IST students, teachers and parents came together today to celebrate Earth Day. In the different sections of the school, students were engaged in various activities meant to raise awareness about our wonderful planet and the need to properly take care of it. The Kindergarten-Grade 1 celebration revolved around the 4 Houses of IST: Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. We recycled tin cans and made pencil holders, we learned about wind and solar power and made our own, beautifully decorated, windmills. We put on a scientist's hat and studied how ice melts, after we made predictions about the water temperature and we played games that taught us how to be water heroes. At the end of the day, we made pledges and we promised to take better care of our Earth from now on. It was a full, exciting and productive day, with lovely weather and great joy to be part of the great community of Earth Day heroes. Thank you, Miss Dingle, for this wonderful slideshow!

I felt this TED Talk by Susan Cain was very interesting and quite pertinent to us as teachers, parents and general citizens of the world. Incidentally, Bill Gates regards it as the greatest TED talk of all time. It looks at the similarities and differences, strengths and weaknesses and misperceptions about people on the introvert to extrovert continuum. Cain's book Quiet: The Power of Introverts enjoyed ravishing reviews. 

"What am I being, when my students' eyes are not shining?" 
This inspiring TED Talk by Benjamin Zander made me wonder, smile, feel, desire, be.

...Because I get to meet countless inspiring people. Authors, writers, chefs. Ying Chang Compestine is all in one, and more. 
The most important lessons I learned from her today:
1. If you want to be a writer, read. Read like a writer.
2. Your words are diamonds. Think about how you can best say something while saving as many diamonds as you can. 

Another way of saying "Less is always more."