The Second ‘Video-conference’ of the academic year 2017-’18 was held on 17th January’18, on the topic,'Essentials of Dialogue, Faith & Values' at IST 2:30 p.m. at Podar World School, Sherkhi, with two partner schools of Ukraine and an Egypt school. An initiative which enables the teachers to transport their classes across the world in a single afternoon. Online and through videoconferences, students interact directly with their peers around the world, engaging in meaningful dialogues around the issues of faith, beliefs, values etc. The interactive session which lasted for 60 mins (1.00 hr) was quite successful and indeed a great learning experience as each one interacted differently and quite confidently in their own ways adding their personal experiences and influences. Some even narrated anecdotes to add clarity to their point. There were counter questions on the views expressed by a student of PWS, Sherkhi on ‘ tolerance of one’s fellowmen’ as one of the values inculcated in her, by a student of Ukraine school and the student of PWS, Sherkhi quite confidently reacted to the question as ‘How do they handle intolerance in others?’The student who had talked about this value responded saying that ‘by being tolerant to their intolerant behaviour on a continuous basis, a stage would come when the intolerant too gradually change for the better and if such a thing doesn’t happen then one should learn to ignore the intolerant behaviour.’ The students were quite enthusiastic in participating and as a part of Reflection or what they have learned from the V.C, a student shared that they learned about the faiths and values that students of other country hold close to their heart, how everyone wish to live in harmony forgetting all differences and how one could learn to tolerate the intolerant behaviour of one’s fellowmen. Thanks to the Management and to the Principal, Ms Preeta Pillai for taking such initiatives which can have far reaching progressive benefits in the long run especially in knowing the perceptions of students of their own age group residing in other countries and in striking a harmony between the ‘faiths and values’ of children residing in far off countries.
