Children Leading the Change through Balwadi (Kindergarten)
SARPI believes that the early years of human development are the foundation of basic architecture and function of the brain.This period of development in the life of the person which is from conception to ages 6-8, affects the next stage of human development, as well as the later stages of ones life. To maximize their future well-being, understanding the need to give quality education to children in their early years is so important. An American author, Robert Fulghum, in one of his books wrote:
“All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.”
Optimizing then, the early years of the children is the best investment we can make as a society. This, likewise, ensures their future success and a great help in producing global leaders.
Furthermore, education of children is imperative for creating a vibrant, responsible and harmonious society. An edifice is only as strong as its foundation and the kind of formation that SARPI imparts to children can strengthen this foundation. SARPI provides quality early childhood education for aged 2½ – 5 years, preparing them a solid foundation for higher education and good citizenship. In more depressed villages, SARPI, likewise, undertakes support classes for children who are unable to cope up with their school studies. It is quite common in India to find a big number of children in each classroom. In many schools, only one teacher handles two or more classes. Students, therefore, lack personal attention and their school performance suffers.
There are several activities and programmes organized regularly for children aiming at their holistic development. As regards their academic progress, monthly and annual evaluation of the children and regular parent-teacher meetings are done. SARPI Balwadi (Kindergarten) provides a creative, enjoyable and participative formation through songs, games, interactions and healthy competitions. Indeed, this method of education makes a difference in this context where the method of education is traditional and focused on memorization and repetitions.
Furthermore, teachers visit families of children regularly to establish a close relationship with them and to encourage them to take active part in the education of their children.
Activities Conducted During the Year
- Parents-teachers meeting twice a year
- Home-visits done once a month
- Various programs held every month which encourages their curiosity and creativity
- Children exhibit their talents and gifts
- Periodic and systematic academic evaluation of the children every term