---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sam John
Date: Fri, Nov 18, 2011 at 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: A Note of Appreciation!
Hello All,
Wish you warm greetings on behalf of all Smileys.
I’d like to express my personal gratitude for the co-operation that you showed to my people(volunteers from my side) as well as my organization for our first event. I believe that the event itself was well done and enjoyed by all, but of course it’s our itch to make a change that made us conduct this event. I believe that we all share the same thought. I makes me glad to state that it was our united commitment that help us conduct the Smile for a Sunshine_Toy Drive Event and I believe that it will be a boost to the your administration’s morale and a vote of confidence for the ventures of ASWA in the future. For that, we thank you.
It would definitely make us even happier to do more events with you.
I would like to make a statement in the beginning itself, that I am in the middle of work and having serious headache. So in case if there are any mistakes in the below write-up, please bare with me and let me know if things are not clear. I know that this is going to be a really long mail. Let's get into business as quickly as possible.
As the mail from public relations ( smileys.talks@gmail.com ) house said, the kids at both places viz., Adagutta and Amru Nagar Thanda were amazing. We in fact had few issues at Adagutta because of some space constraints. But I thank Mr. Ranganath Daruri and his team members for their co-operation and support. Without them, this would not have happened at Adagutta.
While at Amru Nagar Thanda, the kids are much ahead than Adagutta. There is no point in comparing both places as both are different from each other in all aspects viz., life style, basic amneties, etc.
The point here I make is that, Give more importance to Kids at Adagutta which does not mean less focus on Amru Nagar Thanda. Give 101% to Adagutta while you give 100% on Amru Nagar Thanda. I believe nothing is impossible. It's pretty easy to state all these things via words, but making things happen is most important and difficult. So the volunteer dedication is most important.
Coming to the teaching part of volunteering.,
There are chances that the kids might get bored when you stand and speak to them all philosophies. So making the teaching part creative is most important. By this I mean a Slow Growth and transition. By slow transition, I refer
1. Attracting the kids to class.
If it's a 30 minute class, teach for 15 minutes and then 15 minutes for leisure. By leisure, don't allow the kids to play according to their own wish rather it should be something under your control.
For eg: narrate some stories etc.
Moving on, reduce the 15 minutes leisure time, to 10 minutes, and then 5 minutes. A slow transition.
2. Implying creativity to teaching.
Make use of chart papers, color pencils, crayons etc. Kids will be keenly interested in writing this all those. Apart from that, volunteers should also prepare make use of chart papers etc., if any kind of drawings etc are needed for a topic, draw and display it in front of the kids on a board and teach them.
3. Teach the kids the art of dreaming.
4. Make the kids think.
Train the kids to ask questions like why, how etc. Don't tell them answers to them. Instead ask them to figure it out.
Eg: Ask the questions like, Juices are usually the same color as the fruit or vegetable they came from – orange juice is orange, lemonade is yellow, tomato juice is red. But why is milk white? Is it because cows are white? If so, why doesn’t milk have big black spots like cows also have??
All of us know that it is because casein, one of the many proteins in milk that gives white color to milk.
Don't tell them the answer in the beginning. Let the figure out. I am pretty sure that even their parents won't know this. They will definitely come back to you asking the same.
Most importantly, make sure that you have answers for all the questions that you request the kids to figure out.
Wait and see. the kids will come up with nice and funny answers in the beginning. Don't give up. You will find the solution at the end.
Similarly, if you are teaching units, tens and ones, hundreds concepts in mathematics., make the kids form shops which sells apples, oranges etc. The shop in the right corner will sell units of oranges/apples, the next shop will sell ones of oranges/apples etc. It will be difficult in the beginning. Show the kids once. They will definitely follow you because every kids has got the intention to follow what adults do.
5. Above all, maintain rules in classrooms.
Eg: Write names of all students on the board.
The one who murmers/sings/sleeps/does not write etc will get a minus mark. Follow the strategy. Award the one who did not get any minus mark in the class and tell others that they did not get that because they had minus marks. Similarly, tell them that these minus marks will be considered while you conduct assessment tests, provided you follow a syllabus for teaching.
There might be things which can be implemented and not. You migt or might not have implied the same in class rooms. Try once more, Be strict. Try to develop a bond with the kids. Be a good friend. Make them understand that they will not get a good friend if they are not good.
Boast and make fake stories, like I became good friends with some famous actors like chiranjeevi because I was a good friend. I never used to bath when I was a kid, It was then I was taken to the movie screening of chiranjeevi and my teacher told him i never used to bath and all. Chiranjeevi never minded me while he spoke and had fun with all other kids from the school. But later I decided to bath and I assured Chiranjeevi that I will bath and be a good kid. From then, Chiranjeevi became a good friend of mine and still he is :D I know that this a dumb and fakest of the fake stories. But there is nothing bad in lying, if that will result in something good!!
Well there are lots of things which you can do. These are just things which came into my mind.
I once again thank each one of ASWA for their support, especially Mr. Sriviyal who introduced us to Mr. Srinivas & ASWA, Mr. Chintu who showed awesome support at kukatpally, Mr. Ranganath, Mr. Prasad and all volunteers. The initiative which you have started is something which is really challenging. I wish you all success on behalf of all Smileys.
I really don't know how i finished this mail.
Well!! Kudos to all. May the mighty lord bless you abundantly in all the ventures.
Regards
Sam John
Smileys
Why worries and have Wrinkles?? Smile with us and have Dimples!!!
On Fri, Nov 18, 2011 at 3:38 PM, AMMA <ammasocialwelfareassociation@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Smiley Team 
It’s our immense of pleasure to convey our heartiest wishes & thanks for your kind activities in our 2 Schools in Slums. Unfortunately I am unable take part in both the slums.
I got a feed back from my Children & Volunteers of these two Schools. They are very happy and said activities are very joyful. These types of activities always encourage the children and also motivate/inspire the Volunteers who are working there.
We are very much thankful to SRIVYAL for Introducing SMILEY Team, who inspired all of us with their Dedication, Determination and Discipline.
We always like to do more combined Activities/Works/Project. Hope you are ready.
Our Special Thanks to SYAM for coordinating with us.
We have many SMILES because of SMILEY activities !!! 
Keep going all your good deeds…
God Bless You all
Hope we can have a meet shortly.
Our children are eagerly waiting for you...............
Love all-Serve all
AMMA Srinivas
Smiling, Sharing, Loving, Caring and Helping are my five main weaknesses
సందేహిస్తుంటే అతిగా సంకల్పం నెరవేరదుగా-ఆలోచన కన్నా త్వరగా అడుగేద్దాం ఆరంభంగా...
On Thu, Nov 17, 2011 at 9:30 PM, Ranganath Daruri <RDaruri@ptc.com> wrote:
Dear Smiley Team,
Thanks to each and every volunteer of SMILEY TEAM who has made this even a great success.. The patience your team has shown is appreciable, With great maturity you people managed things and this is really awesome! The short film you have shown will definitely have a great impact on children.
It’s really a new kind of joy which the Slum Children has ever felt. One small little girl asks, when the team visits again? Funnily..I say “They will not come as you are screaming and shouting ”. Then suddenly every one become calm and say this time we don’t repeat..
A week back I visited the slum in the evening ... I asked a child “As the winter begin.. how you people able to protect yourself as many of you are sleeping outside..? ” Smilingly boy said “ I will get up at 4am and will fire some papers, dust and sticks which gives a little warmth to us” I asked a parent why you not dress your child properly..She says a different answer.. “Many of the drunken people the other side of the road gaze at us.. and sometimes even enter out huts.. and we are helpless and can’t do anything ”
Can we conduct few more events focussing on the elders..?? until they change , Our work is half done.
It’s not the result it’s the attempt which matters, and we are already marching ahead in this great mission to educate the slum children..
Here after we can plan things in a more effective way. We can plan events in the nearby community hall
Recently we have conducted Children’s day celebrations at Community hall, by conducting few games where I found they are comparatively more mannered.
If we can able to provide Good conditioned Sweaters to little kids that would be of great help. Planning weekly gifts, would be a great idea. Presently we are giving good condition clothes to children who are regular.. and this is encouraging the other children to be regular to class.
If possible, Please consider the below ideas from our side.
Event to Motivate Parents
1. Event focussing on Elders, Motivating them to facilitate the children with health & hygiene and neatness.
Christmas Celebrations
2. Events for Christmas .. Volunteers dressing like SANTA.. :) giving a message about cleanliness, study and honesty and distributing gifts to the children.
Sankranti Celebrations
3. Many of the children don’t come to Aksharam School as they want to fly kites.. J Can we spend time with children on Sankranti , as it is a kite festival.. dividing the children and volunteers into groups.. and see which group wins.. J
Expecting more and more such events in near future.
'Asatho Ma Sathgamaya, Thamaso Ma Jyothirgamaya, Mruthyorma Amrthangamya' ”Lead me towards truth from untruth, Lead me towards light from darkness, Lead me towards immortality from Death” -- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
Thanks and Regards,
Aksharam Team,
Amma Social Welfare Association
Phone:9885613697
Dear Amma Social Welfare Association,
Greetings from smileys!
It's been over two weeks since we conducted the 'TOY DRIVE' event, but the memories are still very fresh in our minds! The enthusiasm of the kids during the games and the drawing competition, each trying real hard to do their best, the interest that they showed in the skit and the short film was so endearing!!
Ask any of our smileys about the event, and they'll tell you without a second's hesitation, that their experience with the kids has been nothing short of AMAZING!!
We are so very grateful to Amma Social Welfare Association for helping us find two awesome centers, each with it's own set of issues, where we could make a difference. The drive that you at Amma Organisation have, to educate the kids and the sincere efforts that you are making to help give the kids a better future, is really commendable.
Special thanks to Mr. Ranganath Daruri and the other volunteers in Adagutta, without whom managing the hyperactive kids would have been a near impossible task.
The energy of Mr. Chintu, from Serve the Needy, Mr. Prasad and all the other volunteers was on an all time high during the event in Amru Nagar. There wasn't even a single dull moment that day. Kudos to their energy levels!!
Now, coming to our takeaways from the event, we noticed that the kids at Adagutta, courtesy their young age, are a very restless bunch. So, we feel that giving the kids individual attention might be the key to attracting them. While teaching, if the volunteer-kids ratio is such that, every kid feels that he is involved, it might drive him to perform better. Bottom line is, more volunteers could be used for teaching. The same could be applied in Amru Nagar as well.
About the kids in Amru Nagar, they are very much focused and disciplined. We were blown away by the way they were reciting the multiplication tables in reverse!! And since they already have the will to study, they could be taught more advanced things in addition to the basics.
In both the centers, it'd be awesome if you could try and show the kids how much fun learning actually is, by making the sessions more lively. There are a lot of cool websites on the internet which have fun ways to teach the kids in an interactive way. You could maybe, once in a while take a laptop to class and teach them through that. It'd definitely keep the kids hooked to your classes because, we all love new things. Don't we?? This might also bring more inquisitive kids to your class because they get to see something new!!
Also, we would like to know whether giving the toys has had any effect on the regularity of the kids attending classes. And would it help, if we give you more toys and you conduct competitions once a week and give away a toy to the winner? Do let us know. :)
Once again, we heartily thank each and every one of you for the time and efforts that you have spent in making our event a success!
We had a great time organising the event with you all and Smileys would love to do more such creative events for the kids!!
Warm regards,
Smileys Hyderabad.
Why worries and have Wrinkles?? Smile with us and have Dimples!!! :) :)
