My nephew is almost three. He is very active and always up to something. Everybody in the family adores him. My sister is planning to admit him in a school this session. She is worried of course; will he get admission in city's most reputed school? How would he perform at interview? How should she and her husband prepare for that particular meeting? All these apprehensions and chaos for admission in a nursery class!
Well, this is the reality of the day. For me it is a crime to send a three-year-old kid to totally unfamiliar surrounding, in the name of educating him. When he should be running after birds and butterflies, he is being taught to count their number in a lifeless book. When he ought to be making stories out of his own imagination, (whenever it's Sidhant's turn to tell a story, he improvises the ones he has been told by me or other elders.) he is forced to cram and parrot rhymes whose meanings he doesn't know! It is for the benefit of parents who are anxious to show their child's talent in front of drawing-room gatherings. Neither parents, nor teachers are ready to admit that classroom teaching is not enough to equip a three-year-old to start learning about life.
Children are curious by nature. But our schools encourage not curiosity but blind faith in what the teacher says. Nursery students are required to learn the names of animals and birds which are foreign to them. They may not even exist; as far as a child's interest is concerned. The best approach should be to introduce kids with the things that are found in their local areas. Instead of talking about walrus, show them squirrels when you take them on nature walk.
I am sure the next time the child finds this tiny creature, he will stop and observe it's activities. Why aren't kids told about the trees in their surrounding environment instead of being told about pines, again an entity unfamiliar to them? I am not saying that you have to bring a bull in the class to show them what a bull looks like is. Take help of picture books and various flash cards where ever required.
Why are today's children not being taught to explore, to enquire, to marvel at the beauty of nature that surrounds them? The reason that comes to my mind is that the teachers themselves aren't conversant with such things. Many kindergarten teachers have no professional training, have a minimum education. Some of them may be BA, B.Ed. They are always waiting for better opportunities. In defence of these teachers, it may be said that they are paid poor salaries. Let's not blame them if they take their job in a mechanical way.It is the duty of the school management to provide and recruit staff which is capable of handling such impressionable and delicate minds.
How to go about it then? First and foremost, a kindergarten teacher should be jack of all trades, be it art and craft, music or story telling. Not only you have to provide space for child's physical growth, you should give him space to express his views too. If the tone of the teacher is intimidating, the child will hesitate to speak.
Try explaining unfamiliar topics with the help of various teaching aids. Puppets, story sessions, music have been very successful as teaching aids. Music can be of great assistance to channelise the kids' energy.
Take your students on nature walks. Nature walk means, freedom from the confines of class room and interaction with nature. Don't force kids to learn the specifics of each and every thing they encounter during nature walks. You can tell them all about the fork-tailed black bird or the poplar tree when you get back to school.
Learn to keep your enthusiasm in check. Dramatic expressions on a teacher's face attract student's attention immediately. It is my experience that introvert kids can be drawn in to participation through drama. All one has to become is a clown. Yes if you can make your kids laugh, you have reached a step closer in winning their hearts.
