In the quiet village of Malnad, nestled in the lush green hills of Karnataka, life moved at a gentle pace. The local school, Vivekananda International, was the heart of the community, where children from nearby villages gathered to learn. But lately, something had changed. The students, once lively and curious, were becoming increasingly distracted and disinterested in their studies. The culprit? Mobile phones.
Though the school strictly prohibited students from bringing phones to class, the problem lay at home. Parents, busy with their daily chores, often handed their phones to their children to keep them occupied. What started as a few minutes of entertainment soon turned into hours of scrolling through videos, playing games, and chatting with friends. The children were hooked, and their grades began to suffer.
One day, the Principal, Mr. Gopal, noticed a group of students yawning through their morning lessons. He called them aside and asked, “Why are you all so tired? Did you not sleep well?” The students hesitated, but finally, one boy, Ravi, confessed, “Sir, we were up late watching videos on Amma’s phone.” Mr. Gopal was alarmed. He realized this was not an isolated incident but a growing trend.
Determined to find a solution, Mr. Gopal came across Pipaltree, an educational initiative focused on holistic learning and happy parenting. Intrigued by Pipaltree’s approach, he learnt about the Happy Parenting Program, which emphasized creative engagement with students and reducing their dependence on digital distractions. Inspired by Pipaltree’s approach, Mr. Gopal invited the team to conduct a parenting workshop at Vivekananda International School.
The first step was to involve the parents. Mr. Gopal organized a meeting where the Pipaltree team explained how excessive screen time was affecting their children’s education and health. They shared practical strategies to set limits on phone usage at home and encouraged parents to spend more quality time with their children. The parents, convinced by the insights, agreed to give it a try.
Next, the teachers introduced a series of engaging activities to make learning more interactive. They incorporated storytelling, folk songs, and skits into the curriculum. The students, who had grown accustomed to the instant gratification of mobile entertainment, slowly began to rediscover the joy of hands-on learning and teamwork.
One of the most successful initiatives was the “Nature Explorer” project. Students were tasked with observing and documenting the flora and fauna around their village. They created colorful charts, wrote poems, and even performed skits based on their findings. The project not only sparked their curiosity but also strengthened their bond with nature and their community.
Over time, the change was remarkable. The students became more attentive in class, their grades improved, and their creativity flourished. Ravi, who had once been glued to his mother’s phone, now proudly displayed his collection of pressed flowers and leaves, eager to share his discoveries with his classmates.
The success of Vivekananda International soon spread to neighboring schools, and Pipaltree’s Happy Parenting Program became a sought-after resource for school educators across the region. The village of Malnad became a shining example of how, with the right guidance and a little effort, the grip of mobile phone addiction could be loosened, allowing young minds to thrive once more.
And so, in the heart of Karnataka’s verdant hills, the children of Vivekananda International learned that true entertainment lay not in the glow of a screen, but in the richness of the world around them.
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