EMRS students undergo Brighter Minds programme

​Hyderabad: A group of 200 students and 23 teachers from the Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) managed by TTWREIS attended 11-day training of Heartfulness meditation, Heartfulness Education and Brighter Minds programmes to gain enhanced cognitive and life skills, at the Kanha Shanti Vanam, Chegur. The camp, started on January 5 and concluded on January 15. The Ekalavya Model Residential Schools is a Central government funded initiative under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Additionally, 1100 students who are participating in the National Tribal Sports meet being held in Gachibowli, Hyderabad have made the global headquarters of Heartfulness Institute as their home for the duration of the sports meet. Kanha Shantivanam is playing host to these 1100 students from across 20 States, who are in Hyderabad to take part in the inaugural edition of the EMRS Sports Meet to be held at the Gachibowli Stadium from January 14 to 16. During their stay students and camp coordinators have experienced the impact of Heartfulness Meditation as well undergo Brighter Minds orientation.

The 11-day residential camp is designed with a specific Brighter Minds pedagogy and Heartfulness Education principles that enables students gain cognitive skills. The essence of using BM tools and techniques is to heighten the sense of observation which is the base for learning, discovery, innovation and creative thinking. Brighter Minds Alpha program is based on scientific research in the field of neuroscience and its relevance to education and student overall development.

The 23 teachers who represented from 10 schools have been trained on Heartfulness Education pedagogy, Heartful teacher’s teaching aids and tools for classroom management, infusing values education during regular syllabus using Heartfulness Values Education lesson plans, Heartful teacher’s communication skills, facilitating skills to conduct Brighter Minds classes for students which is based on Heartfulness meditation practice.

The 11-day camp has laid deep foundation and awareness in students about importance of observation skills with BM training methods, usage of abacus tools for improving maths skills, Heartfulness Yoga for mental and physical fitment, field visit to Infosys, Pocharam campus, awareness about organic farming, conversation of food and water, spiritual values education classes, inspirational movie (Poorna), sports and games, special projects and kite flying festival on the eve of Sankranthi.

On the last day of the camp, trained teachers and students have received program completion certificates. Teachers have shared their unique experience of visiting Kanha Shanti Vanam and the benefits of Heartfulness Education Pedagogy and Brighter Minds tools and techniques. EMRS students have demonstrated their blindfold skills much to awe and amaze of dignitaries who expressed their immense satisfaction with the program, facilities and the overall impact on students and teachers.  

Students have vowed to change their mindset, offer heartfulness relaxation to their parents and friends and will renew their focus on education and will share their newly acquired expertise to other students in the schools. Students left with profound memories of a training course which is a gift for a lift time.

Teachers, who accompanied these students received training on Heartfulness Education Pedagogy designed by the Heartfulness Education Trust. Teachers learnt about various teaching aids that will improve class room management, values education, Brighter Minds know your brain modules, Heartfulness presenter (communication skills module) along with Heartfulness meditation.

Students developed various cognitive skills like observation, intuition, concentration, focus, relaxed state of mind, creativity and imagination, self-awareness and emotional stability and empathy. Students had value education classes conducted by teachers, tour of Kanha campus to learn about organic farming, water conservation, yoga, sports, games, corporate visit to Infosys campus, inspirational movies and videos along with Brighter Minds session on cognitive skills.

Under the visionary leadership of Dr. R. S. Praveen Kumar, I.P.S, who is the Secretary of Social and Tribal Welfare Education, Brighter Minds and Heartfulness Education programs were conducted as a part of Summer samurai camp in 2018. Based on the impact of the program, Brighter Minds training was given to 250 Swaoreos circle school students and commanders in October 2018. 

The same program is now implemented for EMRS under the active direction of Dr. E. Naveen Nicholas, Additional Secretary for TTWREIS as a winter camp in Kanha Shanti Vahan. The society plans to send students from ashram schools in the coming months for Brighter Minds training and Degree students for life skills program that Heartfulness Education Trust offers for 15 to 21 years students.

Recently about 1000+ students from Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society schools were trained with Brighter Minds tools and techniques which brought significant change in student’s overall cognitive capacity. 72 TMREIS teachers were trained from nine TMREIS schools as a part of train the trainer program. The proposed plan is to expand Brighter Minds training for students and Heartfulness Education Pedagogy to teachers across TMREIS schools in a phased manner.