☀️ JOIN SPN MOBILE
Forums
New posts
Guru Granth Sahib
Composition, Arrangement & Layout
ਜਪੁ | Jup
ਸੋ ਦਰੁ | So Dar
ਸੋਹਿਲਾ | Sohilaa
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ | Raag Siree-Raag
Gurbani (14-53)
Ashtpadiyan (53-71)
Gurbani (71-74)
Pahre (74-78)
Chhant (78-81)
Vanjara (81-82)
Vaar Siri Raag (83-91)
Bhagat Bani (91-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਝ | Raag Maajh
Gurbani (94-109)
Ashtpadi (109)
Ashtpadiyan (110-129)
Ashtpadi (129-130)
Ashtpadiyan (130-133)
Bara Maha (133-136)
Din Raen (136-137)
Vaar Maajh Ki (137-150)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ | Raag Gauree
Gurbani (151-185)
Quartets/Couplets (185-220)
Ashtpadiyan (220-234)
Karhalei (234-235)
Ashtpadiyan (235-242)
Chhant (242-249)
Baavan Akhari (250-262)
Sukhmani (262-296)
Thittee (296-300)
Gauree kii Vaar (300-323)
Gurbani (323-330)
Ashtpadiyan (330-340)
Baavan Akhari (340-343)
Thintteen (343-344)
Vaar Kabir (344-345)
Bhagat Bani (345-346)
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ | Raag Aasaa
Gurbani (347-348)
Chaupaday (348-364)
Panchpadde (364-365)
Kaafee (365-409)
Aasaavaree (409-411)
Ashtpadiyan (411-432)
Patee (432-435)
Chhant (435-462)
Vaar Aasaa (462-475)
Bhagat Bani (475-488)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ | Raag Goojaree
Gurbani (489-503)
Ashtpadiyan (503-508)
Vaar Gujari (508-517)
Vaar Gujari (517-526)
ਰਾਗੁ ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ | Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree
Gurbani (527-536)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ | Raag Bihaagraa
Gurbani (537-556)
Chhant (538-548)
Vaar Bihaagraa (548-556)
ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸ | Raag Wadhans
Gurbani (557-564)
Ashtpadiyan (564-565)
Chhant (565-575)
Ghoriaan (575-578)
Alaahaniiaa (578-582)
Vaar Wadhans (582-594)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ | Raag Sorath
Gurbani (595-634)
Asatpadhiya (634-642)
Vaar Sorath (642-659)
ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ | Raag Dhanasaree
Gurbani (660-685)
Astpadhiya (685-687)
Chhant (687-691)
Bhagat Bani (691-695)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਤਸਰੀ | Raag Jaitsree
Gurbani (696-703)
Chhant (703-705)
Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
Bhagat Bani (710)
ਰਾਗੁ ਟੋਡੀ | Raag Todee
ਰਾਗੁ ਬੈਰਾੜੀ | Raag Bairaaree
ਰਾਗੁ ਤਿਲੰਗ | Raag Tilang
Gurbani (721-727)
Bhagat Bani (727)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ | Raag Suhi
Gurbani (728-750)
Ashtpadiyan (750-761)
Kaafee (761-762)
Suchajee (762)
Gunvantee (763)
Chhant (763-785)
Vaar Soohee (785-792)
Bhagat Bani (792-794)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ | Raag Bilaaval
Gurbani (795-831)
Ashtpadiyan (831-838)
Thitteen (838-840)
Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
Gurbani (859-869)
Ashtpadiyan (869)
Bhagat Bani (870-875)
ਰਾਗੁ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ | Raag Ramkalee
Ashtpadiyan (902-916)
Gurbani (876-902)
Anand (917-922)
Sadd (923-924)
Chhant (924-929)
Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
Ashtpadiyan (1008-1014)
Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
Chhant (1110-1117)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
Gurbani (1168-1187)
Ashtpadiyan (1187-1193)
Vaar Basant (1193-1196)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਾਰਗ | Raag Saarag
Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
Ashtpadiyan (1232-1236)
Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਲਾਰ | Raag Malaar
Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
Ashtpadiyan (1273-1278)
Chhant (1278)
Vaar Malaar (1278-91)
Bhagat Bani (1292-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਾਨੜਾ | Raag Kaanraa
Gurbani (1294-96)
Partaal (1296-1318)
Ashtpadiyan (1308-1312)
Chhant (1312)
Vaar Kaanraa
Bhagat Bani (1318)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਨ | Raag Kalyaan
Gurbani (1319-23)
Ashtpadiyan (1323-26)
ਰਾਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ | Raag Prabhaatee
Gurbani (1327-1341)
Ashtpadiyan (1342-51)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ | Raag Jaijaiwanti
Gurbani (1352-53)
Salok | Gatha | Phunahe | Chaubole | Swayiye
Sehskritee Mahala 1
Sehskritee Mahala 5
Gaathaa Mahala 5
Phunhay Mahala 5
Chaubolae Mahala 5
Shaloks Bhagat Kabir
Shaloks Sheikh Farid
Swaiyyae Mahala 5
Swaiyyae in Praise of Gurus
Shaloks in Addition To Vaars
Shalok Ninth Mehl
Mundavanee Mehl 5
ਰਾਗ ਮਾਲਾ, Raag Maalaa
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New resources
Latest activity
Videos
New media
New comments
Library
Latest reviews
Donate
Log in
Register
What's new
New posts
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
Sign up
Log in
Discussions
Hard Talk
Interviews
Free School Built By Sikh Community Prepares To Open Doors
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="spnadmin" data-source="post: 152326" data-attributes="member: 35"><p>When the building for Nishkam primary school was first bought eight years ago, pigeon droppings covered the floor and most of the window frames were missing. The Regency style grade II listed house on busy Soho Road in Handsworth, Birmingham, had been a hotel, then a nightclub. Parts had been left abandoned since the 1970s.</p><p></p><p>Today, it has fireplaces in its classrooms, patterned wallpaper and a grand staircase. It is ready for the 170 pupils aged four to six who start on 5 September.</p><p></p><p>Nishkam – which means selflessness or altruism in Punjabi – will be the Midlands' first "Sikh ethos" school and one of just five Sikh schools in the country. It will also be one of the first 24 free schools introduced under the coalition government.</p><p></p><p>The school, which will have compulsory Punjabi lessons for all pupils, has been a labour of love and duty for Birmingham's 200,000-strong Sikh community. Sikhs as old as 90 and as young as five have helped strip floorboards and paint, says principal-designate Ranjit Singh Dhanda.</p><p></p><p>He says that one of the core concepts of the Sikh faith is Daswand – donating a minimum of a tenth of your earnings, time, knowledge and prayers to a noble cause or a social service.</p><p></p><p>Some 130 members of the community have helped, unpaid, on a daily or weekly basis. They include Amardip Singh Suri, manager of a plastics factory, who has come after work almost every day when the workmen leave, to sweep up until the early hours.</p><p></p><p>Another volunteer, Darshan Kaur, a recent graduate from Canada, heard about the project from friends and spent a summer holiday sorting out the school's filing system.</p><p></p><p>The community – largely made up of working-class immigrants – managed to raise £1.3m to buy the building. This was supplemented by a £900,000 lottery grant. So far, the school has not received funds from the Department for Education, but will do so soon as part of the free schools scheme.</p><p></p><p>Much of the initial money was collected opposite the school at the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha gurdwara.</p><p></p><p>But while, so far, it has been Sikhs who have mainly sponsored and volunteered to get the school off the ground, the headteacher, Narinder Brach, is emphatic that this primary is open to all.</p><p></p><p>Brach, who has been a teacher for 30 years and was until recently an education lecturer at Birmingham City University, says Nishkam is "not here to convert people".</p><p></p><p>She adds: "We don't want this school to be seen as a Sikh school; we want a community school open to all faiths and races.</p><p></p><p>"Sikh values are all about giving and service to the community and we will try to develop that in our pupils. We want to nurture a faith-inspired humility and a selfless approach to life."</p><p></p><p>If there are more applicants than places, the school will pick Sikh children, but only up to half of all pupils.</p><p></p><p>At present, it has a waiting list only for its reception class. Of its eight teachers and six "associate teachers", half are Sikh.</p><p></p><p>However, all pupils will be expected to learn Punjabi for 40 minutes a week. Each week, one pupil will be chosen to receive a reward for community service or "selflessness", in recognition of Sikh values.</p><p></p><p>Community elders such as grandparents will be invited to share their skills in sewing, cooking and storytelling. "I don't want these skills to be wasted," Brach says. "I imagine the school to be buzzing with community."</p><p></p><p>The school will be closed every year on the birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, and on Vaisakhi, a harvest festival that also commemorates the establishment of the Khalsa – the collective body of all baptised Sikhs. The canteen is likely to serve pakoras, curry, kofta and daal alongside more traditional shepherd's pie and chocolate sponge with custard.</p><p></p><p>Brach is aiming for high educational standards and intends to be in the top quarter of national results for primary school tests in English, reading and maths.</p><p></p><p>The idea for Nishkam came originally from a group of local Sikhs who had become parents. Nirmal Singh, one of them, says they started to ask themselves "fundamental questions about what kind of childhood we wanted for our children".</p><p></p><p>Gopinder Kaur, another parent, says there was a "common feeling" that they had benefited from close contact with their grandparents and the community, and wanted that for their children. "We wanted a modern school, but one with a healthy connection to our heritage and families."</p><p></p><p>Singh remembers wearing a turban was not always easy in a non-Sikh school: "My school was 99% non-Sikh and although I am a positive and confident person, I did find it hard at times.</p><p></p><p>"Nobody wants that for their son. I have worried that people will be laughing at him."</p><p></p><p>The building for Nishkam had been bought before the coalition had been elected.</p><p></p><p>The school would have gone ahead as a private school had it not been for the free schools policy. It's an added extra, says Brach, that the school doesn't have to ask for fees.</p><p></p><p>"I'm so excited by the whole thing," she says. "How many teachers get the opportunity to be involved in shaping the vision and ethos of a new school? It's the stuff that dreams are made of."</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/aug/29/free-school-sikhs-birmingham" target="_blank">http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/aug/29/free-school-sikhs-birmingham</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="spnadmin, post: 152326, member: 35"] When the building for Nishkam primary school was first bought eight years ago, pigeon droppings covered the floor and most of the window frames were missing. The Regency style grade II listed house on busy Soho Road in Handsworth, Birmingham, had been a hotel, then a nightclub. Parts had been left abandoned since the 1970s. Today, it has fireplaces in its classrooms, patterned wallpaper and a grand staircase. It is ready for the 170 pupils aged four to six who start on 5 September. Nishkam – which means selflessness or altruism in Punjabi – will be the Midlands' first "Sikh ethos" school and one of just five Sikh schools in the country. It will also be one of the first 24 free schools introduced under the coalition government. The school, which will have compulsory Punjabi lessons for all pupils, has been a labour of love and duty for Birmingham's 200,000-strong Sikh community. Sikhs as old as 90 and as young as five have helped strip floorboards and paint, says principal-designate Ranjit Singh Dhanda. He says that one of the core concepts of the Sikh faith is Daswand – donating a minimum of a tenth of your earnings, time, knowledge and prayers to a noble cause or a social service. Some 130 members of the community have helped, unpaid, on a daily or weekly basis. They include Amardip Singh Suri, manager of a plastics factory, who has come after work almost every day when the workmen leave, to sweep up until the early hours. Another volunteer, Darshan Kaur, a recent graduate from Canada, heard about the project from friends and spent a summer holiday sorting out the school's filing system. The community – largely made up of working-class immigrants – managed to raise £1.3m to buy the building. This was supplemented by a £900,000 lottery grant. So far, the school has not received funds from the Department for Education, but will do so soon as part of the free schools scheme. Much of the initial money was collected opposite the school at the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha gurdwara. But while, so far, it has been Sikhs who have mainly sponsored and volunteered to get the school off the ground, the headteacher, Narinder Brach, is emphatic that this primary is open to all. Brach, who has been a teacher for 30 years and was until recently an education lecturer at Birmingham City University, says Nishkam is "not here to convert people". She adds: "We don't want this school to be seen as a Sikh school; we want a community school open to all faiths and races. "Sikh values are all about giving and service to the community and we will try to develop that in our pupils. We want to nurture a faith-inspired humility and a selfless approach to life." If there are more applicants than places, the school will pick Sikh children, but only up to half of all pupils. At present, it has a waiting list only for its reception class. Of its eight teachers and six "associate teachers", half are Sikh. However, all pupils will be expected to learn Punjabi for 40 minutes a week. Each week, one pupil will be chosen to receive a reward for community service or "selflessness", in recognition of Sikh values. Community elders such as grandparents will be invited to share their skills in sewing, cooking and storytelling. "I don't want these skills to be wasted," Brach says. "I imagine the school to be buzzing with community." The school will be closed every year on the birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, and on Vaisakhi, a harvest festival that also commemorates the establishment of the Khalsa – the collective body of all baptised Sikhs. The canteen is likely to serve pakoras, curry, kofta and daal alongside more traditional shepherd's pie and chocolate sponge with custard. Brach is aiming for high educational standards and intends to be in the top quarter of national results for primary school tests in English, reading and maths. The idea for Nishkam came originally from a group of local Sikhs who had become parents. Nirmal Singh, one of them, says they started to ask themselves "fundamental questions about what kind of childhood we wanted for our children". Gopinder Kaur, another parent, says there was a "common feeling" that they had benefited from close contact with their grandparents and the community, and wanted that for their children. "We wanted a modern school, but one with a healthy connection to our heritage and families." Singh remembers wearing a turban was not always easy in a non-Sikh school: "My school was 99% non-Sikh and although I am a positive and confident person, I did find it hard at times. "Nobody wants that for their son. I have worried that people will be laughing at him." The building for Nishkam had been bought before the coalition had been elected. The school would have gone ahead as a private school had it not been for the free schools policy. It's an added extra, says Brach, that the school doesn't have to ask for fees. "I'm so excited by the whole thing," she says. "How many teachers get the opportunity to be involved in shaping the vision and ethos of a new school? It's the stuff that dreams are made of." [url]http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/aug/29/free-school-sikhs-birmingham[/url] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Discussions
Hard Talk
Interviews
Free School Built By Sikh Community Prepares To Open Doors
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top