Kochi: What the toddlers of today are missing out in the fast life in cities is a joint family culture where grandparents are their best companions. Add to it, the busy working schedule of parents, ends up in their being enrolled in kindergartens.
The trend is well reflected by the ever-growing number of pre-school education institutions in a city like Kochi.
Managements point out that the educational approach is fashioned around playing , which is the perfect transition from home to school.
“The period from two to six years is when the child develops the maximum comprehension-wise. So we feel the earlier they are taught the fundamentals and develop correct aptitudes the better. We’re starting the first pre-school branch in Fort Kochi next June and plan another three to four branches in and around the city during the academic session 2014-15,” said Molly Cyril, Director, Education and Planning, Choice Group.
Kindergartens were in demand outside the states for sometime but it’s only now that the parents here are sending their kids to pre-schools from the tender age of two years.
“In this competitive world, parents don’t want their children to lag behind others. Also the nucleur families feel their wards are more safe in a specialized institution rather than at home,” observes Vinaya Sarath, who is in the field for the last 12 years and is now running ‘Aadhyakshari’ Pre-school at Kadavantra.
All the specialized institutions have even drawn up a curriculum which aims at teaching children through plays.
“This is the time when children have all kinds of questions about what is happening around them. So we take them for field trips to vegetable markets, medical shops and flower nurseries among others so that they can see, experience and learn. Similarly to teach them colours, we ask all of them to come dressed up in red one day, blue another,” Vinaya said.
However, parents should be careful in choosing where they send their budding pre-schoolers.
“Here specialized training is required and qualifications come secondary. The teacher should know about the ways to make kids interested in the things they do and they should have all the patience in the world. The children should not feel the fear factor but rather his/her enthusiasm and the quest for knowledge should be allowed to blossom,” said Saji Vijayan, another pre-school teacher.
Many pre-schools like ‘Aadhyakshari’ and Choice also plan to give a homely touch to their institutions.
“We have grandparents and mothers as volunteers and even teachers join the kids in celebrations and events. The teachers are given training in many aspects like first-aid to be given in case of emergencies and even have a session with psychologists,” said Vinaya.
Next: Collage by students like a mirror held against society
Collage by students like a mirror held against society
Hiran Unnikrishnan | DC
Thrissur: The students of Model School for Girls, Thrissur, took a unique approach to usher in the New Year by putting up a huge collage on the school wall.
The artwork titled ‘Komaala’, is made of the stories and photographs that have been published in major newspapers in Kerala over the past one year.
According to school authorities, the activity took its inspiration from a Malayalam short-story titled ‘Komaala’ by Santosh Echikkanam, which talks about a mythical city of people who are empty inside.
“The Keralites too have lost their souls, which is evident from the various developments reported during the last one year and our attempt was to reflect on this fact through an artistic creation’’, explained Sakeer KA, the project coordinator.
The stories featured in the work ranges from the rising number of crimes against women and children to the political killings in the state.
It also pays special tribute to Malala Yosufzai, the Pakistani girl who survived an attack from religious extremists to become one of the most influential people in the world.
Besides, there are visuals of the crowd frenzy in Thrissur during the Pooram and pictures and stories on Shefeeque, the 5-year old boy who survived torture by his parents.
KR Manikandan, the school principal, said that the initiative was planned as a way for the student artists to express all of their thoughts and experiences about the year that just went by.
“Rather than just a single image, it provided them with an opportunity to express their opinions about issues that are important to them, using images to share what they believe to be true’’, he added.
As part of exhibiting their work, the students also distributed New Year greeting cards to onlookers, which carried the message ‘ the world begins with love’.
Next: Doon School expert to talk on coinselling
Doon School expert to talk on coinselling
Thiruvananthapuram: K. Prabhakaran, Assistant Headmaster, the Doon School, Dehradoon, one of the leading schools in the country will make a presentation on a Classic Model for Counselling Students in a Residential School System on January 7 as part of the national workshop organised by the Corporate Relations Institute.
The national workshop is for teacher counsellors and administrators of school managements following State, CBSE, ICSE, ISC and IB streams on Adolescent Counselling in Residential and Non Residential Schools.
Prabhakaran is a former teacher of the famous Good Shepherd International School, Nilgiris.
He has a long experience spanning over 25 years in attending to students’ traumas, particularly in a residential school system.
Dr. M K C Nair, Director, Child Development Centre, here will deliver keynote address on Caring andCounselling the Adolescents.
Dhanya Menon, Cyber Crime Investigator and Adolescent Counsellor will take a class on Cyber bullying: Emerging Concerns of the Adolescents and Teacher Counsellors.
Rebecca Thomas, Family Welfare Counsellor will talk on Sexuality Counselling of the Adolescents.
Lakshmi Vinayan, Senior Counsellor in the State Women’s Cell will speak on the Societal Impact and Legal Implications on cases of students’ traumas.
More details and registration formalities can be had from Advocate Preetha George, Training Regulator, via email: trainingrelations@gmail.com or over phone 9961217555.
Next: New Year resolution: To root out alcohol culture
New Year resolution: To root out alcohol culture
T Sudheesh | DC
Alappuzha: A group of students of SDV UPS, Neerkunnam near Amabalappuzha here came out with a meaningful message to society on New Year’s eve about the spreading alcohol culture.
The student’s brigade under Thanal, an anti-alcohol club set up at the school, conducted a public event of people who gave up alcohol inspired by their campaign and even took an anti-alcohol oath on the occasion of New Year. The students have been working relentlessly against this social menace for the last two years.
S Suresh Kumar, a teacher at the school and the secretary of Thanal, said the students launched their road map for anti- alcohol campaigns two-years ago.
“The club members visited about 425 residences in XVII ward of Amabalappuzha North Panchayat here and forced alcoholics to go to de-addiction centres. As a result of the campaign, at least 14 people are now completely free of alcohol addiction and as many as 40 alcoholics are being treated at the de-addiction center here. They had all been invited to the programme so that it could give out a good message to the new generation. The event was attended by over hundred people including students and parents”, he said.
“It was Holy soldiers India, an NGO active in the district that provided the moral and logistical support to the students to go ahead with this fruitful campaign. In fact, the event, which was made meaningful with the candlelight vigil by reformed alcoholics , students, teachers and parents, became a novel experience to the local people and students, Kumar added.
A social activist Devadath G Purakad, who inaugurated the function, said that such an initiative by the young students deserved to be appreciated.
‘Alcoholism among parents’ takes opportunities away from the life of several talented children and as a result they end up with frustration and a criminal attitude’, he added.
Silla, school leader and member of the Thanal, said the New Year event had boosted their morale to strengthen the crusade against alcohol.
“During Onam festival, we conducted awareness classes for residents of the Panchayat on the consequences of alcohol. Alcohol is not necessary in anybody’s life. We invited people who have a habit of drinking alcohol to spare their time for the event.
Next: Digital school to serve students from next year
Digital school to serve students from next year
Nadeesh Kareemadathil | DC
Thrissur: ‘ischooledx’, perhaps the first ever digital school functioning fully through the internet is all ready to serve students by the next academic year.
According to Jose Paul, CEO ischooledx, by launching the digital school, all the students across the world will have two schools. “The physical school to which they go to daily and the other is ischooledx which comes to them to interact for all their scholastic needs.”
Anchored at Koratty Infopark in Thrissur, ischooldex is a web-based digital school where the basic education of students is free.
Screenshot of Ischooledx website.
The institution provides a diligent team of subject experts so that students can utilize what they study.
‘ischooledx’ also includes classes in Indian Languages which help Indian origin students living abroad to study their mother tongue like Indian students do here.
To make ischooledx more special for students, the school management has announced an ‘istaff’ room. Here students can visit teachers, clear their doubts and if needed can have special tuitions.
‘istaff’ room has three variants, one is up to class V, the second is up to class VIII and the final one is up to +2.
“These ‘istaff’ rooms are a big opportunity for all school teachers, qualified professionals, people engaged in research and development and qualified youngsters who wish to work from home.” adds Jose Paul.
Along with istaff room, many futuristic facilities like digital lab, art room, digital reference library, career guidance council are getting ready at ischooledx.
Next: Nothing like cooking during holidays
Nothing like cooking during holidays
M.S. Dhwani
I am a sixth standard student of Bhavan's Varuna Vidyalaya. Before breaking for vacation, some of our teachers asked us to think of activities that will be relaxing and useful.
Like my friends, I enjoy my holidays by watching TV programmes and movies, going on trips, reading books, listening to music and playing online games.
But this Christmas vacation, when my parents planned a few trips, I told them that I would like to be at home and spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
They were really surprised and agreed to purchase items that would help me make a small little Christmas cake and some other dishes.
My efforts were successful, making this Christmas a memorable one in my life.
For me, the highlights of 2013 were my experiments with cooking. The inspiration was my grandma, who is really good with ‘naadan dishes”, her chicken curries and fish curries being my favourites.
Both my parents are working and the boring routine evening snacks after reaching home from school forced me to do something for myself in the kitchen.
I have won prizes in public speaking, recitations, etc, at state level fests and I dance, sing and play keyboard but I am more crazy about cooking now than anything else.
Whenever I taste a food item, I think about making it myself. I love watching cookery programmes and collect recipes from the Internet and magazines.
Easy cake, special omelette, creamy banana crush and easy cake tips are my latest discoveries. It is high time that cooking competitions are also there along with other school level competitions.
Chocolate vanilla double decker cake
Ingredients
Cake batter
Flour - 5 tbsp
Sugar- 5 tbsp
Cocoa powder-3 tbsp
Coffee powder-1 tsp
Salt-1 tsp
Custard powder- 2 tbsp
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Eggs-3
Milkmaid- half tin
Milk- 4 tbsp
Melted butter-3 tbsp
Vanilla Essence- 3 tbsp
Milk powder-3 tbsp
For the syrup
Sugar- 2 tbsp, Water-2 tbsp
For the layer icing
Vanilla Ice Cream-3 cups
Melted Butter- 4 tbsp
Tin cherries- 1 tin
Whipped cream- 2 cups
White & dark chocolate grated
How to make the batter
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients in the batter section one by one, and mix well without forming any lumps.
After mixing well, keep that batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Make sugar syrup
Take the batter from the refrigerator and keep it aside.
Grease the Cake Mould / Bowl before you pour into it.
Pour half of the batter into the bowl, and keep it in the Microwave for about 7 - 8 minutes, according to the power of your microwave oven.
After 8 minutes take it out and separate it from the bowl to a base.
Repeat the above process for the other half also.
Pour the Sugar syrup on top of each layer of the cake.
Then slowly, pour the ice cream on top of the first layer and spread it.
Repeat the same process for the second layer also.
Then cut the cherries into small pieces and put it on top of each layer.
After that place the 1st layer on top of the 2nd layer.
Now pour the remaining ice cream on top of the whole cake together.
Garnish it with cherries, grated chocolate , whipped cream etc and it is ready to serve
