A Man called Ove | En man som heter Ove (2015)

"Ove ... Antingen dor vi eller sa lever vi." -- Sonja

Reflection
Sometimes you can't just leave before time ... without fulfilling our purpose on Earth ...

Movie Details
Based on: "A Man Called Ove" written by Fredrik Backman
Name and Year: En man som heter Ove (Swedish) | A Man called Ove (English) and 2015
Director: Hannes Holm
Producers: Annica Bellander and Fredrik Wikström Nicastro
Screenplay: Hannes Holm    
Music: Gaute Storaas
Cinematographer: Göran Hallberg
Editor: Fredrik Morheden
Genres: Comedy, Drama and Family
Country: Sweden    
Language: Swedish

Movie Plot
59-year-old Ove is the block’s grumpy man who several years earlier was deposed as president of the condominium association, but he keeps looking over the neighborhood with an iron fist. When pregnant Parvaneh and her family moves into the terraced house opposite and accidentally backs into Ove’s mailbox it turns out to be an unexpected friendship. A drama comedy about unexpected friendship, love and the importance of surrounding yourself with the proper tools.

Movie Trailer

(Movie and Trailer Credits: Original creators, writers and artists for creating 'A Man called Ove'.

Post Sources
Movie Poster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_Man_Called_Ove.png
Movie Details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Man_Called_Ove_(film)
Movie Plot: https://www.svenskfilmdatabas.se/en/item/?type=film&itemid=79650   
Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPoaN2XROk8

With Hope.

Fine Motor Skills Activity for Young Kids - Bombax Ceiba Flower Game

 The Battle within the Petals of a Silk-Cotton Tree Flower  

It looks like a simple and silly activity or game, but, try it with your students to experience the different domains of development it touches upon. A set of activities and game to develop and strengthen fine motor skills of children at home or at school using flowers of a Bombax Ceiba tree flower.  

Educational Setup: Home (Play Date|Picnic) and School (Inclusive and Special)  
Grade/Stage: Kindergarten/Foundation  
Domain: Fine Motor Skills
Focus: Developing and strengthening hand-eye co-ordination, finger dexterity and grip
Method: Multi-sensory | Experiential | Play and Learn |
Requirement: Flowers that fall off the majestic Bombax Ceiba Tree (botanical name). Bombax Ceiba tree is also known as cotton tree; Malabar silk-cotton tree; red silk-cotton; red cotton tree; or kapok tree.)
 

Fine Motor Skills Activity Booklet for Teachers: Class Flow|Ideas to help you plan and execute the activities and the game shown in the video.

To download the activity booklet, please click on the following link:
1. Class Flow for Bombax Ceiba Tree Flower Game - The Battle within the Petals of a Silk-Cotton Tree Flower      

Suggestions:
- Please use flowers that fall off the Bombax Ceiba Tree! (You will find plenty of them resting unattended on the face of our planet in Delhi ideally in the months of February and March.)
- Let the kids tinker/explore/play with the flower and its components.  
- Create your own variations of the activities displayed in the video based on the needs of your students and experience (Example: This activity could be used to reinforce concepts like 'Parts of a Flower' taught in our 'Understanding the World' or 'Environmental Science' lesson.)  
 
Acknowledgements
The Almighty, family members and childhood friends who introduced me to the cotton tree flower game.

My school teachers, students, mentors/professors and fellow educators/colleagues from The British School, SAKSHAM, ScrapLabs, Teach For India, and CONCOR for their valuable insights and guidance.

With Hope.

E-books on Inclusion and Children with Special Needs from NCERT and Ministry of Education

 

📚 A collection of e-books for administrators, professors, special educators, teachers, parents, social workers, and students on 'How to address and support children with special needs in an inclusive school or inclusive setup' published by The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and Ministry of Education (MoE) for your reference.


I. E-books on supporting and including children with special needs:

To download the e-books, please click on the following links:

1. NCERT: Including Children With Special Needs - Primary Stage (2014)
 
2. NCERT: Including Children With Special Needs - Upper Primary Stage (2015)
 
3. NCERT: Including Children with Autism in Primary Classrooms - A Teacher's Handbook (2019)
 
4. NCERT: Educational Rights of Children with Special Needs - Frequently Asked Questions (2021)
 
5. NCERT: Meeting Special Needs in School - A Manual (2007)
 
6. NCERT: Inclusion in Education - A Manual for School Management Committee (2020)
 

II. NCERT Syllabus and Learning Outcomes for Elementary and Secondary Stage

To download the e-books, please click on the following links:

1. NCERT: Syllabus for Elementary Stage
 
2. NCERT: Learning Outcomes for Elementary Stage
 
3. NCERT: Syllabus for Secondary Stage

4. NCERT: Learning Outcomes for Secondary Stage
 

III. Ministry of Education, Government of India (GoI) Guidelines on Development of e-Content for Children with Disabilities

1. MoE, GoI: Guidelines for the Development of e-Content for Children with Disabilities (2021)

To acknowledge the efforts put in by different departments/organizations & professors/teachers/experts/editors/contributors, please remember to credit and quote the requisite reference book used by you in your work or publications (lectures, presentations, podcasts, write-ups, videos, social media posts, research papers and books).  

Sources/Credits
- Team of Experts, Professors, Special Educators, Resource Persons, and Teachers who worked on creating resourceful books and e-books for us.
- Ministry of Education, Government of India (MoE, GoI)
- The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) (https://ncert.nic.in/?ln=en)
- My Professors and Mentors from Blind Relief Association (B.R.A), Delhi
- My students, fellow educators and friends for their unmatched curiosity.

With Hope.

12th Fail (2023)

 📹 "... if I cannot be the Sun that lights up the Earth, if I cannot be the Sun that shines upon the Earth, I can still be a lamp and light up my street."  -- Manoj Kumar Sharma

Reflection
A story that should resonate more with the words 'Chambal'. An ode to the unbreakable spirit of humankind. 

When you truly care about something or someone, no matter how many time, you will always find a reason or the strength to start from scratch again (restart from zero again!).  

Movie Details
Based on: "12th Fail" written by Anurag Pathak
Name and Year: 12th Fail and 2023
Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Producers: Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Yogesh Ishwar
Writers: Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Jaskunwar Kohli   
Music: Shantanu Moitra
Cinematographer: Rangarajan Ramabadran
Editors: Jaskunwar Kohli and Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Genres: Biographical Drama
Country: India   
Language: Hindi

Movie Plot
An against the odds story of an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Manoj Kumar Sharma.

Movie Trailer

Movie and Trailer Credits: Original creators, writers and artists for creating '12th Fail'.

Post Sources
Movie Poster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:12th_Fail_poster.jpeg
Movie Details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_Fail
Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeMJo701mvQ

With Hope. 

The Dancing Brain!

It's not just your feet and hands moving to the rhythm of the music ... 

 

 

The BrainDance, developed by Anne Green Gilbert, is an effective, full body/brain warm-up exercise based on eight developmental movement patterns humans move through in the first year of life to wire the central nervous system. Many of us missed a pattern, but by moving through these patterns weekly or daily we re-pattern our brains, align our bodies, develop better focus and concentration, and strengthen social and emotional skills. This exercise prepares all students for learning. The BrainDance may be used with all ages (toddlers to seniors), and in all teaching situations.

We have compiled an engaging Brain Dance Activity Booklet for you and your students based on the ideas developed by Anne Gilbert. It includes exciting dance prompts grouped age wise that you can use at home or at school with your kids and students. So roll up your sleeves and get ready to dance with your kids/students!
 

To download the activity booklet, please click on the following link:
1. Brain Dance or Movement Dance Activity Booklet for All Age Groups (EYFS, Primary, Secondary, Senior Secondary+)        

References  
To download the reference material on Brain Dance or Movement Dance or Movement Therapy, please click on the following link:
1. BrainDance by Anne Green Gilbert  

Sources/Credits
Activity Booklet - An inquisitive chit-chat with ChatGPT! & www.creativedance.org

Acknowledgements
My Professors (B.R.A.), teachers (The British School and St. Paul's School), mentors (The British School and SAKSHAM) and friends (Bhaavya and Shailendra) who introduced and pushed me to ponder over Brain Dance (or movement dance therapy) and its vital implications in the field of special and inclusive education.

With Hope. 

E-books on Inclusion from Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), Government of India (GoI)

📚 A collection of e-books for administrators, professors, special educators, teachers and students on Special Education and Inclusion published by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), Government of India (GoI) for your reference. 

I. E-books from the Advanced Certificate Course in Inclusive Education (Cross Disability)     

To download the e-books, please click on the following links:

1. RCI Block 1 - Disability and Implications on Learning  

2. RCI Block 2 - Pedagogy of Inclusive Education

3. RCI Block 3 - Curriculum Accommodations and Adaptations

4. RCI Block 4 - Communication Needs & ICT

5. RCI Block 5 - Practicum

II. E-books from the Training Module for Education Functionaries  

To download the e-books, please click on the following links:

1. RCI Introductory Training Module for Education Functionaries (In-Service Training and Sensitization of Key Functionaries of Central & State Governments, Local Bodies and Other Service Providers)

2. RCI Training Module for Education Functionaries (In-Service Training and Sensitization of Key Functionaries of Central & State Governments, Local Bodies and Other Service Providers)


To acknowledge the efforts put in by different departments/organizations & authors/experts/contributors, please remember to credit and quote the requisite reference book used by you in your work and publications (lectures, presentations, podcasts, write-ups, research papers and books).  

Sources/Credits
- Team of Experts, Special Educators, Resource Persons and Teachers who worked on creating the training modules and books.
- Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), Department of Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India (GoI)
- My Professors and Mentors from Blind Relief Association (B.R.A), Delhi

- My friends (Deepali and Kiran) for their unmatched curiosity.


With Hope.

Basic IEP (Individualised Education Plan) Format I - Dept. of Education (Govt. of Delhi)

A quick look at the basic IEP Format or Individualised Education Plan Format published by the Department of Education (Government of Delhi). This format can be used by special educators in inclusive schools as a starting point to create an IEP for their students and can even be adapted/modified to suite the needs of their students. 

 

To download the Basic IEP (Individualised Education Plan) Format I (including the guidelines) published by the Department of Education (Govt. of Delhi), please click on the following links:

1. Department of Education (Government of Delhi) Revised IEP Format and Guidelines (2022).

2. Department of Education (Government of Delhi) Revised IEP Format 2022 (as a PDF file).

3. Department of Education (Government of Delhi) Revised IEP Format 2022 (as an ODT file).

4. Department of Education (Government of Delhi) Old IEP Format (as a PDF file).

 

Sources/Credits
- Team of Special Educators, Resource Persons and Teachers who worked on creating the basic format and guidelines.
- Department of Education, Government of Delhi
- My Professors and Mentors from B.R.A. (Delhi), SAKSHAM, GFS (Delhi) and TBS (Delhi).
 
With Hope.