Changing school is Painful

Adolescents find it difficult to adapt to new schools when their parents change cities. From dealing with peer group acceptance at the new school, to proving their worth in a new environment, changes can take a toll on a teenager’s mind. The process can be especially daunting if the shift is from a school in a smaller city or town to a metropolis, or when there is a shift in their education board.

SIGNS TO LOOK OUT CAREFULLY FOR

Dramatic drop in grades

Playing truant from school

Difficulty in making friends

Sleep and appetite disturbances

Refusal to participate in family issues

Blaming parents, getting into fights

Withdrawn Drug abuse in extreme cases

DO AND DON'TS TO MAKE THE TRANSITION

Magnify the positives, make the transition exciting

Prepare the child for the change

Keep contact with previous friends and the former city Plan short visits to previous city

Don’t compare with siblings, saying,“Your brother/ sister has adjusted so well.”

Take community help to gain familiarity in a new place

Related :

How much time do you spend with your child

With a little care parenting can be fun

Books are Forever ! Keep them always new !

If books are your best friend, then you would go to any extent to protect them and let them adorn the bookshelves forever. Read on to find out how you can safekeep the books, so that you can turn over a new leaf, always.

Mark your pages
Always use bookmarkers. Avoid folding corners or pages. Pens, pencils, left in books can cause the spine to crack and break. Very thick book markers or gem clips are also not a good idea.
Handle books gently
Remove from the shelf properly. Reach to the rear to push slightly toward you, then grab the sides with all fingers. Avoid the temptation to pull on the top spine, which is the first visible place of wear and fray.
Opening any book more than 190° (flat) causes the spine to break and crack over time. Always support the book’s spine while it is open, never forcing it to lay open. Wash hands before and after handling all books. Lotion, sweat, etc. can cause soil stains. Germs can also be passed to you from used, library, and vintage books.
Cleaning
Cloth bound hardbacks can be cleaned by using a damp cloth. Use a very mild cleaning solution sparingly, otherwise the colour might fade. Leather dressing obtained from a local shoe store can be used on leather bound books. It can also be used sparingly by spraying on a cloth and then wipe the book. A furniture polish with a high concentration of oil will allow softening of the leather and help prevent drying out.
Deodourising
Home remedies may or may not work. We would not recommend books sealed with baking soda in a way where the substance touches or has direct contact with books. Otherwise it may produce satisfactory results. Slight odours may be removed in an airy location such as screened porch or deck with book laying open for several hours.
Another remedy is to spray a disinfectant into the air
while flipping pages, not allowing pages to become wet. Some have suggested sealing books in a plastic bag for several days with a strong solid, air freshener.
Restoration
We suggest specialists for this area or any more difficult problems. Regular scotch tape and regular household glue is never a good idea. There are specialty products designed for books that can be obtained at a local library supply house. Books should never be boxed or stored with spines facing upward. This puts pressure and the weight of the book on the ..spine.
Flat or shelved position is the correct manner.
The yellowing of pages often found in older books is irreversible. Sealing in an air tight container is the only remedy to stop the process. Books today are printed on acid free paper to prevent them from yellowing.
Book parts
Spine: The side that shows when properly shelved which is the part where the pages are bound together. Hinge: Each book has an inside and outside hinge in front and in back. It is the part that connects the cover. Hinges can become cracked or separated. Pages generally start to become loose when there is damage on the hinge or spine. Title page: Usually the first or second printed page with title, author and publishing company.

E-Learning and India !

E-learning is composed of several methods of learning, which are aided by technology.There is no single definition for the term.E-learning has been defined as ‘the convergence of the web and learning on all levels’or ‘the use of network technologies to create, foster, deliver, and facilitate learning, anytime and anywhere’.

Brain drain’is a serious problem in our country.Improving the quality of education provided by Indian universities is crucial to retaining bright students.We need to emphasise that global education is available here and people need not spend extravagant amounts of money and years away from home to avail of it.

India undoubtedly has excellent institutes, like IISc and the IITs, but these are too few and selective.Worldclass education must be available to all for true progress to be made.Also, learning should not be restricted to students.Diverse sections of society, such as professionals, unskilled labourers, housewives and senior citizens should have equal access to knowledge.
E-learning is a viable solution to these issues.