Making the Right Choice of School for your Child

Do you choose a school? Or these days, does a school choose you? Whatever be the case, it always helps to be prepared, given how competitive it has become, to get your child admitted into formal school in Indian Metros these days, especially places like Delhi and Mumbai.

So what exactly do you look for in a school? What all factors should you consider when contemplating where to get your little one admitted? These days, every school boasts of the best infrastructure, teaching methodology, activities, facilities etc. How does one decide what is best for their child, how does one search for the diamond within the coal?

Each parent has his/her own attitude and beliefs towards education, and thus different things matter to different people. Some want a school that follows rigorous academic schedules; some want more emphasis on extracurricular activities. Some want international exposure, some want to make their wards more responsible citizens. Some look for fancy infrastructure while some want to go the alternate education path.

Whatever be your preferences or sensibilities, here is a rundown on some factors to consider when making the choice of school for your child, that may help you differentiate and finalize options to make your arduous task of application and admission easier.

• Practical factors: location, distance from home, admission process online or offline, onetime fees, monthly fees, transport facility available or not, timings, student-teacher ratio, students per class, general reputation/brand, feedback from parents with children studying there, religious/political affiliation, student diversity, student safety and security measures

• Infrastructure: maths/language/science/computer laboratories, library facilities, auditorium, extracurricular and sports facilities, smart classrooms, audio-visual teaching aids, playground

• Academics: inclusion of technology, teaching methodology, teaching beyond classrooms, curriculum/board, availability of scholarships, citizenship/community programs, career and personal counselling, homework and exam policy, assessment policy, personal grooming

• Extras: foreign languages, trips and excursions in India and abroad, international exposure/exchange programs, student clubs and committees, events/functions, inter-school competitions

These are the factors that I am considering while making my choice this year for my daughter. I hope this comprehensive list made after lots of research, is helpful for readers, even though it may not be completely exhaustive. Wishing everyone good luck with the crazy admission process. May all our children get into good schools, which hone their skills and groom them into kind and responsible citizens of the future! 

Concepts to teach a Preschooler

Now that my little on is nearing 2.5 years and attending preschool, I was wondering what all can I do with her, which will be both fun and educational. I spoke to many fellow mommies and searched online for various concepts and came up with the following list of things you can teach a preschooler!

I do many of these activities on a daily basis with my dotty and I'm quite happy to see she absorbs the concepts well and enjoys our learning time every evening. Apart from talking about them, one can download many worksheets available freely on the internet! I hope others can benefit from this!

Language: English/Regional Language Alphabet : speak all letters; recognise capital/written letters, know objects for each letter, phonics

Math: Counting 1-20, speaking numbers, recognise numerals, count objects, make groups

Time Days of the week, months of the year, seasons, time of day, day and night, birthday and age,

Activities: Nursery rhymes and stories,  art and craft, draw human figure, cooking, dance/singing, housework, wearing clothes,shoes and eating on your own, clean up own stuff, pattern writing, matching/pairing, sorting/categorization, jigsaw puzzles,

Personal Grooming and Info: Good habits and manners, table manners, washing hands/face/feet, brushing teeth twice a day, cover mouth when sneezing/coughing, good touch bad touch, self defense, greetings/sorry/please/thank you, know family members' names, know address and names of self, parents,  school, class, teacher etc., civic sense, boy and girl,

Vocabulary: Colours, shapes, fruits, vegetables, parts of body, vehicles, house objects, food and drink items, rooms in the house, clothes, animals, birds, jobs, plants, nature, animal sounds/babies/habitat, furniture, places in the city,

Concepts: more less, same different, position and size, emotions, full empty, before after, sequencing, many and few, part and whole, Opposites, left right, propositions, adjectives and adverbs, verbs,  direction, late early, old new, textures, taste hearing and smell, temperature, odd one out, money, computer parts.

Country/Culture (India for me): national anthem and song, prayer songs and shlokas, family relation names, places of worship/religion,panchtantra/jataka tales, basic facts about the country/city, festivals and their meaning,

Disclaimer: These ideas have emerged out of discussion and research, I do not proclaim any ownership or rights. Also this is just an indicative list to give parents an idea - you can make your own list as per your sensibilities and priorities!