form of interaction, observation and conversation which are very much part of our normal life and can be and must be done as such.</span></div>
Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-48751096504007321582017-04-21T13:55:00.002+05:302022-09-21T09:37:30.558+05:30What happens to a destiny unfulfilled?<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">What happens to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">a dream abandoned?</span><div><span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">What happens to </span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">a destiny unfulfilled?<br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Does it dry up</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">like a caked bed of a lake?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Or fester like a sore-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And then run a bloody pus?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Does it stink like rotten body?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Or, maybe it just sags</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">like a heavy load</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Of unfulfilled dreams </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">that I'm carrying.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-49195398982467037022016-05-25T16:23:00.000+05:302016-05-25T16:23:06.905+05:30The Basis of Right to Education in India<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Prior to India’s independence, education
was generally considered a privilege rather than a right. The diarchy system
introduced by the British just before independence resulted in education coming
under the charge of the provincial (state) authorities from wherein start the
need for a uniform national policies on education. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">After independence, the State’s obligation
to provide education was constitutionally recognized with the inclusion of a
directive principle to this effect under Article 45 in the Indian Constitution
as a directive principles. It must be noted that directive principles, unlike
fundamental Rights, are not legally enforceable, however, Article 45 come with
a time limit that it should be implemented within 10 years! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Interestingly, the concept of free and
compulsory education was adapted from the British law of Free and Compulsory
Education (FCE) and was incorporated into the Constitution so that education
can be universalized across the country. As per the mandate in the article when
it was adopted, education was to be universalized within 10 years, i.e. by
1960. However, the State and Union
budgets continuously treated education as a peripheral subject until the
Kothari Commission (1966) changed the outlook drastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Since
independence, the government have set-up various educational commissions, two
national policies, and numerous reforms through programs to universalize
education India while education remain under the directive principles, and not
a fundamental right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">It took
more than 40 years since the adoption of the constitution for education to be
acknowledged as a critical fundamental rights in India when the Indian Supreme
Court ruled as such in a few legal cases in the early 1990s. After that, it
took the government of India another 10 years to enact the 86<sup>th</sup>
Amendment to insert Article 21A to the constitution in 2002 to make education a
fundamental right as ruled by the Supreme Court. And it took the government 8
years to draft a central legislation that would lay down the practical
framework for the implementation for the Right to Education until its final
enactment in 2009.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The Right of Children to Free and
Compulsory Education Bill (2008) was passed in both the Houses of Parliament in
2009. The law received the President's
assent in August 2009 and it comes into effect in 1<sup>st</sup> April 2010. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The passing of the RTE Act that guaranteed
education as a fundamental right was indeed a historical moment for India, but
it also come with the acute awareness that it limited universal education only
to those children in the age group of 6 to 14 years of age. India still has a
long way to go to universalize education for all its citizens. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Despite its limitation, the importance of
the RTE cannot be overemphasized. It provides a justiciable legal framework,
guaranteed education of reasonable quality based on equity and non-discrimination.
It provides for a free and compulsory admission, attendance, and completion of
elementary education. It also provides for an education that is free from fear,
stress and anxiety. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-19428914321796027372016-01-25T12:53:00.002+05:302016-01-25T12:53:37.228+05:30Is there such thing as Indian Childhood?<div style="text-align: justify;">
The worldview towards childhood was captured by the CRC adopted by the United Nation in 1989, and was implemented all over the world, including in India in 1992. The CRC stance of childhood was directly influenced by the North (western developed countries) and as such, it is individualistic, ungendered, and to a great extend nostalgic in nature. Such construct of childhood has been criticized by activists in the south from the very beginning and rightly so. The CRC view of childhood was criticized for many valid reason, two key criticism includes </div>
<br />
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Not giving a role or importance to the kin, family groups, community which are critical in the south as part of the socialization process of the child (Nieuwenhuys, 1998). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">And, ignoring the multiplicity of childhood in the south. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Considering the plurality of childhood in the south, it seems like an individualistic approach in policy paper seems logical, but the childhood in the south is too complicated to be addressed as such in policy papers. So how complicated is the childhood in the south, and looking at India specifically, can there be such thing as an Indian childhood? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to Raman (2000), in classical Hindu literature, there’s only one type of childhood i.e. ‘boychild’ as its point of reference, whereas in some tribes in India, the practice varies. She also mentioned that in India, the individuality of the child is acknowledged while deeply embedded in the larger social matrix of community, caste/tribe, kin group and family. Some key / common feature of childhood that can be observed across India might includes: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Plurality of Childhood: Childhood in India is marked by its plurality as captured by Raman (2000). For instance, the experience of childhood in India varies horizontally and vertically. Horizontally, there are almost 5000 communities in India which translate to 5000 diverse experience, while vertically, we have the caste, class and gender (Raman, 2000).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Distinct Development task: Also, the distinction of Indian childhood from that of the western concept can be seen in the developmental task of Indian children (Bisht, 2008), for instance; the girl child gradually take over the household chores from mothers and in preparation of a marriage life, while the boys get indulgence in their earlier life gradually moving towards an inflexible standards of absolute obedience and conformity to familial and societal standards.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This implies that Indian childhood can be marked by:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Plurality of childhood: Since childhood is socially construct, then the extreme diversity in India will definitely have an impact on how we construct childhood across the country. </li>
<li>Continuity between childhood and adulthood. There's no rigid gap between childhood and adulthood like in the west especially for the girl child, she's expected to perform adult gender role from a very early age. </li>
<li>Childhood as a time for preparation for adulthood, especially for girls who are constantly groomed for marriage.</li>
<li>Unique developmental task (girls priority is household works and preparation for marriage which are not a priority among parents in the west, while boys are indulged at first then move towards familial and social conformity). </li>
</ul>
<div>
What more can we add to this list...any suggestion?</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-54716039023757461162015-11-11T20:04:00.001+05:302017-09-20T12:50:09.572+05:30A Rose for My Warrior Mother<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That
august sun was sitting on the horizon</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Showing
off the auburn sky that it had painted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Illuminating
the horror of that last august day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
popping guns and the cries of their preys,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wailing,
crying, screaming – terrors reign the air<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amidst
them lay still my body in the tar black road <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Silhouette
by bloods that slowly turn auburn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
lay there still in the auburn road<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Waiting
for the setting sun to touch the horizon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
burn the hills and light the night sky<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
my mother, to come find me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
end the night, that bloody Monday - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Of
crimson night, and shattered lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
there she is –my brave mother,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Untold
loss and grief, scarred her sunken face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Feeble
and frail with no more strength to grieve<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet
she stands there mighty against the guns –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
helpless woman –illiterate, scared and lost<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
stood her ground to marches on!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Day-in
and day-out, she marches on<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">No
time to waste –she can’t stop now<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
she fight not for glory, fame or money,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
for the hearts, and the wombs –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
womb of the land that nurtures her;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
her children, the joys of her womb!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
marches on with thousand mothers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Into
the abysses where all hope ceases<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
battle cries of the warriors, filling the air - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
land, my sons; my home, my blood -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
my children –they scream and march<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">While
their hearts bleed for their fallen sons!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
there I die, in mother’s arm,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We’ll
be fine, she promises, we’ll be fine!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
I pray thee, kind kinsmen and strangers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
you come to visit me in my grave,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Please
also wept the tears off of my mother's eyes,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And give her a rose, for she deserve one!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagp5psl49jz6ffbIgQ2IDum3mRVJ2yN71HmI4lJW3VhOi7hEeK4l7BurJdZIVT7i6QI9jlINS5cpefLIlAdWVfXECi0UzJ-N9LiNVSRDnpiQFoXhQyUWikKbLItOgK4f_ym2R80I6_N4b/s1600/womenrally9sept2015jpg09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagp5psl49jz6ffbIgQ2IDum3mRVJ2yN71HmI4lJW3VhOi7hEeK4l7BurJdZIVT7i6QI9jlINS5cpefLIlAdWVfXECi0UzJ-N9LiNVSRDnpiQFoXhQyUWikKbLItOgK4f_ym2R80I6_N4b/s320/womenrally9sept2015jpg09.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: www.zogam.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "maiandra gd" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0New Lamka, Churachandpur, Manipur 795128, India24.327729 93.70543729999997124.2987915 93.665096799999972 24.356666500000003 93.745777799999971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-39227851782158244672015-09-03T11:12:00.000+05:302015-09-03T16:54:14.906+05:30Those Hills I Called Home<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was neck deep at work chasing datelines, but that single photo of two young man lying dead unattended in front of the police station that I was massaged in my phone made me shudder. But what upset me the most was the fact that those young men were innocent civilian killed by the police, and I was told that there were more dead bodies. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What connects me and those young men was that we just got called a stranger at our very own home, and that the government just passed a bunch of legislation that can legally kick us off from the land where we have lived for generations. The knowledge that we can now be easily uprooted from those hills is a thought that is killing us all. Those beautiful blue hills have been our home for ages, those hills are awash with the blood of our forefathers, and those hills are nurtured by the bloods of our ancestors, and it continues to do so, and will remain so as proved by those brave young men died protesting those legislation imposed by some outsiders who wanted to grab our lands.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Even though I live far away in central India, those hills never left me. Every single day, I work up to the sound and sight of things –from the sounds of language and music, the sights of buildings and the people, that reminded me that I don’t belong here. And no matter how I tried to belong, the people I interact with on everyday basis will remind me of where I belong by asking me where I belong. And I have accepted to live amidst that sense of alienation, and how do I managed that?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I managed to live amidst that constant sense of alienation because deep down in my heart I know that I am not homeless, that I have and belong to a place that I can call a home. But now, the thought that I’ll no longer be able to call those hills as my home tugs my heart, boils my blood and wrenches my soul. Those hills are central to my being, and critical to my existence because no matter where I go and live, those hills are the place that define my being, my identity, and it’s the thought of those hills that drives my life. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I regrets not being there in the hills physically to stand with my people at this critical time, my sole consolation that I’m contributing to the economy of the hills and that I’m a representative of the hill people to the outsiders does not qualify me to speak to my brave hill peoples, but I want to say this –we are a proud, obstinate and fiercely independent tribes for ages, and we will not be subjugated by some outsiders, we will definitely not be called a stranger at our own home. </div>
<br />
Stay strong Zomi, Zomi are strong!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-77000725150389687072015-04-20T12:31:00.000+05:302016-05-25T15:57:43.924+05:30Religion VS Education: Contradiction or Complementary<div style="text-align: justify;">
Every society need a moral compass to tell its member what is right/wrong, what is good/bad, what should be done under certain circumstances, etc. It acted as a guideline for the member of the society.<br />
<br />
Religious beliefs and practices are one such moral compass or guidance in our life. And in any society, we need some sort of moral compass to tell us what is right, what is good, what is desired and what is dignified for the common good of the society based on general belief. If any society don't have such moral compass, chaos will surely follow.<br />
<br />
Moral compass are of course based on the society's general beliefs on what is good or desirable for them as a society. And what the society think is good or desirable changes as they move on and deal with new circumstances, new understanding and inventions, etc. But such beliefs, can also be institutionalized into a rigid frame that makes it hard for it to catch-up with the changing needs, thus they can become the unreasoned or out-dated beliefs, and to stick to that beliefs can hinder our progress as a humanity. Religion is one such institutionalized belief system.<br />
<br />
Every religious practice or belief are not necessarily unreasoned, afterall they are based on what the society thought was good for the member of the society at the time of institutionalization. Take for example, the concept of love and peace are taught by all religion, and they are as desirable today as it was then. On the other hand, some religious practices demands that we stone to death a certain people, which are cruel and barbaric. So despite what our religion said about such thing, we decided to ignore them because, as a human, we have the capacity to logically think and reason the implications, and therefore, make independent decision about such issues.<br />
<br />
The issue is, most often, religion demands blind faith, and blindly follow the moral compass it made for us centuries ago. Such moral compass have not been updated to the needs and desire of the society, so it usually come across as unreasoned, even barbaric. The primary aims of education is to take us beyond such unreasoned beliefs and practices. Education too is suppose to provide us a moral compass in the form of reason, logic and rationality that will guide us through life. But considering the current status of our education, is it able to provide us that?<br />
<br />
If we are to view the role of the teacher as a facilitator, it doesn't matter how much religion is practiced, education will achieve it's aims. If we are to view the teacher as a mentor/guide/master etc, they might hamper the process of logic and reason, but as long as the student continued their education, and that our curriculum really encompass all the elements of the aims of education, nothing will stop education from achieving it's goal.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh, India20.71 81.54999999999995520.6505865 81.469318999999956 20.769413500000002 81.630680999999953tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-77479881843018016372014-10-21T11:20:00.002+05:302015-09-26T14:37:44.519+05:30The Spectacle<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
First they call you exotic</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH6x2fu38VRyZi_Fv9Y6Ih3b9gmu6I20NlulwE4kB9lEcB5sV4idzOvgGTQX7fiFihvfuNT3Y-spk6I_c4lSFx9jorFLCLPmRGR2oIUfle378JeqZqwSgLqYN-0v0NrN_yqU5sV5ElJ6J/s1600/survivors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH6x2fu38VRyZi_Fv9Y6Ih3b9gmu6I20NlulwE4kB9lEcB5sV4idzOvgGTQX7fiFihvfuNT3Y-spk6I_c4lSFx9jorFLCLPmRGR2oIUfle378JeqZqwSgLqYN-0v0NrN_yqU5sV5ElJ6J/s1600/survivors.jpg" width="320" /></a>And they adored you</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
They sung your praises</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
And showered you with fake love and kisses!</div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br />
But your fake glories<br />
And your pretensions,<br />
Feed the weakness<br />
So came the fangs!<br />
<br />
Spreading lies<br />
And rumours<br />
Pieces by pieces<br />
They tear you apart,<br />
Then they kill you…<br />
A bizarre spectacle!<br />
<br />
But you stood up,<br />
You walked, you protested<br />
You cried, and you screamed -<br />
To the glares of ignorant<br />
The amusement of statues,<br />
And you became, the spectacle!<br />
<br />
Yet you picked yourself up<br />
Gathering all the strengths left in you<br />
To return back to that old home<br />
In search of the love that you’ve known<br />
<br />
Only, to come back<br />
To strange pitiless eyes<br />
And you became a spectacle<br />
- and an eyesore!<br />
<br />
In loathing you watched,<br />
The constancy in the blankness<br />
Of the ceiling, a fan spinning<br />
A rope in your hand<br />
<br />
Imagining,<br />
A body, hanging<br />
Still, quiet, lifeless - <br />
A violent spectacle!<br />
<br />
Yet you linger<br />
For reasons you do not know.<br />
For unseen, unheard, unreasoned –<br />
Hidden somewhere, broken<br />
Is a hope –flickering<br />
Yet untouchable<br />
To all the violence of this world!<br />
And so, you linger…</div>
Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7187713628387636726.post-9857081939860404422014-08-16T18:06:00.000+05:302014-08-16T18:06:20.309+05:30One Rainy Day<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One rainy day, I walk alone</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDEgTsHqwLjykIZYKdrrnPizxe3gUYAQzANU8Y0yS5y56x1hNXLVuKef-_e_oCBFlRNTC7yldGGHE26Rr20spjfOk9NJUuYFNSFlzA2gKJk0Z0FwHiUIkPsatz0kLPpvNvv3Ih1oDhOfd/s1600/il_570xN.506156286_o50x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDEgTsHqwLjykIZYKdrrnPizxe3gUYAQzANU8Y0yS5y56x1hNXLVuKef-_e_oCBFlRNTC7yldGGHE26Rr20spjfOk9NJUuYFNSFlzA2gKJk0Z0FwHiUIkPsatz0kLPpvNvv3Ih1oDhOfd/s1600/il_570xN.506156286_o50x.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m drenched, puddles everywhere<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I can hop and skip, to stay dry and clean<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But I jumped on the puddles, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Splashing water like a broken fountain, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And I giggled and then I laughed, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">That rainy day, I walked alone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And my heart sung, a song of joy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One rainy day, I walk alone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And there you are, with your umbrella, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I wanted to jump, on the puddle, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And I wanted to feel the rushing raindrops, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kissing my skin, fondling my senses<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But I huddled, right next to you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hopping and skipping, puddles after puddles <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Giggling and laughing, just like you did...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And I reached home, dry as the sand, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And my heart sung, a song of love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One rainy day, I stand alone, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In my doorway, where you left me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I watched you leave, walking alone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Under the rain, your umbrella<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I watched you run, my heart racing,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I watched you hop, my heart skipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Fading away, in the pouring rain!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And then I burst, on the rainy road, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I hop and skip, I jump and laugh,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kicking a storm, out of puddles, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I am drenched, raindrops cuddling, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My true body, the sensation, of pure sweet love<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And my heart sings, a song of joy, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A
song of love, and I am dancing, on the rainy road</span>Lyan Samtehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005635728182933756noreply@blogger.com0