Q.
Why are our groups named differently?
A. Every class in Shikshantar has a distinct identity
influenced by the facilitators and the children (and in
some ways by the parents). Each group has a name. The
groups are named after the elements - Water, Wind, Earth,
Fire and Ether - to help children of all ages build enduring
connections with the philosophical, social, historical,
poetic and sometimes political understanding and interpretation
of the elements. The purpose is to enable children to
establish deeper connections with the quintessential energies
of nature. And through these connections we hope children
will grow to forge deeper bonds with the environment and
Mother Earth.
The
green ecology of the school campus inspires children,
facilitators and parents to build direct connections with
nature in many different ways.
For every group, one or more themes are organized around
the group name. Theme work allows children to sing songs,
write poems, read historical contexts, research old and
new thoughts, construct stories, explore mathematics,
science and social science - in the context of their group
name. A child enrolled in Playgroup or Nursery has the
opportunity of visiting each group name/element every
five years at least three times in their school life at
Shikshantar. We are pleased to share with you a glimpse
of the names of a few groups:
Playgroup…..Dewdrops
and Raindrops
Nursery……..Pawan,
Vayu, Purvayi, Anila
Kindergarten…....Bhoomi,
Dhara, Vasundhara, Avani
Class
I……….Ambar, Aasmaan, Neelambar, Aakaash
Class
II………Agni, Pavak, Surya, Aagun
Class
III………Neer, Megha, Varsha
Class
IV………Luft, Purva, Fiza
Class
V………..Earth, Prithvi, Pritha
Class
VI……….Space, Ether, Cosmos
Class
VII………Aapi, Afroz
Class VIII……..Aqua, Tarang
Class
IX…….....Zephyr
Class X..........Talemh
Q.
What are the school timings ?
A. Shikshantar follows different timings for different
classes. These are determined as per the ages of the children
and class levels.
Summer:
PG 9.00am -12.00pm
Nur - KG 8.15am -12.15pm
I 8.15am -1.45pm
II-IX 8.15am -3.15pm
Winter :
PG 9.15am -12.15pm
Nur - KG 8.30am -12.30pm
I 8.30am -03.30pm
II-IX 8.30am -03.30pm
Q.
What is the pupil -teacher ratio ?
A. To work closely with children and to understand
the needs of each child the school teacher-pupil ratio
is kept as 1:8.
Q.
How much time on an average does a student spend on physical
activities?
A.
Children spend 45 minutes each day in the outdoors. The
outdoor curriculum is designed to enable children to discover
new aspects of their own agility, endurance, physical
strength, mental strength, stamina and team spirit. A
range of sport activities are organised each day to help
children connect with their inner desire to stretch, climb,
run, jump, fall and strive to discover new limits and
new challenges. As children grow, new skills are acquired
through a specific sports curriculum that is planned keeping
in focus age relevant physical capacities and potential.
Q.
Is our library equipped with up to date books, toys, magazines,
periodicals etc.
A. We are pleased to
say that our library is a very busy and favorite space
of our children & teachers ! Where they discover meaningful
relationships with the written word and a fantasy world.
Older children are often seen widening their knowledge
through our well stocked research books, encyclopedias
and other reading material.
Q.
Why do we not have school uniform?
A. In harmony with its philosophy, Shikshantar
has chosen not to promote a uniform clothing policy. Children
come to school in simple, comfortable clothes. Once they
understand and relate to the school routine, they choose
clothes that are appropriate to their routine at school.
Individual choice of clothing allows children to express
themselves as individuals and also to become more responsible.
Parents are encouraged to dialogue with their children
about the benefits of clothing choice. Please also discuss
the benefits of clothing styles in terms of comfort level.
We believe that freedom of clothing choice with a growing
awareness about practical elements such as comfort, colour,
cost etc. will enable young children to appreciate an
evolving degree of responsibility within themselves
Q.
What evaluation system does Shikshantar follow at the
Pre primary, Primary and Middle School levels?
A. Shikshantar follows a continuous, comprehensive,
formative evaluation system. Comprehensive means that
we use a range of criteria to observe, record, verify
and analyse every child's progress through the term and
the year. These typically include classroom interactions;
project work; peer relations; the questions that children
ask; their participation in a range of school related
experiences; engagement with art, drama, music and sports;
formal and informal work conducted in the class and at
home (if any); children's observations; involvement during
sharing time etc.
Formative means that facilitators do not wait for a formal
evaluation day to complete their assessments of children's
progress. It is continuous and informs further planning
and transaction of the curriculum. A formative process
guides the teacher's understanding of the child and the
curriculum to help take the child move forward on areas
that she requires support in or to provide relevant challenge.
A range of criteria are used to evaluate children for
each specific educational area. These include languages,
mathematics, environmental science, sports, arts, the
inner being, social and interpersonal relations. For children
of Class IV and V, Science, Social Science, Third Language,
ICT and Education are also evaluated. The progress reviews
shared with the children and the parents in the middle
and at the end of the school year includes a rubric for
evaluation and individual observations made by the facilitators
for all children. The Shikshantar progress reviews are
a treasure trove of child-specific observations, processes
adopted by the facilitators and key observations made
by the children.
Children of Class VI are gradually introduced to a unit
assessment system. A thoughtfully facilitated evaluation
system allows children to view tests and examinations
as processes in their experience of school education (and
not as larger than life demons that they must build a
range of fears and compulsions to confront).
Children of Class VII experience unit assessments and
a final exam at the end of the year. Class VIII onwards,
children are gradually introduced to the evaluation systems
recommended by the CISCE. They take unit assessments,
term and end-of-year examinations. Marks are given to
children for Class VIII onwards as per the criteria set
by the CISCE Board.
Q.
Does Shikshantar cater to children with special needs?
A. Shikshantar follows an inclusive, integrated
approach for children with special needs. Our greatest
strength is our non-judgmental environment and the spaces
available for children to move from individual to group
needs. This allows children to learn and progress at individual
paces. It also implies that facilitation and assessment
processes are complex and challenging. Nevertheless, they
address children's needs to a large extent.
Shikshantar does not have a special learning centre for
children with special needs at present. We believe that
every child is unique and it is equally true for children
with special needs. We consider it unfair to club children
with special needs as one kind because their needs are
usually very different and they seek individualized support.
We have consciously worked on enabling an inclusive, integrated
model of special education. Children with special needs
are in the same classroom with all children. They go through
the same daily curriculum. Class facilitators give special
attention through short interactions during group and
individual time. Class facilitators are guided by the
leadership team and the Special Educator to develop an
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for each child with
special needs. These plans are shared with parents and
they are a part of honing the plans.
Where
felt necessary, the Special Educator may sit with a child
with special needs separately for short periods of time
either in the class or near the class (garden spaces,
the library, the resource room, terrace). The primary
goal of the guiding team is to enable the class facilitators
to build enduring bonds with all children, including children
with special needs. The need for skills development is
assessed as per the capacity, interests, age level and
developmental concerns of the child. We do not lay 'extra'
emphasis on helping a special needs child "catch up" with
other children of their class. On the contrary, our purpose
is to identify the child's present set of strengths and
build on them as per a range of developmental norms, keeping
the individual child's needs in mind. All special needs
work is child-focused and guided by observing the child
carefully; incorporating a range of insights from people
who spend the maximum time with the child at home and
in school; consulting the child; providing time for individual
change; and by developing a formative understanding of
the IEP.
Our
infrastructure spaces are designed to allow easy access
by wheel chairs through ramps all across the school campus.
Our facilitators and administrative teams are trained
and guided to be sensitive to individual needs. Where
found necessary, for a couple of children with special
needs, we have had parents stay in school throughout the
school year to ensure the safety of the child.
If
a family has a child with special needs, we urge the parents
to carefully understand our philosophy and its implications
for children with special needs.
Q.
How are the parents involved in the child development?
A. Shikshantar encourages harmonious interaction
in thinking and approach between the parents and the school.
The school continuously opens channels of communication
between parents and the teachers. A detailed progress
review of each child is prepared twice a year and shared
with the parents in individuals meetings. We also organise
large group interaction via our open houses 2 to 3 times
annually. We also organize various workshops on issues
such as parenting, understanding curriculum and children
needs. The parents are also invited to participate in
celebrations & important events. The overall purpose is
to enable positive collaborative efforts to build on the
child's strengths.
Q.
What is the pre - primary and primary curriculum?
A.
The curriculum in the pre-primary & primary school aims
at the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development
of the children. It follows the principle of integrated
education. Hands on experiences play a major role in nurturing
the spirit of exploration and enquiry. Themes in the groups
are taken keeping in mind the learning needs of the children.
The language curriculum is designed to provide rich experiences
in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Children
build connections with language, math and science in their
surroundings. To deal with a mathematical concept, concrete
material, relevant situations and games are used. The
Science curriculum provides opportunities for exploring,
experimenting, observing and drawing conclusions. Sports
curriculum lays emphasis on development of gross motor
skills, stamina, flexibility, balance, strength and overcoming
fear. Art, music, dance and theatre help children to express
themselves and connect to their inner selves.
Q. What is a typical day for pre primary classes?
A. The day for the pre primary classes is designed
to address the physical, cognitive, vital and social needs
of children.
Q. Why do we not provide lunch to pre primary classes?
A. The children of pre - primary classes are in school
for a short duration, from 8:15am -12:15pm. The children
have one Tiffin break during the day which is enough to
sustain their energy levels till the end of the day. They
go back home by lunch time. Lunch is provided to children
from classes I upwards who remain in school till 3:15pm.
Q.What
kind of sports activities are organized at the pre-primary
level?
A. The sports curriculum is designed according to the
needs of the different age groups. In the pre - primary
classes the focus is on the development of large and gross
motor skills. Games and activities are planned to enhance
physical stamina, flexibility, balance, strength, overcoming
physical fears and hesitations and above all develop confidence
and a love for sports. Children spend at least 45 minutes,
thrice a week, exploring their favourite 'Vanar Vatika',
climbing the monkey ladder, jumping from the jungle gym,
walking on the balance beam, negotiating the rope net
and running up and down the hillock.
Q. What is the structure of the day in the primary
school?
A. The day for the children of primary school begins
with an outdoor time or a circle time within the groups.
The outdoor time provides an opportunity to explore a
variety of age relevant outdoor experiences. Children
collect their energies during the circle time and the
tone for the day is also set. This is followed by a project
activity which is related to the theme taken during the
week. Children have their Tiffin in the groups. During
the day children go through creative experiences like
dance /music/ art / theatre. They build their relationships
with language, math and Science. Lunch is provided to
children in the school dining hall. The day for the children
comes to an end with a sharing time within the groups,
where children share their experiences and reflect on
the day.
Q.
What is the physical infrastructure of the pre-primary
block?
A. The pre-primary school is built on 1.2 acres of land
and houses playgroup, nursery and kindergarten, activity
rooms, an activity hub, a pre-primary library, a playground
and Vanar Vatika.
Q.
What is the physical infrastructure of the primary block
?
A. The primary block of I block campus houses
- Classes I to V
- Library
- Playgrounds for :
- Basket Ball
- Soccer
- Gymnastics
- Athletics
- Fun games
- General science laboratory
- Terraces for open group activities
- Cycling track
- Art area
- Theatre room
- Dance area
- Music room
- Lunch area
Q: What is the middle school curriculum?
A: The middle school curriculum is designed to
facilitate enquiry, research and rigorous study such that
young people can connect with increasingly complex constructs
with an enduring interest. Theme based curriculum approach
continues in the middle classes with project work spread
out over longer periods of time and across discipline
areas such as science, languages, arts, social science
and mathematics. Through project work, children are encouraged
to make fundamental connections with the processes of
enquiry. Project presentations are often put together
as exhibitions and models that are shared with different
classes. In the middle school, specific processes are
also integrated with the curriculum to help children take
the impending unit assessments and examinations with confidence.
Children in Class VI are introduced to unit assessments;
in Class VII children take unit assessments and end-of-year
examinations; Class VIII onwards children take unit assessments,
term and end-of-year examinations.
Q.How
are children of the senior classes prepared to take board/competitive
exams?
A. Examinations are perceived as a necessary experience
in middle and senior classes. They are considered to be
important but all learning does not revolve around only
preparing children to max examination results.
The
purpose of examinations is to assess children on their
conceptual clarity, memory, ability to articulate, analytical
skills and the capacity to answer in a given period of
time. The Shikshantar curriculum for the middle and senior
classes enables children to develop conceptual clarity
and acquire specific skills for formal tests and reviews.
Based
on a comprehensive evaluation system, evaluation at Shikshantar
is a combined effort on the part of the teachers, the
parents and the students to better understand the learning
experiences for each student. Processes of learning and
relationships are considered to be of high significance.
Students are usually not compared with each other. Alternatively,
they are gently guided to understand the inherent strengths,
virtues and potential that they possess within themselves.
The objective is to recognise the progress that each child
makes in their own learning curve.
Teachers
use daily class observations, students' creative pursuits,
informal assessments, group and individual goal settings
as indicators of progress and development. To the extent
possible, teachers and parents together share their observations
with the students and seek collective goal setting as
the strategy for future development of each student. Like
the myriad influences of the school, evaluation at Shikshantar
is also a source of inspiration and learning, and not
a ritual to transfer judgement and fear.
From
the middle classes onwards, students are gradually but
firmly oriented to take the board examination system.
Practice, research, articulation and accuracy assume high
importance for the senior students. A scheduled formal
assessment procedure is in place which orients the students
to prepare themselves for national and international level
competitive examinations. The students get an opportunity
for reinforcement, enrichment and enhancement of their
understanding of various subjects and the skills required
to articulate through Self Study. Students are guided
and encouraged to explore their own levels of mastery
and potential for growth in a variety of competitive settings.
Students
get opportunities to conduct experiments in well equipped
laboratories to acquire practical skills in handling apparatus,
recording observations and drawing logical inferences.
Q
Which examination board do we follow?
A. At Shikshantar we have opted for the Council for
Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) Board. The
Council was established in 1958 by the University of Cambridge
Local Examination Syndicate. Our first batch of children
will appear for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Examination
in March 2011.
Q
Why have we opted for the CISCE board?
A. Shikshantar has chosen to affiliate with the
CISCE board as it is one of the two recognized and approved
All India Boards of Secondary Education. This choice was
made to create a balanced curricular plan for students
of senior classes to develop an application based conceptual
understanding of the subjects they study at school. This
will help them to excel in their areas of study and seek
admission to desirable institutes of higher learning and
academic Universities.
Q
What is the choice of subjects in the middle school?
A. The ICSE at the end of Class X evaluates students
in 6 subjects. Students choose their subjects in Class
IX, a provision that allows students to make an early
selection of the subjects they may pursue in Class XI
and XII. While English, Hindi, Social Sciences and SUPW
are compulsory, students may choose from a variety of
options that include Mathematics, Science, Computer Studies,
Economics, Environmental Sciences, Foreign Language, Sanskrit
and Art.
Q.
What is the physical infrastructure of the senior secondary
school ?
A. The senior secondary school, is being built
on 6.2 acres of land, and is nearing completion of it's
final phase of construction. It currently houses classes
VI to X. For the school year 2010-11 the senior school
block will accommodate:
- Classrooms for VI to XII
- Well equipped laboratories for :
- Science
- Geography
- Math
- Home Science
- Computer
- Library
- Playground
- Play Courts
- Basket ball
- Tennis
- Badminton
- Gymnastics
- Table Tennis
- Auditorium
- Amphi Theatre
- Cycling track
- Vanar Vatika
- Butterfly Garden
- Aravalli Forest
- Sun Dials
- Art Block
- Theatre
- Music
- Dance
- Painting
- Clay Modeling
- Dining Hall facilities
Q.
Do we have a swimming pool?
A. No we do not have our own swimming pool but
children from class 4th onwards go for swimming to the
Unitech Patio Club once a week during the summer season.
Q
Do we go for inter school matches?
A. Sometime children do participate in inter school
matches but it is for a sense of participation rather
than competition. Inter-school matches are organised only
for the senior classes. We believe that children play
not always to compete but to play for camaraderie, physical
fitness, the joy of play and discovering new skills in
themselves and each other.A sport that is made overly
competitive denies these fundamental aspects of team play.
When we organise team matches, we may compete with other
teams but we do not lay extra emphasis on the need for
competition. Sports can be loads of fun and challenge
without competitive jingoism.
Q.
What are the sports facilities offered to middle and senior
school Children?
A. Children eagerly look forward to outdoor activities
like Basketball, Football, Gymnastics, Badminton , Tennis,
Yoga, Table Tennis, soccer, Athletics, fun games, swimming.
We have big playgrounds and play courts of:-
- Basket ball
- Tennis
- Badminton
- Gymnastics
- Table Tennis
- Soccer
- Gymnastics
- Athletics
Q Are bus services available throughout Gurgaon ?
A. Yes, Transport is available throughout Gurgaon.
The Detailed list of the areas covered presently can be
checked on the Home page, transport link.
Q Do we provide transport service to South Delhi ?
A. Yes , Transport facility is available to selected
areas of South Delhi for children of Class II upwards
.
