In Swami Vivekananda’s words, “Education is not the amount of information that is put in to your brain and runs riot there, undigested all your life. We want that education, by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, intellect is expanded and by which we can stand on one’s own feet.”

In addition to acquisition of knowledge, education should aim at physical, mental and spiritual development. There should be opportunity for character formation and personality development.

The training one gets from schools and colleges should include academic excellence – professional, scientific and technological – attainment of life skills and vocational efficiency. The training should also help to manifest innate potentialities making use of opportunities and staying alert.

Progress of a country depends on its education system. In this era of globalization it is necessary to understand economic, social and political aspects of all the countries. Practicing brotherhood, love and compassion between different communities, races and nations is of utmost importance. The emphasis on developing patriotism and pride in one’s culture is indispensable.

Daniel Webster put it rightly “Knowledge does not comprise all which is contained in the large term of education. The feelings are to be disciplined, the passions are to be restrained; true and worthy motives are to be inspired, a profound religious feeling is to be instilled and pure morality inculcated under all circumstances. All this is comprised in education.”

Education in its true sense leads to health and fitness, happy relationships, meaningful work and personal fulfilment.

We at GS Modern School try to promote an atmosphere where education is a blend of progressive ideas from the best in the Indian setting and culture. Students are given personal care and support so that they take the right place in the Global society.

We envision a school environment to help students achieve their potential, offer guidance, hone their leadership skills and foster in students the confidence to explore a new range of interests, ultimately contributing positively to the societies they live in. It is our belief that every student in our school has the ability to succeed not just academically but as individuals in their own unique ways.

An enthusiastic and professional body of faculty ensures that excellence is promoted in all aspects of school life along with special emphasis on life skills and lifelong learning, in order to prepare students for life beyond school.

We are proud of the strength of the partnership between parents, staff and students which underpin the degree of progress our students attain.

Through a combination of dedication, understanding and appreciation, we encourage our students to aim high and achieve their goals, in keeping with our motto – Reach Out, Reach High and Reach Beyond.

At GS Modern School, we seek to provide an environment where each child is encouraged to attain his or her maximum potential, develop the skills and values which would enable him or her to successfully meet the challenges in our changing world, built on the foundation of principles of hard work, creativity, enthusiasm, discipline and good conduct.

We recognize that we need to position our children to succeed in a global environment, and every opportunity will be given to each and every student to develop their skills and talents.

Our emotions are so closely linked to our children's well being that no parent is calm all the time. The more worked up we are about something, the more likely we may say something we wish, we could unsay. When an issue threatens to get out of hand, it might help to say, "I am really upset to say anything right now. I'll get back to you when I am calm". Sometimes it helps to calm oneself down during potentially explosive situations with the thought 'Never forget what you were like a child'. Sometimes I wonder how we as adults act with restraint around other adults. No matter how agitated we feel, I am sure we owe the same to our children.

It helps to give the child a fair hearing. When the child has finished speaking, rephrase for him what he has just told you, and then ask if that is essentially what he meant. Make sure you understand the who, the what, the where and the why of what your child tells you before giving advice or taking any action. We, very often, forget that the child's perception is not an adult's. Recognizing that life's little problems seem bigger when you are a child should add a few minutes to our patience threshold.

Affection, the softest and quietest approach to communication, can heal harsh moments. There are quite a few times when it seems inappropriate to talk. Affection is a silent sign that no matter what disagreements or conflicts arise; parents and children can eventually talk.

"Mothers, touch your children,
Fathers, hug them tight,
Show them what a gift they are,
To love them feels so right"

We innocently believed that by acting it out, we would eventually be it. As we grow older, we realise that having just a dream and setting a goal are two different things. Dreams are always vague. Goals, however, are always clear. It is not only what you want to be or where you want to be, but is also about when you want to be there and how you want to be there. ‘Goals are dreams with deadlines.’ – Diana Scharf Hunt

Having a goal in life is of utmost importance. However, to reach a goal, we do not need to know all the answers in advance. Martin Luther King Jr., the American civil rights activist, said, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.’ But, we must have a clear idea of the goal we want to reach. As Lawrence J Peter (best known for his formulation of the Peter Principle) said, ‘If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.’

Dreaming is always allowed. But we may never realise our dreams without a goal. To quote Norman Vincent Peal (author of ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’), ‘All successful people have a goal. No one can get anywhere unless he knows where he wants to go and what he wants to be or do.’

One’s goals are a reflection of one’s dreams. Our goals should make us happy, and the process of reaching them should be a great journey as well. Goals are what keep us going. On the other hand, there is no rulebook that says that we will not encounter problems during our journey towards our goals.

• ‘In achieving your goals, you may run into roadblocks. Don’t let that stop you, go around, over, or under. If you are committed to your goal you will find a way.’ – Catherine Pulsifer
• ‘Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.’ – Jackson Brown, Jr.

Let us always enjoy pursuing our goals and reaching out for our dreams.