Tsering Dolma of class S-9 writes a poetic account of her winter holdiay.

Ladakh is the land which is covered all around with the crowns of white sparkling glaciers and snow capped mountain where icy cold water from sparkling white glaciers take birth and flow singing and dancing. Most of the places are covered by snow in winter and make Ladakh a snow land. When the sun rises, all the places shine and show us a beautiful view and it seems that they are wishing us good morning with warmth and great pleasure. When it’s time to wake up a beautiful view takes our attention and that is the trees on which snow have been fall softly and the snow which is landed on the tree remains there for long time and when it melts with sun heat, its make us feel warm. The chirping of birds also take our view on them when the walk on the ground with noisy sounds remaining their footprints on snow landed ground and again flying above the snow landed land. After these beautiful nature wonders when I woke up and step my foot towards outside the cold weather touches my skin and makes me feel cold. The boots which I left outside was filled with snow and again mothers shout.

Although the breakfast time is the sweetest among all, a big bowl full of hot streaming, delicious smell of thukpa with many delicious varieties in a cold shrinking winter. Sitting near bukhari with the family members and having it. The more I ate the more I become hungry for it. After these things another honey movement comes and that is getting ready for tuition. When I get ready for tuition my friend would come to take me and together we go for tuition. At there all the students gather and throw snow on each other in cold weather. The girls make their own group and boys their own and enjoy throwing snow on each other wearing woolen clothes. At there no one spoils our mood until teacher comes. When teacher comes everyone becomes lazy and lazily we all go into our class and waits teacher to finish the lesson . After teacher finish lesson everyone comes running out from class as if we were kept there for many centuries. We shouts, sing, dance and play lots of games and sports. In winter the most exciting games for us is ice skating. While we are skating sometimes our leg would fall inside hole in ice where in return your boots would wet and makes us cry because of the cold pain we suffer.

The winter going outside with friends is also very pleasure. We would plan to go for shopping and we would roam all around the street and we would walk giggling and laughing holding our hands tightly so that we would feel comfortable and secure from cold weather. When we walk along the street sometimes we slip and the others laugh as a donkey and parrots. Although it is very funny to do these things in winter. The winter days goes very quickly and remind us school. When our precious winter movements comes to end we feel very bore because it’s time to go for school and our funny days ends there. We have to complete our works and we have to give all our precious times in books. No exciting movement knocks our door and our happy days. We spend our summer in memory of winter days and waits winter to comes and pray for remain it for longer time with another spicy and funny days.

The school arranged a winter training programme for some of the teachers which took place from 10^th February to 19^th March, 2011, at Sri Aurobindo  Ashram , Delhi, India.

19 teachers from the school attended the programme.   

 The aims and objectives of the training programme were:

• To empower the teachers with a comprehensive understanding of the child as a learner and learning as a lifelong process.
• To prepare systems and processes to equip the school for launching a comprehensive model of Child Centered Education.
• To help teachers understand and develop themselves as facilitators and Human Resource for implementation of Child Centered Education in the school.

The programme included: Self development; teaching through projects; child centered education;  visits to some schools in Delhi and some museums and historical places; art and craft; theatre and drama; physical education,  and yoga and meditation.

 The teachers reported that it was a good learning experience and are looking forward to implementing their new approaches in the school in a phase wise manner.

The teachers reported that it was a good learning experience and are looking forward to implementing their new approaches in the school in a phase wise manner.

Account by Stanzin Thinles of class S-9.

On 15th December. one and a half months after the start of our new school year, our school was closed for a long winter break like other schools of Ladakh. But for us, the students of S-9, school arranged a tuition class for 5 days. My classmates were very happy not only for the long winter break but also about the tuition classes because we got a chance to spend more time with our friends. After that I spent my holidays with lots of enjoyment and studies also. During the vacation I also went for a tuition class at Leh and each day spent by me at Leh was wonderful. I also did my winter vacation homework.

There were two major local festivals during the vacation, DOSMOCHAY and SPITUK GUSTOR. We went to the festivals with our friends and enjoyed them a lot, and we also visited the gompa and stupas.

On the last three days we again came to school for Hindi extra class when Sir Sudershan Kumar taught us.

On 4th of March school was reopened after the vacation and I met all my friends again. From the very first day we started preparing for our 1st unit tests which started on 7th of March.

These are some of my memories of winter my holiday which I enjoyed and also studied a lot. I hope next holiday will also happen like this.

The king of Ladakh, Raja Thinles Namgyal, recently passed away.

The Druk Padma Karpo School wishes to express gratitude for his patronage and his active involvement and to offer condolences to his family.

CONGRATULATIONS to Malcolm and Edwin, who completed a 150km sponsored bike ride. Please help the school by donating to reach their goal of £1000. Go to their Virgin Money Giving page.

Malcolm Hodgson and Edwin Gruber of St Christopher School, Letchworth, are raising funds for equipment and teaching materials for the school following last year’s mudslide damage.

Malcolm and Edwin had never done a bike ride of this length before, but felt they really wanted to show their commitment to the school by doing something extraordinary.

Please support their effort by sponsoring their achievement.

Many thanks for any support you can give.

Dawa Dolma, a student of M-8, describes Losar which was celebrated in December.

"Losar is the one of the important festival of Ladakh. It is a New Year eve for us. On Losar we forget about the past and look forward for a bright and prosperous new year.  Day before the Losar we remember our close ones who passed away. We go to cremation ground with a monk and do a prayer there.

On the day of Losar we visit our relatives and friends and they serve food, sweets and CHANG (local beer) to the guests. On Losar we all wear new clothes and wish each other. These days, affluent families distribute gifts to poor and needy. Children always look forward for Losar because it is a day of festival, feast, gifts as well as lots of fun and playing.

HAPPY LOSAR TO ALL OF YOU!!! "