Monday 27 February 2017

Different Kind Of Activities For Playschool

Activities are more than just fun for a preschooler — they help with physical development and early learning. The activities are designed in a way that it results in a wholesome or a holistic development in the child.
Many play schools in Bhayandar and in other parts Mumbai are using different kinds of playschool activities ranging from games to arts and crafts, and more. However, we have listed a few basic ones for your reference.

Alphabet Activity
This activity is not just meant to teach the alphabet but to make learning letters a memorable and engaging experience. From worksheets, letter sounds, stickers to a musical twist there are an infinite amount of ways to teach the alphabet to preschoolers and kindergarteners. Kids like to learn what’s easiest to them first. And a hands-on activity makes learning and teaching the alphabet fun!

Math Activity
This activity is all about exploring numbers and counting, being completely engaged in the fun of numbers. Sorting blocks, shapes, patterning and of course counting are all activities that develop strong math skills. We are all aware of the importance of success in math in future. So a math activity with fun and play help lay a positive foundation of something that so many of us struggle with later on.

Science Activity
Preschoolers are naturally brilliant at asking questions about the world around them, and science activities for preschoolers give young minds the skills they need to seek answers and view the world more scientifically. They are taught logical reasoning and are also given first-hand simple experiences like gardening, cleaning, creating water-well etc.

Speech and Drama Activity 
This activity helps students to speak with confidence and conviction and to hone listening skills as well. It increases vocabulary in terms of coverage, accuracy and appropriateness: it aids in expressing ideas, thoughts, and opinions with clarity and promptness.

Arts and Crafts Activity
Arts and crafts activities are fun for children. Art and craft are a key element in the provision of a balanced education for children. Paintings, making patterns, prints, models as well as sculpture and textiles all provide children opportunities to enjoy, celebrate, create, analyse, and record their sensory experience.

RBK is also another example which is kind of a play school in Bhayandar that encourages preschoolers in different form of activities.  They motivate students to be competent in every field and aspect of life by offering a rich, enjoyable and lasting educational experience for all learners. In fact, this playgroup in Bhayandar even uses the school patio and corridors to display the children’s work.

That’s not all when it comes to speech and drama programmes; students are given the opportunity of getting their language proficiency tested by Trinity College, London. It’s a great way of creating internationally minded individuals.
RBKGS is desirous to pursue an approach to learning that becomes a lifelong habit. With empowering zeal, it endeavours to help every child develop into a holistic personality.

Friday 24 February 2017

Why Is Curriculum Important?

A curriculum is considered the “heart” of any learning institution which means that schools or universities cannot exist without a curriculum.  It is a planned, a purposeful, progressive, and systematic method to create positive improvements in the educational system. In its broadest sense, curriculum refers to the total learning experiences of individuals not only in school but in the society as well.

Here are a few reasons why curriculum is important:
Forges Life-Long Learning Competencies
Good curriculum plays an important role in forging life-long learning competencies, as well as social attitudes and skills, such as constructive management of diversity, peaceful conflict management, tolerance and respect, gender equality, justice and promotion and respect of Human Rights.

Contributes To The Development Of Thinking Skills
The curriculum is not only about teaching subjects like maths and geography etc. Curriculum also contributes to the development of thinking skills and the acquisition of relevant knowledge that learners need to apply in the context of their studies, daily life, and careers.

Supports Learner’s Personal Development
Apart from learning competencies curriculum is also increasingly called upon to support the learner’s personal development. It increases their confidence, motivates them to do better in life and self-respect, and inspires them to think bigger in life. Moreover, a good curriculum contributes to enhancing learner’s self-respect.

Helps In Improving The Economy Of A Country
In today’s competitive world, a well-created curriculum plays a vital role in improving the economy of a country. It also provides answers or solutions to the world’s extreme conditions and problems, such as politics, environment, socioeconomics and other issues like poverty and sustainable development.

Every authority involved in the field of education understands the importance of curriculum. Whether it’s a private school or a government school, special attention is given to the matter of curriculum.  Right from reviewing textbooks, tweaking curricula and adding prominent initiatives in the form of extra-curricular activities, the school has to ensure the curriculum brings an all-round development to a student’s learning life.

ICSE schools in Mumbai pay special interest to the matter of curriculum, constantly. By creating an application-oriented international curriculum they address the needs of your child as a twenty-first-century global citizen.

Moreover, the curriculum in ICSE schools in Mumbai is appropriately designed for different sections i.e. Primary section, Secondary section and the Senior Secondary section. However, at all the stages, the curriculum focuses on developing a positive attitude towards learning and studies. In short, it is comprehensive, balanced and research-based, yet, sensitive to changes in educational trends.

With a blend of Indian ethos and international exposure, the top ICSE schools in Mumbai aim to create a student-centered methodology that empowers your child to blossom as a personality.

5 Ways To Keep Your Kid Stress-Free During Exams

Students all over Mumbai are gearing up in preparation for their examinations, and it is common to hear about the stress they feel during this season. Exam preparation seems like an undefeatable burden followed by fear of failure; it causes high levels of emotional distress and nervousness to many students. There are many educational institutions like CBSE schools in Mira Road who are making arrangements in order to help such students to perform to the best of their ability in exams. However, as parents, it’s your job as well to help your child achieve the optimal balance between being relaxed and being paralyzed by anxiety during the exam season.

For your convenience we have listed down 5 ways to ease your child's worries during exams:





1. Know Your Child’s Capabilities

Know that your child has a limit and will only be able to perform to the best of his/her ability. Accept their limitations. As a thumb rule don't compare your child with other kids who are toppers in class and not even with their siblings. Comparison will only de-motivate the child and make him feel weak. Remember that as parents you should try not to be overly narrowly focused on pushing them to do well academically and neglect other aspects of their life. This world is huge, so you have to remind not just your children, but yourselves as well that there are other opportunities for kids to explore and find success in life. 




2. Have a Conversation with Your Child to Absorb Your Child’s Stress

Have a conversation with your child and help them identify their strengths. This will reinforce their self-esteem and self-confidence. See that your conversations do not indicate that you respect success only, instead show the attitude of taking both success and failure even-handedly and that both are equally important in life. Share his feelings and anxieties, and help him ease down. This is the most important and sensible way of absorbing your child’s stress and help him perform better in the exam.

 



3. Boost Your Child’s Nutrition Intake

During exams, children are often under stress since they have to spend longer hours memorizing different things. All this can be a little difficult and daunting for them if they consume unhealthy food. They will not just feel tired and drowsy, but might also fall sick due to mental pressure. Food is the vital source for growth and development; hence as parents, you should keep a track on their nutritional intake. Right food intake helps reduce stress, prevents drowsiness, calms the nerves, keeps the brain cells well-nourished and helps the body stay light and active.




4. Help Your Child Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is vital for everything from minimizing stress to boosting mood to improving school performance. If your child isn’t getting enough sleep, that’s a red indicator that they’re overscheduled. Seven to eight hours of sleep is much needed before the exam. If the child is well rested before the exam, he/she is able to function and remember better. A good sleep improves thinking and concentration power. Always remember, sleep is more beneficial for the child than a few hours of panicky last-minute study.





5. Keep Them Positive

Exam stress is an uneasy experience faced by a lot of children. It interferes with learning to auch an extent that it affects their performance. As a parent, you should help your child practice thinking about positives rather than negatives. Create a positive environment around by playing some soft music, set aside time for fun and relaxation – say 30 to 45 mins, chill out over a cup of coffee and encourage him to exercise. Once he feels relaxed, you can allow him to start with his next study session. All these things will reduce your child’s stress and help him improve his/her overall performance in exams.



The higher academic standards and expectations are more evident in normal board schools. As a result of these demands, it is common for students to experience greater levels of stress related to academics. However, these days’ many secondary schools in Bhayandar and CBSE schools in Mira Road have started devising their own mechanisms to de-stress the students, by organizing workshops or counseling sessions.

Nevertheless, if you want your child to study in a stress-free environment, then ensure you enroll your child in one of the best schools in the city, a one that offers a rich, enjoyable and lasting educational experience for your little learners. It will surely have a great positive impact on your child’s overall growth and development in future.

Thursday 23 February 2017

4 Tips For Healthy Eating For School Children

A child’s diet is one of the most neglected aspects during their school life. It has been observed that students get into the habit of glugging pizza’s and burgers because it’s tempting and easily available all over the place. However, these habits prove to be unhealthy and very bad for school children. Instead, good nutrition should be a part of children’s study plan because it’s going to help them ace those tests and exams in the school. The better the fuel their brain gets the better will they study and the better will they live.

Here are 4 tips for healthy eating for school children

1. Do Not Skip Breakfast
Breakfast is a must for every child. Having breakfast in the morning will keep the kid vigorous throughout the day. Snacks like fresh fruits, dry fruits, honey coated nuts, seeds, roasted whole grains, soups, salads, hot chocolate, almond milk or yogurt, helps the kid kick start the day with the right amount of energy for the mind, body, and soul.

2. Stick To Frequent, Small Meals 
Children are always loaded with multiple tasks during their school life. From projects to oral exams to writing exams and various activities, there are multiple topics that they need to clear during the school.
For example, if your child is enrolled in one of the top 10 IGCSE schools in Mumbai, he/she gets engaged in various researches, reports, games, projects and other activities. To withstand all these tasks, the child needs to have frequent small meals throughout the day. Small, frequent, nutritious meals make sure they have a constant flow of steady nourishment keeping them alert and awake. Fresh fruit juices/ salads, sandwiches, eggs etc; are known to be excellent options.

3. Don’t Miss  Memory Enhancer Foods
To enhance the functioning of brain and memory - omega 3 fatty acids needs to be incorporated in the child’s diet.  Fishes like salmon (rawas fish), herring (bhing) and mackerel (bangda) have good amount of omega 3 fatty acids. Two servings of sea-food for a day make a good option.
However,  if you do not eat fish or do not have access to good fish, add ground flax seeds (alsi), pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds (til), soyabean oil, canola oil to your child’s diet. Moreover, omega 3 fatty acid supplements are also available in the market.

4. Keep Them Hydrated
It’s observed that even after getting involved in tedious activities kids end up drinking very less fluids. Drinking less water is bad for health. It not only creates digestion problems but also increases the risks of other illness.  However, when dehydrated, the body and mind gets flourished.  It even minimizes stress and maximizes learning during exams.
Many top 10 IGCSE schools in Mumbai and A level schools in Mumbai have a canteen that offers a range of food choices. While most schools do follow government guidelines to encourage healthy food choices, as parents its best to offer your child with packed lunch from home. Moreover, it is a great way for your child to learn about healthy food eating habits.

Wednesday 15 February 2017

Reasons Why School Bags Are Getting Heavier

It has been observed that a majority of school students are facing health issues due to heavy bags. According to medical experts, around 58 percent of students below 10 years of age have mild muscle pain while 75 per cent of those below 12 years of age were found to be falling ill and having fever from time to time due to heavy bags.

Experts also say that schools bags of CBSE and ICSE Schools In Mumbai were heavier than that of state board students. At the same time, it is found that students in rural areas carry lighter bags than those in urban areas.

Here are a few reasons why:
  • CBSE and ICSE schools in Thane and other parts of Mumbai have fat textbooks for many subjects, hence students studying in these schools tend to have heavier bags.
  • Secondly, since there are no lockers in the school - students try to carry everything from compass box, lunch box, water bottle, heavy practical journals, school diary, tuitions books etc; and school authorities are not taking any effort to stop them.
  • Besides all the above things, students studying in international schools in Mumbai are fond of carrying fancy backpacks which tend to be heavier than the normal books. This, in turn, adds to the weight of the overall baggage.
  • Additionally, even parents fail to train children on how to pack bags smartly. Since kids are too small to understand, their bags are always cluttered and messy – this is another reason why more weight is added to the bag, unnecessarily.
Carrying heavy school bags day after day is one of the most distressing experiences for a school going child.  Apart from normal muscle pain and fever, there are several consequences of overburdening their tiny shoulders. The pain and physical discomfort resulting from carrying a heavy school bag can also result in stress and lack of attentiveness in a child, affecting their learning in the precious formative years.
Hence as parents and responsible educational leaders, it is our duty to find ways on how to unburden our children from heavy school bags. It will not only make kids feel light but will also make schooling a joyous and enriching experience for them.

Tuesday 14 February 2017

Parenting Tips On How To Raise A Smart Child

Childhood is the most critical phase of an individual. This is the stage where the brain develops most quickly. So how you help your child grow intellectually affects him in the future as well.

Below are some tips that every parent should follow:

Encourage Your Child In Various Activities
Expose your child to things that develop both sides of their brain - the left side functions for reasoning, logic,
and language while the right side features creativity and the arts.

For logic, reasoning and language: Allow your child play smart computer games, let him witness you doing smart things like reading a book, doing gardening, creating structures and images from blocks etc. 
For creative and arts: Allow him to listen to music, learn dance, painting, theatre etc.

Always remember learning and having fun at the same time is the best way to educate your child.




Motivate and Provide Feedback

Giving your kids feedback during basic conversations about the way they're handling their responsibilities motivates them to do better. Rather than just complaining and removing faults,  giving children an explanation about their habits and behaviour will help them understand what is right and what is wrong.

Of course, giving kids rewards can sometimes be useful to get them over a hump for tasks like completing homework on time, or getting up to school on time etc,  however, make sure this practice of rewarding is just temporary and short-lived.




Enroll Your Kid in An International School
When it comes to getting admission for your child in the best school, you might come across thousands of options to choose from. However enrolling your child in an international school in Mumbai will really make a huge difference.

Mumbai International schools provide application-oriented international curriculum addressing the needs of your child as a twenty-first-century global citizen. Apart from student-centered international methodology, these schools offer activities beyond academics to focus on the all-round development of your child.

Unlike other board schools, top international schools in Mumbai tend to provide global exposure to your child with a blend of Indian ethos. They not only facilitate cross-cultural learning for your child but also empower your child to blossom as a personality.



Develop Social and Emotional Skills
Social and emotional skills are about learning how to manage feelings, how to solve problems and how to manage relationships. These skills support wellbeing and positive mental health.

Social and emotional skills promote children’s ability to cope with difficulties in life and help them solve their mental health problem.  Children who develop social and emotional skills earlier find it simple to manage life themselves. While those who don’t develop these skills - find it difficult to relate to others, and feel negative about themselves and the world around them.



Offer Healthy Diet
Right food habits and healthy body keeps children smart. So make it a point to teach your kids a disciplined lifestyle at an early age itself.



Encourage kids to sleep at designated hours and never let you baby skip any meal, especially the breakfast. Proper exercise, refreshment, and proper food habits help the child live healthy and smart.  Moreover, it will soothe their body, mind, and soul for sure.