Teaching is like having a bank account. You can happily draw on it while it is well supplied with new funds; otherwise, youre in difficulties. Every teacher should have a fund of ready information on which to draw; he should keep that fund supplied regularly by new experiences, new thoughts, and discoveries.

These famous lines from the iconic book To Sir, With Love by E. R. Braithwaite still hold 61 years later. From the time we begin our educational journey, our teachers build our foundational literacy. In addition to our parents, they serve as our closest confidants, role models, or mentors.

While we all agree on how important a teacher is to a student, herein lies the dilemma ushered in the last decade, further escalated by the pandemic. As education evolves, schools evolve, and students also evolve, have our teaching methods evolved? Simple answer its a work in progress.

Teaching today has begun quite complex and exciting. The time and patience of students or parents have decreased. Information or learning happens 24 hours a day from multiple channels web, net, social media, and online micro-communities. In such a dynamic world, teachers work hard to maintain students focus via curriculum innovations and interactive learning tools.

Its not like curriculum innovation and vocational or interactive learning methods did not exist before the pandemic. Its just that the adoption was mostly amongst a chosen few. This scenario has changed in the post-pandemic era. With the lockdown-led online learning modules, emerging new study verticals around coding, phonetics, STEM learning, and an array of new technologies at their disposal, todays teachers have begun evolving to match the rapidly changing paradigms of schools and students.

Therefore, what makes a 21st-century new age teacher?

To master of knowledge from Jack of all trades

The times have changed from uniform learning to personalized education. For the current hybrid study modes, teachers need to develop individualized learning plans for different students with varying absorption capabilities. That means they have to not only become masters of their subject but frequently go beyond the stated course curriculum. Combining parental and student feedback, these masters of knowledge eagerly test different teaching modes and experiments. They teach with experiential, intuitive methods to help in a childs overall physical, cognitive, socio-emotional-ethical, and cultural development.

Powered by technology

A crucial skill for any teacher, principal, or school today. Most teachers still wear multiple hats that include administrative and clerical tasks. Investing in the right set of technologies can easily take care of these managerial tasks. Take SchoolMitra for example, a cloud-based platform that can take care of everything staffing, payroll, admissions, fees, transportation, library, examination, database, inventory, and communication.

In fact, as per NEP 2020, teachers should no longer engage in any work that is not directly related to teaching; especially strenuous administrative tasks. Schools have to continue investing in digital technologies such as secure LMS (learning management system) and ERP (enterprise resource planning) solutions that can free up teachers. Free them up to concentrate on imparting flexible, multi-faceted, multi-level teaching across grades and geographies.

Investing in continuous self-improvement

Interestingly, NEP 2020 further states that teachers and schools have to look at continuous opportunities for self-improvement and to learn the latest innovations and advances in their professions. Many organizations and teachers have begun participating in training modules to keep pace with the evolving students and parental needs.

Ed-tech companies and auxiliary organizations offer multiple certifications, personalized modules, and interactive online learning solutions that can help. For example, Eupheus offers a certificate from the University of Concordia to computer teachers. A professional development program for teachers on teaching new skills to students. It was offered during the Code2Win National Coding Competition, another gem of a program for the future of learning. Such certifications and learning programs not only build necessary skills but credibility too. They offer a sense of accomplishment to the teachers and trust to parents and students.

As a nation with a rich learning heritage, we all understand that to become a global economic powerhouse, future leaders have to be nurtured well. Teachers have a critical role to play here. Empowered teachers are key to building a powerful nation.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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What makes a teacher empowered in the 21st century? - Times of India

As a talk show host, producer, actor, cosmetics line founder, and mom of two, Drew Barrymore has her life down to a science on paper. In a Womans World exclusive interview, the rom-com star explained that in reality, she doesnt feel like she has it all together. And thats okay.

The honesty comes as no surprise. The 47-year-old is renowned for making everyone in the world feel welcome in her world. She is so honest on screen and in her social media (we love those makeup-free product reviews on Instagram!) that sitting down to talk with her feels like talking to an old friend.

Its clear that the past two years in a pandemic have given Barrymore some new perspectives, especially when it comes to her mental wellbeing and life choices.

I really want to focus on mental wellness, she says. And if somebody is like, how do you balance it all? Im like, I dont feel like Im balanced at all. At all. Im no model. I feel like a total hot mess. Im burning the candle at both ends and putting work and my kids first. And then Im on the back burner.

So, what are her keys to dealing with a never-ending schedule and still feeling fulfilled? Self-compassion and self-improvement. Im trying to be more gentle [with] myself mentally, she adds. And convey kindness on the show were making [The Drew Barrymore Show]. And just keep growing as a person. Im going to the mental gym right now and doing my workouts there, and it feels really good.

The other key for Barrymore: finding ways to cut down on day-to-day stressors, like dinner prep. She confesses that when her kids were little, she struggled to come up with meals that were both healthy and appealing. I was a mom who just really wanted to avoid hangry meltdowns with kids, she says. Theyll just do anything when theyre kids and toddlers.

The solution became a flexitarian diet. This trendy eating plan puts plants, beans, and whole grains first, but gives you wiggle room to eat meat and dairy every so often. And its perfect for Barrymore: I dont think Im rigid about anything, she explains.

A big part of her flexitarian diet has been her partnership with Quorn, a food brand that creates meat-free chicken and beef products that rival the real stuff. The not-so-secret ingredient in all their products is something called mycoprotein, which is made from a harmless fungus. Its long, thin fibers imitate the texture of meat.

According to Melissa Snover, registered nutritionist and Founder and CEO of Nourished, one of mycoproteins biggest health benefits is its protein content: For every 100 grams of mycoprotein, there are 11 grams of protein, Snover says. In addition, she thinks its a good option for people who want to eat heart-healthy foods because it is so low in fat and cholesterol.

While some products are probably healthier than others (the meatless chicken patties are covered in crispy bread crumbs), these meat alternatives make a lot of sense in a flexitarian diet. Were all obsessed with the nuggets, Barrymore says, referring to her family. Ive never had anything like Quorn. I feel like chicken has been brought back into my life.

For Barrymore, being a Chief Mom Officer for Quorn is about more than the tasty meals alone. Its about self-improvement, because it means supporting a sustainable food source.

I just want to be a part of good things, she says. Somehow, Im managing to squeeze in time to do things with and for a network that makes me feel good, like working with Quorn and brands that are on the path that I want to be on.

And Im 47. And Ive also been really hard on myself my whole life. Im like, When are we going to be gentle with ourselves? I know we want to be gentle with others, but like, Ive completely lost sight of that question my whole life. So, thats kind of new and fun for me.

Its a simple but essential question one we all have to answer for ourselves. You might choose to be gentler with yourself by creating a self-care routine, forgiving yourself for past mistakes, or taking a big bite of a fake chicken sandwich. Its up to you were not here to judge, and wed like to bet that Barrymore will cheer you on.

We write about products we think our readers will like. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the supplier.

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Drew Barrymore on Self Care and Working With Quorn - Woman's World

Herping is the act of searching for amphibians or reptiles.[1][2] The term, often used by professional and amateur herpetologists, comes from the word "herp", which comes from the same Greek root as herpetology, herpet-, meaning "creeping". The term herp is a shorthand used to refer to the two classes of ectothermic tetrapods (i.e., amphibians and reptiles).[3]

Yeah, so I totally click-baited you sick fucks into thinking I was going to talk about venereal diseases and catching them, but the only thing we caught this weekend was tons of Amphibians. Are you feeling pissed you're not getting Herpe content? Go google a blue waffle then you will be on your hands and knees begging to hear about Toads. Because I found a ton of them last Saturday. Spring has sprung, and that means the marble quarry I stumbled upon was filled with mainly terrestrial amphibians hitting the water and banging.

Since the marble quarry was man-made, it was pretty devoid of fish or frogs that usually eat Toad's eggs, so there were tons of American Toads just going at it, leaving long strings of eggs. Unlike frogspawn, toad eggs arent laid in clusters but in long lines.

I lowkey think there's been more biomass in the forests due to less pollution during the covid lockdowns.

Everywhere you looked, there were toads hopping around.

Not only were there toads, but eastern newts were also banging in the shallows of the rock quarry.

Eastern Newts have a pretty cool lifecycle; they go from largely terrestrial red efts, which tend to survive better on land but return to the water as adults to live and breed. Peep this red eft I found.

These dudes are also pretty poisonous. Their bright color indicates they are not to be eaten by predators, but they lose much of their toxicity in old age. Red Efts are newts, not salamanders, even though they are terrestrial.

Rounding off the day of herping found a spring peeper.

A musical creature, you will recognize their role in the sounds of the forest.

For our first nonamphibian of the day, we caught a garter snake that are also horny fuckers as they have giant orgies.

Check out these deprived fucks.

A lot of you are going to think this is freaking weird but guess what? I was tripping balls, and it was sick. So who is the real loser here? But honestly, if you can imagine, this is a great pastime to get away from the internet and get the brain to practice mindfulness. When you are constantly looking for something, it promotes mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act that keeps you in the moment and is a muscle that trained can help with mental health issues.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Literally, the inability to be in the moment is a big factor in anxiety. Worrying about the future and not being in the now. Exercising mindfulness muscles helps prevent anxiety. Doing shit like recognizing external stimuli.

Basically, it gets you out of your head and reduces cortisol. It is a great way to stop thinking about shit and be present. Herping does that for me by making me use my eyes and ears to put me in reality and the present. This may sound pretty hippy and shit, but the science is there. Huge helper with racing thoughts and anxiety. It can be achieved through exercise, hunting, and meditation. Meditation is fucking hard. Way easier just to go find frogs.

"O, Billy's soft he's talking about mental health" Dude, I definitely can beat the shit out of 98% of you (About 2% of you know Jiu-Jitsu, and that shit is basically cheating). Also, I am trying to prevent CTE. Most people get into consuming content to distract from real problems, so hopefully, this shit can help.

Well, I hope one of you sick fucks thought they were going to hear some stories about herpes and ended up getting some trojan-horsed brain exercised to help your overall wellbeing. You see that right there? I just tricked you into self-improvement.

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Lets talk about Herps: Its as infectious as you think it is - Barstool Sports

Earlier this month its author, Andrew Wilson, wrote that if Scotland votes to become independent, it will be the richest country ever to do so. The economics of the independence debate start with this clear and simple fact. He continued, Scots have the choice of independence and a return to the European Union. Not choosing that would be economically high-risk. The process will not be simple; it will be hard work and take effort, but like most acts of self-improvement, it will also be satisfying and meaningful.

Kit Fraser (Letters, same day) asks why shipbuilding on the Clyde has largely been consigned to history. That is down to the failure of successive UK governments to use Scotlands oil bonanza to modernise our shipyards or to seriously invest in our infrastructure and renewable energy like Norway.

As much oil and gas has been extracted in the Scottish North Sea as in the Norwegian sector. If an independent Scotland had replicated Norways policy of creating a sovereign wealth fund, it would now be, per capita, the wealthiest country in the world.

Unfortunately, under London control we are consigned to years of austerity.

The Scottish Government urgently needs to change its direction. Independence is no longer a viable issue. The fact is that the political parties supporting the Union received far more votes than the independence supporting ones in the recent election.

This was true also in 2014, with a huge turnout and in reality this has not changed ever since. Now we observe that even the flag-waving independence marchers numbers are dwindling to derisory levels. The support simply isn't there but Scotland is facing a cost of living crisis which really needs Nicola Sturgeon's full attention instead.

Our health service and education are in trouble too. Her government also needs to come up with a more practical scheme to heat Scottish houses rather than ultra expensive and inefficient heat pumps. If we are all struggling with the cost to heat our homes right now just how will most Scots afford to junk their present systems for this new one? It is time to join the real world.

Labour, the Lib Dems and our very own SNP have the answer to the cost of living crisis a Windfall Tax. While I agree that this would be of immediate help, it is but a relatively small one-off so would only postpone the current problems.

The SNP could act first, however, and raise a similar amount for Scotland, but at literally no cost. Labour estimate a windfall tax would raise 1.2- 1.9 billion, so Scotlands share would be about 130 million which, coincidentally is almost exactly the amount the SNP have kindly increased the drinks industrys profits by with the advent of minimum pricing.

Why give this money to big business, especially as they seem to have a dislike of it? Had it been a tax then they would have had the very monies to spend on those who are currently struggling. To me that 130m is an excess profit and one thats never going to be invested back into society.

Thank you for Brian Monteiths article (Perspective, 16 May) giving the facts of NI/GB/EU life and refuting the one-sided views of fellow Scotsman columnists Joyce McMillan (Perspective, 13 May) and Christine Jardine (Perspective, 16 May). Are they among those whose default position, in any UK dispute with the EU, is that the UK is wrong?

Neither of them even mentioned the Protocols Article 16, whose sole raison-detre was agreed by the EU precisely to resolve UK/EU disputes and was of course invoked by the EU in Ursula von der Leyens vaccine tantrum (albeit soon withdrawn)!

It is not a question of ripping up the Protocol but of how it is operated in practice. Trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland equates to well below 0.01 per cent of the EUs GDP, yet Brussels insists on implementing on that miniscule fraction around 20 per cent of all its external-border checks on goods.

Until June 2017, under the then Irish Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, the UK and Ireland cooperated in developing sensible electronic off-border checks and controls; and the EU itself was reported to have published a similar solution. Kenny was then replaced by Leo Varadkar, Theresa May lost her majority and authority in her totally unnecessary general election, and Ireland and the EU decided to weaponise the border issue, resulting in Mays backstop and then Johnson being forced to accept the Irish Sea border, with the Protocols Art 16 safeguard, in order to achieve any sort of Brexit whatever.

Lord Frost and Liz Truss have proposed sensible changes to the EUs demands; if it requires the UK to invoke Article 16 to achieve them, with infinitely greater justification than von der Leyen had, then so be it.

John Birkett, St Andrews, Fife

It is gratifying that Nicola Sturgeon is perceived, throughout the UK, to have been more than competent in dealing with the Covid pandemic. She is, however, only rendering managerial competence to our incompetent London overlords!Westminster remains determined to bypass Holyrood with the UK Internal Market Act and the infamous Nationality and Borders Bill, along with imposing British freeports and levelling up schemes.

Furthermore, Boris Johnsons dysfunctional government is ready to suspend democracy by refusing any debate on independence, irrespective of political mandates or the growing majority wishes of the peoples of Scotland.A strong response, not platitudes, is now required from senior SNP figures as they consider a date, as promised, in 2023 for Indyref2. I firmly believe that independence and the breath of freedom gives meaning to life, not only for an individual but also for a nation.

Grant Frazer, Newtonmore, Highland

Nicola Sturgeon was to deliver a speech on foreign policy and climate change yesterday at the Brookings Institution in Washington. There is something surreal about an institution full of expert researchers listening to the thoughts on foreign policy of someone who has no significant experience or expertise in that area, because it is not a part of her devolved remit.

Brookings view of Ms Sturgeon and her presumptuousness has been articulated by its director of research in foreign policy, Michael OHanlon, who has criticised Ms Sturgeons allegedly preferred timing for another referendum, 2023, calling it weird in view of the international crisis caused by Vladimir Putins aggression against Ukraine. In OHanlons opinion, attempting to break up the UK at present is the work of political opportunists, in a slightly unfriendly way to the broader Nato good. That is putting it diplomatically.

In tone deaf mode, Ms Sturgeons line is that Scotland and America apparently as equals must cooperate at a time of international crisis: That is why visits like this one matter. I doubt that I am the only person (on either side of the Atlantic) left muttering delusions of grandeur at that claim.

Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh

I was horrified by the view expressed by Iain Livingstone, the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, to the Sheku Bayoh inquiry. His QC stated on his behalf: Nor is it enough simply to be non-racist. Police Scotland needs to be anti-racist.

A non-racist police force is one that treats people equally under the law regardless of race or ethnicity. Such a force is entirely in keeping with our legal traditions, Western philosophy and our Judeo-Christian heritage. An anti-racist police force is something quite different.

Anti-racism divides people in to two classes: oppressors and the oppressed according to their ethnicity, and then treats people differently according to which class they are assigned to.

It was anti-racism which led to social workers, politicians and policemen turning a blind eye over several decades to the racist grooming gangs operating in many British towns and cities. In 2014, the Jay report concluded that there had been an estimated 1,400 child victims of the grooming gangs over 17 years in the town of Rotherham alone.

It is anti-racism which makes much of the wicked murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993, but completely ignores the torture murder of Kriss Donald in 2004, because it goes against the narrative of whites as oppressors and other ethnicities as the oppressed.

The bigoted and divisive Marxist dogma of anti-racism should have no place in our criminal justice system nor in our society. Instead, we should remember that Justice is blind and treat people equally.

Otto Inglis, Crossgates, Fife

I think I have the answer to Andrew Gray's query about his blood donor form (Letters, 16 May). I was donating last month no 147 and the person next to me asked his same questions and was given the answer that a different form is used in England and in Wales it is even duplicated in Welsh!I presume, therefore, that the choices there are White English or White Welsh! What a staggering waste of duplicationScott Miller, Joppa, Edinburgh

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Readers' Letters: Oil would make go-it-alone Scotland wealthy - The Scotsman

Clare Humphreys, Owner of Will to Win at her desk. Picture: James Mackenzie.

Happiness, health and wealth you can have it all.

Thats what personal and professional development coach Clare Humphreys wants her clients to know from the outset.

She believes that there is no barrier to self-improvement and that achieving one life goal shouldnt mean missing out on another.

Stuck in a rut at work? Been looked over for that new promotion again? Is your business not getting the clientle you feel it deserves? Or perhaps you just want some personal growth, an insight into how to nurture relationships and improve as a person.

Then Clares Newtonmore-based consultancy Will to Win can help overcome these challenges.

And with her fresh qualification in the Neuro Change Method, shes combining the arts of psychology and philosophy with a solid fact-based science.

It is now her unique selling point a game-changer she considers for people looking to make a positive change in their lives and businesses.

Already a qualified personal development coach, HR practitioner and a graduate of the Proctor Gallagher Institute, she has now added the the Neuro Change Method to her considerable skills.

It uses science to explore ways to change thinking at a neurological level.

The Neuro Change Method is completely evidence based and about understanding and enabling change from a scientific and biological viewpoint, Clare said.

Only in the last 15 years, have scientists discovered that the brain you are born with is not the one you die with. Our brains are malleable and able to change.

That means you can change your behaviour, habits and outlook to get the results you want. Your behaviour is not fixed and you are not a victim of your fate.

Sometimes people dont even know they are stuck in a rut, Clare continues.

The first thing is to ask yourself questions: Am I happy in my life? Do I want more? What does happiness, health and wealth look like to me?

We constantly look to the outside for things to fix us or change our situation. When in reality: We have to start from within, our perception everything always starts from that viewpoint.

Whether you want a fulfilling life, whether you want more money or to grow your business, or a better wealth of relationships, its not until you stop and look at yourself in the mirror and ask: My life, is it really down to circumstances or conditions? Or is the truth that I need to start with myself and look within to what I can change.

Clare explained that humans are genetically hard-wired to want more.

However, at the same time, societal conditioning can lead many people to deny themselves the development they need professionally and sometimes personally.

She said: If we are achieving something we always want more. If we have success we want more. If we are running, we want to run faster. As humans it is an innate behaviour.

But we are led to believe that achieving something greater than what we have already, well that is for other people, that is not me, I am who I am, and we dont even question that belief? That we should be content. Be grateful absolutely and always but if you are dissatisfied then thats good! Dissatisfaction is a creative state.

It can be good to be dissatisfied to want more. To progress in your business or your life thats a good thing.

Give yourself permission to want more.

Clare said one of the most powerful questions to ask her clients is: What is it that YOU want?

And that seemingly simple questions can have a plethora of answers.

But it makes her clients stop and really think, she explained.

Clare said: A lot of people that I work with have this self-awareness already.

But some dont have that accountability and structure that they need.

By putting that in place you can progress.

To put it simply, she said: Im like a personal trainer for the mind.

If you want to get fit then you go to gym.

But you can easily lose motivation and slip back into your old ways.

Whereby if you have a

personal trainer, they take you through the process, they help and guide you and hold you accountable. They are alongside you on your journey.

They are going to be holding up the mirror to show you things that you might not see.

Its not about fixing people its about making them a better version of themselves.

Clare sees a wide range of clients.

From business owners struggling to make a mark, to company employees looking to better themselves and make the next leap professionally.

But it always boils down to a simple starting point during a consultation.

The starting point is that I always work with the person themselves, she said.

My aim is to not necessarily look at marketing plans and deal with strategy. I work with the individual to find out what is holding them back in terms of what they are trying to achieve.

Before that, most people dont even know what they want. Or they have an inkling of what they want but they have been denying themselves of that want due to belief systems what they perceive to be true.

People will come to me and say I want to achieve something bigger and better but I dont know how or where to start.

I want better results for my business and or life in general.

She said the golden thread running through all of her business is that people recognise that they can and must change their own behaviour first.

She said: What I find is that what most people want is: Happiness. Health. And wealth.

So what I do with people to start them on that journey is allow them to focus in on what these goals actually mean to them personally.

One persons version of happiness, health or wealth will vary from someone elses.

So each person has got to answer that question what does that look and feel like to me? And what is stopping me from achieving that? Why can I have one but not have the other?

It is about finding balance. But I do believe you can have all things as well.

Its only our perception of the situation that is stopping us. And its our belief systems.

We invest in cars, houses, technology. But do we really invest in ourselves. And the majority of the time we dont. However, when you do thats when everything changes.

She added: Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.

If youre not happy with your current results, dont sit there do something about it. Or at least have the conversation to see if you can do something about it. Reach out and lets have a chat about what happiness, health and wealth means to you

PANEL: BNI Network

Clare Humphreys is the current president of BNI (Business Network Internationals) Tuath chapter.

They meet online once a week on a Wednesday.

BNI is the worlds leading business referral organisation with more than 287,000 members worldwide.

The principal aim is to connect like-minded individuals in a network where they can help and grow their businesses.

Clare, who took up the presidency of the chapter in March this year, said: For me it was a no-brainer to join BNI four years ago.

Ive been a member ever since.

As to the benefits, Clare said: You join BNI for business but you stay for so much more.

Its like having your own community. A lot of business owners are entrepreneurs or solopreneurs and they dont have a team around them.

But we have a very tight community from Caithness down to where I am in Newtonmore.

The common goal is that everyone wants to help each other grow their own business and everyone elses business.

PANEL: Testimonial

As someone who has always been interested in and embraced personal development, I believe that my own business successes and personal growth is rooted in the guidance and coaching Clare Humphreys provides.

Having completed her Thinking Into Results course previously, I am now studying her Neuro Change Method. This particular course is different in that it is steeped in the scientific and medically accepted research that is referenced throughout the practical coursework.

The Neuro Change Method appeals to my own inner curiosity of why and how personal development like this works. It also introduces some very practical ways of engaging in the course materials and delivers a higher level of awareness of how I am thinking, responding and behaving.

For someone who likes to go a little deeper into the psychology and the physiology of understanding what really makes you tick, and how that helps you improve almost any aspect of your life, with Clares guidance, the Neuro Change Method is a very worthwhile investment to make in yourself.

Gordon Sheppard, WP Support and Consulting

http://www.wpsupport.consulting

Newtonmore, PH20 1AY

T: 07765 056440

E: clare@will-to-win.co.uk

http://www.will-to-win.co.uk

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Sponsored content: The power of positivity with Will To Win - Inverness Courier

Houghtons Mikko Salmi, left, clears a hurdle in the 300-meter hurdles during the Houghton County Invitational on Friday, May 13, 2022, in Houghton, Mich. (Eddie ONeill/The Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON The Houghton boys and girls track teams claimed victory on Friday at their home track and field invitational. The boys won with 87 points.

Calumet took second with 64 and Lake-Linden Hubbell finished third at 33.

The Houghton girls won with 81 points. Calumet came in second with 58 and Dollar Bay finished third with 28 points.

After a seemingly endless winter with the last of the snow piles finally melting in the first week of August, Fridays 85-degree temperature would seem to be a welcomed relief. Some coaches and runners of the seven area high schools invited were heard complaining.

This is hard for our distance runners, said Hancocks track and field head coach Pat Dwyer. To go from 40 to 80 degrees without any time to get used to it is hard on the body. Low sixties would be ideal for the distance runners. Todays temps are great for the field events and the short sprinting dashes.

What coach Dwyer wasnt complaining about was the effort his Bulldogs were putting into each event.

We have a great group of kids this year. They are all positive and want to get better in their event, he said.

He said there were a lot of personal records being set and broken among his team at this annual invite.

Take discus thrower and Bulldog, Myles Lewis. With a personal-best throw of 78 feet, 8 inches, the sophomore added two feet more onto his throw Friday

Thats not a small feat, said Dwyer. Two feet is a big deal.

Also doing well was Calumet senior Dryden Nelson. The football standout and future Michigan Tech Husky not only broke two (track) meet record but set a school record for the Copper Kings. His time of 10.88 in the 100-meter dash set a new meet record and school record. He followed that with a record 22.46 in the 200-meter dash and that smashed the meet record as well. All of this occurred on the first time Nelson had been on a rubberized track this season.

On the womens throwing and jumping end of the field. Lydia Pyykkonen, of Jeffers, was please in how her meet was going.

I am happy with my throws here today, and I did very well in the long jump, she said. At 14-1 I set a personal best and ended up in third place.

Also setting a school record among the girls events was Houghtons Stella Wickstrom. The senior jumper raised the bar to 4-foot-8 in the high jump.

Thats what is so important in this sport, said Kolson Kytta first-year track and field coach at Chassell.

We have only seven boys and five girls on our team, and we dont even have a track at our school. We have a well-marked off parking lot. We are smaller than most programs, but we have a lot of heart. Ive been stressing that running and these other events are about self-improvement. We must have goal, and we have to be willing to work day-n and day out to reach them. That is where hard work pays off in this sport.

Girls

Team standings-1, Houghton 81. 2, Calumet 58. 3, Dollar Bay-Tamarack City 28. 4, Lake Linden-Hubbell 24. 5, Chassell 16. 6, Hancock 7. 7, Jeffers 1.

Boys

Team standings-1, Houghton 87. 2, Calumet 64. 3, Lake Linden-Hubbell 33. 4, Dollar Bay-Tamarack City 27, Jeffers 18. 6, Chassell 6. 7, Hancock 2.

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Houghton boys, girls win Houghton County Invitational | News, Sports, Jobs - Daily Mining Gazette

Bhagavad Gita Jnanaloka, a museum dedicated to the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, with various shlokas being explained through illustrations, will be dedicated to the nation in Hubballi on May 15.

Convener of Prajapita Brahmakumaris Iswariya Vishwa VidyalayBrahmakumari Nirmaladevi told presspersons here on Thursday that the museum would be Asias biggest on the Bhagavad Gita. The museum will be located at Om Shanthi Nagar on Bhairidevarakoppa- Gamanagatti Road in Hubballi.

The museum campus is spread over five-and-a-half acres. It has 114 rooms and in each room there are artistic installations that explain the meaning of various shlokas so that even a layman can understand, she said.

She said that the Jnanaloka campus also had an auditorium that could accommodate 1,500 people where spiritual training programmes would be held. The campus would also have training programmes on spiritual knowledge and yoga training. At any given point of time around 200 members could stay at the campus to get training, she said.

The concept of Jnanaloka museum is portrayal of the religion of truth and also the golden era of India, she said.

She said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai would inaugurate the museum on Sunday at 4 p.m., while former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa will inaugurate the Bhagavad Gita Kala Loka.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi would inaugurate Bhagavad Gita Deva Loka and the programme would be held in the presence ofAdditional Secretary-General of Brahmakumaris Rajayogi Brijmohan Bhaiji and Joint Administrative Head of Brahmakumaris Rajayogini Santosha Didi, she said.

A host of Ministers including Halappa Achar, Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, former Minister H.K. Patil, and others would be participating in the function, she said.

Link:

Mega museum on Bhagavad Gita to be inaugurated in Hubballi - The Hindu

Dehradun: Days after announcing that the Vedas, Ramayana, and the Bhagavad Gita will be taught in schools across Uttarakhand, state Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat has said that an MBBS course in Hindi is next on the agenda.

Speaking to ThePrint, Rawat said that the government is working on a plan to impart education in Hindi in the states medical colleges. This, he claimed, was in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP), which lays emphasis on Indian knowledge systems and instruction in the local language or mother tongue.

We are committed to starting the MBBS course in Hindi in accordance with the new National Education Policy of the Centre. This will help Hindi-medium students come to par with English-medium-educated counterparts, the education minister said.

Often, bright Hindi-medium MBBS students face many difficulties. They are forced to follow the English medium education system [in college] for the want of language of their choice, he added.

The government will finalise its action plan for the Hindi-medium MBBS degree course soon, Rawat said, adding that all efforts would be made to roll out the programme for the 2023-2024 academic session.

Uttarakhand currently has three state government-run medical colleges Doon Medical College in Dehradun, Government Medical college in Haldwani, and Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Government Institute of Medical Science and Research in Srinagar. The central government-run All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh also offers the MBBS course.

Also Read: RSS affiliate to make tribals aware of Hindu identity with stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata

When asked about the arduous task of developing curriculum material in Hindi, Rawat said the state government was up to the task.

This will be a challenge, but the state government will overcome it with the help of its proficient academic hands and the experts it will hire to prepare the course material in Hindi, Rawat said.

The Hindi MBBS programme, he added, would be implemented in a planned way with the help of medical experts and the central government.

On a question about the lack of medical textbooks in Hindi, the education minister was similarly optimistic.

Enough study materials will be made available in the market to medical students. New MBBS books will be prepared in Hindi by medical experts. In fact, new books prepared by us will also help students in other states of the Hindi belt, Rawat said.

The Uttarakhand education minister emphasised that even students who manage to score well in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical colleges at times found themselves at a disadvantage because of needing to complete their coursework in English.

When queried about the feasibility of the Uttarakhand governments plan to conduct the MBBS course in Hindi, Dr Aruna V. Vanikar, National Medical Commission (NMC) member and Undergraduate Medical Education Board president said that there should not be any hindrances although the final decision rested with the NMC.

Its a policy decision that has to be taken by NMC, subject to the guidelines issued by the Union health ministry. However, I personally feel preparing study materials and other legalities will not be an issue. The Indian medical system has made immense progress and books and other study materials could be readied easily in Hindi as an when needed, she said.

Following in the footsteps of several other BJP-ruled states Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh the Uttarakhand government is keen to introduce the Hindu scriptures in school syllabi.

Earlier this month, Rawat said the NEP recommended the incorporation of Indian traditions and history in curricula.

When asked about this, he told ThePrint: We are committed to implementing the NEP in Uttarakhand and including the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita in school education. Educating children about Indian traditional knowledge in their mother tongue is one of the most important tenets of the NEP.

Rawat added that the wheels have started turning on this project. Its being done with the help of the states academic experts and the people of Uttarakhand. Once the syllabus is finalised and documented, it will be brought into effect, he said.

We are moving ahead with our plan to become the first state to implement NEP from this academic session (2022-2023), he added.

On whether, the syllabus would apply only to government schools or private institutions as well, Rawat said this aspect was still under consideration: Its not finalised yet but, if needed, a mechanism will be hammered out to implement the traditional Indian knowledge system in private schools as well.

(Edited by Asavari Singh)

Also Read: In push for Bhagavad Gita in schools, Karnataka Congress finds new Hindutva vs Hinduism pivot

See the article here:

MBBS course in Hindi, Gita and Vedas in schools: Uttarakhand govts agenda for education - ThePrint

We recently crossed $1Million (by a huge margin!) in yearly revenues, and have officially become a multi-million dollar company

For a bunch of kids coming from very modest family backgrounds, with no generational business exposure nor sense, it was a dream come true when our account books actually reflected these numbers in the last quarter of FY2122. For me personally, this magic number is a symbolic one. Maybe it has stuck in my subconscious since my early 20s, and though practically it is not necessarily a big number in todays world; for a part of my subconscious itll always remain one

Though it might sound clichd, the best part of this story is that we have achieved this as a side-product of what we truly wanted to build here at NonStop. Wed like to believe that the ever-famous Chapter 2 Verse 47 of The Bhagavad Gita applies to us in some way

Whose English translation tentatively goes as follows:

You are not entitled to any benefits resulting from your actions. At the same time you are not entitled to a state of not acting at all. Thus, you should act according to your stature without any hope of enjoying the fruits of your actions.

Interestingly now that we have achieved it, the day in our lives does not feel any different; maybe with an exception of proving the skeptics wrong. I starkly remember a couple of potential discussions of acquiring NonStop back in 2019 fell apart since the other interested party couldnt believe in our potential to hit this magic number by the year 2021

With this milestone past us, and almost all of the income reinvested towards the growth of the organization, the next most important thing for us as founders was to reflect on the things we thought we did right, and the ones we think we should be doing right in the coming days. So here are a few points to put things in perspective:

We never put the financial load of our dreams on anyone else, and rather chose to grow organically, slowly but surely learning the tricks of the trade. During the initial days of our journey, there were instances when people advised us to take loans to grow quickly. Some advised us to have swanky offices to attract the right talent and potential clients. Internally we did assess the pros-n-cons of the same and finally arrived at a consensus that we wont take any external loan for our growth. The definition of right talent who would decide whether to join us in our journey based on the looks of the office didnt really fit in our book.

This decision of ours stood the test of time, and today we are under no pressure whatsoever from whomsoever. As of today when the world is at a tipping point not knowing whether were facing an impending financial crash, we can go to bed to a sound sleep knowing well that we dont owe someone ginormous debt.

Also, the fact that our team members joined us for something more than a cozy office and a cushy end-of-the-month salary proved the fallacy of swanky offices anyways

As founders of a services company, very early on we realized that the strength of such an organization was-is-n-will be its people. We tried our innovative best to reward the team for every success (big or small), announced the personal sacrifices & achievements of the individuals with the whole team, and shared our #Hero moments with each other.

Every year we discuss what would be the Happy Salary expectation of every individual on the team, in order for them to invest another year or two of their professional life at NonStop. We discuss the responsibilities, challenges, past contributions, and prospective career growth if one decides to stay with us on this journey.

Over the years the concept of Happy Salary Discussions has had a very positive impact on how we function as a company. In many such discussions, it was really heartening to experience people putting complete faith in their leaders judgment. There have been a few misses too, but overall I can proudly say that weve had a chance to lead people who work with us not (just) for money, but for something more meaningful.

Through the years when the company reached certain financial health, we offered direct profit shares to the qualified members of the team who saw value in sticking with NonStop for the long term.

A rather subtle idea here was also to identify the next set of leaders who would one day potentially shoulder the responsibilities of the founding team. The founders at NonStop have slowly but surely tried to delegate crucial responsibilities to these potential candidates. Sometimes weve failed, but most of the time weve succeeded. After all what good is a business or a leader, if it/(s)he can not identify the next set of leaders amongst them?!

Throughout this journey, we have found helping hands in each other when it mattered the most!

A few such heartening stories are as follows:

One of our teammates, Neeta (name changed as Ive not explicitly taken her permission to share the story on an open platform) who was with us from the very beginning of NonStop had found her calling outside of software development and decided to pursue this passion of hers. It was her last day at the office, and we had gone for a small farewell party. Post lunch just as we were about to return back to the office, to our horror we came to know that the person who was going to replace her had met with an accident and wouldnt be able to join us for a month or two. On hearing this news, Neeta who had no obligation whatsoever came back to us and said that she would stay back another couple of months so that the team wouldnt get blocked, and would hang around at NonStop till the person who had met with an accident, would be physically capable joining us back.

When the Covid19 pandemic hit, a few people on the team had a hard time going back to their respective hometowns amidst the strict lockdowns. To add to the troubles one team member got seriously ill and needed immediate medical care. Unfortunately, he was unable to get the much-needed emergency medical care by calling the helplines. In times like these, we witnessed exceptional compassion and courage by our fellow teammates, who risked exposing themselves and breaking the strict lockdowns in order to ensure that this person got timely medical help.

These and many more such stories and sacrifices are not possible unless one has compassion. It makes me proud to share that NonStop stands on such strong foundational values of compassion and sacrifice.

Empathy, Creativity, Collaboration, and CleanCode are the founding principles of NonStop. Time and again the team proved that we meant them to be so. Through years of collaboration with the tech. startups across the globe, weve realized the importance of being fully invested in the vision of the product being built. It is for the same reason that we call ourselves an organization providing Product Development as an Expertise rather than just Software Development as an Expertise.

One of our goals at NonStop is to encourage every individual to be passionate about software development and computer science fundamentals. Our hiring process also tries to reflect the same belief system when we interview candidates.

When we started working together, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that some individuals hobbies at NonStop is computer science i.e. they like to tinker with new technology stacks, and computer science problems whenever they have free time. If this is not a sign of extraordinary software engineers, then I dont know what is!

Over the years, weve witnessed how the discipline and passion for the craft have percolated from seniors down to juniors and new team members. The leadership at NonStop constantly strives to present the team with challenging problem statements, which potentially enables the team to broaden its technological horizons. The leadership also ensures that we fan these passionate sparks by means of exciting rewards and well-deserved recognition.

Weve always believed that effective software products are pieces of art, and hence, everyone at NonStop essentially needs to be a crafts(wo)man. For this to happen, every individual needs to work in a setting that (s)he feels is optimal for her/him. This includes what time one works, where one works from etc. Of course, since we generally work in teams, there are a few rules one has to follow for efficient working of a team (Eg: Daily standups); but outside of that everyone has ample freedom to choose and work from the best possible work environment, one can create for herself/himself.

No wonder one of our teammates has this as his ringtone:

We strongly believe that parenthood is something to be cherished and celebrated. As a team, weve welcomed new mothers and fathers with open arms in the organization.

We have strived hard to create a culture of humility, thankfulness, politeness, forgiveness, and apology. We have always owned our mistakes, learned from them, and moved on to build something bigger and better.

What one says significantly impacts how one makes others feel. Weve seen people say things that they didnt mean; and mean things that they didnt say. Personally, Ive made foolhardy statements, which when I thought about in calmer times, made me rethink/repent/facepalm. On the other hand, weve experienced the positive power of magic words (Sorry-Please-Thanks) first hand. Ive seen faces brighten up, smiles shape up, body language become positive, and much more when I used these magic words.

All good (and bad) things begin small, get traction by repetition, and slowly but surely define and then become the culture of a person, family, community and organisation.

Weve realized that these magic words have the power of making small positive changes while working as a collective, and they go on to impact the brand that you as an individual and then as an organization build.

We have always tried to hone and encourage the mavericks amongst us to pursue creativity and innovation in their own style. Obviously, it had its own challenges and required quite a lot of effort to fit them into the whole unit. Rather than branding the unconventional individuals as brilliant jerks and letting them go at the first instance, we got, we as leaders chose to endure and attempt incremental changes in such individualscoz that is what leaders should learn to do Encourage the Mavericks to help create value for the whole community!

Weve always maintained that mutual respect is essential for any successful relationship; be it between businesses or people. In past, weve chosen to call off an engagement where we saw a lack of respect and empathy even at cost of revenue.

For most parts of our existence, weve tried to put We before Me. A peculiar thing about NonStop leadership is that we inherently carry very different perspectives towards life. However, whenever we have made any decision at NonStop, it has been with a What we should do perspective, rather than What I would do. One could argue that this is one of our biggest strengths and /or weaknesses. But then I strongly believe that it has been our super-strength to date! We also see the same culture percolate through to the newest members of the team.

As a team, we discuss and are aware of the fact that

In a weak culture, we veer away from doing the right thing in favor of doing the thing thats right for me.

that is the kind of culture wed want to avoid having as an organization.

At NonStop our goal was-in-n-will always be We before Me

All things being relative, IMHO a worthy goal of NonStops existence would be to help everyone associated with it to gain Peace, which is possible only if one is happy, which in turn is possible only if one is successful.

At NonStop we are constantly in pursuit of defining what being successful means.

- Does it mean that youve mastered your craft?

- Does it mean that you can easily put yourself in someone elses shoes and act accordingly?

- Does it mean that youve brought something innovative to the table?

and list goes on at NonStop

Wed also talked about Finding our Ikigai at NonStop sometime back.

These boots are made for walking, and thats just what theyll do

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Building blocks of a multi-million dollar value creation, and then some more - Medium

With over a thousand plus ratings on the Playstore and App Store and a rating of 4.9, Sadhana is the world's fastest growing free spiritual App.

Privately funded at a cost exceeding $1.3Mn, Sadhana App is currently being supported by generous donors who believe in the cause and who realise the importance of reviving Vedic traditions to pass onto future generations.

The ancient Vedic way of life has gone mainstream in the 21st century with digital worship. Now spirituality too, is a mere click away. Founded on Vedic teachings, the Sadhana app is a stunning virtual world set in the mystical land of Siddhshrama, hidden deep in the Himalayas. It is a sacred place mentioned in many scriptures, where some of the greatest sages and rishis, invoked such deities of the Hindu pantheon as Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Mother Goddess with the most sublime Vedic rituals.

While the ancient temples of rich architectural design and glorious deities hook the user, it's the interactive UI that sets this app apart from its contemporaries. The app allows the users to anoint the deities of their choice with Abhishekam, perform powerful mantra chanting or japa, nitya pujas, Vedic sadhana and yagyas or fire offerings in a guided manner, with a simple touch of a finger on a smartphone screen.

An innovative brainchild of monk and Internationally acclaimed author Om Swami, this app is based on more than three decades of his own Sadhana experience, extensive knowledge of Vedic scriptures and technology.

Om Swami says, "The Vedic ideology is not a few thousand but a mere few hundred years away from extinction." He further stresses, "If we don't revive the Vedas now, they will perish one day and there will remain no Bhagavad Gita, No Sandhya Vandan, Yoga Sutras or Sanskrit. Our rich spiritual heritage will be lost."

The handpicked team of Sadhana App includes some of the best artists and award-winning digital creators from countries like France, Germany, Hungary, Argentina, Brazil, Ireland, Spain, Canada, England, Indonesia, Taiwan, Australia and of course, India.

Sadhana app is available for free download in both Hindi and English on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. There are no ads,paywall or restrictions. Click on the link below.

share.sadhana.app/download

BACKGROUND

Om Swami, a multi-millionaire before becoming a monk, an MBA from Sydney, is the author of fifteen books on meditation, wellness, and spirituality, with best sellers like Kundalini, The Ancient Science of Mantras, and If Truth Be Told. He is one of the foremost meditators in the world, having devoted more than 15,000 hours to meditation and mantra sadhana, many of which in complete solitude in Himalayan caves and woods.He learnt and mastered Vedic chanting when he was eleven years old. Mesmerized by the mellifluous verses, mantra sadhana became the basis of his spiritual journey.

Vedic Sadhana Foundation is an 80G approved not-for-profit organisation, in the service of humanity.

Media Relations

Vanika BansalHead of Public AffairsVedic Sadhana Foundation[emailprotected]

Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUZpf6Z2RW0Logo:https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1818362/Vedic_Sadhana_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Vedic Sadhana Foundation

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The 21st century digital revolution of Vedic Worship: The Next Big Thing - Sadhana App - PR Newswire