Building A Nation's Character

We are witnessing increasing violence all around. This disturbing trend is affecting our life to the core and changing our priorities. It is re-enforcing the need to carefully imbibe the relevant social values and ethics in our education system and curriculum. At KITE School we introspect and review the study pattern and activities periodically. It is important to understand that value-education must start right from the preschool days. Child’s behaviour pattern should be monitored and should be corrected, if needed. Here ‘correction’ does not mean aggression. Parents should work towards attaining desired results with affectionate and tender training. More importantly, we should inculcate social and human values in children not by preaching or ‘teaching’ but rather by showing them in our daily life interactions. Children observe and learn and internalize.

When children watch adults’ behaviour, they take it as approved social norm, they take it as a model in their sub-conscious mind. Therefore various models, derived from ‘watching’ different day to day situations, accumulate in the sub-conscious and a certain character starts building up in the child’s personality. Therefore it is utmost important that we behave consciously in front of our children. It is also equally important that we do not expose our children to inappropriate situations, scenes and media. We need to set proper example, we need to provide proper paradigm.

Every incident leaves a mark, every experience leaves an imprint. This is how children develop sense of truth, equality, empathy, justice and commitment. This is how society gets healthy and happy. This is how a nation’s character is built. This is how we get sons and daughters who make us proud!

Learn How Children Learn

Festive season is in full bloom now. Navratri celebrations are just concluded. The music and rhythm of Garbas and dandiyas are still ringing in the atmosphere. Dassera is being celebrated today and Eid is just around the corner. Diwali and Christmas are not far behind. 

Festivals break the routine. Festivals bring joy. Festivals are universal stress-busters. And, I think, learning process should be exactly that… a life-long stress-buster … a festival forever!

Learning would be a festival forever… if we remove the burden from it, if it seems all play, if it is accepted as a gift, if it brightens relationships, if it brings families together, if it adds something new every time with the familiar, if it inspires, if it involves, if it is an endless celebration!

And when it happens that way, children learn. Children explore and learn from experiences. Children observe and learn by imitating. Children learn by memorizing and recall. If this process is set right then overall development is set into motion.

Children will learn well if adults learn about how small children learn.

Wishing you joyous celebrations!    

Child's Brain Building: Parents Have A Big Role To Play

A mom of a playgroup child told me last week how happy she is to notice the numerous learnings her child has picked up so soon. She is also happy to see the new positive changes in her child. We often get such reactions and compliments. And, of course, it reinforces our faith in our methodology. But today I would like to share the next step in the process of ‘Brain Building’ of your child.

Let us figure it out. A child is born with over 100 billion or 10000 crores brain cells or neurons – sixteen times the world population! And each of these cells is capable of making over 15000 connections. Through these ‘connections’ a child internalizes the experiences and acquires new learnings. Now, what should be our role? 

Obviously, learnings should be preserved and the stock should grow. Interestingly this stock does NOT grow automatically like a savings bank account. It will rather vanish if not strengthened. Yes, if they are not used, the learning pathways are obliterated. This is called the “use it or lose it” principle.

This is what you should be doing – helping the child to use a ‘connection’ repeatedly so that it becomes permanent in the brain. Repeat and revise what your child is learning at school. Please note that we are not promoting rote-learning. It should not be memorizing by repetition, it should be understanding, perceiving and comprehending by revision.  And it should be fun. No stress, no strain. A regular routine will help a long way.

Sensory learnings, activity-centric knowledge and words-phrases based language connections should be inculcated in the early years. Parents have a big role to play in this. You’ll be happy for doing this as you’ll proudly see your little one blooming. 

As they say, ‘the first years last forever’.

KITE School | KITE line... We need to ponder upon this.

The new year has begun with a rather depressed note in Mumbai. We are getting shockingly disturbing news of suicides by students every alternate day. What is more heartbreaking is that some of them were really of tender age. This reflects the undue stress on young children to ‘perform’. Many a time parents and the peer group both are at fault. Our education system is also to be blamed.

Every child cannot be the best in all fields. When parents expect this, they put the damaging pressure on the child’s mind. One must note that every child is unique with certain distinctive qualities and talent. We should try to discover that talent and let the child explore his/her path. We should not predetermine the child’s career and put a label on his/her future. We should try to provide the best possible learning and growing environment and then let the child blossom and show his/her talent.
Some parents think that small children don’t get stressed. Well, it’s not true. Even small children have their own anxieties, frustrations, tensions and stress. I think it is of paramount importance to have communication with the child. Never neglect or ignore or belittle your child’s frustration/anxiety. Talk it out. With care, concern and caution. Never break the communication. Never let isolation creep between you and your child.

Early years of your child are the most precious as these make the foundation on which a future will be built! Take care.