@ Podar Jumbo Kids, Whitefiled
Involving parents as much as possible in our day-to-day proceedings is a core part of our curriculum.
Express your thoughts about your experiences at Podar Jumbo Kids
I remember the first time my husband and I walked through the gates of Podar, Whitefield. The school was small, but clean and vibrant with colored walls and ample space for the children to run around and play. We were greeted warmly by Ms. Swapnil. She explained how as first time parents it is going to be more difficult to us than our daughter to leave her at school. Swapnil’s warmth, confidence and clarity made the decision-making easy for us and that’s how we chose PJK. I gratefully say that it turned out to be one of the best decisions in my life, for everything about this school was great!
As parents to a student who needed a little more care than the others (which we got to know later), we needed all the help and support that we could get. As we approached Swapnil with skepticism and our numerous doubts, she promised every help possible and has kept her word till date. I stood in awe as PJK embraced Irene gracefully and affectionately. Under the close eyes of exceptionally empathetic teachers, Irene grew there, with constant encouragement, support, the extra gentle but firm push, and the opportunities given. We saw, over a course of 2 years, Irene conquering her fears, overcoming hurdles, and mastering skills that did not come spontaneously to her. I would confidently say that what made it possible was everything of PJK- the impressive curriculum and the infrastructure to support it, the understanding and hardworking teachers, loving support staff and an open-minded management.
When I talk about my experience with PJK, I have to talk about the wonderful curriculum the school has. It covers various aspects of a child’s development. I have observed how the numerous, versatile activities, games and exercises, the routines and rituals have helped Irene develop. However simple the activity seems to be, it is effective and is directed towards developing a particular skill of a child. The PJK curriculum has helped our daughter to work on and develop her social skills, fine motor and gross motor abilities, sensory perception, balancing skills and many such aspects important to a growing child.
The curriculum, the systematic teaching, the practices followed etc is imperative to the overall progress of a young child. But the factor that makes these effective is the most important of all – the teacher. I gladly say that PJK can be proud of its teachers. I have been pleasantly surprised, more than a few occasions, at the dedication of my daughter’s teachers. Her teachers followed up with us regularly, were always ready to hear out every little concern on Irene, crisply communicated to us every small detail of hers and worked hard towards improving her and making her independent. The way my daughter was cared for, loved, admired, encouraged, guided and taught was impeccable and exemplary. My husband and I would be forever grateful to PJK for the change it has brought about in our daughter’s life and in ours.
I am Dr Shubhra and my husband Dr Pankaj, work at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences. Last year we started search for schools for Vihaan, our younger son. We had passed Podar Jumbo kids, Borewell road, many times but this time our requirement made us peek behind the colorful gate on the main road for the first time. Our search ended the moment I saw this school from inside, we fell in love with the ambience and setting amidst natural surroundings, which is quite deceptive from outside. I met Dr Divya then in Admin, she was very warm and patient and the Principal Ms Swapnil was in the background watching quietly the activities of the school from a corner.
There were many things helped us take the decision quickly of putting him in this branch
This school was a perfect place for our child to start his Pre Primary education … we got a feeling of a home away from home
Vihaan got admitted in Nursery at 3½ yrs of age last academic year, and we also availed day care facility for half day. Though the school environment was very friendly and everybody around was very warm yet he was having difficulty connecting with classmates and teachers. This was bit surprising as he was a very friendly child, but when I used to go and pick him up he would cry that he didn’t want to go to school.
We thought he was having problems adjusting in the new environment but he was clearly not enjoying his school time. Then behavioral issues started, he would become mildly aggressive, did not listen to his class teachers. As a parent and also being a Psychiatrist it perturbed me a lot, this is not we had looked forward to. Fortunately, he connected with Ms Swapnil because of a daily ritual she had of connecting with all kids asking them a simple question “How was your day?”. This small gesture helped him stay calm and he would be found sitting in her office instead of his classroom.
It became a daily ritual for me also to connect with the principal and found how passionate she was about providing good quality of education and importance of healthy eating in children and being eco friendly. She was involved in the progress of each child besides the administration work and so was her staff. During pick up I quietly got to observe this child friendly environment from very close quarters.
Ms Swapnil’s vigilance helped pick up the fact that Vihaan was enjoying going to JR KG rather than Nursery and that he wanted to sit in “Azra madam’s” class who was so welcoming and accommodating. So she discussed it with us and we agreed to move him to Jr Kg as an experiment for a month. I cannot describe the sea change we saw in his behavior within a week. He was happy in the school started making friends and also enjoyed his day care now. His new class teachers Azra madam and Sarita madam were so patient with him and helped him cope up with the whole nursery syllabus which he had missed, without pressurizing him or us.
He has grown leaps and bounds since then as regards his academics, social interaction and confidence to participate in group activities.
There were few other things that we noticed consistently during the activities arranged by school like giving importance to activities exclusively encouraging bonding of father and child which gets overlooked, giving importance to environment and bringing it into the children’s world in a gentle playful way.
Punctuality which was seen in every function we attended, irrespective of whether chief guest arrived or not function would start on time. It was very refreshing compared to our previous experiences and as it was honoring of parents’ time and consideration of the fatigue children would have to undergo because of the delay…
So when it was announced that this school had been adjudged the 12th best preschool in Bangalore it was a matter of pride for us to be associated with Ms Swapnil and her team and joy that the our child is growing in a healthy environment. We wish Ms Swapnil and her staff to keep up the good quality of work always.
With warm regards
Dr Shubhra
Vihaan’s mother
Once while idly browsing through the net I came across these meaningful lines that are apt for today’s parents:
My child isn’t my easel to paint,
Nor my diamond to polish!
My child isn’t my trophy to flaunt,
Nor my dummy to taunt!
My child isn’t my badge or my honour,
Nor my respect that he/she must protect!
My child isn’t an idea or a fantasy,
Nor my reflection or legacy!
My child isn’t my puppet or my project,
Nor my pawn or my cadet!
My child is here to fumble & stumble
To get in & out of trouble!
My child is here to try,
To fall & to cry!
My child is here to unravel the mysteries,
To educate oneself & rewrite histories!
My child is here to make his/her own choices,
To exercise his/her freewill & experience the consequences!
As a Parent,
My task is to make my child able & capable,
To keep aside my ego & be by his/her side!
My task is to guide & educate,
To let be & not frustrate!
My task is to allow him/her to ponder,
And see my child grow into a Wonder!
We are living in an age of competition. Every morning till night people are in a mad rush. Rush to get ahead of each other, whether it be a seat in a bus or train or a promotion in a job. Its a race on who has the biggest house, the best interiors, drives the latest SUV or goes on the most exotic vacation. And very often than not our children get pulled in inadvertently into this race. Very often I have seen parents flaunt their kids achievements whether it be in academics or in extra curricular activities in front of other parents. While it is only natural for parents to take pride in their kids activities, but most often than not it leads to undue peer pressure on kids right from a tender age. This constant pressure on young minds to excel or be left mind can lead to many physiological or psychological disorders in the long term such as loss of concentration, lack of confidence and even depression.
An average kid’s daily routine today consists of school, daycare, tuition, activity classes such as dance, drawing, karate, sports, abacus, music etc, etc. In a way, today’s generation is privileged to have so many avenues available to learn new skills and develop a multi faceted personality. That is something I feel extremely happy and excited about. But there is one question I feel every parent should ask himself/herself -“In this quest to give my child the best in life, am I really giving him/her the opportunity to live his/her childhood the way he/she wants to. Am I giving him/her the freedom to choose his/her interests and enjoy following it. Am I teaching him/her to do what everyone does and become one of a pack or stand out because of his inherent talent and lead by example.”
When we remember our own childhood, I am sure the best memories that would flash on our minds would be of flying kites or playing cricket with friends or perhaps making paper boats and sailing it over puddles, isn’t it? Times have changed now. It is not uncommon to see kids at school becoming entrepreneurs by launching their own mobile apps or computer programs. But among all this shouldn’t we encourage our kids to take time out and just be themselves? To create such magical moments that
twenty years hence they can look back and cherish?
When we were expecting our child, the first decision me and my husband took was that we would never force our will on her. That we would be there, to the best of our ability, to guide and support her. But we would motivate her to take her own decisions and let her live her life on her own beliefs. Something that we are humbly trying to live up to. I strongly believe that a pre-school plays a very important part in inculating the right learning habits in any kid and make him self-reliant. I
am very happy that we chose Podar Jumbo Kids. On my first visit to the school I was very attracted by the brightly colored walls, the colorful paper craft hung around and the wide open space.
On interaction with Swapnil I was pleased to know that Gandhiji was the first president of PJK and many of the founding principles of PJK are based on his philosophy. Over the past one year I have seen my children grow more confident and responsible each day. She enjoys her time at school and looks forward to going there. Thanks to the relentless efforts of her teachers and staff. One very important aspect that I appreciate is– Swapnil and her team will regularly give feedback on the progress of your child. They also encourage you to give your feedback on their performance. Having spent many years in the corporate world, I understand that taking regular feedback from all stakeholders is the only way for any organisation to grow and excel. So kudos to the team and their efforts. Keep up the good work!
Krish Dhakshin – The one who made me responsible, the one who made Kamal expressive, the one who makes us feel that our life revolves around his smiles & frowns ! Being the first grandchild of the family, Dhakshin is always pampered. He has always been an independent child, may be because he has started going to Play Group right since his 2nd year. I personally admire his ambivert nature , he opens up with people after a while, yet is always choosy about his friends, people and even games. But, we are happy to notice, he has chosen the best options (you will find the list in his write up).
I am definitely a proud mother, to have a son who helps me in kitchen :-) Dada’s pride is to witness his interest in studies & activities. Ah ! Podar – Love the pic where he started to eat on his own. Thanks for growing him independently , yet with lots of care !
I am sure the next write up by my naughty monster will be more interesting than this.
One fine morning of a busy week, my 3.5 years old daughter screamed, as she didn’t get chance to press the button of the elevator. I was in hurry to reach to school ,so that day I pushed the button for the parking area , she screamed “ No , I will press the button “ and started crying as the elevator started moving to the parking . Though being an educator that moment, it was a mother who over powered an educator, “Is my child a spoiled child?” “Why she gets cranky for such a small things?” “When she will learn that she couldn’t have her way own way” “or there is something else that drives her to do that”. The above incidence is just one of many. There are lots of incidence that happens which forces us to question “our own parenting “. Here I will take a moment to be proud of myself as an educator which always gives me an insight over the situation and helps me to believe that there are logical reasons that triggers the behaviour which is unacceptable by adults.
I know in hard times it’s difficult for we adults to see the world from the eyes of our toddlers, a curious, determined, happy, joyful but in some ways still unformed human beings. But my experience with my daughter and my students made me realise that seeing things from kid’s point is important as it lays foundation of lifelong success. In a toddler the part of brain responsible for emotions overpower the part of brain responsible for thinking. That’s the reason the toddlers have powerful emotions but lack the tools to regulate these emotions. So basically brains responds like and the same brains fails to understand that adjustment and flexibility is fine.
So coming back to my daughter getting upset of not getting the chance to press the button. I realised that pressing the button is a ritual that’s set in her mind. This gives her a sense of independence. But that day I changed her routine. It’s me an adult mind which understands that it doesn’t matter who presses the button. But it’s the brain of a toddler that is not developmentally ready to be flexible or got to school without pressing the button. So what I did at that point of time, we came to elevator, she pressed the button to open the door of the elevator and we went inside and she pressed the button again and then we came out. So it was just pressing the button. It doesn’t mean that I should always give in. But I know and believe after few months she will be able to handle changes and the best way to lead her to the point is modelling calm and reasonable behaviour for her and in front of her. There will be times where we need to say NO because I can’t let my daughter light a candle or use a knife , howsoever she feels for it but I can give her a chocolate at night (occasionally) or let her have 1 extra turn on the slide. The actions happening INSIDE the brains of 2-5 years kid make them so turbulent OUTSIDE, that we often judge the kid as ill-mannered or aggressive.
Best way to raise a grounded and well behaved angels is to see the world through their eyes. We need to understand what’s going on inside a toddler by seeing the behaviour exhibited outside.
I would now end by saying that we need to be an adult whom the child looks to in difficult time. This will lay the seeds inside them of being a happy, independent and successful individual.
